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What would be 2019 Jets' ideal defensive depth chart in Gregg Williams' new 4-3 scheme? Demarcus Lawrence? Quinnen Williams? Leonard Williams?
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Ben Flanagan | AL.com Here, we take a look at how the Jets could fill out their 2019 two-deep on defense in a perfect world. It's worth noting that, even within the confines of this idealized offseason, we still tried to make some realistic assumptions. Players that are currently under contract and cannot realistically be released were kept around. Free agents and college players were fair game for addition, but money is still an object -- at least to a degree. We also assumed the Jets will be running a 4-3 base defense, given the hire of defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
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https://www.nj.com/expo/sports/g66l-2019/01/93ec97e3458607/what-would-be-2019-jets-ideal-defensive-depth-chart-in-gregg-williams-new-43-scheme-demarcus-lawrence-quinnen-williams-leonard-williams-.html
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Why Are Young People Pretending to Love Work?
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Perhaps weve all gotten a little hungry for meaning. Participation in organized religion is falling, especially among American millennials. In San Francisco, where I live, Ive noticed that the concept of productivity has taken on an almost spiritual dimension. Techies here have internalized the idea rooted in the Protestant work ethic that work is not something you do to get what you want; the work itself is all. Therefore any life hack or company perk that optimizes their day, allowing them to fit in even more work, is not just desirable but inherently good. Aidan Harper, who created a European workweek-shrinkage campaign called 4 Day Week, argues that this is dehumanizing and toxic. It creates the assumption that the only value we have as human beings is our productivity capability our ability to work, rather than our humanity, he told me. Its cultist, Mr. Harper added, to convince workers to buy into their own exploitation with a change-the-world message. Its creating the idea that Elon Musk is your high priest, he said. Youre going into your church every day and worshiping at the altar of work. For congregants of the Cathedral of Perpetual Hustle, spending time on anything thats nonwork related has become a reason to feel guilty. Jonathan Crawford, a San Francisco-based entrepreneur, told me that he sacrificed his relationships and gained more than 40 pounds while working on Storenvy, his e-commerce start-up. If he socialized, it was at a networking event. If he read, it was a business book. He rarely did anything that didnt have a direct R.O.I., or return on investment, for his company. Mr. Crawford changed his lifestyle after he realized it made him miserable. Now, as an entrepreneur-in-residence at 500 Start-ups, an investment firm, he tells fellow founders to seek out nonwork-related activities like reading fiction, watching movies or playing games. Somehow this comes off as radical advice. Its oddly eye-opening to them because they didnt realize they saw themselves as a resource to be expended, Mr. Crawford said. Its easy to become addicted to the pace and stress of work in 2019. Bernie Klinder, a consultant for a large tech company, said he tried to limit himself to five 11-hour days per week, which adds up to an extra day of productivity. If your peers are competitive, working a normal workweek will make you look like a slacker, he wrote in an email. Still, hes realistic about his place in the rat race. I try to keep in mind that if I dropped dead tomorrow, all of my acrylic workplace awards would be in the trash the next day, he wrote, and my job would be posted in the paper before my obituary.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/26/business/against-hustle-culture-rise-and-grind-tgim.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
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How Should Salespeople Sell to Doctors?
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Two device salesmen recently came unannounced to our small private gastroenterology practice. They were hawking a product that could quickly and non-invasively determine how much scar tissue had formed in a patient's liver, a useful tool for assessing patients with hepatitis and many other liver conditions. We are physicians, not entrepreneurs. We do not regard the colonoscope as a capitalist tool. Yet, these two salesmen were barraging us with facts and figures on how much money we could make off their product. They knew the insurance reimbursement rates and could quickly calculate our practice's return on investment depending upon our projected volume. They recognized that the cost of their device would be beyond our reach and offered to sell us a "refurbished" product at a huge discount. For a host of reasons, we were not interested in acquiring the device, which we could not afford. Here's what was so striking. Not once did either of them mention, even by accident, that their product was a device that might help a human being. These guys were so clumsy and so transparent that they weren't even adept enough to feign an interest in contributing to the health of liver patients. Of course, we would have seen right through this pretense anyway, but at least they would have gone through the motions with the hope that we might not have recognized their charade. Afterward, our office manager was deluged with e-mails beseeching us to reconsider our refusal, offering "new and improved" calculations that promised us profitability. And, borrowing a technique from late-night infomercials, they now offered an even steeper discount on a newly discovered refurbished product that was a deal they advised that we should not pass on. We have many sales folks who come to see us. Of course, we understand that they are selling products. But a true sales professional understands his customer, and these guys massively misfired. We are physicians, not hedge fund managers who regard income generation as our primary objective. When device or pharmaceutical representatives come to see us, they are best poised to sell us on how their wares can help our patients improve their lives. The product that can sell itself sells best. Michael Kirsch, MD, is a gastroenterologist who blogs at MD Whistleblower. This post originally appeared on KevinMD. 1969-12-31T19:00:00-0500
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https://www.medpagetoday.com/blogs/kevinmd/77608
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Has Victoria's Secret supermodel Shanina Shaik been 'editing' her photos?
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She's the ultimate catwalk queen, having stormed the runway for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show an incredible five times. But Shanina Shaik, 27, has once again come under fire after being accused of 'Photoshopping' her Instagram snaps by the Celebface account. The user behind the account posted side-by-side comparisons of the raven haired runway queen, highlighting a much thinner waist in one version of the same photo. New side-by-sides show slimmer waist and plumper pout for glamazon from catwalk to Instagram. Here in 2017 Shanina also appeared to have more contoured cheekbones and a more luscious pout in one of the photographs. Remarkable: The stunning Victoria's Secret model appeared to have a slimmer waist in the photograph she shared to Instagram. (L) from the catwalk. (R) On her Instagram The image shows Shanina at the 2017 InStyle and Warner Bros 73rd Annual Golden Globes Awards Post Party in January last year. In the snap, the Australian-born runway queen wears a belted billowing lavender gown, which is sleeveless and features a thigh-high split. This isn't the first time the flawless fashion star has been accused of sharing edited photos. Following Shanina storming the catwalk for the lingerie brand's fashion show last November, celebface made the accusation again. Little boost: Shanina also appears to have given herself a perkier derrire in one of her images (original pictured left, Instagram picture right) Shanina donned a skimpy peach bustier with a pair of matching bottoms, with the account showing her already trim waist slimmer in the photo she shared with fans. In a second shot, Shanina absolutely flawless derrire looked a little perkier in the image she shared with fans compared to an 'original' image. Shanina has not spoken publicly about accusations that she's sharing edited photos, but has credited her sizzling physique to diet and exercise. Difference: It looks like Shanina Shaik slimmed her already trim waist in the photo she shared with her fans (original pictured left, Instagram picture right) Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Shanina for comment. A former Victoria's Secret Photoshopper, who remained anonymous, revealed the tricks to how model's photos are edited when speaking to Refinery29 in July 2016. It was claimed the the tech expert said the models armed were swapped post production, and they were made to 'look rounder.' 'There's a lot of the switching bodies up,' the website reported her as saying. 'A lot of the time retouching isn't about trying to make a body look ideal but also to avoid criticism of the image.'
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6634591/Has-Victorias-Secret-supermodel-Shanina-Shaik-editing-photos.html
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Are lawmakers following through on their promises to the voters?
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The host of SAMAA TVs programme Awaz, Ali Haider, has some valid points to make about the lack of meaningful legislation in the country.Are the lawmakers fulfilling their duties to the public who have voted for them?We see that the sessions are often a ruckus, said Haider, asking if millions were spent to call a session which turns out to be a fish market.He talked about the high cost of holding assembly sessions saying that according to previous records, the expense for one day was around Rs25 million.Despite such a high investment, legislators, Haider said, continue to focus more on political point scoring and personal attacks instead of meaningful legislation.He gave an example of the session in which discussion on the Sahiwal shooting took place. He said no one was on the same page. No one wanted to investigate how such an incident could be avoided in the future, he said.He called for a discussion on serious issues which affects the common man.It is shocking and sad that such a platform is not being utilised how it should be, he said.
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https://www.samaa.tv/opinion/2019/01/are-lawmakers-following-through-on-their-promises-to-the-voters/
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Where did it go wrong for Neil Lennon at Hibs?
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We should begin by pointing out at Neil Lennon hasnt actually left the club yet and this could be a case of writing his Easter Road eulogy before the life support machine has been turned off. However, at the time of writing, it seems almost certain that the Northern Irishman has managed his last game at the club. Join our Facebook group Our Edinburgh to share images and news from and around the Capital Hibs manager Neil Lennon looks like he could be heading out of the club. Picture: SNS Its been quite a fall from grace for a coach who just eight months ago may as well have been doing that aeroplane celebration at the end of the 5-5 draw against Rangers while walking on water. Not only had he dragged the club back up to the top flight, hed got them back into Europe. Hibs fans fully embraced their manager and everything he stood for. Barring another team coming in for him it seemed this marriage would be a long one. Then this season happened. Currently Hibs sit eighth in the table with just two wins from their last 14. Admittedly, odds were against him replicating the success of last season was always going to be difficult when Dylan McGeouch and Scott Allan left and John McGinn was sold to Aston Villa. Those three were such a crucial part of the team and the catalyst for the success in the second part of last season. Theres also been some injury issues to contend with this season. While their troubles havent hit the headlines like neighbours Hearts, theyve had more than their fair share. With the exception of Martin Boyle and the elusive Thomas Agyepong, there havent been many long-term casualties, but a series of strains and knocks has necessitated changing the team more than the manager would have preferred. A team that picked itself last term has been fiddled with on a weekly basis. That being said, Lennon shouldnt be absolved of blame for the teams poor form this reason. Far from it. In fact, a lack of accountability has been a common accusation running through fan reactions to todays news. There have been a couple of tactical disasters this campaign - away to Kilmarnock and the recent 1-0 defeat at Motherwell being the two that stand out - and yet Lennon, even when admitting that he had to take responsibility for results, has continually sought to blame the players. His absence while Hibs were in their seven-game rut earlier in the season didnt go over well either. It was spun as the manager needing the extra time to focus on how to pull his team out of a tailspin, though fans were left without answers from the only man who could give it to them at a time when they needed it most. It was quite telling that often after matches in which Hibs didnt secure victory, Lennon would blame the forward line for failing to convert their chances. While this was sometimes the case, frequently these comments came after games where the midfield three had lost their battle. Whether he did it consciously or not, accusing those players of failing to pull their weight would have been an admittance of responsibility. Losing three terrific players in one area of the park is difficult, but its what Scottish football bosses up and down the country have to contend with every season. Replacing quality with quality is part of the job, outside the top two our teams dont have the fiscal power to hold on to them for long. Blaming the midfield would be admitting the players he brought in to replace McGinn, McGeouch and Allan werent good enough, and they were his signings. Of course, Florian Kamberi and Jamie Maclaren were his signings also - we can also include fellow attacker Martin Boyle, who Lennon didnt sign but is someone who blossomed during his time at the club - but they enjoyed a sustained spell of terrific form under Lennon previously. If they werent performing as they had done, well then, that was down to them. If the fans grew weary of this then it seems the first-team squad definitely did. A full and frank exchange between the manager and the players escalated to the point where chief executive Leeann Dempster felt the need to get involved. It would seem the players had reached their breaking point. As one supporter put it to the this writer on social media: You cant whip a horse all the way around the track and expect it to win. One wouldnt be surprised to see Kamberi post that in inspiration-quote form on social media in the coming days, given the number of times he was singled out by the management staff. While Hibs were in the Championship, Lennon had made himself the master of cracking the whip at the perfect time, most notably after an away draw at Raith Rovers which came just days before their 3-1 destruction of rivals Hearts in the Scottish Cup replay at Easter Road. But it would seem he went to the tactic too often and the response wasnt there any more.
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https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/where-did-it-go-wrong-for-neil-lennon-at-hibs-1-4862908
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Why Would The US Want Venezuelas Oil When It Already Buys 41% Of Its Total Exports?
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The prevailing Alt-Media narrative that Washington wants to impose a pro-US puppet regime on Venezuela in order to control all of the countrys oil doesnt make much sense when considering that it already buys 41% of the Bolivarian Republics total exports, meaning that another more nuanced explanation needs to be offered in order to account for this narrative double-think. The Alt-Media Community is full of commentary about how the US wants to impose a puppet regime on Venezuela in order to control the countrys oil, but that doesnt make much sense because it already buys 41% of the Bolivarian Republics total exports as evidenced by the Energy Information Agencys executive summary of the energy trade between the two as of 7 January, 2019. The US is Venezuelas top customer whereas Venezuela is the US third-largest supplier of crude oil imports according to the report, so Washington is already getting all that it needs from Caracas as it is. Given this ironic dynamic between the two geopolitical and ideological foes, it could be expected that the US would also obtain access to the resources of the worlds largest oil reserves in the Orinoco Belt one day too, once again contradicting the simplistic narrative that Washington is only waging this Hybrid War for the oil. Nevertheless, the truth of the matter is that control over Venezuelas oil is indeed one of the motivations behind this conflict, though not in the way that its being portrayed. Alongside ensuring full geopolitical control over the Caribbean Basin and ideologically confronting socialism, the US wants to obtain predominant influence over Venezuela in order to incorporate it into a parallel OPEC-like structure for challenging the joint Russian-Saudi OPEC+ arrangement per the authors late-2016 prediction about the formation of a North American-South American Petroleum Exporting Countries (NASAPEC) cartel. This entity would function as Fortress Americas energy component and have the potential to exert powerful long-term pressure on the international oil market at Russia and Saudi Arabias expense. When coupled with the US and Qatars joint LNG investment plans, its clear to see that the US is making a global power play for control over the worlds energy industry, which could very adversely affect Russia. The multipolar Eurasian Great Power relies on its energy exports to advance its financial and geopolitical interests, though that might be more difficult to do despite its oil and gas partnerships with Saudi Arabia and Iran respectively (which are part of the countrys balancing strategy) in the event that the US Western Hemispheric-wide NASAPEC and its LNG alliance with Qatar are able to potently compete with it across this domain. The potential risk is that Russia could stand to lose out on a lot of long-term revenue if the US is able to manipulatively keep oil and gas prices low, which could combine with the increased costs associated with the New Arms Race brought about by Washingtons withdrawal from the INF Treaty to put immense pressure on Moscow to compromise with its chief geopolitical rival per the stratagem described by the author in his April 2018 piece about What The US Really Wants From Russia. President Putins ultimate legacy rests on his ability to deliver on the many socio-economic promises that he made to his compatriots during his re-election campaign last year, though these were all predicated on the assumption that the future oil and LNG markets would remain stable and largely under Russias controlling influence, as well as the expectation that the countrys hypersonic missile advancements could deter the onset of a costly New Arms Race. The US aforementioned energy and military moves shattered those presumptions and could throw the Russian leaders carefully crafted plans to improve the overall livelihood of all of his countrymen (especially the majority of the population that lives outside of its most developed cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg) into jeopardy, though right now this worst-case scenario is still far from certain pending the outcome of the Venezuelan Crisis, thus explaining why Russia is so eager to mediate between the government and opposition. DISCLAIMER: The author writes for this publication in a private capacity which is unrepresentative of anyone or any organization except for his own personal views. Nothing written by the author should ever be conflated with the editorial views or official positions of any other media outlet or institution.
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https://eurasiafuture.com/2019/01/26/why-would-the-us-want-venezuelas-oil-when-it-already-buys-41-of-its-total-exports/
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Does Society Need Andrew Dice Clay?
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I get it, girls. Its rape. Andrew Dice Clay was contemplating Harvey Weinstein while pacing the stage at the Laugh Factory on New Years weekend , a 320-person club inside the Tropicana in Las Vegas, a casino with $10 tables and zero inferiority complex about it. But for guys in here 50 or 60 years old, its not the rape we grew up with, he said. Black jeans, leather vest, fingerless gloves, sunglasses at 10 p.m., a cigarette dangling from his mouth. The vibe was about as 80s as parachute-pants-wearing Transformers that morph into ALF singing Megadeth. Over the course of three not-quite-sold-out nights, Mr. Clay did his shtick on everything from erratic electronic soap dispensers ( saying thats how the Japanese, but using a racist epithet, are getting back at us for Hiroshima and Nagasaki ) to the White House (Donny Trump, he stole half my act to become president). A few days later, 61-year-old Andrew Silverstein of Los Angeles, by way of Brooklyn, was pacing the kitchen at his sensible suburban house in Sherman Oaks, this time in a short-sleeved hooded sweatshirt and elastic pants. His once jet-black hair is resigned to gray.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/26/style/andrew-dice-clay-star-is-born.html
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Why does the president keep talking about women and duct tape on the border?
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President Donald Trump announces a deal to temporarily reopen the government on Jan. 25 in the Rose Garden of the White House. (Evan Vucci/AP) Columnist While discussing the temporary end to the government shutdown on Friday afternoon, President Trump appeared to meander out of the Rose Garden and into a Law & Order: SVU episode. Once there, he described a horrific scene that seems to exist only in his own mind, but that hes been repeating in speeches for weeks: There are migrant women at the border. They are being tortured. They have tape on their mouths. Specifically: Women are tied up, with duct tape on their faces, put in the backs of vans, the president said, citing human traffickers who he alleges are the perpetrators of this violence against migrants. But women are not tied up, experts have said. They do not have tape on their mouths. When Trump repeated this claim a few weeks ago, my colleague Katie Mettler contacted many authorities on trafficking who have spent time at the border, and none of them had seen or heard anything resembling the violence he described. Nevertheless, there was Trump on Jan. 4, dramatizing the traffickers who have three or four women with tape on their mouths and tied up, sitting in the back of a van or car. There he was on Jan. 6: They nab women, they grab them, they put tape over their mouths. On Jan. 11: Taping them up, wrapping tape around their mouths so they cant shout or scream, tying their hands behind their back and even their legs. Sometimes the tape is explicitly duct tape, sometimes its electrical. Sometimes it has a specific color, as it did on Jan. 10: Usually blue tape, as they call it. Its powerful stuff. Not good. Its hard not to be disturbed by the explicitness; one assumes disturbing explicitness is the point. Trump could have merely said the journey was dangerous for migrant women. He could have cited statistics, which do exist: A sickening number of women and girls as high as 60 percent, estimated Amnesty International are assaulted en route. [Trump again mentioned taped-up women at the border. Experts dont know what he is talking about.] But he didn't do that. Instead, he deliberately repeats a scenario that appears to be a Mad Lib of SVU, CSI and whatever was playing on Lifetime last Tuesday. On movie and TV sets, duct tape and bound hands play an outsize role in female distress. Entire genres have been built on the idea that somewhere out there, theres a woman tied to railroad tracks, and a good man needs to save her. The president is obsessed with the idea of exploited women in peril, which is odd for a man whose empire was partially built on exploited women in bikinis. Women slain by undocumented immigrants are cornerstones of his speeches. He doesnt merely mention them, he lingers on them, often with the same leering cinematic detail that hes brought to his duct tape fantasy. An Air Force veteran was raped, murdered and beaten to death by a hammer, is how he described the death of Marilyn Pharis. These speeches appear to focus on women, but theyre also, of course, a reflection of how he views some men. The bad hombres who are doing the duct-taping, the president implies, are not merely assaulting women who are en route, way down in Guatemala or Honduras. These men are coming into the country. They could do this once theyre here. They could do this to your daughter. And, the implication follows, theyre not like you. Theyre from a culture that silences women. With duct tape, or maybe electrical tape, but definitely blue tape of some variety. Its an oddly specific thing for the president to repeatedly insist upon, and so, I assume, it must serve some kind of thematic purpose. It speaks to our greatest fears, of course, to inexplicable parts of us that have kept Mariska Hargitay on air for 20 years and paid Liam Neeson his last several million dollars. And perhaps it resonates for the presidents traditional, male supporters the ones who see protecting femininity as a hallmark of their own masculinity. But theres also a purity to the duct-tape anecdotes, in the sense that it describes behavior thats purely evil. Black and white. Human trafficking, however, is often complicated: women who believe theyre coming to America for a job, for example, that later turns out not to exist. Allegations of sexual assault are also complicated, as the president should know: Hes been accused of assaulting or inappropriately touching 19 women and while hes engaged in locker room talk suggesting hes grabbed women, hes also said his accusers are all lying. He nominated Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, and later mocked Christine Blasey Ford, Kavanaughs own accuser. Hes mocked the whole #MeToo movement, implying that victims have gone too far. I wonder whether the president does care about victims, though. I wonder whether its just that his vision of victims is stuck in the fictional Special Victims Unit of NBCs prime time lineup. A world where in order to be a victim, you have to be almost fatally wounded, and in order to be a bad guy, you have to be almost evil. Compassion requires a blatantly bad man, stuffing women in a van. Compassion requires duct tape. Monica Hesse is a columnist writing about gender and its impact on society. For more visit wapo.st/hesse.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/why-does-the-president-keep-talking-about-women-and-duct-tape-on-the-border/2019/01/25/cb4d9160-20da-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html
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Will Floyd Mayweather rematch Manny Pacquiao?
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Manny Pacquiao who rolled back the years to beat Adrien Broner in style, and then decided to challenge Floyd Mayweather to a rematch Manny Pacquiao who rolled back the years to beat Adrien Broner in style, and then decided to challenge Floyd Mayweather to a rematch. One of the top stories in the boxing word this week is aboutwho rolled back the years to beat Adrien Broner in style, and then decided to challenge Floyd Mayweather to a rematch. Manny Pacquiao convincingly beat Adrien Broner in Las Vegas on Saturday and issued a come-and-fight-me plea to retired boxing champion Mayweather who was sitting ringside at the time. Floyd Mayweather has not fought professionally since his 10th round stoppage victory over the UFC fighter Conor McGregor in 2017. has not fought professionally since his 10th round stoppage victory over the UFC fighter Conor McGregor in 2017. Since then he has contested an exhibition fight against the Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa, who he obliterated in a single round on December 31. Though the exhibition was far from an official contest, it sparked rumors he was considering a return to sport. Here is the Answer "Floyd Mayweather will not be coming out of retirement to fight Manny Pacquiao again because he does not have the motivation to do so." said Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe. Ellerbe was speaking shortly after Manny Pacquiao had just beat Adrien Broner in a welterweight fight in Las Vegas, which had reignited rematch rumors. But Manny Pacquiao has continued his campaign regardless. "Come back to the ring and we can fight again," the 70-fight veteran said. A rematch could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars to both fighters, but Ellerbe said "it's not always about the money." Leave your comment bellow.
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https://www.bongotoday.com/2019/01/will-floyd-mayweather-fight-manny-pacquiao-rematch.html
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Does 'Resident Evil 2' Remade Look And Play As Good As It Could On Xbox One And PS4?
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The remake of Resident Evil 2 has gathered high praise as an example of how to rethink and redo a classic while maintaining a healthy respect for what made the game so great in the first place. Much of the positive commentary has focused on RE2s gameplay and atmosphere of sustained tension, but kudos have also been offered for how good the game looks. And it does look good. However, when you look a little more closely at the technical details, as Digital Foundry did, its hard not to think the RE2 remake is an opportunity missed. Resolution and graphics The new RE2 was built with Capcoms RE engine which was also used to make Resident Evil 7 and Devil May Cry 5. The RE engine brings a lot to the table such as excellent lighting effects and high quality facial and movement animation. The new Resident Evil 2 makes good use of all of it, but it doesnt appear the developers pushed the engine to maximize how the game looks on any of the consoles. The image looks a little sharper and clearer on the base PS4 than the Xbox One S even though resolution comes in at 1920 x 1080 on both consoles. In addition, when switching to a new view there are brief moments when the image pixelates and breaks up on the One S. Claire Redfields hair in the image above is a good example. The PS4 doesnt have this problem. The PS4 Pro and Xbox One X both render at 2880 x 1620. That alone tells you Capcom wasnt interested in taking full advantage of each platforms hardware. The One X is capable of much more. Theres an interesting difference between the Pro and the One X thats not usually seen when the two consoles are compared. The Pro produces a slightly sharper image than the One X but it comes at the cost of an increased amount of shimmering around edges when the camera moves. As a result, the Pro looks a little better in side-by-side comparisons of still shots, but the One X looks a little smoother when you move. The disadvantages are small in both cases and which version is preferred will be a matter of personal taste. Performance Its also apparent that Capcom didnt take advantage of the hardware when it comes to performance. RE2 targets a 60 fps frame rate on all four consoles. The One X and Pro hit the target much of the time; the One S and PS4 frequently miss by a lot. There are many points in RE2 where either the One X or the Pro drop frames when the other one doesnt. This is more evidence that the game wasnt fine tuned for either platform. The One X tends to drop a few frames while the Pro can fall to 50 fps. These brief drops occur less frequently on the One X. In high-stress scenes the Pro slows to the mid-40s while the One X can hit 50 fps. Performance on the One S and the PS4 is much worse. Both consoles rarely hit 60 fps. The PS4 hovers around 50 fps with frequent time spent in the 40s. The One S tends to run somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 to 10 frames slower. Both of the base consoles bottom out around 30 fps in high stress scenes. Conclusion The higher resolutions and faster frame rates found on the Pro and the One X make them the preferred versions whether you favor graphics or performance. In fact, frame rates are so poor and so variable on the base consoles that avoiding them if possible is a good idea. Choosing between the One X and the Pro is not as clear cut. The One X is the obvious choice for players who value performance over visuals. For those who favor image quality, the choice comes down to a preference for the Pros sharper image at the cost of increased edge shimmer or the One Xs softer image combined with decreased shimmer. These visual differences are relatively small, but they are there and may be important for some players. Disappointment sets in when you consider what Capcom could have done but didnt. It would be a vast improvement in performance for the One S and PS4, and a meaningful improvement for the Pro. The One X doesnt need a 30 fps cap but RE2 might have been playable in 4K instead of 1620p (about 56% of full 4K) with a cap in place. Fine tuning a game for different consoles and giving players a choice between performance and graphics modes is commonplace for new releases but its too much to ask for a run-of-the-mill remaster. But Resident Evil 2 is far from that. Capcom lavished a great deal of care and attention on rethinking and rebuilding RE2 for a modern audience and it did a great job. Its a shame the technical presentation didnt get the same love. If you enjoyed this article, here are some others you may find interesting.
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinmurnane/2019/01/26/does-resident-evil-2-remade-look-and-play-as-good-as-it-could-on-xbox-one-and-ps4/
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Will Immigration Bloodshed Continue?
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American citizens, including law enforcement officers, continue to be the tragic victims of sanctuary policies. By John Friend Two recent tragic cases highlight the danger illegal aliens pose to U.S. citizens, particularly in so-called sanctuary states like California that largely forbid state and local law enforcement agencies from coordinating and cooperating with federal immigration authorities. In late December, Gustavo Garcia, a 36-year-old illegal alien with a lengthy criminal record who had previously been deported from the U.S. on two separate occasions, went on a violent criminal rampage in Tulare County in central California before being killed in a high-speed chase with California law enforcement officers. Garcias rampage began on the afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 16 when he shot and wounded a local farm worker and then proceeded to rob a local convenience store at gunpoint, stealing roughly $2,000 in cash. Later that day, Garcia shot a female guest at a Motel 6 in the chest and arm. Neither the farm worker nor the female shot by Garcia suffered life-threatening injuries. In the early morning hours of Monday, Dec. 17, Garcias violent crime spree continued, as he shot up a gas station in the area, killing one man who police identified as Rocky Paul Jones, 51. Garcia then fired shots in the backyard of his girlfriends house where he had been living, before leaving and being pursued by sheriffs deputies. During the chase, Garcia fired shots at officers before wrecking his car. He then proceeded to steal another vehicle and led officers on yet another high-speed chase at speeds approaching 100 miles per hour. During the chase, multiple vehicles were struck, resulting in serious injuries to several of the unfortunate victims of Garcias rampage. Following the final accident Garcia caused during the chase, the violent criminal, who had been living illegally in the United States for an unknown period of time, was thrown from the stolen vehicle and died. Garcia is believed to have committed at least 11 different crimes during the rampage, including an officer-involved shooting, homicide, and robbery. Incredibly, he had been in police custody just two days prior to his criminal rampage for being under the influence of a controlled substance and had a long criminal record, including multiple assaults with a deadly weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, vandalism, and possession of a controlled substance, according to news reports. The Visalia Times-Delta, a news outlet in the area, reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials had alerted local law enforcement officials that Garcia was a known violent criminal who had been deported in 2004 and again in 2014. He had already served 27 months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the country yet managed to evade immigration authorities. ICE agents had apparently issued an immigration hold for Garcia when he was in police custody just prior to the deadly rampage, yet the hold was not honored due to Californias sanctuary-state laws, and Garcia was released. This is an unfortunate and extremely tragic example of how public safety is impacted with laws or policies limiting local law enforcement agencies ability to cooperate with ICE, the agency said in a statement published by the Times-Delta. The Tulare County Sheriffs Office is equally as frustrated with this situation, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said following the tragic incident. Because of California law, detainers can no longer be recognized by local law enforcement. In a separate and equally tragic incident that also took place in California, six individuals with dubious immigration status have been arrested in connection with the murder of a California police officer who had legally immigrated to the United States. Police Cpl. Ronil Singh of the Newman Police Department, who was described as an American patriot by Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson, was murdered the day after Christmas when he was shot by Gustavo Perez Arriaga, a 32-year-old illegal alien who had two previous DUI convictions. Singh had pulled over Arriaga for suspicion of drunk driving in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Dec. 26. Arriaga shot the officer before fleeing the scene, resulting in Singhs tragic death. Two days later, police arrested Arriaga and two accomplices, all believed to be living in the U.S. illegally: Adrian Virgen, 25, Arriagas brother, and Erik Razo Quiroz, 32, a co-worker of Arriagas. According to Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson, Arriaga was a known gang member who worked on local dairy farms. Christianson also said that Virgen and Quiroz were arrested because they intentionally lied to us and misled us, according to local reports. Both men now face a charge of being accessories after the fact to a felony. Three other individuals were also later arrested in neighboring Kern County for their role in helping Arriaga evade law enforcement authorities and attempt to flee the country to Mexico following the murder. Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood announced charges against Bernabe Madrigal Castaneda, 59, Erasmo Villegas, 36 and Maria Luisa Moreno, 57, all of Bakersfield, who were arrested on charges of aiding and abetting Arriaga. In the aftermath of the officers murder, Christianson expressed frustration with Californias sanctuary laws, which hinder local and state law enforcement agencies from cooperating with federal immigration officials. We should have been allowed to report him to ICE, Christianson said in a press conference after the arrests, referring to Arriaga, but because of sanctuary laws we could not. Had Arriaga not been in the country, the outcome could have been different, Christianson lamented. For gang members? At the news conference, Christianson emphasized that his deputies are not interested in enforcing immigration law. Thats not our job, Christianson stated. But law enforcement should be able to turn people over to ICE who are gang members who victimize and exploit others. These tragic incidents will no doubt inflame the already intense debate over immigration in this country. John Friend is a freelance author based in California.
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http://americanfreepress.net/will-immigration-bloodshed-continue/
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Have CBD gummies become the new trend?
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Twitter Facebook Google+ WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Email Every CBD website seems to be selling them and everybody seems to be eating them, from Whoopi Goldberg to your grandma. CBD gummies are officially on trend. But if you havent heard of them and still need some convincing, Google has recently published their top search trends of 2018 and CBD gummies were revealed to be the third most popular food search of the year. Only beaten to the post by Romaine lettuce in second and Unicorn cake in the number one spot. CBD gummies have wormed their way into main stream culture, with even fashion sites like Elle writing articles about what they are and how to use them. Many people see them is more accessible than other CBD products, such as vaping, and their popularity may have something to do with the legalisation of CBD, not only in many states in the U.S but countries in the world. We have seen a huge spike in CBD products in the last few years this has been spurred on by advances in medical research, showing how beneficial this cannabinoid can be to our health. The most popular use of CBD gummies are for medical reasons. If you are not familiar with other CBD products, youll be interested to know that CBD is short for, cannabidiol, which is one of many naturally occurring chemicals or cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. Research has found that these chemicals are helpful for a large variety of health concerns because they contain many medicinal properties, such as being an anti-inflammatory. And unlike other preventative measures they tend to have very limited side-effects. One of the biggest misconceptions about CBD is that its psychoactive, meaning it produces a high. Unlike its brother THC, which does produce highs and is often smoked recreationally, CBDs main purpose is medical. These CBD products in particular have been named gummies because their texture is similar to that of the classic candy, gummy bears. Some are even made to look like them too which makes them very cute. They are often sold in a variety of flavors, shapes and sizes to enable the buyer to tailor the product as closely as possible to their want. Like other products that contain CBD, gummies can be a great resource to use for a variety of mental and physical ailments. Here are the most prevalent uses of them; Anti-anxiety Anti-inflammatory Helpful for chronic pain Used for insomnia CBD can be an attractive alternative to a lot of people who have either had terrible side effects from other medicinal drugs or prefer to self-medicate. Whether you suffer from painful arthritis in the joints of your hands or are trying to heal a painful leg injury, CBD has proved a useful tool in recovery and prevention. They are especially effective for mental illness, which can be very difficult to resolve through other types of medication. Disorders such as social anxiety, benefit the most from CBD use, as they can produce a very uplifting yet calming effect on the body. If you are suffering from symptoms which you believe will lesson with these products, always make sure to visit a professional doctor first. Positives for CBD Gummies Fun Appearance One of the most appealing qualities of CBD gummies are their appearance. They are one of the most attractive CBD products around, featuring bright colours and cool shapes. And because they look like sweets, most people feel much more comfortable consuming these than other methods, such as a vape pen. It just happens to make you feel relaxed too. Great flavour Unlike many natural flavored CBD products, gummies offer amazing fruity tastes. The natural taste can be quite bitter and earthy, and many people find it hard to use the oils because of this. If you buy good quality gummies, they will normally have real fruit flavors, which can include grape, orange, berries and many more. Also, many vegan gummies are now being produced in the CBD market, making it as assessible as possible for all diet types to be able to consume these products. So, you can enjoy these completely guilt-free they are good for the environment and they taste delicious! Convenience If you do feel like CBD is beneficial to your health, you may want to have the gummies on hand throughout the course of your day. A jar of these are so easy to pop into your bag for a quick nibble if you feel the anxiety start to take over. And even though CBD is legal in many places, there is still a stigma about using cannabis products. They can be a very subtle way to get your daily CBD without the worry of judgement from either your colleges, family and friends. And with the amazing benefits we have seen over the past few years from CBD, hopefully this stigma will eventually subside. Negatives of CBD Gummies Its difficult to find anything negative to say about CBD gummies but one thing we have noticed is that there isnt a large variation of potency. On many websites if you browse their range of CBD oils, there tends to be at least 3 different levels of potency. And, obviously you choose which will benefit you the most. But with gummies, it seems to be one size fits all. Thats why its important to always read up about each individual product, so you have an idea of how potent the gummies will be. However, because of their rise in popularity this year we can only assume companies will begin to release a variety of not only different flavors but potencies too. Final Thoughts and Where to buy CBD gummies are easy to use, tasty and attractive to the eye. Its not hard to see why they have made such a huge impact on the CBD community this year. We love that companies are beginning to find fun and exciting ways for us to get our dose of CBD. They are already creating other new edibles, ranging from CBD drinks (which we hear might be the next big thing) to cake pops and lollies increasing the normality of CBD infused food. Its hard to find a website that doesnt stock some kind of edible CBD product. This expose is indicative of just how popular gummies have become this year a popularity which will most likely continue into 2019. If you are curious to try them, you can buy high-quality CBD gummies here.
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https://augustafreepress.com/have-cbd-gummies-become-the-new-trend/
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Should communities with a shared identity be served by the same councillors?
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The organisation which is redrawing the electoral map of Chorley will be asked to breach its own guidelines in order to keep two historically-linked villages in the same council ward. Plans to split Heskin and and Eccleston caused consternation amongst some councillors when they were first proposed last summer. It would mean the two communities would be represented by different members of Chorley Council, in spite of sharing many of the same local services. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) has been consulting on the proposal, which is designed to create similarly-sized wards in order to make elections in the borough fairer. However, Chorley Council has suggested alternatives which would keep Heskin and Eccleston together but go against the LGBCEs requirements. Leader of the Labour-run authority, Alistair Bradley, told a meeting of the full council that there was no perfect answer to the problem. The council has put forward a proposal which would move Heskin from the Croston and Mawdsley ward where the LGBCE is minded to put it into a new ward for Eccleston, Charnock Richard and Euxton South. A smaller number of electors would go in the opposite direction, but that would still leave the Croston ward 15 percent smaller than the borough average the commission wants the variance to be no more than 10 percent. The LGBCE will consider breaking is own rules if there are good reasons to do so, members were told. Labour councillor Alan Whittaker said the lack of any school, employment or health links whatsoever between Heskin and Croston meant the original proposal had to change. But the knock-on effect of the councils suggested alternative angered some Conservative opposition members. Im not happy with Mawdsley and Eccleston being split, but I have to accept that because it is the right thing for this borough, deputy Tory leader Martin Boardman said. What I cant accept is the elephant in the room Croston, Mawdesley and Bretherton, the biggest geographical ward in Chorley, now with its trunk sticking out into Euxton it just does not make geographical sense. What does Mawdesley have in common with Euxton,? he asked. Cllr Bradley said he regretted that the opposition had not engaged with the process earlier, via a cross-party committee set up top explore the issue. He also told the meeting that the crossing of existing parish boundaries was not sufficient reason for the LGBCE to amend its proposals and added that the parish councils would be unaffected by any change to borough ward boundaries. Conservative group leader, Alan Cullens, said his party had taken the process seriously, but added that he could see not see the point of trying to get round the LGBCEs rules to accommodate one village A second council alternative has been put forward, which also moves Heskin into the Eccleston, Charnock Richard and Euxton South ward, but shifts fewer voters in the opposite direction and so leaves both areas outside the LGBCEs tolerance level. Cllr Bradley admitted that he did not believe that idea would fly with the commission. The LGBCE will put forward its final proposal in March and the new boundaries will take effect for all-out elections in 2020.
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https://www.chorley-guardian.co.uk/news/politics/should-communities-with-a-shared-identity-be-served-by-the-same-councillors-1-9559202
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Is Theresa May Nearing A Brexit Deal Breakthrough?
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Prime Minister Theresa May may finally be on the verge of a breakthrough that could save her Brexit Deal - or at least a version of her Brexit Deal - by finally acquiescing to demands that she throw out the hated Irish Backstop, something that MPs in her fractured Conservative Party, as well as members of the Democratic Unionist Party, the 10 MPs from Northern Ireland who prop up her government, have been begging her to do for months. According to the Telegraph, the DUP is preparing to back an amendment tabled by Graham Brady, the leader of the Tory backbenchers, that will call for the removal of the Irish Backstop, to be replaced by an unspecified "alternative arrangement". Though the EU27 has insisted that the negotiations over the Brexit deal are finished, and that it wouldn't be willing to make any more alterations to the deal, May's team believes that if she can show that she has the support to pass a modified version of the deal, the EU27 might reluctantly come to the table in a bid to avert a "no deal" Brexit scenario, which economists believe would be a disaster both for the UK and the Continent. Brady's amendment is broader than another amendment tabled by Tory MP Andrew Murrison, which calls for adding an expiration date of Dec. 21, 2021 to the backstop. However, Murrison tabled a similar amendment ahead of the meaningful vote earlier this month, but the amendment was rejected by Speaker John Bercow. To be sure, the Brady amendment is just one of what are expected to be a raft of amendments proposed by MPs from all parties. And while May has continued to publicly oppose throwing out the backstop, the fact remains that it has been clear for months now that any deal with the backstop attached has a snowball's chance in hell of survival. Because of this, May is reportedly quietly hoping that, if she can get the DUP on board, along with some 80% of Tories who it's believed would support a deal without the backstop, it would give her enough juice to convince the EU27 that it would be worth renegotiating the deal. DUP sources confirmed that the Brady amendment would be essential to passing the Brexit deal. A DUP source said Sir Grahams amendment represented the best way forward and that it would send the issue back to Brussels with a clear demand for change. "Certainly the Graham Brady amendment looks promising for us," the source said. The DUP believes the EU is beginning to accept changes will have to be made to the backstop for Mrs Mays deal to be agreed by MPs. Sir Graham told The Telegraph the backstop can't get through the House of Commons - and that leads to alternative arrangements as he said he hoped his amendment would secure Government support. "It seems to me the only agreed exit from the EU that can command a majority is the Withdrawal Agreement without a backstop," he said. Adding more fuel to the fire that has propelled the British pound past its highs from November (the currency is currently on track for its best weekly performance in a year), BuzzFeed reported that May's Chief Whip Julian Smith has been quietly trying to drum up support for the amendments by hinting that the government would push for a reopening of the agreement. Over a series of meetings with Tory backbenchers on both the Remain and Leave sides this week, details of which have been shared with BuzzFeed News, Julian Smith lobbied colleagues to help Theresa May pressure the EU into making concessions on the backstop, the insurance policy that keeps the Irish border open in all circumstances. At one meeting, Smith asked MPs if they would support an amendment in the name of 1922 committee chair Graham Brady, which says they would back a deal if the backstop is replaced with alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border, according to a source familiar with the discussion. In earlier talks, Smith discussed coordinating a letter signed by Brexiteers from the European Research Group explicitly stating that they would vote for the withdrawal agreement if the backstop was changed. The plan for a letter was later dropped as focus was directed to an amendment. Another source said Smith indicated the government could attempt to reopen the withdrawal agreement, something the EUs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier ruled out three times in an interview on Monday. EU and European government officials have also repeatedly rejected suggestions that the backstop could be time-limited. Though some MPs are reportedly skeptical of Smith's intentions, questioning whether May truly intends to push for meaningful changes to the backstop...or whether Smith has merely been given a "license to bullshit." One MP said they were sceptical as to whether May would genuinely seek meaningful changes to the backstop if the Brady amendment passed. They questioned if Smith had been given a licence to bullshit by Number 10, describing the amendment as a bait and switch that could fool the ERG and the Democratic Unionist Party into keeping the PMs deal alive. "We have been here before," they added, referring to Brexiteers' belief that they have been misled by Downing Street on previous occasions. Whatever the case, one fact remains clear: No clear alternative to May's deal has emerged, meaning that the a modified version that doesn't include the backstop could feasible pass Parliament. One thing's for sure: The EU27 really doesn't like the idea of adding time limits to the backstop (as Michel Barnier again made clear earlier this week). But clearly investors are so eager for good news on the Brexit deal, that they're pinning their hopes once again on the notion that an alliance between May, the DUP and the Brexiteers might finally materialize - and that everything else (namely, the EU27) will just fall into place.
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https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-01-25/theresa-may-nearing-brexit-deal-breakthrough?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+zerohedge%2Ffeed+%28zero+hedge+-+on+a+long+enough+timeline%2C+the+survival+rate+for+everyone+drops+to+zero%29
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Can water be a magical ingredient? Or are such claims a marketing ploy?
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Open this photo in gallery ArtTim University of Alberta professor William Shotyk has been studying the same water for nearly 30 years and the more he studies it, the more it amazes him. The subject of his lifelong fascination is the Alliston aquifer, an underground water source in the vicinity of Springwater, Ont. The water there is confoundingly pure cleaner than ancient arctic ice. This water is a miracle of science, he says. You will not find better water on the planet. Violet Mokri and her husband, Leslie, residents of nearby Waubaushene, Ont., regularly make the 40-kilometre trek to stockpile this water from an artesian well off County Road 27 near Elmvale. They say its not only delicious, it also makes the food they cook and their coffee taste better. Its the best water weve ever had, Violet says. I bought Culligan water and I couldnt drink it, the taste was so bad. Chris Etzinger, owner of Elmvale Bakery, also uses it and says it makes noticeably better bread. Story continues below advertisement As the waters renown spreads, businesses have latched onto it as a marketing point. Torontos Georgian Bay Spirit Co., and Spirit of York Distillery Co,. use the water and have claimed it factors into the quality of their spirits. Producers of food and drink are keen to build romanticism around their water sources. Makers Mark uses water from a spring-fed lake, claiming that Kentucky bourbon gets its wonderful taste, in part, from the local water, which has been filtered naturally through limestone. The Ontario Spring Water Sake Company says the flavour of its sake is enhanced by using a special spring water chosen among the abundant water resources of Northern Ontario. Many pasta makers say their use of pure water from the Lattari Mountains in Italy, for example makes their product superior. And water is often cited as the most important ingredient in beer, which is probably why B.C.s Rossland Beer Company is proud of its fresh mountain water. Still, common sense suggests that even the best water tastes mostly like nothing. As Aristotle once wrote, the natural substance water per se tends to be tasteless. It seems dubious to believe that water, the embodiment of neutrality in flavour, could make a noteworthy difference as an ingredient. lyse Lambert, a Montreal-based master sommelier, says water carries its own flavour profile depending on where its sourced though you might need a trained palate to fully appreciate it. For most people water is water, but there is a slight difference, she says. It comes from the minerals. Some water is soft on the palate and some is harder on the palate. There is a textural component and a salinity brought on by certain compounds. Local residents hold a deep reverence for the water from the Alliston aquifer, describing it as magical, alive or containing some intangible vitality. Its source is the hilly Simcoe Uplands moraine, which is hit by rainwater that seeps downward through maple roots, humus, gravel and clay. By the time it reaches the aquifer, it has taken on a unique spectrum of desirable minerals from the landscape while having been scrubbed of impurities such as lead or zinc. The water tastes vaguely sweet, free of the bouquet of chlorine one might find in tap water. But for Louis Savard, an Ottawa-based water expert, the importance of water goes far beyond taste. A program leader with the River Institute, a nonprofit organization that studies aquatic ecosystems, he says water is an infinitely complex cocktail of minerals, elements and ions, all of which affect the chemistry of cooking. It may be odourless, it may be clear, but its certainly not empty, Savard says. Youve got chloride, magnesium, calcium, sodium and carbonates, and then there are trace elements like iron, phosphorus and nitrogen. Theres a lot to think about, and every single one of those will have an impact on different processes. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement Andy Bramburger, a Canadian researcher at the University of Minnesota Duluth, says the mineral content of water is crucial in fermentation. Calcium and magnesium, he says, control enzymatic reactions and contribute to yeast health. On a more basic level, minerality also has an effect on something as simple as creating stock. When youre boiling water, its a dance party of ions, he says. Having the right ions in that water is probably going to make for a tastier stock. Water has a fingerprint, he adds, which can impart a distinct sense of place and time a phenomenon otherwise known as terroir. Sapporo beer brewed at the Sleeman brewery in Canada, he says, tastes more like Sleeman than its Japanese counterpart, primarily because of the influence of the local water. To me, Sleeman beers have a characteristic flavour, he says. Theres probably some ion in the water that is imparting a flavour so unique that its detectable even when they use a different recipe to mimic a beer from a different part of the world. It is an oft-repeated claim that New York Citys mineral-rich tap water creates superior dough, and according to Smithsonian Magazine writer Helen Thompson, there is some merit to that notion. Hard water fortifies gluten, the protein responsible for toughness in bagels," she writes. Using super soft water, on the other hand, turns dough to goo. Toronto chef Nathan Isberg is fully appreciative of waters role in cooking, even if its effect is not easily summarized in words. During a recent foray to Iqaluit, he drank from the Sylvia Grinnell river and was reminded just how mysterious water can be. Story continues below advertisement Theres an energy to it, a vital aspect thats hard to describe, he says. Its absolutely true that water creates a difference. But the benefits can be negligible relative to the cost on local aquifers and the ability for locals to access their water. Theres a real tension there. All of which goes to say that while water certainly makes for convenient marketing, its also a legitimate culinary tool. Good water, with a good selection of minerals, creates good things. Back in the Springwater region, local resident Bonnie Pigeon says shes suddenly finding silt in her well water. She suspects its due to the activity of a quarry located at the moraine nearby. The quarry is planning to expand its operations, leading her, other locals and Shotyk to believe the pristine water is under threat. This water is an intelligence test for our society, Shotyk says. If were intelligent, well be drinking this water for generations to come.
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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/article-can-water-be-a-magical-ingredient-or-are-such-claims-a-marketing-ploy/
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Did the mechanic mess up my brake job?
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I recently got my rear brake pads, calipers and rotors replaced due to the calipers freezing. I was told my front brakes were fine and nothing seemed wrong. A week later, on the way back from the beach, my grandfather was driving and said he didnt have brakes. The brake line broke on the front-left, and the fluid leaked all over. My grandfather, who is also a mechanic, says they didnt bleed the brakes correctly, and now I run the risk of having to spend more money. Evelyn Even though you only had your rear calipers replaced, most shops will bleed the air from all four corners. Thus, the timing of the failure would suggest that this is more than just a coincidence. A broken brake line leads me to believe that the repair shop may have removed and serviced your vehicles front calipers, perhaps damaging a rubber brake-flex line during the process. Keep in mind that the removal of the front calipers is not required to complete the repairs you have described. I would need to see the invoice to be more specific. Story continues below advertisement If nothing in the front was touched other than a simple bleed, chances are the shop will dismiss any responsibility. If they did service the front brakes during your previous visit, most reputable shops will view the breakdown happening shortly after their repair with uncertainty, favouring to make the situation right with you and save the relationship. ******** I have a 2008 Honda Accord with a TPMS [Tire Pressure Monitor Sensor] problem. Ive had a sensor replaced, but its been back in for service for this same issue several times. I am not able to find the infamous reset button on the left side of the steering wheel. After they reset, the TPMS is off, then after a 100 km/h run for about 15 kilometres, it turns back on again and will not go off until I take it back in. I am at wits end. I have been told that I can try again by disconnecting the car battery. blowing the horn and connecting the battery again. This really sounds like a put-your-finger-on-your-nose-and-turn-around-three-times thing. Walter You are obviously frustrated when you shouldnt be, as it seems apparent to me that the service station you have been using is misinformed. While there are Hondas that use a reset button on the lower-left dash, yours is not one of them. What you are experiencing is most likely due to an aftermarket sensor with an incorrect frequency having being installed, or your service centre does not have the correct TPMS programming tool. These tools have to learn and program each wheel sensors identification number into the cars module using radio waves in the UHF band. The Honda original TPMS sensors have come down in price recently, so if you cant find a local shop that confidently knows your Honda, take it back to your dealer. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement Lou Trottier is owner-operator of All About Imports in Mississauga. E-mail [email protected], placing Lous Garage in the subject line. Check out the new Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest discounts, rebates and rates on new cars, trucks and SUVs. Click here to get your price. Stay on top of all our Drive stories. We have a Drive newsletter covering car reviews, innovative new cars and the ups and downs of everyday driving. Sign up for the weekly Drive newsletter, delivered to your inbox for free. Follow us on Instagram, @globedrive.
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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/drive/culture/article-did-the-mechanic-mess-up-my-brake-job/
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Can moons have moons?
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Most of the planets in our solar system have orbiting moons, and even some asteroids have their own moons. Carnegie Sciences Juna Kollmeier said her 4-year-old son sparked her interest in this subject by asking this seemingly logical question. Its a simple enough question. Kollmeier decided to try to answer the question, along with her colleague Sean Raymond of Universit de Bordeaux. Their results have now been published in a new peer-reviewed paper in the February 2019 issue of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. As explained by Raymond in a statement from Carnegie Science: Planets orbit stars and moons orbit planets, so it was natural to ask if smaller moons could orbit larger ones. So far at least, no submoons have been found orbiting any of the moons considered most likely to support them Jupiters moon Callisto, Saturns moons Titan and Iapetus and Earths own moon. According to Kollmeier: The lack of known submoons in our solar system, even orbiting around moons that could theoretically support such objects, can offer us clues about how our own and neighboring planets formed, about which there are still many outstanding questions. The researchers found that only large moons on wide orbits from their host planets would be capable of hosting submoons. Usually, any submoons orbiting smaller moons closer to their planet would have their orbits destabilized by tidal forces. There may be other sources of submoon instability, such as the non-uniform concentration of mass in Earths moons crust, according to the researchers. Part of the answer might also have to do with how the primary moons formed in the first place. Earths moon is thought to have been born out of a collision between Earth and another body about the size of Mars and that collisions may have helped life on Earth to get started. But some other moons, like those orbiting Jupiter and Saturn, originated from the same cloud of gas and dust that the planets themselves formed from. Kollmeier added: And, of course, this could inform ongoing efforts to understand how planetary systems evolve elsewhere and how our own solar system fits into the thousands of others discovered by planet-hunting missions. It may be that in many or even most cases, there are multiple factors that make the orbits of submoons inherently unstable. Knowing whether that is true or not may have to wait for discoveries of moons orbiting distant exoplanets. Moons themselves are much harder to detect and only one promising candidate has been found so far a possible exomoon orbiting the Jupiter-sized exoplanet Kepler-1625b. That possible moon about the size of Neptune is large enough and far enough from its planet that submoons should be possible as well. Astronomers will need to verify that primary moon first if it does exist before looking for any submoons. Even though Earths moon doesnt have a submoon now, it may in the future, according to the researchers an artificial one, perhaps NASAs planned Lunar Gateway. The Lunar Gateway would help to establish humanitys presence in deep space, as outlined by William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator of Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters: The Gateway will give us a strategic presence in cislunar space. It will drive our activity with commercial and international partners and help us explore the Moon and its resources. We will ultimately translate that experience toward human missions to Mars. Raymond has also written a cool poem about moons having moons, which you can enjoy on his blog here. Bottom line: The possibility of moons having their own moons is a fascinating one, even though we havent found any examples yet. This new research from Carnegie Science shows that it is indeed possible, but only under the right circumstances. Via Carnegie Science
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https://earthsky.org/space/can-moons-have-their-own-submoons
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How many teen pregnancies have their been on Coronation Street over the years?
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Theres a whole load of mystery surrounding Amys baby (Picture: ITV) One of the current dramas on the Corrie cobbles is the teen pregnancy of Amy McDonald. The daughter of Tracy Barlow and Steve McDonalds has found herself with child at the tender age of 14, and everyones wondering who the father is. The schoolgirl, played by Elle Mulvaney, is having to decide whether or not she keeps the baby, as well as who will raise it once its born. Its certainly not the first time theres been a storyline like this, however, and Amy even gets advice from one of the young mothers whos previously featured on the soap. Find out about the teen pregnancy stories that have been on Coronation Street before. Sarah Louise Platt Sarah Louise was just 13 when she had Bethany (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock) Young Sarah Lou, daughter of Gail, shocked the nation when she became pregnant as a 13 year old. Advertisement Advertisement 19 years ago this story was much more controversial, and was the first time something like this was really raised on television. The babys father was a schoolmate of Sarah, Neil Fearns, although her parents had suspected it may be someone older. Neil died in 2003, after being in a car crash. That baby turned out to be Bethany Platt, who is now a big part of the show, and has been kidnapped, nearly took an overdose, and moved to Milan for a stint too. Faye Windass In 2015, the soap has its second teen pregnancy, when Faye Windass had baby Miley. Fayes biological dad is Tim Metcalfe, but she was adopted as a child by Eddie and Anna Windass. The teen, played by Ellie Leach, was being severely bullied, but had a secret relationship with classmate Jackson Hodge. He initially denied being the father, but once he owned up, he ended up taking her away to Canada. It was Faye who was asked for advice by Amy McDonald, given that her experience was only a few years back. Thats three teenage pregnancies in Weatherfield now, and with two outcomes in the earlier ones, its anyones guess which path Amy will choose. MORE: Coronation Street spoilers: Pregnant teenager Amy Barlows baby father revealed
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https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/25/many-teen-pregnancies-coronation-street-years-8392497/
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Will Jean Slater die as Sean Slater returns to EastEnders?
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(Picture: BBC) The Slaters are in for even more tragedy in the weeks to come as our Jean Slater gets diagnosed with ovarian cancer. As if that wasnt already enough, Rob Kazinsky is back playing her son Sean this spring after a ten year absence. EastEnders boss reveals Ben's huge return story and what Phil has been up to in Spain Seans been nothing but trouble in the past, and if his history is anything to go off of, his reappearance is going to set off some major drama, and its left fans wondering if hes back because of his mums cancer diagnosis. Seans put his mum Jean through hell in the past (Picture: BBC PICTURE ARCHIVES) Georgina Wiley, who works with the Treatment and Recovery Advisor at Macmillan Cancer Support, has said that: Being diagnosed with cancer can turn someones whole world upside down and stories like Jeans can genuinely save and improve lives. Its been a privilege to work with EastEnders to ensure the plot and the language used in the scripts are a true reflection of the impact that cancer can have. Advertisement Advertisement Kate Oates, Senior Executive Producer of EastEnders said: Jeans diagnosis will impact every aspect of her life, including her family, her friendship groups and her mental health, and I know an actor of Gillians calibre will approach the story with great truth and depth. So, while we might not know for certain that Jean is going to pass away, we know its going to be a life-altering time for her and the rest of the Slaters. Despite the fact that Rob has previously vowed never to return to EastEnders, Sean Slaters comeback was confirmed earlier this week with the release of pictures of him filming scenes on the square. He told The Mirror at the time: I couldnt walk down a street or look anyone in the eye. It made me afraid to see people and there is an ugly side to fame. Since leaving Albert Square, Rob moved Stateside, and scored roles in the movies Red Tails (2012), Pacific Rim (2013) and Warcraft: The Beginning (2016) as orc leader Orgrim. He also appeared in popular TV shows True Blood and Law & Order: LA. Rob was close to appearing in The Hobbit in 2011 as Fili the dwarf, even getting as close as New Zealand to film scenes, but unfortunately he had to turn it down for personal reasons. On the topic of returning to the show, Rob has said: Throughout my career I have always felt that my best work was on EastEnders as Sean Slater, that there was something there in him that I understood completely, something traumatic, something that we never really got to show the viewers. Advertisement Advertisement I have unfinished business in Albert Square and am thrilled to be returning to what I still consider to be my home, however briefly. Even if his return really is going to be a brief one, theres sure to be no shortage of tears, secrets, and dramatic twists. MORE: EastEnders spoilers: Rob Kazinsky drops big hints on Sean Slaters explosive return story
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https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/25/will-jean-slater-die-of-ovarian-cancer-as-rob-kazinsky-returns-as-sean-slater-to-eastenders-8392651/
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Did Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes secretly wed?
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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) Ryan Gosling is a married man, according to a new report. The La La Land actor and longtime partner Eva Mendes secretly wed earlier this year, per Us Weekly. Eva and Ryan have always felt like a married couple, a source close to the actress told the mag. They are infatuated with each other. The hush-hush ceremony reportedly took place in front of a small group of family and friends. Gosling, 35, and Mendes, 42, started dating in 2011 after meeting on the set of The Place Beyond the Pines. In September 2014, the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Esmeralda. Mendes gave birth to their second daughter, Amada, this spring. Im a lucky man, Gosling said of his girls at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month. We couldnt be happier. They are so sweet. Reps for Gosling and Mendes did not immediately return our request for comment.
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https://pagesix.com/2016/09/21/did-ryan-gosling-and-eva-mendes-secretly-wed/
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Why cant I use my cell phone out in the cold?
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Cell phone power dropping from 90 per cent to zero is a common complaint in the winter. Many Canadians have experienced losing cellphone juice quickly while out in colder temperatures, even more so during extreme weather. READ MORE: Getting the most out of your phone battery and a hot cold weather tip! The electrical power of the battery is dependent on temperature, and even the little meter that tells you how much power you have left is calibrated for a sort of a normal of temperature, Scott Young, from the Manitoba Museum, said. Apparently Winnipegs winter is below that normal range. When in temperatures below 0 C, the battery isnt able to function as it normally would. Basically, the battery loses its capacity to generate electricity and then the phone shuts down, Young said. It doesnt even always go down to zero per cent because the meter is off. Its like having a gas gauge in your car thats misaligned. So really the whole thing it just shuts down. Young says to keep your phone close to your body when outside, allowing it to stay at a normal temperature. Related Cold weather moving back into southern Manitoba with force
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https://globalnews.ca/news/4891172/cell-phone-not-working-cold-weather/
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Why are we obsessed with true crime and what is it doing to our minds?
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If youre a fan of true crime, chances are youll be binge-watching the new show Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes this weekend. But before you devour the docu-series, you might want to consider how consuming hours of disturbing content is affecting you and why you cant stop watching it. Bingeing true crime is not that much different from people watching a 24-hour news cycle covering a killing spree or a terrorist attack, said Jooyoung Lee, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Toronto. WATCH BELOW: Cartel connection, how El Chapo set up shop in Vancouver I think human beings, in general, are just drawn to extreme cases of violence. People have always been interested in true crime, but now that the genre is having a moment, public interest has soared. Lee said that in the past, crime shows like Americas Most Wanted and Unsolved Mysteries was seen as tabloid television for crime junkies. Low-budget re-enactments and low production quality made the genre seem less reputable. But since the birth of NPRs wildly popular 2014 podcast Serial, the way people view true crime has changed. It was a flagship moment for the genre, Lee said of Serials success. It sort of signalled to the larger world that you can do [true crime] in a smart way, in a way that conveyed lots of thought, and in a way that was captivating for an audience. Since then, with the advent of on-demand TV options, viewers can watch an entire series in one go like Making a Murderer and The Staircase. One reason is that were curious especially when it comes to out-of-the-ordinary events. READ MORE: An in-depth look at how Torontos paramedics work to save victims of gun violence, trauma A good example would be a car accident, Lee said. Crime seems exciting even if its dark. The suspense when we dont know whats going to happen next, or being shocked by an unexpected turn, are tactics that hold our attention. The average viewer or the average reader is somebody who is intensely compelled and curious about what happened because, in a very [basic] way, its exciting and its also entertaining, Lee said. Its the same reason why we watch fights or tune into boxing matches. People feel like detectives Plus, Lee said that consuming real-life horror often makes people feel like theyre part of the story. Looking for clues in a murder show or falling down an internet rabbit hole digging into a case gives people a sense of purpose outside of being a consumer. After Making a Murderer came out, many viewers who believed convicted killer Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey were innocent formed support groups and began petitioning for their release. Serial and shows like The Jinx empower the audience in some way even if its not really empowering but they give the illusion of empowerment because people at home are in this position where they feel like they can help crack the case, and are an active part of the investigation, Lee said. People think that they can help overturn a ruling, exonerate a person, or crack a cold case. Even if youre a huge fan of the genre, youve likely experienced some side effects after watching a show or reading a scary book, like trouble falling asleep or nightmares. Disturbing content, after all, can affect your emotional well-being. READ MORE: Check up on your mental health by asking yourself these questions Everybody is different, Lee explained. Any time youre exposing yourself to extreme violence, you always run the risk of potentially traumatizing yourself. People have to be aware of that, and listen to their bodys reactions to these kinds of series. A 2014 study led by researchers at Mount Sinai in New York found that violent movies affect peoples brains differently. The study found that people who are more aggressive were less upset or nervous than non-aggressive participants when watching violent content. This could help explain why some people are more disturbed than others when it comes to true crime. Still, Lee said many of us have a visceral reaction to violence, which is why we are so captivated by the nature of true crime narratives. It signals the fight or flight response, he said. While we may have a hard time turning away, watching dark shows can also desensitize us, Lee said. He pointed out that over-consuming content that depicts violence especially against women runs the risk of normalizing crime. Marie Kondo has the answer We live in a culture that fetishizes sexual assault and murder of women, and these true-crime series are often about that, he explained. Its this double-edged sword where on one hand, [true-crime shows] raise awareness about a serial killer like Ted Bundy who targeted young women. But on the other hand when we are so used to consuming these images, when lesser-forms of violence occur, it doesnt bother us in the same way because weve seen the most extreme examples. Lee said that some true-crime series also put an emphasis on the criminal, and pay less attention to victims or their families. This can cause people to romanticize a killer, for example, and not consider the communities affected by these crimes. When to tune out While theres nothing wrong with watching true-crime shows or reading books on gruesome events, its important to know when to stop and take a break. If youre emotionally feeling unwell or having troubles functioning as usual, you may benefit from a breather. Now, you can go really deep into a series and consume seven, eight hours in a row on a topic that has a potentially negative impact on your mental health, he said. People have to understand their own limits, and know that if theyre good after watching an episode or two, then thats how they should leave it. [email protected] Follow @lolahensley
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https://globalnews.ca/news/4888508/how-does-true-crime-affect-you/
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Was Conservative PM Margaret Thatcher a feminist?
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Life with Thatcher - stories from Britains first ever female private secretary to the Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher and husband Denis on the steps of Ipswich Town Hall during campaigning for the 1979 election. Picture: archant Archant Caroline Slocock on Spitting Image, stereotypes and why shes sure Britains first female prime minister was a feminist. Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in. Grass roots campaigning. Margaret Thatcher and friend during a Suffolk farm visit in 1979, just before she became Prime Minister. Also in the picture is John Gummer, who would be elected MP for the Eye constituency, and BBC journalist John Sergeant Picture: Archant Grass roots campaigning. Margaret Thatcher and friend during a Suffolk farm visit in 1979, just before she became Prime Minister. Also in the picture is John Gummer, who would be elected MP for the Eye constituency, and BBC journalist John Sergeant Picture: Archant Despite detesting the Prime Ministers voice and being left-wing, Caroline Slocock worked closely with Margaret Thatcher in the PMs final, fated, 18 months and cried with her when the end came. To not accept her achievements is wrong, she insists now. A rising star in the civil service, when she had the chance to become the Prime Ministers private secretary (home affairs) the first-ever female private secretary to any British Prime Minister, in fact Caroline couldnt let the opportunity go begging. She admits, though, she brought her own prejudices to 10, Downing Street strong, quite unreasonable, I think, on reflection. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during a visit to Bury St Edmunds in July 1983. Picture: ARCHANT Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during a visit to Bury St Edmunds in July 1983. Picture: ARCHANT Now, in the year marking the 40th anniversary of Mrs Thatcher becoming our first female PM, Caroline is defending the feminist credentials of a woman labelled The Iron Lady (and not, usually, as a 100% compliment). At the end of the month she will appear at the Cambridge Union debating society and support the motion that This House Believes Thatcher Was a Feminist. The timing is perfect. Five days later, the paperback edition of Carolines book People Like Us: Margaret Thatcher and Me comes out. For good measure, the UKs second female Prime Minister is locked in her own battle with her partys anti-European Union faction and might well face a similar dnouement. Mrs Thatcher among the blackcurrants at Rose Cottage Farm, Rivenhall, near Witham, in 1987. Picture: JOHN KERR Mrs Thatcher among the blackcurrants at Rose Cottage Farm, Rivenhall, near Witham, in 1987. Picture: JOHN KERR I think you can, actually. The truth is, its not clear-cut. She didnt regard herself as a feminist. I think she said she wasnt a womens libber. She didnt really accept the argument you stick together with women in order to change the balance of power. She was very much an individual. She did, I think, enjoy working with men and didnt particularly enjoy working with women. But thats partly because thats the world she knew. So there are plenty of things you can say to show she wasnt a feminist, but I think if you look at her as an example of female power, its hard to deny her achievement. Its also true to say that even if she didnt devote her career to helping other women, she did do something. She introduced independent taxation for women who were married. And I know, because I wrote with her a speech to The 300 Group (which campaigned for more females in Parliament, the European parliament, local government and public life) that she very sincerely did want to see more women in powerful positions, and thought that would be important. She chose to include examples in the speech of female scientists who had been overlooked: like (mathematician) Ada Lovelace, or Marie Curie whose research had to be published under her husbands name in the early years. I think her kind of individualistic model although in some ways in opposition with a left-wing view of feminism was also a celebration of the power of individuals to cut through and make a difference in the world. My argument really, in the book, is that as part of the maturity of feminism we should embrace her as a woman. There are women who have tried to excommunicate her. I dont think feminists should be saying She was the wrong kind of woman. Its a problem if we think theres a right kind of woman. Also, the whole term feminism is very problematic for conservative women, and not even just for conservative women. (Actress) Meryl Streep, who played Margaret Thatcher and is known to be outspoken on gender-equality issues, has said she doesnt see herself as a feminist. She doesnt use that term. She explained its because shes a mother of a son and she loves her husband, and she loves men, and I think some people feel feminism is a term you use when youre choosing to battle against men and you dont like men. I dont see feminism as meaning that. Im going to make a kind of nuanced case for her (Lady Thatcher) in the debate. Caroline began when you could see these rifts developing on Europe. The Chancellor and the Foreign Secretary, Nigel Lawson and Geoffrey Howe, were key figures at odds with the PM. The poll tax hadnt helped, and there was friction over the UK joining the European Exchange Rate Mechanism. Something had to give. The new private secretary thus by chance happened to walk into this extraordinary story a very human drama of betrayal, anger and determination. It came to a head in 1990, when Mrs Thatcher withdrew from a Conservative Party leadership challenge despite winning the initial ballot. Caroline had a ringside seat that November. She was the only other woman in the Cabinet room when the Prime Minister revealed she was quitting. I felt a tremendous empathy for her, actually, which I hadnt expected, partly because I felt it was time for her to go. I thought I would be quite cold about it, but what I found was that she struggled to speak the words and broke down in tears. I started to cry too. It really touched my heart. Whatever their politics, we need to remember our chosen representatives are people. The manner of her departure was especially cruel. She didnt see it coming part of her problem was her tunnel vision. It came like a ton of bricks. One minute she was the most powerful person in Britain, probably; the next, she was leaving in tears. Her powers were stripped away. It was the sheer vulnerability of this woman, surrounded by men and round this coffin-shaped table telling them the end had come. And, basically, the reason she had to face this decision was theyd told her so. And the other thing was, this was her life. One of the things that happens to women is they fight to get to the top of their profession. To be taken seriously, they have to be better than the men. I think theres this slight phenomenon where you think you have to do everything perfectly. So she always did her homework; always did her boxes (of papers to read and sign); prepared for every speech really carefully. She put her heart and soul into the job. I knew, when I saw her finally leaving Number 10, there was nowhere for her to go. She wasnt going to be like Tony Blair, earning lots of money. That Spitting Image puppet Caroline believes one of Margaret Thatchers biggest problems was that her identity had, during her political rise, been constructed almost entirely on the advice of men. She changed the way she dressed: it was more power-based; looking a bit more like a man. She abandoned dresses with bows, on the whole, and she adopted this more androgynous profile. Her voice became deeper, and she stopped showing her softer side because that, at the time, wasnt going to win you elections. The labels and comparisons started appearing: The Iron Lady, Boudicca, Elizabeth I. These stereotypes go back very deep. And perhaps she fell into the trap of wanting to appear extra-strong, finding it hard to show emotion as a result. I think that if she had, she might have been more popular. Caroline suggests: There was a particular edge, to the way in which shed been hated, that I think has to do with her being a woman. Im not saying its as straightforward as saying She was a woman and therefore she was disliked. She was a powerful woman, and we tend to dislike powerful women. I think we need to confront that prejudice. Theresa May does not excite such strong emotions, but I think thats because shes not a powerful woman; shes in quite a weak position. Remember the Spitting Image TV puppet of Mrs Thatcher, all sharp shoulders, manly and gangsterish. It goes back to some deep cultural thinking that powerful women were witches that theyre sort of Medusa (a mythical Greek monster with writhing snakes for hair) and that strand is still there in politics. Caroline cites as evidence the hate mail and messages sent to many females in politics; and people like Caroline Criado-Perez, who wanted a woman on a new British banknote, got rape and death threats. With Hillary Clinton, there were T-shirts of her as Medusa, with her severed head being held by Trump (as Perseus). So there is still misogyny around. Thats one of the things she hopes to combat and that we stop thinking of powerful women as manly. One of the points of the book is that people think Margaret Thatcher was just a bully they see her as that handbagging Spitting Image puppet and actually she was being bullied as well behind the scenes, and she was giving as good as she got. She did have difficult relationships with some of her more-powerful ministers, but I think thats because she felt under threat. I feel its a question of getting it out into the open and seeing it for what it is. I think when people see it they start to become much more self-aware. The more we become aware of this stereotype, the more people will recognise its wrong. The control freak element Caroline thinks Theresa May shares a number of qualities with our previous female Prime Minister: Being prepared to be unpopular, and determined against all odds to drive things through; personally courageous, and stepping up to what some people are calling a poisoned chalice women taking on a difficult job men largely wont do. Mrs Thatcher wasnt good at networking, she says, and I dont think Theresa May is either. Certainly Margaret Thatcher became a bit bunkered at the end; and I think they like to keep things to themselves some people might call it the control freak element which, in the particular circumstances we face, its not a good set of qualities. A common factor between Theresa May and Margaret Thatcher very different women in lots of ways at this point is that neither is good at listening. Mrs Thatcher boxed herself in behind the poll tax and then she went out on a limb about Europe. Theresa May barely has a team behind her, and shes not prepared to go outside her own particular box. The verdict Although I didnt vote for her (Lady Thatcher), theres no doubt she changed our world. She had a huge impact. The way in which we still view the world is shaped largely by some of the political ideas that when she came to power were seen as pretty off-beat certainly not mainstream Conservatism. Now, theyve become the norm. Small state, enterprise Britain, individualism, home-owning democracy all these things have become norms. We should recognise her achievement as a woman, getting to the place she got to, and also look at her honestly for who she was as a person and take away this mythology as an Iron Lady/Spitting Image hag and see her for what she was: a really remarkable woman able to do things that the men around her were unable to do. People Like Us: Margaret Thatcher and Me is from Biteback Publishing at 9.99
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https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/britain-s-first-female-private-secretary-on-life-with-the-iron-lady-1-5863753
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Will Chandras mea culpa put Zees future at stake?
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Sounak Mitra Just a day after Subhash Chandra returned from London claiming to have had a series of positive meetings with potential suitors to sell 50 percent of the promoter Essel Groups 42 percent equity in Zee Entertainment Enterprises, the companys stock crashed by 30.9 percent on 25 January. The stake sale is crucial for Zee Entertainment and the Essel Group for two reasons. First, it will help service mounting debt. Second, Zee needs to find a strategic partner to fulfil its dream of becoming a global player, especially in the area of emerging over-the-top entertainment segment which is now dominated by Netflix. The loss in investor confidence resulting in a sudden fall in the share price could impact the companys stake sale. In the end, Chandra may need to sell more that he actually intended to for raising enough money to service debt and support expansions. A lot depends on potential investors agreeing to invest after recent events. The reason for the crash of the stock is supposedly a story published by The Wire that alleged Chandras Essel Group had links to a firm that made deposits of Rs 3,177.96 crore during demonetisation which is now being proved by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO). The Essel Group management denied the allegations. There are two things to note. Firstly, this is till now just an allegation, and nothing has been proved. Secondly, this is not entirely new information. The Economic Times had in December reported that the Videocon Group, which sold D2H to Zee Groups Dish TV, had alleged Essel Groups link to money laundering during demonetisation in a legal dispute. This was first flagged off by The Times of India in July 2018. In any case, this may not be the only reason for the stock crash. A Bloomberg Quint report in December pointed out that Zee Entertainment and a maze of its associated companies have taken total debt of around Rs 17,000 crore. The Times of India cited fund managers as saying that Zees promoters have a debt of Rs 11,000 crore, lower than the value of their holding in group companies at Rs 18,000 crore. In an open letter, Chandra said there are negative forces might have worked to sabotage Zee Entertainments strategic stake sale. And that, according to Chandra, is the reason for the stock crash. No matter what the reason may be, it will now be tougher for Chandra to convince potential investors, and also sooth creditors until he manages to arrange funds to repay debt. No stranger to controversy This is not the first time Chandra has been accused of wrongdoing. The Indian Express in November 2017 had reported that the promoter firms of Zee Entertainment had pledged shares to raise funds through the offshore route back in 2013. The story, part of Indian Expresss Paradise Paper leaks, said that a $62-million loan was taken from Credit Suisse to finance existing offshore promoter debt in 2013. A company, SMTP Ltd (Mauritius), provided a loan to Essel Holdings Ltd (Mauritius) which is wholly owned by Subhash Chandra. In a response to Indian Express, Chandras office said: We would like to mention that Dr Chandra is not an executive director nor holds any post in ZEE except for being a non-executive Chairman. We would confirm that the companies (Delgrada and EHL) are Essel Group companies. We also confirm that all activities in these companies satisfy/comply with all regulatory aspects in their respective jurisdictions including India. In June 2017, The Wire cited a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India that alleged involvement of Chandras firms in a Rs 11,808 crore lottery scam in Mizoram in the North East. Zee officials, however, did not respond to The Wire queries on the CAG allegations. In 2012, Congress MP Naveen Jindal accused the Zee Group of extortion. Following this, a Zee Group editor filed a defamation case against Naveen Jindal in December 2012. In July 2018, Naveen Jindal settled the extortion case against Zee. Earlier, Subhash Chandra was also allegedly involved in the high profile stock-market manipulation scam by Ketan Parekh in 2001. In 2008, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) finally let off Zees promoters. Nine lives Chandra has managed to overcome these controversies every single time. Some attribute it to business acumen and others to the right connections. In October 2012, Moneylife opined in a piece that Chandra and his Zee Group always got away lightly from all kind of troubles possible due to the right connections in the government. In any case, the Zee group continued to grow. Chandra has not just expanded business in media and entertainment, but also diversified into technology, education, infrastructure, wellness, packaging, financial services, oil and gas, among others. According to Forbes, Chandras net worth at present stands at $3.3 billion or more than Rs 23,000 crore. Chandra has gone from strength to strength. In 2016, he became a Rajya Sabha MP on a nomination by ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Since the turn of the century, Zee Entertainment Enterprises has grown revenues from Rs 476 crore in FY2000 to Rs 5,795.60 crore in FY2018, and net profit from Rs 267.24 crore in FY2000 to Rs 1,911.90 crore in FY2018. Just in the quarter ended December 2018, Zee Entertainment reported profit growth at 50.5 percent from a year ago as EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation ) margins grew by 34.8 percent backed by advertisement and subscription. However, the groups debt kept on increasing partly because of refinancing loans and funding loss-making business ventures. According to the Bloomberg Quint report, Essel Group had pledged shares worth Rs 17,449 crore as of September 2018. Its 15 investment companies and 87 operating companies have raised loans close to Rs 17,000 crore in total. This time around the mea culpa from Chandra has only added to investor doubts which resulted in the share price crash. The toughest battle yet However, the poster boy of Indias television industry may have to fight a tougher battle this time. A strategic partner is too important for Chandra to make his global dream a reality. The reason why he has been desperately looking for a global strategic partner is that he has realised his limits and what he needs to make Zee a sizeable player in global media scene. Zee needs technology backbone and distribution clout across the world and that he would not be able to do through his core cable television channels. Globally, cable and satellite companies have been suffering for many years. It is the time of Netflix that has redefined the rules of the game by reaching 137 million subscribers across 190 countries through the internet, anytime, on any screen. Thats exactly what Chandra wants to replicate, but with tweaks that he believes would work better. Chandra wants his OTT platform Zee5 to the next level: immersive entertainment, hoping to give Zee audiences the pleasure to touch, feel, smell while they consume video content. Further, he wants to blend e-commerce and payments with OTT and control the viewers home environment (lights, security solution, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, etc). Zee Entertainment has said it targets is to generate at least 30 percent of the firms revenues from Zee5, its over-the-top platform that was launched in February. While the company has not disclosed revenues from the OTT business yet, Zee5 had 41 million average active users as at the end of September. It is available in 190 countries, disseminates content in 12 languages, and already has digital rights for 3,000 movies. Naturally, Chandra needs global strategic partners who could help him build Indias Netflix. And, the plans have just got shattered the day before Indias Republic Day.
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https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/companies/will-chandras-mea-culpa-put-zees-future-at-stake-3439791.html
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Is the world economy on a slippery slope?
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Every year, the world's most influential leaders meet at the World Economic Forum to talk about the biggest challenges facing the planet. But this year's gathering was notable for those who didn't make it to the Swiss Alps. US President Donald Trump, China's Xi Jinping, and the UK's Theresa May were among them, as pressing problems back home kept many of them away. But for those who came, there was plenty to talk about. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its global growth forecast, saying the global economy is expected to slow down in 2019. As for China, which has the world's second-biggest economy, its growth is also expected to slow down to its weakest pace since 1990. According to Oxfam, the world's 26 richest people are worth as much as the poorest half of humanity. While some question the way it arrived at those numbers, more people fear that a widening wealth gap is ripping apart the social contract on which the world economy is built. "The start to 2019, certainly in markets, has been particularly rocky," explains Jeremy Cook, chief economist at WorldFirst. "The data that we've been getting from the two largest economies in the world - the US and China, has been poor so certainly we haven't started out on a strong foot." The start to 2019, certainly in markets, has been particularly rocky. Jeremy Cook, chief economist, WorldFirst "The IMF is warning about scenarios and also the results of economic pressures that we've seen throughout the course of 2018, which will likely be brought to bear over the next 12 months or so. A lot of it is focussed on politics, the trade fall out between the United States and China and how that ripples around the global economy, as well as Brexit and the rise of protectionism." Also on this episode of Counting the Cost: Brexit Box: With all the uncertainty over Brexit, some people in the UK are beginning to stockpile basic necessities, including food and medicine. A company in Leeds has been selling a 'Brexit Box' billed as a 30-day survival kit, as Laurence Lee reports. Qatar-Lebanon investments: Qatar is buying up $500m worth of Lebanese government bonds. Under a Saudi Arabian-led land, sea and air blockade, the country sees it as a good investment which will help stabilise the economy. Huawei 5G foldable phone: The Chinese telecom giant Huawei said it's launching the first foldable 5G smartphone next month using its very own technology. Huawei is facing restriction in several Western countries over concerns its products could be used for spying. The company's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, continues to fight extradition to the US. She denies accusations the company illegally broke US sanctions against Iran. Google: France slapped a $57m fine on Google this week. It's the first major penalty brought against a US technology company since new European Union privacy rules came into force. Regulators said the search engine giant failed to fully disclose to users how their personal information is used. Kenya plastic: The United Nations estimates that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish unless the industry cleans up its act. Mohammed Adow reports from Lamu, Kenya on an unusual project aimed at raising awareness about plastic waste in the oceans. Source: Al Jazeera
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https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/countingthecost/2019/01/world-economy-slippery-slope-190126091220829.html
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Could ExxonMobil Corporation Be a Millionaire-Maker Stock?
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ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) is one of the largest energy companies in the world, but it has fallen on hard times lately. Despite a few ups and downs along the way, the stock has basically gone nowhere for a decade. However, management has plans to do something about that, and it could lead to much better days for the company and its investors. The big plans Exxon is investing in its future today and will continue to do so for the next several years. The plans are big, too, with the diversified energy giant intending to spend as much as $30 billion a year on capital investments through 2025. The projects span across the company's entire footprint, from upstream drilling to downstream refining and chemicals. A man writing in a notebook with an oil well behind him More Image source: Getty Images. On the upstream side, Exxon is working in three main areas. The first is onshore U.S. energy production. Between the second and third quarters, progress here led to a sequential increase in production, the first increase in a couple of years. It was a nice sign that progress is being made on the big-picture plan. The next projects in the lineup are longer term and include offshore oil drilling in areas like Guyana and Brazil as well as liquified natural gas development in places like Mozambique. Downstream, meanwhile, should see development and investment across the world. For example, the diversified energy giant has notable plans to increase refining and chemical production in Asia and in the United States. One key goal of these efforts is to move up the value chain, so Exxon is producing products for which it can charge more money. It expects these investments to be highly profitable as well, providing returns of 15% to 20%. XOM Chart More XOM data by YCharts. Most important, though, is that Exxon has the financial strength to see these projects through no matter what happens with the volatile price of oil. That's because it is working off a rock-solid foundation on its balance sheet, where long-term debt makes up about 10% of its capital structure. So, even though oil prices recently fell into yet another bear market, Exxon hasn't stopped working on its long-term goals.
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https://news.yahoo.com/could-exxonmobil-corporation-millionaire-maker-131800106.html
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Is Boeing a Buy?
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Unless you believe that the global economy is going to slow severely in 2019, or that the U.S.-China trade dispute will lead to a marked reduction in Asian passenger traffic growth -- or both -- then Boeing (NYSE: BA) is a stock well worth buying. The company certainly has execution risk -- increasing the production rates of aircraft is never easy -- but on balance, Boeing offers investors a compelling mix of revenue growth and margin expansion. Let's consider the investment case for the stock. A golden age of airline profitability It's well known that the fortunes of Boeing and Airbus are tied to the vagaries of the commercial aviation cycle, which in turn largely depends on the economy. Therefore, as noted above, if you have concerns about a global growth slowdown, you'll probably feel that Boeing is a stock to be avoided. A Boeing 737 in flight. More Image source: Getty Images. That said, if you are blase about those potential macro risks, then you should have a favorable outlook for the stock. For example, as the chart below reveals, the long-maligned airline industry is in the middle of a period of profitability and efficiency like it has never seen before. Compare the four years prior to the Great Recession to the past four years and the huge improvement in airline profitability jumps out. This bodes well for future orders of Boeing and Airbus planes, and as increased production generally leads to lower unit production costs, it suggests the profit margins on many of Boeing's aircraft programs are likely to go up. Airline profitability and load factors. More Data source: International Air Transport Association. Chart by author. Margin expansion opportunity Boeing's management believes it can make progress toward an operating margin in the mid-teen percentages at Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) within the next couple of years, compared to a guidance range of 12% to 12.5% for 2018. As the pie chart below illustrates, BCA is the powerhouse of the company's operations; even a couple of added percentage points of margin there would have a significant impact on earnings.
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https://news.yahoo.com/boeing-buy-123400133.html
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Why do we crave rules around what we eat?
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Our minds crave things that are easy and require little thought because they are constantly juggling so many different tasks. Deciding what to eat is just one more thing to do, says Susan Albers, PsyD, author of "Eating Mindfully" and clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Martin Binks, PhD, associate professor and Director of the Nutrition Metabolic Health Initiative (HMI) at Texas Tech department of Nutritional Sciences puts it this way: Its easier to make a yes or no choice, explaining that its simpler and less stressful to make binary decisions rather than to get into nuanced ones. Food rules can simplify things. Is the bread whole grain? The more variables there are, the more complicated it is for your brain to make a decision and this, he says, explains part of our obsession with food rules. CRAVING ORDER Life is chaotic and often unpredictable. Enter rigid food rules. Research suggests that predictability helps us reduce stress and keeps us calm by allowing us to feel more in control of our environment. Put it this way: When you feel like your eating habits are a little too loose, a structured plan can help give you an Ive got this! feeling by providing a clear, step-by-step path to drop the excess weight or get a your daily pint of Ben and Jerry's habit under control. If you think about it, when youre lost in the woods and youre worried about getting out before dark, would you rather let Google maps guide you from point A to point B with detailed directions or would you be cool with finding a directional marker (maybe a familiar rock?) The appeal of these programs is that they give you a prescription to find your way out of eating habits that feel uncontrollable, explains Foster. A SENSE OF CONTROL Most plans eliminate or limit foods you crave, like chips, cookies, ice cream, mac and cheese, and more (unless youre making multiple ingredient substitutions). Cravings are complex, but theyre more environmental than biological, and as you know, many of us struggle with them. There are several factors that can set you off: a memory, a picture (say, Instagram or an ad on your computer), a smell (think of the Cinnabon effect), or just seeing something in your pantry. Cravings are largely learned; they arent driven by bodily needs, Binks explains. If you remove the prompt, you can diminish cravings, he says. This may explain why people feel they can successfully manage cravings when following a set of rigid food rules because, poof, youre not making mac and cheese for the family or keeping brownies in the house so the cue that sets you off is gone. Beyond eliminating the triggers, the foods that are allowed are generally whole, unprocessed ones. Almost always, processed and sugary items are cut. Dana Small, PhD, professor of Psychiatry and Psychology, Director, Modern Diet and Physiology Research Center at Yale School of Medicine, says that processed foods are actually harder to resist than whole ones. Nature doesnt really pair carbs and fats in the same amounts and ratios found in foods like French fries and pizza, and Small who has studied brain scans of participants as they decide how much to pay for certain, modern indulgences (from cheese to chocolate chip cookies to white bread) says our brains arent evolved to deal with the metabolic signals these combo foods trigger. In other words, when we eat these types of foods (lets say potato chips), our brain circuitry lights up more than when we eat carbs or fats alone even when everything else (like calories and how much we enjoy that food) is the same. Rigid food rules that cut out modern day processed fare is one way to lose weight and minimize cravings. THE PROBLEM WITH FOOD RULES The initial success you might feel on a structured eating plan can feel empowering and exciting, but the problem, say experts, is that these programs dont build in a backup plan for those times youre out with friends and everyone orders nachos. We live in the real world, so you can never fully eliminate all the various triggers that prompt cravings, which, over time, can make them feel more intense. Just think of what happens when told, Dont think about the color blue. Chances are, something blue came to mind. If you repeated this phrase to yourself several times a day, you may notice a heightened awareness of blue objects. The same goes for cravings. All your favorite foods on the do not eat list become difficult to ignore. Plus, these plans are often unrealistic and can damage someones relationship with food. In some cases, obsessive dieting may interfere with quality of life. THE RIGHT WAY TO DO FOOD RULES If youre trying to lose weight or put healthier habits in place, initially, a structured plan can help. But experts agree that results may be short-lived because most rigid eating programs dont account for things like holiday meals, a night out with friends or the office doughnut platter. The downside is that people often butt up against situations and environments that dont support or downright conflict with the plan, explains Albers. Without the plan B, the structured diet is thrown out the window or people feel like theyre failing, says Albers. Though structure and guidance may be beneficial, its just as important to learn how to be flexible and enjoy food mindfully in order to achieve long-term results and stay emotionally and physically healthy Here are some pointers for finding the right mix: Find a plan that appeals to your taste buds. If youd never dream of giving up a turkey sandwich, look for a program that includes it at least in some fashion (say, in a cassava flour wrap). If youd never dream of giving up a turkey sandwich, look for a program that includes it at least in some fashion (say, in a cassava flour wrap). Have a backup. Its unrealistic to think youll never partake in an off-plan food, and thats okay. Give yourself the flexibility to have those food experiences, and then return to the approved foods if youd like. But dont feel defeated in these moments. The rules are impossible to follow, so it isnt you, its them. Its unrealistic to think youll never partake in an off-plan food, and thats okay. Give yourself the flexibility to have those food experiences, and then return to the approved foods if youd like. But dont feel defeated in these moments. The rules are impossible to follow, so it isnt you, its them. Create a healthy foundation. Getting healthy is about more than losing weight and eating well. It encompasses staying active, minimizing stress, getting appropriate sleep, and making sure your relationships are in good shape and tended to. Dont become so overly focused on the eating aspect that you downplay these other important pillars. Getting healthy is about more than losing weight and eating well. It encompasses staying active, minimizing stress, getting appropriate sleep, and making sure your relationships are in good shape and tended to. Dont become so overly focused on the eating aspect that you downplay these other important pillars. Be aware of red flags. Albers says the worst-case scenario is when a structured program leads to isolation or obsession or a difficult relationship with food. If you find yourself turning down dinner plans with friends or limiting social opportunities because your food program is too limiting, its a sign you may need some help repairing your relationship with food. Albers says the worst-case scenario is when a structured program leads to isolation or obsession or a difficult relationship with food. If you find yourself turning down dinner plans with friends or limiting social opportunities because your food program is too limiting, its a sign you may need some help repairing your relationship with food. Decide whats working. And whats not working. Maybe youve developed a healthy breakfast rhythm by following a set of rigid food rules, or maybe youve eliminated some unnecessary snacking. Once you outgrow the plan, theres no need to set aside the positive behaviors that are serving you. The program may involve an all-or-nothing mentality, but that doesnt mean youre not allow to borrow whats working and abandon whats not. NBC News BETTER is obsessed with finding easier, healthier and smarter ways to live. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/why-do-we-crave-rules-around-what-we-eat-ncna961336
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Are people ignoring Trump or just bored by him?
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CLOSE A new poll says 57% of registered voters do not want Donald Trump in 2020. Elizabeth Keatinge has more. Buzz60 It started during the midterm campaign. Democrats stopped talking about Donald Trump all the time. Now presidential hopefuls are doing the same. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, once a relentless sparring partner on Twitter, all but ignores Trump's goading comments. Perhaps, but the change in approach seems to reflect something more, something beyond mere Trump fatigue. We may have entered the era of Trump boredom. Some of that may come from the sense that he's mattering less. The midterm elections were a repudiation. His poll numbers keep dropping. His latest escalation, closing the government, is eating into his base of ardent supporters. Many who sort of liked him are giving up. The precedent has to be set that a president can't close the government because he didn't get his way on some matter. Throwing the country into turmoil is not a normal negotiating tactic. Americans, meanwhile, are getting nervous about the economy, which has been Trump's pride and joy. Just wait till sluggish growth collides with trillion-dollar budget deficits. I've been unfollowing Twitter mates who habitually list Trump's old crimes and personal frailties as though they were news. They don't seem to understand that for many, raw anger has turned into acceptance of what he is. There's no fixing Trump. He's a problem that needs managing. Enter House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She is a model of self-control. She speaks in the calm manner needed for dealing with people who act on impulse. Mother of five, she's a proven master at containing tantrums. Measured leadership in national politics is exactly what most Americans want. There's a yearning for normality in their national politics. On this subject, we urge some of the hotheads on the left to modulate their emotions. It is in their interests to play it cool, assuming that their interests center on getting Democrats elected and not building their own brands for a niche audience. Thus, it was pleasant to watch a Golden Globe Awards presentation that didn't bubble over with rage at the man in the Oval Office. The moral preening in the past was hard on the stomach, including for many who agree with the messages. Hollywood's elite should know that celebrity does not necessarily confer superior political insight. Take a cue from Democratic political advisers. In the final month of the 2018 campaigns, their candidates mentioned Trump in only 11 percent of their ads. They generally stuck to their plans for the future. That apparently worked for them. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP) Meanwhile, the serious scandals grow. The older scandals tied to sexual behavior are minor next to the extraordinary, but now thinkable, possibility that a president has been working for a foreign adversary. Continually repeating the smaller misdeeds only distracts from the bigger stuff. What Democrats need is their own media environment in which they control the message. And that means leaving Trump little opportunity to grab attention at their expense. The worse things get for him the more bombastic his diversions will be. An impeachment proceeding would add another layer of chaos on a fatigued American public. New revelations might force that action, but this should not be the Democrats' focus at this point. The best day for sending Trump home would be Nov. 3, 2020, Election Day. (Law enforcement may have plans for him later.) Whatever the means for removal, it's obvious that time is running out on the Trump years. Don't drown out the sound of the ticking. Follow Froma Harrop on Twitter @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at [email protected]. Read or Share this story: https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/opinion/columnists/2019/01/26/people-ignoring-trump-just-bored-him/2666984002/
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https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/opinion/columnists/2019/01/26/people-ignoring-trump-just-bored-him/2666984002/
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Who is Dancing on Ice's Vanessa Bauer and what happened with Wes and Megan?
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Get celebs 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 Up until the 2019 series of Dancing on Ice , Vanessa Bauer was known only as a pro skater from the ITV talent show, who won the 2018 series with former X Factor star Jake Quickenden. However all that changed on her debut night skating with Love Islands Wes Nelson in 2019 when she also happened to announce she had split from her boyfriend. Viewers watching the show commented on Wes girlfriend Megan Barton Hanson s face of thunder while watching her lover and his partners performance from the audience. (Image: Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock) Cue a barrage of accusations, finger pointing and media excitement as Megan savaged her love rival on Instagram, branding her desperate for attention. Just two weeks later, Megan announced she and Wes had split in the wake of her jealousy. (Image: Instagram/vanessabauer_skates) Vanessa Putri Bauer was born in Berlin, Germany in May 1996. She became German national pairs junior champion with her partner Nolan Seegert at the 2013 German Figure Skating Championships. Vanessa wasnt selected for the World Championships and has no senior medals, instead she opted to work for Willy Bietak Productions Inc, which produces skating events and cruise company Royal Caribbean. After working in several cruise shows, she moved to London in 2017 and joined Dancing on Ice as one of the professional figure skaters. Vanessa also has a background in dance and acrobatics. Winning DOI with Jake Quickenden (Image: REX/Shutterstock) Vanessas first series on the show saw her paired with X Factor and Im a Celebrity star Jake Quickenden. The 2018 series was back after a four year hiatus and right from the outset Jake and Vanessa wowed the judges and audience, with their performances and their abs. Making it all the way to the final, despite Vanessa being struck down the novavirus during the series, the pair skated to victory against Coronation Street actress Brooke Vincent, who came second and rugby star Max Evans, who made it to third place. Vanessa and Jake stunned with performances to A Little Conversation by Elvis vs JXL and Canned Heat by Jamiroquai. They also skated the Bolero made famous by Olympic champions and Dancing on Ice head judges Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean and pulled off the deadly move the Headbanger. Shortly after DOI finished Jake split from his fiancee Danielle Fogarty - just seven months after they got engaged. The blame was put down to the strain of the DOI tour and not spending time together. Jake has since said that Vanessa had nothing to do with the break down of his relationship but he does think ITV bosses deliberately put celebs together with sexy partners theyll get on well with. (Image: vanessabauer_skates/Instagram) Vanessa had been dating Louis Nathaniel a circus performer and poi expert for two and a half years before she revealed they had split. The couple had seemed close, regularly posting loved up pictures of their sun-soaked holidays together with loved up messages about each other. However Vanessa shocked everyone when she announced they had split just as she embarked on Dancing on Ice 2019 live shows with Wes Nelson her new partner who bears a striking resemblance to Louis. (Image: Instagram/vanessabauer_skates) A source at the time claimed Louis was annoyed at her close relationship with Wes that had blossomed during training. They told The Sun: Louis was backstage at rehearsals as Vanessa and Wes practised for their big performance. No one saw their split coming. "They seemed perfectly fine - there was no arguing, no tension... nothing. Louis just seemed like the perfect, supportive boyfriend. "It's come as a shock to everyone onset as they seemed quite happy together. (Image: PA) On Wes debut performance on the ice with Vanessa, the judges commented on the pairs chemistry and skill in the rink. Viewers at home were quick to point out the very sour expression on Megan's face as she sat listening to the comments and watching the performance from the audience. Meg took to Instagram the next day and totally called out Vanessa in the most public of fashions. She wrote: @Vanessabauer_skates love that you decide to announce your breakup with your boyfriend on the night of your 1st performance with my boyfriend! "You've never reached out to me once or invited me to watch you train, it pained you to introduce yourself to me last night, you didn't even look me in the eye LOL. "Hope the tactical breakup got you the headlines you wanted babe. @wesnelson." (Image: Instagram) Vanessa hit back by posting a snap of herself with skating partner Hamish Gaman and shared a fan comment about her winning the argument, with a laughing emoji. She then wrote a post about skating being the most important thing to her and had a dig at Megan by mentioning women empowerment. "Because whenever Im on the ice everything is good again. Im so grateful for yesterdays voting window number, she posted. "There is nothing in the world I am more passionate about and that makes me happier than figure skating! "Last nights number was an absolute dream. I cant thank everybody enough for all the love and support #strongwoman #DancingOnIce #womenempowerment." (Image: Instagram/wes.nelson) Wes backed up his girlfriend by calling out the public haters of Meg rather than Vanessa. Meg then appeared on Loose Women to talk about the saga and claimed that Vanessa showed a lack of respect by not asking her to come to the ice rink to meet her. "Her boyfriend got invited down, Meg told the panel. I feel like as a woman she should have reached out to me and introduced herself to me." She went on to say she was jealous that Wes was spending hours a day skating in Lycra and she was left with the tired version of him at the end of the day. (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock) "I was just really hurt, obviously. I think it's normal, I'm not deeply insecure. Im jealous, I am selfish..." she confessed. "She didn't even say thank you for a post I did about them. I was getting more press from Dancing On Ice than her." Meanwhile Wes, who claimed the two women had cleared the air privately, and Vanessa were pictured laughing and joking during rehearsal. But less than two weeks later, Meg broke the news that she and Wes had split just six months into their relationship. In a statement she wrote: "It is with hearts full of sadness that we have decided to separate. (Image: PA) "We have been working hard for well under a year, some of it together, some of it separated, to see what might have been possible, and we have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much, we will remain separate. "In all seriousness, I am so grateful and so blessed to have found Wes, I will always love and adore him and I am so lucky to call him my best friend," she went on. "It has been an incredibly hard decision to make for both of us but we are looking forward to moving on together as friends and supporting each other in everything we do. "I will be down at Dancing On Ice tomorrow to watch him smash it again. Only one thing left to say, come on Wes and Vanessa! x," she finished. Vanessas Instagram is @vanessabauer_skates and her Twitter handle is @TheVanessaBauer
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https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/megan-wes-split-vanessa-doi-13887259
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Should NBA referees live-tweet games?
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NBA referees are live-tweeting regular season games, explaining why officials make certain calls or why they miss others. According to the National Basketball Referee Association, refs want to help fans better understand what the officials see on the court, which is good in theory. However, by opening themselves up to trolls or irrational fans, referees' live-tweeting could be counterproductive. PERSPECTIVES Referees always make questionable calls, but by live-tweeting, they're held more accountable. No other league has taken this step, and the NBA's transparency should be applauded. The NBA referees decided not to hide behind the league and run away from angry fans. Instead, they want to enlighten fans about their process. More leagues need to take note and implement something similar. I wish the Other leagues would do this. No good can come of this. Most fans on Twitter are not interested in actual dialogue. They either want their point of view validated or a chance to lash out at someone. The only thing that will happen here is terrible people will take aim at referees who are just trying to do something good. NBA referees should stop live-tweeting games and setting themselves up for failure. That's cool and all but how about calling the right calls -- wake (@Wak3n) January 22, 2019 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.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2019/01/should_nba_referees_live-tweet.html
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Why is colostrum so important for the newborn calf?
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Colostrum, also known as beestings, is the first and most important line of defence for a newborn calf. Its crucial that the calf receives an adequate intake within the first two hours of life. The backbone of the Irish dairy industry is the heifer calves bred on your farms. Therefore, its important that these animals get the best start in life and hit the ground running. However, we cant forget about the bull calves. They may be only on a lot of farms for 14 days, but they warrant as much attention as their female siblings. Protection Not only does colostrum provide nutrition to the calf, its also a source of maternal antibodies that protect the calf against infections; many of which occur in early life. Another reason why its important to give beestings as soon as possible is that the calf is exposed to bugs immediately after birth; they dont wait until the calf gets colostrum. A calf should receive 8.5% of its total body weight in colostrum in the first two hours of life. Immunoglobulin absorption reduces dramatically after that. With this in mind, a calf weighing 35kg should get 3L of colostrum and a 45kg calf should receive 4L. Those feeding levels are crucial for the calfs future performance. It is strongly advisable for farmers to test the quality of the beestings produced by their cows and this can be measured through the use of a Brix Refractometer. Beestings containing 50mg/ml or more of IgG (immunoglobulin G) is considered a high-quality feed for newborn calves. Advertisement When good-quality colostrum has been identified, it can be frozen and used at a later date. But, it should go without saying that this should only come from the cows first milking, as the antibody concentration of the second milking is only half that of the beestings produced during the first milking. Along with focusing on the quality of colostrum, its also important to remember the potential risk of Johnes disease. When it comes to protecting your calves from this costly disease, its advisable to remove the calf from the calving pen as soon as possible after birth. As the disease is spread by the faecal oral route, limiting the calfs time alongside his/her mother reduces its exposure to dung in the bedding and from direct exposure to a potentially infected cow.
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https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/why-is-colostrum-so-important-for-the-newborn-calf/
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Was Jessica Simpson under the influence on live TV?
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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) Jessica Simpsons quirky behavior on her first-ever HSN appearance drew fans to question the pop stars sobriety Thursday. In a short clip that surfaced on the Internet, fans of the 35-year-old said it seemed as if she was slurring her words and appeared unsteady on her feet. Sources close to the singer deny she was under the influence as she appeared alongside her mother, Tina, for the two-hour segment during which she spoke off-script while hawking skinny jeans. Although the Twitterverse was buzzing about her live appearance using the hashtag #JessicaOnHSN, the network was happy with the fashion moguls performance. It was fun to have Jessica make her HSN debut with her mother Tina last night, HSN told Page Six in a statement. We were happy to host them and thrilled with the way customers responded to the collection. Simpsons eponymous fashion label made $1 billion in sales last year, according to Forbes.
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https://pagesix.com/2015/09/18/was-jessica-simpson-under-the-influence-on-live-tv/
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Whos behind Sarfraz- Phehlukwayo rapprochement?
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Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed was forgiven by South Africas allrounder CE Andile Lucky Phehlukwayo for his on-field racist taunt during the second ODI in Durban on Tuesday. South Africas captain Faf du Plessis also accepted Sarfrazs apology and said that his team had also forgiven him. Sources disclosed that there were some people behind the rapprochement between the two sides. Initially, it was Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistan chief selector who made efforts to convince Phehlukwayo, his captain du Plessis and other South African players to accept Sarfraz's apology. South African players Hashim Amla and Imran Tahir are believed to have played a vital role in arranging a meeting between Sarfraz and Phehlukwayo. Sarfraz was caught on the broadcast stump mics making what seemed to be a racist comment towards Andile Phehlukwayo during the course of South Africa's tense chase at Kingsmead. What [prayer] have you got her to say for you today?)" A day after the incident, Sarfraz took to Twitter to issue a general apology, claiming that his comments were "not directed towards anyone in particular." "When you come to South Africa, you have to be very careful when you make racial comments," du Plessis said. "I am sure he didn't mean it like that but he has taken responsibility and we will have to see what the outcome of that is going to be. This is not something that we take lightly as a team, but the fact that he apologised straight away means there is regret on his part.
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/423847-whos-behind-sarfraz-phehlukwayo-rapprochement
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Who is on the board behind the huge Levis Stadium tax cut?
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SAN JOSE Until it delivered a $36 million tax windfall to the San Francisco 49ers last week, most people probably never heard of an assessment appeals board. But as its action showed, the obscure three-member panel wields considerable financial power. It alone can change a county assessors professional appraisal of the value of residential and commercial property and, consequently, the amount of property taxes that must be paid. The appeals board is one of three in Santa Clara County whose appointed members can rule whether giant corporations such as Apple and Google have a case when they contest billions of dollars of property taxes that the county assessor determined they owe. And when those companies sway the board to award them hefty refunds, local governments, schools and special districts can stand to lose millions of dollars in local property tax revenue. That scenario played out Wednesday when one of those boards cut the property tax obligations for Levis Stadium in half, resulting in a $36 million refund to the 49ers and an annual $6 million reduction in tax revenue for public agencies. Hardest hit by the decision was the Santa Clara Unified School District, which may have to dip into its reserves to pay back $13 million to the team and plan on receiving $2.5 million less each year in tax revenue. County Assessor Larry Stone, whose office calculated how much the 49ers should pay in taxes, said he was shocked by the decision. Although he has in the past questioned the qualifications of appeals board members, Stone said that wasnt the issue in this case. I think the complicated nature of the structure of the transaction is what did it dozens of interlocking, intricate agreements, totaling thousands of pages, and structured in a complicated way, Stone said. It took hearing after hearing just to understand the complexity of the transaction. Decisions that go against an original assessment are the rare exception rather than the rule, however. Last year, for example, property owners contested $81.9 billion worth of total assessments in Santa Clara County and the appeals boards upheld 97 percent of that amount, Stone said. Apple, the countys largest property taxpayer, currently is disputing $10.4 billion and could reap a $104 million tax refund if it prevails, according to the assessors office. Statewide, county assessors have the power to determine the value of a property and the taxes that must be paid on it, and taxpayers can appeal those decisions to either the board of supervisors or panels nominated by them. In Santa Clara County, they must take their arguments to one of the three assessment appeals boards. Those boards are quasi-judicial bodies and the decisions they make are final; if either the assessor or a property owner is unhappy with a decision, theres no recourse. Appeals board members are appointed by county supervisors to three-year terms and theres no limit to the number of times they can serve. They must have a minimum of five years professional experience in California as either a certified public accountant or public accountant, licensed real estate broker, attorney, or property appraiser with a nationally recognized professional accreditation. Assessment Appeals Board I, which heard the Levis Stadium appeal, has one vacancy after the retirement of Stan Tish, a principal at the San Jose appraisal firm Berliner, Kidder & Tish. Richard Labagh, a member of Appeals Board III who was appointed in 2010 and owns Labagh Appraisal & Consulting, filled in for Tish in the Levis Stadium appeal. The other two members of the board are Wayne Prescott, an appraiser for the firm Carneghi-Nakasako & Associates, who was appointed in 2010, and William Anderson, a former county attorney appointed in 2006 who provided legal counsel for the housing authority. Appeals Board II members are Frank Schmidt, also an appraiser at Carneghi-Nakasako who was appointed in 2012, residential realtor John Howe who was appointed in 2010, and residential realtor David Tonna who was appointed in November 2018. Schmidt appraised properties recently purchased by Google for its downtown San Jose campus, according to his resume. In addition to Labagh, Appeals Board IIIs members are Dennis Moredock, an appraiser for the national firm Allstate Appraisal who was appointed in 2011, and Sharon Kreider, a certified public accountant who was appointed in 2010. With so much money at stake, Stone has occasionally clashed with supervisors over the qualifications of appointees. He argues each board should have a real estate attorney, a certified public accountant and high-level appraiser. At a Nov. 20 board meeting, Stone opposed Tonnas nomination by Supervisor Dave Cortese to Assessment Appeals Board II. Stones preferred candidate was Chris Carneghi, owner of the firm Carneghi-Nakasako, which counts public agencies, including the city of San Jose, among its clients. Tonna, a residential realtor, has held a real estate sales license since 1988 and a broker license since 2004, according to state records. He is the past president of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors and has two years of college, according to his application. The problem is, 95 percent of assessment appeals cases dont involve homes or condos, Stone said in explaining his objection to Tonna. Data centers, telecom equipment, commercial aircraft, high-tech electronic equipment and machineswe desperately need members who are experienced in determining the values of these properties, Stone said. The references on Tonnas application include South Bay Labor Council Executive Director Ben Fields, and Howe, a Sunnyvale realtor whose appointment Stone opposed in 2010, citing similar concerns about experience. At the Nov. 20 meeting, Cortese noted he interviewed both applicants and found them highly qualified. He questioned Stones role in making recommendations for appointments to a board whose role is to act as an independent check on his decisions. I think somethings rotten in Denmark, Cortese said. Some questions have to be asked about where those encouragements and persuasions are coming from.are they coming from the very entity that stands to be corrected by the assessment appeals board when theyre wrong? Supervisor Joe Simitian said the board routinely defers to individual board members when its their turn to make appointments. Candidly, Im not inclined to second-guess the appointments of my colleaguesas long as they meet the standards they are required to meet, Simitian said. Stone told the board it should aim for the most qualified and experienced person, not the minimum requirements. Contact Thy Vo at 408-200-1055 or [email protected].
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https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/01/26/who-is-on-the-board-behind-the-levis-stadium-tax-cut/
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How can Joe Pavelski be an All Star in todays NHL?
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SAN JOSE For his entire life, from high school to junior hockey, the NCAA and eventually the NHL, Joe Pavelski has overcome doubts abouts for his size, speed and talent. Hes still doing it. At age 34, Pavelski isnt merely playing in his 12th NHL season, hes playing better than ever before and doing it in a league that continues to grow faster and younger. The Sharks captain will be on the ice when the NHL All Star game is played Saturday at SAP Center, suiting up alongside the likes of Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Mikko Rantanen, proving that he can still produce against a generation of early-20 somethings thats rewriting the rules of the game. Joes story is exactly the same as it was when I coached him, said P.K. OHandley, who coached Pavelski from 2002-04 with the United States Hockey Leagues Waterloo Blackhawks. Hes facing the same questions. But you cant question his IQ, his work ethic, his determination. Joe will do anything to win and thats never changed. The roots of Pavelskis drive and discipline can be traced back to his family home in Plover, Wisconsin, a town of roughly 12,000 that you might miss if you blink while driving through the middle of the state on Highway 51. Pavelski learned the value of hard work from his father, Mike Pavelski, who owns a local wallpaper business and supported his family on modest means. Ive got to assume that it all started there, the Sharks captain said. That was my first job, working with him at a young age if there was something I could do Id help him out. Im remember putting glue on the back of wallpaper and hed hang it, just things like that. All of his customers respect him because he shows up and does a good job. Pavelski took his fathers attention to detail and applied it to his passion for hockey, spending many pre-teen days by himself fine-tuning his skills at an outdoor rink near his childhood home. Very quietly in his own mind, Joe had this determination even as a fourth grader that this was what he was going to do, said Pavelskis high school coach, Jack Stoskopf Jr. Youd drive by the house and see him out there in the driveway shooting pucks by the hundreds while all the other kids his age were sleeping. Without knowing it, Stoskopf stoked Pavelskis fire during an Activity Day visit to his grade school. In an effort to encourage the students to be well-rounded individuals, the revered coach told the youngsters that only one in 10,000 kids that grow up playing hockey will ever reach the NHL. I specifically remember saying that nobody in this gym is going to play in the NHL, Stoskopf said recently. When I went out to San Jose to see him play as a rookie, he reminded me of that story. He said, I didnt believe you. I didnt believe that none of us could make it. I just used that as ammo when I needed it, Pavelski said. Once Pavelski joined his team, Stoskopf witnessed first-hand the traits that would come to prove his prediction wrong. This kid was always the first player at the rink, shooting pucks long before his teammates joined him on the ice. When the rink manager wasnt around, Pavelski would stay on after practice, waiting for someone to kick him off the ice. Stoskopf also caught a glimpse of the leadership ability that ultimately would lead to Pavelski getting a C stitched on his jersey at the NHL level. After he spent Pavelskis sophomore year in retirement from coaching, Stoskopf received a surprise phone call at home during the summer. It was the Pavelski kid. And he said, Im just wondering if you can come back and coach. He called me all on his own. I remember hanging the phone up and going, Oh my God, are you kidding me? Stoskopf said. He said, We wont be able to find a coach that provides the discipline that you provide we need that discipline. He already knew what was needed to be successful at that age. Together, Pavelski and Stoskopf led the SPASH (Stevens Point Area Senior High) Panthers to state title that season (2002). After that, the road to the NHL got even steeper. Pavelskis deficiencies became glaringly obvious when he moved to Waterloo, Iowa for his senior year of high school to play for the USHLs Waterloo Blackhawks. Competing in a more physical league against older, bigger players, Pavelskis lack of size and speed started coming into question, concerns that would follow him into the NHL. At first, I probably saw what everyone else did. His skating definitely needed help, said OHandley, the coach in Waterloo. But that quickly evaporated. Despite his obvious shortcomings, OHandley soon noticed that Pavelskis hockey IQ was exceptional. He could read plays, anticipate where the puck was going and find the open spots on the ice where goals are scored. Pavelskis hockey sense is so developed, it continues to stand out at the NHL level. Though the league continues to get faster and faster, Sharks coach Pete DeBoer calls Pavelskis lack of foot speed a non-factor. He eliminates the speed issue by using his head as he moves around the ice, the Sharks coach said. Pavs gift is his IQ. Its like McDavids legs. I dont think you can teach that youre born with that. But Stoskopf is convinced that Pavelskis hockey brain is a product of his physical deficiencies. He studies the game to compensate for his weaknesses. When Pavelski is on the bench, he isnt resting; hes analyzing the play on the ice. Hes studies tape, critiques his own play, looks for ways to improve. Its kind of like when someone cant see very well, so their senses are better with hearing, touch and taste, Stoskopf said. Joe knew he wasnt a great skater, so he had to be a good shooter, a good passer and his awareness always had to be key. Pavelskis mind, leadership and work ethic helped the Blackhawks capture the Clark Cup, the USHLs championship trophy, in 2003-04, propelling him onto the University of Wisconsin, where he fulfilled another childhood dream by suiting up for the Badgers. At Wisconsin, Pavelski ramped up his off-ice training program, overhauling his work in the gym to address his flaws. When he arrived on campus, he lacked the strength to do more than five pull-ups in a row, fueling his desire to become a fitness fanatic. He wasnt a physical specimen by any means. He worked at it, said Sharks strength and conditioning coach Mike Potenza, who held the same position at Wisconsin when Pavelski played for the Badgers. He became a real student of it. He was very curious about how he could improve his fitness to compete at that level and beyond. With Potenzas help, Pavelski dissected his game to determine what he needed to do in the gym to address his weaknesses on the ice. He does heavy-aerobic circuits to improve his strength in the corners and in front of the net, areas where he needs to excel. His training also involves pedaling with high-wattage tension on the bike; jumping exercises to enhance his explosiveness; and core work to improve his strength on the puck. Hes not the fastest, best skater, but what if he didnt do all of that? Potenza asked. Hes not very fast from point A to point B, but in the corners, when hes turning and hes moving into positions where he can get shots off, he does get there quickly. In college, the extra work paid off in the form of a national championship in 2005-06, setting the stage for Pavelskis emergence with the Sharks less than a year later. Pavelskis rags-to-riches is well documented: Drafted in the seventh round, No. 205 overall, in 2003; three-time All Star; two-time Olympian; 10 seasons of 20 or more goals; captain of the Sharks. Pavelski ability to excel in a rapidly-changing league also is the function of his devotion to being what John Wooden called, a perpetual learner. Similar to how he has molded his body to overcome his physical shortcomings, Pavelski puts in the work to give himself a mindset thats geared toward success. Hes a devotee of Malcolm Gladwells Outliers and the 10,000-hours rule, a theory that expertise derives from relentless practice. Hes also studied Geoffrey Colvins Why Talent is Overrated, buying into his ideas about deliberate practice. It talks about how Michael Jordan really worked on specific things that he wanted to get better at, Potenza said. Jordan was a cutter and a slasher early in his career and then all of a sudden he became one of the best defensive players. Then, hes got this 20-foot jump shot that he doesnt miss. Joe took those books to heart, made that part of his game. To this day, Pavelski is still the first guy on the ice at Sharks practice. Anyone who shows up early, can see his deliberate practice at work. He practices spin moves in the slot, one-timers in the circle, deflections in front with Brent Burns snapping off wrist shots from the point. Pavelski estimates that he shoots a few hundred pucks before practice. By no coincidence he has 27 goals this season (ninth in the league), scoring in the dirty areas while many of the leagues young scorers operate with speed off the rush. This level of commitment is what makes Pavelski such a great leader. His teammates see the extra work he puts in, the obstacles he has cleared to succeed in the NHL and it inspires them to do more. Tony Granato, the University of Wisconsin coach who played for the Sharks from 1996-2001, said his players benefit from Pavelskis presence on campus when he trains there in the summer. Hes the greatest role model you could have for your program, Granato said. Our guys get to watch him train in the summer, take something from him. Now that Pavelski is recovered from a wrist injury that hindered him most of last season his goal total (22) was the lowest it has been in a full season since 2010-11 the question shifts to his future. Pavelski will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Sharks declined to make him an offer last summer when he became eligible for a contract extension and now, as the leading scorer on the leagues third-best scoring team, his stock is soaring. General manager Doug Wilson is looking at a complicated offseason with the contracts of Pavelski, Erik Karlsson and Joe Thornton set to expire and Timo Meier moving into restricted free agency. Pavelski says he hopeful a deal can be reached. His No. 1 priority is winning a Stanley Cup and he leaves no doubt that he wants to finish his career with the Sharks. All Ive known is San Jose, and at the end of the day, thats probably all I want to know. Well see where the chips fall, Pavelski said. Weve built something pretty good here, but we still want to get to that next level and bring it home.
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https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/01/26/how-can-joe-pavelski-be-an-all-star-in-todays-nhl/
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Should we rename some low-risk cancers?
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Thats a question medical journal The BMJ put to two experts, and their responses do much to fuel a lively discussion. Arguing firmly for the affirmative is Laura Esserman, director of the Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Centre in San Francisco in the US. She says that while the clinical definition of cancer remains of a disease that if untreated will grow relentlessly and spread to other organs, killing the host, today we routinely use the word to describe diseases that may have as little as a 5% chance of progression over two decades. And because modern screening programs are detecting more such ultra-low-risk cancers including, she suggests, many thyroid, prostate and breast cancers were seeing more investigation and invasive surgery, which themselves carry risk and can lead to a lifetime of anxiety. Rather than surgery, Esserman suggests, we should in some situations offer active surveillance, but it is difficult to encourage patients to wait and watch once they have been told they have cancer. Recommended Cancer treatments linked to cognitive decline Biology Overtreating people who are not at risk of death does not improve the lives of those at highest risk, she writes. The refinement of the nomenclature for cancer is one of the most important steps we can take to improve the outcomes and quality of life of patients with cancer. Not so, says Murali Varma, at doctor at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, who warns that creating new entities risks confusion. In practice, it is impossible to determine the natural course of any low risk tumour, he says, because excision for definitive diagnosis alters its natural course, precluding knowledge of how the tumour would have behaved if left untreated. This uncertainty could also lead to underestimation of the frequency of overdiagnosis as some cured cancers would not have progressed even if untreated, he adds. Varma believes that, rather than focusing on semantics, the key is to educate everyone from the healthy public to health professionals about the meaning of a diagnosis of cancer. New terminology often leads to confusion, so an alternative approach would be to recalibrate thresholds for the diagnosis of cancer, so that some very low-risk cancers are categorised as benign, he suggests. If the public were educated that benign signifies very low risk rather than no risk at all, then anxiety inducing labels could be avoided, he concludes. You can read both arguments in full here, along with a patient commentary here by Birte Twisselmann, an editor at The BMJ, who describes the considerable worry of having two suspicious lesions dealt with in less than a year. Despite their low risk, she says the confusing terminology for cancers and precancerous lesions made me anxious.
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https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/should-we-rename-some-low-risk-cancers
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Who are Frances Red Scarves?
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Thousands of demonstrators known as foulards rouges or Red Scarves are to march in Paris on Sunday to call for an end to violence at Yellow Vest protests. The police are bracing themselves for clashes between some members of the two protest movements. Alarmed by images of people being attacked by Yellow Vest protesters during the first weekend of nationwide demonstrations in November, John Christophe Werner decided to take action. On 26 November he took to his computer at his home in Vauclaus, southern France, and set up a Facebook page. Today the Red Scarves of France has over 21,000 followers, most of whom agree that Yellow Vest protests are disrupting daily life. People are tired of the roadblocks. They are bad for business, and children are prevented from getting to school on time, Red Scarves spokesperson Alex Brun tells RFI by telephone from Montpellier in the south of France. Roadblocks have been an integral part of the Yellow Vest, or gilets jaunes, protest strategy. Ten people have been killed since the demonstrations began, most of them in accidents at or near roadblocks. Red Scarves split The Red Scarves movement soon spread geographically and has taken root in Bordeaux, Brittany, Lyon and many more small towns across France. The groups leadership has split. Laurent Souli has proclaimed himself spokesman of a breakaway group of The Red Scarves, and in early January he rallied supporters on Facebook to sign up for a march in support of President Emmanuel Macron. Retrouvons-nous tous demain Place de la Nation pour la #MarcheRpublicaineDesLiberts !#FoulardsRouges pic.twitter.com/OURRlAEMaB Les Foulards Rouges Officiel (@FoulardsRougesO) January 26, 2019 This provoked the wrath of the Yellow Vests and some within the Red Scarves of France who slammed Souli for supporting Frances embattled president. The Red Scarves is an apolitical citizen movement, Brun, the spokesperson for the Foulards Rouges explains. Members of Macrons government were quick to applaude Soulis faction of the Red Scarves for organising a march in support of the French Republic. Chief among them was the education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer who on 16 January told parliament: theres a need to show that the national spirit is alive, in reference to the Red Scarves. As concerns began to grow over possible violent clashes between Red Scarves and Yellow Vests, members of the ruling Republic On the Move party said they would not attend Sundays march. As criticism mounted Souli backtracked and renamed the march Marche rpublicaine des libert or national freedom march. Ten thousand people have signed up, many of whom are expected to march from Place de la Nation to Place de la Bastille in Paris. But founding members of the Red Scarves of France are calling on their followers not to attend. We feel that the Great Debate launched by President Macron is the best way to resolve problems caused by the Yellow Vests, rather than confronting them on the street, Brun says. For the past week since launching the Great Debate President Macron has been zigzagging across France to meet with mayors in an attempt to address the grievances of the Yellow Vests and their sympathisers.
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http://en.rfi.fr/france/20190121-who-are-france-s-red-scarves
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What does fallout from LA teachers strike mean for the future of charter schools?
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On paper, the six-day strike teachers strike that disrupted learning at 900 public schools across Los Angeles was a fight about orthodox demands like lower class sizes, higher pay and more support staff from nurses to librarians and counselors. But a core issue and perhaps the most divisive barely touched the bargaining table: the future of the citys 224 charter schools. Education policy experts contend that although United Teachers Los Angeles the union that represents the teachers in L.A. Unified wins regarding charter schools at the strikes conclusion may be largely symbolic, the strike has sparked a broader conversation happening across Southern California on charters that will likely make its way to Sacramento and stands to impact the direction of public school districts across the state. Public education is essentially a two-sector system codified into state law in 1992 the traditional, centrally managed school district and charter schools independent from a central school board. As enrollment in the Los Angeles school district declined for 15 years, charter schools grew into a full-fledged industry educating more than 112,000 students and posing tough competition for traditional public schools. Angeleno enrollment in charters, which are publicly funded but privately managed, reportedly drains $600 million a year from the Los Angeles Unified School District, which is tasked with serving around half a million students. While the schools do undergo a rigorous approval process complimented by hundreds of pages of paperwork, they operate free from many regulations and all but a few are nonunion. To clear up any confusion about district-affiliated versus independent charters, a district-affiliated charter is a hybrid. The word charter in its name reflects a status the school adopted to secure more outside sources of revenue but it operates within the confines of the district. During the strike In the months leading up to and during the six-day walkout, UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl frequently decried the unregulated growth of charter schools to the press and his own membership. That doesnt mean all charter schools are bad, he repeated in his characteristic baritone, rather what began as a well-intentioned experiment now undermines traditional public schooling as more charter schools backed by billionaires and neglect the neediest students. Charter school advocates call the unions messaging on charters during the strike a blatant mischaracterization. Id really like Alex Caputo-Pearl to come to the schools I run, said Gloria Romero, the executive director of Scholarship Prep Charter School in Santa Ana and a former California state senator who while representing the San Gabriel Valley and East Los Angeles served as chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee. Were closing the achievement gap for children who are English language learners and special education, if anything. There are some great schools in L.A. Unified but there are too many pockets where schools are chronically underperforming. John Rogers, director of the UCLAs Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access, warned of sometimes superficial narratives surrounding charter schools. I think there are a number of somewhat simplistic analyses that dont capture the full picture, he said. Many charter schools enroll large numbers of low-income students and students of color and we shouldnt forget that fact. That said, charter advocates have in recent years poured millions into political campaigns, including in Los Angeles, where billionaire and charter supporter Eli Broad spent almost $10 million in 2017 along with allies in an effort that won a majority on the LAUSD Board of Education. The charter sector, according to Rogers, is a mix of some amazing educators who have worked within district bureaucracies and got frustrated and wanted in their words more freedom, some wealthy people who wanted to do good and felt like their money wasnt going to be spent well in the district, and then some with ties to right wing think tanks and organizations who are deeply committed to undercutting the power of unions as kind of a bulwark of the democratic party. He added that it is rare for charters to admit students with the most substantial special needs, but thats mostly backed up only by anecdotal evidence. In the agreement The main appearance of charter schools in the 40-page agreement reached between UTLA and LAUSD this Tuesday is a provision calling for more community input in cases of potential co-location, when a charter school moves into either occupied or un-occupied space on the campus of a traditional public school. The still-temporary deal must be ratified by the School Board in a meeting slated for Jan. 29. The district has to inform us in December about any schools that are targeted for co-location, said Caputo-Pearl on KPCCs AirTalk Wednesday. That gives time for respectful notice to parents and certainly parents can ask questions and teachers can push back. As a side-bargain, UTLA also said the school board agreed to vote this month on a resolution that calls for Gov. Newsom to enact a cap on new charter schools at LAUSD while the state further studies the issue. If approved, the resolution would be a call for more state action on public charter schools. Yet it remains to be seen whether the measures become more than a symbolic win for the union, said author of a book on California politics and New York Times opinion writer Miriam Pawel. One out of every three independent charter schools in Los Angeles is co-located. While the arrangements are mutually beneficial, many complain of discord as entirely separate schools attempt to share everything from libraries to cafeterias and playgrounds. Co-location seemed to be a significant step for the union potentially. But the district doesnt have has much leeway, so I think those are issues that will have to be addressed at the state level, and theres definitely some interest in addressing it in Sacramento. Looking ahead What all parties appear to agree on is that the teachers strike drew attention from the Inland Empire to L.A. to the befallen state of traditional public education in the second-largest school system in the nation, but that the future of charters can only be determined in halls of the state capital. The strike opened the conversation about how the broader public can begin to develop rules and regulations through the legislative process, said Rogers, purposeful planning of how we bring on new charter schools, how we reauthorize charter schools, how we think about the location of charter schools. And charter leaders like Gloria Romero are prepared to make a case. I look forward to sitting at that table testifying before former colleagues and new folks to say hey forget about the campaign contributions that you got from CTA (California Teachers Association) and lets think about what this means in terms of student achievement, she said. The fact that charters are thought to be so dangerous, thats a product of their success and thats what I hope a fair hearing in Sacramento would find.
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https://www.whittierdailynews.com/2019/01/26/what-does-fallout-from-la-teachers-strike-mean-for-the-future-of-charter-schools/
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How Much Will Wealthy Americans Save on Their 2018 Taxes?
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It's been a year since President Trump signed the tax reform bill into law. The legislation included plenty of favorable provisions, including lower tax rates and boosts to standard deductions and tax credits for families. However, it also eliminated or scaled back some tax breaks that many people took advantage of, and even some upper-income taxpayers pointed to those offsetting provisions as potentially causing them to pay more under tax reform. It's impossible to generalize about the effect of tax reform, because every individual taxpayer's situation is unique. But by making a few assumptions, we can take a look at how tax reform would affect upper-income earners making $250,000. Then, it's up to you to decide whether the assumptions fit your financial situation -- or whether the details could turn what looks like a promising result into a tax nightmare. Tax forms, calculator, glasses, a pen, and $100 bills spread across a flat surface. More Image source: Getty Images. The simplest cases Let's start out with an example that's about as simple as possible. Say that you're single and had income of $250,000. You take the standard deduction and have no dependents. Here's what tax reform looks like for you. Item 2017 Tax Year 2018 Tax Year Gross income $250,000 $250,000 Standard deduction ($6,350) ($12,000) Personal exemption ($4,050) N/A Taxable income $239,600 $238,000 Tax $65,900 $58,990 Calculations by author based on IRS rules. As you can see, tax reform would save this taxpayer almost $7,000. The reason is simple: Under old law, a lot more of this income got taxed at 25%, 28%, and 33%. Even though the brackets for 2018 tax some of this income at a higher 35% rate, most of it is subject to lower rates of 22%, 24%, and 32%. The higher standard deduction offsets the loss of the personal exemption. Now, let's take a look at a typical family situation. Say you're married and file jointly, with total income of $250,000. You have two children who are young enough to qualify for the child tax credit, but you are entitled to no other credits and take the standard deduction. Item 2017 Tax Year 2018 Tax Year Gross income $250,000 $250,000 Standard deduction ($12,700) ($24,000) Personal exemption ($16,200) N/A Taxable income $221,100 $226,000 Tentative tax $48,793 $42,819 Tax credits $0 $4,000 Net tax owed $48,793 $38,819 Calculations by author based on IRS rules. Here, the savings is almost $10,000. Roughly $6,000 of that comes from the lower tax rates that apply to income under the new tax laws, but another $4,000 comes from the fact that this upper-income family now gets to claim the child tax credit, because of the big increase in the income threshold that used to prevent many high-income taxpayers from getting it. Your mileage may vary However, it's dangerous to draw too many conclusions from these two examples, because they're too simple to be realistic for most people. Among the reasons why are: Once your income gets this high, you're much more likely to itemize your deductions. As a result, the boost in the standard deduction did many high-income taxpayers little or no good in terms of seeing any additional tax savings. Adding insult to injury, provisions that limited the use of popular itemized tax deductions like the state and local tax deduction might actually reduce total deductions available to many taxpayers, especially in high-tax states. Again, the wealthy are more likely to own expensive real estate and the high real-estate tax bills that come with it, and state income taxes are often structured progressively to charge higher rates to upper-income residents. On the other hand, the examples above don't involve any liability for the alternative minimum tax. Many real-life situations do, and for many, revisions to the AMT will lead to its no longer affecting many taxpayers earning around $250,000. The size of one's family also makes a difference. The more children you have, the greater the impact of losing personal exemptions to reduce tax liability. Whether the child tax credit makes up for that depends on the age of those children and other factors. Be smart with tax reform Although many upper-income taxpayers making $250,000 per year will see savings from tax reform, you'll need to take a close look at your own situation. Some could save even more from tax reform than the examples above suggest. But for some, the new tax laws could end up costing them money. Given all the complexity that wealthier individuals have in their financial lives, what holds true for some won't necessarily be the case for you, and you'll want to assess the results to see how you can plan better for your taxes in 2019. More From The Motley Fool
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https://news.yahoo.com/much-wealthy-americans-save-2018-134600471.html
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What time is The Greatest Dancer on tonight and how long is the series?
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The video will start in 8 Cancel Get daily updates directly to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Its been hyped for what feels like forever but the show is finally here The Greatest Dancer started this month. Former Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy , Strictly Come Dancing s Oti Mabuse and singer-songwriter and dancer Matthew Morrison are all on the panel of stars watching the dancers auditions. The hosts are Britains Got Talents Alesha Dixon and Diversitys Jordan Banjo who will introduce the dancers and show each week. Theres a 50,000 prize for the eventual winner, so the stakes are high. The Beeb will be hoping their new talent show venture has what it takes to beat ITVs singing contest, The Voice because they air at roughly the same time this weekend. Heres what you need to know about the The Greatest Dancer and how long its on for. (Image: BBC/Syco/Thames/Tom Dymond) The Greatest Dancer launched on Saturday January 5 at 8pm until 9.10pm. It will continue to air every Saturday evening for another eight episodes. It's on tonight at the earlier time of 7.30pm. The show's format means the auditions take place behind a mirror. If the audience like them enough they vote for them to go through to the next round. It will be available on BBCiPlayer for those who want to catch up. The series will run for eight episodes (seven weeks) and so the last episode, when the winner is crowned, will be Saturday February 23. *Catch The Greatest Dancer tonight at 7.30pm on BBCOne
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https://www.irishmirror.ie/tv/greatest-dancer-cheryl-time-tonight-13910431
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What time does the 24 Hours of Daytona start?
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Fernando Alonso won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2018, and he returns to Daytona this weekend seeking his first victory in the biggest endurance race in North America. The Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona will begin Saturday afternoon, and the field is loaded with stars. The 2019 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona will begin at 2:00 p.m. ET on NBCSN. You can watch live coverage of the race on NBCSN and the NBC Sports app from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET. All other periods to the race will be streamed on the NBC Sports app and NBCSports.com/live. You can also stream the race via IMSA. If youre new to endurance racing, you might be wondering why theres so many different cars on the track. There are four classes of cars, meaning theres four separate races going on simultaneously for 24 hours. Daytona Prototype international (DPi) and Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) are the fastest cars on the track, followed by GT Le Mans (GTLM) and GT Daytona (GTD). Each team has a lineup of four drivers that take turns racing shifts. Notable drivers in the field: Fernando Alonso Juan Pablo Montoya Kamui Kobayashi Rubens Barrichello Pastor Maldonado Felipe Nasr Alex Zanardi Ryan Briscoe Scott Dixon
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https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/01/what-time-does-the-24-hours-of-daytona-start
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What time does Tiger Woods tee off on Saturday?
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A costly double bogey spoiled Tiger Woods round on Friday, and while Woods was able to make the cut one stroke inside the number, Justin Roses phenomenal start at Torrey Pines has put all but a handful of golfers at the top of the leaderboard out of contention. Rose, the current world No. 1, posted rounds of 63 and 66 to get to 15-under par and carry a three-shot lead into the weekend. Tiger doesnt have much chance of closing an 11-stroke deficit, but hell try to make a run up the leaderboard on moving day. Tiger Woods will tee off at 11:10 a.m. ET in a group with Scott Stallings and Mackenzie Hughes. The lead group of Justin Rose, Hideki Matsuyama and Ryan Palmer will begin play at 12:40 p.m., ET. Televised coverage of the Famers Insurance Open will begin at 1:00 p.m. ET Saturday on Golf Channel. Coverage will shift to CBS at 3:00 p.m. ET. To see Woods entire round, youll need a subscription to PGA Tour Live. Woods group is included in featured group coverage, along with a separate group including Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.
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https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/01/what-time-does-tiger-woods-tee-off-on-saturday
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When Will The Coroners Inquest Into The Death Of Louie Gomez Start?
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69 SHARES Share Tweet QUESTION OF THE DAY The Coroners Inquest into the death of Louie Gomez is urgent in order for families to truly know how the death occurred. The longer it takes the more agonizing it becomes to a family who will find it difficult to have a closure. The case is a high profile case where the accused persons have been refused bail for over a year. The trial will soon take two years while the accused persons are remanded in custody. The state must accept full responsibility for providing the environment for securing the good health of the accused until judgment is delivered. One life has already been lost. The reason for the loss should become evident and proper care should be exercised so those left behind would not be left without proper attention. The state has nothing to lose by treating all prisoners, remand or convicted, in a decent and humane manner. It has integrity and good reputation to gain by acting in a decent manner.
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https://foroyaa.gm/when-will-the-coroners-inquest-into-the-death-of-louie-gomez-start/
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Is the polar vortex to blame for Arctic blast moving into Pittsburgh area?
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Sign in using you account with: {* loginWidget *} Sign in using your wpxi profile Welcome back. By submitting your registration information, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . We have sent a confirmation email to {* data_emailAddress *}. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Thank you for registering! Thank you for registering! We look forward to seeing you on [website] frequently. Visit us and sign in to update your profile, receive the latest news and keep up to date with mobile alerts. Click here to return to the page you were visiting.
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https://www.wpxi.com/weather/is-the-polar-vortex-to-blame-for-arctic-blast-moving-into-pittsburgh-area-/910250824
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What Will Kim Jong Un Say on New Years Day?
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Another Christmas has been and gone, with gifts given and received. But for policy makers in Seoul and Washington, one big mystery parcel still remains to be unwrapped. Given the time difference, the text of this important speech should be published before the US has yet seen out the old year. [1] In his last New Years address, when tensions were running high after a year of missile tests galore as well as fire and fury rhetoric across the inaptly named Pacific, Kim unexpectedly gifted ROK President Moon Jae-in an Olympic olive branch. That ushered in a memorable year of unprecedentedly intense summitry, especially with South Korea, China and the US. All this from a young leader who for his first six years in power had gone nowhere and met none of his global peers. Fear of war on the peninsula gave way to hopes for peace. There is a widespread sense that the peace process is stalling, amid skepticism as to how serious or sincere is Pyongyangs pledge to work toward denuclearization. Much, therefore, hinges on what Kim will say on January 1, and how he says it. His words may determine whether the peace mood continuesor if conversely, the US-DPRK relationship, in particular, deteriorates: whether it reverts back to snarling and missile testing, or even worse. While we know the speech will provide goals and direction for the domestic economy, how he talks about the US and South Korea will provide important clues to his perceptions of the status of these relationships and his expectations for how this year will unfold. Of course, Kims speech is not the only factorKim has already provided Moon a personal note expressing his expectations on the inter-Korean front for 2019. No less crucial is his keenly awaited second summit with Donald Trump, who has said he expects this by Februarydespite the odd lack of working level talks to prepare for it. Then again, the tone and content of Kims speech will be a key variable in determining Washingtons stance and strategy in regard to that meeting. A word of context first. As 38 North readers are doubtless aware, the Leaders New Year address is a long-established tradition in North Korea. Kim Il Sung began the practice as early as 1946, even before the DPRK was formally founded, and continued for almost half a century until 1994, the year he died. The format then changed. Kim Jong Il abhorred speech-making, so during his reign this was replaced by a joint editorial published in three major daily papers: the Korean Workers Party paper Rodong Sinmun, and the less familiar organs of the Korean Peoples Army (KPA), Joson Inmingun, and of the Youth League, Chongnyon Jonwi. From 2013, Kim Jong Unin this, as in much else, imitating his late grandfatherrestored the practice of a New Year speech; so this next one will be his seventh. Whether speech or editorial, these are functional equivalents. Weighty (not to say turgid), this is where the DPRK regime officially reflects upon the year just concluded, and then sets the tone and line for the year ahead. Drafted and worded with great care, these documents merit careful analysis. (The contrast with the current US Presidents off-the-cuff tweeting is frankly painful. And yet it is North Korea which often gets glibly tagged as unpredictable.) To be sure, Kims prime audience is domestic. Pity the poor North Korean populace, forced to study these texts in depthor even memorize the whole damn thing, as Radio Free Asia has twice claimed in 2013 and 2017. If such pressure continued in 2018, millions of North Koreans now know that the chemical industry should step up the establishment of the C1 chemical industry, push the projects for catalyst production base and phosphatic fertilizer factory as scheduled, and renovate and perfect the sodium carbonate production line whose starting material is glauberite. Some might even wonder whether all of that actually got doneand what glauberite is. Domestic Issues As this suggests, these speeches dwell a lot on the economy, in some detail. Alas, it isnt the right kind of detail. While the DPRK economy is not my focus here,[2] one keeps hoping that one of these years, North Korea will talk economicssupposedly Kims prioritythe way every other country on the planet does: factually and at least semi-honestly, including real numbers. Premier Pak Pong Ju came close recently, with some interesting if oblique comments on shortcomings in farming due to insufficient reform (that is my paraphrase of his guarded words). Yet on January 1, the Leader whom Pak serves will probably spout the same old boilerplate as ever. Reform that dare not speak its name is not phony, but by definition it cannot be full reform. The old bottles just dont fit the new wine. If Kim Jong Un could adopt more modern economic discourse, that would give valuable support to the dwindling ranks of outside observers who laud him as a genuinely new broom. Realistically, however, the most we can probably expect is that Kim might formalize various hints dropped recently and proclaim a new policy line: replacing byungjindeveloping the economy and nuclear weapons in tandemwith economic development as the top priority. But he may not even do that. If, as I suggest below, he feels the need to warn Washington now that his patience is not inexhaustible, then this would be the wrong time to further de-emphasise or downgrade his nuclear deterrent. Kim will surely keep his nuclear powder dry. Foreign Policy On past form, the section of Kims speech addressing international issues will come near the end, and will be rather shorter than the preceding main bulk devoted to domestic matters. In 2018, inter-Korean relations took about a quarter of the speech. (Remember, there was at this stage no overture to the US. On the contrary, Kim warned that the nuclear button is on my office desk all the time. No doubt readers will recall the 45th Presidents dignified riposte.) A year ago, Kims task, or that of his speech-writers, was easier. Crafting an olive branch for an eager and grateful Moon Jae-in to seize was hardly rocket science. This time Kim will have to address both Washington and Seoul. I expect him to focus more on the former, where the problems are. Inter-Korean relations, by contrast, remain in good shape, though Kim failed to visit Seoul as promised and momentum seems to be slowing down of late. Clues can be found in other, lower-level recent North Korean statements, skilfully parsed for 38 North by Robert Carlin. When even serious news outlets often misread North Korea, whether through carelessness or in thrall to extraneous agendas, this service is invaluable. Thus, we know that Pyongyang has a number of bones to pick with Washington, ranging from their different conceptions of denuclearization to sanctions, human rights and more. Such matters have been aired at different times and levels in various DPRK media, as stalking horses. The question now is which of these, if any, the Leader himself will pick up and run with, thereby raising the stakes. Sticking my neck out, here is what I expect to see. Self-congratulation is a longstanding North Korean trope (one that Trump can surely relate to). Such narcissism is often threadbare, but this time it is justified. Kim Jong Un will not fail to hail the brilliant diplomatic victoriesfor such they werethat the DPRK chalked up in 2018. If he is wise, he will also compliment the leaders with whom he met while avoiding any implication that they were supplicants, or dazzled by his radiance. Pyongyang media have not always avoided that particular trap. So far so good. But thenI think Kim will play it more in sorrow than anger. He might say something like this: Despite the DPRKs magnanimity and pathbreaking moves to begin denuclearization, and notwithstanding the positive attitude of Trump (perhaps Moon too, but this time Kim may treat him as a junior partner and mainly address the US), regrettably both Washington and Seoul still harbor reactionary hostile forces, determined to sabotage peace and undermine progress. We are watching these malignant elements closely. If they are allowed to run amok unchecked, we may be forced to doubt the sincerity of the dialogue partner and take a corresponding measure. (Its surprisingly easy to write this stuff.) The Liberty Korea Party (LKP), South Koreas conservative main opposition party, may well get an explicit kicking. So might Japan, which North Korean media still regularly excoriate as rudely as until recently they also lambasted the US and South Korea. Then again, Kim could well have hopes of Shinzo Abe joining the queue to talk to him, eventually. He may even pull his punches, leaving the insults to lower-level media. Safer, ergo likelier, is to dwell on issues rather than personalities. Getting into role again, he may state: However, the US side showed deplorable treachery (or insincerity, a milder word; these are the sort of nuances we should look for) on many fronts: imposing fresh sanctions on our blameless leading officials, kicking up a vile racket at the UN about the non-existent human rights issue, all the while insisting gangster-like that the DPRK unilaterally disarm, and so on. Points to watch here include which of these issues Kim raises, in what terms, and how they are prioritized. The precise setting of volume and tone controls should also be calibrated with care. In the past North Korea quite often screamed itself hoarse with ersatz anger, but we hear less of that nowadays (thankfully). Also, the Leader usually leaves the harshest diatribes to his underlingsunless sorely provoked, as in last years unusual riposte to the dotard Trump. Yet I do not entirely rule out Kim using severe tones, if he feels a need to signal that Pyongyang is losing patience. I hope he wont, this would be a misjudgement, given that the worldnot just the US, but also Europeis losing patience with him. Hitherto Kim has hardly put a foot wrong tactically, but he might overplay his hand. His wisest bet would be to offer some fresh specific solid-seeming concession on denuclearizationsuch as decommissioning of another facilityto help those who support dialogue, and confound their critics. Perhaps he is saving that for when he next meets Trump. Or he may not do that either. Ambiguity and procrastination have served Kim well to date, so he may stick with that stance even though it is not viable indefinitely (press reports suggest the US will give him three more months). All in all, Kims New Year Speech may disappoint. Last year he gave Moon a late Christmas present, but that was exceptional. Lets hope I am wrong. We shall know soon enough.
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https://www.38north.org/2018/12/afostercarter123018/
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Was tun mit Alter Schule?
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ber zehn Brger kamen wegen dieser Frage am Donnerstag in die Affinger Gemeinderatssitzung. Eine Antwort darauf gab es noch nicht. Die Renovierung des Gebudes, das aus dem Jahr 1859 stammt, war 2017 greifbar nahe. Dann machte der Gemeinderat einen Rckzieher und lehnte die Sanierung ab, fr die es 255000 Euro Zuschuss aus dem europischen Frdertopf Eler gegeben htte. Der Eigenanteil von 375000 Euro war ihm zu hoch. Seither ist nichts mehr passiert. Auch deshalb nicht, weil die Aufnahme in die Denkmalschutzliste zur Debatte stand, erklrte Brgermeister Markus Winklhofer. Wie berichtet, ist das Gebude seit Kurzem denkmalgeschtzt. Fachleute attestieren ihm eine bauknstlerische, geschichtliche und stdtebauliche Bedeutung. Die Schule ergnze das Ensemble mit Kirche und Pfarrhof zu einem prgnanten Dorfmittelpunkt. Christine Schmid-Mgele hatte den Frdertopf vor zwei Jahren aufgetan. Sie wollte nun wissen, wie es weitergeht. Denn die Frderzusage gilt nur noch bis Mai. In ihrem Antrag schrieb Schmid-Mgele, die krankheitsbedingt fehlte, Affing sei bayernweit die einzige Kommune, die eine Eler-Frderung erhalte und abgelehnt habe. Laut Winklhofer verndert der Denkmalschutz die Voraussetzungen. Die Plne sahen zum Beispiel Kunststofffenster vor. Sie sind nun nicht mehr mglich. Der gemeindliche Bautechniker habe ein groes Augenmerk darauf, dass sich der Zustand des Gebudes nicht verschlechtere, versicherte der Brgermeister. So sei das Dach abgedichtet worden. Georg Engelhard befrchtet dennoch, dass der Zustand schlechter wird, und warnte: Je lnger wir warten, umso teurer wirds fr die Gemeinde. Schon jetzt dringe Regen an der Westseite durch die Fenster. Er forderte, die Planung anzugehen und die Sanierung Zug um Zug zu realisieren. Josef Engelschalk betonte, verfallen lassen knne Affing das Gebude nicht. Nach der Forderung einer neuen Kostenanalyse und dem Hinweis des Brgermeisters, dass man dann auch die Mittel bereitstellen msse, einigte sich das Gremium auf den Vorschlag Gerhard Faltermeiers, bei Architekt Markus Schneider zuerst die Kosten fr die Planung auszuloten. (jca) Themen Folgen
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https://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/aichach/Was-tun-mit-Alter-Schule-id53290381.html
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Is Jeannie Mai Getting Her Cakes Smashed Into Yayo Particles By Rapper Jeezy?
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Jeannie Mai And Jeezy Appear To Be On A Date A photo from Jeannie Mais 40th birthday celebration has the internet talking and suspecting shes dating rapper Jeezy. In the flick, Jeannie Mai and rapper Jeezy appear to be on a triple date to fans. The photo was posted by Malika Haqq and featured two other solid couples. Malika and her boo, OT Genesis and newly coupled up Trey Songz and Lorie Harvey. Malika captioned the flick 3s company. This is interesting However, we dont want to speculate too hard without confirmation. Jeanie divorced her husband of 10 years last summer and Jeezy was coupled up with a toddler, last we checked. Still, the internet seems to think Jeannie and Jeezy are a thing Hit the flip to see how people are reacting to Jeannie and Jeezy looking like more than friends on her birthday.
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https://bossip.com/1696222/is-jeannie-mai-getting-her-cakes-smashed-into-yayo-particles-by-rapper-jeezy/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bossiprss+%28Bossip.com%29
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Is Chinas plan to use a nuclear bomb detonator to release shale gas in earthquake-prone Sichuan crazy or brilliant?
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China is planning to apply the same technology used to detonate a nuclear bomb over Hiroshima during the second world war to access its massive shale gas reserves in Sichuan province. While success would mean a giant leap forward not only for the industry but also Beijings energy self-sufficiency ambitions, some observers are concerned about the potential risk of widespread drilling for the fuel in a region known for its devastating earthquakes. Despite being home to the largest reserves of shale gas on the planet about 31.6 trillion cubic metres according to 2015 figures from the US Energy Information Administration, or twice as much as the United States and Australia combined China is the worlds biggest importer of natural gas, with about 40 per cent of its annual requirement coming from overseas. In 2017, it produced just 6 billion cubic metres of shale gas, or about 6 per cent of its natural gas output for the whole year. The problem is that 80 per cent of its deposits are located more than 3,500 metres (11,500 feet) below sea level, which is far beyond the range of hydraulic fracturing, the standard method for extraction. But all that could be about to change, after a team of nuclear weapons scientists led by Professor Zhang Yongming from the State Key Laboratory of Controlled Shock Waves at Xian Jiaotong University in Shaanxi province, released details of a new energy rod that has the power to plumb depths never before thought possible. Unlike hydraulic fracturing, or fracking as it is more commonly known, which uses highly pressurised jets of water to release gas deposits trapped in sedimentary rock, Zhangs torpedo-shaped device uses a powerful electric current to generate concentrated, precisely controlled shock waves to achieve the same result. He told the South China Morning Post that while the technology had yet to be applied outside the laboratory, the first field test was set to take place in Sichuan in March or April. We are about to see the result of a decades work, he said. Chen Jun, a professor at Southwest Petroleum University in Chengdu, Sichuans capital, is not involved with the programme but said he was eagerly awaiting the results of the trials. A technological breakthrough could trigger another shale gas revolution, he said. Shale gas is another name for methane (or natural gas) that is trapped in impermeable rock deep underground. Unlike conventional natural gas which is in permeable rocks, shale gas does not flow and so cannot be reached by simply drilling a well. The widespread use of fracking in the United States began in 2007 and heralded a boom in energy production in the country. In the decade that followed its natural gas output rose 40 per cent, prices fell by more than two thirds and America went from importer to exporter. One of the main reasons for the success of the so called shale gas revolution was the relative accessibility of the fuel. In many cases, including at several sites in Pennsylvania and New York state, the deposits were found just a few hundred metres below ground. The deeper the shale beds, the higher the water pressure needed to frack the rock and release the gas. Reaching Chinas reserves, at 3.5km (2.2 miles) underground, would require a water pressure of about 100 megapascals, or about the same as is found at the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, the deepest point on Earth. No pump, pipe or drill shaft wall material has the strength to withstand such a crush. No surprise then that previous efforts to tap into Chinas rich gas seams by state-owned energy giants like Sinopec and CNPC, often working in partnership with US firms, failed to deliver. Zhang hopes his alternative, developed by a team that has worked on some of the worlds most advanced nuclear weapons systems, can change all that, but he also knows the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The technology was born in a dust-free laboratory, he said. Not many people believe it can be used in a mine. Zhang and his team have dubbed their creation an energy concentration rod as it is able to control the release of explosive bolts of energy into an extremely short, precisely calculated period of time so as to maximise the fracturing effect of the shock waves. It works by passing a strong electric current along a specially coated wire coil encased by a metal shell that is submerged in water. When the wire vaporises it produces a cloud of plasma the extremely hot, electrically charged matter that makes up the sun within which is a huge amount of energy just waiting to be released. The shock wave generated by the device can be as high as 200 megapascals at close range, which is expected to produce a fracture zone up to 50 metres in diameter, Zhang said. The method, known as exploding wire, enables scientists to control the energy, duration and even direction of the explosion. The same principle was used to detonate the atomic bomb code named Little Boy that was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. Despite that commonality, Zhangs device does not create a nuclear blast, so is fundamentally different to what the United States was doing in the 1960s, when scientists there detonated a nuclear bomb underground to boost natural gas production. The former Soviet Union also used thermal nuclear weapons for mining and in dam construction. Also, unlike a traditional detonator, which fires just once, Zhangs energy rod has been designed to withstand hundreds of massive blasts. After each one, the rod is hoisted back up the shaft and a jet of water is injected under high pressure into the cavity to further open up the rock. The rod is then lowered back into position and is ready to fire again. The device can generate shock waves repeatedly like a machine gun, Zhang said, adding that because the wire was encased and submerged the rod did not generate sparks, so reducing the safety risk. While the scientist has concerns about how well his creation will work in shale rock, it has already been used to release potentially hazardous gas deposits from coal beds and is now recommended by the government as a way to improve both safety and productivity in the mining industry. Wang Chengwen, a professor at the China University of Petroleum in Qingdao, Shandong province, said that one of the advantages of the new technology was that it was potentially more environmentally friendly than other fracking methods. The waste water generated by traditional shale gas production contained large amounts of toxic chemicals that could contaminate rivers and underground water sources, he said. However, it was yet to be seen if the force generated by the rod would be enough to fracture rocks at such extreme depths, he said. Wang said that as the technology was still in its infancy, extra measures would have to be taken to ensure the safety of workers at the drilling site, while mass production would also require the construction of a huge network of underground support facilities. Fracturing is just part of shale gas production, he said. Aside from the technical challenges, Chen Qun, a professor at the school of water resources and hydropower at Sichuan University in Chengdu, said that scientists and politicians would have to consider the potentially devastating environmental damage that the new technology could cause. While large shale gas reserves have been identified at seven sites across China, half of them are in Sichuan, a region of southwest China that is notorious for its deadly earthquake and landslides. A magnitude 8 quake there in May 2008 left 87,000 people dead, 370,000 injured and 5 million homeless. Chen said that while the shock waves produced by Zhangs device would be relatively localised, if the technology was applied at multiple sites it could change the underlying geophysics of the region and put man-made infrastructure, like buildings and dams, at risk. One of the largest shale gas deposits to be found in recent years is located near the city of Yichang, which is home to the Three Gorges Dam that spans the Yangtze River and is the worlds largest power station in terms of installed capacity. A study by Stanford University in 2017 linked thousands of small tremors in the southern US state of Arkansas to shale gas production, and warned they might be early indicators of much bigger quakes to come. Shi Lei, an associate professor with the school of environment at Tsinghua University, said that while increased shale gas production would be good for Chinas economy and its energy supply chain, a possible downside was that it would lead to lower fossil fuel prices and thus hamper the development of renewable energy sources. Moreover, whatever technological breakthroughs it made on shale gas extraction, China still had some way to go if it wanted to challenge the global order, Shi said. The US is the world leader on energy and China cant change that. His comments will be music to the ears of US President Donald Trump who has demanded China buy more American shale gas as a way to reduce its massive trade surplus.
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/2183466/chinas-plan-use-nuclear-bomb-detonator-release-shale-gas
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Is Bristol-Myers Squibb a Bargain Now?
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It's been almost four years since a revolutionary new cancer therapy from Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) became the first of its kind to treat lung cancer patients. The early lead seemed like the beginning of a golden age for Bristol-Myers, but since then, the stock has lost 26% of its value. Bristol's stock price has plummeted over the past four years, but revenue has risen 36% over the same period on a trailing-12-month basis. That has plenty of investors wondering if the market has been too harsh. Let's look at what's gone wrong, and what could go right, to see if the stock's a bargain at recent prices. Two people in a meeting. More Image source: Getty Images. Why everyone's so put off Bristol's late-stage pipeline is barren of potential new drugs that will drive growth. Instead, the company has become increasingly dependent on Opdivo, a cancer therapy that makes it hard for tumors to shut down an immune system attack. Lung cancer claims more lives than any other malignancy, and for a moment it looked like Opdivo was going to become widely used in this indication. In early 2015, the Food and Drug Administration expanded Opdivo's addressable patient population to include some patients with advanced-stage lung cancer following their first relapse. That was a step in the right direction, but new patients tend to stay on treatment much longer than patients who have already relapsed. With the drug's early lead in the second-line indication, Bristol-Myers shareholders expected Opdivo to become the first of its kind to treat new lung cancer patients. Yet the stock has underperformed because clinical-trial results have been disappointing and a competing drug from the same class, Keytruda, has taken a commanding lead. Even if Opdivo is approved, the results we've seen suggest it will never reach more than a sliver of patients newly diagnosed with the most common form of lung cancer. Stacks of cash placed vertically and falling like dominoes. More Image source: Getty Images. In 2018, Bristol-Myers gave Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ: NKTR) a whopping $1.85 billion up front to get its hands on an experimental drug called NKTR-214. Bristol splurged for limited rights to NKTR-214 because adding it to Opdivo appeared to boost response rates among small groups of patients with lung cancer and other solid tumors.
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https://news.yahoo.com/bristol-myers-squibb-bargain-now-150500954.html
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How can moms fight feelings of failure in a Pinterest perfect era?
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A recent study found that mothers who were more frequent visitors to Facebook reported higher levels of parenting stress. In today's social media-obsessed culture, the old adage "comparison is the thief of joy" has never been truer especially, it seems, for moms. Scrolling through Instagram photos of Pinterest-worthy projects, HGTV homes, and perfectly dressed children can make even the most confident mother question her abilities. Studies show that social media use among most new mothers has become ubiquitous and unsurprisingly, mothers who are more frequent visitors to Facebook report higher levels of parenting stress. With everyone presenting the heavily-filtered "Facebook version" of themselves, mothers are bombarded with perfectionism at every turn. It doesn't take long for comparison to creep in, creating a messy environment of dissatisfaction and discontentment. Ruth Schwenk, who's an author, founder of The Better Mom blog, and mother of four children, told The Christian Post that it all begins with a proper understanding of identity. "It comes down to where we find our worth," she said. "My identity, first of all, isn't in motherhood, it's in that I'm a child of Christ. As a mom, I need to remember that my value doesn't come from what I do or don't do, but from the fact that I'm a daughter of God and created in His image." It's important to understand that God "made us the mom of our child for a reason," Schwenk stressed, adding: "I'm the perfect mom for my child, and you're the perfect mom for your child. God doesn't make mistakes when He gives us the children we have." Viewing other mothers as competition, she said, only isolates us from what could be a life-giving, mutually beneficial friendship. "The things you do are great for you and your family, and I can learn from that," she said. "This isn't a competition. There are things I'll do in my life that will look different than you, but that doesn't mean that there aren't some things from your life that would actually be really great to implement into my motherhood." But social media, Schwenk said, presents only a "highlight reel" and most mothers aren't going to post photos of their child's tantrum or the messy realities of parenting. "Those pictures I see of you online are not really the whole picture," she said. "We know that, but we don't know that. It's a constant battle of saying, 'OK, this is part of their picture, and it's not always perfect, because nobody's perfect.' What if, instead of viewing each other as competition, we thought, 'Wow, this is an incredible community where we can learn from one another.''' Mothers are often presented with two extremes when it comes to parenting, she said: Either strive for perfectionism or glorify the self-deprecating mess of "mom-ing." But God calls mothers to far more than that. "Becoming a better mom doesn't begin with us; it begins with God," she said. "It starts with who God is inviting us to become. Motherhood gives us the opportunity to grow and become more like Christ." Understanding that God is sovereign over the life of every child also "relieves pressure" for mothers who struggle with feelings of inadequacy, she added. "It's important to be intentional in raising our kids, because we're raising children that we hope and pray will be a light to the world," she said. "But the bottom line is, no matter my best intentions, God loves them so much more than I do and, and I can do everything right and things can still go wrong. But at the end of the day, He will take care of them." Read more from "How can moms fight feelings of failure in a Pinterest perfect era?" on The Christian Post.
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https://www.christianexaminer.com/article/how-can-moms-fight-feelings-of-failure-in-a-pinterest-perfect-era/52584.htm
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What opens again now that the government shutdown is over?
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President Trump signed a bill Friday night to reopen the federal government for three weeks, officially ending the record-long partial government shutdown that began on December 22 and left hundreds of thousands of federal employees without pay. Nine out of 15 federal departments were closed during those 35 days, as well as dozens of agencies. "Our dedicated public servants should never, never have to go through this again," Sen. Chuck Schumer said Friday, after President Trump announced he would sign legislation to reopen the government for three weeks. "We will do everything we can to make sure they won't have to, and this past month has proven just how vital government services are to the American people, whether it's our food safety, our airports, our national parks, our economy, our national security and so much else." Here's a look at what was affected by the 2018-2019 partial government shutdown, and some of the longer-term impacts as things get back up and running. What was shut down during the shutdown The FDA initially did not do routine inspections of domestic food-processing facilities. It recalled workers to restart inspections of what are considered "high-risk" foods in mid-January after the routine inspections were briefly halted due to the shutdown. The Smithsonian museums and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., shut their doors on January 2. The National Zoo also closed, although animals were still cared for by zoo workers. Both the Smithsonian museums and the zoo are set to reopen on Tuesday, January 29. Many national parks also closed, but several remained opened during the shutdown, albeit without services. Sanitary conditions rapidly deteriorated at many of the nation's parks, with restroom toilets overflowing and trash piling up. The National Park Service said in a statement that it is "preparing to resume regular operations nationwide though the schedule for individual parks may vary depending on staff size and complexity of operations." Volunteer Alexandra Degen cleans a restroom at Joshua Tree National Park on Jan. 4, 2019, in Joshua Tree National Park, California. Getty Immigration courts closed, forcing judges to indefinitely postpone hearings scheduled months in advance. E-Verify, the government immigration system and database employers use to check and confirm employees are eligible to work in the United States, was out of service during the shutdown. It typically takes just a few seconds for E-Verify to compare an employee's records against DHS and Social Security records. A few hundred E-Verify employees were allowed to return to work this week, although they were temporarily assigned to non-E-Verify related tasks during the shutdown. Agencies including the NSF, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Parks Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and NOAA had to stop most of their work during the shutdown. Large-scale instruments like NASA's Stratoscopheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy the "flying telescope" had to stop operations. Eventually bringing such instrumentation back up to speed requires over a week. NASA managers and engineers working on the agency's high-priority commercial crew program remained on the job without pay, continuing preparations for the first unpiloted launch of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft on a long-awaited test flight in February Some airlines who took delivery of new aircraft in December and January forced to park those new planes as they have to receive Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) certification to carry passengers, and the people who certify the aircraft are furloughed. That does not impact an airlines' operations, but it did cost them revenue to have planes sitting unused, CBS News' Kris Van Cleave reported. What was open and operating Mail was still delivered. Social Security checks were still going out to recipients, and Medicare and Medicaid are unaffected by the partial shutdown. While TSA officers were working without pay, screeners working at the 22 airports that have private contractors handling airport security continued to get paid during the shutdown. On January 7, the White House promised that tax refunds would not be affected by the shutdown, and later that day, the IRS confirmed it will begin to process tax returns for refunds on January 28. However, the IRS recalled thousands of workers later in January specifically to work processing on refunds. IRS employee can't afford to return to work without pay The National Hurricane Center website continued to be updated and maintained because its information is needed for the protection of life and property. Special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation continued because it does not depend on a congressional appropriation for its funding. Trump associate Roger Stone was indicted and arrested as part of the investigation on Friday, the last day of the shutdown. Nutrition benefits issued through the USDA, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), were available through January and February. Child nutrition programs, like School Lunch and School Breakfast, were guaranteed to keep operating into February. Forest Service law enforcement and emergency response efforts continued. U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, which deals with naturalization and citizenship, was uninterrupted because its operations are funded by user fees. Veterans still got their benefits because the Veterans Affairs Department was among those funded through September 2019. Passport services were still offered during the shutdown. Consequences of the shutdown The Associated Press reported that despite the IRS continuing to process tax returns, the absences of large contingents of recalled workers during the shutdown could still lead to delayed tax returns. The shutdown particularly affected the aviation industry. Flights in and out New York City's LaGuardia airport were delayed on Friday morning due to government shutdown-related staffing shortages among air traffic controllers, according to a notice issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. Financial hardship due to the government shutdown has prompted some federal airport workers to call out of work causing some passenger interruptions. On Friday morning, an American Airlines flight out of Monroe, Louisiana, bound for Dallas with 26 passengers was canceled due to a TSA officer shortage in Monroe, according to an airline's spokesperson. About 7.6 percent of the TSA workforce had an "unscheduled absence" on Thursday, up from 3 percent a year ago, according to the federal agency. Earlier this week, the TSA requested 250 screening officers volunteers to make up for the call outs. The union for flight attendants expressed concern about the impact of the shutdown. "This is exactly what AFA and other aviation unions have been warning would happen," wrote Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, in a statement. "The aviation system depends on the safety professionals who make it run. They have been doing unbelievably heroic work even as they are betrayed by the government that employs them." Air traffic controllers also sounded the alarm, saying in a statement that flying could be less safe with more air traffic controllers taking unscheduled absences due to financial difficulties. "Air traffic controllers are required to report fit for duty every shift. It is a very high threshold of fitness demanded by the seriousness of the job," the statement said. "This shutdown has caused a tremendous amount of added stress for them on top of what is already a difficult and stressful job." The FBI Agents Association also warned this week that the shutdown was not only hurting individual FBI employees and their families, but hampering key operations. Some of those affected operations, according to a series of statements the association released Tuesday, included efforts to thwart the same criminal enterprises Mr. Trump claims the shutdown is meant to defeat in the long run. Economic impact Federal workers and their families were particularly affected. Several food banks opened around the country to assist federal employees who could not afford to buy groceries. In Washington, D.C., one pop-up kitchen providing free meals to affected workers is run by the non-profit organization World Central Kitchen, which was founded by celebrity chef Jos Andrs. Americans who rely on certain services from the federal government were also impacted by the shutdown, such as people who relied on federal assistance to pay their rent. Hundreds of furloughed federal workers line up outside the World Central Kitchen in downtown January 22, 2019 in Washington, D.C. Getty Images The shutdown also dragged down economic growth. Analysts from S&P Global recently estimated the economic damage from the shutdown was surpassing the $5.7 billion in proposed funding for Mr. Trump's southern border wall that prompted the Washington breakdown in the first place. It's unclear when federal employees will be receiving their paychecks, despite Mr. Trump's assurances. A senior administration official said Friday, "Recognizing the urgency of getting federal employees paid quickly, the administration is taking steps to ensure they receive pay as soon as possible. Since specific payroll issues vary by agency, employees can find more information about paycheck details by reaching out to their agency." Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, said Friday he expects federal employees to receive paychecks next week. A Democratic Senate aide said the Congressional Research Office told Collins' office the agencies should be able to process paychecks within a few days after the continuing resolution is signed. That will include backpay. The next scheduled paycheck for most federal workers is February 8. That is the latest they would receive their first paycheck of 2019. The Coast Guard, which is on a different pay schedule for active duty personnel, said it will take three to five days to get paychecks processed once a continuing resolution is signed. Grace Segers, Kate Smith, Kathryn Watson, Ellen Uchimiya, Kris Van Kleave and Arden Farhi contributed reporting
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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/government-agencies-open-shutdown-over-what-was-affected-2019-01-26/
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Why was Bohemian Rhapsody dropped from the GLAAD nominations?
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Rami is up for Best Actor at the Oscars (Picture: 20th Century Fox/Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock) Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody has done well so far this awards season. With Golden Globes for Best Actor and Best Picture, as well as countless other indie award wins and big gong nominations. One place you wont be seeing the film listed though is the GLAAD nomination list. Its all to do with the one-time director Bryan Singer and a number of allegations made against him that have come to light recently. GLAAD is an organisation that promotes awareness of LGBT+ issue, and these accolades reward makers of media that gives a platform for such stories to be heard. Given that Bohemian Rhapsody features Mercurys struggle with his own sexuality and his battle with AIDS, it seemed fairly natural that itd be included. However, after a number of allegations against Bryan Singer, who directed the film at one point, it has been removed from consideration. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video An article in The Atlantic this week detailed the extensive history of alleged misconduct from the filmmaker, with some of the claims relating to underage boys. Advertisement Advertisement Singer stated in response to the piece, Its sad that The Atlantic would stoop to this low standard of journalistic integrity and that the person who wrote it was a homophobic journalist who has a bizarre obsession with me dating back to 1997. GLAAD, however, stated The impact of the film is undeniable We believe, however, that we must send a clear and unequivocal message to LGBTQ youth and all survivors of sexual assault that GLAAD and our community will stand with survivors and will not be silent when it comes to protecting them from those who would do them harm. The recent allegations regarding Bryan Singers behavior are horrifying and MUST be taken seriously and investigated. pic.twitter.com/twqwbO2TJp TIME'S UP (@TIMESUPNOW) January 24, 2019 Times Up also released a statement on Singer, after it was announced that he would continue to take the helm of the new Red Sonja movie despite everything. It was revealed that he was fired from Bohemian Rhapsody for unreliable behaviour on set. From there, Dexter Fletcher took over, but Singer was still on the credits. People have continued to publicise the claims against Singer, with Jessica Chastain sharing an article about purported misconduct with the caption never forget. The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held 28 March in Los Angeles and 4 May in New York. You can check out a full list of nominees here. MORE: Seann Walshs cringe first TV appearance since Strictly scandal sees him talk orgies and dinner dates MORE: Dancing On Ices Ryan Sidebottom to miss next live show after suffering injury
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https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/26/bohemian-rhapsody-dropped-glaad-nominations-8396019/
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How did the Bros brothers sister Carolyn die?
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Bros brothers Matt and Luke Goss in 1990. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Even though the Bros: After the Screaming Stops was surprisingly hilarious, that didnt lessen the impact of their own personal tragedy. Get Out is coming to Netflix and we're not ready for the Sunken Place again After The Screaming Stops explores the complex and often melodramatic dynamic between Bros brothers Luke and Matt Goss, former global pop superstars, and the effect is quite outstanding. Matt has swiftly become the most quotable person on the internet, spouting such gems as I made a conscious decision, because of Stevie Wonder, to not be superstitious, so we definitely recommend giving it a try. But even though this and other hilarity ensues, that doest stop the film from touching on more serious events in the Goss brothers lives, like the death of their mother in 2014 of cancer. Right before an appearance on Terry Wogans talk show, and at the height of their success, Matt and Luke Goss were told that their sister had been killed suddenly in a car crash, and that a drunk driver was at fault. Luke Goss, visibly choked up, says in the documentary: My sister, she was a wonderful girl, incredibly smart. I would have loved to have seen her become a woman. I think she would have done something quite remarkable with her life, but it didnt happen. Matt and Luke Goss today (Picture: Rex) Its certainly one of the more emotionally hard-hitting parts of After The Screaming Stops, as we see old film footage of the Bros brothers trying to put on a happy face for the camera as they accept platinum records, to mark their incredible album sales. In the film, Matt says, I dont know who expects a young man to go on TV after that and have composure, and try to crack a smile Bros: After The Screaming Stops is on BBC Two tonight, 26 January, at 10:45pm. MORE: You viewers convinced Penn Badgleys new series is direct sequel to Gossip Girl MORE: Mark-Paul Gosselaar couldnt escape Saved By The Bell quotes from co-star on new show The Passage
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https://metro.co.uk/2019/01/26/how-did-the-bros-brothers-sister-carolyn-die-8396052/
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Is LeBron James recruiting Kyrie Irving by singing in his car?
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The relationship between former teammates Kyrie Irving and LeBron James is one of the most fascinating storylines in the NBA this year, and James added a new chapter to the story on Instagram this week. Earlier this month, Irving surprised James by calling him and apologizing for how he handled playing alongside LeBron in Cleveland. I had to call Bron, you know, and tell him like, you know, I apologize for being that young player that wanted everything at his fingertips. I wanted everything to be at my threshold. I wanted to be the guy that led us to championships. I wanted to be the leader. I wanted to be all that. James was having dinner with Kevin Love at the time. According to The Athletics Joe Vardon, James was very appreciative of the message. If you follow James on Instagram, you know that hell often record himself listening or singing along to music from the back of a vehicle. On Friday, James curiously tagged Kyrie Irving in an Instagram story and sang a four-year old Fetty Wap deep cut called Rewind. LeBrons message to Kyrie I know youre with him now but soon you will be mine, If I could bring it back, Ill probably press rewind" pic.twitter.com/kmI0efMJLt LALeBron (@LALeBron23) January 25, 2019 LeBron recruiting through IG while resting. Wow. KD must be jealous. Meet Me At The Rim (@MirazNBA) January 26, 2019 If kyrie comes to LA. pic.twitter.com/MtFp27GGYa Makram Merhom (@Makdaddy27) January 25, 2019 NBA = all 3 pointers now, fouls called on everything now, + LeBron recruiting the best player on your favorite team all day. Paul Rowe (@paulsrowe) January 26, 2019 if kyrie go to LA Im moving. $aki (@KyranJamison) January 26, 2019 Skip Bayless, to no ones surprise, was not a fan. Now LeBron is publicly begging Kyrie to "rewind" with him. Somewhere, Michael Jordan is shaking his head. Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) January 26, 2019
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https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/01/lebron-james-kyrie-irving-instagram
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How soon will US federal government get back in order?
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The shutdown had become a source of growing alarm for travellers and airlines. The absence rate among airport screeners peaked at 10 per cent last weekend, meaning longer lines. On Friday, the absence of six air traffic control workers contributed to massive delays along the East Coast. LaGuardia Airport in New York and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey were particularly affected, and delays rippled outward from there about 3,000 late flights by midafternoon. The end of the shutdown should relieve those problems. That said, the Transportation Security Administration has emphasised that the large majority of passengers havent suffered from the shutdown. The TSA said that only 3.7 per cent of travellers screened Wednesday or about 65,000 people waited 15 minutes or longer.
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https://gulfnews.com/world/americas/how-soon-will-us-federal-government-get-back-in-order-1.61684123
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How Do Kids With Autism Spectrum Disorder Learn to Speak?
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Font : A- A+ The new study "Hearing me, Hearing you" has highlighted the great diversity of language development in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We often take for granted that children with ASD have difficulties with language and communication, generally learn to speak later and do not use language in fully appropriate ways. However, language use among children with ASD is incredibly diverse, ranging from age-appropriate language use to being completely non-verbal. These differences between children and their learning trajectories are not well understood yet. "We initially looked into naturalistic parent-child play sessions following about 70 children (half with ASD) from 2 to 5 years of age," says Ethan Weed and continues: "We were interested in how the child's language development was affected by individual differences in cognitive abilities and in linguistic environment, that is, the quantity and structure of the language used by their parents when interacting with them." Extends previous findings This study was published in Cognition with the title "Hearing me, hearing you". The study replicates and extends previous findings. Language development in ASD is modulated by the child's cognitive abilities in a continuous fashion (from much lower to higher than typically developing children). Even if they might show less engagement, children with ASD learn from their linguistic environment to the same extent as their typically developing counterparts. In particular, all children benefit from complex parental input, e.g. sentences with an articulated syntax and the use of many different words. "Further"explains Riccardo Fusaroli: "We highlighted the reciprocal influence between child and parent. Diversity of language development in children with ASD It showcases the importance of children' cognitive abilities and of the linguistic environment they are immersed in. Source: Eurekalert We often take for granted that children with ASD have difficulties with language and communication, generally learn to speak later and do not use language in fully appropriate ways. However, language use among children with ASD is incredibly diverse, ranging from age-appropriate language use to being completely non-verbal. These differences between children and their learning trajectories are not well understood yet. "We initially looked into naturalistic parent-child play sessions following about 70 children (half with ASD) from 2 to 5 years of age," says Ethan Weed and continues: "We were interested in how the child's language development was affected by individual differences in cognitive abilities and in linguistic environment, that is, the quantity and structure of the language used by their parents when interacting with them. "Extends previous findingsThis study was published in Cognition with the title "Hearing me, hearing you". The study replicates and extends previous findings. Language development in ASD is modulated by the child's cognitive abilities in a continuous fashion (from much lower to higher than typically developing children). Even if they might show less engagement, children with ASD learn from their linguistic environment to the same extent as their typically developing counterparts. In particular, all children benefit from complex parental input, e.g. sentences with an articulated syntax and the use of many different words. "Further"explains Riccardo Fusaroli: "We highlighted the reciprocal influence between child and parent. Diversity of language development in children with ASD It showcases the importance of children' cognitive abilities and of the linguistic environment they are immersed in.Source: Eurekalert Post a Comment Comments should be on the topic and should not be abusive. The editorial team reserves the right to review and moderate the comments posted on the site. Notify me when reply is posted I agree to the I agree to the terms and conditions Post Comment Please keep your comments brief and relevant.This section may also have questions seeking help. If you have the information you are welcome to respond, but please ensure that the information so provided is genuine and not misleading. Your comments are automatically posted once they are submitted. All comments are however constantly reviewed for spam and irrelevant material (such as product or personal advertisements, email addresses, telephone numbers and website address). Such insertions do not conform to our policy and 'Terms of Use' and are either deleted or edited and republished.Please keep your comments brief and relevant.This section may also have questions seeking help. If you have the information you are welcome to respond, but please ensure that the information so provided is genuine and not misleading. Advertisement More News on: by Colleen Fleiss on January 26, 2019 at 10:06 PM Child Health News
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https://www.medindia.net/news/how-do-kids-with-autism-spectrum-disorder-learn-to-speak-185407-1.htm
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Why Have The Lib Dems Failed To Inspire Members Leaving Labour Over Brexit?
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Maajid Nawaz questions why the Liberal Democrats have failed to inspire members leaving the Labour Party over their Brexit stance amid calls for a new pro-Remain political party. Speaking on his LBC show, Maajid Nawaz said: "It's no longer relevant whether you're left wing or right wing, what's becoming more relevant is whether you're a Remainer or Leaver. He also noted rumours that it was time a new pro-Remain political party to enter Westminster. "Don't we already have a third party?" he said. "The only party that has a clear pro-Remain stance and yet despite that has failed to capture the imagination of the public." Maajid Nawaz in the LBC studio. Picture: LBC The campaign leaders' comments come as The Times reports an exodus of Labour members who are leaving the party because of its stance on holding another referendum. "Why have the Lib Dems failed to capture the attention of those who are deserting the Labour Party over the European Union debate?" he said. "Where do they go?"
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https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/maajid-nawaz/lib-dems-failed-labour-members-brexit/
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Can Indias voting machines be hacked?
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Share: With 800 million voters and nearly 2,000 political parties taking part, Indias elections are a staggeringly challenging exercise. And at the heart of the credibility of these complex elections is the robustness and integrity of the vote count. For decades voting was blighted by the capture of polling stations and stuffing of ballot boxes by mobs hired by political parties. All this changed with the introduction of the electronic voting machines at the turn of the century. However, from time to time, doubts have been raised about the machines. Parties, usually on the losing side, have often cavalierly alleged that the machines can be hacked into and ballots rigged. With national elections looming in the summer, such doubts have emerged again. Last week, Indias election authorities rejected claims by a US-based technologist who said the machines were hacked during the 2014 general elections in which Narendra Modis right-wing BJP party swept to power. But credible concerns about the technology used in the machines have persisted. There have been at least seven challenges in the courts but Indias election authorities have steadfastly defended the machines as tamper-proof. Each of Indias 1.6 million voting machines record a maximum of 2,000 votes (the number of registered voters at any given polling booth does not exceed 1,500) and 64 candidates. The locally-made machines run on batteries and can be used in areas without electricity. The software was designed by a group of engineers at a state-run electronics firm, and authorities insist that the machines and their records are not accessible to anyone outside this group. Voters cast their ballots by pressing a button on the machine. Another button allows poll officials to stop the machine from recording more votes - this is used at the end of polling or if anybody tries to forcibly enter a polling station with the intention of casting fraudulent votes. To prevent anyone tampering with the unit that holds the voting information, it is sealed with old-fashioned wax, supplemented by a secure strip from the election commission and a serial number. The voting machines have so far been used in three federal and 113 state elections. They save time: results from machines in a single parliamentary seat are available within three to five hours, down from 40 hours when ballots were counted manually. The machines have also eliminated invalid votes and led to huge cost savings. Research has shown that the voting machines have significantly reduced electoral fraud and human error and been generally beneficial for Indias democracy. Using data from state elections, researchers Sisir Debnath, Mudit Kapoor and Shamika Ravi studied the impact of the voting machines in a 2017 research paper. They found that the machines had significantly reduced electoral fraud, helped the poor and the weak to come out and vote, and made elections more competitive. They also found e-voting had led to a decline in the vote shares of incumbent parties. Indias election authorities have steadfastly maintained that the voting machines cannot be tampered with, and physical tampering is easily detectable. From time to time, these claims have been contested. Eight years ago, University of Michigan scientists connected a home-made device to a machine and were able to change results by sending text messages from a mobile phone. Indian authorities rubbished the claim, saying that even getting hold of machines to tamper with would very difficult. Experts like Dhiraj Sinha of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) believe that hacking tens of thousands of voting machines on a mass scale would require lots of money, involve both those who make the machines and authorities - in this case Indias election commission - and require the use of a very small receiver circuit with an efficient antenna which would remain invisible to the human eye. To enable wireless hacking, he says, the machine would need to have a radio receiver containing an electronic circuit and an antenna. Authorities claim the Indian machines do not have such a circuit element. In short, carrying out a mass hack would be next to impossible. Some 33 countries use some form of electronic voting. The integrity of the machines has been questioned in some of them. Machines used in the 2017 elections in Venezuela allegedly inflated the actual turnout by at least a million votes, a claim rejected by the government. Argentinas politicians rejected plans for e-voting in the same year, raising concerns over ballot secrecy and manipulation of results. A partial recount of votes was carried out in parliamentary elections in Iraq in 2018, following reports of technical glitches in electronic machines. Last December, e-voting machines became a source of contention in presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo amid reports they had not been thoroughly tested. In the US, where voting machines were introduced some 15 years ago - there is now about 35,000 of them in use - there have been concerns over machines with no back-up paper trail misreading the vote. Machines used to tally results and programme voting machines were found be to be carrying software allowing remote access to system administrators. My general opinion is that we should get as much technology out of the process as possible, Duncan Buell, a professor of computer science at the University of South Carolina who has been studying e-voting systems, told me. Software is very hard to get right, and with an intent to have votes not be identified with voters, there is no good way to verify that things have worked as intended. BBC However things may be moving in the right direction in India in efforts to make elections more transparent and trustworthy. Five years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that all machines should be equipped with printers producing voter-verifiable paper audit trails. When a vote is cast, a paper slip is printed containing the serial number, name and symbol of the candidate and remains exposed through a transparent window for seven seconds. After this, this slip automatically gets cut and falls into a sealed drop box. Authorities have decided to tally the paper trail slips and compare them with the electronic result provided by the machine in at least 5% of booths in assembly seats. And since a full manual paper trail tally could be prohibitively expensive and time consuming, researchers have offered risk-limiting audits which could provide high confidence in Indian election results. For the moment, former election chief SY Quraishi believes the paper trail should put to rest all doubts in the minds of voters and political parties. Since 2015, all state polls have been held using paper trails. In these elections paper slips generated by some 1,500 machines were counted and tallied with the votes in the voting machines. There was not one mismatch, he said.
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https://nation.com.pk/26-Jan-2019/can-india-s-voting-machines-be-hacked
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Should Companies End Quarterly Guidance Reporting?
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We are well into earnings season now. We write a lot about earnings at InvestorPlace.com. We write about the results, but our goal is to help people understand and make decisions about stocks. You can find the earnings results anywhere, so we strive to help people understand what the numbers mean. We write articles such as, Is Company X a Buy After Earnings, and What to Look for as Company Y Reports Earnings Tomorrow. And as I review reports about revenue and profitability, I always end up asking myself the same question. For those who dont know, in financial reporting guidance is a publicly traded companys official prediction of its own near-term prospects. How it believes the company will perform in both the near-term and long-term. Most people acknowledge that companies use guidance to game the system. Im not accusing everyone, but some will sandbag the numbers. CEOs will use guidance to temper expectations so that their company can beat analysts estimates when earnings are released in the next quarter. Despite knowing that, most companies that announce higher than consensus estimates or previous guidance typically get a stock price bump. And they should get that bump. After all, thats management saying, Wall Street, were going to do better than you say. Since investors know companies try to walk down expectations, any positive guidance is seen as a sign of management confidence. No company would set themselves up to fail, so positive guidance is a sign that the next quarters earnings will at least meet those expectations. That leads to advice like, Ignore the sandbagged guidance and buy X on future growth and despite conservative guidance, stock Y is too cheap to ignore. Certainly missing your estimates can be very costly. The uncertainty in the markets has made this a particularly bad quarter to miss your estimates. Bloomberg published an analysis Tuesday showing that missing sales or profits estimates this quarter has been particularly costly. Among the companies that have released earnings so far, those that missed on income but beat on revenue have declined 4.3 percent in the three days after reporting earnings. Thats almost four times more than the 15-year average, according to Dennis Debusschere, head of portfolio strategy at Evercore ISI. Those that missed on both the top and bottom lines slid 5.2 percent, compared with a multiyear average of a 2.7 percent loss. Companies that beat on sales and earnings rose 1.9 percent in the three days after reporting the results, according to Evercore ISI, a few points shy of the 2.1 percent average. In other words, those that miss on sales and earnings are going down almost three times as much as those that beat are going up. This week, we also saw how positive guidance can make a big difference in stock price right away. IBM announced quarterly earnings on Tuesday. The company beat Wall Street estimates on both sales and earnings, but that doesnt explain the largest single-day stock gain the company had in years. The story was the guidance. IBM has fallen behind the rest of the cloud computing world. The company has tried to transition its business to catch up, emphasizing the cloud, data analytics and security. The companys recent acquisition of Red Hat offered a chance to accelerate the change. For the quarter, IBM reported adjusted earnings of $4.87 per share, beating Wall Street expectations. More importantly, the profit and cash flow guidance for fiscal year 2019 exceeded the current analyst view. In 2018 we repositioned our business model and delivered revenue, operating profit and EPS growth along with strong free cash flow realization, CFO James Kavanaugh said in a prepared statement. Guidance for non-GAAP EPS in 2019 of $13.90 compared with $13.81 in 2018 is not particularly exciting, but it was above Wall Street analyst expectations of $13.79. And if you believe that a company wouldnt set itself up for failure, this was management signaling growth even better than that. For a company that hasnt generated any growth recently, this statement was seen by many as a signal that the company has finally turned a corner. InvestorPlace contributor Dana Blankenhorn noted that the company seems to have finally developed a strategy that makes sense. Red Hat has given IBM a path toward profitable growth, and IBM has spent the last quarter creating a suite of products and services it can deliver around Red Hats hybrid cloud solution. IBM stock has long been among the cheapest tech shares out there, but only because it wasnt growing. If it can grow, the stock becomes a real bargain, and the fourth quarter results indicate it can indeed grow. The fourth quarter of 2018 transformed IBM stock from a sell to a buy. The stock jumped finished the day up more than 8%. Plenty of Wall Street heavyweights are critical of providing any future guidance at all. In an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal last June, Warren Buffet and Jaime Dimon wrote that quarterly guidance encourages short-termism and is harmful to the economy. They argue that the system forces CEOs to focus too much attention on making the next quarters number, and not focus on long-term growth that is better for the company. Although they were clear to state their support for quarterly reporting of financial performance, they believe statements about future guidance are not helpful. Clear communication of a companys strategic goalsalong with metrics that can be evaluated over timewill always be critical to shareholders. But this information, which may include nonfinancial operational performance, should be provided on a timeline deemed appropriate for the needs of each specific company and its investors, whether annual or otherwise. Later in the summer, even President Trump jumped on this bandwagon, tweeting out that he had asked the SEC to investigate whether to eliminate quarterly reporting. Some argue that reporting every six months wouldnt necessarily decrease volatility. They argue that six-month reporting would still lead to the short term thinking many object to, and would reduce the information available to investors about the financial status of the companies they own. So far, the SEC has not acted on President Trumps suggestion and certainly wont be making any progress in that direction during the current government shutdown. Neil George, editor of Profitable Investing thinks moving away from quarterly reporting is a bad idea. Guidance of course is used for evil. Management has agendas that are different than for shareholders. If they can goose expectations they can get spin in the market to bolster stock prices. Or in the recent case with Apple, the guidance is more about covering their backsides for the coming quarterly report. And of course, when it comes to the quarterlies every companies management wants to beat estimates so they massage what they can in analysts calls. Whether done month by month or quarter by quarter the information on sales and costs as well as balance sheet developments is always helpful for investors. Sure, some traders will use the information to buy or sell for the short-term which Buffett and Dimon complained about as it could influence self-centered managers to focus on the quarter rather than the years to come. But good management gives out as much information as possible without compromising business development (sales or supplier contracts) and at the same time, provides the appropriate views on how the company is planning to proceed over the longer haul. Good investors and good newsletter writers take short-term information to build up the case to buy and own or to sell and move on. Thats the key point. Good management provides as much information as possible AND provides the appropriate views for the long haul. When you are evaluating earnings performance, youre evaluating how the company performed against previous guidance. If the company regularly meet or exceeds its guidance, you can have more confidence that it will do so again in the future. And we are all looking for stock guidance we can trust. Louis Navellier has a free tool to help with this that I really like. His Portfolio Grader tool focuses on fundamentals such as earnings growth, earnings momentum and earnings surprises when grading whether a stock on an A-to-F basis. Simply type in a stock ticker and you can see how Louis ranks it on eight separate factors. You can access the free tool here. Louis also provides weekly updates to subscribers of his Growth Investor service, as well as model portfolios, and regular advice about when to buy stocks you probably havent considered. For my money, I believe most individuals investors would benefit from the type of guidance provided by Louis in his Growth Investor service and Neil in his Profitable Investing service. Those two smart analysts, and their teams, work tirelessly to interpret all the reporting and guidance to give investors a fair view of which companies are living up to their obligationsand which are blowing smoke. As always, we are just an email away [email protected]. To a richer life Luis Hernandez, Managing Editor and the research team at InvestorPlace.com
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https://investorplace.com/2019/01/should-companies-end-quarterly-guidance-reporting/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+InvestorPlace+%28InvestorPlace%29
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Is public transport off the rails?
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Perths five-year decline in public transport use has been arrested but the result masks worrying trends. Passenger journeys on Perths public transport network rose 0.7 per cent to about 141 million last year a long way short of its 2013 peak of almost 149 million. But an analysis of the latest patronage data shows another major fall in numbers on the Fremantle train line, a downward trend in bus passenger numbers and that our love affair with ferry travel since Elizabeth Quay opened is over. The only bright light was a 500,000 boost in passenger numbers on the Armadale train line though the increase was mostly because of lower numbers in 2017 caused by delays related to building Perth Stadium. Fremantle line patronage recorded its seventh consecutive annual decline, falling another 290,000 journeys in 2018. It is 30 years ago this year that the Court Liberal government closed the Fremantle line because of falling patronage. It was reopened four years later by the Burke Labor government. After a massive spike in use after Elizabeth Quay opened in 2016, ferry use fell by about 42,000 (5.8 per cent) journeys last year to almost 732,000. Bus patronage fell by about 520,000 journeys last year, after annual patronage in 2017 dipped below 80 million for the first time in six years. In an assessment of Perths declining public transport use released last year, transport consultants Steven Piotrowski and Ian Wallis identified the need to make the citys bus network more efficient by introducing more bus-only and queue-jump lanes and removing bus stops that were too close to each other. Public Transport Authority spokesman David Hynes confirmed the Armadale figures reflected the disruptions caused by work to incorporate the stadium station into the network in 2017. This was particularly noticeable in the January comparison January last year was up almost 50 per cent on January 2017, when we shut the line down for a couple of weeks, Mr Hynes said. Since the McGowan Government decided to keep the stadium train station open on non-event weekends, an average of 180 people have been using it on Saturdays and 85 on Sundays. Transport Minister Rita Saffioti has conceded that patronage numbers could be higher, but she said the latest figures showed that families and visitors were finding the stadium stop useful. Perths least busiest weekend stations are Success Hill (October average of 124 patrons), Seaforth (170) and Chalis (209).
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https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/is-public-transport-off-the-rails-ng-b881083423z
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Do Blues really have a shot at making the playoffs?
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Players are almost always going to be overly optimistic about their teams chances of digging out of a hole and earning a playoff spot, but when everyone gets together for All-Star game weekend, youre likely to see even more glass-half-full talk. So, yes, you can take Ryan O'Reillys positive St. Louis Blues vibes with a grain of salt. We havent been perfect, but we are starting to get back into this fight and I am confident that we are going to play in the playoffs because of the way we work, OReilly said on Thursday, via NHL.coms Shawn P. Roarke. Take a look at the crowded Western Conference bubble races and you can see some reasons for optimism, but also the considerable hurdles the Blues must clear. Lets consider some of the factors involved. The projection models give them mixed results. Interestingly, the Blues have better than 50-percent odds at Money Puck (52.93-percent) and Corsica (57.5), but are at just 24 percent according to projections from Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic (sub required). One would guess that some of the models are especially kind to the Blues for being a top-10 possession team in many of the major measures like Corsi For and Fenwick For, as you can see at Natural Stat Trick. In a league (and wild-card races) with this much parity, the Blues split of remaining home/away games provides some concern. The Blues have played in 27 home games already, the most of any NHL team, which leaves them with 14 remaining. Meanwhile, theyve played on the road 22 times, so theyll play 19 of their final 33 games on the road. (Id still generally want five more home games than five on the road, though.) Being at 49 games played means that they either have a game or two in hand on their rivals, or the same number of contests remaining, so that diffuses some of that home/road pessimism. Jordan Binnington has been fantastic so far, posting a .924 save percentage in nine games, but his track record is sparse. He had only played in one NHL game before this season. One area of comfort is that, while Binningtons doesnt have much of an NHL resume, hes performed nicely in the AHL over the past few years. Obviously, youll face a different caliber of shooters at the highest level, but success in the AHL and ECHL sure beat getting lit up or just being average in those leagues. There are some reasons to believe that the Blues will continue to play better than they were performing when Mike Yeo got fired. The acquisition of ROR was exciting because it felt like it could bring the Blues to another level because they already had some nice talent. Unfortunately, that talent hasnt always come through for St. Louis because of injuries, inconsistent play, or both leaving ROR to be one of the few bright spots during the darkest moments. But, again, theres some intriguing talent that at least allows the Blues to theoretically have more than just a strong first line. Vladimir Tarasenkos getting back on track, and it seems like Jaden Schwartz might be healthy, rounding out the top line (or at least the high-end portion) of the team with ROR. David Perron and Brayden Schenn give some supporting cast pop, while things may also get better for Patrick Maroon and Alex Steen. Combine some nice assets at forward with some decent defensemen (particularly Colton Parayko and Alex Pietrangelo), and this team becomes increasingly formidable on paper. In recent seasons, Blues GM Doug Armstrong has elected to punt during fork-in-the-road trade deadline moments. He gained assets for Kevin Shattenkirk, and did the same with Paul Stastny. Armstrong will need to make similar, tough calls this time around. Pietrangelos been a frequent trade rumor magnet, and youd think that contenders would give up considerable assets to land such a strong right-handed defenseman, particularly since hes cost-controlled through 2019-20 at a $6.5 million cap hit. Schenns deal also extends through next season ($5.125M) so a would-be buyer would be getting a rental for two potential playoff runs. Of course, the flip side is that Armstrong could survey his roster and determine that the smarter move is to go for it in both 2018-19, and maybe especially next season. *** The Wests bubble races are sort of an Island of Misfit Toys. The Oilers are in crisis, the Coyotes are unpredictable, the Ducks are struggling, the Avs are fading, and the Stars are getting buried by their own management. For all we know, the Blues may simply end up standing simply by making fewer mistakes. They could also plummet to the depths of the West cellar. Its tough to tell, and its not surprising that their projections are all over the place. But, yeah, at least OReilly isnt totally out of sync with reality when he says that the Blues have a shot at making the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. James OBrien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.
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https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2019/01/26/do-blues-really-have-a-shot-at-making-the-playoffs/
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Is Joseph Parker teaming up with The Rock?
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Last week Parker was in Koloa, Hawaii, and posted stories to his Instagram with Kiwi actors Cliff Curtis and John Tui and WWE wrestler Roman Reigns. Hobbs and Shaw is a spinoff of The Fast and the Furious series, focusing on Johnson's US Diplomatic Security agent Luke Hobbs forming an unlikely alliance with Jason Statham's Deckard Shaw. They have filmed in the United Kingdom and now the movie is wrapping up in Hawaii. Curtis starred alongside Statham in The Meg, which was filmed in New Zealand in 2017. Advertisement Parker posted a photo to Instagram of himself with Curtis and Hobbs and Shaw director David Leitch. We hear he also hung out with The Rock and talked a future in movies but our source could not confirm whether Parker won himself a cameo. On Monday, Johnson posted a picture of a low-carb meal with a message about the movie. "Last meal of the night and carb depleting, (shirt comes off in this movie for our final massive battle sequences coming up next week for HOBBS & SHAW my FAST & FURIOUS spin-off film. Wanted to bring the HOBBS character in razor sharp condition and shape for this one. "The exact science of this diet and training is tough on the ol' system to maintain for four months of filming, but film lasts forever and we get one shot to try to make something iconic for the fans. Then I'll race everyone to the waffle truck," wrote Johnson. A WWE fighter and a boxer would make great extras in the movie's battle scene, or would make great sparring partners for those prepping for it. The lads look like they had a fit time with plenty of laughs and you can bet we will be watching Hobbs and Shaw when it premieres this August, with eagle eyes for Parker should he have made any cuts.
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https://www.nzherald.co.nz/spy/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503840&objectid=12196725
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Could Satellites Be 3D Printed in Order to Reduce Space Junk?
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Share Scientists are becoming increasingly concerned about space junk the detritus orbiting around our planet which is left over from artificially created space objects like satellites. Estimates are that there are currently around 5,000 objects larger than three feet in orbit around Earth, and tens of thousands of objects smaller than that. This debris poses a hazard to spacecraft and could even eventually make space travel virtually impossible. Now a researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)s Media Lab, Danielle Wood, has spoken out about how satellite design could be improved to not only reduce space junk but also to help people from different countries around the world to access space technologies. The way we operate in space, it matters to everyone on Earth, Wood said to Space.com. To counteract the space junk problem, Wood has suggested moving satellite construction off Earth and into space where technologies like 3D printing and modularity could be used to make construction cheaper. Our current approach mainly depends on doing a design for a satellite thats complete on Earth, Wood said. We can imagine a future in which there are basically small factories available in space. This would also allow for a reduction in space junk once a satellite reaches the end of its life. When a satellite is no longer functional, instead of being abandoned to become space junk, it could be split into modular parts which could be reused, or it could be melted into material to be used for further 3D printing. This way satellite parts could be recycled, making construction of new satellites cheaper and not leaving junk floating around our planet. Another suggestion her team has come up with to improve the state of space is to consider the fuel used to propel rockets into space. Currently, launching a rocket requires massive amounts of toxic rocket fuel which may be poisoning Earths upper atmosphere Most researchers in this area are looking at how to reduce the amount of rocket fuel used but Wood has a more radical suggestion: Can we choose ingredients for spacecraft that are not so expensive or so difficult to operate? she asks. Her team is looking at whether paraffin wax could be used instead, as it is both safer and less toxic and also cheaper than rocket fuel. You can learn more about Woods ideas for how space technologies can improve life on Earth in her TED talk from 2017.
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https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/satellite-design-space-kjunk/
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Is Rigel Pharmaceuticals a Buy?
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Investors were taken on a roller-coaster ride with Rigel Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: RIGL) in 2018. There were ups, downs, and finally, a stomach-churning plunge in December. Despite receiving its first-ever marketing approval for fostamatinib, branded as Tavalisse, for treating a rare blood disorder, shares ended the year down 40.7%. Some investors may see its current price as overly punitive, and it's worth asking if Wall Street is properly valuing the company's potential. Man with binoculars More Image Source: Getty Images Rigel Pharmaceuticals sports a market cap of just $350 million, but most analysts estimate Tavalisse could have peak sales of at least $300 million per year. The company also has plans to launch a phase 3 trial for its most advanced pipeline asset and will soon have data for an intriguing early stage drug candidate with broad potential in treating inflammatory and immune diseases. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted marketing approval for Tavalisse to treat immune thrombocytopenia, a condition in which an individual has low levels of platelets in their blood, in April 2018. It launched at the end of May 2018. Rigel Pharmaceuticals recently disclosed that it sold 1,794 bottles for the year and more than 45% of eligible patients remained on the treatment for four consecutive months. Rigel Pharmaceuticals previously said that it had shipped 891 bottles of Tavalisse and generated $6.6 million in product revenue through the first nine months of 2018. Given the new latest disclosure of the number of bottles sold for the entire year, investors can infer the business sold or shipped 903 bottles and therefore generated about $6.6 million in product revenue in the fourth quarter of 2018. The average analyst estimate for the company's full-year 2019 revenue is $40 million, according to Yahoo! Finance. That includes expectations for only $6.6 million in revenue in the first quarter of 2019, which might be a little low given the estimated performance from the final quarter of 2018. Even if Tavalisse ends up topping analyst estimates for $40 million in product sales in 2019, that won't be enough to deliver the company to profitability. Rigel Pharmaceuticals reported an operating loss of $24 million in the third quarter of 2018. The company's selling, general, and administrative expense more than doubled in the first nine months of last year compared to the same period of 2017 as a result of the drug's launch. It seems costs are relatively high right now given the drug's early performance, so investors will want to see those increases slow or stabilize in the year ahead. Management said the business exited 2018 with $128 million in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments, which should be enough to fund operations into the first quarter of 2020. That's right around the corner -- and this approaching deadline will increase the importance and scrutiny of Tavalisse sales each quarter this year. That said, there could be some help on the way soon. In late January 2019, Rigel Pharmaceuticals announced it had signed a deal with Spain's $16 billion pharma leader Grifols that grants it rights to market fostamatinib in Europe and Turkey. Rigel Pharmaceuticals will receive a $30 million upfront cash payment, tiered royalties on potential sales, and up to $297 million in milestone payments, including a $20 million payment if the drug is approved to treat autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). European regulators are expected to announce a decision for that indication by the end of 2019.
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https://news.yahoo.com/rigel-pharmaceuticals-buy-163443351.html
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What does MIL-STD-810 mean?
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ID4me is an internet service that enables its users to log in to many different internet services with one account. This is also known as "single sign on". Unlike existing global single sign on solutions like the ones from Google or Facebook, ID4me does not track and analyze the internet surfing habits of its users. ID4me will make sure that the surfing habits stay secret. Also, ID4me does not belong to an enterprise. It is an open standard that is maintained by a nonprofit organization. Anyone who wants to can participate. This way the users can chose freely between different ID4me providers and can also change the provider anytime. Further information can be found here: https://id4me.org/ The last section of the technical overview explains how to set up an ID4me account: https://id4me.org/documents
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https://www.androidpit.com/what-does-mil-std-810-mean
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Could a humble NAS box be the future of home automation?
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NAS specialist Synology provided TechRadar Pro with a pretty interesting narrative explaining why a simple storage box could well be at the centre of the automated home of 2020. "Give it five to 10 years, and the NAS (network attached storage) will be the future of home automation," James Howe, technical consultant for the Taiwan-based company told me during an interview. New technology, more powerful hardware and a changing market have created new opportunities for companies, who like Synology, want to accelerate the demise of the desktop computer. Docker shocker One genuinely surprising innovation was the addition of Docker to Synology's NAS software, DSM 5.2. Docker is one of those under-the-radar technologies that's understood by a handful of geeks and has the potential of radically changing the way business is done. Docker is an open source engine that allows developers to run almost any application almost anywhere. It replaces the hypervisor and the guest OS, and such is its growing importance that it has received the backing of IBM, Microsoft and Google already. Now what that means for the humble NAS is you can get that lightweight virtualisation application to run one of the thousands of containers created by developers, on a Synology NAS box that's compatible with DSM 5.2. Think of it as the ultimate app store for developers. Not only can you install whole operating systems like Ubuntu or CentOS but you can also run your own file server, WordPress site, a Minecraft server and so much more. One could envision having, in the near future, a marketplace on the NAS box that would allow you to manage your fridge, your lights and much more besides. Obviously, nothing prevents others from emulating Synology and getting Docker to run on their products. A NAS box is, after all, merely a single-purpose computer with a processor, system memory and a hard disk drive (or three) adding to a list of features to make it a more compelling buy doesn't have to add any extra levels of complexity thanks to Docker. "You can run Docker from a NAS, you can't from a router," Howe noted as we moved the discussion to the tussle between routers and NASes, the two main general purpose devices in the household that control connectivity and storage respectively. A merger between the two won't happen, he said, mentioning the fact that a RouterNAS would only add to the complexity in case of an issue. It's better to have two fail-points, which is why he believes the two will stay separate. Oddly enough, Synology will launch a router towards the end of the year. When asked about the decision to do so, James told me that it was part of a strategy to deliver more peripherals with the NAS at the core (video cameras are part of that mix, as well). The router, more specifically, was designed based on customer requests. It will be a "dumb appendage" for a Synology NAS and in the long run, the two will be seamlessly controlled by the same user interface (you have two separate UIs at the moment). It offers 802.11ac and two interesting features an SD card reader and a toggle button that allows you to switch the Wi-Fi off. Making the NAS box the central server for everything is a logical next step for the product, James argued, noting that the move will make it easier to add new functionalities with a fully connected NAS being the future.
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https://www.techradar.com/au/news/networking/routers-storage/could-a-humble-nas-box-be-the-future-of-home-automation-1288554
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Who is La Shawn Ford?
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La Shawn Ford was one of the last candidates to enter the race for mayor after Mayor Rahm Emanuel dropped his bid for a third term. The 12-year West Side state representative is a former teacher and real estate investor. He is second-to-last among the 14 candidates in fundraising, making it difficult to get his message out in a crowded field. Age: 46 Born: Chicago Personal: Single, one daughter Education: Bachelors in education, Loyola University Chicago Neighborhood: Austin Current job: State representative, real estate broker Government experience: Illinois state representative, 8th District (2007-present) Political experience: Ford lost races for state representative in 1998 and 2000 before winning election in 2006. Three top policy proposals: 1) Turn 50 shuttered Chicago schools into community centers; 2) Eliminate current fee structures on red light cameras and boots; 3) Enact a moratorium on new tax increment finance districts. Three key positions: 1) Reopen closed mental health clinics; 2) Provide free CTA rides for youths and seniors; 3) Favors elimination of police gang database. Campaign slogan: Proven Leadership Campaign website: www.fordforchicago.com Read up: 1) La Shawn Ford to appear on the ballot, election board rules 2) Ford among candidates who released four full years of tax returns 3) Ford and others dodge specifics on how to fill citys pension hole 4) Ford and others promise free CTA rides, free City Colleges tuition and more at West Side forum 5) Surprising plea deal in Fords bank fraud case 6) Ford sentenced to probation for misdemeanor tax charge
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-lashawn-ford-chicago-mayor-bio-20190125-story.html
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Who is Garry McCarthy?
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Garry McCarthy was one of the earliest candidates to declare a run against Mayor Rahm Emanuel, before he made the surprise decision in September that he would no longer seek to serve a third term. The native New Yorker ran the Chicago Police Department under Emanuel for more than four years before the mayor fired him in December 2015 amid the fallout of the Laquan McDonald fatal police shooting scandal. Age: 59 Born: The Bronx, New York City Personal: Married to attorney Kristin Barnette McCarthy. One young son with Barnette and two adult daughters from a previous marriage. Education: Bachelors degree, University at Albany, State University of New York Neighborhood: River North Current job: CEO of GFM-Strategies, a security consulting firm Government experience: 25 years (1981-2006) as an officer on the New York Police Department, including six as deputy commissioner for operations; five years as police director in Newark, N.J. (2006-11); four years as Chicago police superintendent (2011-15). Political experience: This is McCarthys first run for public office. Three top policy proposals: 1) Create a performance-based government and perform a forensic audit of City Hall spending; 2) Reinvigorate neighborhood schools, making them an anchor of communities by offering wraparound services for children and adults; 3) Remove politics from the Police Department, improve training for officers, strengthen community policing. Three key positions: 1) Opposes the federal consent decree to reform the Chicago Police Department; 2) Opposes Emanuels $95 million police and fire training academy planned for the West Side; 3) Favors a casino at OHare International Airport. Campaign slogan: Leadership. For a Change. Campaign website: www.garryformayor.com Read up: 1) Garry McCarthy details why hes challenging Rahm Emanuel for Chicago mayor 2) McCarthy wont say whether Laquan McDonald shooting was a crime, struggles with case in mayors race 3) Emanuel attacks McCarthy with Trump ad 4) McCarthys top campaign donor: Lawyer with checkered past 5) McCarthy rolls out education plan, makes no promises on school closings 6) Fired cop with history of physical abuse pitched in on Garry McCarthys campaign 7) Make Chicago safe again. McCarthy talks up policing chops in new campaign ads 8) McCarthy among Chicago mayor candidates who refuses to release tax returns 9) McCarthy stirs controversy on police union: They cant be operating like its 1950 in Birmingham, Ala.
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-garry-mccarthy-chicago-mayor-bio-20190121-story.html
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Who is Gery Chico?
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Gery Chico ran for mayor eight years ago, finishing a distant second to Rahm Emanuel, collecting 24 percent of the vote. The City Hall veteran and attorney who held a number of key posts under former Mayor Richard M. Daley had no intention of running again until Emanuel made the surprise decision to drop his bid for a third term. Chico has been among the top four in fundraising and launched an early attack ad against his top foes, Toni Preckwinkle, Susana Mendoza and Bill Daley. Age: 62 Born: Chicago Personal: Married to Sunny Chico with five adult children Education: Bachelors degree, University of Illinois at Chicago; Juris Doctor degree, Loyola University Chicago Neighborhood: Loop Current job: Partner, Chico & Nunes where he has a number of City Hall clients and was a registered lobbyist until running for mayor. Government experience: City Hall chief of staff to Daley (1992-95); president Chicago Board of Education (1995-2001); board president Chicago Park District (2007-2010); board chairman City Colleges of Chicago (2010); chair Illinois State Board of Education (2011-2015). Political experience: Chico has never held elected office. In addition to finishing second in the 2015 mayors race, he also ran unsuccessfully in the 2004 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Chico, who was the only candidate in the race to support same-sex marriage, finished fourth with 4 percent of the vote in the race, which was won by Barack Obama. Three top policy proposals: 1) Appoint a cabinet level director of public safety and create a Mayors Office of Violence Prevention and Reduction; 2) Repurpose 50 closed schools into community centers, affordable housing, retail, mental health centers and job training sites; 3) Sue Wisconsin and Indiana for failure to enforce their gun laws. Three key positions: 1) Supports firing Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson; 2) Supports opening a temporary casino as soon as possible at McCormick Place to fund pensions; 3) Favors a hybrid school board where seven members are elected and eight are appointed by the mayor. Campaign slogan: Safer. Stronger. 9) Chico calls for an end to Emanuels Chicago Infrastructure Trust
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-gery-chico-chicago-mayor-bio-20190124-story.html
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Who is Paul Vallas?
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A onetime City Hall insider who fashions himself a policy wonk and outside-the-box thinker, Paul Vallas served as Chicago Public Schools CEO under Mayor Richard M. Daley. He ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2002, losing to Rod Blagojevich in the Democratic primary, then took jobs in school districts in Philadelphia, New Orleans, Haiti, Chile and Bridgeport, Conn. He got into the mayoral race in May, four months before Mayor Rahm Emanuel dropped out. Age: 65 Born: Chicago Personal: Married to Sharon Vallas, two adult children Education: Bachelors and masters degrees in political science, both at Western Illinois University Neighborhood: Lincoln Park Current job: Resigned as chief administrative officer at Chicago State University to run for mayor Government experience: Executive director of Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission (1985-90); Chicago city revenue director (1990-93); Chicago city budget director (1993-95); CEO of Chicago Public Schools (1995-2001); superintendent of Philadelphia Public Schools (2002-07); superintendent the state-run Recovery School District in New Orleans (2007-11); worked in post-earthquake school districts in Haiti and Chile (2010-12); superintendent of schools in Bridgeport, Conn. (2012-14). Political experience: Lost narrowly to Rod Blagojevich in the 2002 Democratic primary for governor, coming in second in a field that also included Roland Burris. Three top policy proposals: 1) Raise money to help solve pension problems by leveraging funds from expiring property tax increment financing districts to pay for pension obligation bonds; 2) Improve high schools by providing students full access to advanced placement courses, expanding International Baccalaureate and dual enrollment in college classes; 3) Create a fund to use state and federal money to help property owners pay to replace lead water pipes. Three key positions: 1) Add 20 more ambulances to the Chicago Fire Department; 2) Hire back retired police detectives to help investigations and improve the citys low homicide clearance rate; 3) Cap property taxes to help homeowners living in gentrifying neighborhoods. Campaign slogan: Solves problems. Gets results. Campaign website: www.vallasforallchicago.com Read up: 1) In running for mayor, Vallas says Chicago is in big trouble under Emanuel 2) Vallas calls for right-sizing CPS 3) Vallas economic plan includes tax hike, City Hall cuts, state help 4) Vallas under fire for CPS sex abuse case during his tenure as CEO 5) Vallas among candidates who released 4 full years of tax returns 6) Vallas says possible $10B Emanuel pension payoff irresponsible 7) Vallas: Consider expiring TIFs to pay for pension bonds 8) Vallas calls for more ambulances, as Emanuel announces he will add 5 9) Vallas hits Daley over links to brother, tax returns
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-paul-vallas-chicago-mayor-bio-20190124-story.html
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Is Being a Minority Really Just a Matter of Numbers?
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Classifying things is tricky, especially when the things youre trying to classify are people. The groups expand and contract, and the groupers dont always get the memo. Maybe they missed that, in certain circles, Latino/Latina became Latinx, or that Native Americans also accept indigenous, or that L.G.B.T.Q. often takes an I.A. at the end. But the evolution of how a particular group identifies itself is one thing; how we group all those groups is something else. And in the United States, that grouping tends be an either/or that sums up how this country envisions whos who. Its a system that, at least superficially, doesnt hurt too much, because it seems pretty simple: In the United States, youre either straight and white (and so on), or youre in the minority. In fact, you are a minority. And that can be awkward. Lets say were having a conversation about the Oscars. Were talking about how excited we are that this years Best Picture mix could include not only Alfonso Cuarns drama about a Mexican domestic worker (Roma), Spike Lees buddy movie about a black cop and the KKK (BlacKkKlansman) and Barry Jenkinss family tragedy based on a James Baldwin novel (If Beale Street Could Talk), but also Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians and a smash-hit biopic about the flamboyantly queer British-Zanzibarian Desi frontman of Queen (Bohemian Rhapsody). And in expressing all this excitement, I say the best part is that the Best Picture category could be mostly minorities. Now, theres a version of this conversation in which you say: I know. ! and then confess that you dont really like half of those movies, and we do battle over what terrible taste one of us has. But theres also a version in which you hear me say mostly minorities and stop listening for a moment. The Best Picture field has as many as 10 slots and as few as five. Theres no configuration in which the six movies above would constitute anything but a majority.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/23/magazine/is-being-a-minority-really-just-a-matter-of-numbers.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
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Who is John Kozlar?
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After twice trying to defeat sitting aldermen in the Daley familys Bridgeport seat of power and taking Patrick Daley Thompson, the grandson of former Mayor Richard J. Daley and nephew of former Mayor Richard M. Daley, to a runoff in 2015 John Kozlar jumped up a weight class this election cycle to run for mayor. Kozlar, a lawyer who made a name for himself by rejuvenating the Canaryville Little League, says hes running in part to dismantle the political machine. He is last in the field in fundraising, pulling in just $2,000. Age: 30 Born: Chicago Personal: Single Neighborhood: Bridgeport Current job: Attorney at Aon. Education: Bachelors degree, University of Chicago; Juris Doctor, John Marshall Law School Government experience: None. Political experience: Ran unsuccessfully for 11th Ward alderman in 2011 and 2015. Three top policy proposals: 1) Says he would get Chicago Public Schools out of rut by challenging Chicago Teachers Union; 2) Wants full audit of city finances; 3) Says 60 percent of police officers in a given district should live in that district. Three key positions: 1) Says he will oppose property tax increase to fill pension hole, instead focusing on government efficiency and other ways to raise revenue; 2) Wants a city-owned and operated casino; 3) Calls for a hybrid school board, with five members elected, four appointed by the mayor. Campaign slogan: Its time to take Chicago back. Campaign website: www.johnkozlar.com Read up: 1) At Tribune forum, Kozlar calls for challenging teachers union 2) Kozlar among 10 candidates who dont release tax returns
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-john-kozlar-chicago-mayor-bio-20190125-story.html
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Who is Lori Lightfoot?
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Lori Lightfoot was an appointee of Mayor Rahm Emanuels administration before she decided to try to end it. She announced a run against Emanuel in May 2018, after the mayor had appointed her to two different policing boards. She is the first openly lesbian candidate to run for Chicago mayor. Lightfoot has been highly critical of efforts to reform the Police Department in the wake of the Laquan McDonald shooting and targeted big-name opponents who got in the race after Emanuel dropped his bid for a third term as not having the guts to run before Goliath was slayed. Age: 56 Born: Massillon, Ohio Personal: Married to Amy Eshleman with a 10-year-old daughter Education: Bachelors degree, University of Michigan; Juris Doctor, University of Chicago Neighborhood: Logan Square Current job: Left her position as a law partner at Mayer Brown to run for mayor Government experience: Assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois (1996-2002); chief administrator, Chicago Police Department Office of Professional Standards (2002-04); chief of staff and general counsel, Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (2004-05); first deputy procurement officer, Chicago Department of Procurement Services (2005); co-chair, Chicago Police Accountability Task Force (2016); president, Chicago Police Board (2015-18). Political experience: This is Lightfoots first run for public office. Three key policies: 1) Pass ordinance ensuring affordable housing will be built in all wards; 2) Create a new Mayors Office of Public Safety to drive down crime and reform policing 3) Approve a graduated real estate transfer tax to create more funding to eliminate homelessness. Three key positions: 1) Wants to eliminate the Police Departments gang database; 2) Backs civilian oversight of the Police Department; 3) Supports abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Campaign slogan: Its Time to Unite Campaign website: www.lightfootforchicago.com Read up: 1) Lightfoot launches run against Emanuel, who appointed her to key policing posts 2) Lightfoot on Emanuel challenge: Shell be progressive candidate who makes City Hall serve everyone 3) Lightfoot bought campaign website names weeks after she told Emanuel she wasnt running 4) Lightfoot among candidates who releases four full years of tax returns 5) Lightfoot pushes plan to boost affordable housing options 6) Lightfoots ethics plan targets side jobs, mayoral term limits and would bolster city watchdog 7) Lightfoot among candidates to promise free City Colleges tuition, free CTA rides and more at West Side forum 8) Lightfoot criticizes opponents for running from ties to Ald. Edward Burke corruption scandal
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-lori-lightfoot-chicago-mayor-bio-20190124-story.html
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Who is Amara Enyia?
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Amara Enyia, in her second mayoral race, entered the 2019 campaign before Mayor Rahm Emanuel dropped out. After departing the 2015 race upon failing to get enough signatures to get on the ballot, Enyia threw her support to then-Ald. Bob Fioretti. Enyia has seen her profile and campaign fund get a big boost this time around thanks to financial backing from star rappers Kanye West and Chancelor Bennett, aka Chicagos own Chance The Rapper. Enyia hopes to parlay their support into a strong showing with young voters, if she can convince them to go to the polls. Age: 35 Born: Baltimore Personal: Single Education: Bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, masters in education, Ph.D. in educational policy studies and Juris Doctor, all at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Neighborhood: Garfield Park Current job: Director, Austin Chamber of Commerce; policy consultant for governments and nonprofits Government experience: Public policy analyst, Chicago mayors office (2008-2011). Political experience: Ran for mayor in 2015, did not make the ballot. Three top policy proposals: 1) Wants a public bank, arguing it would slash costs of interest and fees city now pays to private banks; 2) Would change city ticketing and fine policies she says hit low-income minorities hardest, including banning the boot; 3) Improve public transit to make it easier for people living on South and West sides to get to areas with high concentrations of jobs. Three key positions: 1) Opposes construction of new West Side police academy; 2) Backs elected school board; 3) Wants to reopen shuttered city mental health clinics. Campaign slogan: All People. All Voices. One City. Campaign website: www.amaraenyia.com Read up: 1) Chance the Rapper brings his star power to Enyias long-shot campaign 2) Kanye West gives $73K to Enyias campaign to pay fines to state election board 3) Enyia explains how she got Kanye Wests support 4) Kanye West gives another $126K to Enyias campaign 5) Enyia reacts in real-time to verdict in Laquan McDonald Code of Silence trial 6) Chance the Rapper gives $400K to Amara Enyia 7) Enyia aligns herself with movement against planned West Side police academy 8) Amara Enyia backs community benefits deal for Obama Center 9) To fight violence, Enyia wants to invest in schools, mental health clinics
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-amara-enyia-chicago-mayor-bio-20190124-story.html
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Who is Willie Wilson?
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A self-described humanitarian, Willie Wilson ran for mayor in 2015 and traveled the country as part of a long-shot campaign for president in 2016, where he appeared on the ballot in a handful of states. Wilson, who is the son of sharecropper and ran away from home with just an elementary education, is known for bailing offenders out of Cook County jail and handing out cash and checks to Chicagoans to help them pay their property tax bills. He has self-funded his run, putting more than $1 million into his campaign fund. Age: 70 Born: Gilbert, La. Personal: Married to Janette Wilson Education: Dropped out of grade school. Neighborhood: Loop Current job: Founder and CEO of Omar Medical Supplies Government experience: None Political experience: Wilson finished a distant third in the 2015 mayors race, collecting 10 percent of the vote. Three top policy proposals: 1) Place four superintendents atop the Chicago Police Department, each in charge of one-quarter of the city; 2) Free CTA rides for seniors; 3) Reopen Meigs Field downtown to generate money. Three key positions: 1) Favors an elected school board; 2) Wants to reopen all 49 elementary schools closed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel; 3) Backs reopening mental health clinics closed during Emanuels tenure. Campaign slogan: Inclusion. Unify. Balance. Campaign website: www.williewilsonformayor.com Read up: 1) Wilson to black opponents: Get out of the way 2) Wilson gives away $100K, draws campaign complaint 3) Rauner blasts Wilsons cash giveaway 4) Wilson cleared in AG probe of cash giveaway, calls Emanuel a vulgarity 5) Wilson refuses to release tax returns 6) By self-funding, Wilson eliminates campaign contributions in mayors race 7) Wilson sells up-by-the-bootstraps story in mayors race
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-willie-wilson-chicago-mayor-bio-20190121-story.html
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Who is Jerry Joyce?
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Jerry Joyce is a first-time candidate, but his pedigree is impressive. His father, former 19th Ward alderman and state Sen. Jeremiah Joyce, was a key architect of Mayor Richard M. Daleys political strategy and a longtime Daley ally. A Southwest Side attorney who works and lives in the political crucible of Beverly, Joyce is basing his campaign around the need to improve public safety. Age: 49 Born: Chicago Personal: Married to Jannine Joyce with four children Neighborhood: Beverly Current job: Attorney Education: Bachelors degree, Yale University; Juris Doctor, Loyola University Chicago Government experience: Assistant states attorney on the executive staff for Cook County states attorney. Political experience: This is Joyces first run for public office. Three top policy proposals: 1) To improve community policing, wants to create teams of sergeants and patrol officers who would remain on the same beat for 30 months; 2) Wants to look at building a long-discussed south suburban airport; 3) Says Chicago should be at the forefront of legalized sports betting. Three key positions: 1) To deal with pension crisis, wants to earmark any money city gets from legalized marijuana for filling that funding hole. 2) Wants to review citys TIF program to make sure needy communities are getting the money for development and taxing bodies arent getting bled to help wealthy developers; 3) To fix lead water pipes, wants a long-term public health plan relying on state and federal money, starting with putting filters in drinking fountains in schools, parks and community centers. Campaign slogan: Jerry Joyce for Mayor Campaign website: www.jerryjoyce2019.com Read up: 1) Son of former Daley ally getting into mayoral race 2) Joyce gets top spot on ballot 3) Joyce among candidates who dont release tax returns
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-jerry-joyce-chicago-mayor-bio-20190125-story.html
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Who is Susana Mendoza?
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Just eight days after winning election to her first full term as state comptroller, Susana Mendoza announced she would run for Chicago mayor. Mendoza did not enter the race until after Mayor Rahm Emanuel dropped his bid for a third term. She has been among the top fundraisers in the mayoral contest, and the laborers union is her biggest financial backer to date. Here are some key facts about Mendoza: Age: 46 Born: Chicago Personal: Married to David Szostak, with a 6-year-old son Education: Bachelors degree, Truman State University Neighborhood: Portage Park Current job: Illinois comptroller Government experience: State representative (2001-11); Chicago city clerk (2011-16); Illinois comptroller (2016-present). Political experience: Mendoza lost her first bid for state representative in 1998 before winning election six times to the state House, twice for clerk and twice for comptroller, including a special election in 2016. She was a co-chair of Mayor Rahm Emanuels re-election campaign in 2015. Three top policy proposals: 1) Take the citys 50 most under-enrolled and underutilized schools, and turn them into community hubs with wraparound services; 2) Continue Emanuels expansion of universal pre-K; 3) Use tax increment finance money to provide child care for low-income families. Three key positions: 1) Supports Emanuels $95 million new police and fire training academy; 2) Backs an elected school board; 3) Believes city should consider Emanuels plan to issue up to $10 billion in pension obligation bonds. Campaign slogan: Lets shape Chicagos future together Campaign website: www.susanamendoza.com Read up: 1) Video clip leaks of Mendoza announcing run for mayor 2) Some Rahm Emanuel allies gravitate to Mendoza as she preps run for mayor 3) Eight days after winning comptroller election, Mendoza announces run for Chicago mayor 4) Mendozas announcement of mayoral run leads to barrage of attacks 5) Mendoza, Preckwinkle trade attacks in first mayoral forum 6) Mendoza among candidates who released four years of full tax returns 7) Mendoza collects $100K from estranged owner of clouted scrap yard 8) Why the federal raid on powerful Ald. Ed Burke left Mendoza and other candidates quiet 9) Mendoza calls for adding services to underenrolled schools rather than closing them
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-susana-mendoza-chicago-mayor-bio-20190124-story.html
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Who is Toni Preckwinkle?
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After deciding not to take on Mayor Rahm Emanuel four years ago, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle jumped into the 2019 race after Emanuel exited in September. The former history teacher is among the top fundraisers in the race. Her campaign has been funded by the Service Employees International Union and she has the endorsement of the Chicago Teachers Union, with both labor organizations capable of providing her with strong ground support. Age: 71 Born: St. Paul, Minn. Personal: Divorced, two adult children Education: Bachelors and masters degrees, University of Chicago Neighborhood: Hyde Park Current job: Cook County Board president Government experience: Cook County Board president (2010-current); 4th Ward alderman (1991-2010); planner, Chicago Department of Economic Development. Political experience: Chair of Cook County Democratic Party (2018-present); ran twice unsuccessfully for alderman in 1983 and 1987 against then-Ald. Tim Evans before winning in 1991; 4th Ward Democratic committeeman (1992-2018). Three top policy proposals: 1) Increase the citys minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2021; 2) Create a Mayors Office of Criminal Justice to improve policing; 3) Overhaul the citys $100 million workers compensation program and reform the citys tax increment financing districts to free up money for city pensions. Three key positions: 1) Backs a moratorium on school closings and charter school openings; 2) Favors civilian oversight of the Chicago Police Department; 3) Wants to ban outside income for aldermen. Campaign slogan: Toni for Chicago Campaign website: www.toniforchicago.com Read up: 1) Im doing this because I can. Preckwinkle launches run for mayor 2) How Preckwinkle rose from Hyde Park also-ran to Cook County boss 3) Preckwinkle intended recipient of campaign money tied to Ald. Edward Burkes alleged extortion scheme 4) Damage control: How Preckwinkle is addressing her ties to the Burke corruption scandal 5) Preckwinkle says shell return $116K from Burke fundraiser 6) Preckwinkle hired Burkes son while he was under investigation for misconduct 7) Teachers union endorses Preckwinkle 8) New Preckwinkle ad says shes ready to take on the old boys club. 9) Preckwinkle defends criticism of her Laquan McDonald TV ad and Fact-check: Preckwinkle inflates role in McDonald case 10) Months before firing her chief of staff, Preckwinkle had been warned about his treatment of women
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-toni-preckwinkle-chicago-mayor-bio-20190124-story.html
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Who is Neal Sales-Griffin?
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Neal Sales-Griffin was one of the earliest candidates to announce his run for mayor and the last to secure a spot on the ballot after surviving a challenge. The tech entrepreneurs campaign had an early buzz and funding from a PAC chaired by Max Temkin, a creator of Cards Against Humanity. However, after Sales-Griffin admittedly bombed his campaign launch, the funding largely has dried up. Hes also produced a podcast about his campaign and his battle to get on the ballot. Age: 31 Born: Chicago Personal: Single Education: Bachelors degree, Northwestern University Neighborhood: Hyde Park Current job: CEO of Code Now, a national nonprofit that teaches low-income high school students how to code. He also teaches at Northwestern University and University of Chicago. Government experience: Co-chaired Chicagos Technology Diversity Council and assisted with producing the citys technology plan. Political experience: This is Sales-Griffins first run for public office. Three top policy proposals: 1) Expand Mayor Rahm Emanuels universal pre-K program; 2) Overhaul and provide more funding for the citys special education programs; 3) Make budgeting more transparent, including providing Chicagoans with a receipt showing taxes theyve paid. Three key positions: 1) Backs term limits for all city elected positions; 2) Favors campaign finance reform with stronger contribution limits; 3) Supports an elected school board. Campaign slogan: Neal for Mayor Campaign website: www.nealformayor.com Read up: 1) In uphill mayoral bid, Sales-Griffin stresses shrinking Chicago 2) Sales-Griffin says he 'bombed this speech' in Chicago mayor campaign kickoff 3) Wilson now says he wants Sales-Griffin on ballot, but complaint still proceeds 4) Sales-Griffin will appear on the ballot, but Brown wont 5) Sales-Griffin among the candidates who refuse to release tax returns
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-neal-sales-griffin-chicago-mayor-bio-20190125-story.html
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Who is Bob Fioretti?
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Bob Fioretti was the last candidate to announce he was going to run for mayor, just days before candidates turned in their petition signatures to get on the ballot in November. Fioretti is no stranger to running for office since his 2nd Ward got moved from the Near South Side to Near North Side after a City Council remap. Since then, Fioretti has run unsuccessfully for mayor in 2015, state Senate in 2016 and Cook County Board president in 2018. He endorsed Mayor Rahm Emanuel in the 2015 runoff election after finishing a distant fourth in the first round. Age: 65 Born: Chicago Personal: Married to Nicki Pecori Fioretti Education: Bachelors degree, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Juris Doctor, Northern Illinois University Neighborhood: West Loop Current job: Law partner, Roth Fioretti LLC Government experience: 2nd Ward alderman (2007-15). Political experience: 2nd Ward committeeman (2008-16). Ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2015, state Senate in 2016 and Cook County Board president in 2018. Three top policy proposals: 1) Would institute a 1 percent commuter tax on suburbanites working in the city; 2) Legalize video gambling in the city; 3) Would push for a hybrid school board, with some positions elected and some appointed. Three key positions: 1) Would oppose any property tax increases; 2) Favors a Chicago casino; 3) Opposes any increase in the real estate transfer tax. Campaign slogan: Ready for Fioretti Campaign website: www.bobforchicago.com Read up: 1) Fioretti may enter mayors race 2) Fioretti among candidates who have not released their tax returns 3) Fioretti backs commuter tax 4) Blues legend Buddy Guys company gives Fioretti $500K 5) Preckwinkle easily defeats Fioretti in primary despite pop tax uproar 6) 2015: Fioretti kicks off campaign against Emanuel
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-bob-fioretti-chicago-mayor-bio-20190125-story.html
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Who is Bill Daley?
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Bill Daley, the son of former Mayor Richard J. Daley and the brother of former Mayor Richard M. Daley, announced his candidacy after Mayor Rahm Emanuel made the surprise decision in September to drop his bid for a third term. Daley has topped the field in fundraising, allowing him to be among the first on television with significant advertising buys. Age: 70 Born: Chicago Personal: Married to Bernadette Keller. Three adult children from previous marriage. Education: Bachelors degree, Loyola University Chicago; Juris Doctor degree, John Marshall Law School. Neighborhood: Gold Coast Current job: Stepped down as managing partner at Swiss hedge fund Argentiere Capital to run for mayor. Government experience: Senior counsel and U.S. Commerce Secretary (1997-2000) under President Bill Clinton and White House chief of staff (2011-2012) under President Barack Obama. Political experience: Daley managed his brother Richs mayoral campaigns and was the chairman of Al Gores 2000 presidential campaign. Daley flirted with running for Illinois governor three times, including running for four months in 2014, before pulling the plug. Three top policy proposals: 1) Putting $50 million into violence prevention while pushing for stronger gun laws and better community policing. 2) A freeze on property taxes. 3) Reducing the City Council from 50 to 15 aldermen and banning outside income for aldermen. Three key positions: 1) Favors a two-term limit for the mayor and three terms for aldermen. 2) Thinks Chicago should consider a commuter tax on suburbanites working in the city. 3) He would ban Daley family members from lobbying or doing business with the city. Campaign slogan: No More Excuses. Campaign website: www.daleyformayor.com Read up: 1) Im not going to change my name. Daley on why hes seeking to become familys third Chicago mayor 2) Daley slams Mendoza and Preckwinkle for running for two offices as crazy 3) Daley, whose brother and father were mayor for 43 years, proposes term limits 4) Daley says Chicago should consider commuter tax 5) Daley makes public just two sheets from one year of tax returns, refuses to release more 6) Daley: Shrink City Council from 50 to 15 7) Paul Vallas hits Daley over links to brother, tax returns 8) Daley proposes massive CPS overhaul, cutting school councils from more than 500 to 60
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-cb-bill-daley-chicago-mayor-bio-20190123-story.html
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Would Carmelo Anthony have put the Tom Thibodeau-coached Bulls over the top?
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Technically, Carmelo Anthony remains on the Bulls roster. Look for his name listed in the inactives if youre suspicious or just want to let the mind wander. Anthony, acquired in a cash deal from the Rockets, wont report to the Bulls. Hell eventually be traded or, most likely, waived. But while hes here, or not really here but on the roster, its easy to hark back to 2014. Thats when the Bulls coveted Antony as the missing piece to a title team. Thats when Anthony, then-coach Tom Thibodeau and general manager Gar Forman donned construction hard hats to visit the not-yet-completed Advocate Center, a precious sight indeed. Its when Jim Boeheim, Anthonys college coach at Syracuse, publicly said his former player shouldve signed with the Bulls instead of re-signing with the Knicks. Take a break from this desultory Bulls season and dream. I think it wouldve worked, one Eastern Conference executive said. But wouldve it been enough to beat LeBron? Indeed, James stunning decision to leave the Heat to return to his home-state team began a string of four straight NBA Finals appearances for the Cavaliers. Continuing his role dating to his time with the Heat and he foiled the Bulls as they led the NBA in regular-season victories, James stood as the biggest obstacle. Anthony averaged 24.2 points in 2014-15, almost exactly matching his career scoring average of 24 points. But he played in just 40 games before undergoing surgery in February 2015 for what the Knicks called left knee patella tendon debridement and repair. Anthony proved more durable the next three seasons, playing in 72, 74 and 78 games. The Bulls wouldve signed him to a four-year deal. They were trying to keep Taj Gibson, which would have required Anthony to sign for roughly $50 million and one season less than his deal with the Knicks. Trading Gibson wouldve cleared more cap space to lessen Anthonys financial haircut. But Gibson played a big role in Anthonys visit to Chicago, and multiple outlets, including the Tribune, reported at the time that Anthony wanted Gibson to remain on the roster. Had Anthony chosen the Bulls, he wouldve started alongside Derrick Rose, Gibson, Joakim Noah and Jimmy Butler. But not that Butler. Photos of former Bulls guard/forward Jimmy Butler. Coming off his third season, and first as full-time starter, Butler averaged 13.1 points but shot just 39.7 percent and 28.3 percent from 3-point range in 2013-14. Without Anthony, Butler took his first step towards stardom in 2014-15, winning the NBAs Most Improved Player award by averaging 20 points and earning second team All-Defense honors. Butler dramatically improved his shooting percentages that season but, with Anthony in the fold, wouldve averaged fewer than his 14 attempts per game. There even were some whispers the Bulls would have tried to move Butler, but Mike Dunleavy wouldve been a more likely trade option. Rose played in 51 games in 2014-15. He averaged 17.7 points on 40.5 percent shooting, including an anemic 28 percent from 3-point range. Some league observers feel Rose and Anthony might have struggled to find chemistry, but Thibodeau never thought that. He probably doesnt get the credit for being the passer and playmaker that he is, Thibodeau said of Anthony before a Bulls-Knicks matchup that season. The people with USA Basketball said thats the role he played for that team. Indeed, Anthony drew widespread praise for his longtime commitment to USA Basketball. Hes the all-time leading scorer and rebounder but often deferred to other scorers like James and Dwyane Wade while playing on three Olympic gold medal winning teams. Photos of Derrick Rose, the Bulls' No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft. Coincidentally, James Cavaliers eliminated the Bulls from the second round of the 2015 playoffs. Assuming Anthony had signed with the Bulls and stayed healthy, the matchups in that series wouldve featured Rose against Kyrie Irving, Butler against James, Anthony against Iman Shumpert, Gibson against Tristan Thompson and Noah guarding Timofey Mozgov. The Cavaliers bench leaned on Matthew Dellavedova, J.R. Smith, Mike Miller and James Jones. The Bulls would have countered with Tony Snell, rookie Doug McDermott and, well, a lot of unknown. When Anthony chose to re-sign with the Knicks, the Bulls quickly moved to contingency plans. They signed Pau Gasol, Kirk Hinrich, ETwaun Moore and Aaron Brooks in free agency and completed Nikola Mirotics buyout from Real Madrid to finally bring over their 2011 draft-day acquisition.
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https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/ct-spt-bulls-carmelo-anthony-tom-thibodeau-bulls-title-20190126-story.html
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How much did each 2019 Naples Winter Wine Festival auction lot go for?
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CLOSE Ashley Collins gives viewers an inside look at the Naples Winter Wine Festival auction Saturday, January 26, 2019, at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in North Naples. Jessica Rodriguez, Naples Daily News Sixty three lots will be auctioned off to invited guests at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples as part of the Naples Winter Wine Festival. These do not include the festival's online auction lots. The online auction ends Thursday. Follow our live updates from the auction here. More: Naples Winter Wine Festival's online auction begins More: Second round of Naples Winter Wine Festival auction lots include tour with Christian Louboutin, snowmobile safari More: Naples Winter Wine Festival auction prizes will include Olympics, safari Here are the Naples Winter Wine Festival lots and what they went for: LOT 1: MAGNUMS OF JOY Drink to joy: 1 Magnum from all participating 2019 NWWF vintners 37 Magnums total. Sold for: $170,000 LOT 2: VIVA LA VACATION! Cuban immersion: Unforgettable cultural excursion to Miami for 2 nights and Havana for 3 nights for 3 couples. Includes: 2 nights at the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club in Miami with dinners at Le Sirenuse and the Surf Club Restaurant; 3 nights at the Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski in Havana; numerous privately guided tours within Cuba including: The H. Upmann Cigar Factory; the private home and studio of renowned artist Jos Rodrguez Fuster and Finca Viga, the estate of Ernest Hemingway and a sunset ride in 1950s convertibles. Private Airfare from Miami to Havana and return to Naples is included. Sold for: $110,000 LOT 3: WHERE ALL ROADS LEAD The Best of Burgundy: Visit to Burgundy for 2 couples, spending 4 nights at the home of NWWF vintners and Trustees Grace & Ken Evenstad and a private vineyard tour of their 4 estate vineyards in Cte de Beaune. Enjoy dinner at the 3-starred Michelin restaurant, Maison Lameloise, a private tour of the historic Hospices de Beaune and a tour of a local cooperage. Winning couples will also take home 12 bottles of Chteau de la Cre wines, plus 12 Chteau de la Cre Reidel Pinot Noir wine glasses. Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare to Paris, France is included. Sold for: $170,000 LOT 4: FROM NAPA TO TRIPLE CREEK RANCH, IN STYLE From the West Coast to the Big Sky: Spectacular Napa Valley and Montana excursion for 3 couples. First, spend 2 luxurious nights in Napa Valley; enjoy a special dinner with Beth Novak Milliken at the Spottswoode Estate paired family library wines; the option to visit the Spottswoode winery and vineyards and the choice between dinner at either The French Laundry or Charter Oak. Next, spend 3 nights at Triple Creek Ranch in Bitterroot Valley, Montana, a Relais & Chteaux property with a barbeque dinner at The CB Ranch paired with Spottswoode wines and a 7-course tasting menu at the Chefs Table in the Main Lodge. The winners will each take home a special selection of Spottswoode Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in various formats. Sold for: $180,000 LOT 5: TREMENDOUS TUSCANY Italian escape: A weeks excursion for 2 couples in Siena and Montalcino, with 5 nights spent at Relais Borgo Scopeto in Siena and 2 nights at either Podere La Casa or Altesino in Montalcino. Enjoy private tours and tastings at Borgo Scopeto and Caparzo and a very special dinner with a performance of the music from composer Giuseppe Verdi performed by musicians and opera singers from the Accodemia Musicale Chigiana. Includes a selection of Caparzo and Borgo Scopeto wines for each couple. Sold for: $150,000 LOT 6: A BOUNTIFUL BELTWAY EXPERIENCE Best of the Beltway: Insiders visit to Washington, D.C. for 2 couples, with 4 nights at the Four Seasons Hotel and 4 VIP tickets to the 2019 Kennedy Center Honors in December 2019. Winners will also enjoy access to special parties around the Kennedy Center Honors awards; a behind-the-scenes tour of the U.S. Supreme Court, followed by a meet-and-greet with one of the Justices; a private cocktail reception with Kathleen & Francis Rooney at their home in Georgetown; a special dinner with Bret Baier of Fox News Channel and dinner at the Michelin-starred restaurant, Mtier. Roundtrip, Premium Class Airfare to Washington, D.C. is included. Sold for: $280,000 LOT 7: THE EAGLES HAVE LANDED I Scream, You Scream: An incredibly rare and one-of-a-kind collection of 8 Double Magnums of Screaming Eagle Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon; one from each vintage from 1992 to 1999. Sold for: $350,000 LOT 8: CENTRAL H3CALIFORNIA DREAMIN California luxury: 1 couple will spend 2 nights at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara, and 2 nights at the Bien Nacido Estate guest house. Delight in a private visit to the Bien Nacido winemaking facility; a private tour of Solomon Hills and Bien Nacido wineries; a private vertical tasting of library wines and a 4-course meal with winery principals. Includes 1 Double Magnum of Bien Nacido Chardonnay and 1 Double Magnum of Solomon Hills Estate Pinot Noir. Sold for: $220,000 LOT 9: PARIS: AND GENEVA: WHEN IT SIZZLES Show me the Cos and Chopard: A European adventure for 1 couple combining the sophistication of Paris and the glitter of Chopard. Enjoy a 2 nights stay at La Rserve Paris Hotel and Spa and 2 nights stay at La Rserve Genve Hotel. Deep dive into the world of Chopard, with special visits to Chopards Genva Hotel Manufacture and Atelier Chopard to view the Gold Foundry; plus, a private viewing of the Red Carpet Collection from 2019. Includes a $20,000.00 jewelry credit to select a piece of High Jewelry from Chopards Red Carpet Collection and a Double Magnum of Cos dEstournels 2015 COS1001 of only 100 produced in honor of the 100th anniversary of one of their famed vineyard plots. Sold for: $130,000 LOT 10: THE TWO GREATEST MINUTES IN SPORTS Not horsing around: This ultimate Kentucky Derby experience includes 3 nights at the Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky for 2 couples; a VIP Derby Party event at the private home of vintner Barbara Banke at Stonestreet Farms and 4 seats on the famed Millionaires Row for the 2019 Kentucky Oaks on Friday, May 3, 2019 and for the 2019 Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4, 2019. Winning couples will take home a special selection of Zena Crown and Gran Moraine wines in various formats. Sold for: $240,000 More: Meet the Kids Day 2019: Naples Botanical Garden hosts 380 Naples wine festival patrons LOT 11: THE ENCOUNTER OF TWO SPANISH LUXURY HOUSES Made in Spain: A luxurious escape to Spain for 1 couple. Spend 2 nights at the Gran Meli Palacio de los Duques Madrid; 1 night at hotel Castillo del Buen Amor and 3 nights at Hotel Maria Cristina in San Sebastin. Includes numerous shopping, culinary and cultural experiences, plus a 225 Liter barrel of 2014 Termanthia (25 cases of wine), customized with LOEWE leather. While in Madrid, enjoy customized activities and dinner at 2-star Michelin restaurant, El Club Allard, with a vertical tasting of Termanthia hosted by Bodega Numanthias estate director, Lucas Lwi; a private tasting with a vineyard and winery visit at Bodega Numanthia and a special immersion into San Sebastins art scene followed by dinner at Michelin-starred, Restaurante Kokotxa. Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare to Madrid, Spain is included. Sold for: $200,000 LOT 12: GET TO THE POINT, GORGEOUS. ITS THE TONYS Town & Country: A New York adventure for 1 couple. 3 nights in New York City from June 7-10, 2019, with 2 tickets to the Tony Awards on June 9; 2 tickets to 2 of Broadways most popular shows, Anastasia and Hamilton, as well as dinner with the Hadjibay Family of Bayco Fine Jewelry at 2-starred Michelin restaurant, Marea and one $25,000.00 retail credit towards a one-of-a-kind Bayco jewel or custom-designed piece. Next, spend 4 all-inclusive nights at The Point Resort on Saranac Lake in Upstate New York. Roundtrip, First Class Airfare to New York City and roundtrip, Private Airfare from New York to Saranac Lake is included. Sold for: $170,000 LOT 13: VINTAGE VIRTUOSITY A very French affair: 2 couples are off to France. Enjoy 2 nights in charming Avignon. Spend one of the days with Rotem & Mounir Saouma exploring the famed wine region and tasting the wines of Chteauneuf-du-Pape. Next, its beautiful Beaune for 7 nights at the Htel le Cep, where the winners will delight in 4 VIP tickets to the 2020 Musique et Vin, which includes access to concerts, wine tastings and dinners featuring world-renowned classical musicians, Burgundian wine and cuisine and a visit to the legendary private club, the 1243 Bourgogne Society. Winning couples will take home 6 bottles of special Lucien Le Moine wines that arent available for sale in the market. Sold for: $190,000 LOT 14: ESCAPE TO THE ISLANDS Dive in: One-week cruise in the U.S. Virgin Islands for 4 couples aboard M/Y Golden Touch 2, a 147 Sensation yacht refurbished in 2018 and boasting a crew of 8. Couples will have the opportunity to build their own unique island itinerary and enjoy all onboard amenities, including tenders and toys. Sold for: $990,000 LOT 15: LA CUVE VITA Down on the farm: A Tuscan farmhouse experience for 5 nights for up to 4 couples, deep in the heart of the Chianti Classico region. The most sought- after villa in Tuscany, La Veduta di Vertine is a 16th-century farmhouse located less than an hour from Florence and 30 minutes from Siena. Visit will include a safari wine tour of Chianti; a special dinner with wine pairings; a personal Cuve Experience Curator to assist with planning and more. Sold for: $150,000 More: Social media updates from the 2019 Naples Winter Wine Festival auction LOT 16: YOURE THE STAR, HERE AND AFAR Starstruck: 2 nights stay for 2 couples in a log cabin at Kinsella Estates in Healdsburg, California. Enjoy a private, farm-to-table lunch with Tony Award-winner Kevin Kinsella and his wife, film and stage actress Paten Hughes, catered by chef Joshua Mitchell, chef/owner of Napa Heritage Catering and paired with Kevins favorite wines, as well as an afternoon with legendary winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for a barrel tasting of the latest Kinsella wines. The winning couple will then join TCS World Travel aboard any available TCS World Travel Private Jet Itinerary in 2019 or 2020these all-inclusive experiences include VIP access, immersive cultural opportunities, exquisite wine and food, and the finest accommodations. Sold for: LOT 17: LEGENDARY LINKS AND MAJESTIC MANORS Greens with envy: 9 days of golf in the Highlands of Scotland and Southwest Ireland for 2 couples. Indulge in rounds of golf at some of the worlds greatest courses: The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle, Royal Dornoch, Castle Stuart, Loch Lomond, Royal Troon, Adare Manor and Hogs Head Golf Club. When they arent hitting the fairways, couples will enjoy a 5-course dinner at the Oak Room at Adare Manor; dinner at the Cameron House restaurant at Loch Lomond; a whisky tour at Glenmorangie Distillery; a private tour of the Culzean Castle in Ayr and a helicopter tour of the Ring of Kerry. Business Class Airfare to Edinburgh, Scotland and from Dublin, Ireland is included. Sold for: LOT 18: I DREAMED OF BORDEAUX Be the winemaker: 1 couple will have the chance to produce, brand and custom-label 12 cases of their own bespoke wine from the 2018 vintage with VINIV sourcing from their available vineyards in Pauillac, Saint- Estphe and Margaux. Experience also includes 3 nights at the Relais & Chteaux, Chteau Cordeillan Bages for 1 couple; a guided VIP visit of the new Lynch-Bages winemaking facility with a private tasting of the Cazes Family wines; lunch with VINIV founder Stephen Bolger or a member of the Cazes Family and 2 visits to 1855 Classified Growth wineries in the Mdoc region. Winning couple will also take home a 4.5 Liter of 2000 Chteau Lynch-Bages. Sold for: LOT 19: DRIVE YOUR DESIGN WITH BENTLEY For Bentley lovers only: One 2020 Bentley Continental GT Convertible. Includes a special trip to London for the winning couple and a visit to the Bentley Factory in Crewe to meet with the design teams to customize their car to their own specifications. The lucky couple will also enjoy 3 nights accommodations at The Connaught Hotel in London. Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare to London is included. Sold for: More: Photos: Kids charm Naples wine festival patrons at botanical garden CLOSE Guests bid on a lot at the Naples Winter Wine Festival auction Saturday, January 26, 2019, at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in North Naples. Morgan Hornsby, Naples Daily News LOT 20: THE WONDERS OF THE WILLAMETTE Outstanding Oregon: 4 nights in Oregon for 2 couples, including 1 night at the Sentinel hotel in downtown Portland and 3 nights at the Domaine Serene Winery Hill House. Couples will enjoy a special dinner at Headwaters with dinner prepared by chef Vitaly Paley; an aerial tour of the 6 Domaine Serene Vineyard Estates by helicopter; a 45th Parallel Experiencea chef-driven, 4-course, 8-wine pairing dinner to explore Domaine Serenes Oregon and Chteau de la Cres Cte dOr wines; a wine reception and garden walk with Grace & Ken Evenstad and so much more. Each couple will receive 24 bottles of Domaine Serene Pinot Noir wines. Sold for: LOT 21: A NOD TO NASHVILLE: WITH PAUL AND JEFF Boot-scooting boogie: A one-of-a-kind Nashville experience for 2 couples, complete with 4 nights at The Hermitage Hotel and a special finale dinner hosted by NWWF vintners and Founding Trustees Valerie Boyd & Jeff Gargiulo, Trustees Jody & Paul Fleming and Billy Dean at The Catbird Seat with Hazel & the legendary Charlie Daniels. Enjoy behind- the-scenes access to Nashvilles legendary music scene and feast upon the finest fare Nashville has to offer. Take home 2 custom-made Taylor guitars and 6 Double Magnums of etched 2016 Gargiulo Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Sold for: LOT 22: GEM OF A CRUISE Sparkling waves await: 3 nights, 4 days aboard the 86-foot Sunseeker M/Y Perseverance 2 for 3 couples, cruising the waters of the Northeast during the summer of 2019. Upon arrival in Nantucket, each couple will receive a $15,000.00 credit towards a custom-designed piece of jewelry by Katherine Jetter and attend a private luncheon with her at the exclusive Westmoor Club for an educational gemstone lecture before hopping aboard the Perseverance 2 and cruising to Marthas Vineyard, Newport and Sag Harbor. Sold for: LOT 23: QUATTRO ITALIANO Ciao, bella: An epicurean Italian adventure for 2 couples during 10 nights in Piedmont, Lake Como and Milan. Trip begins with 2 nights in the Bricco Rocche guesthouse at Ceretto, enjoying special vertical tastings of Single Vineyard Barolo DOCG wines with Roberta Ceretto, visits to her legendary vineyards and dinner at the 3-star Michelin restaurant, Piazza Duomo. This is followed by 3 nights at Relais San Maurizio Hotel with highlights including a hot air balloon ride over Turin at dawn and a private truffle hunt. Next, spend 3 nights at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo in Lake Como while enjoying days of guided boat tours along the majestic coastline, followed by 2 nights at the Mandarin Oriental in Milan for shopping, a backstage tour of La Scala Opera House and more. Winning couples will take home a selection of Barolo and Barbaresco wines from Ceretto wines. Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare to Milan, Italy is included. Sold for: LOT 24: NY STATE OF MIND A bite out of the Big Apple: A fun-filled trip to NYC for 2 couples, with 4 nights in an apartment overlooking Central Park. Enjoy: 4 VIP tickets to LIVE with Kelly and Ryan, with backstage tour and meet-and-greet; a behind-the-scenes tour of the CNBC studios and the Nasdaq Stock Exchange with Pete Najarian, before watching Pete on Fast Money live from CNBCs control room; a behind-the-scenes tea and tour at Christies with Lydia Fenet; behind-the-scenes access to The Whitney and MOMA; special dinners at Aureole, Temple Court and Btard and 2 $25,000.00 retail credits to be applied to a piece (or pieces) of jewelry from David Webb. Roundtrip, Premium Class Airfare to New York is included. Sold for: LOT 25: WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE African Safari: Animal lovers will rejoice at 12 days in Rwanda and Tanzania for 2 couples. Travel to Kigali, Rwanda before spending 2 nights at the Bisate Lodge while trekking the majestic gorillas at Parc National des Volcans. Then, head to Tanzania for 8 days of game viewing from open-sided, 4x4 vehicles at 2 of Singitas renowned, all-inclusive propertiesthe Mara River Tented Camp and the Sasakwa Lodge. Enjoy day and night game drives, wine tastings, hot air balloon rides, mountain biking, tennis, swimming, hikes and more. Sold for: LOT 26: WINE AWAY THE HOURS Your favorite Vice: 3 couples will enjoy 2 nights accommodations at the Calistoga Ranch and a special dinner at Vice Versa winery in Napa Valley, hosted by proprietors Samantha & Patrice Breton and Master of Wine Martin R. Reyes and paired with library wines from Vice Versa, as well as wines from Patrices personal collection. Couples will take home 10 magnificent Double Magnums from Vice Versas 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Sold for: LOT 27: VILLA LIKE A ROCK STAR Beautiful St. Barths: 3 couples will wake up in the View of Dreams, Cuves new, private ocean-hugging villa in St. Barths, for 5 nights. Panoramic water views, plus a wine cave and infinity pool terrace create an unforgettable ambience. Couples will enjoy a private dinner prepared by Cuves French-trained chef and spend a day sailing on a private yacht for snorkeling, swimming and exploring. Roundtrip, Private Airfare from Naples, Florida to St. Barths is included. Sold for: LOT 28: CHANEL & THE DIAMOND What Coco wants, Coco gets: Ultimate experience for 1 couple to attend the exclusive launch of Chanels 2019 High Jewelry Collection from June 30-July 3, 2019. Spend 3 nights at a 5-star hotel in Paris and enjoy access to Chanels black-tie gala dinner and be the first to view their most magnificent High Jewelry Collection yet. You will also be treated to a personal tour of 31, Rue Cambon, Coco Chanels apartment and legendary Couture House and additional unique, custom-designed activities while in Paris. Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare to Paris, France is included. Sold for: LOT 29: CENTENNIAL-SIZED TOAST Make mine Mondavi: Special visit to Sonoma and Napa for 2 couples to explore the latest frontier in the Mondavi Familys 100 years of making wine, with 2 nights at SingleThread Inn in Healdsburg and 2 nights at Auberge du Soleil in Napa. In Sonoma, indulge in dinner at SingleThread Restaurant with Carlo Mondavi paired with RAEN wines and enjoy a RAEN vineyard tour and picnic lunch on the Sonoma Coast. Once in Napa, attend dinner at the home of Tim Mondavi and enjoy a private technical vineyard tour at Continuum followed by a blending seminar with Tim to create their own custom blend from Continuums Sage Mountain vineyard. The lucky couples will take home a collection of Continuum and RAEN wines, including wines that represent an unbroken string of 100 harvests for the Mondavi Family. Sold for: More: Video: Meet the Kids Day hosted by Naples Children & Education Foundation CLOSE Guests at the Naples Winter Wine Festival auction will have the opportunity to bid on 63 lots with prizes such as An Unforgettable 5 night Latin Immersion, which includes a trip to Havana, Cuba for three couples. Jessica Rodriguez, Naples Daily News LOT 30: LAPLAND OF LUXURY In it to Finn it: An unforgettable excursion to Finland for 2 couples for 8 days, starting with 1 night in Helsinki. Then, onward for 2 nights at the Northern Lights Ranch in Lapland to experience a Shaman mystery tour, visit a Husky farm and take an evening tour to view the remarkable Northern Lights. Next, spend 4 nights at the Levi Resort in Lapland in a luxury villa. Couples will discover the Lainio Snow Village, participate in a winter rally car sprint competition and cross-country ski or snowshoe. Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare from New York to Helsinki is included. Sold for: LOT 31: THE WORLD OF HOBBS Youll drink to this: Heres the chance for 2 couples to discover the world of winemaker Paul Hobbs over a 2 nights stay at the Paul Hobbs Winery guest house in the Russian River Valley. Includes a multi-course, bespoke dinner with the Hobbs Family paired with rare wines; private tours of Paul Hobbs Single Vineyard Chardonnay vineyards, lunch with Paul Hobbs and a helicopter ride to the Goldrock Estate in Annapolis, California. Winners will receive an extensive selection of Paul Hobbs wines, including 2 Magnums of 2013 Hobbs Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, the inaugural vintage and 2 allocations of the 2018 Paul Hobbs Single Vineyard release wines. Roundtrip, First Class Airfare to San Francisco, California is included. Sold for: LOT 32: THE PERFECT SCORE! Go for the gold: 2 couples are headed to the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, from Thursday, July 23-Wednesday, July 29, with 6 nights accommodations at the Hilton Tokyo. Plunge into the Games with 4 tickets to the Opening Ceremonies, plus 4 tickets 3 Olympic eventsGymnastics, Swimming and Diving. Also includes a behind-the-scenes tour of the NBC Olympics studios and broadcast facilities and several cultural, artistic and historic tours in Tokyo with an English-speaking guide. Sold for: LOT 33: A TWO-BY-TWO Double your fun: A 2-part lot for 2 couples. Part 1 is New York City, with 2 nights accommodations at The NoMad Hotel and the opportunity to join Zachys Wine Auctions global managing partner Jamie Pollack at a VIP table at one of Zachys wine auctions, followed by a special dinner at Eleven Madison Park with paired wines from Zachys cellar. For Part 2, couples will spend 2 nights in Burgundy at LHtel de Beaune while enjoying visits to Domaine Fourrier; the Cte de Beaune vineyards of Maison Louis Jadot, Domaine Faiveley and dinner at Zachys exclusive wine club, the Bourgogne 1243 Society with library vintages of wines from each of the Domaines visited while in Burgundy. Sold for: LOT 34: SMOKY MOUNTAIN HIGH Light your fire: 3 couples will enjoy a Smoky Mountain getaway with the Araujo Family of Accendo Cellars for 3 nights in Stone Cottages at Blackberry Mountain in Walland, Tennessee. Hike, bike, relax and restore, and savor dinner one night in the Firetower restaurant paired with Accendo Cellars and Trois Noix wines and a finale dinner at Three Sisters, the flagship restaurant of Blackberry Mountain, with wines from the Araujos wine cellar and special selections from Blackberry Mountain. Each couple will take home 1 Magnum of etched 2013 Accendo Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and VIP status on Accendo Cellars mailing list. Sold for: LOT 35: CHAMPAGNE WISHES AND GOURMET DREAMS This one really pops: 4 couples will spend 9 spectacular nights in Champagne from June 20June 29, 2019. Couples will enjoy 3 nights at the Relais & Chteaux LAssiette Champenoise in Reims; a once-in-a-lifetime tasting experience with a key spokesperson for the House of Krug; a private visit to its Clos du Mesnil and Clos dAmbonnay vineyards and a special dinner at 3-starred Michelin restaurant, LAssiette Champenoise. Next, they will board the Pivoine for a barge cruise through Champagne from Chalons-en-Champagne to Chteaux-Thierry to include guided tours, tastings and culinary experiences along the way, with outings to Dom Prignons tomb, the Muse des Beaux-Arts and WWI battle site Belleau Wood. Each couple will enjoy selections of Krug Champagne while on board and take home a Jeroboam of Krug Grand Cuve. Sold for: LOT 36: A TUSCAN TOAST TO YOUR HEALTH Italian relaxation: 2 couples will rest and restore with accommodations for 6 nights at Il Borro in Tuscany. During their stay, they will enjoy access to Il Borro Spa, with one 80-minute Wine Sensory massage per person; a guided private tour and tasting at Il Borro winery; a guided tour of the Wine & Art exhibition and a special Tuscan gourmet dinner at Osteria del Borro. Includes 1 6 Liter IGT Toscana Red Wine, signed by Salvatore Ferragamo to enjoy while in Tuscany. Sold for: LOT 37: IMMERSE YOURSELF Happy Harvest: 4 couples will embrace a 3-day Harvest Immersion experience at Opus One from September 20September 23, 2019. Includes 3 nights accommodations at the Ink House in Rutherford; lunch in the Opus One vineyards; a vineyard walk with Opus One winemaker Michael Silacci; a special dinner on the Opus One Veranda with a globally renowned chef and paired with rare library selections; an early morning harvesting excursion with Michael in the vineyard; a dinner in the new private dining room at Thomas Kellers The French Laundry with paired wines and a finale gala reception and dinner in the new Opus One Salon prepared by chef Gabriel Kreuther of GK New York. Sold for: LOT 38: TIME TO MAKE A SPLASH Magical Michigan: A chance for 2 couples or 4 people to kick back and relax on the waters of Northern Michigans Lake Walloon for 1 week, all from aboard their new 2019 23 LSV Malibu Wakesetter, complete with wakeboard and wakesurf equipment. Includes 1 weeks accommodations at Hotel Walloon; $2,500.00 in dining credits; 12 hours of boating and wakesurfing instructions and $2,000.00 of water sports equipment. Roundtrip, First Class Airfare to Traverse City, Michigan is included. Sold for: LOT 39: LA DOLCE VITA: NAPA VALLEY STYLE Dalla Valle delights: An excursion to Napa Valley to discover Dalla Valle Vineyards for 2 couples. Enjoy 3 nights at Meadowood Napa Valley; a special dinner at the home of Naoko Dalla Valle, hosted by Naoko and her daughter Maya Dalla Valle; a private vineyard tour and tasting and a special dinner at Italian artist Carlo Marchioris Calistoga villa to include a tour of his studio with Champagne and followed by an Italian-style dinner. Couples will also have access to a Rolls-Royce vehicle for use during their stay in Napa Valley. Each couple will take home 2 Magnums of Dalla Valle Vineyard wines. Sold for: LOT 40: THE FIRST GROWTH IS THE SWEETEST The fantastic five: A magnificent 5 Liter bottle of 1982 Chteau Lafite Rothschild as well as 4 bottles from the 1982 vintages of Chteau Haut- Brion, Chteau Latour, Chteau Margaux and Chteau Mouton Rothschild. 2 lucky couples will also have the opportunity to visit to all FIVE First Growth Bordeaux vineyards, complete with 4 nights accommodations at Chteau Cordeillan-Bages in Bordeaux. Visit will include exclusive tours and tastings at Chteau Lafite Rothschild; Chteau Haut-Brion; Chteau Latour; Chteau Margaux and Chteau Mouton Rothschild as well as a special dinner at Chteau Lafite Rothschild with president and CEO Jean- Guillaume Prats, and special lunches at Chteau Haut-Brion and Chteau Margaux. Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare to Bordeaux, France is included. Sold for: LOT 41: A SAVING GRACE Its all for the kids: 1 couple will take home 1 6 Liter 2016 Grace Family Vineyards Blank Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and 1 6 Liter 2016 Grace Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, both etched and hand painted with logos from the 2018 NCEF Beneficiaries. Also enjoy a special white truffle dinner with Italian wine pairings at the Naples home of the winning bidder for 5 couples, prepared by Richard and Larry DAmico and chefs Mike Dalton and Andrew Wicklander. Sold for: LOT 42: SO CLOSE, YET SAFARI AWAY Were not monkeying around: 1 couple is off on a 10-night wildlife South African extravaganza. Spend 2 nights at the Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg before heading off to Kruger National Park for 4 all-inclusive nights2 at the Singita Lebombo Lodge and 2 at the Singita Sweni Lodgewhere youll enjoy a privately-guided safari experience led by conservation film maker James Suter. Wrap up your South African sojourn with 2 nights at the Cape Grace Hotel in Cape Town and 2 nights at the Delaire Graff Estate in the winelands of Stellenbosch. Airfare within South Africa is included. Sold for: LOT 43: ITS A HOME RUN Batter up: A baseball lovers lot for 2 couples, designed to honor the memory of Rusty Staub. Includes 4 nights in New York City at the Marriott Marquis Hotel and 3 nights in Cooperstown, New York at the Otesaga Resort Hotel. Special experiences to include: a private tour of The Met in NYC to see the worlds largest baseball card collection; a private tour of The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown; 4 box seats for a NY Mets game, with team meet-and-greet and access to batting practice; special dinners at renowned New York restaurants and much more. Each couple will take home exclusive baseball collectibles, a Double Magnum of 2011 Staglin Family Vineyard Cabernet and Large Format Burgundy wines. Roundtrip, Premium Class Airfare to New York is included. Sold for: LOT 44: SKY-HIGH ANTIQUARIAN ADVENTURE Just for the jet set: 1 couple will pack their bags for a private jet tour of Europe and an exploration of ancient cities from September 6 September 20, 2019. Enjoy an all-inclusive experience with exceptional accommodations, comprehensive sightseeing in all destinations and all meals from beautiful Luxembourg; to the picturesque city of Bern, Switzerland; to the historic Belgrade, Serbia, followed by lunch in the seaside town of Varna, Bulgaria; to one of the worlds oldest continuously inhabited city of Yerevan, Armenia; to the Rose City of Petra, Jordan and ending with 3 glorious nights in Vienna, Austria. Sold for: LOT 45: EASY RYDER Gulf to golf: Enjoy 4 tickets to all rounds of the 2020 Ryder Cup being held at Whistling Straits Golf Course in Kohler, Wisconsin from September 24September 27, 2020. Includes 4 nights stay at The American Club; dinner at The Immigrant, the clubs 4-star restaurant; exclusive hospitality events throughout the weekend and access to the exclusive Ryder Cup afterparty reception on Sunday, September 27, 2020. Roundtrip, Private Airfare from Florida to Wisconsin is included. Sold for: LOT 46: TENNESSEE, AS YOU LIKE IT A slice of the South: Experience the authentic Old South. Part I: Hunting & Fishing: 3 nights for 3 men in Becky & Lewie Cards cabin at the famous Dunaway Hunting & Fishing Lodge. Part II: Golf & History: 3 couples will spend 3 nights in a luxury cabin at the exclusive Honors Golf Club, as 3 golfers play 3 top-rated golf courses, plus a wide variety of activities for non-golfers. Roundtrip, Private Airfare from Naples to Chattanooga on the Cards Citation Jet is included for both trips. Sold for: LOT 47: EVERYTHINGS BETTER IN RED Wine and shoes: Red makes everything pop: including this lot. 2 couples are off to Bordeaux for 1 night in the private family guesthouse at Chteau Cos dEstournel, to include a private, in-depth tour of the vineyard and gravity-flow cellar; a full range tasting of Cos dEstournels prestigious wines and a special, gourmet dinner prepared by the estate chef paired with wines from the property. Next, its off to Paris, where theyll enjoy 3 nights accommodations at the Mandarin Oriental, Paris and a special Fashion Week experience with shoe designer Christian Louboutin. Couples will have the opportunity to have a drink with the designer; take a tour of his workshop; enjoy a shopping experience with his personal attach and attend his Paris Fashion Show. Winning couples will not only take home 1 of only 10 12 Liter bottles of 2015 COS100 made, but also 2 limited-edition, bespoke Christian Louboutin handbags and either 2 signed and personalized Christian Louboutin Paloma clutches or 2 signed and personalized pairs of Christian Louboutins famous red- soled shoes. Sold for: LOT 48: TAKE THIS SPIDER FOR A SPIN The mighty McLaren: 1 2019 McLaren 720S Spider convertible, ordered to the winning bidders specifications. The winner will have the opportunity to select between various color and trim options and the car will also feature a special plaque showing its one-of-one specification status for the 2019 NWWF. Sold for: LOT 49: SET SAIL WITH DARIOUSH Its Crystal-clear: 2 couples will embark upon a Mediterranean and Adriatic cruise with NWWF vintners Shahpar & Darioush Khaledi aboard the Crystal Esprit from June 9June 16, 2019. The all-inclusive, 31-cabin luxury yacht will follow along the coasts of Southern Italy and Croatia, exploring Sorrento, the Sicilian Coast and Dubrovnik while couples enjoy bespoke excursions and unique experiences at Italys most stunning ports of call. Couples will each take home a Double Magnum of 2015 Darioush Darius II Cabernet Sauvignon. Business Class Airfare from New York to Rome, Italy and from Dubrovnik, Croatia is included. Sold for: LOT 50: MOLTO BENE! Fantastic Florence: 2 couples will get their Florentine fix with 3 nights in the Cradle of the Renaissance. Includes: accommodations at a 5-star hotel; dinner with Fontodi proprietors Letizia & Giovanni Manetti at the 3-starred Michelin restaurant, Enoteca Pinchiorri; a private tour and tasting at Fontodi; guided tours of the Accademia Gallery and the Uffizi Gallery; lunch at the Manettis prepared by celebrity chef/butcher Dario Cecchini and a special day trip to Siena and the walled city of San Gimignano. Once home, winners can toast to their memories with a 12 Liter bottle of 2015 Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve. Sold for: LOT 51: A CELESTIAL DREAM Simply stargazing: 2 couples will turn their eyes to the skies for an exclusive stargazing experience at OVID. Napa Valley atop Pritchard Hill. Enjoy 3 nights at the Duncan Familys private residence at Calistoga Ranch; a starlit dinner featuring bison from the Duncan Familys Diamond Tail Ranch in Colorado paired with wines from the OVID. library; a behind-the-scenes tour of OVID. with managing partner, Jack Bittner, followed by a vertical tasting of OVID. and special dinners at the 3-starred Michelin restaurantsThe French Laundry and The Restaurant at Meadowood. The couples will take home a Double Magnum bottle of OVID. Napa Valley Proprietary Red Wine from each vintage from 2009 through 2014 and 1 Celestron VX 11 f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope. Roundtrip, Premium Class Airfare to San Francisco, California is included. Sold for: LOT 52: BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY: AND BVLGARI Roll out the red carpet: Big screen getaway to New York City and the Tribeca Film Festival with BVLGARI for 2 couples in April 2019 or 2020. Visit includes 4 nights accommodations at a 5-star luxury hotel in NYC, with 4 all-access passes to 3 days of the Festival, exclusive access to the official red carpet premieres of BVLGARIs two short films and 4 tickets to 1 additional Tribeca Film Festival gala premiere. Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare to New York, New York is included. Sold for: LOT 53: A WINDOW ON THE WORLD Sea it all: 2 couples will find a home-away-from-home aboard The World, a private residential ship that circumnavigates the globe, for 14 nights. The 2-bedroom, 1,106-square-foot residence includes a private chef for 1 dinner party, a bespoke destination experience, two 1-hour spa treatments at The World Spa; a vertical wine tasting experience with the sommelier and all meals and beverages aboard ship, including select fine wines and spirits. Sold for: LOT 54: A TOAST TO HISTORY AND HEROES Breathtaking Burgundy: 2 couples will have a chance to discover the world of Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune, France. Enjoy 3 nights in the restored 18th-century family guest house at Joseph Drouhin in the historic center of Beaune; a private visit to the ancient cellars of the Dukes of Burgundy and Kings of France with a tasting of special wine selections; a private dinner with Vronique Boss-Drouhin; private tours through some of the most prestigious vineyards of Burgundy and a VIP Maurice Drouhin tour at the Hospices of Beaune. Couples will each take home a Magnum of select Joseph Drouhin Grand Cru and Premier Cru wines. Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare to Paris, France is included. Sold for: LOT 55: SIMPLY THE BEST The best of Italy: Italy is ready to dazzle the 1 couple who takes home this auction lot. Spend 2 nights at Villa Le Luci in Castagneto Carducci, exploring Le Macchiole with private tastings of special vintages with proprietor Cinzia Merli, followed by dinner at the Michelin-starred restaurant, La Pineta. Then, head out on a 7-night Best of Italy experience to include an exclusive dinner at the home of Elisa Piccini and 1 customized piece of jewelry from Fratelli Piccini. Couple will take part in a cultural and culinary excursion through Italy with Elisa Piccini and Michelin-starred chef Peter Brunel. Enjoy special meals at several Michelin-starred restaurants; a panoramic tour of Garda Lake; a helicopter flight over the Dolomites and an exclusive finale dinner at Atelier Fratelli Piccini on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence prepared by chef Peter Brunel. Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare to Florence, Italy is included. Sold for: LOT 56: THE FANTASTIC FOURSOME Pour four: 3 couples are off to the luxurious Meadowood Resort in Napa Valley for a 3 nights stay and exploration of Carte Blanche wines. Couples will enjoy VIP private tours and tastings at Carte Blanche, Keplinger Wines, Relic Wine Cellars and Macauley Vineyard; a vertical wine-tasting luncheon at the Meadowood Grille and dinner at the Three-starred Michelin restaurant, The Restaurant at Meadowood, paired with Carte Blanche wines with proprietor Nicholas Allen, winemaker Helen Keplinger and general manager DJ Warner. Each couple will take home 1 Magnum of the following 2015 Carte Blanche wines: UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast Chardonnay; Sun Chase Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir; Napa Valley Propriety Red Wine and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Sold for: LOT 57: THE TRAVELERS CHINA Past and present: An epic journey to take in the sights and sounds of China and Hong Kong for 2 couples. The itinerary begins with 3 nights at The Rosewood Hotel in Beijing, where couples will enjoy guided sightseeing of the most notable Beijing landmarks, as well as a full-day at The Great Wall with lunch on the Wall. Couples will travel next to Shanghai for 3 nights at The Peninsula, Shanghai and enjoy a chartered cruise along the Huangpu River and guided sightseeing throughout the city. Xian is next, where couples will spend 3 nights at the Sofitel Peoples Grand Hotel Xian and explore the Terracotta Warriors Museum and enjoy a visit to the Great Mosque. The trip concludes with 3 nights at The Peninsula Hong Kong where the couples will check off popular sightseeing sites such as a chartered cruise to see the Symphony of Lights on Victoria Harbour, Lantau Island and much more. Sold for: LOT 58: HEAVEN CAN WAIT Bridge of sighs: 3 couples will spend 1 night in San Francisco, with dinner at the Michelin-starred restaurant, Quince, followed by 3 nights at the Knights Valley home of Knights Bridge co-founder Jim Bailey, designed by architect, Howard Backen. Delight in a special farm-to-table dinner at the estate with wines the from 5,000-bottle estate cellar and prepared by the executive chef of Knights Bridge; a private tour of the Knights Bridge vineyard; a private tasting at The Vault, as well as other tastings at Howard Backen-designed properties; and meals at several Michelin- starred restaurants to include Solbar, SingleThread, The French Laundry and The Restaurant at Meadowood. Couples will take home a special selection of Knights Bridge wines in a variety of formats. Sold for: LOT 59: GLORIOUS GALPAGOS Island time: The legendary Galpagos await 4 couples on this memorable 5-night experience from May 13May 18, 2020. Spend 1 night at the Casa Gangotena Hotel in Quito, Ecuador before embarking on the 128-foot M/Y Grand Majestic, and cruising to Baltra Island, El Barranco, Rabida Island, Chinese Hat Islet, Witch Hill, Los Lobos Island and taking a special excursion to the Charles Darwin Station on Santa Cruz Island. Yacht features a crew of 8, with a Galpagos Park naturalist/guide, a yacht manager and a professional photographer. Premium Class Airfare from Quito to Baltra Island and from San Cristbal return to Quito is included. Sold for: LOT 60: THE CITY OF LIGHTS AND POETRY Poetry and Paris: A two-part lot for 2 couples. Part 1 begins with 7 nights in Cliff Ledes newly renovated, 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath apartment in Paris, France. Enjoy guided tours at Notre Dame Cathedral; the ateliers of 3 young French designers, an evening dinner cruise along the Seine aboard the yacht, Cachemire, a special cooking class at Chef Martial, dinner at Restaurant Laserre and an exclusive day trip to Champagne visiting the Houses of Dom Prignon and Veuve Clicquot. Part 2 will find the lucky couples in Napa Valley, spending 2 nights at Poetry Inn for a VIP tour and Platinum Tasting at Cliff Lede Vineyards and a private, multi-course dinner hosted by Cliff in his home and paired with top wines from the Lede Family Wines portfolio, along with gems from Cliffs private cellar. Couples will also each receive 3 Magnums of Cliff Lede Vineyards 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Sold for: LOT 61: BIG WIDE WORLD OF WINE Old World, New World: A cornucopia of Old and New World wines gives this lot its undeniable appeal. And the winner takes home more than bottles: This lot also includes 2 special wine experiences. Part 1 is all about the New World and Lingua Franca. 2 couples will spend 3 nights in the Willamette Valley, and enjoy a private visit to the Lingua Franca Estate Vineyard with Master Sommelier and Lingua Franca founder, Larry Stone, as well as a savor a special winemaker luncheon; finale dinner with the Lingua Franca team and day of tours and tastings with Larry. Part 2 is all about the Old World and Valdicava as the couples will spend 2 nights at the Hotel dei Capitani in Montalcino while enjoying a private tour and tasting in the cellar at Valdicava; a day trip to Siena; a special dinner with Valdicava proprietor, Vincenzo Abbruzzese and his son, PierFilippo Abbbbruzzese and more. The winning couples will also take home an Instant Cellar of 52 bottles of New and Old World wines, a 24-bottle collection of 2016 Lingua Franca Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines, a 9 Liter bottle of Valdicavas Madonna del Piano Riserva and 6 Magnums of Brunello di Montalcino. Sold for: LOT 62: SMOOTH SAILING See you next year: The Jeroboam Package for the 2020 NWWF (January 23January 26, 2020) includes 3 nights in Resort View rooms at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples, for 2 couples and 4 VIP tickets to each festival event starting with Thursdays exclusive Grand Crew Party. 1 couple will also set sail aboard an inaugural Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruise in 2020; choosing between 4 exciting itineraries. Sold for: LOT 63: BEAUTIFUL MINDS, A CHILDRENS MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE Fund a Need: The auction lot that fills you with joy. Drop your cards in the bucket and support NCEFs initiative to fundamentally transform and expand mental health care for at-risk children in Collier County. Sold for: CLOSE The three-day Naples Winter Wine Festival combines the best of wine and food with a live auction. Here's what you should know about the event. Megan Kearney, [email protected] Read or Share this story: https://www.naplesnews.com/story/entertainment/festivals/wine/2019/01/26/2019-naples-winter-wine-festival-how-much-did-each-auction-lot-go-for/2676676002/
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https://www.naplesnews.com/story/entertainment/festivals/wine/2019/01/26/2019-naples-winter-wine-festival-how-much-did-each-auction-lot-go-for/2676676002/
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Were The 9/11 Attacks Coordinated By CIA And Mossad?
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The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Israeli spy agency Mossad both played crucial roles in the sophisticated intel operation that was the 9/11 attacks in New York, according to founder of the Scholars for 9/11 Truth, James Henry Fetzer The highest levels of the U.S. government are implicated in covering-up Saudi Arabias role in the 9/11 attacks, and the extent of the cover-up went far beyond hiding 28 pages of a congressional report on 9/11 which was released in 2002. Press TV reports: Pointing to investigations by case agents interviewed at the Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF) in Washington and San Diego, along with police detectives who investigated the incident, the Post said, Virtually every road led back to the Saudi Embassy in Washington, as well as the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles. In an interview with Press TV, James Henry Fetzer, founder of the Scholars for 9/11 Truth, said the report had an unusual significance because it cites sources that have been directly involved in the investigations about the incident. We know that 15 of the 19 alleged hijackers were from Saudi Arabia; we know that none of them were from Iraq. We know that the 28 missing pages report on Saudi funding for 9/11, he said Sunday. Citing its sources, the Post said the 28-page report comprises the entire final chapter of the congressional report, dealing with foreign support for the September 11 hijackers, and offers incontrovertible evidence by the CIA and the FBI that reveals official Saudi assistance for at least two of the Saudi hijackers who settled in San Diego. Fetzer said the US also flew several Saudi nationals to their country on 9/11, although all commercial flights were ordered to be grounded. We also know that the 9/11 appears to have as its director Dick Cheney, Fetzer noted. Former US President George Bush and his vice president, Cheney, reportedly told the congressional commission investigating the 9/11 that they would not be formally interviewed in relation to the attacks that killed 3,000 people. Fetzer said strong evidence substantiates that this was a very sophisticated intel operation, involving coordination between the CIA and the Mossad. He said dual Israeli citizens in the US Department of Defense also played a significant role in facilitating the attacks by keeping the airports from responding to the attacks. President Barack Obama and his Vice President Joe Biden are also involved in the cover-up, Fetzer said, arguing that they deliberately neglected their obligations upon taking office.
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https://newspunch.com/were-the-911-attacks-coordinated-by-cia-and-mossad/
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Is there another solution to the anti-encroachment operation in Karachi?
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Those people who had saved for years for their children's weddings, answered Haider.When big buildings are going to be knocked down, the ones who will suffer are the residents who saved up to buy apartments, he said. Is it practically possible to tackle this problem in Karachi without the public suffering, he asked.A prime example is that of Empress Market, where thousands were left unemployed after the anti-encroachment drive and the reaction we saw afterwards, he said.The government needs to think about how to deal with the reaction to its operation, he said.Encroachments should definitely be acted against, said Haider, but is there a solution to this problem that doesn't involve demolition and destruction?We need to sit down and think about how we can solve this issue with the least amount of damage, he said.
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https://www.samaa.tv/opinion/2019/01/is-there-another-solution-to-the-anti-encroachment-operation-in-karachi/
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Will the Celtics challenge the Warriors in a potential NBA Finals preview?
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At the start of the 2018-19 season, many predicted the Boston Celtics would face off against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. 20 games into the season, the Celtics sat at a mediocre 10-10 with questions looming about Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving and the team as a whole. The Warriors ran into their own problems when Stephen Curry suffered a groin injury that cost him 11 games. Boston rattled off eight consecutive wins after their .500 start but hit a rough patch a few weeks back before a statement win over the Toronto Raptors. Golden State picked up right where they left off when Curry returned, and now that DeMarcus Cousins is back, watch out. That brings us to the first matchup of the season between the two teams and each side is nearly exactly where they want to be. The Celtics have rattled off five wins in a row and the Warriors have won nine games in a row. More importantly for this contest, the Celtics are riding a 10-game winning streak at the TD Garden while the Warriors have won eight straight on the road. In an era where Golden State has seemingly dominated everyone, Boston has always been there to give them a hard time. And there have been some battles in this series. The Celtics took them to double overtime, falling just short of handing them their first loss of the season - which they suffered the next night on a back-to-back. I.T. and the Celtics got their revenge later that season, defeating Golden State at Oracle Arena. The Warriors are 5-3 versus the Celtics in the Steve Kerr era (2014-present), but the teams are 3-3 in their past six meetings dating back to that double overtime game. Since the Warriors added Kevin Durant to the mix, it has been an even 2-2 split. Durant scored 23 to beat Boston on their home floor in his first game against the Celtics as a member of the Warriors. That same season, Thomas stepped up with 25 points against the Warriors on the road to avenge that loss. https://images.performgroup.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/ab/b6/irving-curry-celtics-warriors-ftrjpg_1w6pnmsg51ge1nq6b7dlh26yw.jpg?t=-2014329216&w=500&quality=80 The next season, the Celtics held Curry to nine points to beat the Warriors in a defensive battle in Boston. But Curry dropped 49 points at Oracle later that year to earn the win, outdueling Irving's 37 points. They play great team defence and force the Warriors to play at their pace. In Boston's last two wins over Golden State, they held them to 86 and 88 points, respectively. In the Kerr era, the Warriors have only been held under the 90-point mark 14 times. 2-12. Of those games, only the Celtics and San Antonio Spurs have accomplished this feat more than once. What makes this so ridiculous is the fact that Boston has only faced the Warriors eight times since 2014. (The Spurs have faced them 15 times in that span). Head coach Brad Stevens loves to utilize his team's versatility in each matchup against Golden State. They play switch-heavy defence for four quarters and slow down the pace to try and make the Warriors play a half-court style of basketball - each of their last four meetings have had under 100 total possessions. The Warriors have played three games with Cousins in the lineup and they have averaged 104.7 possessions in those games, a slight uptick from their 101.9 possessions per game this season. If the Celtics want to continue to give the Warriors problems, they'll have to do exactly what they've done in the past - slow it up on offence, play physical defence and make the game as ugly as possible. https://images.performgroup.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/40/ef/brown-durant-celtics-warriors-ftr_1mjmthhw63qyh1vgs4a605muq4.jpg?t=-2013458640&w=500&quality=80 That's a lot easier said than done, though, as the Warriors have the best offensive rating in the NBA (115.7 points per 100 possessions) this season. Even scarier: Golden State is better offensively on the road, boasting a 116.5 offensive rating, a full five points better than the next closest team. Their plus-7.3 net rating on the road is the best in the league as well, further proving how hard it is to beat this team no matter the location. If the Warriors win this contest, it will be their eighth double-digit win streak in the Kerr era. That would be two-times the amount of the next closest team in that span. (The Houston Rockets are next, with four double-digit win streaks). Last season, Kerr called the Celtics 'the future of the East' - he was reminded of that this past week when The Athletic's Anthony Slater asked him about his current thoughts, "I remember that," Kerr stated. "...I still feel that way, but they're not alone."
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https://www.sportingnews.com/au/nba/news/boston-celtics-golden-state-warriors-kyrie-irving-stephen-curry-demarcus-cousin-kevin-durant-jayson-tatum/1pcvfh5osrr5k1dw5vtx5cfnpb
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What is at stake for Russia in Venezuela?
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The regime of Nicolas Maduro is struggling for power against his opposition rivals in Venezuela. Maduro is backed by Moscow and his departure from power would also be a loss for Russia, in more ways than one. Rosneft's loan of six billion dollars Russia's most immediate worry is the oil giant Rosneft, which is majority-owned by the Russian state. In 2017, it was reported that Rosneft effectively granted a $6 billion (5.26 billion) loan to Venezuela. The Venezuelan side was expected to repay it by giving Rosneft stakes in five major projects with their own energy company, Petroleos de Venezuela SA. The rest of the debt would be covered by oil deliveries. Read more: Venezuela's Maduro visits Moscow to ask Russia for more money Watch video 00:37 Now live 00:37 mins. Maduro: 'Russia gives its full support' As of late 2018, Rosneft owned between 25 and 40 percent of the five ventures but deliveries had been delayed, prompting Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin to travel to Caracas in November. However, taking into account that the deal is set to expire in 2019, it is safe to assume that Rosneft has already retrieved most of its money. It also appears unlikely that a new government would expropriate funds provided by foreign investors as long as these stakes were obtained legally, without corruption. In other words, any traders rushing to get rid of Rosneft stocks at the Moscow stock market this week may have acted prematurely. Russian money for Russian weapons The situation appears to be more complicated when it comes to loans that Russia approved to Venezuela for buying Russian arms. According to Russian media, Moscow has transferred some $11 billion to Caracas for this purpose in the last two decades. It is not clear how much of that sum has been repaid. However, there are reports that Moscow is restructuring Venezuela's debts under favorable conditions. Read more: Russia flies nuclear-capable bombers to Venezuela It is far from certain that a new government would be willing to pay the money back to Russia. For example, Ukraine is still refusing to repay a massive 2013 loan which Russia approved to boost pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovich. However, even if Venezuela does not pay back its debt, the project would not be a pure loss to Russia. The funds were used to produce Kalashnikov rifles, military jets, helicopters, tanks and other Russian weaponry, boosting Russia's own arm industry. Watch video 01:00 Now live 01:00 mins. Russia, China, Turkey: Maduro still our man Hitting where it hurts All in all, Russia stands to lose about 11 billion if there is regime change in Venezuela. But this sum pales in comparison to the possible impact of Venezuela's enormous oil reserves on global markets. Experts believe that Venezuela has more oil than any other country in the world, including Saudi Arabia. However, after 20 years of mismanagement under Hugo Chavez and later Maduro, the oil industry has deteriorated dramatically and plays only a minor role on the world stage. A new government could install more capable leaders in the oil sector, who could in turn revive Venezuela's oil industry and exports. Also, western most likely American companies could be allowed back into the country. This development could create a completely new playing field for global oil deliveries and bring down oil prices. This would be a worst-case scenario for Russia, whose economy relies heavily on oil and gas exports, and keeping the price of oil at the higher end of the scale. Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.
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https://www.dw.com/en/what-is-at-stake-for-russia-in-venezuela/a-47250675
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Are we supposed to believe that Texas and Texas A&M don't have the means to renew their football rivalry sooner than later?
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FILE - Texas A&M fans cheer as the held a lead during the second half of their Thanksgiving day game at Kyle Field in College Station, on Thursday, November 24, 2011. (Michael Ainsworth/The Dallas Morning News) Ben Baby, Texas A&M football beat writer for SportsDayDFW.com and The Dallas Morning News, answered your questions about the team and the SEC in a live chat Thursday. Baby: Great question. I don't think the problem is with the transfer portal. It's merely a function to accommodate the restlessness across college football. In an era of immediacy, college athletes are less willing to be patient for playing time or weather difficult situations. And I think we're all the same way. Nobody really wants to wait for anything, anymore. I have plenty of friends who are itching to find new jobs if they're unhappy with where they're at after a couple of years. Even if an actual transfer "portal" didn't exist, the rate of people looking for new schools wouldn't really change. The only new wrinkle is the NCAA established a database that helps schools contact athletes on the market. The trend is only going to increase. Baby: Here's the easy answer -- both schools are either all talk, or one is scared of the other. Every time someone has the discussion, talk about being tied up with future schedules comes up. Yeah, OK. Everyone knows A&M and Texas have plenty of money to make the game happen. It's up to them to figure it out.
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https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college-sports/texasamaggies/2019/01/26/supposed-believe-texas-texas-am-dont-means-renew-football-rivalry-sooner-later
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What Does A Broadway Costume Designer Actually Do?
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In his script for his 1980 play True West, Sam Shepard goes to considerable pains to describe how his central characters, two ostensibly very different brothers, are dressed. Austin, the timid screenwriter, is wearing a light blue sports shirt, light tan cardigan sweater, clean blue jeans and white tennis shoes. Lee, the older brother, wears a filthy white T-shirt; tattered brown overcoat covered with dust; dark blue baggy suit pants (from the Salvation Army); pink suede belt; scuffed, pointed, black forties dress shoes with holes in the soles; no socks; no hat. Thats not to mention the apparent need for long, pronounced sideburns, Gene Vincent hairdo, beard (two days growth) and bad teeth. Kaye Voyce, the costume designer for the new Roundabout Theatre production of True West, starring Paul Dano as Austin and Ethan Hawke as Lee, didnt feel at all limited by Shepards seeming specificity. For starters, she has Lee wearing a shiny maroon dress shirt under his tattered coat, at least at first, and gives Austin a pair of glasses. I dont feel like the details he gives are prescriptive, she says, of Shepard. To me, they are beautiful clues to the characters and the world, and a great starting place. And those clues will mean different things to each team of designers, directors and actors. The clues helped to remind me to push for the extremes in these humans. Voyce describes the art of costume design, in collaboration with the director, actors and other designers, as a kind of active collage process. With more contemporary clothes, its all about hunting down the right pieces, being open to surprise and how things are put together, she says. And often, something just feels right or really wrong on someones body. If an actor doesnt feel comfortable in a garment its really hard to believe it as a costume. Sometimes you want something to be ill-fit or a little strangebut the actor has to make the connection physically. Sometimes, the effect of costume design might be illuminating in a subliminal way. Asked if there was an aspect of her work on True West she found personally satisfying, she mentioned an aspect that, first and foremost, served the actors in their performances. In our conversations, we realized how central the absence of the father is in the play, explained Voyce. There are elements of Lee and Austins costumes that relate to their ideas of this man. Nobody should know it, but it means something to me and the actors.
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/darrynking/2019/01/26/what-does-a-broadway-costume-designer-actually-do/
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Did Donald Trump Ever Really Fire Roger Stone?
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Subscribe to our free newsletters. Donald Trumps campaign said Saturday it has fired top political adviser Roger Stone who promptly denied being let go and insisted he had quit. .Mr. Trump fired Roger Stone last night. We have a tremendously successful campaign and Roger wanted to use the campaign for his own personal publicity. He has had a number of articles about him recently and Mr. Trump wants to keep the focus of the campaign on how to Make America Great Again, a campaign spokesperson said in a statement. Stone, however, told CNN that he categorically denies being fired, and provided what he said was his resignation letter. Allegedly, Stone quit because he was unhappy about Trumps food fight with @megynkelly taking attention away from core issue messages. Please raise your hand if you ever believed this. Roger Stone lives for televised food fights and has less than zero interest in policy messaging. I know that Trump and Stone had supposedly been bickering for weeks, but even if that were true, its hardly credible that the Megyn Kelly affair would have been the thing to finally tip him over the edge. Anyway, thats what I remember thinking at the time: that this whole thing was a prearranged sham. Stone was more comfortable and more effective doing his thing while being able to claim that he had no connection to the Trump campaign, so he and Trump arranged a loud parting of the ways that no one could ignore. From that point on, Trump could disclaim any knowledge or connection to anything Stone did. In the end, that didnt help Stone, who was arrested and indicted yesterday over charges of lying to Congress about WikiLeaks, tampering with witnesses, and obstructing a House investigation into possible Trump campaign coordination with Russia to tip the election. Stay tuned!
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https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2019/01/did-donald-trump-ever-really-fire-roger-stone/
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Can trip to rival Michigan help Michigan State women's basketball solve Big Ten road woes?
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CLOSE MSU coach Suzy Merchant examines the differences in her squads play between home and the road following practice January 23, 2019. Brian Calloway, Lansing State Journal EAST LANSING - Suzy Merchant has been perplexed by the results. The players are the same. The offense has been the same. The defense has also been the same. Bu the results haven't been that way for her Michigan State women's basketball team when it has ventured on the road in Big Ten play. The No. 23-ranked Spartans have handled their business at home all season with wins over nationally ranked teams Oregon, Iowa, Minnesota and Maryland. But with their conference road schedule about halfway complete, the Spartans are still searching for their first Big Ten victory away from Breslin Center. "We've got four or five kids that are half the production from home to road," said Merchant, whose squad has tried changing routines and other things to try to solve their road woes. "You've got to be consistent to be good. The road is tough, but my teams have always been really good on the road so this is kind of a little bit of new territory for me to be honest." MSU hopes a trip to visit rival Michigan on Sunday can be the thing that helps solve the road issues. That trip to Ann Arbor is one of five remaining road games prior to the Big Ten Tournament for the Spartans, who are trying to emerge out of the middle of the conference standings. And MSU knows it's imperative to get some road wins because of the possibilities it could present for the postseason. The Spartans have some quality wins on their resume, but are just being held back by their road struggles. Michigan State coach Suzy Merchant, center, talks to her players during a timeout against Iowa in an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State won 84-70. (AP Photo/Al Goldis) (Photo: Al Goldis, AP) MSU was projected as a No. 7 seed in NCAA tournament projections by ESPN's Charlie Creme this week. The Spartans could give themselves the opportunity to host the opening rounds of the tourney if they are one of the top 16 seeds overall, which would be a big deal since they are 12-0 with several big wins at Breslin this season. "We're trying to earn that," MSU junior captain Taryn McCutcheon said. "In my opinion we shouldn't host if we can't win an away game. That's the difference between a good and a great team. We're good. We can win at home. If we're going to be great, we've got to be able to win anywhere against anyone. To be able to host we're going to have to win these next couple of away games and finish out the Big Ten strong. "We know what we have to do. We know we have to win, and win on the road especially." RELATED: Defensive captain Victoria Gaines on mission to give more to MSU women's hoops on offense MSU women's basketball stays perfect at home, knocks off No. 9-ranked Maryland After a month away, Shay Colley beginning to return to form for MSU women's basketball Contact Brian Calloway at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @brian_calloway. SUNDAY'S GAME Michigan State (14-5, 4-4 Big Ten) at Michigan (12-8, 3-5) When: 2 p.m. Where: Crisler Center (Ann Arbor) TV: Big Ten Network
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https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports/college/msu/womens-basketball/2019/01/26/michigan-state-womens-basketball-pursuit-big-ten-road-victory/2678784002/
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Did Manic Street Preachers Richey Edwards fake his death?
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The disappearance of Manic Street Preachers Richey Edwards who left his car at the Severn Bridge on 1st February 1995 and hasn't been seen since has baffled investigators. Courtesy Channel Four Manic Street Preachers star Richey Edwards staged his disappearance more than two decades ago, a new book has claimed. As The Sun reports, mystery has surrounded the Welsh rockers fate since he vanished at just 27-years-old in 1995. He was officially presumed dead by authorities in 2008. But a new book, the first to be supported by his sister Rachel, has revealed a theory the musician could still be alive and is in Israel. Withdrawn Traces Searching For The Truth About Richey Manic by Sara Hawys Roberts and Leon Noakes investigated the guitarists life to find his family had a history of disappearing and his fascination with recluses. Richey was last seen on February 1, 1995, with his car found abandoned by the Severn Bridge in Bristol two weeks later. The book has since trawled through his personal archive and interviewed friends and family who have previously never spoken over two years. Author Sara told Wales News: It does feel like an uncanny series of puzzle pieces but how to get them all to fit together is very hard. She added: With all the books and all the different things hed left and all the things hed spoken about before going missing there were some symbolic things in there that would lead you to think oh yeah he did plan his disappearance. TRACKING RICHEY Part of the investigation saw the team try to track down a mystery woman by the name of Vivian who was in a hotel with Richey the night before the disappearance. Sara said: We havent been able to track her down. Apparently the night before Richey was trying to give Vivian his passport saying I wont be needing this anymore. A link to Israel also emerged during the books investigations. One theory suggested that the guitarist had planned on going to Israel, with one of his tattoos based on Dantes The Divine Comedy including the word Jerusalem. And to add more mystery, even Cardiff hairdressers share the belief. Writer Sara said her co-author Leon was getting a haircut when the case came up, with Sara saying: The lady cutting his hair said hes actually living in a kibbutz in Israel, everybody knows. As you can imagine, it took him back. And while seemingly far-fetched, Richeys sister Rachel confirmed he had wanted to visit the Middle Eastern country before he disappeared. And the musicians fascination with recluses like JD Salinger and the old TV show The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin a black comedy about a man who fakes his own death could point to him staging his own disappearance. Sightings have since suggested he could have been seen in Goa, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura over the past two decades. The book also examined Richeys family examining the story of his Great-Aunt Bessie who lived as a hermit for 80 years, as well as his uncle Shane who went off the grid after travelling to the US in the early 60s. Another of the books theory suggested that Richey, who could be robotic, android-like could have had Aspergers and wanted to escape. But tragically, both of Richeys parents, Sherry and Graham, have died, never knowing their sons fate. In a foreword to the book, sister Rachel said: I was 24-years-old when I last saw my brother. 24 years have passed since the day that he went missing. I have been without him for half of my life. I am almost the same age that my mother was when her son disappeared. This article originally appeared on The Sun and has been republished with permission.
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https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/manic-street-preachers-singer-richey-edwards-faked-his-own-death-claims-new-book/news-story/c410c72ccdcafefc7997eaf2766b83aa
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Was Nicki Minajs wardrobe malfunction staged?
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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) Although Nicki Minajs show-stopping wardrobe malfunction at the start of the 2014 Video Music Awards appeared accidental, the whole affair may have been staged. The 31-year-old rapper performed Anaconda before slipping off stage to change into a black mini dress. The plan was to return minutes later and join Jessie J and Ariana Grande for a live rendition of their single Bang Bang. Things seemingly went off course when Minaj remerged holding her dress together with her hands. According to TMZ, Minaj pulled the same stunt during a dress rehearsal Sunday morning. An insider said Minajs antics looked suspicious when she began pulling at the dress to see which areas would be exposed. E! News reports Minaj appeared backstage after her performance and yelled to reporters, You all know I had a wardrobe malfunction We ran out of time getting the dress zipped up. She thanked God her nipple didnt fall out on stage. As long as a nipple didnt come out to play, Im fine, she wrote on Instagram. In a separate post, Minaj claims she wasnt ready to reveal all. I held on to that dress for DEAR LIFE!!! There was no bra and no panties to save me, she said. Took real commitment.
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https://pagesix.com/2014/08/25/was-nicki-minajs-vma-wardrobe-malfunction-staged/
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Should Greater Manchester's trams and buses run for 24 hours a day?
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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 appointment of Greater Manchester's first night tsar was about boosting the night time economy and transforming Manchester into a '24-hour city'. Parklife and Warehouse Project boss Sacha Lord was tasked with bolstering the region's nightlife while making nights out safer. City leaders, and Sacha himself, argue it can't - and some say Greater Manchester was actually closer to that goal more than a decade ago, when night buses across Greater Manchester were extended to run into the morning. A few were taken on commercially by operators while the rest were subsidised by the councils. But then austerity bit - and most night buses are now a distant memory. Meanwhile, most trams and trains stop running after midnight - unlike in cities like Berlin, Amsterdam and London where the public transport network runs through the night on weekends. Speaking at a Transport for Greater Manchester meeting, Trafford councillor Stephen Adshead said Greater Manchester needed a 24-hour transport system. In response, Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester mayor, said he would like to see night running of Metrolink, adding: "And I know Sacha Lord wants to see that and Greater Manchester Police wants to see that. " (Image: Mark Waugh) "We need a better public transport system and better public safety and it's not just party-goers, it's people who work night shifts." He said key to the issue was how such a network would be funded. Meanwhile Roger Jones, a councillor on the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, agreed the answer lies in funding. He said: "I don't think you can have a major city now where you don't have at least one form of transport that's running through the night. "The fares may be dearer - say 50pc higher after midnight because you may need a guard, but nevertheless ideally the trams should be running until the early hours, at least 3am. (Image: Manchester Evening News) "Then if you're starting again at 6am you may as well just run them through the night and have a premium fare." Like Mr Burnham, he recognises the biggest challenge is funding. "Metrolink is doing really well but the reason the fares are relatively high is because there is no taxpayer subsidy. "We can't run the trams at a loss. "I do think cities like Manchester have got to look at a night bus network too." (Image: Carl Sukonik) When Sacha Lord was first appointed as night tsar by the mayor, there was a public call for an extension to transport hours. And Mr Lord told the M.E.N he is keen to see round-the-clock transport - while a compromise of bus and tram services running further into the night would be a move in the right direction. For inspiration, he looks to cities like Berlin, where most U-Bahn lines (their Metrolink equivalent) run from 4am until 1am on weekdays, when the night bus takes over. At weekends, it runs 24-hours. He said: "My vision has always been not just about the city centre. There are 10 boroughs in Greater Manchester and I think all 10 have got their own different night time economy and should become more accessible. "If you live in Oldham and go for a night out in Altrincham the last tram is at 12.30am so it cuts your night short. "When Andy Burnham asked me to take on this role in June I was keen to open a conversation on transport." Mr Lord says this has led to 'positive' dialogue with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), adding: "I've had several really positive meetings with them. "I don't want to compare Greater Manchester to anywhere but I think Berlin have nailed it with their transport system and think if we want to be a 24-hour city that's certainly one of the things we need to look at. I'm not suggesting transport should be 24 hours - although that would be ideal - but I think transport is key to improving the night time economy." He added: "I know people who go to gigs at the arena mid-week and everyone knows when you go to a gig, the encore is normally the big one - the hit everyone is waiting for. "I know people who have to miss the big hit because they have to get the last tram, train or bus - it just doesn't seem sensible." Danny Vaughan is TfGM's head of Metrolink. He said there were already trams running from 3am on the Airport line and that network was already active late at night. He added: Last year we extended operating hours on Sundays to bring them in line with other weekday services, however our current analysis indicates there is not currently sufficient demand to run through the night or even extend operating hours until 3 or 4am. We are however willing to work closely with Greater Manchesters leaders, GMP and the Night Time Economy Advisor to ensure Metrolink serves and reflects the changing demands of our city-region and that we can provide the best service possible to our customers.
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https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/greater-manchester-transport-24-hour-15722120
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Whats next for East Bay skating phenom Alysa Liu?
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U.S. Figure Skating officials announced Saturday morning the womens assignments for the international season, including the 2019 World Championships in Japan. The only name that matters right now was not listed. Richmonds Alysa Liu is too young to skate in international competition this season even as a junior. She even missed the July 1 age cutoff by five weeks to be eligible for the Junior World Championships in March in Croatia. But the 13-year-old girl transformed American skating overnight with a transcendent performance to become the youngest person in history to win a U.S. skating title. Over two days Liu proved American skating is not irrelevant by landing three triple axels, the demanding 3 rotation jump that youngsters in Russia and Japan are doing with regularity. Liu was the only woman in Detroit to try the forward take-off jump because of its difficulty. The women heading to the World Championships 2018 champion Bradie Tennell and Mariah Bell say they dont worry about Lius technical wizardry. Like almost everyone in this sport, the women say they focus only on themselves. They might not admit it but they are taking notice. I havent had a chance to think about that yet, Tennell, an Olympian, said about increasing her technical elements after finishing second to Liu. Im going to home and figure all of that stuff out. Trust us. Tennell and the others wont be landing triple axels any time soon. Bell claimed she was not intimidated by Liu when asked about those jumps earlier this month. Perhaps seeing the teen in person will change that bravado. Liu, a preternaturally gifted young woman, seemed unfazed by the attention in the news conference after the victory. It hasnt fully sunk in yet, she told reporters. I still think about everything I just did. Now the questions are coming fast about how Liu handles the grown-up pressure of being not only the face of American skating but its hope of returning to past glory. U.S. women have not won an Olympic medal since Sasha Cohens silver medallion at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy. Here is something the media and fans dont yet know about Liu, who is so diminutive that it is easy to overlook her worldly nature. Two weeks ago, photographer Ray Chavez and I spent an afternoon with Liu at the Oakland Ice Center where the girl practically lives. We needed to take video, a challenging task in the noisy, frigid rink. Liu immediately took charge like a professional publicist. She led us and her father, Arthur Liu, to the rinks basement because she knew about a quiet storage room that could serve as a good setting for the interview. Arthur once told me how the first time he took his oldest child to the rink she made friends with everyone on the ice, adults and kids alike. Liu, it seems, is made for this moment. Perhaps her maturity is a product of being the oldest of five children who were born by egg donors through two surrogate moms. Arthur Liu, an Oakland lawyer, gives his daughter agency to pursue her passions. She wont be eligible for senior international competition until the 2022 Games in Beijing. If all goes well, those Olympics would serve as her senior debut at age 16. By then she could be a three-time U.S. champion. That part of this fairytale has yet to be told. At 4-feet-7, Liu is going to grow. Growth spurts result in adjustments with jumping. This week, Russian 16-year-olds Sofia Samodurova and Olympic champion Alina Zagitova did not attempt a triple axel in finishing first and second, respectively, at the European Championships. Last year in South Korea, Zagitova was landing head-spinning jumps. We have to let this play out as Liu will return to Oakland to began working on landing quadruple jumps. A year ago after winning the junior U.S. title in San Jose, she and coach Laura Lipetsky vowed to master the triple axel. It took Liu eight weeks to get it down. Fans saw the result of that intense work this week. Those jumps have put Liu in the pantheon of great Bay Area skaters. But its going to take an Olympic-size performance to become the next Peggy Flemming, Kristi Yamaguchi and Brian Boitano, all gold medalists who are indelible figures within the sport. The performance in Detroit ranks as one of the greatest in American history not simply for Bay Area fans. It has drawn comparisons to Michelle Kwan when she finished second at the 1994 championships in Detroit at age 13. After a long drought, the Bay Area has become a major player in U.S. skating. It started with San Joses Polina Edmunds rise to make the 2014 Olympic team, followed by Fremonts Karen Chen winning the 2017 U.S. championship and then competing at the Winter Games last year. But good as they were, neither Edmunds nor Chen were considered major international threats because respective foot injuries have stunted their promise. This is where Liu could set herself apart. After the performance in Detroit she no doubt has the Russians and Japanese wondering. The home-schooled ninth grader studies Chinese and has talked about wanting to compete in Beijing. Liu doesnt shy away from the challenge. She also remembers how to be a kid. When a reporter asked her what she likes outside of skating, Liu gave a 13-year-old answer: I like to ride my bike a lot. Over the weekend I go to my house in Antioch with my siblings and I like to go to the park and ride my bike. Shes now on a ride of a lifetime. The skating world is watching.
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https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/01/26/whats-next-for-east-bay-skating-phenom-alysa-liu/
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Does outcome-based funding encourage academic progress or deepen the divide?
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Dive Brief: As Texas lawmakers consider increasing state education funding, some state education leaders fear a turn to outcome-based funding methods for part of that formula, allocating more money to schools based on 3rd-grade reading test scores and the number of graduating seniors who prove to be college- or career-ready, KCBD reports. Top state officials have signaled their support for a plan recommended by a state-appointed school finance panel to spend a portion of the recommended education funding about $800 million on incentivizing superintendents to improve 3rd-grade reading scores and success rates of high school seniors. A similar idea has been tried in Arizona and appeals to some Texas business leaders and taxpayers looking for a better return on state education investment. However, many education leaders are concerned such outcomes-based incentives will direct the flow of funds from schools that need it most, creating greater funding inequities between districts, and that it will simply encourage teaching to the tests or attempts to game the system. Texas has never tied funding to school performance before, and despite recommendations, lawmakers have yet to propose a bill in support. Dive Insight: As more states begin to take a hard look at education funding, the debate on how that funding should be used continues. Tight state budgets mean lawmakers and taxpayers are looking for the best return on investment for all money they spend. In a business sense, this means looking at outcomes to measure ROI. However, students are not products, and treating them as such can cause problems where funding is concerned. Students who need the most help require the most resources. In that sense, outcome-based funding has its limitations. While outcome-based funding can encourage district leaders to use their money more wisely in some ways, it comes with the implicit idea that school superintendents must somehow be encouraged to want more 3rd-graders to read and more seniors to be prepared for success in life. In reality, school leaders want these outcomes anyway. Outcome-based funding has been used in higher education for some time. While some studies show this has improved graduation and retention rates, educators have questioned the effect this has had on equity issues. In K-12 education, achievement tests often become the measure of success, but even these tests don't always measure student growth or more intangible qualities like creativity. Focusing on tests as measures of success also tends to encourage teaching to the test to the detriment of well-rounded education. District leaders need to keep an eye on funding issues in their states and make their voice heard in the process. While outcomes may have a role to play in a total funding formula, school leaders also have to keep the needs of students foremost in the discussion. Making sure there are demonstrable results to show existing funds are spent as wisely as possible in the pursuit of equitable, high-quality education is key to making lawmakers more confident about sending additional funds.
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https://www.educationdive.com/news/does-outcome-based-funding-encourage-academic-progress-or-deepen-the-divide/546753/
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Did Donald Trump cave in to the Democrats on border security?
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The US president denies giving in as he temporarily ends the longest government shutdown in US history. US President Donald Trump had warned the longest US government shutdown in history could go on for years unless Congress gave him money to build a border wall with Mexico. After 35 days, the president has signed a bill to end the standoff - at least for now. Government departments will reopen for three weeks while congressional leaders hammer out reforms to border security. But the deal doesn't include the $5.7bn Trump wants for the wall. Presenter: Laura Kyle Guests: Leon Fresco - Former deputy assistant attorney general in charge of immigration, US Department of Justice Joe Watkins - Republican political strategist, former White House aide to President George H. W. Bush Scott Lucas - Founder and editor of EA World View and co-founder of The Trump Project Source: Al Jazeera News
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https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2019/01/donald-trump-cave-democrats-border-security-190126191055669.html
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Could a four-day week solve the social care crisis?
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Productivity in the UK continues to lag behind other European nations and a four-day week has long been touted as a way to increase both workplace productivity and workers wellbeing, all in one fell swoop. This has been trialled in a range of sectors to much success, and has recently been discussed more widely here in the UK and recently by many closely connected to the Labour Party. Studies have shown that businesses willing to grant employees the freedom to work less can be the beneficiaries of a boom in productivity. At first this seems counterintuitive, but considering most UK workers level of job satisfaction, it starts to make sense. Employers willing to move to a four-day week, offering their employees increased workplace freedom, are likely to see dramatic increases in job satisfaction. The aim for many employers is to translate this into not only increased productivity but also higher levels of employee retention, resulting in workplaces keeping hold of valuable, experienced members of staff. While the benefit a four-day week can have on employees is obvious, and its positive impact on employers clearly evidenced, it is perhaps its impact on the wider family that offers the most convincing argument to put the theory into practice. Many people in the UK already choose to work a shorter week. This is often linked with childcare needs, a parent giving up time at work to look after younger children or a need for wraparound care before and after school. However, some families cannot afford the financial hit associated with a shorter working week. This causes a reliance on wrap around school clubs, which are often oversubscribed and put under increasing strain with school funding cuts year on year. Many families can then turn to other family members to help, often grandparents who are increasingly taking on childcare duties in retirement. Allowing for a more widespread four-day work week would therefore relieve pressure on both overstretched school budgets and older family members who are now taking on a range of caring responsibilities in their retirement. Relieving some of the pressure of a long working week would enable those of a working age to not only care for young dependents, but also to care for those elderly family members many have come to rely on so much in their later years. The question of how to fund the care for the elderly is increasingly important, largely due to the pressures of an ageing population, and it raised its head during the last general election. This was an issue that arguably played a large part in Theresa Mays undoing early in 2018, when the dementia tax proposal put forward by the Conservative Party prompted its election campaign to unravel. The widespread adoption of a four-day week could dramatically change our approach to social care for the elderly and the role taken by individual family members. Giving family members the time and ability to assist in the care of older generations would relieve some of the pressure from local authorities and address increasing concerns of the effect loneliness can have on many isolated individuals. Currently there are a range of inventive solutions being mooted with the aim of solving some of the problems mentioned above. Many of these are unworkable solutions putting increased strain on other members of the community; examples include attempts to put pressure on Royal Mail employees, asking them to consider checking on elderly individuals on their rounds. It is vital that, with an increasingly older population and shrinking council budgets, we remove as many barriers to family participation as possible especially if the removal of these barriers stands to benefit all involved. Dr Chris Birchall works in the HE sector.
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https://labourlist.org/2019/01/could-a-four-day-week-solve-the-social-care-crisis/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LabourListLatestPosts+%28LabourList%29
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