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Is pot the future of the tobacco industry? | LAS VEGAS -- Big tobacco continues to see a slump in sales as regular cigarettes have fallen out of favor. So tobacco giants are now looking at another industry to fire up revenue: marijuana. Tobacco companies are eagerly watching the increasing popularity of legal marijuana as a growing number of states continue to decriminalize its usage. The tobacco companies are probably better positioned than any other business to get into the cannabis business because they know how to make the product, they know how to design it to maximize the addictive potential and they know how to sell it -- they have a huge marketing network that they can plug into worldwide using this, Dr. Stanton Glantz, professor of medicine and director of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California San Francisco, told Fox News. He said it's perfectly natural for big tobacco to want to cash in on pot sales. The current trajectory that we're on is we're watching the birth of the new tobacco industry in cannabis, he added. Dr. Brian King, deputy director for research translation in the Center for Disease Control and Preventions office on smoking and health said cigarette smoking rates have been steadily declining in the United States for the past five decades. Better health awareness of the risks of smoking, tough local anti-smoking rules, steep tobacco taxes and e-cigarettes have made smoking regular cigarettes increasingly less popular. Big tobacco had been eyeing pot as far back as the 1960s and 1970s, according to a 2014 report co-authored by Dr. Glantz, which found secret industry documents discussing the future of marijuana during that era. It's not totally clear what they were moving toward doing whether they wanted to actually get into the business and take it over or whether they viewed marijuana as a competitor that they needed to crush, Dr. Glantz said. But, they were actively testing the products they were actively thinking about product development and marketing. TOBACCO GIANT STRIDES INTO VAPE MARKET WITH $13B JUUL STAKE Fast-forward to today, and Altria, the worlds largest cigarette manufacturer, has agreed to invest $1.8 billion with Canadian cannabis company, Cronos, for a 45 percent stake in the company and the option for full ownership. Through Cronos Group, Altria is better positioned should cannabis become federally permitted, Altria spokesman George Parman said in a statement to Fox News. Cronos is an excellent partner for Altria to pursue this new growth opportunity in the global cannabis sector, which this investment will position us to participate in and which we believe is poised for rapid growth over the next decade. The deal, which was announced in December and is expected to close in the first half of this year, is tobaccos first major venture into marijuana and could be a sign of broader consolidation of the industry further down the road. Other large tobacco companies, such as Britains Imperial Brand and Philip Morris International, have also made investments albeit much smaller -- in cannabis overseas. Constellation Brands, the parent company of Corona beer, invested in Canopy Growth, the worlds largest cannabis company in 2017. The marijuana industry has been plagued by a preconceived notion that associates marijuana with stoners, potheads and junkies instead of a legitimate business something that Teddy Sullivan, USA vice president of business development for 1933 Industries, a Canadian-based cannabis company, said is not the case. WHITE HOUSE TO UNVEIL FEDERAL CANNABIS REFORM 'VERY SOON,' SAYS GOP LAWMAKER These guys go home every day, they go home to their families. Were just like everybody else. Everyone wants to be someone we want to be successful, we want to be someone one day and this just happens to be a proponent of their life, Sullivan said. Its just good people who are in it. Sullivan sees the emergence of big tobacco into the cannabis sector as a chance to help legitimize the industry and break away from the stereotype. I think big tobacco will help our cause working toward legitimacy because it starts to show marijuana is now being taken seriously, he added. At first, we look at big tobacco as a competitor and now big tobacco is looking for a friendship We look at it as a positive impact because now other industries that are just as legitimized as big tobacco are coming into our space and theyre looking for partnership. Although big tobacco brings resources and the ability to scale at a much quicker pace, it also comes with a controversial past of misleading the public about the dangers of smoking. Ben Kolver, CEO and founder of Chicago-based cannabis company Green Thumb Industries, said while there is certainly baggage associated with it, cannabis has the opportunity to do this right. And to think about the consumer first and to think about offering a path towards wellness for consumers, he added. Thirty-three states have legalized marijuana in some form, including 10 which have legalized recreational use. However, cannabis remains illegal at the federal level. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Dr. Glantz, who thinks marjuana should be legal, warns of a potential health crisis if its legalized without any oversight and said cannabis should "be like tobacco where its use is tolerated socially, but discouraged." In October, Canada became the first major economic country to legalize recreational marijuana, which will undoubtedly be a bellwether for the U.S. as it continues to debate policy issues surrounding pot. And although cigarette smoking might be on the decline, Dr. King notes the tobacco industry has heavily diversified its portfolio of products and still remains one of the most profitable industries globally. So while it might be awhile before convenient stores are selling packs of joints, similar to a pack of cigarettes it's clear tobacco is positioning itself for an impending shift towards cannabis. Kids started with tobacco and then graduated to marijuana," Glantz said. "Now it's the other way around. Kids start with marijuana and they graduate to tobacco." | Tobacco companies are eagerly watching the increasing popularity of legal marijuana. Big tobacco had been eyeing pot as far back as the 1960s and 1970s. Altria, the worlds largest cigarette manufacturer, has agreed to invest $1.8 billion with Cronos. | bart | 2 | https://www.foxnews.com/us/is-cannabis-the-future-of-the-tobacco-industry?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fnational+%28Internal+-+US+Latest+-+Text%29 | 0.143707 |
Could the holdup on J.T. Realmuto deal for the Cincinnati Reds be a contract extension? | Sep 7, 2018; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Miami Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto (11) looks on from behind home plate against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports (Photo: Charles LeClaire, Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports) While the prospects are reportedly the holdup on the Reds getting a deal for J.T. Realmuto done, there may be another glitch. The Miami Herald reported that at least one team asked for permission to speak to Realmutos agent about a multiyear deal. The Marlins refused. Realmuto will make $5.9 million this season. Hes arbitration-eligible for the third time in 2020 (hell make north of $10 million) and becomes a free agent in 2021. The Reds have Tucker Barnhart signed for $2.9 million for this year, for $3.9 million for 2020 and $4.1 million for 2021. The club holds a $7.5 million option for 2022. The Reds are clearly in the go-for-it mode for this season. But cost certainty is important for teams with payrolls in the Reds range. Doc: Thanks to the Cincinnati Reds for providing optimism in 2019 Remember, the Reds would not have made the Sonny Gray trade with the New York Yankees if he had not agreed to a three-year extension. It is impossible to say if the Reds are insisting on the same thing with Realmuto. He is an upgrade, especially offensively over Barnhart. Realmuto hit .277 with 21 home runs and 77 RBI in 477at-bats. Barnhart hit .248 with 10 home runs and 48 RBI in 382 at-bats. Barnhart won a Gold Glove in 2017. He was not as good defensively in 18. He ranked 10th defensively, according to fangraphs.com. Realmuto ranked seventh. The Reds, of course, dont talk about trades, but I can only see them making the deal for Realmuto if they can get an extension, include Barnhart in the deal and not give up Nick Senzel or Taylor Trammell. Jon Heyman of Fancred tweeted that Jonathan India, last years No. 5 pick overall, has the Marlins interested. Heyman also reported that the Reds and Marlins were apart on prospects. If the Reds do trade Barnhart, it would be another departure from business as usual under the Castellini ownership. Theyve been reluctant to trade homegrown, popular, productive players until they are on the brink of free agency. But, as weve seen this offseason, the Reds are doing things differently. | The Miami Marlins are reportedly holding up a deal for Cincinnati Reds catcher J.T. Realmuto. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2019/01/30/could-holdup-realmuto-deal-reds-extension/2724031002/ | 0.117356 |
Could the holdup on J.T. Realmuto deal for the Cincinnati Reds be a contract extension? | Sep 7, 2018; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Miami Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto (11) looks on from behind home plate against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports (Photo: Charles LeClaire, Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports) While the prospects are reportedly the holdup on the Reds getting a deal for J.T. Realmuto done, there may be another glitch. The Miami Herald reported that at least one team asked for permission to speak to Realmutos agent about a multiyear deal. The Marlins refused. Realmuto will make $5.9 million this season. Hes arbitration-eligible for the third time in 2020 (hell make north of $10 million) and becomes a free agent in 2021. The Reds have Tucker Barnhart signed for $2.9 million for this year, for $3.9 million for 2020 and $4.1 million for 2021. The club holds a $7.5 million option for 2022. The Reds are clearly in the go-for-it mode for this season. But cost certainty is important for teams with payrolls in the Reds range. Doc: Thanks to the Cincinnati Reds for providing optimism in 2019 Remember, the Reds would not have made the Sonny Gray trade with the New York Yankees if he had not agreed to a three-year extension. It is impossible to say if the Reds are insisting on the same thing with Realmuto. He is an upgrade, especially offensively over Barnhart. Realmuto hit .277 with 21 home runs and 77 RBI in 477at-bats. Barnhart hit .248 with 10 home runs and 48 RBI in 382 at-bats. Barnhart won a Gold Glove in 2017. He was not as good defensively in 18. He ranked 10th defensively, according to fangraphs.com. Realmuto ranked seventh. The Reds, of course, dont talk about trades, but I can only see them making the deal for Realmuto if they can get an extension, include Barnhart in the deal and not give up Nick Senzel or Taylor Trammell. Jon Heyman of Fancred tweeted that Jonathan India, last years No. 5 pick overall, has the Marlins interested. Heyman also reported that the Reds and Marlins were apart on prospects. If the Reds do trade Barnhart, it would be another departure from business as usual under the Castellini ownership. Theyve been reluctant to trade homegrown, popular, productive players until they are on the brink of free agency. But, as weve seen this offseason, the Reds are doing things differently. | The Miami Marlins are reportedly holding up a deal for Cincinnati Reds catcher J.T. Realmuto. The Reds have Tucker Barnhart signed for $2.9 million for this year, for $3.3 million for 2020 and $4.1 million for 2021. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2019/01/30/could-holdup-realmuto-deal-reds-extension/2724031002/ | 0.252912 |
How can we talk about Canadas new Food Guide without talking about access and inequality? | Canadas new Food Guide shows good progress, but progress without government action leaves a lot to be desired. Im enthused to see the movement to a plate diagram to display proportions of food groups in relation to each other. Its certainly much clearer and easier to understand than the previous rainbow image that was used. Unfortunately, that beautiful plate of food doesnt reflect the reality for four million Canadians who are food insecure in this country. The plate doesnt reflect what is available in many schools and daycares across Canada. The plate reminds me of how important things like a national school food program that is supported by the federal government would be in making that plate more of a reality. That beautiful plate of food doesnt reflect the reality for four million Canadians who are food insecure in this country, writes Paul M. Taylor. The plate doesnt reflect what is available in many schools and daycares across Canada. I want to live in a country where everyone has access to the food that we need. This is especially significant in a country like Canada that introduced the right to food for its citizens over four decades ago. Canadas Minister of Health claims the new food guide is based on the idea that eating should be a pleasure and that the guide is a major step in helping Canadians to eat well but that doesnt really apply to all Canadians. To me this is like telling people to wear a seat belt in a car that doesnt have any. Our food guide needs to be linked to our national food policy. The new Food Guide emphasizes drinking water, but yet communities across this country still dont have access to safe drinking water in their homes this just adds insult to injury. Article Continued Below Another example is the heavy emphasis on plant-based foods, well of course this is good for a multitude of reasons, but the recent Canadian Food Price Report indicates that in 2019 fruits are projected to increase in cost by 3 per cent and vegetables by 6 per cent. Access to fruits and vegetables will simply become more difficult for these folks. We know that access to fresh fruits and vegetables is what those that are materially poor struggle with the most in this country. As the executive director of FoodShare Toronto, I see this in the number of people that access the 46 affordable produce markets that we support in communities across Toronto. There is a huge demand for affordable, accessible and culturally diverse produce that our government should be doing more to address. The guide itself is good, but more action would be much better. Most people know what is healthy for them to eat, but access and affordability makes the picture of the plate in the new food guide unattainable for far too many in this country. It is no longer sufficient to come out with a guide when what we need are policies that will meaningfully address hunger, poverty, and inequitable access to food and water. Paul M. Taylor is the executive director of FoodShare Toronto. | Canadas new Food Guide shows good progress, but progress without government action leaves a lot to be desired. | bart | 0 | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/01/30/how-can-we-talk-about-canadas-new-food-guide-without-talking-about-access-and-inequality.html | 0.106803 |
How can we talk about Canadas new Food Guide without talking about access and inequality? | Canadas new Food Guide shows good progress, but progress without government action leaves a lot to be desired. Im enthused to see the movement to a plate diagram to display proportions of food groups in relation to each other. Its certainly much clearer and easier to understand than the previous rainbow image that was used. Unfortunately, that beautiful plate of food doesnt reflect the reality for four million Canadians who are food insecure in this country. The plate doesnt reflect what is available in many schools and daycares across Canada. The plate reminds me of how important things like a national school food program that is supported by the federal government would be in making that plate more of a reality. That beautiful plate of food doesnt reflect the reality for four million Canadians who are food insecure in this country, writes Paul M. Taylor. The plate doesnt reflect what is available in many schools and daycares across Canada. I want to live in a country where everyone has access to the food that we need. This is especially significant in a country like Canada that introduced the right to food for its citizens over four decades ago. Canadas Minister of Health claims the new food guide is based on the idea that eating should be a pleasure and that the guide is a major step in helping Canadians to eat well but that doesnt really apply to all Canadians. To me this is like telling people to wear a seat belt in a car that doesnt have any. Our food guide needs to be linked to our national food policy. The new Food Guide emphasizes drinking water, but yet communities across this country still dont have access to safe drinking water in their homes this just adds insult to injury. Article Continued Below Another example is the heavy emphasis on plant-based foods, well of course this is good for a multitude of reasons, but the recent Canadian Food Price Report indicates that in 2019 fruits are projected to increase in cost by 3 per cent and vegetables by 6 per cent. Access to fruits and vegetables will simply become more difficult for these folks. We know that access to fresh fruits and vegetables is what those that are materially poor struggle with the most in this country. As the executive director of FoodShare Toronto, I see this in the number of people that access the 46 affordable produce markets that we support in communities across Toronto. There is a huge demand for affordable, accessible and culturally diverse produce that our government should be doing more to address. The guide itself is good, but more action would be much better. Most people know what is healthy for them to eat, but access and affordability makes the picture of the plate in the new food guide unattainable for far too many in this country. It is no longer sufficient to come out with a guide when what we need are policies that will meaningfully address hunger, poverty, and inequitable access to food and water. Paul M. Taylor is the executive director of FoodShare Toronto. | Canadas new Food Guide shows good progress, but progress without government action leaves a lot to be desired. Canadas Minister of Health claims the new food guide is based on the idea that eating should be a pleasure. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/01/30/how-can-we-talk-about-canadas-new-food-guide-without-talking-about-access-and-inequality.html | 0.155428 |
How can we talk about Canadas new Food Guide without talking about access and inequality? | Canadas new Food Guide shows good progress, but progress without government action leaves a lot to be desired. Im enthused to see the movement to a plate diagram to display proportions of food groups in relation to each other. Its certainly much clearer and easier to understand than the previous rainbow image that was used. Unfortunately, that beautiful plate of food doesnt reflect the reality for four million Canadians who are food insecure in this country. The plate doesnt reflect what is available in many schools and daycares across Canada. The plate reminds me of how important things like a national school food program that is supported by the federal government would be in making that plate more of a reality. That beautiful plate of food doesnt reflect the reality for four million Canadians who are food insecure in this country, writes Paul M. Taylor. The plate doesnt reflect what is available in many schools and daycares across Canada. I want to live in a country where everyone has access to the food that we need. This is especially significant in a country like Canada that introduced the right to food for its citizens over four decades ago. Canadas Minister of Health claims the new food guide is based on the idea that eating should be a pleasure and that the guide is a major step in helping Canadians to eat well but that doesnt really apply to all Canadians. To me this is like telling people to wear a seat belt in a car that doesnt have any. Our food guide needs to be linked to our national food policy. The new Food Guide emphasizes drinking water, but yet communities across this country still dont have access to safe drinking water in their homes this just adds insult to injury. Article Continued Below Another example is the heavy emphasis on plant-based foods, well of course this is good for a multitude of reasons, but the recent Canadian Food Price Report indicates that in 2019 fruits are projected to increase in cost by 3 per cent and vegetables by 6 per cent. Access to fruits and vegetables will simply become more difficult for these folks. We know that access to fresh fruits and vegetables is what those that are materially poor struggle with the most in this country. As the executive director of FoodShare Toronto, I see this in the number of people that access the 46 affordable produce markets that we support in communities across Toronto. There is a huge demand for affordable, accessible and culturally diverse produce that our government should be doing more to address. The guide itself is good, but more action would be much better. Most people know what is healthy for them to eat, but access and affordability makes the picture of the plate in the new food guide unattainable for far too many in this country. It is no longer sufficient to come out with a guide when what we need are policies that will meaningfully address hunger, poverty, and inequitable access to food and water. Paul M. Taylor is the executive director of FoodShare Toronto. | Canadas new Food Guide shows good progress, but progress without government action leaves a lot to be desired. Canadas Minister of Health claims the new food guide is based on the idea that eating should be a pleasure. Yet communities across this country still dont have access to safe drinking water in their homes. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/01/30/how-can-we-talk-about-canadas-new-food-guide-without-talking-about-access-and-inequality.html | 0.374223 |
How would Phoenix's next mayor respond to affordability and homelessness crisis? | Councilwoman Kate Gallego and Councilman Daniel Valenzuela. (Photo: City of Phoenix) The Phoenix metro area is facing a cataclysmic combination of issues surrounding housing. Last year, the state counted 10,000 Arizonans experiencing homelessness, 6,200 of whom were living in Maricopa County. The county's population of people experiencing street homelessness increased 149 percent between 2014-2018. The percentages of individuals experiencing homelessness who also have a serious mental illness or are over the age of 62 are also on the rise. At the same time, the region is seeing rapidly-increasing housing prices and fewer affordable options. "We have a trend we do not want to continue," Arizona Department of Economic Security Director Michael Trailor said. Phoenix, the anchor of Maricopa County, will elect a new mayor on March 12. Former council members Kate Gallego and Daniel Valenzuela are vying for the city's top spot. A collection of Valley health and housing organizations hosted a recent forum to quiz the candidates on their knowledge of the sweeping issues of mental health, housing affordability and homelessness, and hear their plans to address them. Before turning it over to the candidates, Trailor warned that communities across the country, including San Diego and Seattle, saw the same trends Phoenix is seeing now and failed to get ahead of the problem. "We have an opportunity to get ahead of it. The question is, do we have the will?" Trailor asked. Valenzuela: Valenzuela said the first step is creating a "real plan" with the organizations who work in these areas. "Government is not going to fix this problem, but we can be a partner. I think if everybody could get on the same page, we could tackle these issues," he said. Valenzuela said housing is part of the solution, but the region also needs to "lead with services" by focusing on the root causes of homelessness, like addiction or a lack of job training. "It's more than just a building issue. It's a people, and more specifically, a person issue," he said. Gallego: "Housing is the solution to homelessness," Gallego said. She said that in her conversations with people who have previously experienced homelessness, "the one factor that seems to be universal is a good stable housing situation needs to be part of that plan." She also stressed the importance of a regional solution. "Homelessness does not stop at Phoenix's borders and all of the mayors should be having a debate like this. You should be asking mayors of every city, 'What are you going to do to address homelessness?' " Gallego said. Gallego: Gallego said that with market rate apartments now going for close to $1,100 per month, the city needs to offer incentives for affordable housing. "Phoenix used to be nationally know for affordable housing. Unfortunately, that's not the reality here today," she said. She also said Phoenix owns a substantial amount of vacant lots throughout the city, and it could partner with local nonprofits to develop affordable housing on those lots. State law does not allow cities to mandate that market-rate developers pay into an affordable housing fund, like many big cities across the country do. So incentives are the city's only choice, she said. Valenzuela: Valenzuela said an incentive isn't always the answer. "At the end of the day, it needs to be something that pencils out for the developer as well. Otherwise, it's not going to be developed," he said. He commended the current City Council for pursuing a new plan to require housing developers in the downtown area to set aside 10 percent of their units as workforce housing for middle-income individuals who make $38,000-$48,000 annually if they're asking for a tax-break or other incentive from the city. Evictions Question: In 2017, there were 25,009 evictions filed in Maricopa County. We have one of the highest eviction rates in the nation. Gallego: Gallego said that when she thinks about evictions, she thinks about job availability and making sure all people have access to opportunity. She said during her time on the City Council, she represented a portion of the city with high numbers of individuals who had been convicted of felonies and struggled to find employment because of that. Gallego said she worked with local employers to host job fairs for these individuals. She also said the state needs to review some of its laws, particularly laws that make it a felony offense to have a small amount of marijuana. Valenzuela: "2,509 evictions. There's probably 2,509 reasons for the eviction," Valenzuela said. He recalled his personal experience on the subject. He was predominantly raised by his mother as his father struggled with alcoholism. He said he attended 13 public schools during his youth and lived in an even greater number of homes, including a stint at a homeless shelter. "I will tell you when I was a kid, my family was one of those numbers multiple times, and it was a different story or reason every time," Valenzuela said. Sometimes it was a domestic violence situation. Other times his mother lost a job or experienced a pay cut, he said. "We have to get down to the root cause and we can't treat people like numbers or stats. We have to actually figure out what people are going through," he said. Gallego: Gallego said the two top concerns she's heard while on the human services campus are mental health care and dental health care. "It seems to me one of the happiest places on the campus is the dental health clinic, which is helping people get back their smile that makes them proud," she said. She said individuals on the campus have also told her that they need more than just crisis housing. They need stable, long-term housing. Gallego said she'd like to see more supportive housing throughout all of Maricopa County. "I'm a big believer that you shouldn't concentrate poverty, that people should have an opportunity to get treatment closer to where they last lived in a stable housing situation," she said. Valenzuela: Valenzuela said its important for the other cities in the region to step up and support the campus as Phoenix has. He commended the campus for all of the services it provides beyond just a shelter, including interview prep and criminal justice assistance. He said the campus estimates a 5-8 percent diversion rate,meaning those individuals have gotten services on the campus that have prevented them from becoming homeless. "As I see the campus evolving, I envision, with a strong advocate as your mayor of the city, that diversion rate growing," Valenzuela said. Valenzuela: Valenzuela commended the new Phoenix program, Phoenix CARES (Community Action Response Engagement Services), a coordinated effort to decrease blight and connect people who are homeless with services. The program combines the efforts of law enforcement and other city departments to "give people experiencing homelessness an option," he said. "It's not always jail. Some people just need help," Valenzuela said. He also noted that several nonprofits like Circle the City are providing care for individuals experiencing homelessness and medical issues. He said the city should work with these groups to expand the impact. "Government is not going to be able to solve this by itself," he said. Gallego: Gallego said the city should allocate some of its housing vouchers for people who have just exited a hospital situation because of trauma or a surgery. "We have many people in this community who are not able to go back on the streets," she said. She also commended Circle the City's efforts and said the city should do much more to "help out and step up." Valenzuela: "As a first responder myself who knows what it's like to be there on the front lines of reality, we see how prevalent these issues are in our community," Valenzuela said. Valenzuela is a Glendale firefighter. He said in the past, when firefighters would show up to a medical call and see someone experiencing a mental health crisis, they would take them to the emergency room. "That's not an efficient way to use our resources," he said. Now, every fire truck is equipped with a resource guide that can help firefighters navigate the nonprofits in the community and connect individuals with those resources. He said he'd like to see an app for first responders that allows them to not only find the right pathway for an individual,but also track the services an individual receives. Gallego: Gallego said that as Phoenix grows its police department, she'd like to see more resources put into the city's crisis intervention teams. These individuals are trained to understand the complexities of addiction and mental health and find solutions for people that fit their unique needs. She also said she'd like to see the police department receive advanced training on individuals with dementia, something Tempe has provided for its officers. Additionally, Gallego said Phoenix's prosecutors and court employees need training to work with people with mental health and addiction issues. She proposed a new court program for people with opioid addiction that can help them receive treatment as opposed to falling into the legal system. Click here to subscribe to azcentral.com. Go to connect.azcentral.com for a staff list, for more information about the newsroom and for details about upcoming events. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2019/01/30/next-phoenix-mayor-faces-affordability-and-homelessness-crisis-kate-gallego-daniel-valenzuela/2719271002/ | The Phoenix metro area is facing a housing affordability and homelessness crisis. Two mayoral candidates are vying for the city's top spot. One candidate says incentives are the only way to solve the problem. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2019/01/30/next-phoenix-mayor-faces-affordability-and-homelessness-crisis-kate-gallego-daniel-valenzuela/2719271002/ | 0.145636 |
How would Phoenix's next mayor respond to affordability and homelessness crisis? | Councilwoman Kate Gallego and Councilman Daniel Valenzuela. (Photo: City of Phoenix) The Phoenix metro area is facing a cataclysmic combination of issues surrounding housing. Last year, the state counted 10,000 Arizonans experiencing homelessness, 6,200 of whom were living in Maricopa County. The county's population of people experiencing street homelessness increased 149 percent between 2014-2018. The percentages of individuals experiencing homelessness who also have a serious mental illness or are over the age of 62 are also on the rise. At the same time, the region is seeing rapidly-increasing housing prices and fewer affordable options. "We have a trend we do not want to continue," Arizona Department of Economic Security Director Michael Trailor said. Phoenix, the anchor of Maricopa County, will elect a new mayor on March 12. Former council members Kate Gallego and Daniel Valenzuela are vying for the city's top spot. A collection of Valley health and housing organizations hosted a recent forum to quiz the candidates on their knowledge of the sweeping issues of mental health, housing affordability and homelessness, and hear their plans to address them. Before turning it over to the candidates, Trailor warned that communities across the country, including San Diego and Seattle, saw the same trends Phoenix is seeing now and failed to get ahead of the problem. "We have an opportunity to get ahead of it. The question is, do we have the will?" Trailor asked. Valenzuela: Valenzuela said the first step is creating a "real plan" with the organizations who work in these areas. "Government is not going to fix this problem, but we can be a partner. I think if everybody could get on the same page, we could tackle these issues," he said. Valenzuela said housing is part of the solution, but the region also needs to "lead with services" by focusing on the root causes of homelessness, like addiction or a lack of job training. "It's more than just a building issue. It's a people, and more specifically, a person issue," he said. Gallego: "Housing is the solution to homelessness," Gallego said. She said that in her conversations with people who have previously experienced homelessness, "the one factor that seems to be universal is a good stable housing situation needs to be part of that plan." She also stressed the importance of a regional solution. "Homelessness does not stop at Phoenix's borders and all of the mayors should be having a debate like this. You should be asking mayors of every city, 'What are you going to do to address homelessness?' " Gallego said. Gallego: Gallego said that with market rate apartments now going for close to $1,100 per month, the city needs to offer incentives for affordable housing. "Phoenix used to be nationally know for affordable housing. Unfortunately, that's not the reality here today," she said. She also said Phoenix owns a substantial amount of vacant lots throughout the city, and it could partner with local nonprofits to develop affordable housing on those lots. State law does not allow cities to mandate that market-rate developers pay into an affordable housing fund, like many big cities across the country do. So incentives are the city's only choice, she said. Valenzuela: Valenzuela said an incentive isn't always the answer. "At the end of the day, it needs to be something that pencils out for the developer as well. Otherwise, it's not going to be developed," he said. He commended the current City Council for pursuing a new plan to require housing developers in the downtown area to set aside 10 percent of their units as workforce housing for middle-income individuals who make $38,000-$48,000 annually if they're asking for a tax-break or other incentive from the city. Evictions Question: In 2017, there were 25,009 evictions filed in Maricopa County. We have one of the highest eviction rates in the nation. Gallego: Gallego said that when she thinks about evictions, she thinks about job availability and making sure all people have access to opportunity. She said during her time on the City Council, she represented a portion of the city with high numbers of individuals who had been convicted of felonies and struggled to find employment because of that. Gallego said she worked with local employers to host job fairs for these individuals. She also said the state needs to review some of its laws, particularly laws that make it a felony offense to have a small amount of marijuana. Valenzuela: "2,509 evictions. There's probably 2,509 reasons for the eviction," Valenzuela said. He recalled his personal experience on the subject. He was predominantly raised by his mother as his father struggled with alcoholism. He said he attended 13 public schools during his youth and lived in an even greater number of homes, including a stint at a homeless shelter. "I will tell you when I was a kid, my family was one of those numbers multiple times, and it was a different story or reason every time," Valenzuela said. Sometimes it was a domestic violence situation. Other times his mother lost a job or experienced a pay cut, he said. "We have to get down to the root cause and we can't treat people like numbers or stats. We have to actually figure out what people are going through," he said. Gallego: Gallego said the two top concerns she's heard while on the human services campus are mental health care and dental health care. "It seems to me one of the happiest places on the campus is the dental health clinic, which is helping people get back their smile that makes them proud," she said. She said individuals on the campus have also told her that they need more than just crisis housing. They need stable, long-term housing. Gallego said she'd like to see more supportive housing throughout all of Maricopa County. "I'm a big believer that you shouldn't concentrate poverty, that people should have an opportunity to get treatment closer to where they last lived in a stable housing situation," she said. Valenzuela: Valenzuela said its important for the other cities in the region to step up and support the campus as Phoenix has. He commended the campus for all of the services it provides beyond just a shelter, including interview prep and criminal justice assistance. He said the campus estimates a 5-8 percent diversion rate,meaning those individuals have gotten services on the campus that have prevented them from becoming homeless. "As I see the campus evolving, I envision, with a strong advocate as your mayor of the city, that diversion rate growing," Valenzuela said. Valenzuela: Valenzuela commended the new Phoenix program, Phoenix CARES (Community Action Response Engagement Services), a coordinated effort to decrease blight and connect people who are homeless with services. The program combines the efforts of law enforcement and other city departments to "give people experiencing homelessness an option," he said. "It's not always jail. Some people just need help," Valenzuela said. He also noted that several nonprofits like Circle the City are providing care for individuals experiencing homelessness and medical issues. He said the city should work with these groups to expand the impact. "Government is not going to be able to solve this by itself," he said. Gallego: Gallego said the city should allocate some of its housing vouchers for people who have just exited a hospital situation because of trauma or a surgery. "We have many people in this community who are not able to go back on the streets," she said. She also commended Circle the City's efforts and said the city should do much more to "help out and step up." Valenzuela: "As a first responder myself who knows what it's like to be there on the front lines of reality, we see how prevalent these issues are in our community," Valenzuela said. Valenzuela is a Glendale firefighter. He said in the past, when firefighters would show up to a medical call and see someone experiencing a mental health crisis, they would take them to the emergency room. "That's not an efficient way to use our resources," he said. Now, every fire truck is equipped with a resource guide that can help firefighters navigate the nonprofits in the community and connect individuals with those resources. He said he'd like to see an app for first responders that allows them to not only find the right pathway for an individual,but also track the services an individual receives. Gallego: Gallego said that as Phoenix grows its police department, she'd like to see more resources put into the city's crisis intervention teams. These individuals are trained to understand the complexities of addiction and mental health and find solutions for people that fit their unique needs. She also said she'd like to see the police department receive advanced training on individuals with dementia, something Tempe has provided for its officers. Additionally, Gallego said Phoenix's prosecutors and court employees need training to work with people with mental health and addiction issues. She proposed a new court program for people with opioid addiction that can help them receive treatment as opposed to falling into the legal system. Click here to subscribe to azcentral.com. Go to connect.azcentral.com for a staff list, for more information about the newsroom and for details about upcoming events. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2019/01/30/next-phoenix-mayor-faces-affordability-and-homelessness-crisis-kate-gallego-daniel-valenzuela/2719271002/ | The Phoenix metro area is facing a housing affordability and homelessness crisis. Two mayoral candidates are vying for the city's top spot. One of the candidates says incentives are the only way to address the problem. The other candidate says a regional solution is needed to tackle the issue. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2019/01/30/next-phoenix-mayor-faces-affordability-and-homelessness-crisis-kate-gallego-daniel-valenzuela/2719271002/ | 0.258677 |
What's The Difference Between Typhus And Typhoid? | If you find yourself sick with flu-like symptoms, fever and chills, abdominal pain, a rash, and severe confusion, you might have typhus. No wonder you're feeling confused. Until the mid-1800s, doctors didn't even realize these were two different diseases, because the symptoms -- and the conditions that spawned outbreaks -- looked so similar. (You probably don't have either one, if you live in the U.S. But for the sake of argument, here's a handy guide.) Typhus Typhus is the unpleasant work of bacteria called Rickettsia typhi (not to be confused with rickets, which is a lack of vitamin D). Much like the bacteria that causes bubonic plague, R. typhi spreads from rodents to humans through the bites of fleas -- so if you fall ill with typhus, you have the added pleasure of knowing that it's because a flea has vomited directly into your bloodstream. Knowing is half the battle! It's easy to see why crowded living, unsanitary conditions, and poor hygiene could lead to typhus outbreaks. Typhus was especially notorious in prisons and military camps through the 19th century, earning the nicknames "gaol fever" and "camp fever." The first symptoms of typhus usually show up within a week or two, although it might be easy to mistake them for the flu: coughing, headaches, fever and chills, aching joints and muscles, abdominal pain, and nausea. A rash starts on the torso and gradually spreads to the limbs. Eventually the infection spreads to the membranes surrounding the brain (called the meninges). The name typhus comes from a Greek word meaning "hazy," because of patients with inflamed meninges are severely confused and disoriented. Typhoid Fever Just to add to the haziness, typhoid fever got its name because it resembles typhus. If that's not confusing enough for you, even the bacteria responsible has a similar name: Salmonella typhi. But unlike typhus, typhoid spreads in contaminated food and water, through what epidemiologists call the "fecal-oral route." It's as gross as it sounds: S. typhi thrives in human intestines and blood, and if untreated sewage gets into the water supply or a cook doesn't wash his hands after a bathroom break, bits of feces -- laced with bacteria -- end up in food and water. That's how the infamous Typhoid Mary made so many people sick before officials forced her into quarantine. If you ate in Typhoid Mary's kitchen, you'd get sick within one to three weeks, and the symptoms would look a lot like typhus: headaches, fever and chills, fatigue or weakness, and abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. But typhoid hits the digestive system especially hard, and patients end up suffering from constipation and bloody stool. Like typhus, typhoid comes with a spotty skin rash, and patients can be confused or even delirious -- although in this case, that's thanks to fever and dehydration. Clearing The Haze English physician Sir William Jenner (not to be confused with English physician Edward Jenner, who saved us all from smallpox by experimenting on his neighbor's son) had to examine a lot of patients, and unfortunately a lot of cadavers, to figure out the difference. Jenner was working at the London Fever Hospital in 1847 when he began to suspect that the catchall diagnosis of "continued fever" might actually be referring to different diseases, and that a more specific diagnosis could lead to better treatment. He examined 36 patients and published a book in 1850 outlining the difference between the two diseases. Of course, he passed up the opportunity to spare future students a lot of confusion by giving them clearer names! A few years later, Jenner had the opportunity to put his expertise to the test when he was called to Windsor Castle to tend to the desperately ill Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, in December 1861. Jenner diagnosed the prince consort with typhoid fever on December 9, but was unable to save him; Albert died on December 14. Two of the prince consort's cousins, King Pedro V of Portugal and his brother Prince Ferdinand, had both died of typhoid fever just a month earlier, within days of each other. (Knowing what we now know about how typhoid is spread, one must look a bit askance at the palace cooks.) There's still some debate about Jenner's diagnosis, though. Typhoid fever usually sets in within a few weeks of exposure, and if it's not treated, patients either die or get better within a few weeks or months. But Prince Albert had suffered chronic abdominal pain since 1859, although he remained very active. Modern historians speculate that the prince consort may actually have died of Crohn's disease or cancer, rather than typhoid fever. But Jenner had made a name for himself and earned the queen's trust; in 1862, Queen Victoria had appointed him her Physician in Ordinary, making him a card-carrying member of the royal household. He took on the job of Physician in Ordinary to her son Albert Edward, Prince of Wales -- the future King Edward VII -- the following year. And Prince Albert's fatal diagnosis must have been on his son's mind in the winter of 1871 when he, too, fell ill with a fever that Jenner identified as typhoid -- but the Prince of Wales survived the ordeal and eventually became King Edward VII in 1901. His physician, however, didn't live to see his coronation; Jenner died in December 1898. Today, incidentally, would have been his 204th birthday. | Doctors didn't know the difference between typhus and typhoid until the mid-1800s. Typhus is the work of bacteria called Rickettsia typhi (not to be confused with rickets) Typhoid spreads in contaminated food and water. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kionasmith/2019/01/30/whats-the-difference-between-typhus-and-typhoid/ | 0.215855 |
What's The Difference Between Typhus And Typhoid? | If you find yourself sick with flu-like symptoms, fever and chills, abdominal pain, a rash, and severe confusion, you might have typhus. No wonder you're feeling confused. Until the mid-1800s, doctors didn't even realize these were two different diseases, because the symptoms -- and the conditions that spawned outbreaks -- looked so similar. (You probably don't have either one, if you live in the U.S. But for the sake of argument, here's a handy guide.) Typhus Typhus is the unpleasant work of bacteria called Rickettsia typhi (not to be confused with rickets, which is a lack of vitamin D). Much like the bacteria that causes bubonic plague, R. typhi spreads from rodents to humans through the bites of fleas -- so if you fall ill with typhus, you have the added pleasure of knowing that it's because a flea has vomited directly into your bloodstream. Knowing is half the battle! It's easy to see why crowded living, unsanitary conditions, and poor hygiene could lead to typhus outbreaks. Typhus was especially notorious in prisons and military camps through the 19th century, earning the nicknames "gaol fever" and "camp fever." The first symptoms of typhus usually show up within a week or two, although it might be easy to mistake them for the flu: coughing, headaches, fever and chills, aching joints and muscles, abdominal pain, and nausea. A rash starts on the torso and gradually spreads to the limbs. Eventually the infection spreads to the membranes surrounding the brain (called the meninges). The name typhus comes from a Greek word meaning "hazy," because of patients with inflamed meninges are severely confused and disoriented. Typhoid Fever Just to add to the haziness, typhoid fever got its name because it resembles typhus. If that's not confusing enough for you, even the bacteria responsible has a similar name: Salmonella typhi. But unlike typhus, typhoid spreads in contaminated food and water, through what epidemiologists call the "fecal-oral route." It's as gross as it sounds: S. typhi thrives in human intestines and blood, and if untreated sewage gets into the water supply or a cook doesn't wash his hands after a bathroom break, bits of feces -- laced with bacteria -- end up in food and water. That's how the infamous Typhoid Mary made so many people sick before officials forced her into quarantine. If you ate in Typhoid Mary's kitchen, you'd get sick within one to three weeks, and the symptoms would look a lot like typhus: headaches, fever and chills, fatigue or weakness, and abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. But typhoid hits the digestive system especially hard, and patients end up suffering from constipation and bloody stool. Like typhus, typhoid comes with a spotty skin rash, and patients can be confused or even delirious -- although in this case, that's thanks to fever and dehydration. Clearing The Haze English physician Sir William Jenner (not to be confused with English physician Edward Jenner, who saved us all from smallpox by experimenting on his neighbor's son) had to examine a lot of patients, and unfortunately a lot of cadavers, to figure out the difference. Jenner was working at the London Fever Hospital in 1847 when he began to suspect that the catchall diagnosis of "continued fever" might actually be referring to different diseases, and that a more specific diagnosis could lead to better treatment. He examined 36 patients and published a book in 1850 outlining the difference between the two diseases. Of course, he passed up the opportunity to spare future students a lot of confusion by giving them clearer names! A few years later, Jenner had the opportunity to put his expertise to the test when he was called to Windsor Castle to tend to the desperately ill Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, in December 1861. Jenner diagnosed the prince consort with typhoid fever on December 9, but was unable to save him; Albert died on December 14. Two of the prince consort's cousins, King Pedro V of Portugal and his brother Prince Ferdinand, had both died of typhoid fever just a month earlier, within days of each other. (Knowing what we now know about how typhoid is spread, one must look a bit askance at the palace cooks.) There's still some debate about Jenner's diagnosis, though. Typhoid fever usually sets in within a few weeks of exposure, and if it's not treated, patients either die or get better within a few weeks or months. But Prince Albert had suffered chronic abdominal pain since 1859, although he remained very active. Modern historians speculate that the prince consort may actually have died of Crohn's disease or cancer, rather than typhoid fever. But Jenner had made a name for himself and earned the queen's trust; in 1862, Queen Victoria had appointed him her Physician in Ordinary, making him a card-carrying member of the royal household. He took on the job of Physician in Ordinary to her son Albert Edward, Prince of Wales -- the future King Edward VII -- the following year. And Prince Albert's fatal diagnosis must have been on his son's mind in the winter of 1871 when he, too, fell ill with a fever that Jenner identified as typhoid -- but the Prince of Wales survived the ordeal and eventually became King Edward VII in 1901. His physician, however, didn't live to see his coronation; Jenner died in December 1898. Today, incidentally, would have been his 204th birthday. | Typhus Typhus is the unpleasant work of bacteria called Rickettsia typhi. The name typhus comes from a Greek word meaning "hazy," because of inflamed meninges. Typhoid fever got its name because it resembles typhus. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kionasmith/2019/01/30/whats-the-difference-between-typhus-and-typhoid/ | 0.137455 |
Is it wrong to order food delivery during the polar vortex? | CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Youre stuck at home waiting out the polar vortex by the fireplace. Theres no food in the house. These days, getting a steaming hot bowl of pho or a burger and fries from Wendys delivered to your door is as easy as opening an app on your phone. A couple of taps and, boom, in a reasonable amount of time and for a small fee, dinner is served. But there is ethical dilemma at play in this scenario. At these temperatures, after all, frostbite can set in a matter of minutes. Of course, theres a flip side to the argument. Restaurants, local especially, also rely heavily on delivery orders when foot traffic is down due to weather. The safety of our community is our priority," a spokesperson from DoorDash, one of the leading delivery services, told us. DoorDash will continue to operate, but we ask that merchants, customers, and Dashers exercise care and discretion while following all safety guidelines. We also thank everyone for their patience as delivery times may be longer than usual. Please stay safe and warm. Postmates, which offers delivery from grocery and drug stores in addition to restaurants, echoed that sentiment. Nothing is more important to us than the trust and safety of anyone who interacts with the Postmates platform, a spokeperson said in a statement. Postmates will also remain in operation during the frigid conditions. On Facebook, Rick Buckley of Streetsboro wrote, For those planning on ordering delivered food today (pizza, Uber eats, ect) because you are afraid to go out into the polar vortex, please either invite your delivery driver in while you are paying them, or please have your money and well deserved tip ready for these men, women and kids that are out making sure you are fed! We are gonna order food later and Im planning on [tipping] at least 50%. Probably more like 70%, Ben Senter of Lakewood posted on Twitter. Ive read elsewhere that delivery people like delivering in bad weather because of the extra big tips, a cleveland.com reader wrote in the comments section. So, the consensus seems to be that, if you must, its perfectly OK to order in during an extreme cold snap like the one were in the middle of. Just remember to be patient and perhaps more generous than usual when it comes to the tip. Share your thoughts in the comments. | There's an ethical dilemma when it comes to getting your food delivered in the cold. frostbite can set in a matter of minutes in sub-zero temperatures. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2019/01/is-it-wrong-to-order-food-delivery-during-the-polar-vortex.html | 0.109975 |
Will Investors, Match Group Find Love When the Company Reports Earnings? | It was a market-beating year for Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH) in 2018. The Tinder parent beat expectations and raised guidance in each of the past three quarters, driving shares up as much as 85%, before a late-year correction and weaker-than-expected forecast sent the stock plummeting. After regaining some of its lost ground, Match Group ended the year up more than 36%, far exceeding the 6% decline of the S&P 500. Match Group will have another opportunity to hit it off with investors when the company reports the financial results of its fourth quarter before the market open on Thursday, Feb. 7. Let's take a look at the company's third-quarter results and recent events to see if they provide any insight into what investors can expect when the company reports earnings. Fingers forming a heart shape with a sunset in the background. More Image source: Getty Images. For the third quarter, Match Group reported revenue that grew to $444 million, up 29% year over year, while operating income of $140 million increased 54% compared with the prior-year quarter, resulting in diluted earnings per share of $0.44. Match beat expectations by a wide margin on both the top and bottom line, as analysts' consensus estimates were calling for revenue of $437 million and earnings per share of $0.33. Results were positive all over with strong performances in North America and abroad. This was driven by average subscribers that grew 23% year over year, while the average revenue per user (ARPU) increased 6% compared with the prior-year quarter. Tinder was once again the belle of the ball, as subscribers grew 61% year over year, while ARPU jumped 24%. The company added 1.56 million new subscribers over the trailing-12-month period, bringing the total subscriber base to 4.1 million. Trouble in paradise Match Group recently settled an age discrimination class-action lawsuit that was brought against Tinder, for an estimated $23 million. The lawsuit alleged that Tinder charged users over the age of 30 twice the monthly subscription price it charged younger users. The settlement includes a combination of $25 cash, 25 additional Super Likes, or a one-month subscription to either Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold for each member of the affected class. The company also agreed to stop charging residents of California a different price based on their age. In other legal news, Match Group and its parent, IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IAC), filed a countersuit against Sean Rad, Tinder's co-founder, for $250 million, alleging that he secretly copied company files and made away with other proprietary company information. For perspective, Rad and the other co-founders of Tinder previously filed a lawsuit against Match and IAC alleging that the companies purposefully undervalued Tinder to avoid paying them what could potentially amount to billions of dollars. Match must have anticipated the ongoing acrimonious divorce proceedings, as the company reportedly included an additional $3 million in litigation expenses in its fourth-quarter outlook. Match forecast revenue of between $440 million and $450 million, which would represent growth of just over 17% at the midpoint of its guidance. The company is also anticipating adjusted EBITDA in a range of $165 million to $170 million. | Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH) reports fourth-quarter results before the market open on Thursday, Feb. 7. The Tinder parent beat expectations and raised guidance in each of the past three quarters. Tinder was once again the belle of the ball, as subscribers grew 61% year over year. | bart | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/investors-match-group-love-company-223000017.html | 0.109332 |
How Much Does Foxconn Announcement Really Change Things for Wisconsin? | Driving back and forth between Milwaukee and Chicago on Interstate 94, it is impossible not to think about the $4+ billion deal that Wisconsins former Governor Scott Walker offered Taiwans Hon Hai Precision Industry Company, better known as Foxconn. Dubbed the I-94 North-South Freeway Project, the reconstruction plan was approved in 2008, and was originally supposed to be completed by 2016. But the highways project didnt get funded until the Foxconn agreement was signed by Governor Walker in November, 2017. Today, after two years of regular lane-closings and re-routings for commuters that drive that route, Foxconn announced that they may not even build the $10 billion, 20-million square foot manufacturing facility. A statement made to Reuters by Louis Woo on behalf of Foxconn Chief Executive Terry Gou announced, In Wisconsin were not building a factory. You cant use a factory to view our Wisconsin investment. Instead, their plan is to create a research and development hub. Rather than employing 13,000 largely manufacturing and assembly-line workers, three-fourths of the future and likely much smaller workforce will instead be highly skilled engineers and R&D staff. This is contrary to Mr. Walkers pitch that Foxconn would be a big workforce and manufacturing win for Wisconsin, and President Donald Trumps claim that Foxconn would be the eighth wonder of the world and a prime example of his MAGA platform. Always Controversial From the beginning, the deal has been controversial. Wisconsin offered Foxconn nearly $3 billion in tax credits, which is the largest subsidy a U.S. state has ever given a foreign entity. In addition, the state took on responsibility for 40% of the public bonds that finance roads, utilities, and infrastructure improvements and other capital costs related to the build-out of the Foxconn plant. Foxconn also received significant, potentially costly, environmental concessions. The production of flat screens is known to involve the emission of many pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, volatile organic chemicals, carbon monoxide, and greenhouse gases. But Foxconn was granted an exemption from filing an environmental impact statement, leaving public safety and environmental advocates blind to the actual risks. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources granted Foxconns request to divert Lake Michigan water to its plant; 7 million gallons of water per day, 38.5% of which would be lost to evaporation. According to the Great Lakes Compact, the eight states that border the Great Lakes must approve water diversion plans. But the Foxconn plant lies outside the Great Lakes Basin, so Wisconsin evaded this requirement by having Foxconn apply for its water usage directly from the city of Racine, Wisconsin. Authorities from states surrounding the Great Lakes and environmental advocates all warned that this set a dangerous precedent, and the matter is currently being litigated. Public opinion on the project has never amounted to a ringing endorsement. A Marquette Poll in 2017 showed that 46% of Wisconsin residents thought the incentives offered were greater than the plant was worth, and 40% of respondents thought that the deal would be a break-even for the state. Questions regarding where the labor would come from have dogged the Foxconn bid from the beginning. Wisconsins unemployment rate is 2.9% (Jun 2018), compared to 4.0% for the U.S.. Its population growth rate is just 0.35%, ranking Wisconsin 39th in the nation. It has a median age in 2016 of 39.3, compared to 37.9 for the U.S., and ranks in the bottom 12 states for immigrant population. To staff the Foxconn plant, Wisconsin would have to attract workers to commute hours per day from Chicago and Madison, or become more appealing as a relocation destination. But its not just workers that the Foxconn plant would require its tech workers, and Wisconsin has a shortage of those. An article titled Foxconn forces Wisconsin to confront acute shortage of automation-age tech workers, in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal in July of 2017 stated the region would need to move with Manhattan Project-like urgency to mount a come-from-behind retraining and recruitment campaign for automation-savvy workers to meet Foxconns employment requirements. Meanwhile, Wisconsins technical colleges are not prepared to fill the tech worker gap. Under Mr. Walker, the 2011-2012 budget for Wisconsin technical colleges was slashed by $71.6 million a 30% cut. Funding remained flat until 2015, when Mr. Walker restored $5 million to the budget. So the time required to build a tech workforce for Wisconsin exceeds the two years it would take most students to complete a technical training program. Wisconsin needs to hire teachers and build curricula before it can even begin to enroll the students. Employers of Wisconsins highly constrained tech workforce have repeatedly expressed concern that Foxconn would spirit away their workers. A counter-argument to that worry was that, based on analysis of Foxconns estimate of paying $53,000/year on average (including loaded compensation costs), it appeared that Foxconn workers would be paid slightly less than the state average. Once again, Foxconn was the only clear winner, as Wisconsin has promised to pay Foxconn $66,600 per employee (based on 3,000 workers) for each of the next 15 years, leaving Wisconsin taxpayers to pay their neighbors wages. At the same time, it is anticipated that wage inflation for technical workers will occur, as companies raise pay to hold on to talent. In addition to concerns regarding short-term implementation, opponents of the Foxconn deal have questioned if there will be a long-term benefit. There is always a risk that a company will move on to another greenfield opportunity as subsidies end and plant requirements change. This concern was heightened when Foxconn acknowledged that they had downgraded their plans for the technical capabilities of the plant. The original plan was to build a Generation 10.5 plant, which would produce large screens. But the plan was changed shortly after the deal was signed to build a Generation 6 plant, which builds the current generation of smaller screens. Since then, Foxconn has refused to give assurances that the Generation 10.5 plant will ever be built. With all the concerns about workforce preparedness, heightened competition and wage inflation related to demand versus supply, the risk of losing Foxconn after state subsidies end, environmental risk and costs, and the reasonable expectation that the market for small screens will dry up due to changing consumer demands and evolving technology, it is reasonable to question the ultimate payoff for Wisconsin. Todays announcement that Foxconn is reconsidering its commitment to manufacturing in Wisconsin should not come as a surprise. Plans have shifted repeatedly over the past two years, including changing technology and product plans and the drip drip drip reduction in the promised number and type of jobs. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, In July 2017, a report by Foxconn consultant Ernst & Young, using Foxconn data, projected that 9,817 of the 13,000 jobs about 75 percent would be held by hourly operators and techs. Some 2,363 employees, or 18 percent, would be engineers, the report said. But by late March 2018, Foxconn executive Louis Woo said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that plans had shifted and he expected that about a third of employees would be more like assembly line workers, but two-thirds would be the knowledge workers. Five months later, the workforce ratio shifted still further toward the high-skill end. Speaking to The Journal Times, of Racine, in late August, Woo said that now it looks like about 10 percent assembly line workers, 90 percent knowledge workers. That same day, Woo told the Milwaukee Business Journal that at least 80 percent would be engineers or R&D scientists. Most recently, Foxconn failed to meet its 2018 hiring commitment for 260 full time employees. Accusations by Wisconsins Republican lawmakers claiming that The company is reacting to the wave of economic uncertainty that the new (Democratic) governor has brought with his administration are completely unsupported by the facts. According to Foxconn in todays release, The global market environment that existed when the project was first announced has changed. As our plans are driven by those of our customers, this has necessitated the adjustment of plans for all projects, including Wisconsin. Newly elected Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers did promise on the campaign trail that his administration would hold Foxconn accountable for the terms in the contract, so the changing administration may have caused Foxconn to reevaluate its position in light of that higher degree of accountability. But the trend leading up to todays announcement began within months of the deal-signing in 2017 , and was foreshadowed by other cases in which Foxconn has reneged or failed to deliver on development projects in other localities (see this article for references to other failed Foxconn projects). The company claims that it remains committed to a presence in Wisconsin. In addition to the planned greenfield development site near Mount Pleasant, the company has purchased commercial buildings in Milwaukee and Green Bay. But one should bring skepticism to Wisconsin Assemblyman (and Democratic minority leader) Gordon Hintzs claim This news is devastating for the taxpayers of Wisconsin. It has never been clear that the Foxconn agreement was a good economic deal for the people of Wisconsin, nor that Wisconsin could deliver the skilled workers required to operate a high-tech manufacturing plant. Environmental advocates have struggled to quantify the environmental impact, but most agree that Foxconn was poised to become a major Wisconsin polluter. And even though some safeguards were put in place tying employment performance to tax benefits, a significant portion of the payments due to Foxconn are not dependent on job creation. According to Tamarine Cornelius, a Wisconsin Budget Project Analyst, taxpayers would still be on the hook for a lot of these expenses, even if the job targets are not met. Theres a portion of the payments that are not strongly linked to jobs, Cornelius says. So, even in flush economic times, there are very real opportunity costs here. (Shepherd Express, September 12, 2018). If Foxconn ultimately employs just a small number of knowledge workers, and its greenfield remains simply a field, Wisconsin will have paid (and will continue to pay) far too much for it. But Wisconsin taxpayers and manufacturing employers alike should strongly consider the possibility that today's announcement could ultimately be good news for the state. #Foxconn #ScottWalker | Foxconn announced that they may not even build the $10 billion, 20-million square foot manufacturing facility. A statement made to Reuters by Louis Woo on behalf of Foxconn Chief Executive Terry Gou announced, In Wisconsin were not building a factory. Instead, their plan is to create a research and development hub. | bart | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/andreahill/2019/01/30/how-much-does-foxconn-announcement-really-change-things-for-wisconsin/ | 0.115892 |
Did comic Gad Elmaleh steal jokes from Quebec acts? | A video posted anonymously on YouTube this week accuses popular French-Moroccan comic Gad Elmaleh of plagiarizing jokes from other comics and the video is already spurring headlines on both sides of the Atlantic. The video, which had been viewed over 444,000 times by Wednesday afternoon, shows a slew of examples of comic routines by Elmaleh that show uncanny resemblance to jokes by other comics. The video, titled #CopyComic, splits the screen to show the original joke and then it shows the Elmaleh joke, and its often impossible not to see the similarities. It starts with the 1996 George Carlin routine built around the phrase Im more than happy and Carlins point is: How can anyone be more than happy! Then you see Elmaleh doing a bit in his 2018 Netflix special American Dream that revolves around precisely the same question. Thats followed by another Carlin routine, from 1992, about people who look at their watch and immediately forget what time it is. Then comes a clip of Elmaleh saying pretty well the same thing en franais in a 2014 TV special titled Sans Tambour. There is a 1995 Steven Wright routine about someone who invented powdered water and thats compared to a 2005 Elmaleh piece about a friend who invented powdered water. Another Wright joke is about him coming home drunk and trying to use his car key on the door of his house and the punchline is that the engine of the house starts and then he drives off in his house. Elmaleh is shown making a very similar joke in 2005. The Casablanca-born funnyman also delivers jokes very similar to jokes created by two popular Quebec stand-up comics. Martin Matte has a number from a 2000 show where he imitates a guy walking awkwardly in ski boots and Elmaleh has a similar piece, recorded in 2005. There is also a joke by Patrick Huard about people who sneeze in a tissue and then look closely at the tissue. That theme is also later picked up by Elmaleh. Elmalehs American public-relations agency, Personal Publicity, said neither the comic nor anyone on his team had any comment at this time. Both Matte and Huard also declined to comment on the allegations that their jokes had been plagiarized by Elmaleh. Elmaleh has performed many times in Montreal, often at the Just For Laughs festival, and he opened for Jerry Seinfeld at Place des Arts in 2016 and performed again with Seinfeld at the Bell Centre in 2017. bkelly@postmedia.com twitter.com/brendanshowbiz | A video posted anonymously on YouTube this week accuses Gad Elmaleh of plagiarizing jokes from other comics. The video, titled #CopyComic, shows a slew of examples of comic routines that show uncanny resemblance to jokes by other comics, including George Carlin and Steven Wright. The French-Moroccan comic has performed many times in Montreal. | bart | 2 | https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/did-comic-gad-elmaleh-steal-jokes-from-quebec-acts | 0.15957 |
Will a Hall of Fame election allow Seahawks fans to finally embrace Steve Hutchinson again? | The former Seahawks standout left guard is considered to have a good chance at election to the Hall Saturday in what is his second year on the ballot. The nine players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame who played for the Seahawks have always been pretty neatly divided. There are the four who spent their entire careers with the Seahawks Steve Largent, Cortez Kennedy, Walter Jones and Kenny Easley the Four Horsemen of Seattle football, if you will, four players who forever will define the pre-Pete Carroll era of the franchises existence. And then there are the five who played no more than three years with Seattle and some less than a season Jerry Rice, Franco Harris, Carl Eller, John Randle and Warren Moon. As a reminder, unlike in baseball where players can go in the Hall of Fame representing one specific team, players in the Pro Football Hall have busts on a stand that includes a plaque that lists every team with which they played. So players dont make a choice to represent one team over another, their legacies theoretically intertwined with every team with which they suited up. But in the case of the nine listed above, its obvious four are Seahawks, and the other five are, well, not really. Randle and Moon each had a few nice moments in Seattle, each making one Pro Bowl as a Seahawk. But they were each already Hall of Famers long before coming to Seattle. And the other three are barely remembered outside of Seattle as ever even having been Seahawks. Which brings us to the case of Steve Hutchinson, who could be the first Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee who didnt play his entire career in Seattle or even the majority of it but has let it be known that he considers himself a Seahawk first and hopes everyone else will, as well. Hutchinson, a first-round pick of Seattle in 2001 who then played in the NFL through 2012, is in his second year as one of the 15 modern-era finalists on the ballot and one of 18 total (a list that includes former Seahawks coach Tom Flores, who won two Super Bowls with the Raiders, and another offensive lineman drafted by Seattle, center Kevin Mawae, who played just four of his 16 NFL seasons with the Seahawks). Eight are expected to be elected when the 48 Hall voters meet on Saturday, and probably five of the modern-era finalists. Hutchinson is considered by most to have a good shot at making it in after having been one of the 10 finalists last season before missing out on the final cut. Safety Ed Reed and tight end Tony Gonzalez are considered basically locks to get in, leaving Hutchinson battling the rest for one of the final three spots. But a resume that includes seven Pro Bowl invites, five All-Pro nods and being named to the NFLs All-Decade team for the 2000s has Hutchinson seen as likely to get in sooner rather than later. And while he doesnt have to officially choose to represent any one team, Hutchinson said last year if he could, hed like to be remembered most as a Seahawk. If I had a choice, I would put the Seahawks logo on it, Hutchinson told Seattle Times columnist Larry Stone last year. If youre wondering how the team feels about that, the answer arrived this week in what has been a pretty-concerted campaign via Twitter by the Seahawks to pump up Hutchinsons candidacy. The Seahawks sent out seven tweets in the first three days of this week on its official PR account one theoretically seen by many who will vote Saturday with stats and quotes praising Hutchinson, including one from former Seattle coach Mike Holmgren calling him the best guard he ever saw. He was one of my favorite players ever, Holmgren was quoted as saying in a tweet sent by the Seahawks. He still is. Many Seahawks fans with long memories may think differently. Hutchinson was undoubtedly great in his five years with the Seahawks, teaming with Walter Jones to form a left side of the offensive line that was the best in the NFL for a few years, if not one of the best in league history. Together, the two helped lead Shaun Alexander to one of the greatest rushing seasons ever in 2005 his 27 rushing touchdowns that season remains the second-most in NFL history and powered the team to its first Super Bowl. The problem is that the good times ended there. The Seahawks infamously slapped only a transition tag on Hutchinson as he entered free agency in 2006, opening the door for another team to potentially swoop in. The Vikings did, handing him the equally infamous (in Seattle, anyway) contract for $49 million that included a poison pill provision requiring Hutchinson to be the highest-paid offensive lineman on his team, something that would not happen in Seattle with Jones around (such a tactic is no longer allowed). So that sent him off to Minnesota, where he spent six years, and was named All-Pro three more times, before ending his career in 2012 with one season in Tennessee. That Hutchinson initially named his Twitter account @poisonpill76 didnt help soothe the feelings of spurned Seahawks fans who will always wonder what might have been had he stayed in Seattle. Within three years of the initial Super Bowl the Seahawks were again a losing team and Holmgren done as coach after 2008. For the record, I did not want to leave Seattle, Hutchinson told the Times last year. But business was business he had averaged $1.5 million in his first five years in Seattle before suddenly being handed a contract by the Vikings that included a $16 million signing bonus. At the end of the day, I didnt have an option, he said. The Seahawks have made their peace with it, having invited Hutchinson back to raise the 12th Man flag in 2016 and promoting his Hall of Fame candidacy, each side deciding to focus on the fact hed have never been a potential Hall of Famer if not for his time in Seattle. Now to see if a possible Hall of Fame coronation will allow Seattle fans to welcome him back fully into the Seahawks family. | Steve Hutchinson is considered to have a good chance at election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The former Seahawks standout left guard is in his second year on the ballot. The team has been pumping up Hutchinsons candidacy via Twitter. | bart | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/will-a-hall-of-fame-election-allow-seahawks-fans-to-finally-embrace-steve-hutchinson-again/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_seahawks | 0.148285 |
Will a Hall of Fame election allow Seahawks fans to finally embrace Steve Hutchinson again? | The former Seahawks standout left guard is considered to have a good chance at election to the Hall Saturday in what is his second year on the ballot. The nine players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame who played for the Seahawks have always been pretty neatly divided. There are the four who spent their entire careers with the Seahawks Steve Largent, Cortez Kennedy, Walter Jones and Kenny Easley the Four Horsemen of Seattle football, if you will, four players who forever will define the pre-Pete Carroll era of the franchises existence. And then there are the five who played no more than three years with Seattle and some less than a season Jerry Rice, Franco Harris, Carl Eller, John Randle and Warren Moon. As a reminder, unlike in baseball where players can go in the Hall of Fame representing one specific team, players in the Pro Football Hall have busts on a stand that includes a plaque that lists every team with which they played. So players dont make a choice to represent one team over another, their legacies theoretically intertwined with every team with which they suited up. But in the case of the nine listed above, its obvious four are Seahawks, and the other five are, well, not really. Randle and Moon each had a few nice moments in Seattle, each making one Pro Bowl as a Seahawk. But they were each already Hall of Famers long before coming to Seattle. And the other three are barely remembered outside of Seattle as ever even having been Seahawks. Which brings us to the case of Steve Hutchinson, who could be the first Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee who didnt play his entire career in Seattle or even the majority of it but has let it be known that he considers himself a Seahawk first and hopes everyone else will, as well. Hutchinson, a first-round pick of Seattle in 2001 who then played in the NFL through 2012, is in his second year as one of the 15 modern-era finalists on the ballot and one of 18 total (a list that includes former Seahawks coach Tom Flores, who won two Super Bowls with the Raiders, and another offensive lineman drafted by Seattle, center Kevin Mawae, who played just four of his 16 NFL seasons with the Seahawks). Eight are expected to be elected when the 48 Hall voters meet on Saturday, and probably five of the modern-era finalists. Hutchinson is considered by most to have a good shot at making it in after having been one of the 10 finalists last season before missing out on the final cut. Safety Ed Reed and tight end Tony Gonzalez are considered basically locks to get in, leaving Hutchinson battling the rest for one of the final three spots. But a resume that includes seven Pro Bowl invites, five All-Pro nods and being named to the NFLs All-Decade team for the 2000s has Hutchinson seen as likely to get in sooner rather than later. And while he doesnt have to officially choose to represent any one team, Hutchinson said last year if he could, hed like to be remembered most as a Seahawk. If I had a choice, I would put the Seahawks logo on it, Hutchinson told Seattle Times columnist Larry Stone last year. If youre wondering how the team feels about that, the answer arrived this week in what has been a pretty-concerted campaign via Twitter by the Seahawks to pump up Hutchinsons candidacy. The Seahawks sent out seven tweets in the first three days of this week on its official PR account one theoretically seen by many who will vote Saturday with stats and quotes praising Hutchinson, including one from former Seattle coach Mike Holmgren calling him the best guard he ever saw. He was one of my favorite players ever, Holmgren was quoted as saying in a tweet sent by the Seahawks. He still is. Many Seahawks fans with long memories may think differently. Hutchinson was undoubtedly great in his five years with the Seahawks, teaming with Walter Jones to form a left side of the offensive line that was the best in the NFL for a few years, if not one of the best in league history. Together, the two helped lead Shaun Alexander to one of the greatest rushing seasons ever in 2005 his 27 rushing touchdowns that season remains the second-most in NFL history and powered the team to its first Super Bowl. The problem is that the good times ended there. The Seahawks infamously slapped only a transition tag on Hutchinson as he entered free agency in 2006, opening the door for another team to potentially swoop in. The Vikings did, handing him the equally infamous (in Seattle, anyway) contract for $49 million that included a poison pill provision requiring Hutchinson to be the highest-paid offensive lineman on his team, something that would not happen in Seattle with Jones around (such a tactic is no longer allowed). So that sent him off to Minnesota, where he spent six years, and was named All-Pro three more times, before ending his career in 2012 with one season in Tennessee. That Hutchinson initially named his Twitter account @poisonpill76 didnt help soothe the feelings of spurned Seahawks fans who will always wonder what might have been had he stayed in Seattle. Within three years of the initial Super Bowl the Seahawks were again a losing team and Holmgren done as coach after 2008. For the record, I did not want to leave Seattle, Hutchinson told the Times last year. But business was business he had averaged $1.5 million in his first five years in Seattle before suddenly being handed a contract by the Vikings that included a $16 million signing bonus. At the end of the day, I didnt have an option, he said. The Seahawks have made their peace with it, having invited Hutchinson back to raise the 12th Man flag in 2016 and promoting his Hall of Fame candidacy, each side deciding to focus on the fact hed have never been a potential Hall of Famer if not for his time in Seattle. Now to see if a possible Hall of Fame coronation will allow Seattle fans to welcome him back fully into the Seahawks family. | Steve Hutchinson is considered to have a good chance at election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The former Seahawks standout left guard is in his second year on the ballot. The team has been pumping up Hutchinsons candidacy via Twitter. Hutchinson said last year if he could, hed like to be remembered most as a Seahawk. | bart | 2 | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/will-a-hall-of-fame-election-allow-seahawks-fans-to-finally-embrace-steve-hutchinson-again/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_seahawks | 0.204399 |
What Is Tinnitus? | Medicine actually has a name for this annoying phenomenon: tinnitus. Heres what you should know about this strange auditory experience. Tinnitus usually means youre hearing a noise that doesnt exist. Its the perception of a sound without an environmental cause, Rachel Georgopoulos, M.D., an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor) at Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF. About 10 percent of adults in the United States have experienced tinnitus for at least five minutes in the past year, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). The exact nature of the sound can vary from person to person, though. Its common for tinnitus to present as high-pitched ringing, Dr. Georgopoulos says, but people can also hear buzzing, humming, roaring, clicking, hissing, swishing, or a heartbeat-like sound. Tinnitus can be so loud that its hard to hear yourself think, or it can be so soft its barely noticeable. It can be present in one or both ears; constant or intermittent; temporary or permanent. Tinnitus often happens due to age- or noise-related hearing loss. I see it in a lot of elderly patients, Dr. Georgopoulos says. As the Mayo Clinic explains, the number of working nerve fibers in your inner ear gets lower as you get older. Your inner ear contains the cochlea, or the organ that actually allows you to hear, so this kind of decline in function can contribute to hearing issues. Tinnitus can also be the result of noise-induced hearing loss, per the NIDCD, which occurs when people who are exposed to loud sounds without proper ear protection suffer damage to sensory hair cells in the inner ear that help carry noises to the brain. According to the Mayo Clinic, tinnitus due to short-term noise exposure, like after a music festival, will typically fade. But long-term exposure to loud noises can cause permanent ear damage that leads to tinnitus. This is why people who work in jobs like construction or air traffic control are vulnerable to this issue, Dr. Georgopoulos says. Tinnitus is also relatively common among service members and veterans, the NIDCD explains. When a bomb goes off, the shock wave of the blast can actually harm some of the tissue in the parts of the brain that process sound. According to the NIDCD, other possible tinnitus causes include sinus infections, earwax blockages, ear infections, hormone fluctuations (estrogen and progesterone can affect the auditory system), and a condition called Mnires disease that is linked with too much fluid pressure in the inner ear. Tinnitus is also a known side effect of going on or off of over 200 medications, per the NIDCD. These drugs can range from antibiotics to chemotherapy treatments, according to the Mayo Clinic. Although medication-induced tinnitus often goes away, it can stick around in some cases. Lastly, theres a handful of people who have tinnitus with no apparent root cause, according to the NIDCD. Luckily, no matter the cause, tinnitus is often a pretty minor annoyance that doesnt interfere with peoples daily functioning because theyve grown accustomed to it, Dr. Georgopoulos explains. Tinnitus appears to happen most often due to a malfunction along the pathway from your ear to your brain. Scientists arent exactly sure how to explain tinnitus. What they can say for sure is that tinnitus is a sign that something is up with your auditory system, which includes the ear itself, the auditory nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain, and the areas in the brain that process sound, per the NIDCD. Thats why its viewed as a symptom, not a condition all on its own. The most established theories try to explain tinnitus associated with loss of hearing. We believe that your brain tries to adapt to that hearing loss, and theres some abnormal reorganization somewhere in the auditory pathway, Dr. Georgopoulos explains. One popular theory, according to the NIDCD, is that neural circuits may be overcompensating for loss of hearing by increasing the ears sensitivity to sound. Other scientists think that unusual interactions between the neural circuits involved in hearing (as well as other activities in the brain) are to blame, per the NIDCD. Or, these circuits could be compromised when inner ear damage affects the signaling activity between the ear and the part of the brain that processes sound. | About 10 percent of adults in the U.S. have experienced tinnitus. Tinnitus is the perception of a sound without an environmental cause. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/tinnitus-220313780.html | 0.190202 |
What Is Tinnitus? | Medicine actually has a name for this annoying phenomenon: tinnitus. Heres what you should know about this strange auditory experience. Tinnitus usually means youre hearing a noise that doesnt exist. Its the perception of a sound without an environmental cause, Rachel Georgopoulos, M.D., an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor) at Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF. About 10 percent of adults in the United States have experienced tinnitus for at least five minutes in the past year, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). The exact nature of the sound can vary from person to person, though. Its common for tinnitus to present as high-pitched ringing, Dr. Georgopoulos says, but people can also hear buzzing, humming, roaring, clicking, hissing, swishing, or a heartbeat-like sound. Tinnitus can be so loud that its hard to hear yourself think, or it can be so soft its barely noticeable. It can be present in one or both ears; constant or intermittent; temporary or permanent. Tinnitus often happens due to age- or noise-related hearing loss. I see it in a lot of elderly patients, Dr. Georgopoulos says. As the Mayo Clinic explains, the number of working nerve fibers in your inner ear gets lower as you get older. Your inner ear contains the cochlea, or the organ that actually allows you to hear, so this kind of decline in function can contribute to hearing issues. Tinnitus can also be the result of noise-induced hearing loss, per the NIDCD, which occurs when people who are exposed to loud sounds without proper ear protection suffer damage to sensory hair cells in the inner ear that help carry noises to the brain. According to the Mayo Clinic, tinnitus due to short-term noise exposure, like after a music festival, will typically fade. But long-term exposure to loud noises can cause permanent ear damage that leads to tinnitus. This is why people who work in jobs like construction or air traffic control are vulnerable to this issue, Dr. Georgopoulos says. Tinnitus is also relatively common among service members and veterans, the NIDCD explains. When a bomb goes off, the shock wave of the blast can actually harm some of the tissue in the parts of the brain that process sound. According to the NIDCD, other possible tinnitus causes include sinus infections, earwax blockages, ear infections, hormone fluctuations (estrogen and progesterone can affect the auditory system), and a condition called Mnires disease that is linked with too much fluid pressure in the inner ear. Tinnitus is also a known side effect of going on or off of over 200 medications, per the NIDCD. These drugs can range from antibiotics to chemotherapy treatments, according to the Mayo Clinic. Although medication-induced tinnitus often goes away, it can stick around in some cases. Lastly, theres a handful of people who have tinnitus with no apparent root cause, according to the NIDCD. Luckily, no matter the cause, tinnitus is often a pretty minor annoyance that doesnt interfere with peoples daily functioning because theyve grown accustomed to it, Dr. Georgopoulos explains. Tinnitus appears to happen most often due to a malfunction along the pathway from your ear to your brain. Scientists arent exactly sure how to explain tinnitus. What they can say for sure is that tinnitus is a sign that something is up with your auditory system, which includes the ear itself, the auditory nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain, and the areas in the brain that process sound, per the NIDCD. Thats why its viewed as a symptom, not a condition all on its own. The most established theories try to explain tinnitus associated with loss of hearing. We believe that your brain tries to adapt to that hearing loss, and theres some abnormal reorganization somewhere in the auditory pathway, Dr. Georgopoulos explains. One popular theory, according to the NIDCD, is that neural circuits may be overcompensating for loss of hearing by increasing the ears sensitivity to sound. Other scientists think that unusual interactions between the neural circuits involved in hearing (as well as other activities in the brain) are to blame, per the NIDCD. Or, these circuits could be compromised when inner ear damage affects the signaling activity between the ear and the part of the brain that processes sound. | Tinnitus usually means youre hearing a noise that doesnt exist. About 10 percent of adults in the United States have experienced tinnitus for at least five minutes in the past year. It can be present in one or both ears; constant or intermittent; temporary or permanent. | pegasus | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/tinnitus-220313780.html | 0.146017 |
How Does the 2018-2019 Flu Season Compare to Last Year's Deadly Season? | The Centers for Disease Control are warning that this years flu season is just beginning to ramp up, but hospitalization and death rates still remain well below last years deadly averages. The CDC estimates that so far in this years flu season from Oct. 1 to Jan. 19 there have been 9.8 million to 11.4 million flu illnesses, 4.6 million to 5.4 million flu medical visits and 113,000 to 136,000 hospitalizations related to the flu. These estimates are preliminary and are based on the CDCs weekly influenza surveillance reports. The CDC added that the total number of deaths during this flu season so far cannot be calculated: Estimates of flu-related deaths will be provided at a later time, when there is sufficient data to support a more precise estimate for that outcome. However, the CDC did confirm that a total of 22 flu-related pediatric deaths have been reported this season. RELATED: Flu Season Is Picking Up Across the U.S. and Its Widespread in 24 States, Says CDC The 2017 2018 flu season was the deadliest in years, resulting in a record-breaking number of hospitalizations and at least 80,000 deaths, the Centers for Disease Control said in September. At the beginning of this season, CDC experts said they believed the 2018-2019 season would be milder nationwide. We dont know whats going to happen, but were seeing more encouraging signs than we were early last year, Dr. Daniel Jernigan, a CDC flu expert, said in September. RELATED: From Prevention to Treatment: Everything You Need to Know About this Years Flu Earlier this month, the CDC announced that the flu season was starting to ramp up and was widespread in 24 states. Hospitalization rates also went up, particularly for children aged 0 to 4, though they still remain comparatively low compared to last years season. The death rates were also low as of early January. RELATED VIDEO: Heres What You Need to Know If You Get the Flu To prevent the flu, Dr. Travis Stork, an ER physician, host of The Doctors and a member of PEOPLEs Health Squad, suggests getting the flu vaccine and focusing on preventative measures, like skipping handshakes and hugs. During cold and flu season, its not rude! he reassures. Getting the flu shot and staying home if youre sick are two of the most important ways to reduce transmission, according to the CDC, who also adds that its important to wash your hands frequently, stay hydrated, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze and wipe down surfaces that may have come into contact with contagion, as flu germs can live on them for up to 24 hours. Stork also echoes the CDCs suggestions of washing your hands often with soap and water and regularly disinfecting phones, keyboards and door handles, also advising being extra focused on getting enough sleep, staying active and eating well. | The Centers for Disease Control are warning that this years flu season is just beginning to ramp up. Hospitalization and death rates still remain well below last year's deadly averages. | bart | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/does-2018-2019-flu-season-202659099.html | 0.188327 |
How Does the 2018-2019 Flu Season Compare to Last Year's Deadly Season? | The Centers for Disease Control are warning that this years flu season is just beginning to ramp up, but hospitalization and death rates still remain well below last years deadly averages. The CDC estimates that so far in this years flu season from Oct. 1 to Jan. 19 there have been 9.8 million to 11.4 million flu illnesses, 4.6 million to 5.4 million flu medical visits and 113,000 to 136,000 hospitalizations related to the flu. These estimates are preliminary and are based on the CDCs weekly influenza surveillance reports. The CDC added that the total number of deaths during this flu season so far cannot be calculated: Estimates of flu-related deaths will be provided at a later time, when there is sufficient data to support a more precise estimate for that outcome. However, the CDC did confirm that a total of 22 flu-related pediatric deaths have been reported this season. RELATED: Flu Season Is Picking Up Across the U.S. and Its Widespread in 24 States, Says CDC The 2017 2018 flu season was the deadliest in years, resulting in a record-breaking number of hospitalizations and at least 80,000 deaths, the Centers for Disease Control said in September. At the beginning of this season, CDC experts said they believed the 2018-2019 season would be milder nationwide. We dont know whats going to happen, but were seeing more encouraging signs than we were early last year, Dr. Daniel Jernigan, a CDC flu expert, said in September. RELATED: From Prevention to Treatment: Everything You Need to Know About this Years Flu Earlier this month, the CDC announced that the flu season was starting to ramp up and was widespread in 24 states. Hospitalization rates also went up, particularly for children aged 0 to 4, though they still remain comparatively low compared to last years season. The death rates were also low as of early January. RELATED VIDEO: Heres What You Need to Know If You Get the Flu To prevent the flu, Dr. Travis Stork, an ER physician, host of The Doctors and a member of PEOPLEs Health Squad, suggests getting the flu vaccine and focusing on preventative measures, like skipping handshakes and hugs. During cold and flu season, its not rude! he reassures. Getting the flu shot and staying home if youre sick are two of the most important ways to reduce transmission, according to the CDC, who also adds that its important to wash your hands frequently, stay hydrated, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze and wipe down surfaces that may have come into contact with contagion, as flu germs can live on them for up to 24 hours. Stork also echoes the CDCs suggestions of washing your hands often with soap and water and regularly disinfecting phones, keyboards and door handles, also advising being extra focused on getting enough sleep, staying active and eating well. | The Centers for Disease Control are warning that this years flu season is just beginning to ramp up. Hospitalization and death rates still remain well below last year's deadly averages. Getting the flu shot and staying home if youre sick are two of the most important ways to reduce transmission. | bart | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/does-2018-2019-flu-season-202659099.html | 0.216939 |
What would've been the better Super Bowl matchup? | Super Bowl LIII features a premiere quarterback duel, but many fans are still pining over what could have been. Some feel that watching Drew Brees and Tom Brady would've been a better matchup, especially since both are among the two greatest to ever play the game. Others wanted to see Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff in an epic showdown of the young guns--a duel that yielded over 100 points the last time they faced each other. PERSPECTIVES Super Bowl LIII has a pretty good quarterback battle, but it's nothing compared to what could've been: the Battle of the GOATs. Tom Brady and Drew Brees have combined for a total of 533 games, 362 wins, 144,951 yards, and 1037 touchdowns. Imagine what they could've done on the game's biggest stage. These two legends would've put on a show of veteran experience, pinpoint accuracy and clutch play. The people were robbed of a chance to see one of the greatest duels ever. But last time Goff and Mahomes quarterbacks faced off, they gave the league its game of the year and maybe the best regular season game ever. Jared Goff and Patrick Mahomes combined to throw for nearly 900 yards and 10 passing touchdowns--IN ONE GAME. If they made a regular season game that exciting, playing in the Super Bowl would have been even more explosive. These are two of the best young quarterbacks in the league, with a chance to become the future face of the game. This would've been the better matchup! 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. | Super Bowl LIII features a premiere quarterback duel, but many fans are still pining over what could have been. Some feel that watching Drew Brees and Tom Brady would've been a better matchup. | bart | 1 | https://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2019/01/what_wouldve_been_the_better_s.html | 0.433437 |
What would've been the better Super Bowl matchup? | Super Bowl LIII features a premiere quarterback duel, but many fans are still pining over what could have been. Some feel that watching Drew Brees and Tom Brady would've been a better matchup, especially since both are among the two greatest to ever play the game. Others wanted to see Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff in an epic showdown of the young guns--a duel that yielded over 100 points the last time they faced each other. PERSPECTIVES Super Bowl LIII has a pretty good quarterback battle, but it's nothing compared to what could've been: the Battle of the GOATs. Tom Brady and Drew Brees have combined for a total of 533 games, 362 wins, 144,951 yards, and 1037 touchdowns. Imagine what they could've done on the game's biggest stage. These two legends would've put on a show of veteran experience, pinpoint accuracy and clutch play. The people were robbed of a chance to see one of the greatest duels ever. But last time Goff and Mahomes quarterbacks faced off, they gave the league its game of the year and maybe the best regular season game ever. Jared Goff and Patrick Mahomes combined to throw for nearly 900 yards and 10 passing touchdowns--IN ONE GAME. If they made a regular season game that exciting, playing in the Super Bowl would have been even more explosive. These are two of the best young quarterbacks in the league, with a chance to become the future face of the game. This would've been the better matchup! 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. | Super Bowl LIII features a premiere quarterback duel, but many fans are still pining over what could have been. Some feel that watching Drew Brees and Tom Brady would've been a better matchup. Others wanted to see Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff in an epic showdown of the young guns. | bart | 2 | https://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2019/01/what_wouldve_been_the_better_s.html | 0.499683 |
Did Saints' Sean Payton take swipe at Roger Goodell with infamous clown T-shirt? | The New Orleans Saints versus the NFL commissioner may have waded into more personal waters. That is, if you believe a T-shirt conspiracy that seems to have convincing evidence. In what would unquestionably be a direct shot at Roger Goodell in the fallout of the non-call that may have cost New Orleans a Super Bowl berth, Saints head coach Sean Payton appeared to deliver his season-ending news conference on Wednesday wearing a concealed Barstool Sports T-shirt featuring the commissioner with a clown nose. At least, thats what a growing segment of internet sleuths believes, many of whom spotted the shirt under a partially zipped pullover that Payton wore during the presser. Scroll to continue with content Ad Saints head coach Sean Payton has been clear about what a raw deal his team got in the NFC title game. (AP) Paytons zipper was pulled down just enough to reveal the top portion of an image on his T-shirt, which bore a striking resemblance to Barstools infamous Goodell clown image. The same shirt that was previously donned by former New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia in 2015 following a four-game suspension of Tom Brady for his role in deflate-gate. Welp. pic.twitter.com/nvjB1A8dgi NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 30, 2019 Story continues While its unclear if Payton was wearing the same T-shirt, multiple graphics showing overlays of the image appear to show the crest of Goodells hair from the Barstool shirt. And the underlying message would seem to fit the moment, as Payton once again lamented the failure of officials to call an interference penalty against Los Angeles Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman in the NFC championship game. That no-call, which the NFL admitted was an officiating error, would have delivered the Saints a key first down late in the fourth quarter, allowing the possibility of either scoring a decisive touchdown or kicking a field goal as time expired. Instead, the Saints were denied the call, settling for a field goal that would be matched less than two minutes later by the Rams, sending the game into overtime and an eventual 26-23 loss for New Orleans. Goodell acknowledged the Saints gripes during a news conference at the Super Bowl on Wednesday, but stopped short of announcing a league-wide overhaul of officiating and instant replay rules. More from Yahoo Sports: NFL cancels Maroon 5s Super Bowl news conference Pats Brady labeled known cheater on broadcast Ex-NFL star says he drank Hennessy before NFL games Martin: Rams RB never strayed far from West Coast roots | Sean Payton appeared to wear a Barstool Sports T-shirt with an image of Roger Goodell with a clown nose. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://sports.yahoo.com/saints-sean-payton-take-swipe-roger-goodell-infamous-clown-t-shirt-200516926.html?src=rss | 0.198024 |
Did Saints' Sean Payton take swipe at Roger Goodell with infamous clown T-shirt? | The New Orleans Saints versus the NFL commissioner may have waded into more personal waters. That is, if you believe a T-shirt conspiracy that seems to have convincing evidence. In what would unquestionably be a direct shot at Roger Goodell in the fallout of the non-call that may have cost New Orleans a Super Bowl berth, Saints head coach Sean Payton appeared to deliver his season-ending news conference on Wednesday wearing a concealed Barstool Sports T-shirt featuring the commissioner with a clown nose. At least, thats what a growing segment of internet sleuths believes, many of whom spotted the shirt under a partially zipped pullover that Payton wore during the presser. Scroll to continue with content Ad Saints head coach Sean Payton has been clear about what a raw deal his team got in the NFC title game. (AP) Paytons zipper was pulled down just enough to reveal the top portion of an image on his T-shirt, which bore a striking resemblance to Barstools infamous Goodell clown image. The same shirt that was previously donned by former New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia in 2015 following a four-game suspension of Tom Brady for his role in deflate-gate. Welp. pic.twitter.com/nvjB1A8dgi NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 30, 2019 Story continues While its unclear if Payton was wearing the same T-shirt, multiple graphics showing overlays of the image appear to show the crest of Goodells hair from the Barstool shirt. And the underlying message would seem to fit the moment, as Payton once again lamented the failure of officials to call an interference penalty against Los Angeles Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman in the NFC championship game. That no-call, which the NFL admitted was an officiating error, would have delivered the Saints a key first down late in the fourth quarter, allowing the possibility of either scoring a decisive touchdown or kicking a field goal as time expired. Instead, the Saints were denied the call, settling for a field goal that would be matched less than two minutes later by the Rams, sending the game into overtime and an eventual 26-23 loss for New Orleans. Goodell acknowledged the Saints gripes during a news conference at the Super Bowl on Wednesday, but stopped short of announcing a league-wide overhaul of officiating and instant replay rules. More from Yahoo Sports: NFL cancels Maroon 5s Super Bowl news conference Pats Brady labeled known cheater on broadcast Ex-NFL star says he drank Hennessy before NFL games Martin: Rams RB never strayed far from West Coast roots | Sean Payton appeared to wear a Barstool Sports T-shirt with an image of Roger Goodell with a clown nose. The image appears to be a reference to the NFL commissioner's infamous "clown" image. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://sports.yahoo.com/saints-sean-payton-take-swipe-roger-goodell-infamous-clown-t-shirt-200516926.html?src=rss | 0.217856 |
Did Saints' Sean Payton take swipe at Roger Goodell with infamous clown T-shirt? | The New Orleans Saints versus the NFL commissioner may have waded into more personal waters. That is, if you believe a T-shirt conspiracy that seems to have convincing evidence. In what would unquestionably be a direct shot at Roger Goodell in the fallout of the non-call that may have cost New Orleans a Super Bowl berth, Saints head coach Sean Payton appeared to deliver his season-ending news conference on Wednesday wearing a concealed Barstool Sports T-shirt featuring the commissioner with a clown nose. At least, thats what a growing segment of internet sleuths believes, many of whom spotted the shirt under a partially zipped pullover that Payton wore during the presser. Scroll to continue with content Ad Saints head coach Sean Payton has been clear about what a raw deal his team got in the NFC title game. (AP) Paytons zipper was pulled down just enough to reveal the top portion of an image on his T-shirt, which bore a striking resemblance to Barstools infamous Goodell clown image. The same shirt that was previously donned by former New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia in 2015 following a four-game suspension of Tom Brady for his role in deflate-gate. Welp. pic.twitter.com/nvjB1A8dgi NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 30, 2019 Story continues While its unclear if Payton was wearing the same T-shirt, multiple graphics showing overlays of the image appear to show the crest of Goodells hair from the Barstool shirt. And the underlying message would seem to fit the moment, as Payton once again lamented the failure of officials to call an interference penalty against Los Angeles Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman in the NFC championship game. That no-call, which the NFL admitted was an officiating error, would have delivered the Saints a key first down late in the fourth quarter, allowing the possibility of either scoring a decisive touchdown or kicking a field goal as time expired. Instead, the Saints were denied the call, settling for a field goal that would be matched less than two minutes later by the Rams, sending the game into overtime and an eventual 26-23 loss for New Orleans. Goodell acknowledged the Saints gripes during a news conference at the Super Bowl on Wednesday, but stopped short of announcing a league-wide overhaul of officiating and instant replay rules. More from Yahoo Sports: NFL cancels Maroon 5s Super Bowl news conference Pats Brady labeled known cheater on broadcast Ex-NFL star says he drank Hennessy before NFL games Martin: Rams RB never strayed far from West Coast roots | New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton appeared to wear a Barstool Sports T-shirt during his season-ending news conference. The shirt bears a striking resemblance to the infamous Goodell "clown" image. The Saints lost 26-23 to the Rams in the NFC championship game after failing to get a crucial call. | bart | 2 | https://sports.yahoo.com/saints-sean-payton-take-swipe-roger-goodell-infamous-clown-t-shirt-200516926.html?src=rss | 0.257909 |
Is Brexit Good Or Bad News For Workplace Diversity And Inclusion? | Brexit is on the minds of business leaders, including Human Resources directors. It already has real implications on how companies recruit, and may affect workplace diversity and inclusion. A LinkedIn survey from April 2018 found that 96% of respondents cite that Brexit has impacted their hiring strategies. At the same time, sourcing and hiring candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds is a major or big priority for 56% of recruiters. Some political commentators on Brexit have noted that the anti-immigration rhetoric was instrumental in tipping the U.K. towards a Leave vote. Accompanying with the rise in racist crimes after the referendum, it does appear that there is heightened xenophobia in the wider society, which naturally spills into everyday workplaces. Surveys of employers have shown that Brexit has made it harder to find staff, which may further limit employers ability to widen the pool of prospective candidates. Last year, EU net migration slumped to a six-year low, a sign of Brexodus, a new word meaning departure of people or companies from the U.K. due to Brexit. Brexodus will only accelerate as the immigration regime tightens for EU nationals after Brexit. Just this week the U.K. Home Office released strict immigration plans for EU nationals in the case of a no-Deal Brexit, which may come into effect in less than 2 months. This does not bode well for diversity and inclusion, considering that EU nationals represent so many different cultures. Cordelia Osewa-Ediae, Senior Consultant at Green Park Executive Search, discusses the impact of Brexit thus far: One real casualty of the way Brexit has been managed so far is that a significant number of people from various backgrounds have been left feeling unsettled about their jobs and settlement status. Experience gained from working with employers from all sectors to boost workplace diversity and inclusion, has shown that inclusivity the extent to which each employee feels included in the workplace is even more important than merely employing diverse talent. There are reasons to believe otherwise or at least, to ensure that it does not become doom and gloom. First, more than two years since the referendum, anti-immigration stance has actually subsidized in the U.K.. A Washington Post article from three months ago reports that public mood on immigration has shifted dramatically since the vote. The percentage of people who named immigration and asylum as the top issue facing the U.K. has halved it dropped from 56% in June 2016, to 27% in October 2018. While the reasons for this are not entirely clear, Brexit may not have damaged the business case for diversity and inclusion as much as one might have feared. Second, some Brexit advocates are pushing for the U.K. to reimagine itself as an outward-looking Global Britain post-Brexit, working more closely with its Commonwealth partners and others further beyond. It is a controversial stance, as some suspect Global Britain to be a mere smokescreen for an agenda of cutting down regulations and standards. Nonetheless, Global Britain is still a possibility and other non-EU migrants may still be attracted to the U.K. We shall wait and see. Finally, diversity is not only about lingo-cultural aspects, though it is an extremely important dimension. Diversity and inclusion is fundamentally about embracing differences whether it be a protected or unprotected characteristic. At least Brexit is making business leaders think more about workforce composition, and that can only be a good thing. | A LinkedIn survey from April 2018 found that 96% of respondents cite that Brexit has impacted their hiring strategies. The survey also found that 56% of recruiters said diversity and inclusion was a major or big priority for them. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/bonniechiu/2019/01/30/is-brexit-good-or-bad-news-for-workplace-diversity-and-inclusion/ | 0.107985 |
Is Brexit Good Or Bad News For Workplace Diversity And Inclusion? | Brexit is on the minds of business leaders, including Human Resources directors. It already has real implications on how companies recruit, and may affect workplace diversity and inclusion. A LinkedIn survey from April 2018 found that 96% of respondents cite that Brexit has impacted their hiring strategies. At the same time, sourcing and hiring candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds is a major or big priority for 56% of recruiters. Some political commentators on Brexit have noted that the anti-immigration rhetoric was instrumental in tipping the U.K. towards a Leave vote. Accompanying with the rise in racist crimes after the referendum, it does appear that there is heightened xenophobia in the wider society, which naturally spills into everyday workplaces. Surveys of employers have shown that Brexit has made it harder to find staff, which may further limit employers ability to widen the pool of prospective candidates. Last year, EU net migration slumped to a six-year low, a sign of Brexodus, a new word meaning departure of people or companies from the U.K. due to Brexit. Brexodus will only accelerate as the immigration regime tightens for EU nationals after Brexit. Just this week the U.K. Home Office released strict immigration plans for EU nationals in the case of a no-Deal Brexit, which may come into effect in less than 2 months. This does not bode well for diversity and inclusion, considering that EU nationals represent so many different cultures. Cordelia Osewa-Ediae, Senior Consultant at Green Park Executive Search, discusses the impact of Brexit thus far: One real casualty of the way Brexit has been managed so far is that a significant number of people from various backgrounds have been left feeling unsettled about their jobs and settlement status. Experience gained from working with employers from all sectors to boost workplace diversity and inclusion, has shown that inclusivity the extent to which each employee feels included in the workplace is even more important than merely employing diverse talent. There are reasons to believe otherwise or at least, to ensure that it does not become doom and gloom. First, more than two years since the referendum, anti-immigration stance has actually subsidized in the U.K.. A Washington Post article from three months ago reports that public mood on immigration has shifted dramatically since the vote. The percentage of people who named immigration and asylum as the top issue facing the U.K. has halved it dropped from 56% in June 2016, to 27% in October 2018. While the reasons for this are not entirely clear, Brexit may not have damaged the business case for diversity and inclusion as much as one might have feared. Second, some Brexit advocates are pushing for the U.K. to reimagine itself as an outward-looking Global Britain post-Brexit, working more closely with its Commonwealth partners and others further beyond. It is a controversial stance, as some suspect Global Britain to be a mere smokescreen for an agenda of cutting down regulations and standards. Nonetheless, Global Britain is still a possibility and other non-EU migrants may still be attracted to the U.K. We shall wait and see. Finally, diversity is not only about lingo-cultural aspects, though it is an extremely important dimension. Diversity and inclusion is fundamentally about embracing differences whether it be a protected or unprotected characteristic. At least Brexit is making business leaders think more about workforce composition, and that can only be a good thing. | A LinkedIn survey from April 2018 found that 96% of respondents cite that Brexit has impacted their hiring strategies. The survey also found that 56% of recruiters said diversity and inclusion was a major or big priority for them. The U.K. is expected to leave the European Union on March 29, 2019. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/bonniechiu/2019/01/30/is-brexit-good-or-bad-news-for-workplace-diversity-and-inclusion/ | 0.128868 |
Can We Drill A Hole Deep Enough For Our Nuclear Waste? | Yes we can! And it was just demonstrated. And it seems to have some bipartisan support. The technology used was actually developed to frack natural gas and oil wells, but Elizabeth Muller understands that it could dispose of nuclear waste as well. The Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Deep Isolation knows this is a great way to dispose of this small, but bizarre, waste stream. Deep Isolation is a recent start-up company from Berkeley by Muller and her father, Richard, that seeks to dispose of nuclear waste safely at a much lower cost than existing strategies. The idea of Deep Borehole Disposal for nuclear waste is not new, but Deep Isolation is the first to consider horizontal wells and is the first to actually demonstrate the concept. The technology takes advantage of recently developed fracking technologies to place nuclear waste in a series of two-mile-long tunnels, a mile below the Earths surface, where theyll be surrounded by a very tight rock known as shale. This type of shale is so tight that it takes fracking technology to get any oil or gas out of it at all. As geologists, we know how many millions of years it takes for anything to get up from that depth in the Earths crust. So what better way to use this technology than to put something back in that you want to stay there for geologic time. The demonstration occurred on January 16th, when Deep Isolation placed and retrieved a waste canister from thousands of feet underground. This first-of-its kind demonstration was witnessed by Department of Energy officials, nuclear scientists and industry professionals, investors, environmentalists, local citizens, and even oil & gas professionals since this uses their new drilling technologies. No radioactive material was used in the test, and the location was not one where actual waste would be disposed. Over 40 observers from multiple countries looked on as a prototype nuclear waste canister, designed to hold highly radioactive nuclear waste but filled with steel to simulate the weight of actual waste, was lowered over 2000 feet deep in an existing drillhole using a wireline cable, and then pushed using an underground tractor into a long horizontal storage section. The canister was released and the tractor and cable withdrawn. Several hours later, the tractor was placed back in the hole, where it latched and retrieved the canister, bringing it back to the surface. This is not just an exercise for the student. The cost of our nuclear and radioactive waste programs keeps rising astronomically. The Department of Energy recently projected the cost for their cleanup to be almost $500 billion, up over $100 billion from its estimate just a year earlier. Most of that cost is for the Hanford Site in Washington State where weapons waste that used to be high-level is no longer high-level. The Government Accountability Office considers even that amount to be low-balled, as do I. Just look at the highly-fractured, variably saturated, dual-porosity volcanic tuff at Yucca Mountain with highly oxidizing groundwater which sits on the edge of the Las Vegas Shear Zone. Yucca Mountain was supposed to hold all of our high-level weapons waste and our commercial spent fuel. The original estimate for that project was only $30 billion, but ever since we found out that we picked the wrong rock in 1987, the cost has skyrocketed beyond $200 billion. This is twice as high as could ever be covered by the money being set aside for this purpose, in the Nuclear Waste Fund, and it is unlikely Congress will ever appropriate the extra money to complete it. The primary reason for the increasing costs are outdated plans that use technologies that are overly complicated and untested, and strategies that are overkill for the actual risks. Especially since the waste itself has changed its radioactivity dramatically through radioactive decay from the time when they began filling these waste tanks 70 years ago. The hottest components of radioactive waste have half-lives of 30 years or less. Most of this stuff is only a fraction as hot as it was when it was formed. Were using a technique thats been made cheap over the last 20 years, says the elder Muller, who is also a physicist and climate change expert at UC Berkeley. We could begin putting this waste underground right away. Like all leading climate scientists, the Mullers now argue that the world must increase its use of nuclear energy to slow climate change and realize that solving the nuclear waste problem would help a lot. When it comes to finding a permanent home for nuclear waste, the two biggest hurdles Deep Isolation, and everyone else, has observed is public consent and bipartisan agreement. The bipartisan nature of this particular effort is reflected in the companys advisory board and public support from experts on both sides of the aisle. Deep Isolations Advisory Board has a variety of industry leaders in nuclear and other fields, including Robert Bunditz and David Lochbaum, generally considered anti-nuclear watchdogs of the industry. Furthermore, two Nobel Peace Prize winners, Steven Chu and Arno Penzias, an Emmy award winner, David Hoffman, and professionals from both sides of the aisle like Ed Fuelner of the Heritage Foundation and Daniel Metlay from the Carter Administration, sit on their Board. Public consent just takes time and lots of meetings with state and local officials and the public wherever you think the project would work. And we have lots and lots of deep tight shales in America way below any drinking water aquifers. Elizabeth Muller emphasized that Stakeholder engagement is where our solution began. To prepare for this public demonstration, we met with national environmental groups, as well as local leaders, to listen to concerns, incorporate suggestions, and build our solution around their needs and our customers. In 2019, Deep Isolation is focused on both the U.S. and the international markets for nuclear waste disposal. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, there are about 400 thousand tons of highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel waste temporarily stored in pools and dry casks at hundreds of sites around the world. No country has an operational geological repository for spent fuel disposal, although France, Sweden and Finland are well along on their plan to open one. The United States does have an operating deep geological repository for transuranic weapons waste at the WIPP Site near Carlsbad, New Mexico, which was actually designed and built to hold all of our nuclear waste of any type. | The technology used was actually developed to frack natural gas and oil wells, but Elizabeth Muller understands that it could dispose of nuclear waste as well. The technology takes advantage of recently developed fracking technologies to place nuclear waste in a series of two-mile-long tunnels, a mile below the Earths surface. | bart | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2019/01/31/can-we-drill-a-hole-deep-enough-for-our-nuclear-waste/ | 0.182464 |
Are Data Hacks Pushing People Towards Secure Blockchain Identity Systems? | When news broke of the Cambridge Analytica data scandal in 2018, where personal data of millions of people's Facebook profiles had been harvested without their consent, there was fear and outrage, but most importantly, shock. Since Facebook, as well as other major interest companies, started taking off on the back of important and valuable data, people have been mostly oblivious as to the reach these companies have when it comes to collecting personal information. However, what is even more concerning is that many people who do enter into these social contracts with internet companies, where their data is stored and collected, are far too trusting. The expectation is that a company on the scale of Facebook, Google, or other similarly large corporations will have an arsenal of data protection fallbacks. However, more and more data hacks and scandals are hitting the news, and it is often the internet giants that are implicated, spilling millions of peoples information across the web. Thus, it is understandable that people are starting to wise up and look for alternative ways to protect their data in an internet age that prizes it so heavily. The fact that data has always been so freely taken without much consent is what irks people, and that is why they are starting to look elsewhere. Secure identity systems are one use of blockchain technology that has made quite a bit of headway in the recent past. Civic was probably one of the first blockchain companies that looked at handing power back to the individual when it came to controlling their data, but now, with this added demand for data security other companies are popping up, and even overtaking the likes of Civic. The fact remains though that there is now an even more significant demand for data security. And because of what the blockchain can offer people, and what they are looking for in this internet age, where data give and take is necessary, means that many more people are exploring this option. Data at risk Cambridge Analytica was the very highly publicised tip of the iceberg in regards to data hacks and breaches. The first half of 2018 saw 2,308 publicly disclosed data breaches that resulted in the exposure of approximately 2.6 billion user records, a report from cyber threat intelligence company Risk Based Security showed. A lot of these breaches would have occurred through poorly protected websites and data collecting portals which were easily compromised. Protecting one's data from these types of sites is more common sense than anything. However, it is the tech giants that made news in their data breaches that seemingly caused a change in mindset. Social media devours data and information, but for the most part, people have been happy to part with it knowing that it will be secure. That is not the case. Every week we are seeing news of breaches from major corporations, explains Ryan Faber, cofounder of Bloom, a company creating cryptographically secure identity, powered by the blockchain. "The public is starting to learn about the murky world of data collection. Many are shocked to learn that every moment, servers are logging, cataloguing, and selling your personal, private information. The importance, and value, of data, has grown in magnitude over the past decade or so. For the individuals who are producing it, there has been no form of compensation, and certainly not enough security. Because of this, people have started to place more importance on their data and are thus looking for a secure global identity system. Blockchain security A basic look over the function of a blockchain immediately lends itself to data protection. It is immutable and un-hackable, eliminating breeches from unwanted actors, but it is can also be transactional, meaning that people can choose what level of data they want to reveal, and said data is reachable on the distributed ledger. Civic was one of the first companies that looked at putting identities on the blockchain, but as demand has increased for control and security of data, so have other alternative started gaining traction. The demand for secure identity and better data management practices has been huge, adds Faber. More than ever, people want to take back control of their data. Weve seen this reflected in our rapid user growth for example, with more than 120,000 BloomIDs created last year alone. The power of blockchain identity systems is not only that the data is on the blockchain and thus un-hackable, but it is also that the user becomes in charge of what data can and cannot be accessed. It differs significantly than the current way things are done. Data is syphoned from individuals for little to no compensation, and this data is then sold off for vast sums of money leaving individuals pillaged, often without even knowing it. Faber goes on to explain just how different blockchain data security is from traditional methods. The access to your data is stored locally on your device, meaning you have ultimate and complete control over your data. The data doesnt touch a traditional central server, reducing the risk of a data breach. For instance, we use public-key cryptography to securely store and share your data with parties of your choice. More than individual demand There is no denying the fact that data is becoming a form of currency in the modern digital world, and because of this heading, there will no doubt be more of a focus on the protection of data going forward. Individuals are starting waking up to the value of their data and the desire to keep it secure and safe, and so, corporations are also beginning to see the value of companies offering these blockchain solutions. Bloom, for example, has collaborated with American Express Middle East to help drive fintech innovation as part of the companys ACCELERATE ME program. Furthermore, they were also one of six startups selected for the Financial Services Collaboration Lab. Civic has also started utilising its secure identity system in a real-world use case, integrating their app with Johnson Controls Smart Buildings. Still searching for the killer app. Blockchain technology continues to be pointed and stretched across a multitude of different sectors in the search for its killer app. There is real evidence that the technology can serve in the protection and control of individual data, and as demand continues to surge, this facet of blockchain technology will continue to expand. The days of data being freely and openly pillaged from individuals and sold off to fuel major internet corporation are quickly coming to an end. Users demand more security than can be offered by these giants, and they are also claiming back their right to have control over their data. | More and more data hacks and scandals are hitting the news. It is often the internet giants that are implicated, spilling millions of peoples information. As a result, people are looking for alternative ways to protect their data. Secure identity systems are one use of blockchain technology. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/darrynpollock/2019/01/31/are-data-hacks-pushing-people-towards-secure-blockchain-identity-systems/ | 0.462176 |
What is a snow squall, the weather phenomenon that caused a whiteout in New York and Pennsylvania? | CLOSE Time lapse video of Blue skies lead to whiteout conditions in Brewster Jan. 30, 2019. Frank Becerra Jr. , fbecerra@lohud.com As if the polar vortex isn't enough, sudden whiteouts called snow squalls are causing problems for the Northeast. A snow squall is an intense, short-lived burst of heavy snowfall accompanied by gusty wind, according to the National Weather Service. Squalls can happen when there is no winter storm. The phenomenon can create deadly highway conditions, as it suddenly reduces visibility and creates slick roads. It can make roads a sheet of ice in minutes, AccuWeather chief meteorologist, Bernie Rayno, says. Snow squalls typically last less than an hour and might only leave behind a moderate amount of snow. Wednesday, more than two dozen vehicles in central Pennsylvania were involved in a chain-reaction crash during a snow squall. About nine drivers were injured, according to Wyomissing Police Chief Jeffrey Biehl. Emergency responders help victims from their cars after a multi-car pile up after a snow squall in Wyomissing, Pa., on Wednesday. (Photo: Lauren A. Little, Reading Eagle via AP) More: 'Ive never experienced anything like it': For some in Chicago's deep freeze, no choice but to brave the cold More: Here's what to do if your car won't start in cold weather Some cars were simply stuck on the road, unable to move, Biehl said. The crashes occurred just after 1 p.m. local time on Route 222, about 60 miles west of Philadelphia. SNOW SQUALLED! Time-lapse video shows a snow squall suddenly slam Philadelphia before it blows away: https://t.co/dvifUu7z4Ipic.twitter.com/ia8CE4p1pD Action News on 6abc (@6abc) January 30, 2019 About an hour later, a second pileup was reported about 30 miles northeast on Interstate 78 near Hamburg. In New York, there was a 20-car pileup on the state's thruway between Buffalo and Rochester. Parts of New Jersey also saw blinding white-out conditions. The National Weather Service advises delaying travel until after a snow squall passes. For those who find themselves in the middle of a squall while driving, reduce speed, turn on headlights and avoid suddenly braking. More: 'I have never seen such a thing: Stories across the US from the coldest weather in a generation More: How to keep your furnace running and your pipes from freezing during the dangerous cold Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2019/01/31/snow-squall-cold-weather-car-crashes-pa-ny/2729812002/ | A snow squall is an intense, short-lived burst of heavy snowfall accompanied by gusty wind. | bart | 0 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2019/01/31/snow-squall-cold-weather-car-crashes-pa-ny/2729812002/ | 0.353624 |
What is a snow squall, the weather phenomenon that caused a whiteout in New York and Pennsylvania? | CLOSE Time lapse video of Blue skies lead to whiteout conditions in Brewster Jan. 30, 2019. Frank Becerra Jr. , fbecerra@lohud.com As if the polar vortex isn't enough, sudden whiteouts called snow squalls are causing problems for the Northeast. A snow squall is an intense, short-lived burst of heavy snowfall accompanied by gusty wind, according to the National Weather Service. Squalls can happen when there is no winter storm. The phenomenon can create deadly highway conditions, as it suddenly reduces visibility and creates slick roads. It can make roads a sheet of ice in minutes, AccuWeather chief meteorologist, Bernie Rayno, says. Snow squalls typically last less than an hour and might only leave behind a moderate amount of snow. Wednesday, more than two dozen vehicles in central Pennsylvania were involved in a chain-reaction crash during a snow squall. About nine drivers were injured, according to Wyomissing Police Chief Jeffrey Biehl. Emergency responders help victims from their cars after a multi-car pile up after a snow squall in Wyomissing, Pa., on Wednesday. (Photo: Lauren A. Little, Reading Eagle via AP) More: 'Ive never experienced anything like it': For some in Chicago's deep freeze, no choice but to brave the cold More: Here's what to do if your car won't start in cold weather Some cars were simply stuck on the road, unable to move, Biehl said. The crashes occurred just after 1 p.m. local time on Route 222, about 60 miles west of Philadelphia. SNOW SQUALLED! Time-lapse video shows a snow squall suddenly slam Philadelphia before it blows away: https://t.co/dvifUu7z4Ipic.twitter.com/ia8CE4p1pD Action News on 6abc (@6abc) January 30, 2019 About an hour later, a second pileup was reported about 30 miles northeast on Interstate 78 near Hamburg. In New York, there was a 20-car pileup on the state's thruway between Buffalo and Rochester. Parts of New Jersey also saw blinding white-out conditions. The National Weather Service advises delaying travel until after a snow squall passes. For those who find themselves in the middle of a squall while driving, reduce speed, turn on headlights and avoid suddenly braking. More: 'I have never seen such a thing: Stories across the US from the coldest weather in a generation More: How to keep your furnace running and your pipes from freezing during the dangerous cold Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2019/01/31/snow-squall-cold-weather-car-crashes-pa-ny/2729812002/ | A snow squall is an intense, short-lived burst of heavy snowfall accompanied by gusty wind. The phenomenon can create deadly highway conditions, as it suddenly reduces visibility and creates slick roads. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2019/01/31/snow-squall-cold-weather-car-crashes-pa-ny/2729812002/ | 0.378959 |
What is a snow squall, the weather phenomenon that caused a whiteout in New York and Pennsylvania? | CLOSE Time lapse video of Blue skies lead to whiteout conditions in Brewster Jan. 30, 2019. Frank Becerra Jr. , fbecerra@lohud.com As if the polar vortex isn't enough, sudden whiteouts called snow squalls are causing problems for the Northeast. A snow squall is an intense, short-lived burst of heavy snowfall accompanied by gusty wind, according to the National Weather Service. Squalls can happen when there is no winter storm. The phenomenon can create deadly highway conditions, as it suddenly reduces visibility and creates slick roads. It can make roads a sheet of ice in minutes, AccuWeather chief meteorologist, Bernie Rayno, says. Snow squalls typically last less than an hour and might only leave behind a moderate amount of snow. Wednesday, more than two dozen vehicles in central Pennsylvania were involved in a chain-reaction crash during a snow squall. About nine drivers were injured, according to Wyomissing Police Chief Jeffrey Biehl. Emergency responders help victims from their cars after a multi-car pile up after a snow squall in Wyomissing, Pa., on Wednesday. (Photo: Lauren A. Little, Reading Eagle via AP) More: 'Ive never experienced anything like it': For some in Chicago's deep freeze, no choice but to brave the cold More: Here's what to do if your car won't start in cold weather Some cars were simply stuck on the road, unable to move, Biehl said. The crashes occurred just after 1 p.m. local time on Route 222, about 60 miles west of Philadelphia. SNOW SQUALLED! Time-lapse video shows a snow squall suddenly slam Philadelphia before it blows away: https://t.co/dvifUu7z4Ipic.twitter.com/ia8CE4p1pD Action News on 6abc (@6abc) January 30, 2019 About an hour later, a second pileup was reported about 30 miles northeast on Interstate 78 near Hamburg. In New York, there was a 20-car pileup on the state's thruway between Buffalo and Rochester. Parts of New Jersey also saw blinding white-out conditions. The National Weather Service advises delaying travel until after a snow squall passes. For those who find themselves in the middle of a squall while driving, reduce speed, turn on headlights and avoid suddenly braking. More: 'I have never seen such a thing: Stories across the US from the coldest weather in a generation More: How to keep your furnace running and your pipes from freezing during the dangerous cold Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2019/01/31/snow-squall-cold-weather-car-crashes-pa-ny/2729812002/ | A snow squall is an intense, short-lived burst of heavy snowfall accompanied by gusty wind. Squalls can happen when there is no winter storm. The phenomenon can create deadly highway conditions, as it suddenly reduces visibility and creates slick roads. Snow squalls typically last less than an hour and might only leave behind a moderate amount of snow. | bart | 2 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2019/01/31/snow-squall-cold-weather-car-crashes-pa-ny/2729812002/ | 0.496317 |
Is Janus Henderson Forty T (JACTX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Janus Henderson Forty T (JACTX) is a possible starting point. JACTX possesses a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective JACTX is part of the Large Cap Growth section, and this segment boasts an array of other possible options. Large Cap Growth mutual funds purchase stakes in numerous large U.S. companies that are expected to develop and grow at a faster rate than other large-cap stocks. Companies are usually considered to be large-cap if their market capitalization is over $10 billion. History of Fund/Manager Janus Fund is based in Boston, MA, and is the manager of JACTX. The Janus Henderson Forty T made its debut in July of 2009 and JACTX has managed to accumulate roughly $2.41 billion in assets, as of the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by A. Douglas Rao who has been in charge of the fund since June of 2013. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. This fund carries a 5-year annualized total return of 10.3%, and it sits in the top third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 10.23%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 12.96% compared to the category average of 1.05%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors Investors cannot discount the risks to this segment though, as it is always important to remember the downside for any potential investment. Investors should not forget about beta, an important way to measure a mutual fund's risk compared to the market as a whole. JACTX has a 5-year beta of 1.06, which means it is likely to be more volatile than the market average. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. The fund has produced a positive alpha over the past 5 years of 1.46, which shows that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Holdings Investigating the equity holdings of a mutual fund is also a valuable exercise. This can show us how the manager is applying their stated methodology, as well as if there are any inherent biases in their approach. For this particular fund, the focus is primarily on equities that are traded in the United States. Right now, 92.22% of this mutual fund's holdings are stocks, with an average market capitalization of $314.74 billion. The fund has the heaviest exposure to the following market sectors: Technology Finance Health Industrial Cyclical Turnover is 37%, which means, on average, the fund makes fewer trades than comparable funds. Expenses For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, JACTX is a no load fund and it has an expense ratio of 0.83%. Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $2,500 and that each subsequent investment has no minimum amount. Bottom Line With a rank of 'hold' we aren't getting a good signal one way or another on JACTX. That is why it might be a good idea to consider other items, such as the fund's expense ratio of 0.83%, and how this compares to other potential options being considered for investment. If cheaper, it might make a decent choice, but a more expensive fund might be worth avoiding. Just make sure to pay attention to its rank in case it shifts in the near future. For additional information on this product, or to compare it to other mutual funds in the Large Cap Growth, make sure to go to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds for additional information. For analysis of the rest of your portfolio, make sure to visit Zacks.com for our full suite of tools which will help you investigate all of your stocks and funds in one place. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Janus Henderson Forty T ( JACTX) has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold) JACTX is part of the Large Cap Growth section. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/janus-henderson-forty-t-jactx-120012738.html | 0.113371 |
Is Janus Henderson Forty T (JACTX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Janus Henderson Forty T (JACTX) is a possible starting point. JACTX possesses a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective JACTX is part of the Large Cap Growth section, and this segment boasts an array of other possible options. Large Cap Growth mutual funds purchase stakes in numerous large U.S. companies that are expected to develop and grow at a faster rate than other large-cap stocks. Companies are usually considered to be large-cap if their market capitalization is over $10 billion. History of Fund/Manager Janus Fund is based in Boston, MA, and is the manager of JACTX. The Janus Henderson Forty T made its debut in July of 2009 and JACTX has managed to accumulate roughly $2.41 billion in assets, as of the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by A. Douglas Rao who has been in charge of the fund since June of 2013. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. This fund carries a 5-year annualized total return of 10.3%, and it sits in the top third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 10.23%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 12.96% compared to the category average of 1.05%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors Investors cannot discount the risks to this segment though, as it is always important to remember the downside for any potential investment. Investors should not forget about beta, an important way to measure a mutual fund's risk compared to the market as a whole. JACTX has a 5-year beta of 1.06, which means it is likely to be more volatile than the market average. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. The fund has produced a positive alpha over the past 5 years of 1.46, which shows that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Holdings Investigating the equity holdings of a mutual fund is also a valuable exercise. This can show us how the manager is applying their stated methodology, as well as if there are any inherent biases in their approach. For this particular fund, the focus is primarily on equities that are traded in the United States. Right now, 92.22% of this mutual fund's holdings are stocks, with an average market capitalization of $314.74 billion. The fund has the heaviest exposure to the following market sectors: Technology Finance Health Industrial Cyclical Turnover is 37%, which means, on average, the fund makes fewer trades than comparable funds. Expenses For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, JACTX is a no load fund and it has an expense ratio of 0.83%. Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $2,500 and that each subsequent investment has no minimum amount. Bottom Line With a rank of 'hold' we aren't getting a good signal one way or another on JACTX. That is why it might be a good idea to consider other items, such as the fund's expense ratio of 0.83%, and how this compares to other potential options being considered for investment. If cheaper, it might make a decent choice, but a more expensive fund might be worth avoiding. Just make sure to pay attention to its rank in case it shifts in the near future. For additional information on this product, or to compare it to other mutual funds in the Large Cap Growth, make sure to go to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds for additional information. For analysis of the rest of your portfolio, make sure to visit Zacks.com for our full suite of tools which will help you investigate all of your stocks and funds in one place. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Janus Henderson Forty T ( JACTX) has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold) JACTX is part of the Large Cap Growth section, and this segment boasts an array of other possible options. The fund has a positive alpha over the past 5 years of 1.46. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/janus-henderson-forty-t-jactx-120012738.html | 0.124558 |
Is BlackRock Global Allocation A (MDLOX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Starting with BlackRock Global Allocation A (MDLOX) should not be a possibility at this time. MDLOX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective MDLOX is classified in the Allocation Balanced segment by Zacks, which is an area full of possibilities. Here, investors are able to get a good head start with diversified mutual funds, and play around with core holding options for a portfolio of funds. Allocation Balanced funds look to invest across a balance of asset types, like stocks, bonds, and cash, though including precious metals or commodities is not unusual; these funds are mostly categorized by their respective asset allocation. History of Fund/Manager BlackRock is based in New York, NY, and is the manager of MDLOX. The BlackRock Global Allocation A made its debut in October of 1994 and MDLOX has managed to accumulate roughly $10.40 billion in assets, as of the most recently available information. The fund's current manager is a team of investment professionals. Performance Obviously, what investors are looking for in these funds is strong performance relative to their peers. This fund carries a 5-year annualized total return of 1.82%, and it sits in the bottom third among its category peers. But if you are looking for a shorter time frame, it is also worth looking at its 3-year annualized total return of 2.79%, which places it in the bottom third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. MDLOX's standard deviation over the past three years is 6.66% compared to the category average of 8.72%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 6.67% compared to the category average of 8.69%. This makes the fund less volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors Investors should always remember the downsides to a potential investment, and this segment carries some risks one should be aware of. In the most recent bear market, MDLOX lost 29.24% and outperformed its peer group by 7.16%. This might suggest that the fund is a better choice than its peers during a bear market. Nevertheless, investors should also note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 0.55, which means it is hypothetically less volatile than the market at large. Another factor to consider is alpha, as it reflects a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark-in this case, the S&P 500. MDLOX's 5-year performance has produced a negative alpha of -3.06, which means managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses As competition heats up in the mutual fund market, costs become increasingly important. Compared to its otherwise identical counterpart, a low-cost product will be an outperformer, all other things being equal. Thus, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is vital for investors. In terms of fees, MDLOX is a load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.07% compared to the category average of 0.88%. From a cost perspective, MDLOX is actually more expensive than its peers. Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $1,000 and that each subsequent investment needs to be at $50. Bottom Line Overall, BlackRock Global Allocation A ( MDLOX ) has a low Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively weak performance, average downside risk, and higher fees, this fund looks like a somewhat weak choice for investors right now. For additional information on the Allocation Balanced area of the mutual fund world, make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds. There, you can see more about the ranking process, and dive even deeper into MDLOX too for additional information. If you are more of a stock investor, make sure to also check out our Zacks Rank, and our full suite of tools we have available for novice and professional investors alike. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (MDLOX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | BlackRock Global Allocation A (MDLOX) has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell) MDLOX is classified in the Allocation Balanced segment by Zacks, which is an area full of possibilities. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/blackrock-global-allocation-mdlox-strong-120012124.html | 0.231738 |
Is BlackRock Global Allocation A (MDLOX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Starting with BlackRock Global Allocation A (MDLOX) should not be a possibility at this time. MDLOX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective MDLOX is classified in the Allocation Balanced segment by Zacks, which is an area full of possibilities. Here, investors are able to get a good head start with diversified mutual funds, and play around with core holding options for a portfolio of funds. Allocation Balanced funds look to invest across a balance of asset types, like stocks, bonds, and cash, though including precious metals or commodities is not unusual; these funds are mostly categorized by their respective asset allocation. History of Fund/Manager BlackRock is based in New York, NY, and is the manager of MDLOX. The BlackRock Global Allocation A made its debut in October of 1994 and MDLOX has managed to accumulate roughly $10.40 billion in assets, as of the most recently available information. The fund's current manager is a team of investment professionals. Performance Obviously, what investors are looking for in these funds is strong performance relative to their peers. This fund carries a 5-year annualized total return of 1.82%, and it sits in the bottom third among its category peers. But if you are looking for a shorter time frame, it is also worth looking at its 3-year annualized total return of 2.79%, which places it in the bottom third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. MDLOX's standard deviation over the past three years is 6.66% compared to the category average of 8.72%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 6.67% compared to the category average of 8.69%. This makes the fund less volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors Investors should always remember the downsides to a potential investment, and this segment carries some risks one should be aware of. In the most recent bear market, MDLOX lost 29.24% and outperformed its peer group by 7.16%. This might suggest that the fund is a better choice than its peers during a bear market. Nevertheless, investors should also note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 0.55, which means it is hypothetically less volatile than the market at large. Another factor to consider is alpha, as it reflects a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark-in this case, the S&P 500. MDLOX's 5-year performance has produced a negative alpha of -3.06, which means managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses As competition heats up in the mutual fund market, costs become increasingly important. Compared to its otherwise identical counterpart, a low-cost product will be an outperformer, all other things being equal. Thus, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is vital for investors. In terms of fees, MDLOX is a load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.07% compared to the category average of 0.88%. From a cost perspective, MDLOX is actually more expensive than its peers. Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $1,000 and that each subsequent investment needs to be at $50. Bottom Line Overall, BlackRock Global Allocation A ( MDLOX ) has a low Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively weak performance, average downside risk, and higher fees, this fund looks like a somewhat weak choice for investors right now. For additional information on the Allocation Balanced area of the mutual fund world, make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds. There, you can see more about the ranking process, and dive even deeper into MDLOX too for additional information. If you are more of a stock investor, make sure to also check out our Zacks Rank, and our full suite of tools we have available for novice and professional investors alike. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (MDLOX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | MDLOX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. MDLOX is classified in the Allocation Balanced segment by Zacks, which is an area full of possibilities. Investors are able to get a good head start with diversified mutual funds. | bart | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/blackrock-global-allocation-mdlox-strong-120012124.html | 0.146008 |
Is Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Admiralr (VMNVX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Dolby Laboratories (DLB) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of 7.25% and 2.56%, respectively, for the quarter ended December 2018. Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Admiralr (VMNVX) is a potential starting point. VMNVX bears a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective Zacks categorizes VMNVX as Global - Equity, which is a segment packed with options. Global - Equity mutual funds invest in large markets like the U.S., Europe, and Japan, and operate with very few geographical limitations. They also provide an investment technique that leverages the diverse nature of the global economy in the hopes of providing a stable return. History of Fund/Manager Vanguard Group is based in Malvern, PA, and is the manager of VMNVX. Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Admiralr debuted in December of 2013. Since then, VMNVX has accumulated assets of about $2.61 billion, according to the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by Antonio Picca who has been in charge of the fund since November of 2018. Performance Investors naturally seek funds with strong performance. VMNVX has a 5-year annualized total return of 8.32% and it sits in the top third among its category peers. But if you are looking for a shorter time frame, it is also worth looking at its 3-year annualized total return of 7.34%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. Over the past 5 years, the standard deviation of the fund is 7.19% compared to the category average of 1.16%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors Investors should always remember the downsides to a potential investment, and this segment carries some risks one should be aware of. Nevertheless, with a 5-year beta of 0.58, the fund is likely to be less volatile than the market average. Another factor to consider is alpha, as it reflects a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark-in this case, the S&P 500. Over the past 5 years, the fund has a positive alpha of 2.98. This means that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, VMNVX is a no load fund and it has an expense ratio of 0.17%. Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $50,000 and that each subsequent investment needs to be at $1. Bottom Line This puts this fund from Vanguard Group in the top 20% of all mutual funds we have a rank on right now. As a result, this is likely an excellent choice for investors seeking an option in the Global - Equity category. For additional information on the Global - Equity area of the mutual fund world, make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds. There, you can see more about the ranking process, and dive even deeper into VMNVX too for additional information. If you want to check out our stock reports as well, make sure to go to Zacks.com to see all of the great tools we have to offer, including our time-tested Zacks Rank. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Vanguard Global Mineral volatility Admiralr (VMNVX) was in the top 20% of all mutual funds we have a rank on right now. | pegasus | 0 | https://news.yahoo.com/vanguard-global-mineral-volatility-admiralr-120012799.html | 0.298032 |
Is Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Admiralr (VMNVX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Dolby Laboratories (DLB) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of 7.25% and 2.56%, respectively, for the quarter ended December 2018. Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Admiralr (VMNVX) is a potential starting point. VMNVX bears a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective Zacks categorizes VMNVX as Global - Equity, which is a segment packed with options. Global - Equity mutual funds invest in large markets like the U.S., Europe, and Japan, and operate with very few geographical limitations. They also provide an investment technique that leverages the diverse nature of the global economy in the hopes of providing a stable return. History of Fund/Manager Vanguard Group is based in Malvern, PA, and is the manager of VMNVX. Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Admiralr debuted in December of 2013. Since then, VMNVX has accumulated assets of about $2.61 billion, according to the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by Antonio Picca who has been in charge of the fund since November of 2018. Performance Investors naturally seek funds with strong performance. VMNVX has a 5-year annualized total return of 8.32% and it sits in the top third among its category peers. But if you are looking for a shorter time frame, it is also worth looking at its 3-year annualized total return of 7.34%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. Over the past 5 years, the standard deviation of the fund is 7.19% compared to the category average of 1.16%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors Investors should always remember the downsides to a potential investment, and this segment carries some risks one should be aware of. Nevertheless, with a 5-year beta of 0.58, the fund is likely to be less volatile than the market average. Another factor to consider is alpha, as it reflects a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark-in this case, the S&P 500. Over the past 5 years, the fund has a positive alpha of 2.98. This means that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, VMNVX is a no load fund and it has an expense ratio of 0.17%. Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $50,000 and that each subsequent investment needs to be at $1. Bottom Line This puts this fund from Vanguard Group in the top 20% of all mutual funds we have a rank on right now. As a result, this is likely an excellent choice for investors seeking an option in the Global - Equity category. For additional information on the Global - Equity area of the mutual fund world, make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds. There, you can see more about the ranking process, and dive even deeper into VMNVX too for additional information. If you want to check out our stock reports as well, make sure to go to Zacks.com to see all of the great tools we have to offer, including our time-tested Zacks Rank. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Vanguard Global Mineral volatility Admiralr (VMNVX) was in the top 20% of all mutual funds we have a rank on right now. VMNVX has a 5-year annualized total return of 8.32% and it sits in the top third among its category peers. | pegasus | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/vanguard-global-mineral-volatility-admiralr-120012799.html | 0.434258 |
Is Artisan Global Opportunities Investor (ARTRX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | If you have been looking for Large Cap Growth funds, it would not be wise to start your search with Artisan Global Opportunities Investor (ARTRX). ARTRX possesses a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective We classify ARTRX in the Large Cap Growth category, an area rife with potential choices. Large Cap Growth funds invest in many large U.S. companies that are expected to grow much faster compared to other large-cap stocks. To be considered large-cap, companies must have a market cap over $10 billion. History of Fund/Manager ARTRX finds itself in the Artisan Funds family, based out of Boston, MA. The Artisan Global Opportunities Investor made its debut in September of 2008 and ARTRX has managed to accumulate roughly $1.18 billion in assets, as of the most recently available information. A team of investment professionals is the fund's current manager. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. ARTRX has a 5-year annualized total return of 6.62% and it sits in the bottom third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 7.71%, which places it in the bottom third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 12.73% compared to the category average of 1.05%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors It's always important to be aware of the downsides to any future investment, so one should not discount the risks that come with this segment. Investors should not forget about beta, an important way to measure a mutual fund's risk compared to the market as a whole. ARTRX has a 5-year beta of 0.97, which means it is likely to be as volatile as the market average. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. ARTRX has generated a negative alpha over the past five years of -1.3, demonstrating that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, ARTRX is a no load fund and it has an expense ratio of 1.15%. This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $1,000, while there is no minimum for each subsequent investment. Bottom Line With a 'strong sell' rank, Artisan Global Opportunities Investor is in the bottom 20% of all the mutual funds we cover. This means that our models suggest it is one of the worst options for investors in Large Cap Growth right now, though this could change if the performance of the fund and the Zacks Ranks of the equities in ARTRX turnaround in the next data release. This could just be the start of your research on ARTRXin the Large Cap Growth category. Consider going to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds for additional information about this fund, and all the others that we rank as well for additional information. Zacks provides a full suite of tools to help you analyze your portfolio - both funds and stocks - in the most efficient way possible. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | Artisan Global Opportunities Investor (ARTRX) has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell) ARTRX has a 5-year annualized total return of 6.62%. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/artisan-global-opportunities-investor-artrx-120012648.html | 0.20254 |
Is Artisan Global Opportunities Investor (ARTRX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | If you have been looking for Large Cap Growth funds, it would not be wise to start your search with Artisan Global Opportunities Investor (ARTRX). ARTRX possesses a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective We classify ARTRX in the Large Cap Growth category, an area rife with potential choices. Large Cap Growth funds invest in many large U.S. companies that are expected to grow much faster compared to other large-cap stocks. To be considered large-cap, companies must have a market cap over $10 billion. History of Fund/Manager ARTRX finds itself in the Artisan Funds family, based out of Boston, MA. The Artisan Global Opportunities Investor made its debut in September of 2008 and ARTRX has managed to accumulate roughly $1.18 billion in assets, as of the most recently available information. A team of investment professionals is the fund's current manager. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. ARTRX has a 5-year annualized total return of 6.62% and it sits in the bottom third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 7.71%, which places it in the bottom third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 12.73% compared to the category average of 1.05%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors It's always important to be aware of the downsides to any future investment, so one should not discount the risks that come with this segment. Investors should not forget about beta, an important way to measure a mutual fund's risk compared to the market as a whole. ARTRX has a 5-year beta of 0.97, which means it is likely to be as volatile as the market average. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. ARTRX has generated a negative alpha over the past five years of -1.3, demonstrating that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, ARTRX is a no load fund and it has an expense ratio of 1.15%. This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $1,000, while there is no minimum for each subsequent investment. Bottom Line With a 'strong sell' rank, Artisan Global Opportunities Investor is in the bottom 20% of all the mutual funds we cover. This means that our models suggest it is one of the worst options for investors in Large Cap Growth right now, though this could change if the performance of the fund and the Zacks Ranks of the equities in ARTRX turnaround in the next data release. This could just be the start of your research on ARTRXin the Large Cap Growth category. Consider going to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds for additional information about this fund, and all the others that we rank as well for additional information. Zacks provides a full suite of tools to help you analyze your portfolio - both funds and stocks - in the most efficient way possible. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | Artisan Global Opportunities Investor (ARTRX) has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell) ARTRX has a 5-year annualized total return of 6.62% and it sits in the bottom third among its category peers. | bart | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/artisan-global-opportunities-investor-artrx-120012648.html | 0.250453 |
Should Doctors Google Their Patients? | According to Dr. Liliya Gershengoren, Anecdotally, I know we do it all the time. Dr. Gershengoren is a professor of psychiatry at Cornell University. In a recent survey she presented in 2017, Gershengoren found that 93 percent of staff and 94 percent of residents reported Googling a patient at least once, [and] that 17 percent of staff and 40 percent of residents Googled their patients on a frequent or semi-regular basis in the ER. Practitioners can give plausible reasons for Googling their patients, especially in the mental health fields. Dr. Paul Appelbaum, a psychiatry professor at Columbia University explains that sometimes, patients may be psychotic, intoxicated, or suicidal. After all, this information is publicly available. But there are reasons that physicians may wish to be cautious about Googling their patients. First, the information on Google may be inaccurate or unreliable. Second, if physicians act on sensitive information that they learned online that the patient themselves didnt tell them, patients could feel their privacy was violated. This could seriously undermine the trust necessary for a doctor-patient relationship. Finally, routine use of Googling could establish a new standard of care that essentially forces all physicians to Google their patients, lest they be found liable for malpractice. For example: As more and more providers Google to guide their decisions, they may be shifting the clinical standards to which all practitioners are held. The standard of care is developed by the clinical community itself, says Appelbaum. What most people do, or at least what a substantial number of people do, becomes a standard of care. If practitioners neglect that standard, and something preventable goes wrong, they risk accusations of malpractice. In other words, if patient-targeted online searches become the new standard of care, then clinicians could become liable for information patients post online. If a patient leaves a suicidal message on Facebook, and the clinician misses it, theres a future seemingly more plausible by the day in which that clinician could be sued for malpractice if the patient then attempts suicide. Another twist occurs when third parties make a business of collecting patient data to sell to physicians, claiming that information about their social determinants of health will help physicians better care for their patients: A small but fast-growing number of technology companies, including data brokers LexisNexis and Acxiom, sell health care providers detailed analyses of their patients, incorporating criminal records, online purchasing histories, retail loyalty programs and voter registration data... Liens, evictions and felonies indicate that individual health may not be a priority, according to a marketing pitch on the [LexisNexis] website. Voter registration might be relevant as well because [i]ndividuals showing engagement in their community may be more likely to engage in their own health. As Politico writer Mohinda Ravindranath notes, this is not the kind of information that normally populates a patients medical record. Whether Im registered to vote or where I buy my groceries should not be part of my medical record without my consent. To the extent that patients feel that their physicians are collating this information without their knowledge or consent, this could again cause them to view their physicians with mistrust. Nor does a human have to collate patients data. Facebook now uses AI (artificial intelligence) to monitor user posts for suicide risk, including contacting the local police if they feel someone is at imminent risk. According to Facebook Global Head of Safety Antigone Davis, they fielded 3,500 reports in the past year. In other words, That means AI monitoring is causing Facebook to contact emergency responders an average of about 10 times a day to check on someone. Mason Marks of Yale University has expressed concerns over the lack of transparency in this process. He notes that a proprietary black box algorithm can trigger police responses that override ordinary Fourth Amendment protections against warrantless government searches. And this is true, even if a human moderator has to agree to call the police: Facebook has over two billion users, and it continuously monitors user-generated content for a growing list of threats including terrorism, hate speech, political manipulation, and child abuse. In the face of these ongoing challenges, the temptation to automate suicide prediction will grow. Even if human moderators remain in the system, AI-generated predictions may nudge them toward contacting police even when they have reservations about doing so. Applebaum similarly warns: We are creating a new kind of medical record with all this information... It creates a permanent record that once would not have been accessible, but now can be accessed by insurers or in legal procedures. Fortunately, there are concrete steps that physicians and patients can take to protect the integrity of their medical records in the age of big data. For example, physicians and hospital system can make it standing policy to not Google patients unless they have a medically compelling reason to do so. Patients can ask their doctor or local hospitals to state such a policy in writing. And all citizens can request that social media companies provide greater transparency about any automated algorithms that expose users to forcible interactions by law enforcement. Overall, I am a big fan of technology as a tool of improving medical care. But physicians must be careful to use these tools responsibly. A patients medical record should be the vehicle that enhances the doctor-patient relationship, not the vehicle that destroys it. | Dr. Liliya Gershengoren found that 93 percent of staff and 94 percent of residents reported Googling a patient at least once. She says the information on Google may be inaccurate or unreliable. Third parties make a business of collecting patient data to sell to physicians. | bart | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulhsieh/2019/01/31/should-doctors-google-their-patients/ | 0.113033 |
Should former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz actually run for president? | Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, has announced his intention to explore a run for president. Schultz, who says he has been a Democrat for his entire life, plans to run as a "centrist independent." Schultz has claimed the two-party system is so broken that the only candidate who can cut through the noise is a moderate independent. Politicians and pundits, however, believe Schultz would effectively split the liberal vote, all but guaranteeing President Trump a second term. PERSPECTIVES Schultz announced his intentions on Twitter, before giving an extensive interview to "60 Minutes." I love our country, and I am seriously considering running for president as a centrist independent. -- Howard Schultz (@HowardSchultz) January 28, 2019 During the "60 Minutes" interview, The Atlantic reports, Schultz hammered down on the fact that Americans are fed up with politics and are seeking a candidate who can cut through the gridlock. "Not only the fact that this president is not qualified to be the president, but the fact that both parties are consistently not doing what's necessary on behalf of the American people and are engaged, every single day, in revenge politics," he says, according to CBS promotional material, which did not include the part of the interview in which Pelley asks Schultz about running himself. Howard Schultz's Independent Run Could Help Trump Schultz emphasized his centrism with the New York Times and stated the country is looking for a moderate candidate. "We have a broken political system with both parties basically in business to preserve their own ideology without a recognition and responsibility to represent the interests of the American people," Mr. Schultz said in the interview. "Republicans and Democrats alike -- who no longer see themselves as part of the far extreme of the far right and the far left -- are looking for a home," he added. "The word 'independent,' for me, is simply a designation on the ballot." Howard Schultz draws fire from Trump and Bloomberg over 2020 plans Most pundits were not pleased with Schultz's intention to run, claiming he would split the moderate voting block, peeling off voters desperately needed by Democrats to retake the White House. Per Vox: "The only good news [Trump] received in an otherwise dismal week: The prospect of a well-funded independent candidate to dilute the opposition in 2020," former Obama adviser David Axelrod tweeted. Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz's lurking presidential bid, explained Some wondered who Schultz's voters would be, as most of the country is moving rapidly toward the poles of political opinion, not towards consensus. Per GQ: It's not entirely clear what Schultz's base would be, despite his insistence that there's a hunger for non-partisan candidates with no real ideology to speak of. The rising stars in the Democratic Party are left-wing or socialist politicians like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and recent polls by the Pew Research Center found that the majority of Republican voters want the GOP to become even more conservative in the future. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Wants to Be the Centrist Billionaire President No One Asked For After everyone from Mark Zuckerberg to Oprah have been suggested as presidential candidates, some people are wondering whether this is just a rich people hobby. -- Orli Matlow (@HireMeImFunny) January 28, 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. | Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, has announced his intention to explore a run for president. | bart | 0 | https://www.oregonlive.com/tylt/2019/01/should_former_starbucks_ceo_ho_1.html | 0.172977 |
Should former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz actually run for president? | Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, has announced his intention to explore a run for president. Schultz, who says he has been a Democrat for his entire life, plans to run as a "centrist independent." Schultz has claimed the two-party system is so broken that the only candidate who can cut through the noise is a moderate independent. Politicians and pundits, however, believe Schultz would effectively split the liberal vote, all but guaranteeing President Trump a second term. PERSPECTIVES Schultz announced his intentions on Twitter, before giving an extensive interview to "60 Minutes." I love our country, and I am seriously considering running for president as a centrist independent. -- Howard Schultz (@HowardSchultz) January 28, 2019 During the "60 Minutes" interview, The Atlantic reports, Schultz hammered down on the fact that Americans are fed up with politics and are seeking a candidate who can cut through the gridlock. "Not only the fact that this president is not qualified to be the president, but the fact that both parties are consistently not doing what's necessary on behalf of the American people and are engaged, every single day, in revenge politics," he says, according to CBS promotional material, which did not include the part of the interview in which Pelley asks Schultz about running himself. Howard Schultz's Independent Run Could Help Trump Schultz emphasized his centrism with the New York Times and stated the country is looking for a moderate candidate. "We have a broken political system with both parties basically in business to preserve their own ideology without a recognition and responsibility to represent the interests of the American people," Mr. Schultz said in the interview. "Republicans and Democrats alike -- who no longer see themselves as part of the far extreme of the far right and the far left -- are looking for a home," he added. "The word 'independent,' for me, is simply a designation on the ballot." Howard Schultz draws fire from Trump and Bloomberg over 2020 plans Most pundits were not pleased with Schultz's intention to run, claiming he would split the moderate voting block, peeling off voters desperately needed by Democrats to retake the White House. Per Vox: "The only good news [Trump] received in an otherwise dismal week: The prospect of a well-funded independent candidate to dilute the opposition in 2020," former Obama adviser David Axelrod tweeted. Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz's lurking presidential bid, explained Some wondered who Schultz's voters would be, as most of the country is moving rapidly toward the poles of political opinion, not towards consensus. Per GQ: It's not entirely clear what Schultz's base would be, despite his insistence that there's a hunger for non-partisan candidates with no real ideology to speak of. The rising stars in the Democratic Party are left-wing or socialist politicians like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and recent polls by the Pew Research Center found that the majority of Republican voters want the GOP to become even more conservative in the future. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Wants to Be the Centrist Billionaire President No One Asked For After everyone from Mark Zuckerberg to Oprah have been suggested as presidential candidates, some people are wondering whether this is just a rich people hobby. -- Orli Matlow (@HireMeImFunny) January 28, 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. | Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, has announced his intention to explore a run for president. He plans to run as a "centrist independent," claiming the two-party system is broken. Politicians and pundits believe Schultz would effectively split the liberal vote, all but guaranteeing President Trump a second term. | bart | 2 | https://www.oregonlive.com/tylt/2019/01/should_former_starbucks_ceo_ho_1.html | 0.375487 |
Could Sprint Be a Millionaire-Maker Stock? | Sprint (NYSE: S) operates in a strange place where it has to act as an independent company while working to make sure it's ready to merge with T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS). That merger still requires federal approval, and while the OK is expected, it's not a sure thing. That leaves Sprint in a state of limbo. It has to operate in its own long-term interests, but it can't make investments that won't make sense if the deal gets approved. It's a tough place to be, because should the deal be denied, Sprint will find itself needing a partner but lacking an obvious choice. Yes, one of the cable companies may be willing to buy the company at a discount, but that's not something management or shareholders want to see happen. With a successful T-Mobile merger, Sprint becomes part of a growing company that will have the resources to take on AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ). That would make Sprint shareholders owners of the new T-Mobile -- a decidedly better place to be than where they are now. TMUS Chart More TMUS data by YCharts. If the deal is approved The merger values Sprint at roughly the $6.50 per share it was trading at when the deal was announced. That number was likely a disappointment to shareholders, but there is an upside: T-Mobile stock has generally been climbing upward since 2015. In fact, you can argue that the share price would be higher now if the uncertainty over the merger wasn't holding it back. T-Mobile has added more than 1 million customers for 22 straight quarters. If it adds Sprint, it will have a customer base that's similar to the ones served by AT&T and Verizon. That should allow the combined company to roll out 5G faster without taxing its resources as much. It would also give the company a larger base to market T-Mobile's upcoming television service to. CEO John Legere, who will run the combined company, has proven that he can take on AT&T and Verizon. Giving him more assets to use in that battle should increase value for T-Mobile (and former Sprint) shareholders. That makes the successfully merged company a potential millionaire-maker stock. Legere won't knock out either of his big rivals overnight, but he has shown he can chip away at their customer bases, making meaningful progress every quarter. John Legere and Marcello Claure. More Legere (left) and Sprint chairman Marcello Claure had a joint media event when the merger was announced. Image source: T-Mobile. | If the T-Mobile-Sprint merger goes through, Sprint could be a millionaire-maker stock. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://news.yahoo.com/could-sprint-millionaire-maker-stock-141600490.html | 0.4729 |
Could Sprint Be a Millionaire-Maker Stock? | Sprint (NYSE: S) operates in a strange place where it has to act as an independent company while working to make sure it's ready to merge with T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS). That merger still requires federal approval, and while the OK is expected, it's not a sure thing. That leaves Sprint in a state of limbo. It has to operate in its own long-term interests, but it can't make investments that won't make sense if the deal gets approved. It's a tough place to be, because should the deal be denied, Sprint will find itself needing a partner but lacking an obvious choice. Yes, one of the cable companies may be willing to buy the company at a discount, but that's not something management or shareholders want to see happen. With a successful T-Mobile merger, Sprint becomes part of a growing company that will have the resources to take on AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ). That would make Sprint shareholders owners of the new T-Mobile -- a decidedly better place to be than where they are now. TMUS Chart More TMUS data by YCharts. If the deal is approved The merger values Sprint at roughly the $6.50 per share it was trading at when the deal was announced. That number was likely a disappointment to shareholders, but there is an upside: T-Mobile stock has generally been climbing upward since 2015. In fact, you can argue that the share price would be higher now if the uncertainty over the merger wasn't holding it back. T-Mobile has added more than 1 million customers for 22 straight quarters. If it adds Sprint, it will have a customer base that's similar to the ones served by AT&T and Verizon. That should allow the combined company to roll out 5G faster without taxing its resources as much. It would also give the company a larger base to market T-Mobile's upcoming television service to. CEO John Legere, who will run the combined company, has proven that he can take on AT&T and Verizon. Giving him more assets to use in that battle should increase value for T-Mobile (and former Sprint) shareholders. That makes the successfully merged company a potential millionaire-maker stock. Legere won't knock out either of his big rivals overnight, but he has shown he can chip away at their customer bases, making meaningful progress every quarter. John Legere and Marcello Claure. More Legere (left) and Sprint chairman Marcello Claure had a joint media event when the merger was announced. Image source: T-Mobile. | If the T-Mobile-Sprint merger goes through, Sprint could be a millionaire-maker stock. That's because the combined company will have the resources to take on AT&T and Verizon. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/could-sprint-millionaire-maker-stock-141600490.html | 0.505434 |
Could Sprint Be a Millionaire-Maker Stock? | Sprint (NYSE: S) operates in a strange place where it has to act as an independent company while working to make sure it's ready to merge with T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS). That merger still requires federal approval, and while the OK is expected, it's not a sure thing. That leaves Sprint in a state of limbo. It has to operate in its own long-term interests, but it can't make investments that won't make sense if the deal gets approved. It's a tough place to be, because should the deal be denied, Sprint will find itself needing a partner but lacking an obvious choice. Yes, one of the cable companies may be willing to buy the company at a discount, but that's not something management or shareholders want to see happen. With a successful T-Mobile merger, Sprint becomes part of a growing company that will have the resources to take on AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ). That would make Sprint shareholders owners of the new T-Mobile -- a decidedly better place to be than where they are now. TMUS Chart More TMUS data by YCharts. If the deal is approved The merger values Sprint at roughly the $6.50 per share it was trading at when the deal was announced. That number was likely a disappointment to shareholders, but there is an upside: T-Mobile stock has generally been climbing upward since 2015. In fact, you can argue that the share price would be higher now if the uncertainty over the merger wasn't holding it back. T-Mobile has added more than 1 million customers for 22 straight quarters. If it adds Sprint, it will have a customer base that's similar to the ones served by AT&T and Verizon. That should allow the combined company to roll out 5G faster without taxing its resources as much. It would also give the company a larger base to market T-Mobile's upcoming television service to. CEO John Legere, who will run the combined company, has proven that he can take on AT&T and Verizon. Giving him more assets to use in that battle should increase value for T-Mobile (and former Sprint) shareholders. That makes the successfully merged company a potential millionaire-maker stock. Legere won't knock out either of his big rivals overnight, but he has shown he can chip away at their customer bases, making meaningful progress every quarter. John Legere and Marcello Claure. More Legere (left) and Sprint chairman Marcello Claure had a joint media event when the merger was announced. Image source: T-Mobile. | If the T-Mobile-Sprint merger goes through, Sprint could be a millionaire-maker stock. That's because the combined company will have the resources to take on AT&T and Verizon. If the merger doesn't go through, however, Sprint will be left in a state of limbo. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/could-sprint-millionaire-maker-stock-141600490.html | 0.617345 |
Do Options Traders Know Something About UPS Stock We Don't? | Investors in United Parcel Service, Inc. UPS need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Feb 1, 2019 $90.00 Put had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today. Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy. Currently, UPS is a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) in the Transportation - Air Freight and Cargo that ranks in the Bottom 31% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, no analysts have increased their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while two have dropped their estimates. The net effect has narrowed our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from $1.93 per share to $1.91 in that period. Given the way analysts feel about UPS right now, this huge implied volatility could mean theres a trade developing. Often times, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected. Each week, our very own Dave Bartosiak gives his top options trades. Check out his recent live analysis and options trade for NFLX earnings report completely free. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | Investors in United Parcel Service, Inc. UPS need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Feb 1, 2019 $90.00 Put had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today. Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. | pegasus | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/options-traders-know-something-ups-134601013.html | 0.274109 |
Does Sen. Ugenti-Rita know how her early ballot ban would hurt her own district? | Opinion: Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita wants to ban Arizona voters from dropping off early ballots at the polls. State Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita. (Photo: Special for The Republic) Democrats suspect state Sen. Michele Ugenti-Ritas proposal to ban voters from dropping off their early ballots on Election Day is yet another voter suppression act. Of course, her bill is yet another voter suppression act. But Im guessing even Ugenti-Rita might be surprised at whose votes shes proposing to suppress. It seems four of the five legislative districts that would be most impacted by Ugenti-Ritas plan are Republican strongholds. One of those is Ugenti-Ritas own district. Well, Republicans have been smarting since November when election night results had their candidates winning most statewide offices only to see several of those jobs go to Democrats a week later, once all the early ballots were counted. Thus comes Senate Bill 1046, barring voters from dropping off their early ballots at the polls. Voters who didnt mail in their ballots in time still could go to the polls and cast a provisional ballot. Or, just as likely, not bother. Ugenti-Rita recently told the Senate Judiciary Committee that the mail-in requirement will speed up the vote counting process and provide election results more quickly. Officials say it won't speed vote counting CLOSE Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes talks about counting midterm election ballots Nov. 7, 2018, at the Tabulation and Election Center in Phoenix. Mark Henle, The Republic Never mind that county elections officials say thats just not true. They recently told the Senate Judiciary Committee that it didnt take any longer to finish tallying votes in November than it did in most other recent elections. But in this case, we noticed because so many of the races were close. There is, however, one way in which Ugenti-Ritas bill might speed vote counts. It might save time by reducing turnout, Yavapai County Recorder Leslie Hoffman told the panel during a Jan. 24 hearing on the bill. Sen. Eddie Farnsworth called that an unfounded accusation and the committee approved the bill on a 4-3 partyline vote. It now awaits a vote of the full Senate. Generally, when our leaders set out to reform election laws, those reforms have mostly involved making it more difficult for minority voters. GOP districts would be hit hardest I wonder if any of our leaders have checked to see who will most be impacted by Ugenti-Ritas bill. Arizona Mirrors Jeremy Duda did. Turns out the five districts most affected include four Republican-dominated districts and one more competitive district that in recent years has been represented by Democrats. District 12 Farnsworth's home turf would be hit hardest. In all, 17,318 Gilbert voters dropped off their early ballots on Election Day in November. In District 18, a Chandler-Ahwatukee district now represented by Democrats, 13,622 voters brought their early ballots to the polls. In Mesas District 25, it was 12,409 voters. And in northeast Phoenixs District 15, 12,310 voters. Then, there are those 12,093 voters in Ugenti-Ritas Scottsdale district who in the future no longer would be able to drop off their early ballots if her bill becomes law. No longer could they hold onto those ballots, waiting to see if last-minute developments change their minds. No longer could they drop off those ballots at an early voting center or at the polls. And to be realistic, no longer would some of them bother to vote. Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. MORE FROM ROBERTS: Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/laurieroberts/2019/01/31/sen-ugenti-ritas-early-ballot-ban-would-hit-hard-scottsdale-oops/2727869002/ | State Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita wants to ban voters from dropping off early ballots. Four of the five legislative districts that would be most impacted by her plan are Republican strongholds. | bart | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/laurieroberts/2019/01/31/sen-ugenti-ritas-early-ballot-ban-would-hit-hard-scottsdale-oops/2727869002/ | 0.316093 |
Does Sen. Ugenti-Rita know how her early ballot ban would hurt her own district? | Opinion: Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita wants to ban Arizona voters from dropping off early ballots at the polls. State Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita. (Photo: Special for The Republic) Democrats suspect state Sen. Michele Ugenti-Ritas proposal to ban voters from dropping off their early ballots on Election Day is yet another voter suppression act. Of course, her bill is yet another voter suppression act. But Im guessing even Ugenti-Rita might be surprised at whose votes shes proposing to suppress. It seems four of the five legislative districts that would be most impacted by Ugenti-Ritas plan are Republican strongholds. One of those is Ugenti-Ritas own district. Well, Republicans have been smarting since November when election night results had their candidates winning most statewide offices only to see several of those jobs go to Democrats a week later, once all the early ballots were counted. Thus comes Senate Bill 1046, barring voters from dropping off their early ballots at the polls. Voters who didnt mail in their ballots in time still could go to the polls and cast a provisional ballot. Or, just as likely, not bother. Ugenti-Rita recently told the Senate Judiciary Committee that the mail-in requirement will speed up the vote counting process and provide election results more quickly. Officials say it won't speed vote counting CLOSE Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes talks about counting midterm election ballots Nov. 7, 2018, at the Tabulation and Election Center in Phoenix. Mark Henle, The Republic Never mind that county elections officials say thats just not true. They recently told the Senate Judiciary Committee that it didnt take any longer to finish tallying votes in November than it did in most other recent elections. But in this case, we noticed because so many of the races were close. There is, however, one way in which Ugenti-Ritas bill might speed vote counts. It might save time by reducing turnout, Yavapai County Recorder Leslie Hoffman told the panel during a Jan. 24 hearing on the bill. Sen. Eddie Farnsworth called that an unfounded accusation and the committee approved the bill on a 4-3 partyline vote. It now awaits a vote of the full Senate. Generally, when our leaders set out to reform election laws, those reforms have mostly involved making it more difficult for minority voters. GOP districts would be hit hardest I wonder if any of our leaders have checked to see who will most be impacted by Ugenti-Ritas bill. Arizona Mirrors Jeremy Duda did. Turns out the five districts most affected include four Republican-dominated districts and one more competitive district that in recent years has been represented by Democrats. District 12 Farnsworth's home turf would be hit hardest. In all, 17,318 Gilbert voters dropped off their early ballots on Election Day in November. In District 18, a Chandler-Ahwatukee district now represented by Democrats, 13,622 voters brought their early ballots to the polls. In Mesas District 25, it was 12,409 voters. And in northeast Phoenixs District 15, 12,310 voters. Then, there are those 12,093 voters in Ugenti-Ritas Scottsdale district who in the future no longer would be able to drop off their early ballots if her bill becomes law. No longer could they hold onto those ballots, waiting to see if last-minute developments change their minds. No longer could they drop off those ballots at an early voting center or at the polls. And to be realistic, no longer would some of them bother to vote. Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. MORE FROM ROBERTS: Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/laurieroberts/2019/01/31/sen-ugenti-ritas-early-ballot-ban-would-hit-hard-scottsdale-oops/2727869002/ | Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita wants to ban voters from dropping off their early ballots at the polls. Four of the five legislative districts that would be most impacted are Republican strongholds, including her own district. She says the bill will speed up the vote counting process and provide election results more quickly. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/laurieroberts/2019/01/31/sen-ugenti-ritas-early-ballot-ban-would-hit-hard-scottsdale-oops/2727869002/ | 0.61255 |
Will Gov. Doug Ducey and lawmakers yield, again, to Arizonas anti-equality lobby? | Opinion: Instead of protecting vulnerable citizens against discrimination the governor and lawmakers cower before the Center for Arizona Policy. Gov. Doug Ducey (Photo: The Republic) There are two bills in the Arizona Legislature that would guarantee equality to some currently excluded citizens, but I doubt that either proposal will make it to Gov. Doug Duceys desk since theyve already been vetoed by unelected co-governor Cathi Herrod of the Center for Arizona Policy. The two anti-discrimination measures Senate Bill 1249 and House Bill 2546 mirror one another and would outlaw discrimination against a person based on sexual orientation or gender identity. We already have a number of additions to the law that protect individuals from discrimination. Its been necessary to create such laws because our idea of equality has expanded and evolved over time. Weve come to recognize that many of our brothers and sisters were left out, so weve tried to periodically fix that. The crux of the changes that would happen under SB 1249 and HB 2546 (with additions to current law in CAPITAL letters) reads like this: Uncomplicated wording Discrimination in places of public accommodation against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, national origin or ancestry is contrary to the policy of this state and shall be deemed unlawful. Pretty straightforward. Cathi Herrod and the Center for Arizona Policy issued a press release condemning the measures. That simple public pronouncement might be enough to kill the bills. Lawmakers (particularly Republicans) cower before Herrod and her deep-pocket pals. And over the years weve learned that when Herrod calls the tune Gov. Doug Ducey dances the dance. Hopefully, that wont happen this time. 'Foundational values?' When you scrape away the gobbledygook were talking about outdated beliefs that have marginalized and led to prejudicial treatment of many American citizens. The two bills in the legislature, which have both Republican and Democratic sponsors, aim to provide another necessary fix. In a fear-mongering press release Herrods group claims in part, Small businesses that serve all customers but do not communicate all messages would be forced to choose between their livelihood and their beliefs, thereby denying free speech rights guaranteed under both federal and state constitutions. Just don't discriminate Actually, no. Small businesses that serve all customers would have to do nothing more than serve all customers. In other words, not discriminate. Herrods group says, Nondiscrimination laws are supposed to shield people from unjust discrimination, but these types of bills are being used throughout the country as a sword against individuals and organizations that have a historic understanding of sexuality and gender. Theres another dark and loaded phrase: A historic understanding of sexuality and gender. Weve heard variations of that all through our history, always as a way of excluding or discriminating against people. Well-worn form of prejudice There was a time when individuals and organizations with a historic understanding of race prevented African Americans from enjoying anything close to their full civil rights. There was a time when individuals and organizations with a historic understanding of gender prevented women from exercising those same rights. There was a time when individuals and organizations with a historic understanding of religion and ethnicity and national origin allowed American citizens of all sorts to be discriminated against by fellow citizens. What history tells us is that many of our historic understandings were wrong. They still are. Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com. MORE BY MONTINI: Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/01/31/gov-doug-ducey-center-for-arizona-policy-discrimination/2729460002/ | The Center for Arizona Policy condemned two anti-discrimination measures. Instead of protecting vulnerable citizens against discrimination the governor and lawmakers cower before the Center for Arizona Policy. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/01/31/gov-doug-ducey-center-for-arizona-policy-discrimination/2729460002/ | 0.162547 |
Will Gov. Doug Ducey and lawmakers yield, again, to Arizonas anti-equality lobby? | Opinion: Instead of protecting vulnerable citizens against discrimination the governor and lawmakers cower before the Center for Arizona Policy. Gov. Doug Ducey (Photo: The Republic) There are two bills in the Arizona Legislature that would guarantee equality to some currently excluded citizens, but I doubt that either proposal will make it to Gov. Doug Duceys desk since theyve already been vetoed by unelected co-governor Cathi Herrod of the Center for Arizona Policy. The two anti-discrimination measures Senate Bill 1249 and House Bill 2546 mirror one another and would outlaw discrimination against a person based on sexual orientation or gender identity. We already have a number of additions to the law that protect individuals from discrimination. Its been necessary to create such laws because our idea of equality has expanded and evolved over time. Weve come to recognize that many of our brothers and sisters were left out, so weve tried to periodically fix that. The crux of the changes that would happen under SB 1249 and HB 2546 (with additions to current law in CAPITAL letters) reads like this: Uncomplicated wording Discrimination in places of public accommodation against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, national origin or ancestry is contrary to the policy of this state and shall be deemed unlawful. Pretty straightforward. Cathi Herrod and the Center for Arizona Policy issued a press release condemning the measures. That simple public pronouncement might be enough to kill the bills. Lawmakers (particularly Republicans) cower before Herrod and her deep-pocket pals. And over the years weve learned that when Herrod calls the tune Gov. Doug Ducey dances the dance. Hopefully, that wont happen this time. 'Foundational values?' When you scrape away the gobbledygook were talking about outdated beliefs that have marginalized and led to prejudicial treatment of many American citizens. The two bills in the legislature, which have both Republican and Democratic sponsors, aim to provide another necessary fix. In a fear-mongering press release Herrods group claims in part, Small businesses that serve all customers but do not communicate all messages would be forced to choose between their livelihood and their beliefs, thereby denying free speech rights guaranteed under both federal and state constitutions. Just don't discriminate Actually, no. Small businesses that serve all customers would have to do nothing more than serve all customers. In other words, not discriminate. Herrods group says, Nondiscrimination laws are supposed to shield people from unjust discrimination, but these types of bills are being used throughout the country as a sword against individuals and organizations that have a historic understanding of sexuality and gender. Theres another dark and loaded phrase: A historic understanding of sexuality and gender. Weve heard variations of that all through our history, always as a way of excluding or discriminating against people. Well-worn form of prejudice There was a time when individuals and organizations with a historic understanding of race prevented African Americans from enjoying anything close to their full civil rights. There was a time when individuals and organizations with a historic understanding of gender prevented women from exercising those same rights. There was a time when individuals and organizations with a historic understanding of religion and ethnicity and national origin allowed American citizens of all sorts to be discriminated against by fellow citizens. What history tells us is that many of our historic understandings were wrong. They still are. Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com. MORE BY MONTINI: Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/01/31/gov-doug-ducey-center-for-arizona-policy-discrimination/2729460002/ | The Center for Arizona Policy condemned two anti-discrimination measures. Instead of protecting vulnerable citizens against discrimination the governor and lawmakers cower before the group. What history tells us is that many of our historic understandings were wrong, says Ed Montini. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/01/31/gov-doug-ducey-center-for-arizona-policy-discrimination/2729460002/ | 0.164698 |
Are AT&T's Acquisitions Weighing On Its Wireless Business? | Telecom and media behemoth AT&T published its Q4 2018 results on Wednesday, reporting earnings that largely met expectations although revenues came in slightly below Street estimates. In this note we examine the performance and outlook for the companys wireless business and the recently acquired WarnerMedia operations. Our interactive dashboard on What To Expect From AT&T In 2019 details our key forecasts for the company. You can modify any of our estimates to gauge the impact changes would have on the company's valuation. WarnerMedia Business Updates Revenues from the WarnerMedia business stood at $9.2 billion, marking an increase of about 6% year-over-year, driven by higher revenues from Warner Bros which benefited from strong theatrical performances over the holidays and also due to higher affiliate subscription revenues at Turner. Overall operating margins for the business expanded to 28.4%, driven by lower programming expenses at Turner and HBO, while operating income for the segment came in at $2.6 billion, up from $2.0 billion in the same period last year. The acquisition could add more value to AT&T going forward, as it could allow the company to keep content costs in check for its distribution operations (pay TV, wireless and streaming businesses) while potentially giving it some bargaining leverage in acquiring content from other companies for distribution. Wireless Business Continues To Grow But Lags Rivals Over the quarter, AT&T added a total of 134k postpaid phones. While this marks a sequential improvement, it represents a decline of about 55% compared to last year. Moreover, the metric is well below AT&Ts key rivals Verizon and T-Mobile, which both posted stronger-than-expected postpaid phone net additions over the holiday quarter (650k and 1 million respectively). The could stoke concerns that the companys recent deal-making activity and integration process could be distracting it from its core wireless operations, giving its rivals who have focused on network improvements and customer acquisitions room to gain market share. The companys postpaid phone churn also inched higher by 11 bps year-over-year to 1.00%, driven by higher competition and limited promotional activity. While reported postpaid phone ARPU saw a 4% decline on a year-over-year basis to about $55, due to an accounting change, the metric rose by about 3% on a comparable basis, likely driven by the higher priced unlimited plans. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | We examine the performance and outlook for the companys wireless business and the recently acquired WarnerMedia operations. Our interactive dashboard on What To Expect From AT&T In 2019 details our key forecasts for the firm. We also examine the impact of the company's recent acquisitions on its wireless business. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/31/are-atts-acquisitions-weighing-on-its-wireless-business/ | 0.145848 |
Will Edgerrin James (finally) get in the hall of fame? | CLOSE Insiders Zak Keefer and Joel Erickson look back at the Colts' playoff loss and look ahead to the offseason. Clark Wade, Clark.Wade@Indystar.com Indianapolis Colts legendary running back Edgerrin James is a hall of famer. We've written why here, here, here, here and here. There'd be more heres except I'm not sure how else we can write it. James is 13th all-time in rushing yards (12,246) and No. 1 among Hall of Fame-eligible running backs; had 80 rushing touchdowns (more than hall of famers Thurman Thomas, Tony Dorsett and O.J. Simpson), averaged 4.0 yards per carry (better than hall of famers Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis and John Riggins) and 82.7 rushing yards per game. And none of this takes into account his reportedly excellent pass blocking. But it's really difficult to predict what will happen with the hall of fame voting after the first-ballot players. Some really good players wait years (remember Marvin Harrison?). This is simply because of how difficult a chore it is when you can only select a maximum of five players from 15 highly qualified candidates. (Candidates need 80 percent of the vote to be elected.) Remember the task facing the voters when your favorite player gets left out. SUBSCRIBE:Get three months of IndyStar for $3 More: Reggie Wayne open to returning to coach Colts, thinks team nearly has 'everybody in place' More: NFL author: Peyton Manning uncooperative, control freak; Tom Brady genuine Edgerrin James, shown here vs. the Texans, will find out if he made the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. (Photo: Sam Riche/IndyStar) The odds aren't good. Champ Bailey (12-time Pro Bowler), Ed Reed (nine) and Tony Gonzalez (14!) are all expected (and deserve) to be elected in their first year of eligibility. That leaves two spots. Let's cross off Richard Seymour, who is in his first year and unlikely to make it immediately. Steve Atwater and Steve Hutchinson are worthy entrants but each has only been a finalist twice, while James is making his third effort. It'd be a surprise for two coaches to get in so don't expect Tom Flores (two Super Bowl titles) and Don Coryall (one of the most influential coaches on the passing game in NFL history), but it would not be a surprise if one were selected. Another baffling aspect of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's selection process.) Alan Faneca is a four-time finalist and nine-time Pro Bowler, which makes him a more likely selection than fellow offensive linemen Tony Boselli (three and five, respectively, in an injury-shortened career), Kevin Mawae (three and eight) or Hutchinson (seven Pro Bowls). This could also eliminate Ty Law, a three-time finalist and five-time Pro Bowler, and Atwater (eight Pro Bowls) as well. James' case is arguably stronger than the only other offensive skill position player being considered, Isaac Bruce (another three-time finalist; four Pro Bowls, only led the NFL in receiving once but he's fifth all-time in yards). So James' competition for the final two spots is Flores or Coryell and Faneca and Lynch. What could also work against James is the lack of a backlog of running backs. Between 2011 and 2017, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis, LeDainian Tomlinson and Terrell Davis were inducted. (James' credentials are arguably better than those of Bettis and Davis.) No other running back made the cut to 25 semifinalists and there isn't another on the immediate horizon. The guess here is no. Again, he deserves it and he'll almost certainly get in eventually. But expect a coach and an offensive lineman to join Bailey, Gonzalez and Reed. | Indianapolis Colts running back Edgerrin James is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. James' chances of being elected are slim. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2019/01/31/indianapolis-colts-edgerrin-james-finally-get-pro-football-hall-fame/2617849002/ | 0.207139 |
Will Edgerrin James (finally) get in the hall of fame? | CLOSE Insiders Zak Keefer and Joel Erickson look back at the Colts' playoff loss and look ahead to the offseason. Clark Wade, Clark.Wade@Indystar.com Indianapolis Colts legendary running back Edgerrin James is a hall of famer. We've written why here, here, here, here and here. There'd be more heres except I'm not sure how else we can write it. James is 13th all-time in rushing yards (12,246) and No. 1 among Hall of Fame-eligible running backs; had 80 rushing touchdowns (more than hall of famers Thurman Thomas, Tony Dorsett and O.J. Simpson), averaged 4.0 yards per carry (better than hall of famers Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis and John Riggins) and 82.7 rushing yards per game. And none of this takes into account his reportedly excellent pass blocking. But it's really difficult to predict what will happen with the hall of fame voting after the first-ballot players. Some really good players wait years (remember Marvin Harrison?). This is simply because of how difficult a chore it is when you can only select a maximum of five players from 15 highly qualified candidates. (Candidates need 80 percent of the vote to be elected.) Remember the task facing the voters when your favorite player gets left out. SUBSCRIBE:Get three months of IndyStar for $3 More: Reggie Wayne open to returning to coach Colts, thinks team nearly has 'everybody in place' More: NFL author: Peyton Manning uncooperative, control freak; Tom Brady genuine Edgerrin James, shown here vs. the Texans, will find out if he made the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. (Photo: Sam Riche/IndyStar) The odds aren't good. Champ Bailey (12-time Pro Bowler), Ed Reed (nine) and Tony Gonzalez (14!) are all expected (and deserve) to be elected in their first year of eligibility. That leaves two spots. Let's cross off Richard Seymour, who is in his first year and unlikely to make it immediately. Steve Atwater and Steve Hutchinson are worthy entrants but each has only been a finalist twice, while James is making his third effort. It'd be a surprise for two coaches to get in so don't expect Tom Flores (two Super Bowl titles) and Don Coryall (one of the most influential coaches on the passing game in NFL history), but it would not be a surprise if one were selected. Another baffling aspect of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's selection process.) Alan Faneca is a four-time finalist and nine-time Pro Bowler, which makes him a more likely selection than fellow offensive linemen Tony Boselli (three and five, respectively, in an injury-shortened career), Kevin Mawae (three and eight) or Hutchinson (seven Pro Bowls). This could also eliminate Ty Law, a three-time finalist and five-time Pro Bowler, and Atwater (eight Pro Bowls) as well. James' case is arguably stronger than the only other offensive skill position player being considered, Isaac Bruce (another three-time finalist; four Pro Bowls, only led the NFL in receiving once but he's fifth all-time in yards). So James' competition for the final two spots is Flores or Coryell and Faneca and Lynch. What could also work against James is the lack of a backlog of running backs. Between 2011 and 2017, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis, LeDainian Tomlinson and Terrell Davis were inducted. (James' credentials are arguably better than those of Bettis and Davis.) No other running back made the cut to 25 semifinalists and there isn't another on the immediate horizon. The guess here is no. Again, he deserves it and he'll almost certainly get in eventually. But expect a coach and an offensive lineman to join Bailey, Gonzalez and Reed. | Indianapolis Colts running back Edgerrin James is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. James is one of only five running backs in the NFL to reach 12,000 rushing yards. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2019/01/31/indianapolis-colts-edgerrin-james-finally-get-pro-football-hall-fame/2617849002/ | 0.215106 |
Will Edgerrin James (finally) get in the hall of fame? | CLOSE Insiders Zak Keefer and Joel Erickson look back at the Colts' playoff loss and look ahead to the offseason. Clark Wade, Clark.Wade@Indystar.com Indianapolis Colts legendary running back Edgerrin James is a hall of famer. We've written why here, here, here, here and here. There'd be more heres except I'm not sure how else we can write it. James is 13th all-time in rushing yards (12,246) and No. 1 among Hall of Fame-eligible running backs; had 80 rushing touchdowns (more than hall of famers Thurman Thomas, Tony Dorsett and O.J. Simpson), averaged 4.0 yards per carry (better than hall of famers Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis and John Riggins) and 82.7 rushing yards per game. And none of this takes into account his reportedly excellent pass blocking. But it's really difficult to predict what will happen with the hall of fame voting after the first-ballot players. Some really good players wait years (remember Marvin Harrison?). This is simply because of how difficult a chore it is when you can only select a maximum of five players from 15 highly qualified candidates. (Candidates need 80 percent of the vote to be elected.) Remember the task facing the voters when your favorite player gets left out. SUBSCRIBE:Get three months of IndyStar for $3 More: Reggie Wayne open to returning to coach Colts, thinks team nearly has 'everybody in place' More: NFL author: Peyton Manning uncooperative, control freak; Tom Brady genuine Edgerrin James, shown here vs. the Texans, will find out if he made the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. (Photo: Sam Riche/IndyStar) The odds aren't good. Champ Bailey (12-time Pro Bowler), Ed Reed (nine) and Tony Gonzalez (14!) are all expected (and deserve) to be elected in their first year of eligibility. That leaves two spots. Let's cross off Richard Seymour, who is in his first year and unlikely to make it immediately. Steve Atwater and Steve Hutchinson are worthy entrants but each has only been a finalist twice, while James is making his third effort. It'd be a surprise for two coaches to get in so don't expect Tom Flores (two Super Bowl titles) and Don Coryall (one of the most influential coaches on the passing game in NFL history), but it would not be a surprise if one were selected. Another baffling aspect of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's selection process.) Alan Faneca is a four-time finalist and nine-time Pro Bowler, which makes him a more likely selection than fellow offensive linemen Tony Boselli (three and five, respectively, in an injury-shortened career), Kevin Mawae (three and eight) or Hutchinson (seven Pro Bowls). This could also eliminate Ty Law, a three-time finalist and five-time Pro Bowler, and Atwater (eight Pro Bowls) as well. James' case is arguably stronger than the only other offensive skill position player being considered, Isaac Bruce (another three-time finalist; four Pro Bowls, only led the NFL in receiving once but he's fifth all-time in yards). So James' competition for the final two spots is Flores or Coryell and Faneca and Lynch. What could also work against James is the lack of a backlog of running backs. Between 2011 and 2017, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis, LeDainian Tomlinson and Terrell Davis were inducted. (James' credentials are arguably better than those of Bettis and Davis.) No other running back made the cut to 25 semifinalists and there isn't another on the immediate horizon. The guess here is no. Again, he deserves it and he'll almost certainly get in eventually. But expect a coach and an offensive lineman to join Bailey, Gonzalez and Reed. | Indianapolis Colts running back Edgerrin James is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. James is one of only five running backs in the NFL to reach 12,000 rushing yards. The odds aren't good for James to get in after the first-ballot players. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2019/01/31/indianapolis-colts-edgerrin-james-finally-get-pro-football-hall-fame/2617849002/ | 0.216753 |
What Is A Registered Agent And Does My Business Need One? | You might have heard or seen the term registered agent and wondered, What is that exactly? A registered agent (sometimes called a resident agent or statutory agent) is an individual or a company with the authority to accept service of process on behalf of a business. In most states within the United States, a business must designate a registered agent when establishing a company as an LLC or a corporation in that jurisdiction. Maintaining a registered agent becomes an ongoing corporate compliance responsibility for those companies. A business that is required to have a registered agent, but fails to appoint and maintain one, can face some serious ramifications. For a new business, its formation or qualification documents to incorporate will probably be rejected by the state. Also, a company that doesnt maintain a registered agent runs the risks of fines, penalties, and possible default judgments in favor of the other party (in the case of a lawsuit). A business might even be suspended or terminated (administratively dissolved), and not be allowed to conduct business in other states. An individual or entity must meet a states qualification requirements to act as a registered agent for businesses that are forming an LLC or incorporating in that state. Typically, a registered agent must have a physical address in the state, maintain office hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, and meet whatever other conditions the state requires. While many states will allow a company to designate its owner or an employee as its registered agent, this arrangement has its downsides. First and foremost, a registered agents name and address become publicly available. So if the owner or a staff member acts as a registered agent, that persons privacy becomes jeopardized. Also, maintaining the required office hours to accept service of process every workday can present a challenge. For these reasons and others, its usually more beneficial to find an experienced third-party registered agent. Other Articles From AllBusiness.com: If you have or are starting an LLC or a corporation, you may want to check your states website for a list of authorized registered agents, or ask your attorney for recommendations. Businesses that aspire to expand their companies into more than one state can benefit from finding a registered agent that is authorized in all 50 states. Maintaining a registered agent is not cost prohibitive. Generally, you might expect to pay between $100 to $200 for registered agent services in a state. As when you choose any vendor, youll want to have confidence in your registered agents integrity and reliability. Can they help you maintain copies of your important corporate compliance documents (such as Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization, Operating Agreement, Bylaws, annual reports, etc.) It pays to be selective because a registered agent is responsible for making sure your company gets notified of time-sensitive materials without delay. Its critical to have a registered agent that is trustworthy, organized, and responsive because you will rely on that resource to help you keep your business informed and in good legal standing in the state(s) where you operate. RELATED: 10 Key Issues in Setting Up an LLC This article was originally published on AllBusiness.com. Read all of Nellie Akalps articles. | A registered agent is an individual with the authority to accept service of process on behalf of a business. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2019/01/31/registered-agent-does-my-business-need-one/ | 0.612753 |
What Is A Registered Agent And Does My Business Need One? | You might have heard or seen the term registered agent and wondered, What is that exactly? A registered agent (sometimes called a resident agent or statutory agent) is an individual or a company with the authority to accept service of process on behalf of a business. In most states within the United States, a business must designate a registered agent when establishing a company as an LLC or a corporation in that jurisdiction. Maintaining a registered agent becomes an ongoing corporate compliance responsibility for those companies. A business that is required to have a registered agent, but fails to appoint and maintain one, can face some serious ramifications. For a new business, its formation or qualification documents to incorporate will probably be rejected by the state. Also, a company that doesnt maintain a registered agent runs the risks of fines, penalties, and possible default judgments in favor of the other party (in the case of a lawsuit). A business might even be suspended or terminated (administratively dissolved), and not be allowed to conduct business in other states. An individual or entity must meet a states qualification requirements to act as a registered agent for businesses that are forming an LLC or incorporating in that state. Typically, a registered agent must have a physical address in the state, maintain office hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, and meet whatever other conditions the state requires. While many states will allow a company to designate its owner or an employee as its registered agent, this arrangement has its downsides. First and foremost, a registered agents name and address become publicly available. So if the owner or a staff member acts as a registered agent, that persons privacy becomes jeopardized. Also, maintaining the required office hours to accept service of process every workday can present a challenge. For these reasons and others, its usually more beneficial to find an experienced third-party registered agent. Other Articles From AllBusiness.com: If you have or are starting an LLC or a corporation, you may want to check your states website for a list of authorized registered agents, or ask your attorney for recommendations. Businesses that aspire to expand their companies into more than one state can benefit from finding a registered agent that is authorized in all 50 states. Maintaining a registered agent is not cost prohibitive. Generally, you might expect to pay between $100 to $200 for registered agent services in a state. As when you choose any vendor, youll want to have confidence in your registered agents integrity and reliability. Can they help you maintain copies of your important corporate compliance documents (such as Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization, Operating Agreement, Bylaws, annual reports, etc.) It pays to be selective because a registered agent is responsible for making sure your company gets notified of time-sensitive materials without delay. Its critical to have a registered agent that is trustworthy, organized, and responsive because you will rely on that resource to help you keep your business informed and in good legal standing in the state(s) where you operate. RELATED: 10 Key Issues in Setting Up an LLC This article was originally published on AllBusiness.com. Read all of Nellie Akalps articles. | A registered agent is an individual or a company with the authority to accept service of process on behalf of a business. A business that is required to have a registered agent, but fails to appoint and maintain one, can face serious ramifications. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2019/01/31/registered-agent-does-my-business-need-one/ | 0.693456 |
What Is A Registered Agent And Does My Business Need One? | You might have heard or seen the term registered agent and wondered, What is that exactly? A registered agent (sometimes called a resident agent or statutory agent) is an individual or a company with the authority to accept service of process on behalf of a business. In most states within the United States, a business must designate a registered agent when establishing a company as an LLC or a corporation in that jurisdiction. Maintaining a registered agent becomes an ongoing corporate compliance responsibility for those companies. A business that is required to have a registered agent, but fails to appoint and maintain one, can face some serious ramifications. For a new business, its formation or qualification documents to incorporate will probably be rejected by the state. Also, a company that doesnt maintain a registered agent runs the risks of fines, penalties, and possible default judgments in favor of the other party (in the case of a lawsuit). A business might even be suspended or terminated (administratively dissolved), and not be allowed to conduct business in other states. An individual or entity must meet a states qualification requirements to act as a registered agent for businesses that are forming an LLC or incorporating in that state. Typically, a registered agent must have a physical address in the state, maintain office hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, and meet whatever other conditions the state requires. While many states will allow a company to designate its owner or an employee as its registered agent, this arrangement has its downsides. First and foremost, a registered agents name and address become publicly available. So if the owner or a staff member acts as a registered agent, that persons privacy becomes jeopardized. Also, maintaining the required office hours to accept service of process every workday can present a challenge. For these reasons and others, its usually more beneficial to find an experienced third-party registered agent. Other Articles From AllBusiness.com: If you have or are starting an LLC or a corporation, you may want to check your states website for a list of authorized registered agents, or ask your attorney for recommendations. Businesses that aspire to expand their companies into more than one state can benefit from finding a registered agent that is authorized in all 50 states. Maintaining a registered agent is not cost prohibitive. Generally, you might expect to pay between $100 to $200 for registered agent services in a state. As when you choose any vendor, youll want to have confidence in your registered agents integrity and reliability. Can they help you maintain copies of your important corporate compliance documents (such as Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization, Operating Agreement, Bylaws, annual reports, etc.) It pays to be selective because a registered agent is responsible for making sure your company gets notified of time-sensitive materials without delay. Its critical to have a registered agent that is trustworthy, organized, and responsive because you will rely on that resource to help you keep your business informed and in good legal standing in the state(s) where you operate. RELATED: 10 Key Issues in Setting Up an LLC This article was originally published on AllBusiness.com. Read all of Nellie Akalps articles. | A registered agent is an individual or a company with the authority to accept service of process on behalf of a business. A business that is required to have a registered agent, but fails to appoint and maintain one, can face some serious ramifications. For these reasons and others, it's usually more beneficial to find an experienced third-party registered agent. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2019/01/31/registered-agent-does-my-business-need-one/ | 0.755699 |
Has Fox News finally soured on Donald Trump? | There has been increasing acrimony between the president and his once-beloved news network, but at least one show has remained loyal It hardly makes headlines when Donald Trump lashes out at the media his repeated refrains of fake news and enemy of the people have become so familiar its almost possible to tune them out. In the weeks before the partial government shutdown it certainly seemed as if the network was more keen on goading Trump than pleasing him. With the exception of his favorite show. While other Fox shows and personalities were disappointed with Trump ending the shutdown without wall funding, Fox & Friends broadly remained loyal to the president they helped elect. The shutdown fight exposed a split between Foxs flagship morning show and much of the rest of the network, which reflects Trumps longstanding special relationship with Fox & Friends. Fox & Friends did warn that he would look like a loser by funding government without wall money, part of a week of pro-shutdown rhetoric that included co-host Steve Doocey saying the Democrats will win everything they want and the swamp wins if Trump refused to shut down the government, attacking him when he appeared to be softening his stance. Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) Fox & Friends insists Trump is failing his base by not shutting down the government: Many people are saying "hold on a second, you told us that you weren't afraid to shut down the government, that's why we like you. You just gave in right away?" pic.twitter.com/AFfilzminx The change in tone from Trumps favourite show might have received more media attention if it hadnt come the same week Ann Coulter called him gutless, which dominated headlines. Spurned by his friends and prodded by Fox & Friends, Trump shut down the government. Once the shutdown began, Fox & Friends initially supported Trump, blaming Democrats and supplying him with images to paint a propagandistic picture of a dangerous threat from migrants. Correspondent Griff Jenkins reported on another caravan. Host Ainsley Earhardt paraphrased Trumps argument: You deserve to be able to go to sleep at night and not have to worry about being killed by an illegal immigrant. Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) Ainsley Earhardt: The government shutdown is an inconvenience, but you deserve to be able to go to sleep at night and not have to worry about being killed by an illegal immigrant. pic.twitter.com/BiYK6tCiw8 The hosts cherry-picked outlier polls to reassure Trump he had public support in the shutdown fight; host Brian Kilmeade cited one poll to claim that nothings changed since the shutdown began, even though two other polls showed record-high disapprovals. Fox & Friends also suggested that it was Democrats who would suffer politically for their opposition to wall negotiations during the shutdown. Doocy speculated that even if moderate Democrats couldnt vote on wall funding, perhaps voters would start to blame the Democrats for the shutdown. Overall, despite Kilmeades occasional frustrations that everyone, Trump included, proved incapable of getting something done, Fox & Friends stuck by Trumps side. However, once the shutdown ended, many Fox News commentators outside of Fox & Friends started to criticise Trump. Tomi Lahren, who hosts a show on Foxs on-demand platform Fox Nation, tweeted that Trump allowed Nancy [Pelosi] to walk all over him. Tucker Carlson suggested that Trumps weakness on the shutdown had eroded his popularity while Lou Dobbs declared the shutdown fight a victory for Pelosi. Other rightwing media personalities joined the fray: Ann Coulter tweeted: Good news for George Herbert Walker Bush: As of today, he is no longer the biggest wimp ever to serve as President of the United States. The Daily Caller and Breitbart also attacked Trump for caving to Pelosi. Yet stuck between backing their number one fan and supporting their colleagues, the Fox & Friends crew ignored the brewing feuds and focused on inflating Trumps ego. Kilmeade reassured Trump through the TV that his defeat was not a defeat: I dont know if you lose this round at all. And if you do, I think people should understand, thats whats called politics. Kilmeade encouraged Trump to almost ignore people in media and just do what he knows is best to get wall funding. Doocy similarly said that it was early to say that Trump surrendered. Fox & Friends groomed and coddled Trump for years in a way that no other Fox programming ever did; their symbiosis simultaneously stroked Trumps ego while filling Fox airtime with entertainment. That best friendship, it seems, is powerful enough to endure the longest government shutdown in history. Only the coming weeks will tell. Bobby Lewis monitors Fox News for Media Matters in America, a progressive not-for-profit | Fox & Friends remained loyal to the president they helped elect during the shutdown. However, once the shutdown ended, many Fox News commentators outside of Fox and Friends started to criticise Trump. The full interview will air on Sunday, January 20 at 8pm on Fox News Channel. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/jan/31/fox-news-trump-fox-and-friends-border-wall | 0.109939 |
Is breakfast always a good idea? | Image copyright Getty Images Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but eating it won't help you lose weight, research suggests. Those who ate breakfast consumed 260 more calories per day and gained 1lb more than those who skipped it, a review of previous studies found. But experts say a healthy breakfast can be a good source of calcium and fibre. It has also been shown to improve concentration and attention levels, particularly in children. Breakfast gives you energy, stops you snacking later in the day and supplies essential nutrients - so we are told. Its reputation as the nutritional backstop to our day stems from observational studies showing a positive link between people eating breakfast and having a healthy weight. But this new Australian research in the BMJ, which reviewed the results of 13 separate trials on breakfast eating, weight change and energy intake, found little evidence for those views. The findings of the Monash University research team suggest that skipping breakfast might in fact be a good way to reduce total daily calorie intake. They found that breakfast eaters consumed more calories overall and breakfast skippers did not have a greater appetite in the afternoon. And they say caution is needed when recommending breakfast for weight loss in adults - because it could have the opposite effect. However, the researchers added that there were limitations to their study. For an energy boost - try an "apple pie" porridge, with cinnamon, or baked beans on wholemeal toast For protein - try scrambled eggs with spinach on toast or low-fat Greek yoghurt with fruit and nuts For a light bite - make a smoothie from tinned fruit, banana and spinach or mash avocado on toast Source: NHS UK The participants in the studies were only followed for short periods - from between two and 16 weeks - and the difference in calorie intake between breakfast eaters and skippers was small. The researchers concluded that working out the long-term effect of skipping or adding breakfast to diets still needed more research. Calcium and fibre boost Prof Kevin Whelan, dietetics expert and head of King's College London's nutritional sciences department, says we should not get too hung up on calorie intake first thing in the morning. "This study does not say breakfast is bad for the health," he said. "Breakfast is important for nutrient intake, such as cereals and milk which are good for calcium and fibre." But the BMJ research did not look at this aspect of breakfast. "We are not talking about breakfast being the cause of obesity," he said. | Breakfast gives you energy, stops you snacking later in the day and supplies essential nutrients, so we are told. | bart | 0 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47070173 | 0.103738 |
Is breakfast always a good idea? | Image copyright Getty Images Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but eating it won't help you lose weight, research suggests. Those who ate breakfast consumed 260 more calories per day and gained 1lb more than those who skipped it, a review of previous studies found. But experts say a healthy breakfast can be a good source of calcium and fibre. It has also been shown to improve concentration and attention levels, particularly in children. Breakfast gives you energy, stops you snacking later in the day and supplies essential nutrients - so we are told. Its reputation as the nutritional backstop to our day stems from observational studies showing a positive link between people eating breakfast and having a healthy weight. But this new Australian research in the BMJ, which reviewed the results of 13 separate trials on breakfast eating, weight change and energy intake, found little evidence for those views. The findings of the Monash University research team suggest that skipping breakfast might in fact be a good way to reduce total daily calorie intake. They found that breakfast eaters consumed more calories overall and breakfast skippers did not have a greater appetite in the afternoon. And they say caution is needed when recommending breakfast for weight loss in adults - because it could have the opposite effect. However, the researchers added that there were limitations to their study. For an energy boost - try an "apple pie" porridge, with cinnamon, or baked beans on wholemeal toast For protein - try scrambled eggs with spinach on toast or low-fat Greek yoghurt with fruit and nuts For a light bite - make a smoothie from tinned fruit, banana and spinach or mash avocado on toast Source: NHS UK The participants in the studies were only followed for short periods - from between two and 16 weeks - and the difference in calorie intake between breakfast eaters and skippers was small. The researchers concluded that working out the long-term effect of skipping or adding breakfast to diets still needed more research. Calcium and fibre boost Prof Kevin Whelan, dietetics expert and head of King's College London's nutritional sciences department, says we should not get too hung up on calorie intake first thing in the morning. "This study does not say breakfast is bad for the health," he said. "Breakfast is important for nutrient intake, such as cereals and milk which are good for calcium and fibre." But the BMJ research did not look at this aspect of breakfast. "We are not talking about breakfast being the cause of obesity," he said. | Those who ate breakfast consumed 260 more calories per day and gained 1lb more than those who skipped it. But experts say a healthy breakfast can be a good source of calcium and fibre. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47070173 | 0.163502 |
Is breakfast always a good idea? | Image copyright Getty Images Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but eating it won't help you lose weight, research suggests. Those who ate breakfast consumed 260 more calories per day and gained 1lb more than those who skipped it, a review of previous studies found. But experts say a healthy breakfast can be a good source of calcium and fibre. It has also been shown to improve concentration and attention levels, particularly in children. Breakfast gives you energy, stops you snacking later in the day and supplies essential nutrients - so we are told. Its reputation as the nutritional backstop to our day stems from observational studies showing a positive link between people eating breakfast and having a healthy weight. But this new Australian research in the BMJ, which reviewed the results of 13 separate trials on breakfast eating, weight change and energy intake, found little evidence for those views. The findings of the Monash University research team suggest that skipping breakfast might in fact be a good way to reduce total daily calorie intake. They found that breakfast eaters consumed more calories overall and breakfast skippers did not have a greater appetite in the afternoon. And they say caution is needed when recommending breakfast for weight loss in adults - because it could have the opposite effect. However, the researchers added that there were limitations to their study. For an energy boost - try an "apple pie" porridge, with cinnamon, or baked beans on wholemeal toast For protein - try scrambled eggs with spinach on toast or low-fat Greek yoghurt with fruit and nuts For a light bite - make a smoothie from tinned fruit, banana and spinach or mash avocado on toast Source: NHS UK The participants in the studies were only followed for short periods - from between two and 16 weeks - and the difference in calorie intake between breakfast eaters and skippers was small. The researchers concluded that working out the long-term effect of skipping or adding breakfast to diets still needed more research. Calcium and fibre boost Prof Kevin Whelan, dietetics expert and head of King's College London's nutritional sciences department, says we should not get too hung up on calorie intake first thing in the morning. "This study does not say breakfast is bad for the health," he said. "Breakfast is important for nutrient intake, such as cereals and milk which are good for calcium and fibre." But the BMJ research did not look at this aspect of breakfast. "We are not talking about breakfast being the cause of obesity," he said. | Breakfast gives you energy, stops you snacking later in the day and supplies essential nutrients, we are told. But new Australian research in the BMJ found little evidence for those views. Experts say a healthy breakfast can be a good source of calcium and fibre. It has also been shown to improve concentration and attention levels, particularly in children. | bart | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47070173 | 0.26183 |
Why are Dutch Bros. coffee baristas so friendly? Is it real? | Coffee addicts, you know where you stand. If you drink caffeinated beverages and live in the West, youve probably pulled through a Dutch Bros. Coffee stand. And you probably have an opinion on the famously friendly baristas (or, in Dutch Bros. parlance, broistas). The coffee company, founded in 1992 in Oregon, has a loyal fan base. Its been dubbed the Dutch Mafia, and you can easily spot an espresso mafioso just look for a car covered in Dutch Bros. stickers. The company now has coffee stands in seven states, boasting about 10,000 employees. There are 15 locations in the Sacramento area, though none inside the grid. Fresno is home to a corporate office for the company as well as six locations while Modesto residents have to drive to Stockton to check out the drive-through chain. Digital Access for only $0.99 For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today. The public sentiment toward Dutch Bros. personalities seems to fall into three camps, based on social media reviews from all over the West: 1. The Dutch Mafia fans These Dutch Bros. customers love the smiles and the chit-chat oh, and the coffee and colorful drinks. They probably have a Dutch Bros. mug and a wallet full of punch cards. I went to Dutch Bros feeling really horrible and tired, really not feeling today, but I pulled up to get a Rebel and the barista was so nice and got my drink to me super quickly and gave it to me free, wrote a fan on Twitter. Just the friendly good morning made my day. 2. The never again-ers This customer tried Dutch Bros. once or twice. Never went back. Also in this camp: the curmudgeon who goes for the coffee but suffers through the interaction; and the customer who is so not comfortable with that barista calling them babe with a wink. I literally cant with Dutch Bros. sometimes, a non-fan wrote on Twitter. I get youre friendly, but lets move it along; 99 percent of the time someone is getting coffee in the morning is because they have to be somewhere. The customer capped off their commentary with an eye-rolling emoji. 3. The introverts/pre-coffee sleepyheads This customer will brave the small talk, but theyre more interested in reconnecting with their old friend, caffeine. I really appreciate Dutch Bros. employees for being upbeat, outgoing and friendly as they attempt to spark a conversation with you, one Twitter user commented. But sometimes Im like DAMN! I dont feel like talking, Oliver! Im tired. 100 percent real. Dutch Bros. knows its style isnt for everyone. But Boise franchise owner Brian Wight said training for Dutch employees includes learning to read a customer and turn the charm dial up or down accordingly. One hundred percent real, he says. When we hire people, were looking for personalities, he told the Statesman. I want to make sure our employees are authentic, whether you see them at Dutch Bros. or at Costco or Target we want you to see the same person. ... Theres not one right way to do it. Some employees are the life of the party and dancing around, and then we have other employees who want to engage with customers in a deeper way. Changing peoples lives through ... giving them coffee Most people who come through Dutch Bros. enjoy the interaction, Wight said. Were looking for people who love their community [and are] interested in changing peoples lives through the simple act of giving them coffee, he said of Dutch Bros. baristas. Well, the Boise office keeps a book of anecdotes from baristas. Here are a few, recounted by Dutch Bros. Coffee of Boise human resources director Niki Helsel: There was a customer who divulged to a barista that shed just had the worst day ever. The baristas reached into his wallet, gave her some cash and urged her to buy a pinata and bring it back, then take out her days frustrations. The customer later wrote a note about how meaningful and impactful that was ... how much they actually care, Helsel said. There was the Dutch Bros. regular who had a beloved pet cat. The cat was sick and needed surgery, so the baristas pooled their tips for the week to help pay for it. And finally, a story about life and hope. A barista was working the graveyard shift at the drive-through coffee stand on Milwaukee Street in Boise, about a year and a half ago. A customer came up to order, and the barista struck up a conversation. They sat talking for a long time maybe 45 minutes. Later, the customer sent a note. They had come through that night for their last coffee, ever, Helsel said. It was through the conversation with one of our baristas that they decided not to end their life. The barista had no idea thats what was on the customers mind that night. They just made the person their coffee and got in some genuine conversation, Helsel said. | Dutch Bros. coffee baristas are known for being friendly and outgoing. The coffee company has a loyal fan base in the West. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/article225340475.html | 0.432895 |
Why are Dutch Bros. coffee baristas so friendly? Is it real? | Coffee addicts, you know where you stand. If you drink caffeinated beverages and live in the West, youve probably pulled through a Dutch Bros. Coffee stand. And you probably have an opinion on the famously friendly baristas (or, in Dutch Bros. parlance, broistas). The coffee company, founded in 1992 in Oregon, has a loyal fan base. Its been dubbed the Dutch Mafia, and you can easily spot an espresso mafioso just look for a car covered in Dutch Bros. stickers. The company now has coffee stands in seven states, boasting about 10,000 employees. There are 15 locations in the Sacramento area, though none inside the grid. Fresno is home to a corporate office for the company as well as six locations while Modesto residents have to drive to Stockton to check out the drive-through chain. Digital Access for only $0.99 For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today. The public sentiment toward Dutch Bros. personalities seems to fall into three camps, based on social media reviews from all over the West: 1. The Dutch Mafia fans These Dutch Bros. customers love the smiles and the chit-chat oh, and the coffee and colorful drinks. They probably have a Dutch Bros. mug and a wallet full of punch cards. I went to Dutch Bros feeling really horrible and tired, really not feeling today, but I pulled up to get a Rebel and the barista was so nice and got my drink to me super quickly and gave it to me free, wrote a fan on Twitter. Just the friendly good morning made my day. 2. The never again-ers This customer tried Dutch Bros. once or twice. Never went back. Also in this camp: the curmudgeon who goes for the coffee but suffers through the interaction; and the customer who is so not comfortable with that barista calling them babe with a wink. I literally cant with Dutch Bros. sometimes, a non-fan wrote on Twitter. I get youre friendly, but lets move it along; 99 percent of the time someone is getting coffee in the morning is because they have to be somewhere. The customer capped off their commentary with an eye-rolling emoji. 3. The introverts/pre-coffee sleepyheads This customer will brave the small talk, but theyre more interested in reconnecting with their old friend, caffeine. I really appreciate Dutch Bros. employees for being upbeat, outgoing and friendly as they attempt to spark a conversation with you, one Twitter user commented. But sometimes Im like DAMN! I dont feel like talking, Oliver! Im tired. 100 percent real. Dutch Bros. knows its style isnt for everyone. But Boise franchise owner Brian Wight said training for Dutch employees includes learning to read a customer and turn the charm dial up or down accordingly. One hundred percent real, he says. When we hire people, were looking for personalities, he told the Statesman. I want to make sure our employees are authentic, whether you see them at Dutch Bros. or at Costco or Target we want you to see the same person. ... Theres not one right way to do it. Some employees are the life of the party and dancing around, and then we have other employees who want to engage with customers in a deeper way. Changing peoples lives through ... giving them coffee Most people who come through Dutch Bros. enjoy the interaction, Wight said. Were looking for people who love their community [and are] interested in changing peoples lives through the simple act of giving them coffee, he said of Dutch Bros. baristas. Well, the Boise office keeps a book of anecdotes from baristas. Here are a few, recounted by Dutch Bros. Coffee of Boise human resources director Niki Helsel: There was a customer who divulged to a barista that shed just had the worst day ever. The baristas reached into his wallet, gave her some cash and urged her to buy a pinata and bring it back, then take out her days frustrations. The customer later wrote a note about how meaningful and impactful that was ... how much they actually care, Helsel said. There was the Dutch Bros. regular who had a beloved pet cat. The cat was sick and needed surgery, so the baristas pooled their tips for the week to help pay for it. And finally, a story about life and hope. A barista was working the graveyard shift at the drive-through coffee stand on Milwaukee Street in Boise, about a year and a half ago. A customer came up to order, and the barista struck up a conversation. They sat talking for a long time maybe 45 minutes. Later, the customer sent a note. They had come through that night for their last coffee, ever, Helsel said. It was through the conversation with one of our baristas that they decided not to end their life. The barista had no idea thats what was on the customers mind that night. They just made the person their coffee and got in some genuine conversation, Helsel said. | Dutch Bros. coffee baristas are known for being friendly and outgoing. The coffee company has a loyal fan base, dubbed the "Dutch Mafia" The company has coffee stands in seven states, boasting about 10,000 employees. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/article225340475.html | 0.460731 |
Why are Dutch Bros. coffee baristas so friendly? Is it real? | Coffee addicts, you know where you stand. If you drink caffeinated beverages and live in the West, youve probably pulled through a Dutch Bros. Coffee stand. And you probably have an opinion on the famously friendly baristas (or, in Dutch Bros. parlance, broistas). The coffee company, founded in 1992 in Oregon, has a loyal fan base. Its been dubbed the Dutch Mafia, and you can easily spot an espresso mafioso just look for a car covered in Dutch Bros. stickers. The company now has coffee stands in seven states, boasting about 10,000 employees. There are 15 locations in the Sacramento area, though none inside the grid. Fresno is home to a corporate office for the company as well as six locations while Modesto residents have to drive to Stockton to check out the drive-through chain. Digital Access for only $0.99 For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today. The public sentiment toward Dutch Bros. personalities seems to fall into three camps, based on social media reviews from all over the West: 1. The Dutch Mafia fans These Dutch Bros. customers love the smiles and the chit-chat oh, and the coffee and colorful drinks. They probably have a Dutch Bros. mug and a wallet full of punch cards. I went to Dutch Bros feeling really horrible and tired, really not feeling today, but I pulled up to get a Rebel and the barista was so nice and got my drink to me super quickly and gave it to me free, wrote a fan on Twitter. Just the friendly good morning made my day. 2. The never again-ers This customer tried Dutch Bros. once or twice. Never went back. Also in this camp: the curmudgeon who goes for the coffee but suffers through the interaction; and the customer who is so not comfortable with that barista calling them babe with a wink. I literally cant with Dutch Bros. sometimes, a non-fan wrote on Twitter. I get youre friendly, but lets move it along; 99 percent of the time someone is getting coffee in the morning is because they have to be somewhere. The customer capped off their commentary with an eye-rolling emoji. 3. The introverts/pre-coffee sleepyheads This customer will brave the small talk, but theyre more interested in reconnecting with their old friend, caffeine. I really appreciate Dutch Bros. employees for being upbeat, outgoing and friendly as they attempt to spark a conversation with you, one Twitter user commented. But sometimes Im like DAMN! I dont feel like talking, Oliver! Im tired. 100 percent real. Dutch Bros. knows its style isnt for everyone. But Boise franchise owner Brian Wight said training for Dutch employees includes learning to read a customer and turn the charm dial up or down accordingly. One hundred percent real, he says. When we hire people, were looking for personalities, he told the Statesman. I want to make sure our employees are authentic, whether you see them at Dutch Bros. or at Costco or Target we want you to see the same person. ... Theres not one right way to do it. Some employees are the life of the party and dancing around, and then we have other employees who want to engage with customers in a deeper way. Changing peoples lives through ... giving them coffee Most people who come through Dutch Bros. enjoy the interaction, Wight said. Were looking for people who love their community [and are] interested in changing peoples lives through the simple act of giving them coffee, he said of Dutch Bros. baristas. Well, the Boise office keeps a book of anecdotes from baristas. Here are a few, recounted by Dutch Bros. Coffee of Boise human resources director Niki Helsel: There was a customer who divulged to a barista that shed just had the worst day ever. The baristas reached into his wallet, gave her some cash and urged her to buy a pinata and bring it back, then take out her days frustrations. The customer later wrote a note about how meaningful and impactful that was ... how much they actually care, Helsel said. There was the Dutch Bros. regular who had a beloved pet cat. The cat was sick and needed surgery, so the baristas pooled their tips for the week to help pay for it. And finally, a story about life and hope. A barista was working the graveyard shift at the drive-through coffee stand on Milwaukee Street in Boise, about a year and a half ago. A customer came up to order, and the barista struck up a conversation. They sat talking for a long time maybe 45 minutes. Later, the customer sent a note. They had come through that night for their last coffee, ever, Helsel said. It was through the conversation with one of our baristas that they decided not to end their life. The barista had no idea thats what was on the customers mind that night. They just made the person their coffee and got in some genuine conversation, Helsel said. | Dutch Bros. coffee baristas are known for being friendly and outgoing. The coffee company has a loyal fan base, dubbed the "Dutch Mafia" There are 15 locations in the Sacramento area, six in Fresno and five in Modesto. The company knows its style isn't for everyone. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/article225340475.html | 0.38601 |
Will Archer Daniels (ADM) Retain Earnings Beat Trend in Q4? | Archer Daniels Midland Company ADM is slated to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Feb 5. Notably, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise in each of the trailing four quarters, the average being 26.9%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at 92 cents, which reflects a 12.2% improvement year over year. Estimates have been stable over the past 30 days. Meanwhile, the consensus mark for quarterly revenues stands at $17.1 billion, up 6.4% from the year-ago period. Archer Daniels Midland Company Price and EPS Surprise Archer Daniels Midland Company Price and EPS Surprise | Archer Daniels Midland Company Quote What You Should Know Prior to 4Q18 Earnings Archer Daniels has been progressing well with portfolio management initiatives, cost-savings plan and the Readiness program. Moreover, the company has long been enhancing the operational efficiency at its production and supply chain networks to minimize costs. The company is on track with business transformation under its 1ADM program, which is an integral part of Project Readiness. Notably, the company has progressed well through the first two phases of Readiness and is currently in the implementation phase. This program is expected to help management have a more coordinated approach toward driving business improvement, standardizing functions and enriching consumers experience. Further, Archer Daniels plans to allocate resources efficiently on more mature businesses and make prudent investments. Additionally, the company remains focused on strengthening its business through increased cost savings, which have been aiding Archer Daniels results. Backed by improving market conditions, higher global demand, gains from U.S. tax reform, product innovations and Project Readiness, management continues to be optimistic about delivering solid results in the fourth quarter. Going by segments, management expects impressive results at Origination, Oilseeds and Nutrition in 2018. All the aforementioned factors are likely to provide a boost to the companys top and bottom line in the to-be-reported quarter. However, softness in the Carbohydrate Solutions segment due to weaker ethanol business and bio-products results is concerning. For the fourth quarter, management expects the segments results to decline year over year. Also, the Decatur plant downtime and soft ethanol margins are expected to hurt the Carbohydrate Solutions results in 2018. A Glance at the Zacks Model Our proven model clearly shows that Archer Daniels is likely to beat earnings estimates in the fourth quarter. A stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Archer Daniels has a Zacks Rank #1 and an Earnings ESP of +2.45%, which makes us pretty confident about an earnings beat. Other Stocks With Favorable Combination Here are some other companies you may want to consider as our model shows that these too have the right combination of elements to beat estimates: Monster Beverage Corporation MNST has an Earnings ESP of +0.31% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Church & Dwight Co., Inc. CHD has an Earnings ESP of +2.80% and a Zacks Rank #2. Newell Brands Inc. NWL has an Earnings ESP of +7.41% and a Zacks Rank #3. Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana. Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Newell Brands Inc. (NWL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Archer Daniels Midland Company ADM is slated to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Feb 5. The company delivered a positive earnings surprise in each of the trailing four quarters, the average being 26.9%. | bart | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/archer-daniels-adm-retain-earnings-165004914.html | 0.14885 |
Will Archer Daniels (ADM) Retain Earnings Beat Trend in Q4? | Archer Daniels Midland Company ADM is slated to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Feb 5. Notably, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise in each of the trailing four quarters, the average being 26.9%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at 92 cents, which reflects a 12.2% improvement year over year. Estimates have been stable over the past 30 days. Meanwhile, the consensus mark for quarterly revenues stands at $17.1 billion, up 6.4% from the year-ago period. Archer Daniels Midland Company Price and EPS Surprise Archer Daniels Midland Company Price and EPS Surprise | Archer Daniels Midland Company Quote What You Should Know Prior to 4Q18 Earnings Archer Daniels has been progressing well with portfolio management initiatives, cost-savings plan and the Readiness program. Moreover, the company has long been enhancing the operational efficiency at its production and supply chain networks to minimize costs. The company is on track with business transformation under its 1ADM program, which is an integral part of Project Readiness. Notably, the company has progressed well through the first two phases of Readiness and is currently in the implementation phase. This program is expected to help management have a more coordinated approach toward driving business improvement, standardizing functions and enriching consumers experience. Further, Archer Daniels plans to allocate resources efficiently on more mature businesses and make prudent investments. Additionally, the company remains focused on strengthening its business through increased cost savings, which have been aiding Archer Daniels results. Backed by improving market conditions, higher global demand, gains from U.S. tax reform, product innovations and Project Readiness, management continues to be optimistic about delivering solid results in the fourth quarter. Going by segments, management expects impressive results at Origination, Oilseeds and Nutrition in 2018. All the aforementioned factors are likely to provide a boost to the companys top and bottom line in the to-be-reported quarter. However, softness in the Carbohydrate Solutions segment due to weaker ethanol business and bio-products results is concerning. For the fourth quarter, management expects the segments results to decline year over year. Also, the Decatur plant downtime and soft ethanol margins are expected to hurt the Carbohydrate Solutions results in 2018. A Glance at the Zacks Model Our proven model clearly shows that Archer Daniels is likely to beat earnings estimates in the fourth quarter. A stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Archer Daniels has a Zacks Rank #1 and an Earnings ESP of +2.45%, which makes us pretty confident about an earnings beat. Other Stocks With Favorable Combination Here are some other companies you may want to consider as our model shows that these too have the right combination of elements to beat estimates: Monster Beverage Corporation MNST has an Earnings ESP of +0.31% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Church & Dwight Co., Inc. CHD has an Earnings ESP of +2.80% and a Zacks Rank #2. Newell Brands Inc. NWL has an Earnings ESP of +7.41% and a Zacks Rank #3. Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana. Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Newell Brands Inc. (NWL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Archer Daniels Midland Company ADM is slated to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Feb 5. The company delivered a positive earnings surprise in each of the trailing four quarters, the average being 26.9%. Archer Daniels has been progressing well with portfolio management initiatives, cost-savings plan and the Readiness program. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/archer-daniels-adm-retain-earnings-165004914.html | 0.242601 |
Why Did Tesla's Profits Trend Lower In Q4? | Tesla published its Q4 2018 results on Wednesday, January 30, reporting its second straight quarter of profitability. However, the companys net income trended sequentially lower, missing market expectations on account of lower sales of renewable energy credits and some cost pressure due to higher import duties for some parts from China. Below we take a look at some of the factors that impacted Teslas earnings. Our interactive dashboard on what to expect from Tesla in 2019 provides an overview of our key drivers and forecasts for the company. Some Margin Pressures Tesla indicated that adjusted gross margins for its automotive business decreased to 24.7% in Q4 from 25.5%, partly due to a negative impact of higher import duties for some auto parts from China, due to the ongoing trade war. However, margins for the Model 3 remained flat compared to Q3, coming in above 20% despite the aforementioned headwinds. While the company said that labor hours per Model 3 declined by about 20% compared to Q3 and by about 65% in the second half of 2018, its possible that these gains were offset by the introduction of the mid-range Model 3 over the quarter. While the scale-up of the Model 3 should help the company bolster margins, there could be some near-term headwinds. For one, with the winding down of the federal tax credit for Tesla vehicles, the company will have to increasingly emphasize producing the mid-range and potentially lower-end Model 3 in order to keep prices low, after exclusively selling the high-end model over much of 2018. Tesla Is Still Dependent On Renewable Energy Credits Teslas Zero Emission Vehicle credits sales declined from $52 million in Q3 2018 to under $1 million in Q4, and it appears that this was another key reason for the companys profit decline, considering that these credits are almost pure profit for the company. Tesla also indicated that non-ZEV credit sales declined by $43 million in Q4. California and nine other U.S. states have a ZEV regime that requires automakers that sell internal combustion engine-based vehicles to earn a certain number of ZEV credits every year by selling zero-emission vehicles, or by purchasing the credits from companies such as Tesla which produce only EVs. We believe that sales of such credits could decline in the long run, as there is a possibility that the number of credits available in the market will start to outstrip the number of credits required by manufacturers as electric vehicle sales gain traction, causing prices to decline. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own | Tesla reported its second straight quarter of profitability. The company missed market expectations on account of lower sales of renewable energy credits. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/31/why-did-teslas-profits-trend-lower-in-q4/ | 0.180923 |
Why Did Tesla's Profits Trend Lower In Q4? | Tesla published its Q4 2018 results on Wednesday, January 30, reporting its second straight quarter of profitability. However, the companys net income trended sequentially lower, missing market expectations on account of lower sales of renewable energy credits and some cost pressure due to higher import duties for some parts from China. Below we take a look at some of the factors that impacted Teslas earnings. Our interactive dashboard on what to expect from Tesla in 2019 provides an overview of our key drivers and forecasts for the company. Some Margin Pressures Tesla indicated that adjusted gross margins for its automotive business decreased to 24.7% in Q4 from 25.5%, partly due to a negative impact of higher import duties for some auto parts from China, due to the ongoing trade war. However, margins for the Model 3 remained flat compared to Q3, coming in above 20% despite the aforementioned headwinds. While the company said that labor hours per Model 3 declined by about 20% compared to Q3 and by about 65% in the second half of 2018, its possible that these gains were offset by the introduction of the mid-range Model 3 over the quarter. While the scale-up of the Model 3 should help the company bolster margins, there could be some near-term headwinds. For one, with the winding down of the federal tax credit for Tesla vehicles, the company will have to increasingly emphasize producing the mid-range and potentially lower-end Model 3 in order to keep prices low, after exclusively selling the high-end model over much of 2018. Tesla Is Still Dependent On Renewable Energy Credits Teslas Zero Emission Vehicle credits sales declined from $52 million in Q3 2018 to under $1 million in Q4, and it appears that this was another key reason for the companys profit decline, considering that these credits are almost pure profit for the company. Tesla also indicated that non-ZEV credit sales declined by $43 million in Q4. California and nine other U.S. states have a ZEV regime that requires automakers that sell internal combustion engine-based vehicles to earn a certain number of ZEV credits every year by selling zero-emission vehicles, or by purchasing the credits from companies such as Tesla which produce only EVs. We believe that sales of such credits could decline in the long run, as there is a possibility that the number of credits available in the market will start to outstrip the number of credits required by manufacturers as electric vehicle sales gain traction, causing prices to decline. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own | Tesla's net income trended sequentially lower in Q4, missing market expectations. Lower sales of renewable energy credits and some cost pressure due to higher import duties for some parts from China. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/31/why-did-teslas-profits-trend-lower-in-q4/ | 0.615571 |
Why Did Tesla's Profits Trend Lower In Q4? | Tesla published its Q4 2018 results on Wednesday, January 30, reporting its second straight quarter of profitability. However, the companys net income trended sequentially lower, missing market expectations on account of lower sales of renewable energy credits and some cost pressure due to higher import duties for some parts from China. Below we take a look at some of the factors that impacted Teslas earnings. Our interactive dashboard on what to expect from Tesla in 2019 provides an overview of our key drivers and forecasts for the company. Some Margin Pressures Tesla indicated that adjusted gross margins for its automotive business decreased to 24.7% in Q4 from 25.5%, partly due to a negative impact of higher import duties for some auto parts from China, due to the ongoing trade war. However, margins for the Model 3 remained flat compared to Q3, coming in above 20% despite the aforementioned headwinds. While the company said that labor hours per Model 3 declined by about 20% compared to Q3 and by about 65% in the second half of 2018, its possible that these gains were offset by the introduction of the mid-range Model 3 over the quarter. While the scale-up of the Model 3 should help the company bolster margins, there could be some near-term headwinds. For one, with the winding down of the federal tax credit for Tesla vehicles, the company will have to increasingly emphasize producing the mid-range and potentially lower-end Model 3 in order to keep prices low, after exclusively selling the high-end model over much of 2018. Tesla Is Still Dependent On Renewable Energy Credits Teslas Zero Emission Vehicle credits sales declined from $52 million in Q3 2018 to under $1 million in Q4, and it appears that this was another key reason for the companys profit decline, considering that these credits are almost pure profit for the company. Tesla also indicated that non-ZEV credit sales declined by $43 million in Q4. California and nine other U.S. states have a ZEV regime that requires automakers that sell internal combustion engine-based vehicles to earn a certain number of ZEV credits every year by selling zero-emission vehicles, or by purchasing the credits from companies such as Tesla which produce only EVs. We believe that sales of such credits could decline in the long run, as there is a possibility that the number of credits available in the market will start to outstrip the number of credits required by manufacturers as electric vehicle sales gain traction, causing prices to decline. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own | Tesla's net income trended sequentially lower in Q4, missing market expectations. Lower sales of renewable energy credits and some cost pressure due to higher import duties for some parts from China contributed to the company's profit decline in the fourth quarter of 2018. The company is expected to report its results on January 30. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/31/why-did-teslas-profits-trend-lower-in-q4/ | 0.776858 |
Why do patients get ill with hospital-acquired infections? | In recent weeks the deaths of four patients at Glasgow hospitals - three of them babies or children - have been linked with infections picked up during their stay. Image copyright Getty Images By their very nature, hospitals are places with high concentrations of people who are unwell. Many of them have already picked up infections in the wider community. Bacteria, viruses and fungi are constantly being brought into hospitals by patients, visitors and staff. The challenge for healthcare workers is how to stop these multiplying and spreading. A complicating factor is that hospital patients often have weakened immune systems and are less well able to fight off disease. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Cryptococcus infection at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is linked to pigeon droppings Two patients who died recently at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital - a 10-year-old boy and a 73-year-old woman - were infected with Cryptococcus -a yeast-like fungal infection. The most common form in humans is linked to pigeon or other bird droppings. It is thought it entered the hospital's ventilation system after birds got into a machine room near the roof. Another patient became seriously ill in a separate Mucor infection. It's a type of mould, commonly found in soil or rotting organic material such as food. Infection is usually caused by breathing in spores. In this instance, a water leak in the patient's room is thought to have been the source. Two premature babies died and a third became seriously ill at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital. They were infected with the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. It's a common bacteria - about a third of us have it on our skin and it's usually harmless. But these "staph" infections as they're known can become serious if the immune system is weakened. The bacteria are usually transmitted by touch - but can become airborne through shedding skin cells, coughing or sneezing. Image copyright Reuters Image caption About a third of healthy people carry Staphylococcus aureus bacteria Infections linked to Cryptococcus or Mucor are relatively rare - but "Staph" infections are much more common. Staphylococcus aureus accounts for about 110 infections every month at Scottish hospitals. Bacteria, viruses or other micro-organisms that cause disease are collectively known as pathogens - and there are a lot of them. Other common varieties found in hospitals are: Escherichia coli - better known as E. coli. It's a bacteria found in the intestines of humans and animals. It can be spread through contaminated food, touching animals or poor hygiene. Some strains such as E. coli O157 produce toxins that can make people very ill but most people get better without medical treatment. There are nearly 400 cases a month reported at Scottish hospitals. Clostridioides difficile - previously known as Clostridium difficile and abbreviated to C. diff. A very common type of bacteria, particularly prevalent in the soil which can cause a bowel infection and diarrhoea. It can particularly affect people who have been treated with antibiotics or who have been in hospital for a long time. Nearly 350 cases are reported a month on average at Scottish hospitals. Image copyright Reuters It's a variant of Staphylococcus aureus that has become resistant to several widely-used antibiotics - MRSA actually stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The media sometimes refers to it as a "hospital superbug" as it mainly affects people staying in hospitals. This is because such patients often have wounds or catheters that allow it to get into their body. A weakened immune system makes it more dangerous - and the concentration of unwell people inevitable in a hospital increases the chance of it spreading. MRSA has become a serious problem in recent years, with many experts blaming a misuse of antibiotics - overprescribing or failing to complete the full course - which has allowed these resistant strains of Staph bacteria to multiply. Some progress has been made. A decade ago about 200 Staphylococcus aureus infections were recorded a month in Scottish hospitals. That's fallen to about 110 a month, according to the most recent figures, although most of that improvement came in the years to 2012. Since then infection rates have been stubbornly static. A major outbreak of C. diff was a contributory factor in 34 deaths at Vale of Leven Hospital in West Dunbartonshire between 2007 and 2008. An inquiry blamed "serious personal and systemic" failures" at the hospital. But over the decade since then, the rate of C. diff infection has steadily fallen. For E. coli, a lack of historic data makes it harder to identify a trend. Image copyright Getty Images In Scotland there's a national infection control strategy including a 10-point list of standard precautions: Assess patients as soon as they arrive and identify the risks Hand hygiene - a detailed set of procedures Respiratory and cough hygiene rules Protective equipment - gloves, double gloving, aprons, eye visors etc Equipment - single-use items, decontamination procedures Safe environment - areas should be visibly clean, with cleaning procedures in place Linen - safe storage and transport for cleaning, with contamination dealt with appropriately Safe management of blood and body fluid spillages Safe disposal of waste, including sharps Safe work practices, training and reporting of incidents When an infection outbreak is identified a plan for tackling it is put in place including a "deep clean" of the area. The National Clinical Director for NHS Scotland Jason Leitch says rates of hospital-acquired infections are low but remain a "fact of life in our healthcare system". "The fact they are rare events gives us all the more opportunity to learn from them, and aim for zero," he added. "That would be our hope that Scotland, although leading the world in infection control, would get better still." | In recent weeks, four patients at Glasgow hospitals have died from infections. Three of the patients were babies or children. Bacteria, viruses and fungi are constantly being brought into hospitals. A complicating factor is that hospital patients often have weakened immune systems. | bart | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-47071813 | 0.118472 |
Why do patients get ill with hospital-acquired infections? | In recent weeks the deaths of four patients at Glasgow hospitals - three of them babies or children - have been linked with infections picked up during their stay. Image copyright Getty Images By their very nature, hospitals are places with high concentrations of people who are unwell. Many of them have already picked up infections in the wider community. Bacteria, viruses and fungi are constantly being brought into hospitals by patients, visitors and staff. The challenge for healthcare workers is how to stop these multiplying and spreading. A complicating factor is that hospital patients often have weakened immune systems and are less well able to fight off disease. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Cryptococcus infection at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is linked to pigeon droppings Two patients who died recently at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital - a 10-year-old boy and a 73-year-old woman - were infected with Cryptococcus -a yeast-like fungal infection. The most common form in humans is linked to pigeon or other bird droppings. It is thought it entered the hospital's ventilation system after birds got into a machine room near the roof. Another patient became seriously ill in a separate Mucor infection. It's a type of mould, commonly found in soil or rotting organic material such as food. Infection is usually caused by breathing in spores. In this instance, a water leak in the patient's room is thought to have been the source. Two premature babies died and a third became seriously ill at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital. They were infected with the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. It's a common bacteria - about a third of us have it on our skin and it's usually harmless. But these "staph" infections as they're known can become serious if the immune system is weakened. The bacteria are usually transmitted by touch - but can become airborne through shedding skin cells, coughing or sneezing. Image copyright Reuters Image caption About a third of healthy people carry Staphylococcus aureus bacteria Infections linked to Cryptococcus or Mucor are relatively rare - but "Staph" infections are much more common. Staphylococcus aureus accounts for about 110 infections every month at Scottish hospitals. Bacteria, viruses or other micro-organisms that cause disease are collectively known as pathogens - and there are a lot of them. Other common varieties found in hospitals are: Escherichia coli - better known as E. coli. It's a bacteria found in the intestines of humans and animals. It can be spread through contaminated food, touching animals or poor hygiene. Some strains such as E. coli O157 produce toxins that can make people very ill but most people get better without medical treatment. There are nearly 400 cases a month reported at Scottish hospitals. Clostridioides difficile - previously known as Clostridium difficile and abbreviated to C. diff. A very common type of bacteria, particularly prevalent in the soil which can cause a bowel infection and diarrhoea. It can particularly affect people who have been treated with antibiotics or who have been in hospital for a long time. Nearly 350 cases are reported a month on average at Scottish hospitals. Image copyright Reuters It's a variant of Staphylococcus aureus that has become resistant to several widely-used antibiotics - MRSA actually stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The media sometimes refers to it as a "hospital superbug" as it mainly affects people staying in hospitals. This is because such patients often have wounds or catheters that allow it to get into their body. A weakened immune system makes it more dangerous - and the concentration of unwell people inevitable in a hospital increases the chance of it spreading. MRSA has become a serious problem in recent years, with many experts blaming a misuse of antibiotics - overprescribing or failing to complete the full course - which has allowed these resistant strains of Staph bacteria to multiply. Some progress has been made. A decade ago about 200 Staphylococcus aureus infections were recorded a month in Scottish hospitals. That's fallen to about 110 a month, according to the most recent figures, although most of that improvement came in the years to 2012. Since then infection rates have been stubbornly static. A major outbreak of C. diff was a contributory factor in 34 deaths at Vale of Leven Hospital in West Dunbartonshire between 2007 and 2008. An inquiry blamed "serious personal and systemic" failures" at the hospital. But over the decade since then, the rate of C. diff infection has steadily fallen. For E. coli, a lack of historic data makes it harder to identify a trend. Image copyright Getty Images In Scotland there's a national infection control strategy including a 10-point list of standard precautions: Assess patients as soon as they arrive and identify the risks Hand hygiene - a detailed set of procedures Respiratory and cough hygiene rules Protective equipment - gloves, double gloving, aprons, eye visors etc Equipment - single-use items, decontamination procedures Safe environment - areas should be visibly clean, with cleaning procedures in place Linen - safe storage and transport for cleaning, with contamination dealt with appropriately Safe management of blood and body fluid spillages Safe disposal of waste, including sharps Safe work practices, training and reporting of incidents When an infection outbreak is identified a plan for tackling it is put in place including a "deep clean" of the area. The National Clinical Director for NHS Scotland Jason Leitch says rates of hospital-acquired infections are low but remain a "fact of life in our healthcare system". "The fact they are rare events gives us all the more opportunity to learn from them, and aim for zero," he added. "That would be our hope that Scotland, although leading the world in infection control, would get better still." | In recent weeks, four patients at Glasgow hospitals have died from infections. Three of the patients were babies or children. Bacteria, viruses and fungi are constantly being brought into hospitals. Hospital patients often have weakened immune systems and are less well able to fight off disease. A weakened immune system makes it more dangerous. | bart | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-47071813 | 0.214842 |
Will experience _ and lack of it _ be Super Bowl difference? | ATLANTA (AP) The idea that experience pays off in the most-pressurized situations sports offer is nothing new. Recent history will tell us not really. The Super Bowl thing was something novel for virtually all of the Eagles last year, and they knocked off the perennial contender and frequent AFC champion Patriots. Same thing in the 2014 game when Seattle routed a Peyton Manning-led Broncos team. The Saints with Drew Brees against the Colts, led by you guessed it Manning in the 2011 contest, too. Then you can argue that the Patriots benefited greatly from the Falcons' lack of familiarity with putting away a championship two years ago. And that Denver yep, that QB named Peyton again used the experience edge perfectly against Carolina in 2016. There's no question which team has the pelts in Super Bowl 53. "I think you get to focus more on football (because of the know-how)," says Patriots receiver Julian Edelman, who will match up at times with the Rams' formidable cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. "Fortunately, I've played in a couple of these and you get to refine your routine and it allows you to think about football. It allows you to think about the Los Angeles Rams and what they're doing and how they are on defense and special teams and (Johnny) Hekker being a quarterback back there as a punter, that's what it allows you to do because you have a little experience with that. But that's it." Maybe. Or maybe the Rams, who are 2-point underdogs in their first Super Bowl since the 2001 season a loss to New England won't ever find that comfort zone so necessary at this point. The key just might be if coach Sean McVay, who turned all of 33 last week, keeps pushing the envelope. The only way to beat the Patriots is to remain aggressive for 60 minutes, and possibly beyond. Maybe McVay needs to be a bit outlandish as well. Look up what Doug Pederson did last year in a masterful coaching performance. "So, it's never too soon to be able to make a big impact in a big-time game," McVay says. "We certainly have a respect for that experience that the Patriots specifically have. We've got some guys on our team that do have that experience, but we've also got some really good football players that you feel like no moment is too big for them. "We know that it's a big-time game, but I think our guys whether they have played in this game before, whether they haven't we expect them to play good football. When that ball is kicked off, it's just like any other game. Certainly, you don't shy away from the magnitude, but you're still playing football." Playing football in February is unique for most of the Rams, old hat for Tom Brady and many of the Patriots. Pro Picks thinks so. PATRIOTS, 31-22 ___ Last Week: Against Spread (1-1). Straight up (1-1) Season Totals: Against spread (135-114-9). Straight up: (175-89-2) Best Bet: 8-12 against spread, 13-7 straight up Upset special: 11-9 against spread, 10-9-1 straight up ___ More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/tag/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Los Angeles Rams face New England Patriots in Super Bowl 53. Experience or lack of it could be the difference in this year's game. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/01/31/will-experience-and-lack-of-it-be-super-bowl-difference/38983835/ | 0.234056 |
Will experience _ and lack of it _ be Super Bowl difference? | ATLANTA (AP) The idea that experience pays off in the most-pressurized situations sports offer is nothing new. Recent history will tell us not really. The Super Bowl thing was something novel for virtually all of the Eagles last year, and they knocked off the perennial contender and frequent AFC champion Patriots. Same thing in the 2014 game when Seattle routed a Peyton Manning-led Broncos team. The Saints with Drew Brees against the Colts, led by you guessed it Manning in the 2011 contest, too. Then you can argue that the Patriots benefited greatly from the Falcons' lack of familiarity with putting away a championship two years ago. And that Denver yep, that QB named Peyton again used the experience edge perfectly against Carolina in 2016. There's no question which team has the pelts in Super Bowl 53. "I think you get to focus more on football (because of the know-how)," says Patriots receiver Julian Edelman, who will match up at times with the Rams' formidable cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. "Fortunately, I've played in a couple of these and you get to refine your routine and it allows you to think about football. It allows you to think about the Los Angeles Rams and what they're doing and how they are on defense and special teams and (Johnny) Hekker being a quarterback back there as a punter, that's what it allows you to do because you have a little experience with that. But that's it." Maybe. Or maybe the Rams, who are 2-point underdogs in their first Super Bowl since the 2001 season a loss to New England won't ever find that comfort zone so necessary at this point. The key just might be if coach Sean McVay, who turned all of 33 last week, keeps pushing the envelope. The only way to beat the Patriots is to remain aggressive for 60 minutes, and possibly beyond. Maybe McVay needs to be a bit outlandish as well. Look up what Doug Pederson did last year in a masterful coaching performance. "So, it's never too soon to be able to make a big impact in a big-time game," McVay says. "We certainly have a respect for that experience that the Patriots specifically have. We've got some guys on our team that do have that experience, but we've also got some really good football players that you feel like no moment is too big for them. "We know that it's a big-time game, but I think our guys whether they have played in this game before, whether they haven't we expect them to play good football. When that ball is kicked off, it's just like any other game. Certainly, you don't shy away from the magnitude, but you're still playing football." Playing football in February is unique for most of the Rams, old hat for Tom Brady and many of the Patriots. Pro Picks thinks so. PATRIOTS, 31-22 ___ Last Week: Against Spread (1-1). Straight up (1-1) Season Totals: Against spread (135-114-9). Straight up: (175-89-2) Best Bet: 8-12 against spread, 13-7 straight up Upset special: 11-9 against spread, 10-9-1 straight up ___ More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/tag/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Los Angeles Rams face New England Patriots in Super Bowl 53. Experience or lack of it could be the difference in this year's game. The Rams are 2-point underdogs. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/01/31/will-experience-and-lack-of-it-be-super-bowl-difference/38983835/ | 0.264332 |
Will experience _ and lack of it _ be Super Bowl difference? | ATLANTA (AP) The idea that experience pays off in the most-pressurized situations sports offer is nothing new. Recent history will tell us not really. The Super Bowl thing was something novel for virtually all of the Eagles last year, and they knocked off the perennial contender and frequent AFC champion Patriots. Same thing in the 2014 game when Seattle routed a Peyton Manning-led Broncos team. The Saints with Drew Brees against the Colts, led by you guessed it Manning in the 2011 contest, too. Then you can argue that the Patriots benefited greatly from the Falcons' lack of familiarity with putting away a championship two years ago. And that Denver yep, that QB named Peyton again used the experience edge perfectly against Carolina in 2016. There's no question which team has the pelts in Super Bowl 53. "I think you get to focus more on football (because of the know-how)," says Patriots receiver Julian Edelman, who will match up at times with the Rams' formidable cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. "Fortunately, I've played in a couple of these and you get to refine your routine and it allows you to think about football. It allows you to think about the Los Angeles Rams and what they're doing and how they are on defense and special teams and (Johnny) Hekker being a quarterback back there as a punter, that's what it allows you to do because you have a little experience with that. But that's it." Maybe. Or maybe the Rams, who are 2-point underdogs in their first Super Bowl since the 2001 season a loss to New England won't ever find that comfort zone so necessary at this point. The key just might be if coach Sean McVay, who turned all of 33 last week, keeps pushing the envelope. The only way to beat the Patriots is to remain aggressive for 60 minutes, and possibly beyond. Maybe McVay needs to be a bit outlandish as well. Look up what Doug Pederson did last year in a masterful coaching performance. "So, it's never too soon to be able to make a big impact in a big-time game," McVay says. "We certainly have a respect for that experience that the Patriots specifically have. We've got some guys on our team that do have that experience, but we've also got some really good football players that you feel like no moment is too big for them. "We know that it's a big-time game, but I think our guys whether they have played in this game before, whether they haven't we expect them to play good football. When that ball is kicked off, it's just like any other game. Certainly, you don't shy away from the magnitude, but you're still playing football." Playing football in February is unique for most of the Rams, old hat for Tom Brady and many of the Patriots. Pro Picks thinks so. PATRIOTS, 31-22 ___ Last Week: Against Spread (1-1). Straight up (1-1) Season Totals: Against spread (135-114-9). Straight up: (175-89-2) Best Bet: 8-12 against spread, 13-7 straight up Upset special: 11-9 against spread, 10-9-1 straight up ___ More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/tag/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Los Angeles Rams face New England Patriots in Super Bowl 53. Experience or lack of it could be the difference in this year's game. The Rams are 2-point underdogs in their first Super Bowl since the 2001 season. The Patriots have won the last two Super Bowls. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/01/31/will-experience-and-lack-of-it-be-super-bowl-difference/38983835/ | 0.320523 |
How Can Businesses Measure Success When It Comes To Diversity? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Rita Aguilar, Vice President of People Success + Inclusion at the SF Fed, on Quora: Having a comprehensive view of employee data and input helps to assess the effectiveness of your inclusion and diversity efforts. Here's how we do it. Fundamentally we look to understand the make-up of the organization and whether its representative of the communities we engage with. We measure the percentage of total employees, management, and leadership against various demographic categories (i.e. gender, ethnicity, tenure). Once we have this view, we want to create an environment where all employees feel like they have access to opportunities and can contribute to their full potential. So we look beyond the basic demographic numbers to understand employee movement, such as at hiring, development, promotions, span of control and separations. However that will only speak to the diversity of your employees. For inclusion, which is the employee experience, there isnt one metric per se. Capturing the employee voice is most important. One way we do that at the SF Fed is through a listening strategy that includes surveying employees. When we get that feedback we dive deeper to better understand employee challenges and work to remove barriers to an inclusive work environment. This includes sitting down with our business line leaders annually to review their workforce diversity and survey results so we can be intentional in our action planning. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | Having a comprehensive view of employee data and input helps to assess the effectiveness of your inclusion and diversity efforts. | bart | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/01/31/how-can-businesses-measure-success-when-it-comes-to-diversity/ | 0.118418 |
How Can Businesses Measure Success When It Comes To Diversity? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Rita Aguilar, Vice President of People Success + Inclusion at the SF Fed, on Quora: Having a comprehensive view of employee data and input helps to assess the effectiveness of your inclusion and diversity efforts. Here's how we do it. Fundamentally we look to understand the make-up of the organization and whether its representative of the communities we engage with. We measure the percentage of total employees, management, and leadership against various demographic categories (i.e. gender, ethnicity, tenure). Once we have this view, we want to create an environment where all employees feel like they have access to opportunities and can contribute to their full potential. So we look beyond the basic demographic numbers to understand employee movement, such as at hiring, development, promotions, span of control and separations. However that will only speak to the diversity of your employees. For inclusion, which is the employee experience, there isnt one metric per se. Capturing the employee voice is most important. One way we do that at the SF Fed is through a listening strategy that includes surveying employees. When we get that feedback we dive deeper to better understand employee challenges and work to remove barriers to an inclusive work environment. This includes sitting down with our business line leaders annually to review their workforce diversity and survey results so we can be intentional in our action planning. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | Rita Aguilar, Vice President of People Success + Inclusion at the SF Fed, explains how businesses measure success when it comes to diversity and inclusion. She says there isn't one metric per se to measure success, but capturing the employee voice is the most important thing. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/01/31/how-can-businesses-measure-success-when-it-comes-to-diversity/ | 0.270157 |
What Is The Real Reason For The Fed's Sudden Decision To Stop Raising Interest Rates? | The Fed has put the brakes on. At its latest monetary policy meeting, the FOMC left interest rates unchanged and said it would be patient about further interest rate rises. Furthermore, the FOMCs forward guidance about the pace of balance sheet reduction says that it is prepared to adjust any of the details for completing balance sheet normalization in light of economic and financial developments, including reversing course and doing more QE if necessary. Yet only a month ago, the Fed was signaling two interest rate rises in 2019 and no change in the pace of balance sheet reduction. It doesnt seem to have anything to do with domestic economic conditions. The economic report is distinctly upbeat: job gains are strong, unemployment is low, and inflation is near the Feds target of 2%. In fact, it all looks much the same as it did in December. Nevertheless, the FOMC is clearly seeing some change in the economic outlook that justifies a considerable softening of its stance. At the press conference, the Feds chair, Jay Powell, identified several concerns that influenced the FOMCs decision. Slowing global growth, especially in China and the Eurozone; tightening market financial conditions, which tends to amplify the Feds own monetary tightening; and the U.S. government shutdown, were all factors. They all create headwinds for the U.S. economy that could in due course mean slower growth, lower inflation and rising unemployment. Thus, on the face of it, pausing interest rate rises appears a prudent move until more is known about the persistence of these headwinds and their effect on the U.S. economy. So too is forward guidance that if economic conditions were to deteriorate considerably, the Fed would abandon normalization and revert to ZIRP and QE. People need to know that hawks can become doves. However, Greg Ip of the Wall Street Journal thinks the Fed is signaling not a pause, but a complete halt in interest rate rises. And he has a theory about why the Fed has suddenly decided to end monetary tightening: In the last six weeks Mr. Powell does seem to have shifted his views on inflation risk. He seems to have concluded that the lowest unemployment in 50 years isnt going to push inflation back above 2% anytime soon, and that would be a prerequisite to tightening again. If real rates above 0.5% are a threat to both economic growth and 2% inflation, then that suggests the economy is fundamentally more fragile than in the past. And he goes on to argue that the economic fragility that renders higher interest rates unsustainable is not confined to the U.S., but is a global phenomenon. Something has fundamentally changed since the 2008 financial crisis. It is evident that the relationship between unemployment and inflation has broken down. unemployment is now at historic lows, yet there is no sign of any resurgence in inflation. But as I have noted before, in todays world of low barriers to trade and extended supply chains, competition for lower-skilled jobs is often global, rather than domestic. As long as there is cheaper labor somewhere in the world, companies have no incentive to raise wages in response to tighter domestic labor markets. Anyway, it is questionable how tight the U.S. labor market really is. Underemployment, in the form of short hours and unstable work, is still prevalent, which suggests that there is still considerable slack in the labor market. And the prime age participation rate is still well below historical norms. So, it may be that inflation remains low because there simply isnt much upwards pressure on wages. The right question to ask, therefore, is not why inflation is low, but why the U.S. economy and indeed most other developed economies appears to be incapable of generating sufficient good quality jobs to occupy its prime working-age population productively. In my view, this is a function of labor market changes going back decades, such as offshoring of manufacturing jobs and the rise of service jobs, systematic dismantling of unions and weakening of labor bargaining power, and the mass entry of women to the workforce in a culture which - even now tends to value the work of women less than that of men. A less than entirely productive working-age population might depress growth, and hence real interest rates. This might indeed justify a halt to interest rate rises. Indeed, the Fed probably should not have been raising rates at that pace at all. The strong growth induced by the Trump administrations tax cuts was merely a sugar high and bound to fizzle out. It did not justify monetary tightening. And the administration has done little to increase productive employment and generate strong sustainable growth. It has instead wasted a great deal of time on fruitless and damaging trade wars, not to mention an economically lunatic government shutdown. For some time now, there have been clear indications that the Fed was raising rates too far and too fast. For example, the yield curve came dangerously close to inverting in December, which is a sign that monetary conditions are too tight for the economy. So the halt to rate rises is welcome. However, I dont think the Feds decision has anything to do with the labor market. I think it is about the stock market. Since 2016, there has been a considerable stock market boom. But in the last few months, as the Feds balance sheet reduction has accelerated, this has somewhat chaotically reversed. The S&P 500 took a nosedive: Although it recovered somewhat in January, there are nonetheless dire warnings that this could be the start of a bear market. Because the American economy is intimately linked with the stock market, a downwards trend for stock prices can mean a poorer economic outlook. So, even before the FOMCs announcement, markets had already concluded that the Fed would probably stop raising rates. Although stocks rose and the dollar fell, the announcement elicited less response from markets than might have been expected, given the suddenness of the policy reversal. But the Feds mandate is to target unemployment and inflation, not stock market performance. Joe Wiesenthal at Bloomberg has an explanation. The more dovish stance that the Fed took yesterday has renewed claims that there is a Fed put or a Powell put out there in the market, he writes in today's Markets newsletter. In other words, for as much as they talk about focusing on the real economy, theres a deep-seated suspicion that they want to avoid a sustained drop in the stock market, thus subsidizing risk-taking investors. So the FOMCs decision, and its forward guidance, could simply be intended to prop up the stock market. Wiesenthal thinks that Powell admitted as much at the press conference: Powell said a sustained tightening of financial conditions (as seen through stocks, currency, interest rates and credit spreads) had to be watched because it could have important macroeconomic implications. And then he said: In fact our policy works through changing financial conditions, so its sort of the essence of what we do. If the FOMC's decision was indeed driven by the stock market's recent tantrum, then the future path of interest rates will depend on whether bulls or bears are dominant. I suppose this could be reasonable, if you believe that propping up Wall Street generates productive jobs and economic growth. But it seems a long way removed from what we usually think of as the purpose of interest rate policy, which is to influence business investment and household spending. The Fed has not given an adequate explanation for the pace of interest rate rises last year, which appeared unjustified in terms either of the Feds mandate or key economic indicators. And now it hasn't given an adequate explanation of this sudden softening, either. I think we should be told. | The Fed left interest rates unchanged and said it would be patient about further interest rate rises. Slowing global growth, especially in China and the Eurozone, and the U.S. government shutdown were all factors. | bart | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/francescoppola/2019/01/31/what-is-the-real-reason-for-the-feds-sudden-decision-to-stop-raising-interest-rates/ | 0.230102 |
What Is The Real Reason For The Fed's Sudden Decision To Stop Raising Interest Rates? | The Fed has put the brakes on. At its latest monetary policy meeting, the FOMC left interest rates unchanged and said it would be patient about further interest rate rises. Furthermore, the FOMCs forward guidance about the pace of balance sheet reduction says that it is prepared to adjust any of the details for completing balance sheet normalization in light of economic and financial developments, including reversing course and doing more QE if necessary. Yet only a month ago, the Fed was signaling two interest rate rises in 2019 and no change in the pace of balance sheet reduction. It doesnt seem to have anything to do with domestic economic conditions. The economic report is distinctly upbeat: job gains are strong, unemployment is low, and inflation is near the Feds target of 2%. In fact, it all looks much the same as it did in December. Nevertheless, the FOMC is clearly seeing some change in the economic outlook that justifies a considerable softening of its stance. At the press conference, the Feds chair, Jay Powell, identified several concerns that influenced the FOMCs decision. Slowing global growth, especially in China and the Eurozone; tightening market financial conditions, which tends to amplify the Feds own monetary tightening; and the U.S. government shutdown, were all factors. They all create headwinds for the U.S. economy that could in due course mean slower growth, lower inflation and rising unemployment. Thus, on the face of it, pausing interest rate rises appears a prudent move until more is known about the persistence of these headwinds and their effect on the U.S. economy. So too is forward guidance that if economic conditions were to deteriorate considerably, the Fed would abandon normalization and revert to ZIRP and QE. People need to know that hawks can become doves. However, Greg Ip of the Wall Street Journal thinks the Fed is signaling not a pause, but a complete halt in interest rate rises. And he has a theory about why the Fed has suddenly decided to end monetary tightening: In the last six weeks Mr. Powell does seem to have shifted his views on inflation risk. He seems to have concluded that the lowest unemployment in 50 years isnt going to push inflation back above 2% anytime soon, and that would be a prerequisite to tightening again. If real rates above 0.5% are a threat to both economic growth and 2% inflation, then that suggests the economy is fundamentally more fragile than in the past. And he goes on to argue that the economic fragility that renders higher interest rates unsustainable is not confined to the U.S., but is a global phenomenon. Something has fundamentally changed since the 2008 financial crisis. It is evident that the relationship between unemployment and inflation has broken down. unemployment is now at historic lows, yet there is no sign of any resurgence in inflation. But as I have noted before, in todays world of low barriers to trade and extended supply chains, competition for lower-skilled jobs is often global, rather than domestic. As long as there is cheaper labor somewhere in the world, companies have no incentive to raise wages in response to tighter domestic labor markets. Anyway, it is questionable how tight the U.S. labor market really is. Underemployment, in the form of short hours and unstable work, is still prevalent, which suggests that there is still considerable slack in the labor market. And the prime age participation rate is still well below historical norms. So, it may be that inflation remains low because there simply isnt much upwards pressure on wages. The right question to ask, therefore, is not why inflation is low, but why the U.S. economy and indeed most other developed economies appears to be incapable of generating sufficient good quality jobs to occupy its prime working-age population productively. In my view, this is a function of labor market changes going back decades, such as offshoring of manufacturing jobs and the rise of service jobs, systematic dismantling of unions and weakening of labor bargaining power, and the mass entry of women to the workforce in a culture which - even now tends to value the work of women less than that of men. A less than entirely productive working-age population might depress growth, and hence real interest rates. This might indeed justify a halt to interest rate rises. Indeed, the Fed probably should not have been raising rates at that pace at all. The strong growth induced by the Trump administrations tax cuts was merely a sugar high and bound to fizzle out. It did not justify monetary tightening. And the administration has done little to increase productive employment and generate strong sustainable growth. It has instead wasted a great deal of time on fruitless and damaging trade wars, not to mention an economically lunatic government shutdown. For some time now, there have been clear indications that the Fed was raising rates too far and too fast. For example, the yield curve came dangerously close to inverting in December, which is a sign that monetary conditions are too tight for the economy. So the halt to rate rises is welcome. However, I dont think the Feds decision has anything to do with the labor market. I think it is about the stock market. Since 2016, there has been a considerable stock market boom. But in the last few months, as the Feds balance sheet reduction has accelerated, this has somewhat chaotically reversed. The S&P 500 took a nosedive: Although it recovered somewhat in January, there are nonetheless dire warnings that this could be the start of a bear market. Because the American economy is intimately linked with the stock market, a downwards trend for stock prices can mean a poorer economic outlook. So, even before the FOMCs announcement, markets had already concluded that the Fed would probably stop raising rates. Although stocks rose and the dollar fell, the announcement elicited less response from markets than might have been expected, given the suddenness of the policy reversal. But the Feds mandate is to target unemployment and inflation, not stock market performance. Joe Wiesenthal at Bloomberg has an explanation. The more dovish stance that the Fed took yesterday has renewed claims that there is a Fed put or a Powell put out there in the market, he writes in today's Markets newsletter. In other words, for as much as they talk about focusing on the real economy, theres a deep-seated suspicion that they want to avoid a sustained drop in the stock market, thus subsidizing risk-taking investors. So the FOMCs decision, and its forward guidance, could simply be intended to prop up the stock market. Wiesenthal thinks that Powell admitted as much at the press conference: Powell said a sustained tightening of financial conditions (as seen through stocks, currency, interest rates and credit spreads) had to be watched because it could have important macroeconomic implications. And then he said: In fact our policy works through changing financial conditions, so its sort of the essence of what we do. If the FOMC's decision was indeed driven by the stock market's recent tantrum, then the future path of interest rates will depend on whether bulls or bears are dominant. I suppose this could be reasonable, if you believe that propping up Wall Street generates productive jobs and economic growth. But it seems a long way removed from what we usually think of as the purpose of interest rate policy, which is to influence business investment and household spending. The Fed has not given an adequate explanation for the pace of interest rate rises last year, which appeared unjustified in terms either of the Feds mandate or key economic indicators. And now it hasn't given an adequate explanation of this sudden softening, either. I think we should be told. | The Fed left interest rates unchanged and said it would be patient about further interest rate rises. Slowing global growth, especially in China and the Eurozone, and the U.S. government shutdown were all factors. The relationship between unemployment and inflation has broken down. | bart | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/francescoppola/2019/01/31/what-is-the-real-reason-for-the-feds-sudden-decision-to-stop-raising-interest-rates/ | 0.212604 |
What To Expect From Johnson Controls' Quarter 1 results? | Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) will release its Quarter 1 (ended December 2018) for Fiscal Year 2019 on February 1, 2019 and do an earnings conference call. The market expects the company to post revenue in the range of $5.43 billion and earnings are expected to be around $0.24 for the Quarter 1. On November 13, 2018 the company announced a sale of its power solutions business for Net cash proceeds of $11.4 billion (after taxes and expenses). The company has announced that $3-3.5 billion of the said proceeds will be used towards Debt payment. We have created an interactive dashboard on Our Outlook For Johnson Controls In 2019, which details our forecasts for the company in the near term. You can modify our assumptions to see the impact any changes would have on the companys revenue. Factors That May Impact Performance: Addition of New Salespeople: During FY 2018, the company added 950 sales people net of attrition representing roughly an 11% increase on the existing salesforce, which came in much higher than the 400 originally intended. Based on the strong order momentum, the companys backlog was up 8% at $8.4 billion heading into FY 2019, ensuring continued growth in field revenues next year. Synergies and Productivity: JCI committed to a significant restructuring plan in FY 2017 related to cost reduction initiatives. The company currently estimates that upon completion of the restructuring action, there will be a significant reduction in annual operating costs from continuing operations, which is primarily the result of lower cost of sales and selling, general, and administrative expenses due to reduced employee-related costs, depreciation, and amortization expense. Such measures will result in an improvement in the margins. JCI achieved synergy and productivity savings of $257 million in the year, coming in higher than the $250 million that was originally planned. This benefit is set to continue in FY 2019, with the management guiding for an additional $250 million or $0.23 per share. Favorable Macroeconomic Environment: Rising GDPs across its key geographic region has resulted in a conducive macroeconomic environment, despite FX volatility, inflationary pressures, and trade policy concerns. This has aided the growth in the North American non-residential construction markets. Moreover, the rebound in global oil prices has helped to ease budget constraints in the Middle East, supporting the release of some large infrastructure projects in the region. These trends are expected to continue in the near term. Impact of Steel and Aluminum Tariffs: JCI is a direct buyer of steel and aluminum totaling approximately $225 million on an annual basis. The company does all of its steel needs and 70% of its aluminum needs from within the country and thus the direct impact of the tariffs will be minor. Though, the impact of the tariffs on Chinese original goods is roughly $130 to $140 million, with about half of that coming in the previous Fiscal Year. Consequently, JCI is actively managing pricing in the supply chain, as well as externally, to mitigate any impact, and seems to be in a strong position to offset any potential headwind. Share Repurchases:During the fourth quarter, JCI repurchased 1.2 million shares for $45 million, while for the year, the figures were 7.7 million shares and $300 million, in line with its original plans. Recently, its Board of Directors approved an additional $1 billion share repurchase authorization, which is in addition to the $900 million that is remaining. Consequently, for FY 2019 JCI expects to complete approximately $1 billion of share repurchases, which should provide a boost to its EPS. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | The market expects the company to post revenue in the range of $5.43 billion and earnings are expected to be around $0.24 for the Quarter 1. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/31/what-to-expect-from-johnson-controls-quarter-1-results/ | 0.277097 |
What To Expect From Johnson Controls' Quarter 1 results? | Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) will release its Quarter 1 (ended December 2018) for Fiscal Year 2019 on February 1, 2019 and do an earnings conference call. The market expects the company to post revenue in the range of $5.43 billion and earnings are expected to be around $0.24 for the Quarter 1. On November 13, 2018 the company announced a sale of its power solutions business for Net cash proceeds of $11.4 billion (after taxes and expenses). The company has announced that $3-3.5 billion of the said proceeds will be used towards Debt payment. We have created an interactive dashboard on Our Outlook For Johnson Controls In 2019, which details our forecasts for the company in the near term. You can modify our assumptions to see the impact any changes would have on the companys revenue. Factors That May Impact Performance: Addition of New Salespeople: During FY 2018, the company added 950 sales people net of attrition representing roughly an 11% increase on the existing salesforce, which came in much higher than the 400 originally intended. Based on the strong order momentum, the companys backlog was up 8% at $8.4 billion heading into FY 2019, ensuring continued growth in field revenues next year. Synergies and Productivity: JCI committed to a significant restructuring plan in FY 2017 related to cost reduction initiatives. The company currently estimates that upon completion of the restructuring action, there will be a significant reduction in annual operating costs from continuing operations, which is primarily the result of lower cost of sales and selling, general, and administrative expenses due to reduced employee-related costs, depreciation, and amortization expense. Such measures will result in an improvement in the margins. JCI achieved synergy and productivity savings of $257 million in the year, coming in higher than the $250 million that was originally planned. This benefit is set to continue in FY 2019, with the management guiding for an additional $250 million or $0.23 per share. Favorable Macroeconomic Environment: Rising GDPs across its key geographic region has resulted in a conducive macroeconomic environment, despite FX volatility, inflationary pressures, and trade policy concerns. This has aided the growth in the North American non-residential construction markets. Moreover, the rebound in global oil prices has helped to ease budget constraints in the Middle East, supporting the release of some large infrastructure projects in the region. These trends are expected to continue in the near term. Impact of Steel and Aluminum Tariffs: JCI is a direct buyer of steel and aluminum totaling approximately $225 million on an annual basis. The company does all of its steel needs and 70% of its aluminum needs from within the country and thus the direct impact of the tariffs will be minor. Though, the impact of the tariffs on Chinese original goods is roughly $130 to $140 million, with about half of that coming in the previous Fiscal Year. Consequently, JCI is actively managing pricing in the supply chain, as well as externally, to mitigate any impact, and seems to be in a strong position to offset any potential headwind. Share Repurchases:During the fourth quarter, JCI repurchased 1.2 million shares for $45 million, while for the year, the figures were 7.7 million shares and $300 million, in line with its original plans. Recently, its Board of Directors approved an additional $1 billion share repurchase authorization, which is in addition to the $900 million that is remaining. Consequently, for FY 2019 JCI expects to complete approximately $1 billion of share repurchases, which should provide a boost to its EPS. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) will release its Quarter 1 (ended December 2018) for Fiscal Year 2019 on February 1, 2019. The market expects the company to post revenue in the range of $5.43 billion and earnings are expected to be around $0.24 for the Quarter 1. | bart | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/31/what-to-expect-from-johnson-controls-quarter-1-results/ | 0.515656 |
Will Brandy Become The 'It' Spirit of 2019? | Its probably too soon to call it, but there are plenty of signs revealing that brandy is going to be a big thing this year in the world of spirits. Im always nervous about the word trend so much in our profession, things cycle through, and what was old is new again but brandy is something Ive been anticipating for quite a while, says Tony Abou-Ganim, The Modern Mixologistinternational mixology consultant and author. Theres a better understanding and appreciation of the brandy as a whole, not just cognac, but the entire category. Abou-Ganim says that the trend isnt about people sipping cognac in snifters. At the Libertine Social (bar in Las Vegas), we do very little cognac in the glass, but we do very well when we do brandy-based cocktails, Abou-Ganim says. Joe Heron, who founded Copper & Kings American brandy in 2014, says brandy sales continue to grow. I think brandys already here, Heron says. Brandy just really works so well with other flavors. Its the predisposition of the spirit. And if youre looking for less of the spiciness of whiskey, but more of a velvety mouth-feel, then brandy is your spirit. And the brandies that are coming back into vogue arent typically sweet theyre barrel-aged spirits, with out any backsweetening. Weve kind of paved the way, and were noticing that brandy is coming back in a big way, says Nikki Borys, regional manager for Copper & Kings. Bertoux, an aged California brandy, is a new brandy on the block, and it made its debut in limited markets of New York and San Francisco last fall. Brandy swung away, and now theres a good chance it could come back into vogue, says Jeff Bell, consulting master distiller for Bertoux. Abou-Ganim points out that a lot of the original classic cocktails when they were first made in the 19thCentury were brandy-based cocktails, not whiskey-based cocktails. The Sazerac originated as a French brandy drink, and the earliest records of the mint julep were that it was made with brandy, not bourbon, Abou-Ganim says. Brandy was a more integral part of the formation of our country than whiskey was, Bell adds. Even 50 years ago, it was more of a part of our drinking culture. Bell says that one of the things that he and his marketing team have to do is educate people that a good brandy isnt sweet, and it isnt a blackberry-fruity-type of spirit. Theres a lot of misunderstanding about what it is, he says. Im starting to notice separate spirits listings just for American brandies on cocktail menus, Borys says. Abou-Ganim says that when you use brandy in place of whiskey, bourbon or rye, you sometimes have to change the proportions of your cocktail. I just did a 15-year-old Spanish brandy in a classic Sazerac recipe, and I couldnt follow my rye whiskey recipe because of the richness of the brandy, Abou-Ganim says. I had to cut the sugar in half to balance the drink out, and I added an extra dash of bitters. When Bell sees bartenders using brandy, the cocktails they mix are varied. No ones doing the exact same thing with it, Bell says. Heron says he personally loves the versatility of brandy in cocktails. I really enjoy a brandy old fashioned, and I love a brandy Manhattan, but what I really love is a brandy Boulevardier, Heron says. Bell says hes seen a lot of bars mixing brandy with citrus in sidecar variants (and Bertoux actually takes its name from the inventor of the sidecar), Collinses and champagne cocktails. Its a good time for brandy, Bell says. | Brandy could become the 'It' Spirit of 2019. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeanettehurt/2019/01/31/will-brandy-become-the-it-spirit-of-2019/ | 0.291822 |
Will Brandy Become The 'It' Spirit of 2019? | Its probably too soon to call it, but there are plenty of signs revealing that brandy is going to be a big thing this year in the world of spirits. Im always nervous about the word trend so much in our profession, things cycle through, and what was old is new again but brandy is something Ive been anticipating for quite a while, says Tony Abou-Ganim, The Modern Mixologistinternational mixology consultant and author. Theres a better understanding and appreciation of the brandy as a whole, not just cognac, but the entire category. Abou-Ganim says that the trend isnt about people sipping cognac in snifters. At the Libertine Social (bar in Las Vegas), we do very little cognac in the glass, but we do very well when we do brandy-based cocktails, Abou-Ganim says. Joe Heron, who founded Copper & Kings American brandy in 2014, says brandy sales continue to grow. I think brandys already here, Heron says. Brandy just really works so well with other flavors. Its the predisposition of the spirit. And if youre looking for less of the spiciness of whiskey, but more of a velvety mouth-feel, then brandy is your spirit. And the brandies that are coming back into vogue arent typically sweet theyre barrel-aged spirits, with out any backsweetening. Weve kind of paved the way, and were noticing that brandy is coming back in a big way, says Nikki Borys, regional manager for Copper & Kings. Bertoux, an aged California brandy, is a new brandy on the block, and it made its debut in limited markets of New York and San Francisco last fall. Brandy swung away, and now theres a good chance it could come back into vogue, says Jeff Bell, consulting master distiller for Bertoux. Abou-Ganim points out that a lot of the original classic cocktails when they were first made in the 19thCentury were brandy-based cocktails, not whiskey-based cocktails. The Sazerac originated as a French brandy drink, and the earliest records of the mint julep were that it was made with brandy, not bourbon, Abou-Ganim says. Brandy was a more integral part of the formation of our country than whiskey was, Bell adds. Even 50 years ago, it was more of a part of our drinking culture. Bell says that one of the things that he and his marketing team have to do is educate people that a good brandy isnt sweet, and it isnt a blackberry-fruity-type of spirit. Theres a lot of misunderstanding about what it is, he says. Im starting to notice separate spirits listings just for American brandies on cocktail menus, Borys says. Abou-Ganim says that when you use brandy in place of whiskey, bourbon or rye, you sometimes have to change the proportions of your cocktail. I just did a 15-year-old Spanish brandy in a classic Sazerac recipe, and I couldnt follow my rye whiskey recipe because of the richness of the brandy, Abou-Ganim says. I had to cut the sugar in half to balance the drink out, and I added an extra dash of bitters. When Bell sees bartenders using brandy, the cocktails they mix are varied. No ones doing the exact same thing with it, Bell says. Heron says he personally loves the versatility of brandy in cocktails. I really enjoy a brandy old fashioned, and I love a brandy Manhattan, but what I really love is a brandy Boulevardier, Heron says. Bell says hes seen a lot of bars mixing brandy with citrus in sidecar variants (and Bertoux actually takes its name from the inventor of the sidecar), Collinses and champagne cocktails. Its a good time for brandy, Bell says. | Brandy could become the 'It' Spirit of 2019. There are plenty of signs that brandy is going to be a big thing this year in the world of spirits. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeanettehurt/2019/01/31/will-brandy-become-the-it-spirit-of-2019/ | 0.433549 |
Will Brandy Become The 'It' Spirit of 2019? | Its probably too soon to call it, but there are plenty of signs revealing that brandy is going to be a big thing this year in the world of spirits. Im always nervous about the word trend so much in our profession, things cycle through, and what was old is new again but brandy is something Ive been anticipating for quite a while, says Tony Abou-Ganim, The Modern Mixologistinternational mixology consultant and author. Theres a better understanding and appreciation of the brandy as a whole, not just cognac, but the entire category. Abou-Ganim says that the trend isnt about people sipping cognac in snifters. At the Libertine Social (bar in Las Vegas), we do very little cognac in the glass, but we do very well when we do brandy-based cocktails, Abou-Ganim says. Joe Heron, who founded Copper & Kings American brandy in 2014, says brandy sales continue to grow. I think brandys already here, Heron says. Brandy just really works so well with other flavors. Its the predisposition of the spirit. And if youre looking for less of the spiciness of whiskey, but more of a velvety mouth-feel, then brandy is your spirit. And the brandies that are coming back into vogue arent typically sweet theyre barrel-aged spirits, with out any backsweetening. Weve kind of paved the way, and were noticing that brandy is coming back in a big way, says Nikki Borys, regional manager for Copper & Kings. Bertoux, an aged California brandy, is a new brandy on the block, and it made its debut in limited markets of New York and San Francisco last fall. Brandy swung away, and now theres a good chance it could come back into vogue, says Jeff Bell, consulting master distiller for Bertoux. Abou-Ganim points out that a lot of the original classic cocktails when they were first made in the 19thCentury were brandy-based cocktails, not whiskey-based cocktails. The Sazerac originated as a French brandy drink, and the earliest records of the mint julep were that it was made with brandy, not bourbon, Abou-Ganim says. Brandy was a more integral part of the formation of our country than whiskey was, Bell adds. Even 50 years ago, it was more of a part of our drinking culture. Bell says that one of the things that he and his marketing team have to do is educate people that a good brandy isnt sweet, and it isnt a blackberry-fruity-type of spirit. Theres a lot of misunderstanding about what it is, he says. Im starting to notice separate spirits listings just for American brandies on cocktail menus, Borys says. Abou-Ganim says that when you use brandy in place of whiskey, bourbon or rye, you sometimes have to change the proportions of your cocktail. I just did a 15-year-old Spanish brandy in a classic Sazerac recipe, and I couldnt follow my rye whiskey recipe because of the richness of the brandy, Abou-Ganim says. I had to cut the sugar in half to balance the drink out, and I added an extra dash of bitters. When Bell sees bartenders using brandy, the cocktails they mix are varied. No ones doing the exact same thing with it, Bell says. Heron says he personally loves the versatility of brandy in cocktails. I really enjoy a brandy old fashioned, and I love a brandy Manhattan, but what I really love is a brandy Boulevardier, Heron says. Bell says hes seen a lot of bars mixing brandy with citrus in sidecar variants (and Bertoux actually takes its name from the inventor of the sidecar), Collinses and champagne cocktails. Its a good time for brandy, Bell says. | Brandy could become the 'It' Spirit of 2019. There are plenty of signs that brandy is going to be a big thing this year. The trend isn't about people sipping cognac in snifters, says Tony Abou-Ganim, The Modern Mixologist. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeanettehurt/2019/01/31/will-brandy-become-the-it-spirit-of-2019/ | 0.495417 |
How many former Ohio State football players will participate in Super Bowl LIII? | COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There have been 80 occasions in which an Ohio State player has played in a Super Bowl. When Super Bowl LIII kicks off on Sunday that number will be increased to 88, covering 57 Buckeyes. OSU is tied for the third-most players in this years Super Bowl with three. The Big Ten as a conference is second to the SEC with 20 players. Each of the former Buckeyes is from the Jim Tressel era and are three of 14 active NFL players who played for Tressel. Despite several more recent Buckeyes reaching the conference championship, no players from the Urban Meyer era are on either roster. Jake McQuaide, Los Angeles Rams Rams long snapper Jake McQuaide began his career as a walk-on and is playing in his first Super Bowl. Sean M. Haffey McQuaide is a Cincinnati, Ohio native in his eighth NFL season, all with the Rams in St. Louis and Los Angeles as a long snapper. Undrafted in 2011, hes twice been selected to the Pro Bowl. He began his career at Ohio State in 2006 as a walk-on. This is his first Super Bowl appearance. John Simon, New England Patriots Former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year John Simon will play in his first Super Bowl. David J. Phillip Simon is playing in his sixth NFL season and first for the Patriots, amassing 175 total tackles and 15 sacks at defensive end. The Youngstown, Ohio native came to Columbus in 2009 as a four-star recruit. As a Buckeye, Simon had 154 tackles and 20.5 sacks and earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2012. He was a fourth-round draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2013. This is his first Super Bowl appearance. Nate Ebner, New England Patriots Nate Ebner went from walk-on at Ohio State to two-time Super Bowl champion. Elsa The Dublin, Ohio native has spent his entire career playing for the Patriots, where he has totaled 33 tackles. After coming to Ohio State in 2009 as a walk-on, Ebner had 30 tackles as a special teams player before the Patriots drafted him in the sixth round in 2012. In 2016, he was selected second-team All-Pro. Ebner has won two championships in his career and will be making his third straight Super Bowl appearance. This is his fourth appearance overall. | OSU is tied for the third-most players in this years Super Bowl with three. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2019/01/how-many-former-ohio-state-players-will-play-in-super-bowl-liii.html | 0.161792 |
How many former Ohio State football players will participate in Super Bowl LIII? | COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There have been 80 occasions in which an Ohio State player has played in a Super Bowl. When Super Bowl LIII kicks off on Sunday that number will be increased to 88, covering 57 Buckeyes. OSU is tied for the third-most players in this years Super Bowl with three. The Big Ten as a conference is second to the SEC with 20 players. Each of the former Buckeyes is from the Jim Tressel era and are three of 14 active NFL players who played for Tressel. Despite several more recent Buckeyes reaching the conference championship, no players from the Urban Meyer era are on either roster. Jake McQuaide, Los Angeles Rams Rams long snapper Jake McQuaide began his career as a walk-on and is playing in his first Super Bowl. Sean M. Haffey McQuaide is a Cincinnati, Ohio native in his eighth NFL season, all with the Rams in St. Louis and Los Angeles as a long snapper. Undrafted in 2011, hes twice been selected to the Pro Bowl. He began his career at Ohio State in 2006 as a walk-on. This is his first Super Bowl appearance. John Simon, New England Patriots Former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year John Simon will play in his first Super Bowl. David J. Phillip Simon is playing in his sixth NFL season and first for the Patriots, amassing 175 total tackles and 15 sacks at defensive end. The Youngstown, Ohio native came to Columbus in 2009 as a four-star recruit. As a Buckeye, Simon had 154 tackles and 20.5 sacks and earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2012. He was a fourth-round draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2013. This is his first Super Bowl appearance. Nate Ebner, New England Patriots Nate Ebner went from walk-on at Ohio State to two-time Super Bowl champion. Elsa The Dublin, Ohio native has spent his entire career playing for the Patriots, where he has totaled 33 tackles. After coming to Ohio State in 2009 as a walk-on, Ebner had 30 tackles as a special teams player before the Patriots drafted him in the sixth round in 2012. In 2016, he was selected second-team All-Pro. Ebner has won two championships in his career and will be making his third straight Super Bowl appearance. This is his fourth appearance overall. | OSU is tied for the third-most players in this year's Super Bowl with three. The Big Ten as a conference is second to the SEC with 20 players. Each of the former Buckeyes is from the Jim Tressel era. | bart | 1 | https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2019/01/how-many-former-ohio-state-players-will-play-in-super-bowl-liii.html | 0.228394 |
How many former Ohio State football players will participate in Super Bowl LIII? | COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There have been 80 occasions in which an Ohio State player has played in a Super Bowl. When Super Bowl LIII kicks off on Sunday that number will be increased to 88, covering 57 Buckeyes. OSU is tied for the third-most players in this years Super Bowl with three. The Big Ten as a conference is second to the SEC with 20 players. Each of the former Buckeyes is from the Jim Tressel era and are three of 14 active NFL players who played for Tressel. Despite several more recent Buckeyes reaching the conference championship, no players from the Urban Meyer era are on either roster. Jake McQuaide, Los Angeles Rams Rams long snapper Jake McQuaide began his career as a walk-on and is playing in his first Super Bowl. Sean M. Haffey McQuaide is a Cincinnati, Ohio native in his eighth NFL season, all with the Rams in St. Louis and Los Angeles as a long snapper. Undrafted in 2011, hes twice been selected to the Pro Bowl. He began his career at Ohio State in 2006 as a walk-on. This is his first Super Bowl appearance. John Simon, New England Patriots Former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year John Simon will play in his first Super Bowl. David J. Phillip Simon is playing in his sixth NFL season and first for the Patriots, amassing 175 total tackles and 15 sacks at defensive end. The Youngstown, Ohio native came to Columbus in 2009 as a four-star recruit. As a Buckeye, Simon had 154 tackles and 20.5 sacks and earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2012. He was a fourth-round draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2013. This is his first Super Bowl appearance. Nate Ebner, New England Patriots Nate Ebner went from walk-on at Ohio State to two-time Super Bowl champion. Elsa The Dublin, Ohio native has spent his entire career playing for the Patriots, where he has totaled 33 tackles. After coming to Ohio State in 2009 as a walk-on, Ebner had 30 tackles as a special teams player before the Patriots drafted him in the sixth round in 2012. In 2016, he was selected second-team All-Pro. Ebner has won two championships in his career and will be making his third straight Super Bowl appearance. This is his fourth appearance overall. | There have been 80 occasions in which an Ohio State player has played in a Super Bowl. The Buckeyes are tied for the third-most players in this years Super Bowl with three. Each of the former Buckeyes is from the Jim Tressel era and are three of 14 active NFL players who played for Tressel. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2019/01/how-many-former-ohio-state-players-will-play-in-super-bowl-liii.html | 0.31073 |
How will bankrupt utility deal with wildfires from now on? | LOS ANGELES Big corporations forced into bankruptcy by liability lawsuits often take the offending product off the market and try to move on. That's what happened with the Dalkon Shield birth control device, asbestos and silicone breast implants. But when the nation's biggest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, comes out of bankruptcy, it will face the same danger that put it in financial peril in the first place: wildfires. As the case makes it through the courts, the industry and the public will be watching closely to see what steps PG&E takes to control its legal exposure to future blazes in an era in which climate change is likely to make such disasters more common. "Where other companies have been able to say, 'We're going to deal with hazards we caused in the past through bankruptcy,' PG&E somehow has to find a solution to the fact that California is going to have drought conditions for a very long time," said Jared Ellias, a law professor at the University of California Hastings School of Law in San Francisco. "How do you solve the liability crisis that they face?" PG&E is the nation's first utility forced into bankruptcy by potentially massive legal bills from wildfires. It filed for Chapter 11 reorganization this week to deal with roughly 1,000 lawsuits and potentially tens of billions of dollars in claims over several of California's devastating blazes in 2017-18. One was the nation's deadliest, most destructive wildfire in a century: the blaze in November that leveled the Northern California town of Paradise, killed at least 86 people and destroyed nearly 15,000 homes. The cause is still under investigation, though PG&E had reported problems with equipment near where the fire started. PG&E was found responsible for 17 other fires that tore through Northern California since 2017. The bankruptcy filing could lead to smaller payouts for fire victims, whose claims will most likely be heard by a judge, a step that could reduce the risk of excessive and vengeful jury verdicts. Bankruptcy could also lead to higher bills for customers of PG&E, which supplies natural gas and electricity to 16 million people in Northern and central California. The case could be an early glimpse of the financial pressures utilities could face as a result of climate change. In the past, utilities have sought protection in bankruptcy court because of such things as nuclear reactors that didn't pay off or costly fluctuations in the electricity market. "This time around you have a whole different problem," said David Wiggs, who was chairman and CEO at the Texas-based El Paso Electric Co. in 1992 when it became the second utility since the Depression to declare bankruptcy. "Claims of fire damage are not normal. That is a lot of liability that is not your normal utility expense." Under the law in California, a public utility is liable if its equipment caused a fire, even if the company wasn't shown to be negligent. Some of the lawsuits, however, have accused PG&E of inadequate maintenance and other failings. PG&E will have to develop a business plan that shows it is not likely to end up in bankruptcy court again. How it does that is not clear at this point, but it may have to address how to minimize liability from future fires in a warming world. Some possible solutions have been proposed in a separate criminal case where the company is on probation over a 2010 gas line explosion in the San Francisco Bay Area that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes. The federal judge overseeing that case criticized the company's wildfire safety record and proposed earlier this year that it remove or trim all trees that could fall onto its power lines in high winds and shut off the electricity when fire is a risk, regardless of the inconvenience to customers or loss of profit. PG&E has said that that is unrealistic, that it could cost $150 billion and that lives could be endangered if it cut power. As PG&E spends the next two to three years reorganizing, other utilities are likely to be watching. "They're on notice," said Robert Rasmussen, a law professor at the University of Southern California. "I think a lot of these fires are caused by extreme conditions that are brought on by climate change. I'm sure they're struggling with what to do." | Pacific Gas & Electric is the nation's first utility forced into bankruptcy by potentially massive legal bills from wildfires. | pegasus | 0 | http://www.startribune.com/how-will-bankrupt-utility-deal-with-wildfires-from-now-on/505154092/ | 0.164989 |
How will bankrupt utility deal with wildfires from now on? | LOS ANGELES Big corporations forced into bankruptcy by liability lawsuits often take the offending product off the market and try to move on. That's what happened with the Dalkon Shield birth control device, asbestos and silicone breast implants. But when the nation's biggest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, comes out of bankruptcy, it will face the same danger that put it in financial peril in the first place: wildfires. As the case makes it through the courts, the industry and the public will be watching closely to see what steps PG&E takes to control its legal exposure to future blazes in an era in which climate change is likely to make such disasters more common. "Where other companies have been able to say, 'We're going to deal with hazards we caused in the past through bankruptcy,' PG&E somehow has to find a solution to the fact that California is going to have drought conditions for a very long time," said Jared Ellias, a law professor at the University of California Hastings School of Law in San Francisco. "How do you solve the liability crisis that they face?" PG&E is the nation's first utility forced into bankruptcy by potentially massive legal bills from wildfires. It filed for Chapter 11 reorganization this week to deal with roughly 1,000 lawsuits and potentially tens of billions of dollars in claims over several of California's devastating blazes in 2017-18. One was the nation's deadliest, most destructive wildfire in a century: the blaze in November that leveled the Northern California town of Paradise, killed at least 86 people and destroyed nearly 15,000 homes. The cause is still under investigation, though PG&E had reported problems with equipment near where the fire started. PG&E was found responsible for 17 other fires that tore through Northern California since 2017. The bankruptcy filing could lead to smaller payouts for fire victims, whose claims will most likely be heard by a judge, a step that could reduce the risk of excessive and vengeful jury verdicts. Bankruptcy could also lead to higher bills for customers of PG&E, which supplies natural gas and electricity to 16 million people in Northern and central California. The case could be an early glimpse of the financial pressures utilities could face as a result of climate change. In the past, utilities have sought protection in bankruptcy court because of such things as nuclear reactors that didn't pay off or costly fluctuations in the electricity market. "This time around you have a whole different problem," said David Wiggs, who was chairman and CEO at the Texas-based El Paso Electric Co. in 1992 when it became the second utility since the Depression to declare bankruptcy. "Claims of fire damage are not normal. That is a lot of liability that is not your normal utility expense." Under the law in California, a public utility is liable if its equipment caused a fire, even if the company wasn't shown to be negligent. Some of the lawsuits, however, have accused PG&E of inadequate maintenance and other failings. PG&E will have to develop a business plan that shows it is not likely to end up in bankruptcy court again. How it does that is not clear at this point, but it may have to address how to minimize liability from future fires in a warming world. Some possible solutions have been proposed in a separate criminal case where the company is on probation over a 2010 gas line explosion in the San Francisco Bay Area that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes. The federal judge overseeing that case criticized the company's wildfire safety record and proposed earlier this year that it remove or trim all trees that could fall onto its power lines in high winds and shut off the electricity when fire is a risk, regardless of the inconvenience to customers or loss of profit. PG&E has said that that is unrealistic, that it could cost $150 billion and that lives could be endangered if it cut power. As PG&E spends the next two to three years reorganizing, other utilities are likely to be watching. "They're on notice," said Robert Rasmussen, a law professor at the University of Southern California. "I think a lot of these fires are caused by extreme conditions that are brought on by climate change. I'm sure they're struggling with what to do." | Pacific Gas & Electric is the nation's first utility forced into bankruptcy by potentially massive legal bills from wildfires. It filed for Chapter 11 reorganization this week to deal with roughly 1,000 lawsuits. | bart | 1 | http://www.startribune.com/how-will-bankrupt-utility-deal-with-wildfires-from-now-on/505154092/ | 0.35428 |
How will bankrupt utility deal with wildfires from now on? | LOS ANGELES Big corporations forced into bankruptcy by liability lawsuits often take the offending product off the market and try to move on. That's what happened with the Dalkon Shield birth control device, asbestos and silicone breast implants. But when the nation's biggest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, comes out of bankruptcy, it will face the same danger that put it in financial peril in the first place: wildfires. As the case makes it through the courts, the industry and the public will be watching closely to see what steps PG&E takes to control its legal exposure to future blazes in an era in which climate change is likely to make such disasters more common. "Where other companies have been able to say, 'We're going to deal with hazards we caused in the past through bankruptcy,' PG&E somehow has to find a solution to the fact that California is going to have drought conditions for a very long time," said Jared Ellias, a law professor at the University of California Hastings School of Law in San Francisco. "How do you solve the liability crisis that they face?" PG&E is the nation's first utility forced into bankruptcy by potentially massive legal bills from wildfires. It filed for Chapter 11 reorganization this week to deal with roughly 1,000 lawsuits and potentially tens of billions of dollars in claims over several of California's devastating blazes in 2017-18. One was the nation's deadliest, most destructive wildfire in a century: the blaze in November that leveled the Northern California town of Paradise, killed at least 86 people and destroyed nearly 15,000 homes. The cause is still under investigation, though PG&E had reported problems with equipment near where the fire started. PG&E was found responsible for 17 other fires that tore through Northern California since 2017. The bankruptcy filing could lead to smaller payouts for fire victims, whose claims will most likely be heard by a judge, a step that could reduce the risk of excessive and vengeful jury verdicts. Bankruptcy could also lead to higher bills for customers of PG&E, which supplies natural gas and electricity to 16 million people in Northern and central California. The case could be an early glimpse of the financial pressures utilities could face as a result of climate change. In the past, utilities have sought protection in bankruptcy court because of such things as nuclear reactors that didn't pay off or costly fluctuations in the electricity market. "This time around you have a whole different problem," said David Wiggs, who was chairman and CEO at the Texas-based El Paso Electric Co. in 1992 when it became the second utility since the Depression to declare bankruptcy. "Claims of fire damage are not normal. That is a lot of liability that is not your normal utility expense." Under the law in California, a public utility is liable if its equipment caused a fire, even if the company wasn't shown to be negligent. Some of the lawsuits, however, have accused PG&E of inadequate maintenance and other failings. PG&E will have to develop a business plan that shows it is not likely to end up in bankruptcy court again. How it does that is not clear at this point, but it may have to address how to minimize liability from future fires in a warming world. Some possible solutions have been proposed in a separate criminal case where the company is on probation over a 2010 gas line explosion in the San Francisco Bay Area that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes. The federal judge overseeing that case criticized the company's wildfire safety record and proposed earlier this year that it remove or trim all trees that could fall onto its power lines in high winds and shut off the electricity when fire is a risk, regardless of the inconvenience to customers or loss of profit. PG&E has said that that is unrealistic, that it could cost $150 billion and that lives could be endangered if it cut power. As PG&E spends the next two to three years reorganizing, other utilities are likely to be watching. "They're on notice," said Robert Rasmussen, a law professor at the University of Southern California. "I think a lot of these fires are caused by extreme conditions that are brought on by climate change. I'm sure they're struggling with what to do." | PG&E is the nation's first utility forced into bankruptcy by potentially massive legal bills from wildfires. The bankruptcy filing could lead to smaller payouts for fire victims, a step that could reduce the risk of excessive and vengeful jury verdicts. The case could be an early glimpse of the financial pressures utilities could face as a result of climate change. | ctrlsum | 2 | http://www.startribune.com/how-will-bankrupt-utility-deal-with-wildfires-from-now-on/505154092/ | 0.561845 |
Could Alita be Hollywoods breakthrough manga movie? | WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALANDThe manga movie Alita: Battle Angel has been 20 years in the making, and producer Jon Landau thinks it will finally represent the breakthrough success in Hollywood for a genre which has proved problematic. I think this is definitely the breakthrough one because of the story that Kishiro wrote, said Landau, referring to Japanese author Yukito Kishiro, who wrote the graphic novels, or manga, upon which the movie is based. The manga movie Alita: Battle Angel has been 20 years in the making, and producer Jon Landau thinks it will finally represent the breakthrough success in Hollywood for a genre which has proved problematic. ( Chung Sung-Jun / GETTY IMAGES ) You know, other mangas that have not worked have been very Asian-centric in their world, and in their stories, Landau said. And Kishiro wrote a melting-pot world. He didnt write a central character that was Asian. He wrote universal themes of discovery, of self-awareness, for these characters. And thats whats relatable to people across the globe. The film has an estimated budget of $200 million (U.S.) and when it opens in February, Twentieth Century Fox will be hoping for a much better reception than Paramounts 2017 flop Ghost in the Shell. That manga movie didnt seem to connect with audiences, grossing just $41 million in the U.S. and $170 million worldwide, with some critics accusing it of whitewashing after Scarlett Johansson was cast in the lead role. Article Continued Below Alita tells the story of cyborg Alita (Rosa Salazar) who awakens without memory in a dystopic world where shes taken in by a compassionate father figure Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz). As she learns to navigate her new world, she begins to discover her latent fighting powers and develops feelings for street-smart Hugo (Keean Johnson). Landau said director James Cameron first fell in love with the Alita novels in 1999, and spent five years working on a script that ballooned to nearly 200 pages with 600 pages of notes. He says Cameron got waylaid working on Avatar (2009) and its sequels before one day having a social lunch with director Robert Rodriguez. He said if you can crack this down to a shooting length, you can direct it, Landau recalls. And Robert did. During principal filming in Austin, Texas, Salazar wore a motion-capture suit so her character could later be animated to reflect its look in the novels. When the first trailers came out last year, some viewers said Alitas eyes appeared huge to the point of being creepy. Senior visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri, from the Weta Digital studio in New Zealands capital Wellington, said they discussed the eyes with Cameron, and he had the opposite reaction, telling them they had held back and should go bigger. And it wasnt the size of the eyes, it was the size of the pupils, Letteri said. Because that was a quality in the book, that sort of doll-like quality, and he thought we should bring that out more. And it worked. Salazar, who previously appeared in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015), said she completed many months of martial arts training in disciplines like Muay Thai to prepare for the fight sequences. Article Continued Below It was a lot of working through soreness, working through pain, getting my endurance up, she said. She broke some ribs during her training, she said. I fell on my ribs doing a whip kick, she said. My other foot just kind of gave out, my other leg kind of swept from under me, and I fell directly on my ribs. I couldnt breathe for a little while. She said she always trusted her character would look good on the screen after Rodriguez showed her some concept art before she got the role. They had a vision, she said. They stuck to that vision. I trust their vision. And then that is what we ended up with. She said she can empathize with the way Alita transforms from a girl to a woman in the movie, after shedding one body for another. I could relate to that when I was 14 and I felt like a mutant, she said. Waltz, who played Col. Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds, said he had no experience with graphic novels before reading up on Alita. The manga, comic, graphic novel thing is not my world at all, he said. I know nothing about it. And I realize that there is a vast field to be discovered. Other roles in the movie are played by Mahershala Ali (Vector), Eiza Gonzalez (Nyssiana) and Jennifer Connelly (Chiren). Alita: Battle Angel will be released in theatres in the U.S. on Feb. 14. It is rated PG-13 for sequences of science-fiction violence and action, and for some language. | The manga movie Alita: Battle Angel has been 20 years in the making. Producer Jon Landau thinks it will represent the breakthrough success in Hollywood for a genre which has proved problematic. | bart | 1 | https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2019/01/31/could-alita-be-hollywoods-breakthrough-manga-movie.html | 0.371571 |
Could Alita be Hollywoods breakthrough manga movie? | WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALANDThe manga movie Alita: Battle Angel has been 20 years in the making, and producer Jon Landau thinks it will finally represent the breakthrough success in Hollywood for a genre which has proved problematic. I think this is definitely the breakthrough one because of the story that Kishiro wrote, said Landau, referring to Japanese author Yukito Kishiro, who wrote the graphic novels, or manga, upon which the movie is based. The manga movie Alita: Battle Angel has been 20 years in the making, and producer Jon Landau thinks it will finally represent the breakthrough success in Hollywood for a genre which has proved problematic. ( Chung Sung-Jun / GETTY IMAGES ) You know, other mangas that have not worked have been very Asian-centric in their world, and in their stories, Landau said. And Kishiro wrote a melting-pot world. He didnt write a central character that was Asian. He wrote universal themes of discovery, of self-awareness, for these characters. And thats whats relatable to people across the globe. The film has an estimated budget of $200 million (U.S.) and when it opens in February, Twentieth Century Fox will be hoping for a much better reception than Paramounts 2017 flop Ghost in the Shell. That manga movie didnt seem to connect with audiences, grossing just $41 million in the U.S. and $170 million worldwide, with some critics accusing it of whitewashing after Scarlett Johansson was cast in the lead role. Article Continued Below Alita tells the story of cyborg Alita (Rosa Salazar) who awakens without memory in a dystopic world where shes taken in by a compassionate father figure Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz). As she learns to navigate her new world, she begins to discover her latent fighting powers and develops feelings for street-smart Hugo (Keean Johnson). Landau said director James Cameron first fell in love with the Alita novels in 1999, and spent five years working on a script that ballooned to nearly 200 pages with 600 pages of notes. He says Cameron got waylaid working on Avatar (2009) and its sequels before one day having a social lunch with director Robert Rodriguez. He said if you can crack this down to a shooting length, you can direct it, Landau recalls. And Robert did. During principal filming in Austin, Texas, Salazar wore a motion-capture suit so her character could later be animated to reflect its look in the novels. When the first trailers came out last year, some viewers said Alitas eyes appeared huge to the point of being creepy. Senior visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri, from the Weta Digital studio in New Zealands capital Wellington, said they discussed the eyes with Cameron, and he had the opposite reaction, telling them they had held back and should go bigger. And it wasnt the size of the eyes, it was the size of the pupils, Letteri said. Because that was a quality in the book, that sort of doll-like quality, and he thought we should bring that out more. And it worked. Salazar, who previously appeared in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015), said she completed many months of martial arts training in disciplines like Muay Thai to prepare for the fight sequences. Article Continued Below It was a lot of working through soreness, working through pain, getting my endurance up, she said. She broke some ribs during her training, she said. I fell on my ribs doing a whip kick, she said. My other foot just kind of gave out, my other leg kind of swept from under me, and I fell directly on my ribs. I couldnt breathe for a little while. She said she always trusted her character would look good on the screen after Rodriguez showed her some concept art before she got the role. They had a vision, she said. They stuck to that vision. I trust their vision. And then that is what we ended up with. She said she can empathize with the way Alita transforms from a girl to a woman in the movie, after shedding one body for another. I could relate to that when I was 14 and I felt like a mutant, she said. Waltz, who played Col. Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds, said he had no experience with graphic novels before reading up on Alita. The manga, comic, graphic novel thing is not my world at all, he said. I know nothing about it. And I realize that there is a vast field to be discovered. Other roles in the movie are played by Mahershala Ali (Vector), Eiza Gonzalez (Nyssiana) and Jennifer Connelly (Chiren). Alita: Battle Angel will be released in theatres in the U.S. on Feb. 14. It is rated PG-13 for sequences of science-fiction violence and action, and for some language. | The manga movie Alita: Battle Angel has been 20 years in the making. Producer Jon Landau thinks it will finally represent the breakthrough success in Hollywood for a genre which has proved problematic. The film has an estimated budget of $200 million (U.S.) and when it opens in February. | bart | 2 | https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2019/01/31/could-alita-be-hollywoods-breakthrough-manga-movie.html | 0.403309 |
What will it take to restore Canadas potential growth? | Heading into the 2019 federal budget, Canadas economy is arguably in the best cyclical shape since the financial crisis oil sector excepted with the national unemployment rate hovering near multidecade lows. But growth is slowing, concerns about future prosperity are rising and, unless more attention is focused on the fundamentals, these concerns are likely to be realized. Potential growth measures the capacity of an economy to grow when its resources labour and capital are fully employed, and provides the best available gauge of a societys longer-term economic prospects and future prosperity. Based on the projections contained in the Fall Economic Statement, these prospects do not appear terribly promising: Potential growth over the next five years is estimated at 1.8 per cent annually, dramatically less than the more than 3-per-cent average growth Canadians enjoyed over the past 50 years. And even this may be optimistic. It all comes down to fundamentals: Labour force and productivity growth have diminished as our population ages and our output per worker sags. To put some numbers on this, Canadian labour force growth is presently about 0.5 per cent and productivity growth is hovering around 1 per cent. Thus, achieving even the 1.8-per-cent potential growth projections of the Government of Canada will require increases in both productivity and labour force growth, something we have not seen for some time. The answer is relatively simple in concept more workers and more output per worker and exceedingly complex in reality. With the large baby-boom generation moving into retirement, achieving sizable and sustained increases in labour force growth will require real change: a combination of significant and sustained increases in economic class immigration; marked improvements in skills training to better align workers and jobs in an economy going through massive technological disruption; and shifting retirement incentives and pension benefits to encourage longer participation in the work force. None are easy, either economically or politically, but all are essential for our long-term prosperity. Raising productivity growth is equally challenging but no less important. Nationally, the level of business productivity in Canada is about 30 per cent below that of the United States, despite having highly integrated economies. Even more alarming is the fact that in knowledge-intensive industries (defined as those conducting significant research and development and having an above average share of STEM workers) the gap is 50 per cent and widening. This is particularly worrisome because these industries contribute disproportionately to innovation, productivity and growth. The causes of Canadas productivity under-performance are reasonably clear: low capital stock (machinery, equipment and intellectual property) for each worker in the business sector, lagging innovation investment by Canadian business and nascent innovation ecosystems, under investment in strategic infrastructure, and impediments to scale and competition such as internal trade barriers and lack of trade diversification. These shortfalls are certainly not the sole responsibility of government, nor does the remedy lie exclusively in government hands, but government has a unique role to convene and lead. Negative economic trends such as slowing productivity growth and weakening labour force growth are stealthy they drag us slowly but surely into relative economic decline without the visibility or the sense of urgency generated by cyclical shocks to the economy. Complacency is clearly a danger; so, too is short-termism. Canadas long-term growth challenge cannot be solved by stimulus, either monetary or fiscal. Decisive, focused and structural actions, with an emphasis on appropriate scale, effective execution and expanded public-private partnerships, fit this bill. Strategic infrastructure is a case in point. Ottawa has allocated substantial funds for infrastructure spending and created the new Canada Infrastructure Bank to enable co-investing with private sector partners. All good, but focus is unclear and execution is slow. Strategic infrastructure projects, such as transportation corridors to move people, goods and data, expanded ports for trade diversification and natural resource pipelines to global markets, should be of the scale, scope and impact to raise Canadian productivity levels. Their design should look to the future, embracing next generation technology for cleaner, more sustainable growth and include the possibility of direct revenue generation to attract private investors. Asset recycling, in which the sale of government assets would provide additional funding to increase Canadas capital stock, should also be part of a long-term strategic infrastructure plan that provides direction and clarity to business and investors. Beyond this, policy changes such as corporate tax incentives to encourage greater capital investments by firms, red-tape and regulatory burden reductions including balancing prudential and economic growth objectives formally in regulatory policy, and measures to tackle innovation scale-up and diffusion gaps are all productivity enablers. The recent Fall Economic Statement signalled positive movement in each of these areas, which is to be welcomed. But, they are the beginning, not the end, of tackling the very real structural growth challenges Canadians face in a risky and uncertain global environment. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement It may seem counterintuitive that slowing growth is more a sign of supply constraints than demand deficiencies, but fundamentals do matter and nothing is more fundamental to an economys long-term prosperity than growth in productivity and an expanding, skilled labour force. Kevin Lynch is vice-chairman, BMO Financial group Tiff Macklem is Dean, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto | Canadas economy is arguably in the best cyclical shape since the financial crisis. But growth is slowing and concerns about future prosperity are rising. Achieving even the 1.8-per-cent potential growth projections of the Government of Canada will require increases in both productivity and labour force growth. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-what-will-it-take-to-restore-canadas-potential-growth/ | 0.352175 |
Has Doug Ford been secretly studying political philosophy? | Ontario premier Doug Ford may seem like a typical provincial thug, drunk with his power. But Im starting to think theres more to it. Take the case of naming longtime pal and retainer, Ron Taverner, to head Ontarios police. Doug at first denied any role, though hed changed the criteria two days before, so Taverner, a mid-level cop, would qualify. Then, with the nomination stalled over its brazenness, he shifted ground somewhat, saying its political hes the boss and can do as he wills. Ontario Premier Doug Ford waves as he departs after speaking at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference in Toronto on Monday. ( Frank Gunn / THE CANADIAN PRESS ) If I wanted to, he told a CP24 reporter, I could appoint you OPP commissioner. (Actually, a CP24 hack would be far less ominous in the job.) This jibed with Fords slashing Toronto city council during last falls election. When challenged, he bellowed that hed cancel the Constitution if necessary, by (in that deeply Canadian phrase) invoking the notwithstanding clause. He was elected and announced beforehand what hed do. Save money. Shred city council, obviously. He said it, and he gets to say what it means. Belt up, everybody. Doug never sounds like hes thought about anything before he says it, so you tend to think its impulsive. But if youve seen the film, Vice, on Dick Cheneys eight years as U.S. president (fronted by George W. Bush), theres much talk about a theory called Unitary Executive Power. Its propounded in the flick by a young, pre-Supreme Court Antonin Scalia. Article Continued Below We know the Dougites pay close, nay slavish attention, to what happens on the U.S. right. Or maybe they got a preopening screener. But you can dive even deeper here, to an academic theory called the state of exception, formulated by German political philosopher Carl Schmitt (1888-1985). He became a Nazi and justified Nazism, yet remained highly influential, postwar. (I did an MA thesis with German-Jewish scholar Jacob Taubes, who had a respectful correspondence with Schmitt, though they disagreed politically. Schmitt also corresponded with the sublime German-Jewish author, Walter Benjamin, who was a Marxist!) Article Continued Below Schmitt says the normal rules arent whats crucial politically. Its who gets to declare states of exception which isnt quite the same as emergencies, its broader. Its the sovereign who has that right, meaning the boss or leader. The theory was discussed in the early aughts by Giorgio Agamben, in relation to the war on terror, when new categories like unlawful combatant were simply invented. Agamben noted that neither Mussolini nor Hitler cancelled the constitutions under which they came to power; they just suspended them, since that was a sovereigns prerogative. Its political Doug would say. Taubes felt this went back to the divine right of kings and was basically religious. Its as if Doug has a secret stash of Schmitts books in his Etobicoke rumpus room. Doug Ford, sovereign does have a ring. The problem with the theory, IMHO, is that states of exception, where those in power get to make the rules (or cancel them) are only exceptional for elites accustomed to possessing enforceable rights. If youre a Black kid or member of Black Lives Matter, that arbitrary state of exception is simply the norm. You dont have dependable rights, even when told you do. This is also the norm in foreign affairs, for the weaker side as were seeing in the U.S. (and Canadian) intervention in Venezuela. The state of exception has always been the norm for most folks. Its true rule by law that would be a state of exception for the vast majority since the dawn of time a distant ideal to aim at. In fact, Walter Benjamin made this point: The tradition of the oppressed teaches us that the state of exception in which we live is the rule it is our task to bring about the real state of exception which would be the genuine rule of law based on equality for all under it, and an end to arbitrary impositions of will and power by Ford, Trump and other sovereigns. Rick Salutin is a freelance columnist and commentator for the Star about all things current affairs and politics. He is based in Toronto. Reach him on email: ricksalutin@ca.inter.net Read more about: | Ontario Premier Doug Ford may seem like a typical provincial thug, drunk with his power. But he may be secretly studying political philosophy. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2019/01/31/has-doug-ford-been-secretly-studying-political-philosophy.html | 0.482856 |
Has Doug Ford been secretly studying political philosophy? | Ontario premier Doug Ford may seem like a typical provincial thug, drunk with his power. But Im starting to think theres more to it. Take the case of naming longtime pal and retainer, Ron Taverner, to head Ontarios police. Doug at first denied any role, though hed changed the criteria two days before, so Taverner, a mid-level cop, would qualify. Then, with the nomination stalled over its brazenness, he shifted ground somewhat, saying its political hes the boss and can do as he wills. Ontario Premier Doug Ford waves as he departs after speaking at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference in Toronto on Monday. ( Frank Gunn / THE CANADIAN PRESS ) If I wanted to, he told a CP24 reporter, I could appoint you OPP commissioner. (Actually, a CP24 hack would be far less ominous in the job.) This jibed with Fords slashing Toronto city council during last falls election. When challenged, he bellowed that hed cancel the Constitution if necessary, by (in that deeply Canadian phrase) invoking the notwithstanding clause. He was elected and announced beforehand what hed do. Save money. Shred city council, obviously. He said it, and he gets to say what it means. Belt up, everybody. Doug never sounds like hes thought about anything before he says it, so you tend to think its impulsive. But if youve seen the film, Vice, on Dick Cheneys eight years as U.S. president (fronted by George W. Bush), theres much talk about a theory called Unitary Executive Power. Its propounded in the flick by a young, pre-Supreme Court Antonin Scalia. Article Continued Below We know the Dougites pay close, nay slavish attention, to what happens on the U.S. right. Or maybe they got a preopening screener. But you can dive even deeper here, to an academic theory called the state of exception, formulated by German political philosopher Carl Schmitt (1888-1985). He became a Nazi and justified Nazism, yet remained highly influential, postwar. (I did an MA thesis with German-Jewish scholar Jacob Taubes, who had a respectful correspondence with Schmitt, though they disagreed politically. Schmitt also corresponded with the sublime German-Jewish author, Walter Benjamin, who was a Marxist!) Article Continued Below Schmitt says the normal rules arent whats crucial politically. Its who gets to declare states of exception which isnt quite the same as emergencies, its broader. Its the sovereign who has that right, meaning the boss or leader. The theory was discussed in the early aughts by Giorgio Agamben, in relation to the war on terror, when new categories like unlawful combatant were simply invented. Agamben noted that neither Mussolini nor Hitler cancelled the constitutions under which they came to power; they just suspended them, since that was a sovereigns prerogative. Its political Doug would say. Taubes felt this went back to the divine right of kings and was basically religious. Its as if Doug has a secret stash of Schmitts books in his Etobicoke rumpus room. Doug Ford, sovereign does have a ring. The problem with the theory, IMHO, is that states of exception, where those in power get to make the rules (or cancel them) are only exceptional for elites accustomed to possessing enforceable rights. If youre a Black kid or member of Black Lives Matter, that arbitrary state of exception is simply the norm. You dont have dependable rights, even when told you do. This is also the norm in foreign affairs, for the weaker side as were seeing in the U.S. (and Canadian) intervention in Venezuela. The state of exception has always been the norm for most folks. Its true rule by law that would be a state of exception for the vast majority since the dawn of time a distant ideal to aim at. In fact, Walter Benjamin made this point: The tradition of the oppressed teaches us that the state of exception in which we live is the rule it is our task to bring about the real state of exception which would be the genuine rule of law based on equality for all under it, and an end to arbitrary impositions of will and power by Ford, Trump and other sovereigns. Rick Salutin is a freelance columnist and commentator for the Star about all things current affairs and politics. He is based in Toronto. Reach him on email: ricksalutin@ca.inter.net Read more about: | Ontario Premier Doug Ford may seem like a typical provincial thug, drunk with his power. But there's more to it than that, writes columnist Bob Greene. Greene: Ford may be studying political philosophy. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2019/01/31/has-doug-ford-been-secretly-studying-political-philosophy.html | 0.257358 |
Has Doug Ford been secretly studying political philosophy? | Ontario premier Doug Ford may seem like a typical provincial thug, drunk with his power. But Im starting to think theres more to it. Take the case of naming longtime pal and retainer, Ron Taverner, to head Ontarios police. Doug at first denied any role, though hed changed the criteria two days before, so Taverner, a mid-level cop, would qualify. Then, with the nomination stalled over its brazenness, he shifted ground somewhat, saying its political hes the boss and can do as he wills. Ontario Premier Doug Ford waves as he departs after speaking at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference in Toronto on Monday. ( Frank Gunn / THE CANADIAN PRESS ) If I wanted to, he told a CP24 reporter, I could appoint you OPP commissioner. (Actually, a CP24 hack would be far less ominous in the job.) This jibed with Fords slashing Toronto city council during last falls election. When challenged, he bellowed that hed cancel the Constitution if necessary, by (in that deeply Canadian phrase) invoking the notwithstanding clause. He was elected and announced beforehand what hed do. Save money. Shred city council, obviously. He said it, and he gets to say what it means. Belt up, everybody. Doug never sounds like hes thought about anything before he says it, so you tend to think its impulsive. But if youve seen the film, Vice, on Dick Cheneys eight years as U.S. president (fronted by George W. Bush), theres much talk about a theory called Unitary Executive Power. Its propounded in the flick by a young, pre-Supreme Court Antonin Scalia. Article Continued Below We know the Dougites pay close, nay slavish attention, to what happens on the U.S. right. Or maybe they got a preopening screener. But you can dive even deeper here, to an academic theory called the state of exception, formulated by German political philosopher Carl Schmitt (1888-1985). He became a Nazi and justified Nazism, yet remained highly influential, postwar. (I did an MA thesis with German-Jewish scholar Jacob Taubes, who had a respectful correspondence with Schmitt, though they disagreed politically. Schmitt also corresponded with the sublime German-Jewish author, Walter Benjamin, who was a Marxist!) Article Continued Below Schmitt says the normal rules arent whats crucial politically. Its who gets to declare states of exception which isnt quite the same as emergencies, its broader. Its the sovereign who has that right, meaning the boss or leader. The theory was discussed in the early aughts by Giorgio Agamben, in relation to the war on terror, when new categories like unlawful combatant were simply invented. Agamben noted that neither Mussolini nor Hitler cancelled the constitutions under which they came to power; they just suspended them, since that was a sovereigns prerogative. Its political Doug would say. Taubes felt this went back to the divine right of kings and was basically religious. Its as if Doug has a secret stash of Schmitts books in his Etobicoke rumpus room. Doug Ford, sovereign does have a ring. The problem with the theory, IMHO, is that states of exception, where those in power get to make the rules (or cancel them) are only exceptional for elites accustomed to possessing enforceable rights. If youre a Black kid or member of Black Lives Matter, that arbitrary state of exception is simply the norm. You dont have dependable rights, even when told you do. This is also the norm in foreign affairs, for the weaker side as were seeing in the U.S. (and Canadian) intervention in Venezuela. The state of exception has always been the norm for most folks. Its true rule by law that would be a state of exception for the vast majority since the dawn of time a distant ideal to aim at. In fact, Walter Benjamin made this point: The tradition of the oppressed teaches us that the state of exception in which we live is the rule it is our task to bring about the real state of exception which would be the genuine rule of law based on equality for all under it, and an end to arbitrary impositions of will and power by Ford, Trump and other sovereigns. Rick Salutin is a freelance columnist and commentator for the Star about all things current affairs and politics. He is based in Toronto. Reach him on email: ricksalutin@ca.inter.net Read more about: | Ontario Premier Doug Ford may seem like a typical provincial thug, drunk with his power. But there's more to it than that, writes columnist Bob Greene. He says Ford may have been studying political philosophy in his Etobicoke rumpus room. Greene: Ford may be following in the footsteps of U.S. President Dick Cheney. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2019/01/31/has-doug-ford-been-secretly-studying-political-philosophy.html | 0.411843 |
Who Is Bob Swan, Intel's Surprise CEO Pick? | Intel spent seven months searching for a new chief executive only to end the process right where it had started. The chipmaking giant said on Thursday that its next CEOonly the seventh in the companys 50-year historywould be Bob Swan, who had been leading Intel on an interim basis after the sudden departure of his predecessor, Brian Krzanich, in June. The decision by Intels board marks a change from the previous six bosses, all of whom had long careers at the company and deep roots with its semiconductor business. Swan, 58, is an outsider who only joined in 2016 as chief financial officer after a lengthy career in finance at many well-known companies. Intel said on Thursday that Swan was unavailable for an interview. The hire was likely the safest choice in what has apparently been a challenging search, Bernstein Research analyst Stacy Rasgon noted. While hardly blown away by the hire, Rasgon complimented Swan as a capable executive who does his best to drive the bottom line. A child of upstate New York, Swan was born in Syracuse and graduated from the University at Buffalo in 1983 with a business degree; he was also an avid rugby player there. He added an MBA from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1985 and then joined one of that regions corporate gems at that time, General Electric. During his 15-year tenure, he quickly rose through the companys finance ranks to serve as chief financial officer for GE Transportation Systems, GE Medical Systems, and GE Lighting. The expectation drilled into me early in my career at GE was that the role of finance is not about counting the beans its about helping the beans grow, Swan explained years later, citing one of his favorite metaphors while receiving an award at his undergraduate alma mater in 2017. In 1999, excitement over a new thing called the Internet drew Swan out of the comfortable confines of GE (ge) to become chief operating officer at ill-fated online grocery delivery service Webvan. He even briefly took over as CEO in 2001, shortly before the entire company went under. Then it was back to some of the classic names in corporate America, serving as CFO at the auto parts and aerospace company TRW and at tech consulting giant EDS until 2006. Thats when eBays (ebay) then-CEO Meg Whitman hired Swan as her CFO. A few years later, she resigned to run for political office and Swan spent most of his tenure helping the next CEO, John Donahoe, through an intense period of growth fueled by acquisitions. The team bought dozens of companies, including Bill Me Later for over $1 billion and GSI Commerce for $2.4 billion. The most far-sighted may have been spending $800 million in 2013 for payments startup Braintree, which developed the now-popular Venmo app and later became part of PayPal. From 2006, the year Swan joined, through 2014, the year before he left, eBays revenue more than tripled to nearly $18 billion. Ultimately, eBays executive team ended their expansion plans after billionaire corporate raider Carl Icahn started agitating for a reorganization. After initially resisting, Donahoe and Swan gave in to Icahns demands to split the companys faster-growing payments unit, PayPal, into a separate company. The two leaders and much of their executive team left around the time of the 2015 spin off. Swans next move took him to General Atlantic, a private equity and investing firm known for backing major startups like Uber and Airbnb. There, he reunited with former GE chief information officer Gary Reiner, with whom he had reaped tremendous cost savings at GE in the 1990s through outsourcing. At General Atlantic, they advised companies the firm invested in on similar matters including finance, mergers and acquisitions, and use of technology. The stint also gave Swan an opportunity to work with smaller startups again. He served on the board of software developer AppDynamics after helping lead a $158 million financing for the company. A year after Swan had departed, AppDynamics was readying an initial public offering when Cisco Systems (csco) swooped in with a $4 billion buyout offer. Former Intel (intc) CEO Krzanich wooed Swan back to a CFO role in 2016 when then-CFO Stacy Smith wanted to move into an operational role. Swans compensation package was valued at $23 million, lofty by CFO standards but $2 million less than Krzanich spent the year before luring Qualcomm co-president Venkata Murthy Renduchintala to Intel. While Swan kept the chipmakers finances in order, Krzanich struggled to keep its manufacturing operation running smoothly. Intel was trying to upgrade to making smaller, more efficient microprocessors, but delays pushed off the more advanced products for yearstheyre still unavailable in large volumes. And Intel still isnt much of a player in mobile chip, while its strong position in server chips is under attack. Now it will fall to Swan to fix Intels problems, even as rivals Advanced Micro Devices (amd) and Nvidia (nvda) march ahead. They rely on outside manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor that have outpaced Intel and its manufacturing woes. During a boom time for chipmakers over the past three years, Intels shares have risen 65%. But that seemingly healthy amount is anemic compared to Nvidias 400% rise and AMDs shares rising 10 times their price from three years ago. In an email to all staff on Thursday, Swan alluded to the problems without directly addressing what hed do to correct them. Our execution must improve, he wrote. And it will. Our customers are counting on us. | Bob Swan, 58, is an outsider who only joined in 2016 as chief financial officer. | ctrlsum | 0 | http://fortune.com/2019/01/31/bob-swan-intel-ceo/ | 0.13146 |
Who Is Bob Swan, Intel's Surprise CEO Pick? | Intel spent seven months searching for a new chief executive only to end the process right where it had started. The chipmaking giant said on Thursday that its next CEOonly the seventh in the companys 50-year historywould be Bob Swan, who had been leading Intel on an interim basis after the sudden departure of his predecessor, Brian Krzanich, in June. The decision by Intels board marks a change from the previous six bosses, all of whom had long careers at the company and deep roots with its semiconductor business. Swan, 58, is an outsider who only joined in 2016 as chief financial officer after a lengthy career in finance at many well-known companies. Intel said on Thursday that Swan was unavailable for an interview. The hire was likely the safest choice in what has apparently been a challenging search, Bernstein Research analyst Stacy Rasgon noted. While hardly blown away by the hire, Rasgon complimented Swan as a capable executive who does his best to drive the bottom line. A child of upstate New York, Swan was born in Syracuse and graduated from the University at Buffalo in 1983 with a business degree; he was also an avid rugby player there. He added an MBA from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1985 and then joined one of that regions corporate gems at that time, General Electric. During his 15-year tenure, he quickly rose through the companys finance ranks to serve as chief financial officer for GE Transportation Systems, GE Medical Systems, and GE Lighting. The expectation drilled into me early in my career at GE was that the role of finance is not about counting the beans its about helping the beans grow, Swan explained years later, citing one of his favorite metaphors while receiving an award at his undergraduate alma mater in 2017. In 1999, excitement over a new thing called the Internet drew Swan out of the comfortable confines of GE (ge) to become chief operating officer at ill-fated online grocery delivery service Webvan. He even briefly took over as CEO in 2001, shortly before the entire company went under. Then it was back to some of the classic names in corporate America, serving as CFO at the auto parts and aerospace company TRW and at tech consulting giant EDS until 2006. Thats when eBays (ebay) then-CEO Meg Whitman hired Swan as her CFO. A few years later, she resigned to run for political office and Swan spent most of his tenure helping the next CEO, John Donahoe, through an intense period of growth fueled by acquisitions. The team bought dozens of companies, including Bill Me Later for over $1 billion and GSI Commerce for $2.4 billion. The most far-sighted may have been spending $800 million in 2013 for payments startup Braintree, which developed the now-popular Venmo app and later became part of PayPal. From 2006, the year Swan joined, through 2014, the year before he left, eBays revenue more than tripled to nearly $18 billion. Ultimately, eBays executive team ended their expansion plans after billionaire corporate raider Carl Icahn started agitating for a reorganization. After initially resisting, Donahoe and Swan gave in to Icahns demands to split the companys faster-growing payments unit, PayPal, into a separate company. The two leaders and much of their executive team left around the time of the 2015 spin off. Swans next move took him to General Atlantic, a private equity and investing firm known for backing major startups like Uber and Airbnb. There, he reunited with former GE chief information officer Gary Reiner, with whom he had reaped tremendous cost savings at GE in the 1990s through outsourcing. At General Atlantic, they advised companies the firm invested in on similar matters including finance, mergers and acquisitions, and use of technology. The stint also gave Swan an opportunity to work with smaller startups again. He served on the board of software developer AppDynamics after helping lead a $158 million financing for the company. A year after Swan had departed, AppDynamics was readying an initial public offering when Cisco Systems (csco) swooped in with a $4 billion buyout offer. Former Intel (intc) CEO Krzanich wooed Swan back to a CFO role in 2016 when then-CFO Stacy Smith wanted to move into an operational role. Swans compensation package was valued at $23 million, lofty by CFO standards but $2 million less than Krzanich spent the year before luring Qualcomm co-president Venkata Murthy Renduchintala to Intel. While Swan kept the chipmakers finances in order, Krzanich struggled to keep its manufacturing operation running smoothly. Intel was trying to upgrade to making smaller, more efficient microprocessors, but delays pushed off the more advanced products for yearstheyre still unavailable in large volumes. And Intel still isnt much of a player in mobile chip, while its strong position in server chips is under attack. Now it will fall to Swan to fix Intels problems, even as rivals Advanced Micro Devices (amd) and Nvidia (nvda) march ahead. They rely on outside manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor that have outpaced Intel and its manufacturing woes. During a boom time for chipmakers over the past three years, Intels shares have risen 65%. But that seemingly healthy amount is anemic compared to Nvidias 400% rise and AMDs shares rising 10 times their price from three years ago. In an email to all staff on Thursday, Swan alluded to the problems without directly addressing what hed do to correct them. Our execution must improve, he wrote. And it will. Our customers are counting on us. | Bob Swan, 58, had been leading Intel on an interim basis after the sudden departure of his predecessor, Brian Krzanich, in June. Swan is an outsider who only joined in 2016 as chief financial officer. | ctrlsum | 1 | http://fortune.com/2019/01/31/bob-swan-intel-ceo/ | 0.211021 |
Who Is Bob Swan, Intel's Surprise CEO Pick? | Intel spent seven months searching for a new chief executive only to end the process right where it had started. The chipmaking giant said on Thursday that its next CEOonly the seventh in the companys 50-year historywould be Bob Swan, who had been leading Intel on an interim basis after the sudden departure of his predecessor, Brian Krzanich, in June. The decision by Intels board marks a change from the previous six bosses, all of whom had long careers at the company and deep roots with its semiconductor business. Swan, 58, is an outsider who only joined in 2016 as chief financial officer after a lengthy career in finance at many well-known companies. Intel said on Thursday that Swan was unavailable for an interview. The hire was likely the safest choice in what has apparently been a challenging search, Bernstein Research analyst Stacy Rasgon noted. While hardly blown away by the hire, Rasgon complimented Swan as a capable executive who does his best to drive the bottom line. A child of upstate New York, Swan was born in Syracuse and graduated from the University at Buffalo in 1983 with a business degree; he was also an avid rugby player there. He added an MBA from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1985 and then joined one of that regions corporate gems at that time, General Electric. During his 15-year tenure, he quickly rose through the companys finance ranks to serve as chief financial officer for GE Transportation Systems, GE Medical Systems, and GE Lighting. The expectation drilled into me early in my career at GE was that the role of finance is not about counting the beans its about helping the beans grow, Swan explained years later, citing one of his favorite metaphors while receiving an award at his undergraduate alma mater in 2017. In 1999, excitement over a new thing called the Internet drew Swan out of the comfortable confines of GE (ge) to become chief operating officer at ill-fated online grocery delivery service Webvan. He even briefly took over as CEO in 2001, shortly before the entire company went under. Then it was back to some of the classic names in corporate America, serving as CFO at the auto parts and aerospace company TRW and at tech consulting giant EDS until 2006. Thats when eBays (ebay) then-CEO Meg Whitman hired Swan as her CFO. A few years later, she resigned to run for political office and Swan spent most of his tenure helping the next CEO, John Donahoe, through an intense period of growth fueled by acquisitions. The team bought dozens of companies, including Bill Me Later for over $1 billion and GSI Commerce for $2.4 billion. The most far-sighted may have been spending $800 million in 2013 for payments startup Braintree, which developed the now-popular Venmo app and later became part of PayPal. From 2006, the year Swan joined, through 2014, the year before he left, eBays revenue more than tripled to nearly $18 billion. Ultimately, eBays executive team ended their expansion plans after billionaire corporate raider Carl Icahn started agitating for a reorganization. After initially resisting, Donahoe and Swan gave in to Icahns demands to split the companys faster-growing payments unit, PayPal, into a separate company. The two leaders and much of their executive team left around the time of the 2015 spin off. Swans next move took him to General Atlantic, a private equity and investing firm known for backing major startups like Uber and Airbnb. There, he reunited with former GE chief information officer Gary Reiner, with whom he had reaped tremendous cost savings at GE in the 1990s through outsourcing. At General Atlantic, they advised companies the firm invested in on similar matters including finance, mergers and acquisitions, and use of technology. The stint also gave Swan an opportunity to work with smaller startups again. He served on the board of software developer AppDynamics after helping lead a $158 million financing for the company. A year after Swan had departed, AppDynamics was readying an initial public offering when Cisco Systems (csco) swooped in with a $4 billion buyout offer. Former Intel (intc) CEO Krzanich wooed Swan back to a CFO role in 2016 when then-CFO Stacy Smith wanted to move into an operational role. Swans compensation package was valued at $23 million, lofty by CFO standards but $2 million less than Krzanich spent the year before luring Qualcomm co-president Venkata Murthy Renduchintala to Intel. While Swan kept the chipmakers finances in order, Krzanich struggled to keep its manufacturing operation running smoothly. Intel was trying to upgrade to making smaller, more efficient microprocessors, but delays pushed off the more advanced products for yearstheyre still unavailable in large volumes. And Intel still isnt much of a player in mobile chip, while its strong position in server chips is under attack. Now it will fall to Swan to fix Intels problems, even as rivals Advanced Micro Devices (amd) and Nvidia (nvda) march ahead. They rely on outside manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor that have outpaced Intel and its manufacturing woes. During a boom time for chipmakers over the past three years, Intels shares have risen 65%. But that seemingly healthy amount is anemic compared to Nvidias 400% rise and AMDs shares rising 10 times their price from three years ago. In an email to all staff on Thursday, Swan alluded to the problems without directly addressing what hed do to correct them. Our execution must improve, he wrote. And it will. Our customers are counting on us. | Bob Swan has been leading Intel on an interim basis after the sudden departure of his predecessor, Brian Krzanich, in June. Swan, 58, is an outsider who only joined in 2016 as chief financial officer after a lengthy career in finance at many well-known companies. | pegasus | 2 | http://fortune.com/2019/01/31/bob-swan-intel-ceo/ | 0.257941 |
Where is the best corned beef hash in Portland? | When its done right, the potatoes are both crunchy and soft, the egg is easy and the corned beef is salty without sending you to the hospital. Its the kind of meal that can last you a whole day. Portland, a super brunch city, is full of creative hashes. Theres crab, theres salmon, theres vegan versions. We have some ideas, as well as some places we deeply miss (R.I.P. Kerns Kitchen), but we want your help! Nominate your favorite using the form below and we just might try it out! Loading... -- Lizzy Acker 503-221-8052 lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. | Nominate your favorite Portland corned beef hash using the form below. There are plenty of options, including crab, salmon and vegan versions. The best corned Beef Hash in Portland is served at Kerns Kitchen. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2019/01/where-is-the-best-corned-beef-hash-in-portland.html | 0.750935 |
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