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Can Rockies Mike Dunn, his shoulder finally pain free, bolster bullpen? | SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Mike Dunn is the Rockies forgotten reliever, but a major cleanup of his ailing left shoulder could give a suspect bullpen a major boost. Hes doing a great, manager Bud Black said Saturday. Hes another veteran arm that has pitched well in the back of the bullpen. Hes done that in his career, but here, hes been a little bit off, because hes been hurt. But a healthy Mike Dunn will be very beneficial to our bullpen. Dunn, 33, knew something was wrong with his shoulder. He was sure there was a reason for the pain that forced him to shut down in early July last season after pitching in just 25 games and being limited to 17 innings, with an ugly 9.00 ERA. What Dunn didnt know was just how messed up his shoulder really was, until he underwent surgery near the end of the season. They went in and cleaned up the AC joint, Dunn said. The doctors said it looked like crab meat floating in water. Surgery also included shaving down his collarbone to reduce friction. The results, Dunn said, have given his career a rebirth. For the first time in a long time, Im able to throw with no pain, Dunn said. It was something where I really didnt realize I was going through it. Once I recovered enough to play catch, I was like, I havent felt like this for a long time. I realized Id been fighting this for at least two years. It all finally came to a head. Dunn has thrown nine bullpen sessions this winter and figures hes about a week behind the rest of the relievers. He has no doubt hell be ready for opening day. My arm feels free and easy again, he said. Dunn signed a three-year, $19 million deal prior to the 2017 season and went 5-1 with a 4.47 ERA over 50 innings in a club-high 68 appearances. Hell make $7 million this season and the club holds a $6 million option on his contract next season, with a $1 million buyout. Tech time. The Rockies have joined a number of teams in using the Rapsodo machine to analyze spin-rate data for pitchers. The Rapsodo camera is used to understand how much movement, velocity and spin pitchers are getting during their bullpen sessions. With where technology is these days, I look at it as a tool to help us evaluate, Black said. Its also a tool for our scouts and player development (staff). It can also be used as a coaching tool. We will use it and are using it. Our coaches and I are getting up to speed with the measurements. I think players in general are curious about technology and how it can help them improve. | Mike Dunn underwent surgery to clean up his ailing left shoulder. Dunn says he is finally pain free and has no doubt he will be ready for opening day. The Rockies are using the Rapsodo machine to analyze spin-rate data for pitchers. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.denverpost.com/2019/02/16/mike-dunn-rockies-shoulder-pain-free-bolster-bullpen/ | 0.14514 |
Can Rockies Mike Dunn, his shoulder finally pain free, bolster bullpen? | SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Mike Dunn is the Rockies forgotten reliever, but a major cleanup of his ailing left shoulder could give a suspect bullpen a major boost. Hes doing a great, manager Bud Black said Saturday. Hes another veteran arm that has pitched well in the back of the bullpen. Hes done that in his career, but here, hes been a little bit off, because hes been hurt. But a healthy Mike Dunn will be very beneficial to our bullpen. Dunn, 33, knew something was wrong with his shoulder. He was sure there was a reason for the pain that forced him to shut down in early July last season after pitching in just 25 games and being limited to 17 innings, with an ugly 9.00 ERA. What Dunn didnt know was just how messed up his shoulder really was, until he underwent surgery near the end of the season. They went in and cleaned up the AC joint, Dunn said. The doctors said it looked like crab meat floating in water. Surgery also included shaving down his collarbone to reduce friction. The results, Dunn said, have given his career a rebirth. For the first time in a long time, Im able to throw with no pain, Dunn said. It was something where I really didnt realize I was going through it. Once I recovered enough to play catch, I was like, I havent felt like this for a long time. I realized Id been fighting this for at least two years. It all finally came to a head. Dunn has thrown nine bullpen sessions this winter and figures hes about a week behind the rest of the relievers. He has no doubt hell be ready for opening day. My arm feels free and easy again, he said. Dunn signed a three-year, $19 million deal prior to the 2017 season and went 5-1 with a 4.47 ERA over 50 innings in a club-high 68 appearances. Hell make $7 million this season and the club holds a $6 million option on his contract next season, with a $1 million buyout. Tech time. The Rockies have joined a number of teams in using the Rapsodo machine to analyze spin-rate data for pitchers. The Rapsodo camera is used to understand how much movement, velocity and spin pitchers are getting during their bullpen sessions. With where technology is these days, I look at it as a tool to help us evaluate, Black said. Its also a tool for our scouts and player development (staff). It can also be used as a coaching tool. We will use it and are using it. Our coaches and I are getting up to speed with the measurements. I think players in general are curious about technology and how it can help them improve. | Mike Dunn is the Rockies forgotten reliever, but a major cleanup of his ailing left shoulder could give a suspect bullpen a major boost. For the first time in a long time, Im able to throw with no pain, Dunn said. | bart | 2 | https://www.denverpost.com/2019/02/16/mike-dunn-rockies-shoulder-pain-free-bolster-bullpen/ | 0.316125 |
Could General Electric Be a Millionaire Maker Stock? | General Electric (NYSE: GE) is in the middle of a massive corporate overhaul. Investors worried about its ability to navigate that evolution successfully have pushed its share prices down some 70% from their 2016 highs to levels not seen since the Great Recession. This is a special situation stock with huge upside potential if the turnaround effort works. But putting that "special situation" tag on GE changes the investment equation in a big way. Yes, it could be a millionaire maker stock, but only if you're willing to take on the risk that it could also flame out. Here's what you need to think about before you jump aboard here. An iconic leader who left a mess behind him The troubles currently facing GE can really be traced back to Jack Welch -- an assertion that to some people probably sounds like heresy. Welch was a powerful presence in the business world, often hailed as one of the greatest managers of all time. However, it was under his watch that GE allowed its finance arm to expand beyond its core purpose. A man with his head on a table and a graph behind him with a line heading sharply lower More Image source: Getty Images Like many industrial companies, GE has an in-house finance business that provides credit to customers so they can afford the often-huge costs of the industrial products GE makes. This is a good business practice, and not odd at all. However, the often-huge profits generated by the finance division led GE to expand its footprint into other areas, like home mortgages. When the Great Recession hit, the company's survival was threatened by the losses from its finance division. Jeff Immelt, Welch's successor, was in charge by that point, and he was forced to cut GE's dividend, take massive write offs, sell assets, and accept a government bailout. Immelt did manage to keep GE going, however, and started to steer it in a new direction focused entirely on the industrial space. That said, his efforts, which included a couple of large acquisitions, didn't produce the results that the board was hoping to see, and they replaced him in mid-2017 with insider John Flannery. The new CEO announced write offs, asset sales, and a dividend cut, explaining to investors that things were worse than his predecessor had been letting on. Flannery only lasted about a year on the job before the board shifted gears yet again in late 2018 to bring in outsider Lawrence Culp. Culp, who had been a member of the board, had previously put up a strong record at the helm of Danaher, a much smaller industrial company. He came in, explained that the company was in worse shape than investors were led to believe, and announced... write offs, asset sales, and the reduction of the quarterly dividend to just a penny a share (just enough so that institutional investors with a dividend mandate could continue to own the stock). That basically brings the story up to today's special situation designation. At this point, General Electric is struggling under a heavy debt load and ongoing uncertainty in what's left of its finance arm. (Much of the business has been sold, leaving something of a black box housing liabilities that no other company wanted to take on.) To put a number on that, GE's financial debt to equity ratio of nearly 1.3 times is well above that of its peers, many of which are at 0.25 or less. One of Culp's first priorities is to get leverage under control. If he can do that, investors are likely to start viewing GE in a far more positive light. | General Electric is in the middle of a massive corporate overhaul. It could be a millionaire maker stock, but only if you're willing to take on the risk that it could also flame out. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/could-general-electric-millionaire-maker-213200697.html | 0.383893 |
Could General Electric Be a Millionaire Maker Stock? | General Electric (NYSE: GE) is in the middle of a massive corporate overhaul. Investors worried about its ability to navigate that evolution successfully have pushed its share prices down some 70% from their 2016 highs to levels not seen since the Great Recession. This is a special situation stock with huge upside potential if the turnaround effort works. But putting that "special situation" tag on GE changes the investment equation in a big way. Yes, it could be a millionaire maker stock, but only if you're willing to take on the risk that it could also flame out. Here's what you need to think about before you jump aboard here. An iconic leader who left a mess behind him The troubles currently facing GE can really be traced back to Jack Welch -- an assertion that to some people probably sounds like heresy. Welch was a powerful presence in the business world, often hailed as one of the greatest managers of all time. However, it was under his watch that GE allowed its finance arm to expand beyond its core purpose. A man with his head on a table and a graph behind him with a line heading sharply lower More Image source: Getty Images Like many industrial companies, GE has an in-house finance business that provides credit to customers so they can afford the often-huge costs of the industrial products GE makes. This is a good business practice, and not odd at all. However, the often-huge profits generated by the finance division led GE to expand its footprint into other areas, like home mortgages. When the Great Recession hit, the company's survival was threatened by the losses from its finance division. Jeff Immelt, Welch's successor, was in charge by that point, and he was forced to cut GE's dividend, take massive write offs, sell assets, and accept a government bailout. Immelt did manage to keep GE going, however, and started to steer it in a new direction focused entirely on the industrial space. That said, his efforts, which included a couple of large acquisitions, didn't produce the results that the board was hoping to see, and they replaced him in mid-2017 with insider John Flannery. The new CEO announced write offs, asset sales, and a dividend cut, explaining to investors that things were worse than his predecessor had been letting on. Flannery only lasted about a year on the job before the board shifted gears yet again in late 2018 to bring in outsider Lawrence Culp. Culp, who had been a member of the board, had previously put up a strong record at the helm of Danaher, a much smaller industrial company. He came in, explained that the company was in worse shape than investors were led to believe, and announced... write offs, asset sales, and the reduction of the quarterly dividend to just a penny a share (just enough so that institutional investors with a dividend mandate could continue to own the stock). That basically brings the story up to today's special situation designation. At this point, General Electric is struggling under a heavy debt load and ongoing uncertainty in what's left of its finance arm. (Much of the business has been sold, leaving something of a black box housing liabilities that no other company wanted to take on.) To put a number on that, GE's financial debt to equity ratio of nearly 1.3 times is well above that of its peers, many of which are at 0.25 or less. One of Culp's first priorities is to get leverage under control. If he can do that, investors are likely to start viewing GE in a far more positive light. | General Electric (NYSE: GE) is in the middle of a massive corporate overhaul. It could be a millionaire maker stock, but only if you're willing to take on the risk that it could also flame out. The troubles currently facing GE can really be traced back to Jack Welch. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/could-general-electric-millionaire-maker-213200697.html | 0.459895 |
Could Brookfield Renewable Partners Be a Millionaire-Maker Stock? | Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP) has generated strong returns for its investors over the years. CEO Sachin Shah pointed this out on the company's fourth-quarter conference call, stating that "since our inception in 1999, we have delivered 15% per unit compounded annual total returns to unitholders," which is well ahead of the S&P 500's 5% annualized total return over that time frame. Powering the company's market-beating returns has been its ability to consistently grow earnings and its dividend, with that latter factor known to be key in fueling outperformance. While past performance is no guarantee of future success, Brookfield Renewable Partners not only has the right approach, but it's pursuing a massive market opportunity, which increases the odds that it can continue growing both earnings and its dividend at a healthy rate for years to come. Because of that, Brookfield Renewable Partners does indeed look like a strong candidate to be a millionaire-maker stock. Stacks of money. More Image source: Getty Images. The math to $1 million It's mathematically possible for a small investment to grow into a $1 million payday given enough time and rate of return. For example, $1,000 invested in the S&P 500 should grow into $1 million in about 75 years, assuming the market maintains its average annualized return of slightly less than 10%. Investors, meanwhile, can quicken that time frame by either investing more money up front or choosing a higher-returning opportunity. Using Brookfield Renewable Partners as our example, if the company keeps generating a 15% total annualized return in the decades ahead, an investor could become a millionaire in as few as 33 years if they invested $10,000 or about 49 years if they started with a $1,000 investment. The question, however, is whether Brookfield Renewable Partners can continue generating that level of return in the coming decades. Here are two reasons why there's a strong probability that it could do just that. Targeting long-term outperformance Brookfield Renewable Partners' stated objective is to deliver long-term total returns to its investors of 12% to 15% annually. The high end of that range, of course, lines up with our math to $1 million. However, if the company only grew earnings at the low end, it could still turn a small up-front investment into $1 million, though it would just take longer (about eight more years assuming a $10,000 initial investment and 12 years at $1,000). Three factors power the company's forecast. First, Brookfield Renewable currently pays an attractive dividend that yields 6.7% and forms the base return. Second, the company expects a trio of factors to enable it to organically grow earnings per share by 6% to 11% per year. These growth drivers include inflation escalators on existing contracts, the ability to expand margins by cutting costs and signing higher-priced power sales agreements in the future, and investments in developing new renewable projects that grow cash flow. Finally, the company anticipates that its increasing cash flow will support 5% to 9% annual dividend growth. That combination of yield and growth should generate 12% to 15% annual returns, since the roughly 7% yielding distribution, when combined with 6% earnings growth, should produce a total return of around 13%. | Could Brookfield Renewable Partners be a millionaire-maker stock? Here are two reasons why there's a strong probability that it could do just that. The company is targeting long-term outperformance. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/could-brookfield-renewable-partners-millionaire-213100005.html | 0.170629 |
Could Brookfield Renewable Partners Be a Millionaire-Maker Stock? | Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP) has generated strong returns for its investors over the years. CEO Sachin Shah pointed this out on the company's fourth-quarter conference call, stating that "since our inception in 1999, we have delivered 15% per unit compounded annual total returns to unitholders," which is well ahead of the S&P 500's 5% annualized total return over that time frame. Powering the company's market-beating returns has been its ability to consistently grow earnings and its dividend, with that latter factor known to be key in fueling outperformance. While past performance is no guarantee of future success, Brookfield Renewable Partners not only has the right approach, but it's pursuing a massive market opportunity, which increases the odds that it can continue growing both earnings and its dividend at a healthy rate for years to come. Because of that, Brookfield Renewable Partners does indeed look like a strong candidate to be a millionaire-maker stock. Stacks of money. More Image source: Getty Images. The math to $1 million It's mathematically possible for a small investment to grow into a $1 million payday given enough time and rate of return. For example, $1,000 invested in the S&P 500 should grow into $1 million in about 75 years, assuming the market maintains its average annualized return of slightly less than 10%. Investors, meanwhile, can quicken that time frame by either investing more money up front or choosing a higher-returning opportunity. Using Brookfield Renewable Partners as our example, if the company keeps generating a 15% total annualized return in the decades ahead, an investor could become a millionaire in as few as 33 years if they invested $10,000 or about 49 years if they started with a $1,000 investment. The question, however, is whether Brookfield Renewable Partners can continue generating that level of return in the coming decades. Here are two reasons why there's a strong probability that it could do just that. Targeting long-term outperformance Brookfield Renewable Partners' stated objective is to deliver long-term total returns to its investors of 12% to 15% annually. The high end of that range, of course, lines up with our math to $1 million. However, if the company only grew earnings at the low end, it could still turn a small up-front investment into $1 million, though it would just take longer (about eight more years assuming a $10,000 initial investment and 12 years at $1,000). Three factors power the company's forecast. First, Brookfield Renewable currently pays an attractive dividend that yields 6.7% and forms the base return. Second, the company expects a trio of factors to enable it to organically grow earnings per share by 6% to 11% per year. These growth drivers include inflation escalators on existing contracts, the ability to expand margins by cutting costs and signing higher-priced power sales agreements in the future, and investments in developing new renewable projects that grow cash flow. Finally, the company anticipates that its increasing cash flow will support 5% to 9% annual dividend growth. That combination of yield and growth should generate 12% to 15% annual returns, since the roughly 7% yielding distribution, when combined with 6% earnings growth, should produce a total return of around 13%. | Brookfield Renewable Partners has generated strong returns for its investors over the years. Its market-beating returns have been its ability to consistently grow earnings and its dividend. Because of that, Brookfield Renewable Partners does indeed look like a strong candidate to be a millionaire-maker stock. | pegasus | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/could-brookfield-renewable-partners-millionaire-213100005.html | 0.53324 |
Why Did CenturyLink Decide to Cut Its Dividend? | On the company's fourth-quarter earnings conference call, management disclosed it would be cutting the telecom service provider's annual dividend from $2.16 to $1.00 per share. CenturyLink's share price had declined a lot since summer, driving its dividend yield over 15%, so clearly some investors anticipated this possibility. Even after the cut, CenturyLink's yield stands at over 7%. Still, many were surprised, since management had regularly expressed confidence in the dividend throughout 2018, and the company's free cash flow handily covered the payout. A young man grimaces as dollar bills fly out of his wallet. More CenturyLink's dividend cut irked some investors. Image source: Getty Images. What management had to say On the company's earnings call, CEO Jeff Storey said: ... this change in policy isn't about a diminished view of our business. It is driven by our view that the long-term interests of shareholders are best served by proactively accelerating delevering to a new lower target range of 2.75 to 3.25 times net-debt to adjusted EBITDA ... By reallocating more of our capital to leverage reduction, we believe [we] will improve our cost of capital, return a significant amount of cash to shareholders at a very sustainable payout ratio, and provide additional flexibility to respond to market opportunities and any potential interest rate challenges that may occur. In essence, management thinks even though CenturyLink could preserve the dividend, it would be better for the long-term health of the business to invest in the network, lower the company's $36 billion debt load, or make potential acquisitions. CenturyLink is also still saddled with some legacy copper-based products, such as landline phones and slower internet. Those headwinds are currently more than offsetting the company's fiber-based growth businesses, leading to current revenue declines on an overall basis. The new debt-to-EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) range is a three-year target, reflecting not only the debt paydown, but also EBITDA growth from investments in new products and capabilities. An analyst pushes back Many investors, and at least one analyst, may have been confused by management's decision, especially in light of pretty decent 2019 guidance. For the upcoming year, CenturyLink guided to a slight increase in adjusted EBITDA, from $8.94 billion last year to a range of $9.0 billion-$9.2 billion in 2019. However, the company's free cash flow guidance was $3.1 billion-$3.4 billion, down from this year's adjusted free cash flow of $4.22 billion, due to increased capital expenditures and the comparative effect of a lowered tax expense in 2018. Still, that free cash flow guidance would have handily covered the old $2.3 billion dividend payout -- though as we'll see below, just covering the dividend payout doesn't tell the whole story. Analyst David Barden of Bank of America pushed back on management's decision to pay down debt early, asking, "...between the $6 billion of cash flow that you're gonna generate and the $3.6 billion of debt that matures and everything's trading above par, [it] doesn't really make sense to pay it down early." | CenturyLink cut its annual dividend from $2.16 to $1.00 per share. The telecom service provider's share price had declined a lot since summer, driving its dividend yield over 15%. | bart | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/why-did-centurylink-decide-cut-212700596.html | 0.167547 |
Why Did CenturyLink Decide to Cut Its Dividend? | On the company's fourth-quarter earnings conference call, management disclosed it would be cutting the telecom service provider's annual dividend from $2.16 to $1.00 per share. CenturyLink's share price had declined a lot since summer, driving its dividend yield over 15%, so clearly some investors anticipated this possibility. Even after the cut, CenturyLink's yield stands at over 7%. Still, many were surprised, since management had regularly expressed confidence in the dividend throughout 2018, and the company's free cash flow handily covered the payout. A young man grimaces as dollar bills fly out of his wallet. More CenturyLink's dividend cut irked some investors. Image source: Getty Images. What management had to say On the company's earnings call, CEO Jeff Storey said: ... this change in policy isn't about a diminished view of our business. It is driven by our view that the long-term interests of shareholders are best served by proactively accelerating delevering to a new lower target range of 2.75 to 3.25 times net-debt to adjusted EBITDA ... By reallocating more of our capital to leverage reduction, we believe [we] will improve our cost of capital, return a significant amount of cash to shareholders at a very sustainable payout ratio, and provide additional flexibility to respond to market opportunities and any potential interest rate challenges that may occur. In essence, management thinks even though CenturyLink could preserve the dividend, it would be better for the long-term health of the business to invest in the network, lower the company's $36 billion debt load, or make potential acquisitions. CenturyLink is also still saddled with some legacy copper-based products, such as landline phones and slower internet. Those headwinds are currently more than offsetting the company's fiber-based growth businesses, leading to current revenue declines on an overall basis. The new debt-to-EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) range is a three-year target, reflecting not only the debt paydown, but also EBITDA growth from investments in new products and capabilities. An analyst pushes back Many investors, and at least one analyst, may have been confused by management's decision, especially in light of pretty decent 2019 guidance. For the upcoming year, CenturyLink guided to a slight increase in adjusted EBITDA, from $8.94 billion last year to a range of $9.0 billion-$9.2 billion in 2019. However, the company's free cash flow guidance was $3.1 billion-$3.4 billion, down from this year's adjusted free cash flow of $4.22 billion, due to increased capital expenditures and the comparative effect of a lowered tax expense in 2018. Still, that free cash flow guidance would have handily covered the old $2.3 billion dividend payout -- though as we'll see below, just covering the dividend payout doesn't tell the whole story. Analyst David Barden of Bank of America pushed back on management's decision to pay down debt early, asking, "...between the $6 billion of cash flow that you're gonna generate and the $3.6 billion of debt that matures and everything's trading above par, [it] doesn't really make sense to pay it down early." | CenturyLink cut its annual dividend from $2.16 to $1.00 per share. The telecom service provider's share price had declined a lot since summer, driving its dividend yield over 15%. Still, many were surprised, since the company's free cash flow handily covered the payout. | bart | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/why-did-centurylink-decide-cut-212700596.html | 0.210287 |
Could Albemarle Corporation Be a Millionaire Maker Stock? | Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) is one of the largest producers of lithium in the world. The metal is a vital component in high-tech batteries, like the ones that are increasingly finding their way into electric vehicles. That said, lithium is a commodity subject to often unpredictable investor sentiment. That's been very bad news of late, but if long-term demand expectations play out as hoped Albemarle could still turn out to be a millionaire-maker stock. Ups and downs Albemarle's stock rose a dramatic 48% in 2017 as lithium prices moved higher through most of the year. Investors were excited by the metal's importance in making batteries for electric vehicles. With every major automaker working to build electric vehicles, this market is expected to explode. The hype and excitement around it was at a peak in 2017, and led to a huge run-up in anything related to lithium, including Albemarle's share price. An electric car charging device More Image source: Getty Images The stock then turned around and fell 40% in 2018 as lithium prices moved steadily lower through most of that year. The big catalyst was a shift in investor sentiment, not any material change in the electric vehicle market or Albemarle's business; in fact, Albemarle's 2018 fundamentals remained pretty solid. Although it won't reported full-year 2018 results until late February, through the first nine months of 2018 revenue was up 10% year over year, with adjusted earnings, which removed one-time items, advancing 21%. For reference, weak lithium prices were more than offset by volume expansion in the lithium operation. The company also reported solid results at its other divisions (more on this below). It's pretty clear that Albemarle is being driven by the lithium story more than business fundamentals. The stock isn't appropriate for risk-averse investors -- the big commodity price-driven price swing is clear evidence of this. However, there are a number of reasons why more aggressive investors might want to step aboard what could be a millionaire-maker stock. The long play For starters, the company doesn't just mine for lithium. It has two other divisions as well: One makes bromine, a flame retardant used in electronics and other areas, and the other makes catalysts, primarily for the energy industry. These two divisions aren't small -- combined, they account for roughly 60% of Albemarle's revenue. Both have been performing pretty well lately, but the big picture here is that the company is using these operations as the financial foundation from which to expand in lithium. Albemarle isn't a one-trick pony that will live and die based on the volatile price of just one commodity. It has a diversified business to see its plans through. To be fair, CEO Luke Kissam has stated that the company might eventually sell its other operations and become a pure-play lithium company. But that's not the situation today, and the bromine and catalyst operations help to offset the risk of the lithium expansion process and the market's on again/off again romance with the industrial metal. Moreover, if the company does decide to dispose of these two divisions, the move will likely result in a cash infusion that will shore up Albemarle's balance sheet, which would be a net positive even if asset sales reduce diversification. | Albemarle Corporation is one of the largest producers of lithium in the world. The metal is a vital component in high-tech batteries, like the ones that are increasingly finding their way into electric vehicles. The stock has been volatile in recent years, but it could still be a millionaire-maker stock. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/could-albemarle-corporation-millionaire-maker-220400482.html | 0.460428 |
What Does Rocker Dion Think About Robert Kennedy, Paul Simon And The Sgt. Pepper's LP? | In Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of this interview series, rocker Dion DiMucci discussed the fateful 1959 plane crash which killed Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, his affection for crooner Del Shannon, who "The Wanderer" and "Runaround Sue" are in real life and the British Invasion. Here, Dion play word association with a number of people and topics. Lip Syncing: Its not for me. But in the day, youd go on the Dick Clark Show and thats the way it was done. The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover he's on: I feel honored. Bob Dylan and myself are the only American artists on it. I usually joke: "If you want to sell a lot of albums, put my face on it" [laughs]. Ed Sullivan Show: I wish I had had more courage. I would have sung, Runaround Sue and The Wanderer on that show, and didnt. I listened to people who wanted to get me into the Copacabana, and did some songs that were far out of my wheelhouse. I sang, Lover Come Back to Me with a big band and, It Ain't Necessarily So. I didnt look like Little Richard or Bo Diddly, and you needed that to get into the Copa. They wanted me to go the Bobby Darin route. I was insecure, what can I say. Robert Kennedy: He was reaching for higher ground, trying to shine a light, change things for the better. Paul Simon: While Paul Simon is revered, I dont think people get how deep he is. I love the guy. He comes from that early street-harmony, first-generation type of rock and rollers. He gets it. Thats a part of his foundation. So we get along in those sounds. I love his poetry and his albums "Rhythm of the Saints" and "Graceland." I think Paul introduced America to international, universal music and rhythms before anybody else. As for Simon and Garfunkel, I love their sound. "Sound of Silence" is a great song and can be done a lot of different ways. The party where he wrote "Runaround Sue": When I was at that party, we were banging on cardboard boxes and bottles. I gave the guys a riff to sing, which would be the background to "Runaround Sue": hape hape, bum da haiti haiti, hape hape, bum da haiti haiti. We sang it for 45 minutes, and I thought, 'Man this is freaking great, throwing out words and melodies.' I put this thing together in the following couple of weeks with Ernie Maresca, and went down to the studio to record it. Then I brought the record to the neighborhood to play for all of the party people, and they said, "Ah, you screwed the whole thing up" [laughs]. They didnt like the formal version. They thought it was better-sounding the night we did it at the party. You can get a number 1 record, and they still thought the party was better. The Applebees TV commercial featuring "Runaround Sue": I'm going to the early-bird - and they're paying [laughs]. [Editor's Note: In future installments, Dion will discuss how he kicked his heroin habit, his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1989 and his new play, among other things. Stay tuned to the Forbes channel.] | Dion says he feels honored to be on the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimclash/2019/02/16/what-does-rocker-dion-think-about-robert-kennedy-paul-simon-and-the-sgt-peppers-lp/ | 0.133525 |
What Does Rocker Dion Think About Robert Kennedy, Paul Simon And The Sgt. Pepper's LP? | In Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of this interview series, rocker Dion DiMucci discussed the fateful 1959 plane crash which killed Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, his affection for crooner Del Shannon, who "The Wanderer" and "Runaround Sue" are in real life and the British Invasion. Here, Dion play word association with a number of people and topics. Lip Syncing: Its not for me. But in the day, youd go on the Dick Clark Show and thats the way it was done. The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover he's on: I feel honored. Bob Dylan and myself are the only American artists on it. I usually joke: "If you want to sell a lot of albums, put my face on it" [laughs]. Ed Sullivan Show: I wish I had had more courage. I would have sung, Runaround Sue and The Wanderer on that show, and didnt. I listened to people who wanted to get me into the Copacabana, and did some songs that were far out of my wheelhouse. I sang, Lover Come Back to Me with a big band and, It Ain't Necessarily So. I didnt look like Little Richard or Bo Diddly, and you needed that to get into the Copa. They wanted me to go the Bobby Darin route. I was insecure, what can I say. Robert Kennedy: He was reaching for higher ground, trying to shine a light, change things for the better. Paul Simon: While Paul Simon is revered, I dont think people get how deep he is. I love the guy. He comes from that early street-harmony, first-generation type of rock and rollers. He gets it. Thats a part of his foundation. So we get along in those sounds. I love his poetry and his albums "Rhythm of the Saints" and "Graceland." I think Paul introduced America to international, universal music and rhythms before anybody else. As for Simon and Garfunkel, I love their sound. "Sound of Silence" is a great song and can be done a lot of different ways. The party where he wrote "Runaround Sue": When I was at that party, we were banging on cardboard boxes and bottles. I gave the guys a riff to sing, which would be the background to "Runaround Sue": hape hape, bum da haiti haiti, hape hape, bum da haiti haiti. We sang it for 45 minutes, and I thought, 'Man this is freaking great, throwing out words and melodies.' I put this thing together in the following couple of weeks with Ernie Maresca, and went down to the studio to record it. Then I brought the record to the neighborhood to play for all of the party people, and they said, "Ah, you screwed the whole thing up" [laughs]. They didnt like the formal version. They thought it was better-sounding the night we did it at the party. You can get a number 1 record, and they still thought the party was better. The Applebees TV commercial featuring "Runaround Sue": I'm going to the early-bird - and they're paying [laughs]. [Editor's Note: In future installments, Dion will discuss how he kicked his heroin habit, his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1989 and his new play, among other things. Stay tuned to the Forbes channel.] | Dion says he feels honored to be on the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover. He says Paul Simon introduced America to international, universal music and rhythms before anybody else. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimclash/2019/02/16/what-does-rocker-dion-think-about-robert-kennedy-paul-simon-and-the-sgt-peppers-lp/ | 0.401286 |
What Does Rocker Dion Think About Robert Kennedy, Paul Simon And The Sgt. Pepper's LP? | In Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of this interview series, rocker Dion DiMucci discussed the fateful 1959 plane crash which killed Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, his affection for crooner Del Shannon, who "The Wanderer" and "Runaround Sue" are in real life and the British Invasion. Here, Dion play word association with a number of people and topics. Lip Syncing: Its not for me. But in the day, youd go on the Dick Clark Show and thats the way it was done. The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover he's on: I feel honored. Bob Dylan and myself are the only American artists on it. I usually joke: "If you want to sell a lot of albums, put my face on it" [laughs]. Ed Sullivan Show: I wish I had had more courage. I would have sung, Runaround Sue and The Wanderer on that show, and didnt. I listened to people who wanted to get me into the Copacabana, and did some songs that were far out of my wheelhouse. I sang, Lover Come Back to Me with a big band and, It Ain't Necessarily So. I didnt look like Little Richard or Bo Diddly, and you needed that to get into the Copa. They wanted me to go the Bobby Darin route. I was insecure, what can I say. Robert Kennedy: He was reaching for higher ground, trying to shine a light, change things for the better. Paul Simon: While Paul Simon is revered, I dont think people get how deep he is. I love the guy. He comes from that early street-harmony, first-generation type of rock and rollers. He gets it. Thats a part of his foundation. So we get along in those sounds. I love his poetry and his albums "Rhythm of the Saints" and "Graceland." I think Paul introduced America to international, universal music and rhythms before anybody else. As for Simon and Garfunkel, I love their sound. "Sound of Silence" is a great song and can be done a lot of different ways. The party where he wrote "Runaround Sue": When I was at that party, we were banging on cardboard boxes and bottles. I gave the guys a riff to sing, which would be the background to "Runaround Sue": hape hape, bum da haiti haiti, hape hape, bum da haiti haiti. We sang it for 45 minutes, and I thought, 'Man this is freaking great, throwing out words and melodies.' I put this thing together in the following couple of weeks with Ernie Maresca, and went down to the studio to record it. Then I brought the record to the neighborhood to play for all of the party people, and they said, "Ah, you screwed the whole thing up" [laughs]. They didnt like the formal version. They thought it was better-sounding the night we did it at the party. You can get a number 1 record, and they still thought the party was better. The Applebees TV commercial featuring "Runaround Sue": I'm going to the early-bird - and they're paying [laughs]. [Editor's Note: In future installments, Dion will discuss how he kicked his heroin habit, his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1989 and his new play, among other things. Stay tuned to the Forbes channel.] | Dion DiMucci talks about the 1959 plane crash which killed Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. He also talks about Paul Simon and Simon and Garfunkel. In future installments, Dion will discuss how he kicked his heroin habit and his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1989. | bart | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimclash/2019/02/16/what-does-rocker-dion-think-about-robert-kennedy-paul-simon-and-the-sgt-peppers-lp/ | 0.138117 |
Can CenturyLink Sustain Its New Dividend After Full-Year 2018 Results? | Shares of internet service provider CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) are plumbing fresh lows after reporting a solid conclusion to 2018 and slow but steadily improving profitability. The real news, though, was the surprising -- but also not-so-surprising -- announcement that the annual dividend is being cut from $2.16 per share to $1.00 per share. While the previous yield was a ridiculous 14%, management had indicated it was on solid footing. The new yield is still a generous 7.7% as of this writing, and CenturyLink has new plans for that cash going forward. The short answer is yes, but there are question marks surrounding the why. First, a review of 2018 After CenturyLink's takeover of Level 3 Communications in 2017, investors may have been hoping for better sales results. That didn't transpire this year as the telecom's legacy services continue to slide. The good news, though, is that the company completed its cost-cutting initiatives post-Level 3 merger a couple of years ahead of schedule, providing a big boost to free cash flow (money left over after basic operations and capital expenditures are paid for). Metric Full-Year 2018 Adjusted Full-Year 2017* Change (YOY) Revenue $23.44 billion $24.13 billion (3%) Cost of services and products $10.86 billion $11.50 billion (6%) SG&A expenses $4.17 billion $4.72 billion (12%) Capital expenditures $3.18 billion $4.23 billion (25%) Free cash flow $3.86 billion $1.57 billion 146% Total dividends paid $2.31 billion $1.45 billion 59% Data source: CenturyLink. *Adjustments to account for the Level 3 acquisition. YOY = year over year. Because of the aggressive cost-cutting associated with the integration of Level 3, CenturyLink's tenuous-looking dividend actually seemed like a safe bet -- even though total dividends paid out ballooned because of the extra shares CenturyLink issued to help pay for the acquisition. The dividend payout ate up about 60% of free cash flow last year. Management said it expects free cash flow to drop to between $3.1 billion to $3.4 billion in 2019, in large part due to increased capital expenditures (purchase of property and equipment) of $3.5 to $3.8 billion -- thus the surprise from some investors that the payout got a haircut, as the $2.16 per share a year would have put dividends paid at roughly $2.3 billion in total: still well within the free-cash-flow guidance. With the payday dropping to just $1.00 a share and $1.08 billion in total consideration, the payout ratio to cash flow will be around 30%. Long story short, the new dividend yield is easily sustainable assuming nothing drastically deviates from CenturyLink's expectations. The back of an internet modem with an ethernet connection cable plugged into it More Image source: Getty Images. David Barden, an analyst at Bank of America, asked for more details on the earnings call: | CenturyLink's annual dividend is being cut from $2.16 per share to $1.00 per share. | bart | 0 | https://news.yahoo.com/centurylink-sustain-dividend-full-2018-000800527.html | 0.133862 |
Can CenturyLink Sustain Its New Dividend After Full-Year 2018 Results? | Shares of internet service provider CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) are plumbing fresh lows after reporting a solid conclusion to 2018 and slow but steadily improving profitability. The real news, though, was the surprising -- but also not-so-surprising -- announcement that the annual dividend is being cut from $2.16 per share to $1.00 per share. While the previous yield was a ridiculous 14%, management had indicated it was on solid footing. The new yield is still a generous 7.7% as of this writing, and CenturyLink has new plans for that cash going forward. The short answer is yes, but there are question marks surrounding the why. First, a review of 2018 After CenturyLink's takeover of Level 3 Communications in 2017, investors may have been hoping for better sales results. That didn't transpire this year as the telecom's legacy services continue to slide. The good news, though, is that the company completed its cost-cutting initiatives post-Level 3 merger a couple of years ahead of schedule, providing a big boost to free cash flow (money left over after basic operations and capital expenditures are paid for). Metric Full-Year 2018 Adjusted Full-Year 2017* Change (YOY) Revenue $23.44 billion $24.13 billion (3%) Cost of services and products $10.86 billion $11.50 billion (6%) SG&A expenses $4.17 billion $4.72 billion (12%) Capital expenditures $3.18 billion $4.23 billion (25%) Free cash flow $3.86 billion $1.57 billion 146% Total dividends paid $2.31 billion $1.45 billion 59% Data source: CenturyLink. *Adjustments to account for the Level 3 acquisition. YOY = year over year. Because of the aggressive cost-cutting associated with the integration of Level 3, CenturyLink's tenuous-looking dividend actually seemed like a safe bet -- even though total dividends paid out ballooned because of the extra shares CenturyLink issued to help pay for the acquisition. The dividend payout ate up about 60% of free cash flow last year. Management said it expects free cash flow to drop to between $3.1 billion to $3.4 billion in 2019, in large part due to increased capital expenditures (purchase of property and equipment) of $3.5 to $3.8 billion -- thus the surprise from some investors that the payout got a haircut, as the $2.16 per share a year would have put dividends paid at roughly $2.3 billion in total: still well within the free-cash-flow guidance. With the payday dropping to just $1.00 a share and $1.08 billion in total consideration, the payout ratio to cash flow will be around 30%. Long story short, the new dividend yield is easily sustainable assuming nothing drastically deviates from CenturyLink's expectations. The back of an internet modem with an ethernet connection cable plugged into it More Image source: Getty Images. David Barden, an analyst at Bank of America, asked for more details on the earnings call: | CenturyLink's annual dividend is being cut from $2.16 per share to $1.00 per share. The new yield is still a generous 7.7% as of this writing. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/centurylink-sustain-dividend-full-2018-000800527.html | 0.128231 |
Can CenturyLink Sustain Its New Dividend After Full-Year 2018 Results? | Shares of internet service provider CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) are plumbing fresh lows after reporting a solid conclusion to 2018 and slow but steadily improving profitability. The real news, though, was the surprising -- but also not-so-surprising -- announcement that the annual dividend is being cut from $2.16 per share to $1.00 per share. While the previous yield was a ridiculous 14%, management had indicated it was on solid footing. The new yield is still a generous 7.7% as of this writing, and CenturyLink has new plans for that cash going forward. The short answer is yes, but there are question marks surrounding the why. First, a review of 2018 After CenturyLink's takeover of Level 3 Communications in 2017, investors may have been hoping for better sales results. That didn't transpire this year as the telecom's legacy services continue to slide. The good news, though, is that the company completed its cost-cutting initiatives post-Level 3 merger a couple of years ahead of schedule, providing a big boost to free cash flow (money left over after basic operations and capital expenditures are paid for). Metric Full-Year 2018 Adjusted Full-Year 2017* Change (YOY) Revenue $23.44 billion $24.13 billion (3%) Cost of services and products $10.86 billion $11.50 billion (6%) SG&A expenses $4.17 billion $4.72 billion (12%) Capital expenditures $3.18 billion $4.23 billion (25%) Free cash flow $3.86 billion $1.57 billion 146% Total dividends paid $2.31 billion $1.45 billion 59% Data source: CenturyLink. *Adjustments to account for the Level 3 acquisition. YOY = year over year. Because of the aggressive cost-cutting associated with the integration of Level 3, CenturyLink's tenuous-looking dividend actually seemed like a safe bet -- even though total dividends paid out ballooned because of the extra shares CenturyLink issued to help pay for the acquisition. The dividend payout ate up about 60% of free cash flow last year. Management said it expects free cash flow to drop to between $3.1 billion to $3.4 billion in 2019, in large part due to increased capital expenditures (purchase of property and equipment) of $3.5 to $3.8 billion -- thus the surprise from some investors that the payout got a haircut, as the $2.16 per share a year would have put dividends paid at roughly $2.3 billion in total: still well within the free-cash-flow guidance. With the payday dropping to just $1.00 a share and $1.08 billion in total consideration, the payout ratio to cash flow will be around 30%. Long story short, the new dividend yield is easily sustainable assuming nothing drastically deviates from CenturyLink's expectations. The back of an internet modem with an ethernet connection cable plugged into it More Image source: Getty Images. David Barden, an analyst at Bank of America, asked for more details on the earnings call: | CenturyLink's annual dividend is being cut from $2.16 per share to $1.00 per share. The new yield is still a generous 7.7% as of this writing. The telecom's full-year 2018 results are expected to be released later this month. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/centurylink-sustain-dividend-full-2018-000800527.html | 0.224415 |
How smart are Gmails smart replies? | The philosopher Jeremy Bentham was famed for his panopticon, a hypothetical circular prison that was designed in such a way that its inmates never knew whether or not they were being observed. This would, his theory went, encourage prisoners to presume they were always being watched, and thus act accordingly. No true version of the prison was ever really built, and the word itself only now lives on due to its prodigious utility within breathless op-eds about surveillance culture, mostly written by people whove already overused references to Orwell and Kafka. The genius of todays boring dystopia has been to offer this surveillance as a feature, not a bug; to cast that all-seeing-eye not as a malevolent shadowy jailer, but as the worlds most boring personal assistant. Nowhere is this truer than with Gmail smart replies, the pocket panopticon that now resides in every inbox. Not only can it see what youve already read and written, it has some great ideas on how to make your next contribution, too. Seeking answers, I stopped resisting and spent an entire week surrendering to its every whim. Its odd that Gmail smart replies have only been around since 2017, since theyre the kind of subtly ever-present tool that now seems always to have been there. Odder still, it feels this way despite the fact I had never used it before. My memory of seeing, and ignoring, the little options below my emails was that they seemed generally accurate, but also glib and oddly worded. More importantly, they seemed written in a tone that I have never used in my entire life, one of indeterminate, cheery abandon that would surely present as false were I to ever use it myself. But God has his reasons and I endeavoured to discern them for myself. Opening my inbox I found an email from my wife telling me she had booked a restaurant and hoped I thought it would be as great as she did. Below it lay three unassuming rectangles poised for my selection: OK, thanks! Yes, I agree! I dont think so. Opting for OK, thanks! I began my smart reply odyssey and a descent into what quickly became the worlds most boring Choose Your Own Adventure game. Starting off, I had thought the main issue would be accuracy. I worried Id be forced to make wildly inappropriate remarks to longstanding friends and colleagues, like the hapless idiot in an American sitcom, receiving ear-piece instructions to get him through a date with the hottest girl in school. You know the scene: hes doing great for a while, but eventually comes a cropper when his Bergerac is hit in the crotch by a wheelie bin, or a nest of wasps, which causes our hero to repeat his every swear word verbatim. This, I feared, could be my fate; glibly responding to emails announcing the death of a family friend with blandly inappropriate corporate speak like Outstanding! or Can we change this to Friday? It turned out I shouldnt have worried, as the replies were almost universally, even unnervingly, appropriate to the topic. My week was merely a never-ending spree of palatable options that were terrifyingly bland. The major stumbling block to my ever having used smart replies before was tone. Smart replies always gave me a sense of alien weirdness, so much so that when I did begin seeing them, Id go out of my way to make sure the wording I did use in my reply was nothing like those suggested. It was as if I was spiting this assistant out of fear Id be revealed as a Big Data techno-stooge. Its not just that the replies are curt and impersonal, theyre also so chipper as to sound demented. I have a reputation to uphold, and its not as a perky yes man. Nowhere was this more apparent than with my friend Al, who was good enough to email me a particularly chucklesome video hed found on YouTube. To my horror, my only options by way of reply were: Love It! Thanks, Ill check it out! Hahaha thats awesome! Since it was, at least superficially, closest to the feeling engendered by the video, I went for Hahaha thats awesome! making it, I think, the first time Ive ever used that latter adjective in my entire life. One thing that struck me was how Gmail had worked out that the video itself was funny. I mean, it was funny it was a wedding band from the Irish midlands who appeared to have made a music video for roughly the price of a Quavers multi-pack but thats not the point. The fact is, this wasnt stated anywhere in the email itself. This wasnt stated anywhere in the email itself The other big take away, and one that speaks to my larger point, is the rather poorer job it had done of approximating my own speech. It knew enough to suggest it was funny, but not enough to stop me from sounding like a hyperbolic youth pastor on bad speed. This was to be a constant theme in my week of robo-replying, the sense that Gmail wasnt just reading, but remodelling me in its own ghastly image. An exclamation mark, wrote F Scott Fitzgerald, is like laughing at your own joke. God knows, then, what he would have made of my output this week alone. Yes!, Great, thanks!, Will do!, Got that!, See you then!, Of course! Now I was laughing at my own joke a dozen times a day like some half-mad cyborg, rendered dizzily incontinent by even the mildest exchange of words. Google, it turns out, splits its sides for emails confirming dental appointments or lunch dates. Somewhere in the beeping digital ether, the hive-mind wipes hot tears from a dead digital eye, weeping with laughter at the thought of a Thursday lunch meeting. My emails suddenly presented me as a giddy type, pummelled into hysterics each time an attachment was received as stated. Running on the spot and punching the air at the thought of buying new bin attachments from Hackney council by the weekend. Google made a big point of claiming smart replies respond not to your own style of writing, but to a generalised neural network of everyones responses to similar cases. This was, I presume, intended to placate those who felt the opposite was too creepy, but I began to find it unnerving, too. After a week I started to accept this was not Googles idea of who I was, but their conception of some new, better me they felt I should become. No more Samas the recalcitrant Scrooge, indifferent to the ecstasy of being asked, for a sixth time, if I was attending a social function. Step forward my new, better self, one who screams: Yes, Ill be there thanks! with something like the manic ebullience of someone hoping to deter you from entering the bathroom theyre in. If it were just the case that smart replies made me gormless and weird, that would be one thing, but there were other, unexpected hurdles. One email I received was from an event organiser addressing an overdue payment for a talk Id given. I like this person and readily understood it wasnt their fault, so was only too happy to offer my polite thanks for the update. But I was then surprised to find I had no choice either way. In response to being asked if it wasnt too much hassle for me to be paid at the end of the month, my options were: Thats fine, thanks! Of course! Nope, thats fine! Rather like the child who wakes up with bold plans to clean his room, only to have this new regime interrupted by a parent demanding they tidy up, Google had removed any choice in the matter and, in the process, made me resent options I may well have embraced on my own. Gritting my teeth, I selected: Thats fine, thanks! and reflected on the fact that Googles responses to my non-payment ran only from moderately cheerful to fizzily delighted. Whatever the case, I was beginning to chafe against my Big Data overlords and felt ready to call it a day. Following a week of emails in this vein, I was looking forward to reverting to normal and letting a few of my more common recipients in on the gag. When I did, I was horrified to discover no one had noticed a thing. Not even Al, whod seen me use the word awesome! and hadnt raised an eyebrow. I found myself offended that the ruse I had pulled on unsuspecting friends had worked so well, forced to reckon with the fact that my sense of individuality was, clearly, somewhat overrated. The blandness of Gmails smart replies had been their camouflage, the processing power of 10m moon landings, disguised in a sea of inane pleasantries and errant exclamation marks. Worse still, I cant stop scanning messages I receive, detecting the hidden, mechanical hand of Uncle Google in every misplaced Americanism, or brisk and jaunty phrase. I no longer know which of my friends, colleagues, or bin collection services Im even really talking to any more. A week inside the machine has changed all that. We must, as always, be careful gazing long into the abyss, because the abyss gazes back. And Thats fine! | Gmail smart replies are an ever-present tool that now seems always to have been there. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/feb/17/gmail-smart-replies-seamas-o-reilly | 0.277445 |
How smart are Gmails smart replies? | The philosopher Jeremy Bentham was famed for his panopticon, a hypothetical circular prison that was designed in such a way that its inmates never knew whether or not they were being observed. This would, his theory went, encourage prisoners to presume they were always being watched, and thus act accordingly. No true version of the prison was ever really built, and the word itself only now lives on due to its prodigious utility within breathless op-eds about surveillance culture, mostly written by people whove already overused references to Orwell and Kafka. The genius of todays boring dystopia has been to offer this surveillance as a feature, not a bug; to cast that all-seeing-eye not as a malevolent shadowy jailer, but as the worlds most boring personal assistant. Nowhere is this truer than with Gmail smart replies, the pocket panopticon that now resides in every inbox. Not only can it see what youve already read and written, it has some great ideas on how to make your next contribution, too. Seeking answers, I stopped resisting and spent an entire week surrendering to its every whim. Its odd that Gmail smart replies have only been around since 2017, since theyre the kind of subtly ever-present tool that now seems always to have been there. Odder still, it feels this way despite the fact I had never used it before. My memory of seeing, and ignoring, the little options below my emails was that they seemed generally accurate, but also glib and oddly worded. More importantly, they seemed written in a tone that I have never used in my entire life, one of indeterminate, cheery abandon that would surely present as false were I to ever use it myself. But God has his reasons and I endeavoured to discern them for myself. Opening my inbox I found an email from my wife telling me she had booked a restaurant and hoped I thought it would be as great as she did. Below it lay three unassuming rectangles poised for my selection: OK, thanks! Yes, I agree! I dont think so. Opting for OK, thanks! I began my smart reply odyssey and a descent into what quickly became the worlds most boring Choose Your Own Adventure game. Starting off, I had thought the main issue would be accuracy. I worried Id be forced to make wildly inappropriate remarks to longstanding friends and colleagues, like the hapless idiot in an American sitcom, receiving ear-piece instructions to get him through a date with the hottest girl in school. You know the scene: hes doing great for a while, but eventually comes a cropper when his Bergerac is hit in the crotch by a wheelie bin, or a nest of wasps, which causes our hero to repeat his every swear word verbatim. This, I feared, could be my fate; glibly responding to emails announcing the death of a family friend with blandly inappropriate corporate speak like Outstanding! or Can we change this to Friday? It turned out I shouldnt have worried, as the replies were almost universally, even unnervingly, appropriate to the topic. My week was merely a never-ending spree of palatable options that were terrifyingly bland. The major stumbling block to my ever having used smart replies before was tone. Smart replies always gave me a sense of alien weirdness, so much so that when I did begin seeing them, Id go out of my way to make sure the wording I did use in my reply was nothing like those suggested. It was as if I was spiting this assistant out of fear Id be revealed as a Big Data techno-stooge. Its not just that the replies are curt and impersonal, theyre also so chipper as to sound demented. I have a reputation to uphold, and its not as a perky yes man. Nowhere was this more apparent than with my friend Al, who was good enough to email me a particularly chucklesome video hed found on YouTube. To my horror, my only options by way of reply were: Love It! Thanks, Ill check it out! Hahaha thats awesome! Since it was, at least superficially, closest to the feeling engendered by the video, I went for Hahaha thats awesome! making it, I think, the first time Ive ever used that latter adjective in my entire life. One thing that struck me was how Gmail had worked out that the video itself was funny. I mean, it was funny it was a wedding band from the Irish midlands who appeared to have made a music video for roughly the price of a Quavers multi-pack but thats not the point. The fact is, this wasnt stated anywhere in the email itself. This wasnt stated anywhere in the email itself The other big take away, and one that speaks to my larger point, is the rather poorer job it had done of approximating my own speech. It knew enough to suggest it was funny, but not enough to stop me from sounding like a hyperbolic youth pastor on bad speed. This was to be a constant theme in my week of robo-replying, the sense that Gmail wasnt just reading, but remodelling me in its own ghastly image. An exclamation mark, wrote F Scott Fitzgerald, is like laughing at your own joke. God knows, then, what he would have made of my output this week alone. Yes!, Great, thanks!, Will do!, Got that!, See you then!, Of course! Now I was laughing at my own joke a dozen times a day like some half-mad cyborg, rendered dizzily incontinent by even the mildest exchange of words. Google, it turns out, splits its sides for emails confirming dental appointments or lunch dates. Somewhere in the beeping digital ether, the hive-mind wipes hot tears from a dead digital eye, weeping with laughter at the thought of a Thursday lunch meeting. My emails suddenly presented me as a giddy type, pummelled into hysterics each time an attachment was received as stated. Running on the spot and punching the air at the thought of buying new bin attachments from Hackney council by the weekend. Google made a big point of claiming smart replies respond not to your own style of writing, but to a generalised neural network of everyones responses to similar cases. This was, I presume, intended to placate those who felt the opposite was too creepy, but I began to find it unnerving, too. After a week I started to accept this was not Googles idea of who I was, but their conception of some new, better me they felt I should become. No more Samas the recalcitrant Scrooge, indifferent to the ecstasy of being asked, for a sixth time, if I was attending a social function. Step forward my new, better self, one who screams: Yes, Ill be there thanks! with something like the manic ebullience of someone hoping to deter you from entering the bathroom theyre in. If it were just the case that smart replies made me gormless and weird, that would be one thing, but there were other, unexpected hurdles. One email I received was from an event organiser addressing an overdue payment for a talk Id given. I like this person and readily understood it wasnt their fault, so was only too happy to offer my polite thanks for the update. But I was then surprised to find I had no choice either way. In response to being asked if it wasnt too much hassle for me to be paid at the end of the month, my options were: Thats fine, thanks! Of course! Nope, thats fine! Rather like the child who wakes up with bold plans to clean his room, only to have this new regime interrupted by a parent demanding they tidy up, Google had removed any choice in the matter and, in the process, made me resent options I may well have embraced on my own. Gritting my teeth, I selected: Thats fine, thanks! and reflected on the fact that Googles responses to my non-payment ran only from moderately cheerful to fizzily delighted. Whatever the case, I was beginning to chafe against my Big Data overlords and felt ready to call it a day. Following a week of emails in this vein, I was looking forward to reverting to normal and letting a few of my more common recipients in on the gag. When I did, I was horrified to discover no one had noticed a thing. Not even Al, whod seen me use the word awesome! and hadnt raised an eyebrow. I found myself offended that the ruse I had pulled on unsuspecting friends had worked so well, forced to reckon with the fact that my sense of individuality was, clearly, somewhat overrated. The blandness of Gmails smart replies had been their camouflage, the processing power of 10m moon landings, disguised in a sea of inane pleasantries and errant exclamation marks. Worse still, I cant stop scanning messages I receive, detecting the hidden, mechanical hand of Uncle Google in every misplaced Americanism, or brisk and jaunty phrase. I no longer know which of my friends, colleagues, or bin collection services Im even really talking to any more. A week inside the machine has changed all that. We must, as always, be careful gazing long into the abyss, because the abyss gazes back. And Thats fine! | Gmail smart replies are an ever-present tool that now seems always to have been there. They can see what youve already read and written, and have great ideas on how to make your next contribution, too. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/feb/17/gmail-smart-replies-seamas-o-reilly | 0.493104 |
How smart are Gmails smart replies? | The philosopher Jeremy Bentham was famed for his panopticon, a hypothetical circular prison that was designed in such a way that its inmates never knew whether or not they were being observed. This would, his theory went, encourage prisoners to presume they were always being watched, and thus act accordingly. No true version of the prison was ever really built, and the word itself only now lives on due to its prodigious utility within breathless op-eds about surveillance culture, mostly written by people whove already overused references to Orwell and Kafka. The genius of todays boring dystopia has been to offer this surveillance as a feature, not a bug; to cast that all-seeing-eye not as a malevolent shadowy jailer, but as the worlds most boring personal assistant. Nowhere is this truer than with Gmail smart replies, the pocket panopticon that now resides in every inbox. Not only can it see what youve already read and written, it has some great ideas on how to make your next contribution, too. Seeking answers, I stopped resisting and spent an entire week surrendering to its every whim. Its odd that Gmail smart replies have only been around since 2017, since theyre the kind of subtly ever-present tool that now seems always to have been there. Odder still, it feels this way despite the fact I had never used it before. My memory of seeing, and ignoring, the little options below my emails was that they seemed generally accurate, but also glib and oddly worded. More importantly, they seemed written in a tone that I have never used in my entire life, one of indeterminate, cheery abandon that would surely present as false were I to ever use it myself. But God has his reasons and I endeavoured to discern them for myself. Opening my inbox I found an email from my wife telling me she had booked a restaurant and hoped I thought it would be as great as she did. Below it lay three unassuming rectangles poised for my selection: OK, thanks! Yes, I agree! I dont think so. Opting for OK, thanks! I began my smart reply odyssey and a descent into what quickly became the worlds most boring Choose Your Own Adventure game. Starting off, I had thought the main issue would be accuracy. I worried Id be forced to make wildly inappropriate remarks to longstanding friends and colleagues, like the hapless idiot in an American sitcom, receiving ear-piece instructions to get him through a date with the hottest girl in school. You know the scene: hes doing great for a while, but eventually comes a cropper when his Bergerac is hit in the crotch by a wheelie bin, or a nest of wasps, which causes our hero to repeat his every swear word verbatim. This, I feared, could be my fate; glibly responding to emails announcing the death of a family friend with blandly inappropriate corporate speak like Outstanding! or Can we change this to Friday? It turned out I shouldnt have worried, as the replies were almost universally, even unnervingly, appropriate to the topic. My week was merely a never-ending spree of palatable options that were terrifyingly bland. The major stumbling block to my ever having used smart replies before was tone. Smart replies always gave me a sense of alien weirdness, so much so that when I did begin seeing them, Id go out of my way to make sure the wording I did use in my reply was nothing like those suggested. It was as if I was spiting this assistant out of fear Id be revealed as a Big Data techno-stooge. Its not just that the replies are curt and impersonal, theyre also so chipper as to sound demented. I have a reputation to uphold, and its not as a perky yes man. Nowhere was this more apparent than with my friend Al, who was good enough to email me a particularly chucklesome video hed found on YouTube. To my horror, my only options by way of reply were: Love It! Thanks, Ill check it out! Hahaha thats awesome! Since it was, at least superficially, closest to the feeling engendered by the video, I went for Hahaha thats awesome! making it, I think, the first time Ive ever used that latter adjective in my entire life. One thing that struck me was how Gmail had worked out that the video itself was funny. I mean, it was funny it was a wedding band from the Irish midlands who appeared to have made a music video for roughly the price of a Quavers multi-pack but thats not the point. The fact is, this wasnt stated anywhere in the email itself. This wasnt stated anywhere in the email itself The other big take away, and one that speaks to my larger point, is the rather poorer job it had done of approximating my own speech. It knew enough to suggest it was funny, but not enough to stop me from sounding like a hyperbolic youth pastor on bad speed. This was to be a constant theme in my week of robo-replying, the sense that Gmail wasnt just reading, but remodelling me in its own ghastly image. An exclamation mark, wrote F Scott Fitzgerald, is like laughing at your own joke. God knows, then, what he would have made of my output this week alone. Yes!, Great, thanks!, Will do!, Got that!, See you then!, Of course! Now I was laughing at my own joke a dozen times a day like some half-mad cyborg, rendered dizzily incontinent by even the mildest exchange of words. Google, it turns out, splits its sides for emails confirming dental appointments or lunch dates. Somewhere in the beeping digital ether, the hive-mind wipes hot tears from a dead digital eye, weeping with laughter at the thought of a Thursday lunch meeting. My emails suddenly presented me as a giddy type, pummelled into hysterics each time an attachment was received as stated. Running on the spot and punching the air at the thought of buying new bin attachments from Hackney council by the weekend. Google made a big point of claiming smart replies respond not to your own style of writing, but to a generalised neural network of everyones responses to similar cases. This was, I presume, intended to placate those who felt the opposite was too creepy, but I began to find it unnerving, too. After a week I started to accept this was not Googles idea of who I was, but their conception of some new, better me they felt I should become. No more Samas the recalcitrant Scrooge, indifferent to the ecstasy of being asked, for a sixth time, if I was attending a social function. Step forward my new, better self, one who screams: Yes, Ill be there thanks! with something like the manic ebullience of someone hoping to deter you from entering the bathroom theyre in. If it were just the case that smart replies made me gormless and weird, that would be one thing, but there were other, unexpected hurdles. One email I received was from an event organiser addressing an overdue payment for a talk Id given. I like this person and readily understood it wasnt their fault, so was only too happy to offer my polite thanks for the update. But I was then surprised to find I had no choice either way. In response to being asked if it wasnt too much hassle for me to be paid at the end of the month, my options were: Thats fine, thanks! Of course! Nope, thats fine! Rather like the child who wakes up with bold plans to clean his room, only to have this new regime interrupted by a parent demanding they tidy up, Google had removed any choice in the matter and, in the process, made me resent options I may well have embraced on my own. Gritting my teeth, I selected: Thats fine, thanks! and reflected on the fact that Googles responses to my non-payment ran only from moderately cheerful to fizzily delighted. Whatever the case, I was beginning to chafe against my Big Data overlords and felt ready to call it a day. Following a week of emails in this vein, I was looking forward to reverting to normal and letting a few of my more common recipients in on the gag. When I did, I was horrified to discover no one had noticed a thing. Not even Al, whod seen me use the word awesome! and hadnt raised an eyebrow. I found myself offended that the ruse I had pulled on unsuspecting friends had worked so well, forced to reckon with the fact that my sense of individuality was, clearly, somewhat overrated. The blandness of Gmails smart replies had been their camouflage, the processing power of 10m moon landings, disguised in a sea of inane pleasantries and errant exclamation marks. Worse still, I cant stop scanning messages I receive, detecting the hidden, mechanical hand of Uncle Google in every misplaced Americanism, or brisk and jaunty phrase. I no longer know which of my friends, colleagues, or bin collection services Im even really talking to any more. A week inside the machine has changed all that. We must, as always, be careful gazing long into the abyss, because the abyss gazes back. And Thats fine! | Gmail smart replies are an ever-present tool that now seems always to have been there. They can see what youve already read and written, and have some great ideas on how to make your next contribution, too. But how smart are Gmails smart replies?. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/feb/17/gmail-smart-replies-seamas-o-reilly | 0.407103 |
Is the era of artificial speech translation upon us? | Once the stuff of science fiction, technology that enables people to talk using different languages is now here. Noise, Alex Waibel tells me, is one of the major challenges that artificial speech translation has to meet. A device may be able to recognise speech in a laboratory, or a meeting room, but will struggle to cope with the kind of background noise I can hear surrounding Professor Waibel as he speaks to me from Kyoto station. Im struggling to follow him in English, on a scratchy line that reminds me we are nearly 10,000km apart and that distance is still an obstacle to communication even if youre speaking the same language. We havent reached the future yet. If we had, Waibel would have been able to speak in his native German and I would have been able to hear his words in English. He would also be able to converse hands-free and seamlessly with the Japanese people around him, with all parties speaking their native language. At Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, where he is a professor of computer science, Waibel and his colleagues already give lectures in German that their students can follow in English via an electronic translator. The system generates text that students can read on their laptops or phones, so the process is somewhat akin to subtitling. It helps that lecturers speak clearly, dont have to compete with background chatter, and say much the same thing each year. The idea of artificial speech translation has been around for a long time. Waibel, who is also a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, sort of invented it. I proposed it at MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] in 1978. Douglas Adams sort of invented it around the same time too. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy featured a life form called the Babel fish which, when placed in the ear, enabled a listener to understand any language in the universe. It came to represent one of those devices that technology enthusiasts dream of long before they become practically realisable, like portable voice communicators and TVs flat enough to hang on walls: a thing that ought to exist, and so one day surely will. Waibels first speech translation system, assembled in 1991, had a 500-word vocabulary, ran on large work stations and took several minutes to process what it heard. It wasnt ready for prime time, he acknowledges. Now devices that look like prototype Babel fish have started to appear, riding a wave of advances in artificial translation and voice recognition. Google has incorporated a translation feature into its Pixel earbuds, using Google Translate, which can also deliver voice translation via its smartphone app. Skype has a Translator feature that handles speech in 10 languages. A number of smaller outfits, such as Waverly Labs, a Brooklyn-based startup, have developed earpiece translators. Reviews in the tech media could reasonably be summarised as not bad, actually. The systems currently available offer proof of the concept, but at this stage they seem to be regarded as eye-catching novelties rather than steps towards what Waibel calls making a language-transparent society. One of the main developments driving artificial speech translation is the vogue for encouraging people to talk to their technology. Were generally very early in the paradigm of voice-enabled devices, says Barak Turovsky, Google Translates director of product, but its growing very rapidly, and translation will be one of the key parts of this journey. Last month, Google introduced interpreter mode for its home devices. Saying: Hey, Google, be my French interpreter will activate spoken and, on smart displays, text translation. Google suggests hotel check-in as a possible application perhaps the obvious example of a practical alternative to speaking travellers English, either as a native or as an additional language. You can do this already if you have the Translate app on your phone, albeit using an awkwardly small screen and speaker. That kind of simple public interaction accounts for much usage of the apps conversations feature. But another popular application is what Turovsky calls romance. Data logs reveal the popularity of statements such as I love you and You have beautiful eyes. Much of this may not represent anything very new. After all, chat-up lines have been standard phrasebook content for decades. Waverly Labs used the chat-up function as a hook for its Indiegogo funding drive, with a video in which the companys founder and CEO, Andrew Ochoa, relates how he got the idea for a translator when he met a French woman on holiday but couldnt communicate with her very well. Trying to use a translation app was horrible. Phones get in the way but earpieces are not in your face. The video shows what might have been: he presents a French woman with an earpiece, and off they go for coffee and sightseeing. The pitch was spectacularly successful, raising $4.4m (3.4m) 30 times the target. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Waverly Labs Pilot earpiece (red and white) and Googles Pixel earbuds (black). Photograph: Observer Design desk One customer said the companys Pilot earpiece had enabled him to speak to his girlfriends mother for the first time. Some even report that it has enabled them to speak to their spouses. Every once in a while, well receive an email from someone who says theyre using this to speak with their Spanish-speaking wife, says Ochoa. It baffles me how they even got together in the first place! We might surmise that it was through the internet and an agency. Ochoa acknowledges that the technology has to improve a bit before youll really be able to find love through the earbud, but its not too far away. Many of the early adopters put the Pilot earpiece to entirely unromantic uses, acquiring it for use in organisations. Waverly is now preparing a new model for professional applications, which entails performance improvements in speech recognition, translation accuracy and the time it takes to deliver the translated speech. Professionals are less inclined to be patient in a conversation, Ochoa observes. The new version will also feature hygienic design improvements, to overcome the Pilots least appealing feature. For a conversation, both speakers need to have Pilots in their ears. We find that theres a barrier with sharing one of the earphones with a stranger, says Ochoa. That cant have been totally unexpected. The problem would be solved if earpiece translators became sufficiently prevalent that strangers would be likely to already have their own in their ears. Whether that happens, and how quickly, will probably depend not so much on the earpieces themselves, but on the prevalence of voice-controlled devices and artificial translation in general. Here, the main driver appears to be access to emerging Asian markets. Google reckons that 50% of the internets content is in English, but only 20% of the worlds population speak the language. If you look at areas where there is a lot of growth in internet usage, like Asian countries, most of them dont know English at all, says Turovsky. So in that regard, breaking language barriers is an important goal for everyone and obviously for Google. Thats why Google is investing so many resources into translation systems. Waibel also highlights the significance of Asia, noting that voice translation has really taken off in Japan and China. Theres still a long way to go, though. Translation needs to be simultaneous, like the translators voice speaking over the foreign politician on the TV, rather than in packets that oblige speakers to pause after every few remarks and wait for the translation to be delivered. It needs to work offline, for situations where internet access isnt possible and to address concerns about the amount of private speech data accumulating in the cloud, having been sent to servers for processing. Systems not only need to cope with physical challenges such as noise, Waibel suggests, they will also need to be socially aware to know their manners, and to address people appropriately. When I first emailed him, aware that he is a German professor and that continental traditions demand solemn respect for academic status, I erred on the side of formality and addressed him as Dear Prof Waibel. As I expected, he replied in international English mode: Hi Marek. Etiquette-sensitive artificial translators could relieve people of the need to be aware of differing cultural norms. They would facilitate interaction while reducing understanding. At the same time, they might help to preserve local customs, slowing the spread of habits associated with international English, such as its readiness to get on first-name terms. Professors and other professionals will not outsource language awareness to software, though. If the technology matures into seamless, ubiquitous artificial speech translation Babel fish, in short it will actually add value to language skills. Automated translation will deliver a commodity product: basic, practical, low-prestige information that helps people buy things or find their way around. Whether it will help people conduct their family lives or romantic relationships is open to question though one noteworthy possibility is that it could overcome the language barriers that often arise between generations after migration, leaving children and their grandparents without a shared language. Whatever uses it is put to, though, it will never be as good as the real thing. Even if voice-morphing technology simulates the speakers voice, their lip movements wont match, and they will look like they are in a dubbed movie. The contrast will underline the value of shared languages, and the value of learning them. Making the effort to learn someones language is a sign of commitment, and therefore of trustworthiness. Sharing a language can also promote a sense of belonging and community, as with the international scientists who use English as a lingua franca, where their predecessors used Latin. Immigrant shopkeepers who learn their customers language are not just making sales easier; they are showing that they wish to draw closer to their customers community, and politely asserting a place in it. When machine translation becomes a ubiquitous commodity product, human language skills will command a premium. The person who has a language in their head will always have the advantage over somebody who relies on a device, in the same way that somebody with a head for figures has the advantage over somebody who has to reach for a calculator. Though the practical need for a lingua franca will diminish, the social value of sharing one will persist. And software will never be a substitute for the subtle but vital understanding that comes with knowledge of a language. That knowledge will always be needed to pick the nuances from the noise. Marek Kohns Four Words for Friend: Why Using More Than One Language Matters Now More Than Ever is published by Yale University Press (20). To order a copy go to guardianbookshop.com or call 0330 333 6846. Free UK p&p over 15, online orders only. Phone orders min p&p of 1.99 | Technology that enables people to talk using different languages is now here. Alex Waibel, a professor of computer science at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, says the era of artificial speech translation is upon us. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/feb/17/is-the-era-of-artificial-speech-translation-upon-us | 0.519125 |
Is the era of artificial speech translation upon us? | Once the stuff of science fiction, technology that enables people to talk using different languages is now here. Noise, Alex Waibel tells me, is one of the major challenges that artificial speech translation has to meet. A device may be able to recognise speech in a laboratory, or a meeting room, but will struggle to cope with the kind of background noise I can hear surrounding Professor Waibel as he speaks to me from Kyoto station. Im struggling to follow him in English, on a scratchy line that reminds me we are nearly 10,000km apart and that distance is still an obstacle to communication even if youre speaking the same language. We havent reached the future yet. If we had, Waibel would have been able to speak in his native German and I would have been able to hear his words in English. He would also be able to converse hands-free and seamlessly with the Japanese people around him, with all parties speaking their native language. At Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, where he is a professor of computer science, Waibel and his colleagues already give lectures in German that their students can follow in English via an electronic translator. The system generates text that students can read on their laptops or phones, so the process is somewhat akin to subtitling. It helps that lecturers speak clearly, dont have to compete with background chatter, and say much the same thing each year. The idea of artificial speech translation has been around for a long time. Waibel, who is also a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, sort of invented it. I proposed it at MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] in 1978. Douglas Adams sort of invented it around the same time too. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy featured a life form called the Babel fish which, when placed in the ear, enabled a listener to understand any language in the universe. It came to represent one of those devices that technology enthusiasts dream of long before they become practically realisable, like portable voice communicators and TVs flat enough to hang on walls: a thing that ought to exist, and so one day surely will. Waibels first speech translation system, assembled in 1991, had a 500-word vocabulary, ran on large work stations and took several minutes to process what it heard. It wasnt ready for prime time, he acknowledges. Now devices that look like prototype Babel fish have started to appear, riding a wave of advances in artificial translation and voice recognition. Google has incorporated a translation feature into its Pixel earbuds, using Google Translate, which can also deliver voice translation via its smartphone app. Skype has a Translator feature that handles speech in 10 languages. A number of smaller outfits, such as Waverly Labs, a Brooklyn-based startup, have developed earpiece translators. Reviews in the tech media could reasonably be summarised as not bad, actually. The systems currently available offer proof of the concept, but at this stage they seem to be regarded as eye-catching novelties rather than steps towards what Waibel calls making a language-transparent society. One of the main developments driving artificial speech translation is the vogue for encouraging people to talk to their technology. Were generally very early in the paradigm of voice-enabled devices, says Barak Turovsky, Google Translates director of product, but its growing very rapidly, and translation will be one of the key parts of this journey. Last month, Google introduced interpreter mode for its home devices. Saying: Hey, Google, be my French interpreter will activate spoken and, on smart displays, text translation. Google suggests hotel check-in as a possible application perhaps the obvious example of a practical alternative to speaking travellers English, either as a native or as an additional language. You can do this already if you have the Translate app on your phone, albeit using an awkwardly small screen and speaker. That kind of simple public interaction accounts for much usage of the apps conversations feature. But another popular application is what Turovsky calls romance. Data logs reveal the popularity of statements such as I love you and You have beautiful eyes. Much of this may not represent anything very new. After all, chat-up lines have been standard phrasebook content for decades. Waverly Labs used the chat-up function as a hook for its Indiegogo funding drive, with a video in which the companys founder and CEO, Andrew Ochoa, relates how he got the idea for a translator when he met a French woman on holiday but couldnt communicate with her very well. Trying to use a translation app was horrible. Phones get in the way but earpieces are not in your face. The video shows what might have been: he presents a French woman with an earpiece, and off they go for coffee and sightseeing. The pitch was spectacularly successful, raising $4.4m (3.4m) 30 times the target. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Waverly Labs Pilot earpiece (red and white) and Googles Pixel earbuds (black). Photograph: Observer Design desk One customer said the companys Pilot earpiece had enabled him to speak to his girlfriends mother for the first time. Some even report that it has enabled them to speak to their spouses. Every once in a while, well receive an email from someone who says theyre using this to speak with their Spanish-speaking wife, says Ochoa. It baffles me how they even got together in the first place! We might surmise that it was through the internet and an agency. Ochoa acknowledges that the technology has to improve a bit before youll really be able to find love through the earbud, but its not too far away. Many of the early adopters put the Pilot earpiece to entirely unromantic uses, acquiring it for use in organisations. Waverly is now preparing a new model for professional applications, which entails performance improvements in speech recognition, translation accuracy and the time it takes to deliver the translated speech. Professionals are less inclined to be patient in a conversation, Ochoa observes. The new version will also feature hygienic design improvements, to overcome the Pilots least appealing feature. For a conversation, both speakers need to have Pilots in their ears. We find that theres a barrier with sharing one of the earphones with a stranger, says Ochoa. That cant have been totally unexpected. The problem would be solved if earpiece translators became sufficiently prevalent that strangers would be likely to already have their own in their ears. Whether that happens, and how quickly, will probably depend not so much on the earpieces themselves, but on the prevalence of voice-controlled devices and artificial translation in general. Here, the main driver appears to be access to emerging Asian markets. Google reckons that 50% of the internets content is in English, but only 20% of the worlds population speak the language. If you look at areas where there is a lot of growth in internet usage, like Asian countries, most of them dont know English at all, says Turovsky. So in that regard, breaking language barriers is an important goal for everyone and obviously for Google. Thats why Google is investing so many resources into translation systems. Waibel also highlights the significance of Asia, noting that voice translation has really taken off in Japan and China. Theres still a long way to go, though. Translation needs to be simultaneous, like the translators voice speaking over the foreign politician on the TV, rather than in packets that oblige speakers to pause after every few remarks and wait for the translation to be delivered. It needs to work offline, for situations where internet access isnt possible and to address concerns about the amount of private speech data accumulating in the cloud, having been sent to servers for processing. Systems not only need to cope with physical challenges such as noise, Waibel suggests, they will also need to be socially aware to know their manners, and to address people appropriately. When I first emailed him, aware that he is a German professor and that continental traditions demand solemn respect for academic status, I erred on the side of formality and addressed him as Dear Prof Waibel. As I expected, he replied in international English mode: Hi Marek. Etiquette-sensitive artificial translators could relieve people of the need to be aware of differing cultural norms. They would facilitate interaction while reducing understanding. At the same time, they might help to preserve local customs, slowing the spread of habits associated with international English, such as its readiness to get on first-name terms. Professors and other professionals will not outsource language awareness to software, though. If the technology matures into seamless, ubiquitous artificial speech translation Babel fish, in short it will actually add value to language skills. Automated translation will deliver a commodity product: basic, practical, low-prestige information that helps people buy things or find their way around. Whether it will help people conduct their family lives or romantic relationships is open to question though one noteworthy possibility is that it could overcome the language barriers that often arise between generations after migration, leaving children and their grandparents without a shared language. Whatever uses it is put to, though, it will never be as good as the real thing. Even if voice-morphing technology simulates the speakers voice, their lip movements wont match, and they will look like they are in a dubbed movie. The contrast will underline the value of shared languages, and the value of learning them. Making the effort to learn someones language is a sign of commitment, and therefore of trustworthiness. Sharing a language can also promote a sense of belonging and community, as with the international scientists who use English as a lingua franca, where their predecessors used Latin. Immigrant shopkeepers who learn their customers language are not just making sales easier; they are showing that they wish to draw closer to their customers community, and politely asserting a place in it. When machine translation becomes a ubiquitous commodity product, human language skills will command a premium. The person who has a language in their head will always have the advantage over somebody who relies on a device, in the same way that somebody with a head for figures has the advantage over somebody who has to reach for a calculator. Though the practical need for a lingua franca will diminish, the social value of sharing one will persist. And software will never be a substitute for the subtle but vital understanding that comes with knowledge of a language. That knowledge will always be needed to pick the nuances from the noise. Marek Kohns Four Words for Friend: Why Using More Than One Language Matters Now More Than Ever is published by Yale University Press (20). To order a copy go to guardianbookshop.com or call 0330 333 6846. Free UK p&p over 15, online orders only. Phone orders min p&p of 1.99 | Technology that enables people to talk using different languages is now here. Alex Waibel, a professor of computer science at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, says the era of artificial speech translation is upon us. But he warns that we haven't reached the future yet. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/feb/17/is-the-era-of-artificial-speech-translation-upon-us | 0.585238 |
Is Baker Hughes, a GE Company a Buy? | Baker Hughes, a GE Company (NYSE: BHGE) is the amalgam of the Baker Hughes business with General Electric Company's (NYSE: GE) energy services division. The idea was to bring two industry-leading companies together to create an even better one, which hasn't exactly worked out as well as hoped on many levels. That said, 2018 witnessed a nice uptick on the top and bottom lines for Baker Hughes, but financially troubled GE is starting to sell its stake in the firm. The core business Baker Hughes is one of the largest energy services companies in the world. Its business spans across the upstream (drilling), midstream (pipeline), and downstream (processing) spaces, leading the company to describe itself as a "fullstream" company. It's a cutesy title, but pretty accurate. Two men talking in an energy processing plant More Image source: Getty Images. That said, when oil prices tanked in mid-2014, the entire energy services industry took a big hit. Projects that would get the green light at $100 per barrel oil were left on the drawing board as oil plummeted toward $30 per barrel. It was during this weak spell that GE and Baker Hughes agreed to get hitched in late 2016 (oil prices started to move up off their lows early that year). The deal was finally consummated in mid 2017, meaning the energy industry was actually starting to strengthen by the time Baker Hughes existed in its current form. However, the merger wasn't as smooth as hoped, with some industry watchers suggesting there was a culture clash that led to weak results and lost market share. Whatever the background, 2017 was another year of red ink for Baker Hughes. It wasn't until 2018 when the company started to show both revenue growth and profitability, swinging to $0.46 per share in earnings (up from a loss of $0.24 per share in 2017). Notably, the company finished the year with a bang, racking up its highest order total in three years, according to management. That's a good sign, with CEO Lorenzo Simonelli getting behind the effort by visiting in person with important customers. Although Baker Hughes acknowledges that the energy services industry can be volatile, it looks like the company is starting to get a handle on the combined business and steer it in the right direction. In fact, management believes it is finally moving beyond the early integration phase and can start to reap the benefits of its new scale and reach. There are still a lot moving parts, but if you're looking for a broadly diversified energy services company, the Baker Hughes story is starting to sound increasingly compelling. Except for one small detail... The outside force As if on cue for the business upturn, General Electric has decided that it wants to sell its stake in Baker Hughes. During the fourth quarter, the two companies worked out some of the technical details of Baker Hughes standing on its own, including how the two companies would work together in the future. But the really big issue is that General Electric is looking to take its ownership stake from 62.5% to, presumably, nothing at some point in the near future. The fourth quarter saw the first big move, here, with GE's stock sales bringing its stake in Baker Hughes down to 50.4%. | Baker Hughes is one of the largest energy services companies in the world. General Electric bought Baker Hughes in late 2016 to create an even better company. | pegasus | 0 | https://news.yahoo.com/baker-hughes-ge-company-buy-120400395.html | 0.376899 |
Is Baker Hughes, a GE Company a Buy? | Baker Hughes, a GE Company (NYSE: BHGE) is the amalgam of the Baker Hughes business with General Electric Company's (NYSE: GE) energy services division. The idea was to bring two industry-leading companies together to create an even better one, which hasn't exactly worked out as well as hoped on many levels. That said, 2018 witnessed a nice uptick on the top and bottom lines for Baker Hughes, but financially troubled GE is starting to sell its stake in the firm. The core business Baker Hughes is one of the largest energy services companies in the world. Its business spans across the upstream (drilling), midstream (pipeline), and downstream (processing) spaces, leading the company to describe itself as a "fullstream" company. It's a cutesy title, but pretty accurate. Two men talking in an energy processing plant More Image source: Getty Images. That said, when oil prices tanked in mid-2014, the entire energy services industry took a big hit. Projects that would get the green light at $100 per barrel oil were left on the drawing board as oil plummeted toward $30 per barrel. It was during this weak spell that GE and Baker Hughes agreed to get hitched in late 2016 (oil prices started to move up off their lows early that year). The deal was finally consummated in mid 2017, meaning the energy industry was actually starting to strengthen by the time Baker Hughes existed in its current form. However, the merger wasn't as smooth as hoped, with some industry watchers suggesting there was a culture clash that led to weak results and lost market share. Whatever the background, 2017 was another year of red ink for Baker Hughes. It wasn't until 2018 when the company started to show both revenue growth and profitability, swinging to $0.46 per share in earnings (up from a loss of $0.24 per share in 2017). Notably, the company finished the year with a bang, racking up its highest order total in three years, according to management. That's a good sign, with CEO Lorenzo Simonelli getting behind the effort by visiting in person with important customers. Although Baker Hughes acknowledges that the energy services industry can be volatile, it looks like the company is starting to get a handle on the combined business and steer it in the right direction. In fact, management believes it is finally moving beyond the early integration phase and can start to reap the benefits of its new scale and reach. There are still a lot moving parts, but if you're looking for a broadly diversified energy services company, the Baker Hughes story is starting to sound increasingly compelling. Except for one small detail... The outside force As if on cue for the business upturn, General Electric has decided that it wants to sell its stake in Baker Hughes. During the fourth quarter, the two companies worked out some of the technical details of Baker Hughes standing on its own, including how the two companies would work together in the future. But the really big issue is that General Electric is looking to take its ownership stake from 62.5% to, presumably, nothing at some point in the near future. The fourth quarter saw the first big move, here, with GE's stock sales bringing its stake in Baker Hughes down to 50.4%. | Baker Hughes, a GE Company is one of the largest energy services companies in the world. General Electric's energy services division bought Baker Hughes in late 2016. General Electric is now looking to sell its stake in Baker Hughes. | pegasus | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/baker-hughes-ge-company-buy-120400395.html | 0.514174 |
Why did I see smoke in my car after a collision? | I was recently involved in a head-on collision in my 2015 Honda CR-V. On impact, my seatbelts locked and I heard hissing. Looking over my left shoulder from the driver seat position there was smoke filling the car. My airbags did not deploy. The mechanic told me later that my car was warning me and the airbag was a millisecond from deployment. But that makes no sense. Why would the smoke come out if it didnt deploy. Jileen Im hoping that you just misunderstood the warning comment, as I have to believe a properly qualified technician would never suggest something so absurd. The absence of front airbag deployment indicates that the severity of the collision was not that extreme. Seat belt pretensioners are part of your vehicles complete air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS). As the accident occurred, these mechanisms employed a contained explosive charge, which moved a hidden ram and tightened and locked your seat belt. The smoke you saw was the aftermath of the pretensioner doing its job. Story continues below advertisement Im sure you were preoccupied immediately after the accident and did not notice, but your vehicle will now have its SRS warning light illuminated. Most insurance claims inspectors know to look for this when they are doing their repair estimate and will include the appropriate pretensioner repair. Call your insurance adjuster if any warning lights are illuminated after you get it back. Unfortunately, I overfilled my cars engine oil and used it to go to work and back for two days. The car still runs alright, but I can hear lately some extra small noises coming from engine when working. I will not use it any more and try to drain some oil out with a dipstick tube. Ioana If you overfilled the oil level to the point where it has reached the height of the engines rotating crankshaft, it will splash the oil, causing it to aerate, leading to eventual engine damage. As the crankshaft rotates through the oil, it will also throw it upward, toward the bottom of the pistons. The pistons rings will quickly be saturated and overwhelmed, allowing oil to migrate into the combustion chamber and be burned, resulting in heavy smoke from the tailpipe. Ceasing to drive the car was the right move. Now get out there and drain the oil to the correct level. There is nothing additional that a garage can do to save it, if it is indeed too late. However, if it was not smoking when you last drove it, this suggests that the engine may not have sustained any damage. My fingers are crossed for you. Lou Trottier is owner-operator of All About Imports in Mississauga. E-mail globedrive@globeandmail.com, placing Lous Garage in the subject line. Check out the new Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest discounts, rebates and rates on new cars, trucks and SUVs. Click here to get your price. Stay on top of all our Drive stories. We have a Drive newsletter covering car reviews, innovative new cars and the ups and downs of everyday driving. Sign up for the weekly Drive newsletter, delivered to your inbox for free. Follow us on Instagram, @globedrive. | The smoke you saw was the aftermath of the pretensioner doing its job. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/drive/technology/article-why-did-i-see-smoke-in-my-car-after-a-collision/ | 0.14048 |
Why did I see smoke in my car after a collision? | I was recently involved in a head-on collision in my 2015 Honda CR-V. On impact, my seatbelts locked and I heard hissing. Looking over my left shoulder from the driver seat position there was smoke filling the car. My airbags did not deploy. The mechanic told me later that my car was warning me and the airbag was a millisecond from deployment. But that makes no sense. Why would the smoke come out if it didnt deploy. Jileen Im hoping that you just misunderstood the warning comment, as I have to believe a properly qualified technician would never suggest something so absurd. The absence of front airbag deployment indicates that the severity of the collision was not that extreme. Seat belt pretensioners are part of your vehicles complete air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS). As the accident occurred, these mechanisms employed a contained explosive charge, which moved a hidden ram and tightened and locked your seat belt. The smoke you saw was the aftermath of the pretensioner doing its job. Story continues below advertisement Im sure you were preoccupied immediately after the accident and did not notice, but your vehicle will now have its SRS warning light illuminated. Most insurance claims inspectors know to look for this when they are doing their repair estimate and will include the appropriate pretensioner repair. Call your insurance adjuster if any warning lights are illuminated after you get it back. Unfortunately, I overfilled my cars engine oil and used it to go to work and back for two days. The car still runs alright, but I can hear lately some extra small noises coming from engine when working. I will not use it any more and try to drain some oil out with a dipstick tube. Ioana If you overfilled the oil level to the point where it has reached the height of the engines rotating crankshaft, it will splash the oil, causing it to aerate, leading to eventual engine damage. As the crankshaft rotates through the oil, it will also throw it upward, toward the bottom of the pistons. The pistons rings will quickly be saturated and overwhelmed, allowing oil to migrate into the combustion chamber and be burned, resulting in heavy smoke from the tailpipe. Ceasing to drive the car was the right move. Now get out there and drain the oil to the correct level. There is nothing additional that a garage can do to save it, if it is indeed too late. However, if it was not smoking when you last drove it, this suggests that the engine may not have sustained any damage. My fingers are crossed for you. Lou Trottier is owner-operator of All About Imports in Mississauga. E-mail globedrive@globeandmail.com, placing Lous Garage in the subject line. Check out the new Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest discounts, rebates and rates on new cars, trucks and SUVs. Click here to get your price. Stay on top of all our Drive stories. We have a Drive newsletter covering car reviews, innovative new cars and the ups and downs of everyday driving. Sign up for the weekly Drive newsletter, delivered to your inbox for free. Follow us on Instagram, @globedrive. | The smoke you saw was the aftermath of the pretensioner doing its job. If you overfilled the oil level to the point where it has reached the height of the engines rotating crankshaft, it will splash the oil. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/drive/technology/article-why-did-i-see-smoke-in-my-car-after-a-collision/ | 0.13916 |
Why did I see smoke in my car after a collision? | I was recently involved in a head-on collision in my 2015 Honda CR-V. On impact, my seatbelts locked and I heard hissing. Looking over my left shoulder from the driver seat position there was smoke filling the car. My airbags did not deploy. The mechanic told me later that my car was warning me and the airbag was a millisecond from deployment. But that makes no sense. Why would the smoke come out if it didnt deploy. Jileen Im hoping that you just misunderstood the warning comment, as I have to believe a properly qualified technician would never suggest something so absurd. The absence of front airbag deployment indicates that the severity of the collision was not that extreme. Seat belt pretensioners are part of your vehicles complete air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS). As the accident occurred, these mechanisms employed a contained explosive charge, which moved a hidden ram and tightened and locked your seat belt. The smoke you saw was the aftermath of the pretensioner doing its job. Story continues below advertisement Im sure you were preoccupied immediately after the accident and did not notice, but your vehicle will now have its SRS warning light illuminated. Most insurance claims inspectors know to look for this when they are doing their repair estimate and will include the appropriate pretensioner repair. Call your insurance adjuster if any warning lights are illuminated after you get it back. Unfortunately, I overfilled my cars engine oil and used it to go to work and back for two days. The car still runs alright, but I can hear lately some extra small noises coming from engine when working. I will not use it any more and try to drain some oil out with a dipstick tube. Ioana If you overfilled the oil level to the point where it has reached the height of the engines rotating crankshaft, it will splash the oil, causing it to aerate, leading to eventual engine damage. As the crankshaft rotates through the oil, it will also throw it upward, toward the bottom of the pistons. The pistons rings will quickly be saturated and overwhelmed, allowing oil to migrate into the combustion chamber and be burned, resulting in heavy smoke from the tailpipe. Ceasing to drive the car was the right move. Now get out there and drain the oil to the correct level. There is nothing additional that a garage can do to save it, if it is indeed too late. However, if it was not smoking when you last drove it, this suggests that the engine may not have sustained any damage. My fingers are crossed for you. Lou Trottier is owner-operator of All About Imports in Mississauga. E-mail globedrive@globeandmail.com, placing Lous Garage in the subject line. Check out the new Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest discounts, rebates and rates on new cars, trucks and SUVs. Click here to get your price. Stay on top of all our Drive stories. We have a Drive newsletter covering car reviews, innovative new cars and the ups and downs of everyday driving. Sign up for the weekly Drive newsletter, delivered to your inbox for free. Follow us on Instagram, @globedrive. | The smoke you saw was the aftermath of the pretensioner doing its job. If you overfilled the oil level to the point where it has reached the height of the engines rotating crankshaft, it will splash the oil, causing it to aerate, leading to eventual engine damage. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/drive/technology/article-why-did-i-see-smoke-in-my-car-after-a-collision/ | 0.152951 |
Could Plug Power Be a Millionaire-Maker Stock? | The last five years have not been kind to Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG). The hydrogen fuel-cell company was trading at about $10 a share in 2014, but today is trading between $1-$2 per share. Of course, that kind of a big price drop might mean that the stock is ripe to outperform. Or it might mean that the stock market has realized the company is going nowhere fast. Let's dig deeper to find out. A man drives a forklift in a warehouse More Top fuel cell company Plug Power has had its greatest success with industrial equipment. Image source: Getty Images. Stuck in a niche Once upon a time -- like, 10 years ago -- hydrogen fuel cells were seen as a leading contender for mass-producing green energy vehicles. Companies like Plug Power and Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP) have turned that potential into reality -- kind of. While fuel-cell vehicles do exist today, most of the fuel cells made by Plug Power and Ballard are used in warehouses and airplane hangars, not on highways. Fuel cell-powered forklifts make up the bulk of these. That's because fuel cells can be recharged much more quickly than batteries, so they make an attractive alternative for a piece of equipment that can cause big bottlenecks every time it's offline for a recharge. But Plug Power and Ballard don't want to be stuck in this niche market forever. Both have been working tirelessly to break into the broader vehicle market, particularly larger vehicles like delivery vans, buses, and light rail systems. If Plug Power could become a major player in this space, its share price could skyrocket and possibly even turn a modest investment into $1 million. Full of potential You may have heard Cyril Connolly's famous phrase, "Whom the gods wish to destroy, they first call promising." Although fuel cells did -- and do -- hold a lot of promise as a green fuel source, they have been utterly eclipsed by batteries in the transportation market. According to Information Trends, there were 6,500 fuel-cell vehicles on the road worldwide in 2017. But the International Energy Agency estimates there were about 3.1 million electric vehicles. And that was before Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) ramped up production of its Model 3. In spite of this, Plug Power claims that its fuel cells are more efficient than batteries, at least in forklifts. But the reasons it cites don't have anything to do with superior performance. Instead, the company states that fuel cells reduce the need for "time-costly battery changes and energy-consuming battery charges," as well as "progressive battery droop" as batteries age. But Plug Power only touts a 5% to 6% increase in productivity as a result, which doesn't seem significant enough to allow fuel cells to break batteries' stranglehold. Indeed, the biggest current advantage held by fuel-cell vehicles over battery-powered ones is the difference in the amount of time it takes to refuel/recharge. It takes about five minutes to refill a fuel-cell vehicle, in a process similar to filling up at the gas station. On the other hand, even at a Tesla Supercharger, fully charging an electric-vehicle battery takes more than an hour. | Could Plug Power be a Millionaire-Maker Stock? The hydrogen fuel-cell company was trading at about $10 a share in 2014. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://news.yahoo.com/could-plug-power-millionaire-maker-140400438.html | 0.111882 |
Could Plug Power Be a Millionaire-Maker Stock? | The last five years have not been kind to Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG). The hydrogen fuel-cell company was trading at about $10 a share in 2014, but today is trading between $1-$2 per share. Of course, that kind of a big price drop might mean that the stock is ripe to outperform. Or it might mean that the stock market has realized the company is going nowhere fast. Let's dig deeper to find out. A man drives a forklift in a warehouse More Top fuel cell company Plug Power has had its greatest success with industrial equipment. Image source: Getty Images. Stuck in a niche Once upon a time -- like, 10 years ago -- hydrogen fuel cells were seen as a leading contender for mass-producing green energy vehicles. Companies like Plug Power and Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP) have turned that potential into reality -- kind of. While fuel-cell vehicles do exist today, most of the fuel cells made by Plug Power and Ballard are used in warehouses and airplane hangars, not on highways. Fuel cell-powered forklifts make up the bulk of these. That's because fuel cells can be recharged much more quickly than batteries, so they make an attractive alternative for a piece of equipment that can cause big bottlenecks every time it's offline for a recharge. But Plug Power and Ballard don't want to be stuck in this niche market forever. Both have been working tirelessly to break into the broader vehicle market, particularly larger vehicles like delivery vans, buses, and light rail systems. If Plug Power could become a major player in this space, its share price could skyrocket and possibly even turn a modest investment into $1 million. Full of potential You may have heard Cyril Connolly's famous phrase, "Whom the gods wish to destroy, they first call promising." Although fuel cells did -- and do -- hold a lot of promise as a green fuel source, they have been utterly eclipsed by batteries in the transportation market. According to Information Trends, there were 6,500 fuel-cell vehicles on the road worldwide in 2017. But the International Energy Agency estimates there were about 3.1 million electric vehicles. And that was before Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) ramped up production of its Model 3. In spite of this, Plug Power claims that its fuel cells are more efficient than batteries, at least in forklifts. But the reasons it cites don't have anything to do with superior performance. Instead, the company states that fuel cells reduce the need for "time-costly battery changes and energy-consuming battery charges," as well as "progressive battery droop" as batteries age. But Plug Power only touts a 5% to 6% increase in productivity as a result, which doesn't seem significant enough to allow fuel cells to break batteries' stranglehold. Indeed, the biggest current advantage held by fuel-cell vehicles over battery-powered ones is the difference in the amount of time it takes to refuel/recharge. It takes about five minutes to refill a fuel-cell vehicle, in a process similar to filling up at the gas station. On the other hand, even at a Tesla Supercharger, fully charging an electric-vehicle battery takes more than an hour. | Could Plug Power be a Millionaire-Maker Stock? The hydrogen fuel-cell company was trading at about $10 a share in 2014. If Plug Power could become a major player in this space, its share price could skyrocket. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/could-plug-power-millionaire-maker-140400438.html | 0.19417 |
Could Plug Power Be a Millionaire-Maker Stock? | The last five years have not been kind to Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG). The hydrogen fuel-cell company was trading at about $10 a share in 2014, but today is trading between $1-$2 per share. Of course, that kind of a big price drop might mean that the stock is ripe to outperform. Or it might mean that the stock market has realized the company is going nowhere fast. Let's dig deeper to find out. A man drives a forklift in a warehouse More Top fuel cell company Plug Power has had its greatest success with industrial equipment. Image source: Getty Images. Stuck in a niche Once upon a time -- like, 10 years ago -- hydrogen fuel cells were seen as a leading contender for mass-producing green energy vehicles. Companies like Plug Power and Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP) have turned that potential into reality -- kind of. While fuel-cell vehicles do exist today, most of the fuel cells made by Plug Power and Ballard are used in warehouses and airplane hangars, not on highways. Fuel cell-powered forklifts make up the bulk of these. That's because fuel cells can be recharged much more quickly than batteries, so they make an attractive alternative for a piece of equipment that can cause big bottlenecks every time it's offline for a recharge. But Plug Power and Ballard don't want to be stuck in this niche market forever. Both have been working tirelessly to break into the broader vehicle market, particularly larger vehicles like delivery vans, buses, and light rail systems. If Plug Power could become a major player in this space, its share price could skyrocket and possibly even turn a modest investment into $1 million. Full of potential You may have heard Cyril Connolly's famous phrase, "Whom the gods wish to destroy, they first call promising." Although fuel cells did -- and do -- hold a lot of promise as a green fuel source, they have been utterly eclipsed by batteries in the transportation market. According to Information Trends, there were 6,500 fuel-cell vehicles on the road worldwide in 2017. But the International Energy Agency estimates there were about 3.1 million electric vehicles. And that was before Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) ramped up production of its Model 3. In spite of this, Plug Power claims that its fuel cells are more efficient than batteries, at least in forklifts. But the reasons it cites don't have anything to do with superior performance. Instead, the company states that fuel cells reduce the need for "time-costly battery changes and energy-consuming battery charges," as well as "progressive battery droop" as batteries age. But Plug Power only touts a 5% to 6% increase in productivity as a result, which doesn't seem significant enough to allow fuel cells to break batteries' stranglehold. Indeed, the biggest current advantage held by fuel-cell vehicles over battery-powered ones is the difference in the amount of time it takes to refuel/recharge. It takes about five minutes to refill a fuel-cell vehicle, in a process similar to filling up at the gas station. On the other hand, even at a Tesla Supercharger, fully charging an electric-vehicle battery takes more than an hour. | Could Plug Power be a Millionaire-Maker Stock? The hydrogen fuel-cell company was trading at about $10 a share in 2014. If Plug Power could become a major player in this space, its share price could skyrocket and possibly even turn a modest investment into $1 million. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/could-plug-power-millionaire-maker-140400438.html | 0.280582 |
Why Is Citizens Financial Group (CFG) Up 8.3% Since Last Earnings Report? | Citizens Financial Group (CFG) reported earnings 30 days ago. We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues. A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Citizens Financial Group (CFG). Shares have added about 8.3% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts. Citizens Financial Q4 Earnings Beat, Expenses Rise Citizens Financial delivered a positive earnings surprise of 4.3% in fourth-quarter 2018, riding on higher revenues. Adjusted earnings per share of 98 cents topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 94 cents. Also, the bottom line improved 38% from the prior-year quarter. The company experienced continued expansion of margins and loan growth, which aided higher revenues. Also, rise in fee income was another tailwind. However, higher expenses and provisions were the main undermining factors. After considering non-recurring items, the company reported net income of $465 million or 96 cents per share compared with $666 million or $1.35 in the year-ago quarter. For full-year 2018, adjusted earnings per share were $3.56, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.52. Further, the figure increased 38% from the prior year. Revenues & Loans Increase, Expenses Escalate For full-year 2018, the company reported revenues of $6.13 billion, up around 7.4% year over year. Yet, the revenue figure lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.14 billion. Total revenues in the quarter were $1.59 billion, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.60 billion. However, the top line was up 7.3% year over year. On an underlying basis, total revenues increased 9%. Citizens Financials net interest income increased 8% year over year to $1.17 billion. The rise was primarily attributable to average loan growth and improved margin. In addition, net interest margin expanded 14 basis points to 3.22%. Non-interest income increased 4.2% to $421 million. The rise was due to growth in card fees, letter of credit and loan fees and capital markets fees, partially offset by lower mortgage banking fees and other income. On an underlying basis, non-interest income climbed 2%. Non-interest expenses were up 6% year over year to $951 million. The increase reflects higher salary and employee benefits tied to higher revenue-based compensation, along with the impact of strategic growth initiatives. Expenses increased 2% on an adjusted basis. Efficiency ratio declined to 60% in the fourth quarter from 61% in the prior-year quarter. Generally, lower ratio is indicative of the banks improved efficiency. As of Dec 31, 2018, period-end total loan and lease balances increased nearly 2% sequentially to $116.7 billion, and total deposits grew 2% to $119.6 billion. Credit Quality: A Mixed Bag As of Dec 31, 2018, net charge-offs in the quarter increased 32% year over year to $86 million. Allowance for loan and lease losses increased 1% to $1.24 billion. Also, provision for credit losses jumped 8% to $78 million. However, total non-performing loans and leases were down 11% to $832 million. Capital Position Citizens Financial remained well capitalized in the quarter. As of Dec 31, 2018, Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio was 10.6%, down from 11.2% on an annual basis. Further, Tier 1 leverage ratio came in at 10%, flat year over year. Total Capital ratio was 13.3% compared with 13.9% in the prior-year quarter. Capital Deployment Update As part of its 2018 Capital Plan, the company repurchased 8.25 million shares of common stock during the quarter. Notably, including common stock dividends, it returned $427 million to its shareholders. Outlook First-Quarter 2019 (excluding expected notable items) The company expects 1% sequential average loan growth, given strong commercial lending pipelines and solid growth in education and retail unsecured. NIM is expected to remain stable on a sequential basis on the back of higher interest rates and benefit from balance sheet optimization strategies. Noninterest income is expected to be broadly stable as a rebound in capital market fees is likely to offset seasonal impacts. | Citizens Financial Group (CFG) reported earnings 30 days ago. Shares have added about 8.3% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. Citizens Financial delivered a positive earnings surprise of 4.3%. The company experienced continued expansion of margins and loan growth. | bart | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/why-citizens-financial-group-cfg-143002876.html | 0.483571 |
Why Is Schlumberger (SLB) Up 8.7% Since Last Earnings Report? | Schlumberger (SLB) reported earnings 30 days ago. We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues. A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Schlumberger (SLB). Shares have added about 8.7% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts. Schlumberger Posts In-Line Earnings in Q4, Decline Y/Y Schlumberger Limiteds fourth-quarter 2018 earnings of 36 cents per share (excluding charges and credits) were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The bottom line, however, declined from 48 cents a year ago. The oilfield service giant logged total revenues of $8,180 million, flat year over year. The top line, however, beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8,062 million. The improvement in drilling business on higher mobilized rigs for integrated projects, rise in sales of SIS software in international markets and increased activities associated with Testing Services in Oman, United Arab Emirates and Qatar aided the companys fourth-quarter results. The positives were partially offset by the fall in OneStim revenues from the North American land market. Segmental Performance Reservoir Characterization and Drilling units registered a year-over-year increase in revenues while the Production segment reported a decline. Increased sales of SIS software in India, Russia, Vietnam and China aided the Reservoir Characterization segment. Improved activities related to Testing Services in Oman, United Arab Emirates and Qatar also led to the improvement. However, lower Wireline activity in Russia partially offset the units results. Mobilization of higher drilling rigs for several integrated drilling developments in Argentina, China, India and Norway backed the Drilling segment. Lower activities in Northern Hemisphere have offset the results partially. Decline in OneStim revenues from the land market of North American hurt the Production segment. The waning in revenues related to well services in the Argentina also led to the deterioration. Revenues at the Reservoir Characterization unit totaled $1,651 million, marginally higher than $1,640 million a year ago. Pre-tax operating income increased nominally to $364 million from $359 million in fourth-quarter 2017. Revenues at the Drilling unit summed $2,461 million, up 13% year over year. Pre-tax operating income was $318 million, flat year over year. Revenues at the Production segment declined 5% from the year-earlier quarter to $2,936 million. Moreover, pre-tax operating income fell 37% year over year to $198 million. Revenues at the Cameron segment amounted to $1,265 million, down 11% year over year. Pre-tax operating income dropped 37% from the prior-year quarters $127 million. Financials As of Dec 31, 2018, the company had approximately $2,777 million in cash and short-term investments plus $14,644 million in long-term debt. This represents a debt-to-capitalization ratio of 30.5%. Through the October-to-December quarter, 2.1 million stocks were repurchased by the oilfield services player. Outlook Schlumberger believes oil prices will recover gradually through 2019. However, the volatility in the commodity price has convinced explorers and producers to spend conservatively, added the company. In other words, a customers emphasis on free cash flow rather than capital spending owing to oil price volatility has made the outlook for onshore North American drilling and production businesses uncertain, said Schlumberger. In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in fresh estimates. The consensus estimate has shifted -5.86% due to these changes. VGM Scores Currently, Schlumberger has a subpar Growth Score of D, however its Momentum Score is doing a bit better with a C. Following the exact same course, the stock was allocated a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of D. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. | Schlumberger (SLB) reported earnings 30 days ago. Shares have added about 8.7% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. Schlumberger believes oil prices will recover gradually through 2019. However, the volatility in the commodity price has convinced explorers and producers to spend conservatively. | bart | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/why-schlumberger-slb-8-7-143002057.html | 0.261654 |
Why Is SunTrust (STI) Up 12.2% Since Last Earnings Report? | A month has gone by since the last earnings report for SunTrust (STI). Shares have added about 12.2% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. SunTrust Q4 Earnings Top as Revenues Rise, Costs Fall SunTrusts fourth-quarter 2018 adjusted earnings of $1.50 per share outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.40. However, the figure compared favorably with the prior-year quarters adjusted earnings of $1.09. Results were driven by rise in net interest income and lower expenses. The balance sheet position also remained strong during the quarter with improvement in loans and deposits. However, a decline in non-interest income and higher credit costs were the undermining factors. After certain non-recurring items, net income available to common shareholders for the quarter was $632 million or $1.40 per share, down from $710 million or $1.48 per share in the prior-year quarter. In 2018, earnings of $5.74 per share increased 40% relative to 2017 adjusted earnings. Net income available to common shareholders (GAAP basis) was $2.67 billion, up 22% from the prior year. Revenues Improve, Costs Decline Total revenues for the reported quarter were $2.37 billion, up 4% year over year. Also, the figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.35 billion. In 2018, total revenues of $9.21 billion grew 3%. Further, the figure surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.19 billion. Net interest income increased 8% year over year to $1.55 billion. Net interest margin (FTE basis) was up 10 basis points (bps) to 3.27%. Non-interest income was $818 million, down 2% from the prior-year quarter. The fall was mainly due to lower trading income, mortgage-production related income and other non-interest income. Non-interest expenses decreased 3% from the year-ago quarter to $1.48 billion. The fall was primarily due to a lower marketing and customer development costs, and regulatory assessments expenses. Credit Quality: Mixed Bag Total non-performing assets were $589 million as of Dec 31, 2018, down 21% from the prior-year-quarter end. Non-performing loans to total loans held for investment decreased 26 bps year over year to 0.26%. Further, the rate of net charge-offs to total average loans held for investment decreased 3 bps to 0.26%. However, provision for credit losses rose 20% from the year-ago quarter to $89 million. Strong Balance Sheet As of Dec 31, 2018, SunTrust had total assets of $215.5 billion while shareholders equity was $24.2 billion, representing 11% of total assets. As of Dec 31, 2018, loans held for investments were $151.84 billion, up 3% from the prior-quarter end. Total consumer and commercial deposits grew 1% from the prior quarter to $161.54 billion. SunTrusts estimated common equity Tier 1 ratio under Basel III was 9.21% as of Dec 31, 2018. Share Repurchase During the reported quarter, the company bought back shares worth $750 million. Outlook The company expects NIM in first-quarter 2019 to remain unchanged on a sequential basis. Beyond this, NIM will depend on the rate environment, loan growth and funding cost. Notably, two fewer days in the quarter will hurt NII by roughly $20 million. Core personnel expenses will likely increase nearly $60-$75 million in the first quarter, due to the typical seasonal increase in benefits and FICA cost. Management expects NCO ratio to be 25-30 bps in 2019. Provisions are expected to modestly exceed NCOs given the loan growth, with quarterly variability. In 2019, the company expects effective tax rate on a reported basis to be 19%, and between 20% and 21% on a FTE basis. The company targets to achieve tangible efficiency ratio of 56-58% over the medium term. In the past month, investors have witnessed an upward trend in fresh estimates. VGM Scores At this time, SunTrust has an average Growth Score of C, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock was allocated a grade of B on the value side, putting it in the second quintile for this investment strategy. | Shares of SunTrust (STI) have added about 12.2% since the last earnings report. SunTrust Q4 Earnings Top as Revenues Rise, Costs Decline. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/why-suntrust-sti-12-2-143002820.html | 0.423579 |
Why Is SunTrust (STI) Up 12.2% Since Last Earnings Report? | A month has gone by since the last earnings report for SunTrust (STI). Shares have added about 12.2% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. SunTrust Q4 Earnings Top as Revenues Rise, Costs Fall SunTrusts fourth-quarter 2018 adjusted earnings of $1.50 per share outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.40. However, the figure compared favorably with the prior-year quarters adjusted earnings of $1.09. Results were driven by rise in net interest income and lower expenses. The balance sheet position also remained strong during the quarter with improvement in loans and deposits. However, a decline in non-interest income and higher credit costs were the undermining factors. After certain non-recurring items, net income available to common shareholders for the quarter was $632 million or $1.40 per share, down from $710 million or $1.48 per share in the prior-year quarter. In 2018, earnings of $5.74 per share increased 40% relative to 2017 adjusted earnings. Net income available to common shareholders (GAAP basis) was $2.67 billion, up 22% from the prior year. Revenues Improve, Costs Decline Total revenues for the reported quarter were $2.37 billion, up 4% year over year. Also, the figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.35 billion. In 2018, total revenues of $9.21 billion grew 3%. Further, the figure surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.19 billion. Net interest income increased 8% year over year to $1.55 billion. Net interest margin (FTE basis) was up 10 basis points (bps) to 3.27%. Non-interest income was $818 million, down 2% from the prior-year quarter. The fall was mainly due to lower trading income, mortgage-production related income and other non-interest income. Non-interest expenses decreased 3% from the year-ago quarter to $1.48 billion. The fall was primarily due to a lower marketing and customer development costs, and regulatory assessments expenses. Credit Quality: Mixed Bag Total non-performing assets were $589 million as of Dec 31, 2018, down 21% from the prior-year-quarter end. Non-performing loans to total loans held for investment decreased 26 bps year over year to 0.26%. Further, the rate of net charge-offs to total average loans held for investment decreased 3 bps to 0.26%. However, provision for credit losses rose 20% from the year-ago quarter to $89 million. Strong Balance Sheet As of Dec 31, 2018, SunTrust had total assets of $215.5 billion while shareholders equity was $24.2 billion, representing 11% of total assets. As of Dec 31, 2018, loans held for investments were $151.84 billion, up 3% from the prior-quarter end. Total consumer and commercial deposits grew 1% from the prior quarter to $161.54 billion. SunTrusts estimated common equity Tier 1 ratio under Basel III was 9.21% as of Dec 31, 2018. Share Repurchase During the reported quarter, the company bought back shares worth $750 million. Outlook The company expects NIM in first-quarter 2019 to remain unchanged on a sequential basis. Beyond this, NIM will depend on the rate environment, loan growth and funding cost. Notably, two fewer days in the quarter will hurt NII by roughly $20 million. Core personnel expenses will likely increase nearly $60-$75 million in the first quarter, due to the typical seasonal increase in benefits and FICA cost. Management expects NCO ratio to be 25-30 bps in 2019. Provisions are expected to modestly exceed NCOs given the loan growth, with quarterly variability. In 2019, the company expects effective tax rate on a reported basis to be 19%, and between 20% and 21% on a FTE basis. The company targets to achieve tangible efficiency ratio of 56-58% over the medium term. In the past month, investors have witnessed an upward trend in fresh estimates. VGM Scores At this time, SunTrust has an average Growth Score of C, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock was allocated a grade of B on the value side, putting it in the second quintile for this investment strategy. | Shares of SunTrust (STI) have added about 12.2% since the last earnings report. SunTrust's fourth-quarter 2018 adjusted earnings of $1.50 per share outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $ 1.40. The balance sheet position also remained strong during the quarter with improvement in loans and deposits. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/why-suntrust-sti-12-2-143002820.html | 0.425558 |
Why Is V.F. (VFC) Up 18.6% Since Last Earnings Report? | A month has gone by since the last earnings report for V.F. (VFC). Shares have added about 18.6% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is V.F. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. V.F. Corp Q3 Earnings & Sales Beat Estimates, View Up V.F. Corp posted strong third-quarter fiscal 2019 results, wherein both the top and bottom line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate and improved year over year. With this, the company delivered its sixth bottom-line beat in the last seven quarters. Results were mainly driven by gains from robust trends at its core brands (Vans and The North Face). The company also witnessed solid growth at its international and direct-to-consumer businesses as well as strength across most of its segments. As a result, management raised its outlook for fiscal 2019. The companys adjusted earnings per share of $1.31 from continuing operations improved 30% year over year, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.09. Earnings included 1 percentage point contribution from acquisitions, net of divestitures. On a constant-dollar basis, adjusted earnings rose 31%. V.F. Corp generated net revenues of $3,940.2 million, which increased about 8% year over year and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,874 million. Constant-dollar revenues jumped 10%. Excluding the impact of acquisitions net of divestitures, revenues improved 7% and 9% at constant currency. Revenue growth can be attributed to continued strength in the companys largest brands, international and direct-to-customer businesses along with robust Active, Outdoor and Work segments. Adjusted gross margin rose 60 basis points (bps) year over year to 52.2% backed by favorable mix-shift toward high-margin businesses. Adjusted operating income rose 30% to $656 million and adjusted operating margin expanded 270 bps to 16.6%. Notably, adjusted operating income included a $7-million contribution from acquisitions net of divestitures. Excluding acquisitions net of divestitures, adjusted operating margin rose 280 bps to 16.8%. Segmental Details Revenues at the Active segment grew 16% to $1,142.6 million (up 18% on a constant-dollar basis). The improvement was driven by a 25% (27% in constant dollars) increase in revenues for the Vans brand. The Outdoor segment reported revenues of $1,612.6 million, which improved 11% year over year (up 12% in constant dollars). The segments revenues benefited from a 14% rise (up 16% in constant dollars) in The North Face brand as well as a 4 percentage point contribution from acquisitions. Revenues at the Work segment rose 2% and 3% at constant currency, to roughly $493.6 million. The Jeans segment reported revenues of $657.9 million, reflecting a decrease of 5% year over year (and 3% on a constant-dollar basis). Other revenues rose 1% to $33.5 million on both reported and constant-dollar basis. Financial Details V.F. Corp ended the fiscal third quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $535.3 million, long-term debt of $2,135.2 million and shareholders equity of $4,300.6 million. In the first nine months (ended Dec 29, 2018), the company generated cash from operating activities of $1,436.7 million. Further, management announced a quarterly dividend of 51 cents per share, which is payable Mar 18, 2019, to its shareholders of record as of Mar 8. As of the quarter-end, the company had $3.8 billion remaining under its existing share repurchase authorization. Outlook Following robust fiscal third-quarter results, the company raised its earnings and sales view for fiscal 2019. V.F. Corp now expects revenues to be a minimum of $13.8 billion, which represents a 12% and 13% growth at constant currency. Earlier, the company anticipated revenues of at least $13.7 billion, up 11% from the year-ago period. On a segmental basis, the company expects revenue growth of 8% for Outdoor, 16% for Active, 39% for Work segments. However, it projects revenues to dip 3% at its Jeans division. At its International business, V.F. Corp expects revenues to grow 10-11% and 13% at constant currency. Revenues for the direct-to-consumer business are expected to increase 13% and 14% at a constant-dollar basis. The company still estimates digital revenue growth of above 30%. While adjusted gross margin is still anticipated to be about 51%, adjusted operating margin is now expected to expand 90 bps to 13.6% versus prior guidance of 80-bps increase to 13.5%. Management now envisions adjusted earnings per share of $3.73, mirroring growth of 19% year over year and 20% at constant currency. Markedly, this guidance includes an additional $45 million or 9 cents per share from incremental investment. Earlier, it projected adjusted earnings per share of $3.65. Further, V.F. Corp still expects cash flow from operations to be approximately $1.8 billion in fiscal 2019. The effective tax rate is expected to be 16%. Moreover, capital expenditures are estimated to be roughly $275 million for the fiscal year. | Shares of V.F. Corp (VFC) have added about 18.6% since the last earnings report. The company delivered its sixth bottom-line beat in the last seven quarters. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/why-v-f-vfc-18-143002871.html | 0.372166 |
Why Is V.F. (VFC) Up 18.6% Since Last Earnings Report? | A month has gone by since the last earnings report for V.F. (VFC). Shares have added about 18.6% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is V.F. Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. V.F. Corp Q3 Earnings & Sales Beat Estimates, View Up V.F. Corp posted strong third-quarter fiscal 2019 results, wherein both the top and bottom line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate and improved year over year. With this, the company delivered its sixth bottom-line beat in the last seven quarters. Results were mainly driven by gains from robust trends at its core brands (Vans and The North Face). The company also witnessed solid growth at its international and direct-to-consumer businesses as well as strength across most of its segments. As a result, management raised its outlook for fiscal 2019. The companys adjusted earnings per share of $1.31 from continuing operations improved 30% year over year, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.09. Earnings included 1 percentage point contribution from acquisitions, net of divestitures. On a constant-dollar basis, adjusted earnings rose 31%. V.F. Corp generated net revenues of $3,940.2 million, which increased about 8% year over year and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,874 million. Constant-dollar revenues jumped 10%. Excluding the impact of acquisitions net of divestitures, revenues improved 7% and 9% at constant currency. Revenue growth can be attributed to continued strength in the companys largest brands, international and direct-to-customer businesses along with robust Active, Outdoor and Work segments. Adjusted gross margin rose 60 basis points (bps) year over year to 52.2% backed by favorable mix-shift toward high-margin businesses. Adjusted operating income rose 30% to $656 million and adjusted operating margin expanded 270 bps to 16.6%. Notably, adjusted operating income included a $7-million contribution from acquisitions net of divestitures. Excluding acquisitions net of divestitures, adjusted operating margin rose 280 bps to 16.8%. Segmental Details Revenues at the Active segment grew 16% to $1,142.6 million (up 18% on a constant-dollar basis). The improvement was driven by a 25% (27% in constant dollars) increase in revenues for the Vans brand. The Outdoor segment reported revenues of $1,612.6 million, which improved 11% year over year (up 12% in constant dollars). The segments revenues benefited from a 14% rise (up 16% in constant dollars) in The North Face brand as well as a 4 percentage point contribution from acquisitions. Revenues at the Work segment rose 2% and 3% at constant currency, to roughly $493.6 million. The Jeans segment reported revenues of $657.9 million, reflecting a decrease of 5% year over year (and 3% on a constant-dollar basis). Other revenues rose 1% to $33.5 million on both reported and constant-dollar basis. Financial Details V.F. Corp ended the fiscal third quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $535.3 million, long-term debt of $2,135.2 million and shareholders equity of $4,300.6 million. In the first nine months (ended Dec 29, 2018), the company generated cash from operating activities of $1,436.7 million. Further, management announced a quarterly dividend of 51 cents per share, which is payable Mar 18, 2019, to its shareholders of record as of Mar 8. As of the quarter-end, the company had $3.8 billion remaining under its existing share repurchase authorization. Outlook Following robust fiscal third-quarter results, the company raised its earnings and sales view for fiscal 2019. V.F. Corp now expects revenues to be a minimum of $13.8 billion, which represents a 12% and 13% growth at constant currency. Earlier, the company anticipated revenues of at least $13.7 billion, up 11% from the year-ago period. On a segmental basis, the company expects revenue growth of 8% for Outdoor, 16% for Active, 39% for Work segments. However, it projects revenues to dip 3% at its Jeans division. At its International business, V.F. Corp expects revenues to grow 10-11% and 13% at constant currency. Revenues for the direct-to-consumer business are expected to increase 13% and 14% at a constant-dollar basis. The company still estimates digital revenue growth of above 30%. While adjusted gross margin is still anticipated to be about 51%, adjusted operating margin is now expected to expand 90 bps to 13.6% versus prior guidance of 80-bps increase to 13.5%. Management now envisions adjusted earnings per share of $3.73, mirroring growth of 19% year over year and 20% at constant currency. Markedly, this guidance includes an additional $45 million or 9 cents per share from incremental investment. Earlier, it projected adjusted earnings per share of $3.65. Further, V.F. Corp still expects cash flow from operations to be approximately $1.8 billion in fiscal 2019. The effective tax rate is expected to be 16%. Moreover, capital expenditures are estimated to be roughly $275 million for the fiscal year. | Shares of V.F. Corp (VFC) have added about 18.6% since the last earnings report. The company posted strong third-quarter fiscal 2019 results, wherein both the top and bottom line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate and improved year over year. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/why-v-f-vfc-18-143002871.html | 0.592879 |
What's The Deal With Anthem's Bizarre Roadblock Tombs Quest? | Ive been splitting time on Anthem between my fully unlock PC version and my 10 hour trial on Xbox One, and now Ive arrived at the same point in both of them. Something that Ive heard some players describe as The Wall. That would be a specific main story quest that has you open four different tombs around the open world. Seems easy enough, presumably you open a tomb, fight some baddies that got there first, and move on. But thats not what it is at all. Rather, the Tombs quest is a wild departure from every mission that came before it, and you soon learn that its a laundry list of busywork that seems to arrive and stop the place of the story in its tracks. Theres a checklist of sixteen items, four per tomb, that you have to do to unlock each, and when you do unlock them, youre done, there are no fights inside. The list is as follows: Tomb of Artinia: 5 world events, 30 weapon defeats, 15 weak point defeats, 9 elite defeats Tomb of Cariff: 3 missions, 30 gear defeats, 15 combos, 3 multikills Tomb Gawnes: 50 melee defeats, 50 ultimate defeats, 3 legendary defeats Tomb of Yvena: 15 chests, 25 harvests, 3 javelins repaired, 10 collectibles It is not retroactive, so it only starts keeping track once you have activated the quest. It would seem that the list here is meant to introduce you to freeplay through the main story, but in a very, very roundabout and awkward way, and I have seen more players complain about this quest than I have any other, as even if you do nothing but grind for these specific challenges, at the very least this will probably take you about two hours to get past. I sure aint gonna beat it before my Xbox trial is over, thats for sure. Other than just beinga ton of busywork, there are specific problems with some of these: Chests, when opened by a teammate in a world event or stronghold, do not count. YOU have to open them yourself (BioWare confirms to me this is being fixed) Multikills dont seem to count, but thats because people dont understand what counts as a multikill. Its eight kills with a ten second timer in between each kills that resets when you get a new one. And again, I think its you that has to personally kill all eight, so this is hard to get in a group. For me personally, I have zero javelin revives logged because Ive been playing the campaign on normal and no one ever dies. Seems wrong. Most people will start at 0/10 collectibles without knowing what collectibles are at all. You find them randomly in the world in freeplay, so you just sort of have to search everywhere for them but the game doesnt tell you this at all. The game also has no tutorial system at all for combos, which seems bizarre to me considering how essential it is to combat. This entire questline is justa bad idea, and I understand why its getting so much grief. Bad. If they wanted to introduce freeplay, I get that, but like, make the whole thing do five world events which would have accomplished the same thing. You dont need 15 other items on a checklist after that. I dont know if its too late to change this quest before official launch on the 22nd, but if theres a way, I think its probably in the best interest of Anthem to do so. | The Tombs quest is a wild departure from every mission that came before it. | bart | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2019/02/17/whats-the-deal-with-anthems-bizarre-roadblock-tombs-quest/ | 0.10464 |
What's The Deal With Anthem's Bizarre Roadblock Tombs Quest? | Ive been splitting time on Anthem between my fully unlock PC version and my 10 hour trial on Xbox One, and now Ive arrived at the same point in both of them. Something that Ive heard some players describe as The Wall. That would be a specific main story quest that has you open four different tombs around the open world. Seems easy enough, presumably you open a tomb, fight some baddies that got there first, and move on. But thats not what it is at all. Rather, the Tombs quest is a wild departure from every mission that came before it, and you soon learn that its a laundry list of busywork that seems to arrive and stop the place of the story in its tracks. Theres a checklist of sixteen items, four per tomb, that you have to do to unlock each, and when you do unlock them, youre done, there are no fights inside. The list is as follows: Tomb of Artinia: 5 world events, 30 weapon defeats, 15 weak point defeats, 9 elite defeats Tomb of Cariff: 3 missions, 30 gear defeats, 15 combos, 3 multikills Tomb Gawnes: 50 melee defeats, 50 ultimate defeats, 3 legendary defeats Tomb of Yvena: 15 chests, 25 harvests, 3 javelins repaired, 10 collectibles It is not retroactive, so it only starts keeping track once you have activated the quest. It would seem that the list here is meant to introduce you to freeplay through the main story, but in a very, very roundabout and awkward way, and I have seen more players complain about this quest than I have any other, as even if you do nothing but grind for these specific challenges, at the very least this will probably take you about two hours to get past. I sure aint gonna beat it before my Xbox trial is over, thats for sure. Other than just beinga ton of busywork, there are specific problems with some of these: Chests, when opened by a teammate in a world event or stronghold, do not count. YOU have to open them yourself (BioWare confirms to me this is being fixed) Multikills dont seem to count, but thats because people dont understand what counts as a multikill. Its eight kills with a ten second timer in between each kills that resets when you get a new one. And again, I think its you that has to personally kill all eight, so this is hard to get in a group. For me personally, I have zero javelin revives logged because Ive been playing the campaign on normal and no one ever dies. Seems wrong. Most people will start at 0/10 collectibles without knowing what collectibles are at all. You find them randomly in the world in freeplay, so you just sort of have to search everywhere for them but the game doesnt tell you this at all. The game also has no tutorial system at all for combos, which seems bizarre to me considering how essential it is to combat. This entire questline is justa bad idea, and I understand why its getting so much grief. Bad. If they wanted to introduce freeplay, I get that, but like, make the whole thing do five world events which would have accomplished the same thing. You dont need 15 other items on a checklist after that. I dont know if its too late to change this quest before official launch on the 22nd, but if theres a way, I think its probably in the best interest of Anthem to do so. | The Tombs quest is a wild departure from every mission that came before it. Chests, when opened by a teammate in a world event or stronghold, do not count. | bart | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2019/02/17/whats-the-deal-with-anthems-bizarre-roadblock-tombs-quest/ | 0.13372 |
What's The Deal With Anthem's Bizarre Roadblock Tombs Quest? | Ive been splitting time on Anthem between my fully unlock PC version and my 10 hour trial on Xbox One, and now Ive arrived at the same point in both of them. Something that Ive heard some players describe as The Wall. That would be a specific main story quest that has you open four different tombs around the open world. Seems easy enough, presumably you open a tomb, fight some baddies that got there first, and move on. But thats not what it is at all. Rather, the Tombs quest is a wild departure from every mission that came before it, and you soon learn that its a laundry list of busywork that seems to arrive and stop the place of the story in its tracks. Theres a checklist of sixteen items, four per tomb, that you have to do to unlock each, and when you do unlock them, youre done, there are no fights inside. The list is as follows: Tomb of Artinia: 5 world events, 30 weapon defeats, 15 weak point defeats, 9 elite defeats Tomb of Cariff: 3 missions, 30 gear defeats, 15 combos, 3 multikills Tomb Gawnes: 50 melee defeats, 50 ultimate defeats, 3 legendary defeats Tomb of Yvena: 15 chests, 25 harvests, 3 javelins repaired, 10 collectibles It is not retroactive, so it only starts keeping track once you have activated the quest. It would seem that the list here is meant to introduce you to freeplay through the main story, but in a very, very roundabout and awkward way, and I have seen more players complain about this quest than I have any other, as even if you do nothing but grind for these specific challenges, at the very least this will probably take you about two hours to get past. I sure aint gonna beat it before my Xbox trial is over, thats for sure. Other than just beinga ton of busywork, there are specific problems with some of these: Chests, when opened by a teammate in a world event or stronghold, do not count. YOU have to open them yourself (BioWare confirms to me this is being fixed) Multikills dont seem to count, but thats because people dont understand what counts as a multikill. Its eight kills with a ten second timer in between each kills that resets when you get a new one. And again, I think its you that has to personally kill all eight, so this is hard to get in a group. For me personally, I have zero javelin revives logged because Ive been playing the campaign on normal and no one ever dies. Seems wrong. Most people will start at 0/10 collectibles without knowing what collectibles are at all. You find them randomly in the world in freeplay, so you just sort of have to search everywhere for them but the game doesnt tell you this at all. The game also has no tutorial system at all for combos, which seems bizarre to me considering how essential it is to combat. This entire questline is justa bad idea, and I understand why its getting so much grief. Bad. If they wanted to introduce freeplay, I get that, but like, make the whole thing do five world events which would have accomplished the same thing. You dont need 15 other items on a checklist after that. I dont know if its too late to change this quest before official launch on the 22nd, but if theres a way, I think its probably in the best interest of Anthem to do so. | The Tombs quest is a wild departure from every mission that came before it, and you soon learn that its a laundry list of busywork that seems to arrive and stop the place of the story in its tracks. The game also has no tutorial system at all for combos, which seems bizarre to me considering how essential it is to combat. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2019/02/17/whats-the-deal-with-anthems-bizarre-roadblock-tombs-quest/ | 0.163567 |
Does Apple Have Something Big Planned for March? | Another day, another rumor about Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL). While it's all part of being an Apple investor, sometimes there's more to the stories than just idle gossip. It can be particularly intriguing when several reports coalesce to something that's more than the sum of their parts, suggesting that there might be some underlying truth in the tales. That's precisely what's happening right now. While we haven't had any official confirmation from Apple, it seems there might be a big announcement coming in March. The timing wouldn't be out of character for the iPhone maker, as the company has often scheduled product debuts in that month. The landing screen for Apple TV showing numerous viewing options. More Image source: Apple. CEO Tim Cook recently signaled that new services will debut this year: On services, you will see us announce new services this year. There will [be] more things coming. I don't want to tell you about what they are and I'm not going to forecast precisely... But they're things that we feel really great about, that we've been working on for multiple years. A recent report by Buzzfeed, citing unnamed sources, says that Apple is planning a big announcement at the Steve Jobs Theater on its Apple Park campus on March 25. Those same sources "described the event as subscription-services focused," according to the report. With a tentative date penciled in, here are a few possibilities for Apple's big reveal. The long-awaited subscription news service There have been multiple accounts that a subscription service for news buffs is in the offing, which The Wall Street Journal is calling "Netflix for news." The service would provide unlimited access to content from a number of participating publishers for one monthly subscription price. Negotiations are ongoing, and some content providers have bristled at Apple's proposed 50% cut of subscription revenue, which could impact the timing of the launch. The remaining revenue would be divided pro rata among the publishers, allocated on the basis of how much time users spent on each provider's articles. The rumored price for the service is $10 per month. The much-ballyhooed video streaming service In late 2011, Steve Jobs told his biographer that he had "cracked" the code for television. Since then, rumors of an Apple television offering have been ever-present, the current Apple TV product notwithstanding. Over the past couple of years, Apple has made no secret of its original content ambitions. After humble early attempts like Planet of the Apps and Carpool Karaoke: The Series, the company reportedly budgeted more than $1 billion for original movies and television series. The amount of star power behind the reports includes big names like Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, J.J. Abrams, and M. Night Shyamalan. Still, even as these projects have progressed, many have wondered aloud what Apple's endgame might be. The widely-reported answer is that Apple plans to launch a global steaming video service, which could debut in April. In addition to its original content, sources say Apple will offer subscriptions to high-profile cable channels like HBO, Showtime, and Starz. The service would debut first in the U.S. and roll out globally thereafter. | Report: Apple is planning a big announcement on March 25. A subscription news service and video streaming service are among the possibilities. | pegasus | 0 | https://news.yahoo.com/does-apple-something-big-planned-190600419.html | 0.404497 |
Does Apple Have Something Big Planned for March? | Another day, another rumor about Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL). While it's all part of being an Apple investor, sometimes there's more to the stories than just idle gossip. It can be particularly intriguing when several reports coalesce to something that's more than the sum of their parts, suggesting that there might be some underlying truth in the tales. That's precisely what's happening right now. While we haven't had any official confirmation from Apple, it seems there might be a big announcement coming in March. The timing wouldn't be out of character for the iPhone maker, as the company has often scheduled product debuts in that month. The landing screen for Apple TV showing numerous viewing options. More Image source: Apple. CEO Tim Cook recently signaled that new services will debut this year: On services, you will see us announce new services this year. There will [be] more things coming. I don't want to tell you about what they are and I'm not going to forecast precisely... But they're things that we feel really great about, that we've been working on for multiple years. A recent report by Buzzfeed, citing unnamed sources, says that Apple is planning a big announcement at the Steve Jobs Theater on its Apple Park campus on March 25. Those same sources "described the event as subscription-services focused," according to the report. With a tentative date penciled in, here are a few possibilities for Apple's big reveal. The long-awaited subscription news service There have been multiple accounts that a subscription service for news buffs is in the offing, which The Wall Street Journal is calling "Netflix for news." The service would provide unlimited access to content from a number of participating publishers for one monthly subscription price. Negotiations are ongoing, and some content providers have bristled at Apple's proposed 50% cut of subscription revenue, which could impact the timing of the launch. The remaining revenue would be divided pro rata among the publishers, allocated on the basis of how much time users spent on each provider's articles. The rumored price for the service is $10 per month. The much-ballyhooed video streaming service In late 2011, Steve Jobs told his biographer that he had "cracked" the code for television. Since then, rumors of an Apple television offering have been ever-present, the current Apple TV product notwithstanding. Over the past couple of years, Apple has made no secret of its original content ambitions. After humble early attempts like Planet of the Apps and Carpool Karaoke: The Series, the company reportedly budgeted more than $1 billion for original movies and television series. The amount of star power behind the reports includes big names like Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, J.J. Abrams, and M. Night Shyamalan. Still, even as these projects have progressed, many have wondered aloud what Apple's endgame might be. The widely-reported answer is that Apple plans to launch a global steaming video service, which could debut in April. In addition to its original content, sources say Apple will offer subscriptions to high-profile cable channels like HBO, Showtime, and Starz. The service would debut first in the U.S. and roll out globally thereafter. | Report: Apple is planning a big announcement on March 25. A subscription news service and video streaming service are among the possibilities. CEO Tim Cook has signaled that new services will debut this year. | pegasus | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/does-apple-something-big-planned-190600419.html | 0.489305 |
Does Apple Have Something Big Planned for March? | Another day, another rumor about Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL). While it's all part of being an Apple investor, sometimes there's more to the stories than just idle gossip. It can be particularly intriguing when several reports coalesce to something that's more than the sum of their parts, suggesting that there might be some underlying truth in the tales. That's precisely what's happening right now. While we haven't had any official confirmation from Apple, it seems there might be a big announcement coming in March. The timing wouldn't be out of character for the iPhone maker, as the company has often scheduled product debuts in that month. The landing screen for Apple TV showing numerous viewing options. More Image source: Apple. CEO Tim Cook recently signaled that new services will debut this year: On services, you will see us announce new services this year. There will [be] more things coming. I don't want to tell you about what they are and I'm not going to forecast precisely... But they're things that we feel really great about, that we've been working on for multiple years. A recent report by Buzzfeed, citing unnamed sources, says that Apple is planning a big announcement at the Steve Jobs Theater on its Apple Park campus on March 25. Those same sources "described the event as subscription-services focused," according to the report. With a tentative date penciled in, here are a few possibilities for Apple's big reveal. The long-awaited subscription news service There have been multiple accounts that a subscription service for news buffs is in the offing, which The Wall Street Journal is calling "Netflix for news." The service would provide unlimited access to content from a number of participating publishers for one monthly subscription price. Negotiations are ongoing, and some content providers have bristled at Apple's proposed 50% cut of subscription revenue, which could impact the timing of the launch. The remaining revenue would be divided pro rata among the publishers, allocated on the basis of how much time users spent on each provider's articles. The rumored price for the service is $10 per month. The much-ballyhooed video streaming service In late 2011, Steve Jobs told his biographer that he had "cracked" the code for television. Since then, rumors of an Apple television offering have been ever-present, the current Apple TV product notwithstanding. Over the past couple of years, Apple has made no secret of its original content ambitions. After humble early attempts like Planet of the Apps and Carpool Karaoke: The Series, the company reportedly budgeted more than $1 billion for original movies and television series. The amount of star power behind the reports includes big names like Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, J.J. Abrams, and M. Night Shyamalan. Still, even as these projects have progressed, many have wondered aloud what Apple's endgame might be. The widely-reported answer is that Apple plans to launch a global steaming video service, which could debut in April. In addition to its original content, sources say Apple will offer subscriptions to high-profile cable channels like HBO, Showtime, and Starz. The service would debut first in the U.S. and roll out globally thereafter. | Reports say Apple is planning a big announcement for March 25. CEO Tim Cook recently signaled that new services will debut this year. There are a few possibilities for Apple's big reveal, including a subscription news service and a video streaming service. The timing wouldn't be out of character for Apple, as the company has often scheduled product debuts in that month. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/does-apple-something-big-planned-190600419.html | 0.483352 |
Is Colin Kaepernick collusion settlement a win over NFL? | One of the most polarizing topics in sports and culture over the past three years reached a notable tipping point Friday, when it was announced the NFL was settling with Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid over their collusion case alleging they were conspired against following their protest of racial discrimination and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem. Mark Geragos, the attorney for the former 49ers players, issued a joint statement with the league announcing the terms of the settlement would remain confidential, which has been widely viewed as a win for Kaepernick and Reid because many believe the NFL issued a large cash payout to the players in order to avoid the possibility of embarrassing evidence becoming public. A confidentiality agreement was signed. Geragos had reportedly deposed a number of prominent league officials, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and powerful owners such as Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots and the late Bob McNair of the Houston Texans, who came under fire in 2017 for comparing protesting players to inmates running the prison (and later walked back his apology). Had the case gone to its scheduled hearings in the coming weeks, theres a chance e-mails, text messages and deposition transcripts compiled in discovery over the past year could have surfaced. Theres little doubt the NFL would have been incentivized to settle with the players if any of that evidence would lead to another public relations nightmare while the league continues to deal with players implicated in domestic violence and head injuries altering the future of football. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Sacramento Bee Kaepernick, who hasnt played since the finale of the 2016 regular season, began sitting on the bench during the national anthem during exhibition games that August. He then decided kneeling would be a better gesture after consulting with Nate Boyer, a former Army Green Beret and Seattle Seahawks long snapper. Kaepernick was joined by Reid, who has been kneeling during the anthem for most of the past two seasons while Kaepernick remained unemployed following his departure from the 49ers in early 2017. Reid last week signed a three-year contract with the Carolina Panthers worth some $22 million after joining the team in September after the season began. He went unsigned during an unusually quiet free agent offseason for safeties. Kaepernick continues to have detractors, even after the case settled Friday, indicating the NFL wanted it to go away. But some notable figures have voiced their support. I stand with Kap. I kneel with Kap, Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James told reporters in Charlotte during All-Star Weekend festivities. I mean, I just feel what he was talking about, nobody wanted to listen to. Nobody ever really wanted to actually understand where he was coming from. I think that anybody that would sacrifice their livelihood for the better of all of us, I could respect that. And hes done that. You got a guy who basically lost his job because he wanted to stand for something that was more than just him. And so Im happy to see the news come out (Friday) that he won his (lawsuit). I hope its a hell of a lot of money that could set not only him up, but set his family up, set his grandkids up for the rest of their lives. And I hope that the word of what he did will live on throughout American history but also world history, because its important for all of us not only African Americans, but for everybody that wants to stand up for something thats more important than them. But not everyone considers the settlement a slam dunk victory for Kaepernick. Founding director of the Sports and Entertainment Law Institute and Sports Illustrated legal analyst Michael McCann wrote: Either side can spin this settlement as a win. No doubt, it will be spun by Kaepernicks supporters and his critics alike. In reality, the settlement is more like a draw that underscores the relative strengths and weaknesses for each side. Also, the absence of public knowledge of the terms of the settlement makes classifying it as a win or loss highly speculative. SHARE COPY LINK NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said if teams thought Colin Kaepernick could help them win, they would have signed him by now. | The NFL settled with Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid over their collusion case. Terms of the settlement are confidential. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article226408555.html | 0.189143 |
Is Colin Kaepernick collusion settlement a win over NFL? | One of the most polarizing topics in sports and culture over the past three years reached a notable tipping point Friday, when it was announced the NFL was settling with Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid over their collusion case alleging they were conspired against following their protest of racial discrimination and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem. Mark Geragos, the attorney for the former 49ers players, issued a joint statement with the league announcing the terms of the settlement would remain confidential, which has been widely viewed as a win for Kaepernick and Reid because many believe the NFL issued a large cash payout to the players in order to avoid the possibility of embarrassing evidence becoming public. A confidentiality agreement was signed. Geragos had reportedly deposed a number of prominent league officials, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and powerful owners such as Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots and the late Bob McNair of the Houston Texans, who came under fire in 2017 for comparing protesting players to inmates running the prison (and later walked back his apology). Had the case gone to its scheduled hearings in the coming weeks, theres a chance e-mails, text messages and deposition transcripts compiled in discovery over the past year could have surfaced. Theres little doubt the NFL would have been incentivized to settle with the players if any of that evidence would lead to another public relations nightmare while the league continues to deal with players implicated in domestic violence and head injuries altering the future of football. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Sacramento Bee Kaepernick, who hasnt played since the finale of the 2016 regular season, began sitting on the bench during the national anthem during exhibition games that August. He then decided kneeling would be a better gesture after consulting with Nate Boyer, a former Army Green Beret and Seattle Seahawks long snapper. Kaepernick was joined by Reid, who has been kneeling during the anthem for most of the past two seasons while Kaepernick remained unemployed following his departure from the 49ers in early 2017. Reid last week signed a three-year contract with the Carolina Panthers worth some $22 million after joining the team in September after the season began. He went unsigned during an unusually quiet free agent offseason for safeties. Kaepernick continues to have detractors, even after the case settled Friday, indicating the NFL wanted it to go away. But some notable figures have voiced their support. I stand with Kap. I kneel with Kap, Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James told reporters in Charlotte during All-Star Weekend festivities. I mean, I just feel what he was talking about, nobody wanted to listen to. Nobody ever really wanted to actually understand where he was coming from. I think that anybody that would sacrifice their livelihood for the better of all of us, I could respect that. And hes done that. You got a guy who basically lost his job because he wanted to stand for something that was more than just him. And so Im happy to see the news come out (Friday) that he won his (lawsuit). I hope its a hell of a lot of money that could set not only him up, but set his family up, set his grandkids up for the rest of their lives. And I hope that the word of what he did will live on throughout American history but also world history, because its important for all of us not only African Americans, but for everybody that wants to stand up for something thats more important than them. But not everyone considers the settlement a slam dunk victory for Kaepernick. Founding director of the Sports and Entertainment Law Institute and Sports Illustrated legal analyst Michael McCann wrote: Either side can spin this settlement as a win. No doubt, it will be spun by Kaepernicks supporters and his critics alike. In reality, the settlement is more like a draw that underscores the relative strengths and weaknesses for each side. Also, the absence of public knowledge of the terms of the settlement makes classifying it as a win or loss highly speculative. SHARE COPY LINK NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said if teams thought Colin Kaepernick could help them win, they would have signed him by now. | The NFL settled with Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid over their collusion case. The terms of the settlement have been kept confidential. Some see the settlement as a win for Kaepernick. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article226408555.html | 0.464781 |
Is Colin Kaepernick collusion settlement a win over NFL? | One of the most polarizing topics in sports and culture over the past three years reached a notable tipping point Friday, when it was announced the NFL was settling with Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid over their collusion case alleging they were conspired against following their protest of racial discrimination and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem. Mark Geragos, the attorney for the former 49ers players, issued a joint statement with the league announcing the terms of the settlement would remain confidential, which has been widely viewed as a win for Kaepernick and Reid because many believe the NFL issued a large cash payout to the players in order to avoid the possibility of embarrassing evidence becoming public. A confidentiality agreement was signed. Geragos had reportedly deposed a number of prominent league officials, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and powerful owners such as Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots and the late Bob McNair of the Houston Texans, who came under fire in 2017 for comparing protesting players to inmates running the prison (and later walked back his apology). Had the case gone to its scheduled hearings in the coming weeks, theres a chance e-mails, text messages and deposition transcripts compiled in discovery over the past year could have surfaced. Theres little doubt the NFL would have been incentivized to settle with the players if any of that evidence would lead to another public relations nightmare while the league continues to deal with players implicated in domestic violence and head injuries altering the future of football. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Sacramento Bee Kaepernick, who hasnt played since the finale of the 2016 regular season, began sitting on the bench during the national anthem during exhibition games that August. He then decided kneeling would be a better gesture after consulting with Nate Boyer, a former Army Green Beret and Seattle Seahawks long snapper. Kaepernick was joined by Reid, who has been kneeling during the anthem for most of the past two seasons while Kaepernick remained unemployed following his departure from the 49ers in early 2017. Reid last week signed a three-year contract with the Carolina Panthers worth some $22 million after joining the team in September after the season began. He went unsigned during an unusually quiet free agent offseason for safeties. Kaepernick continues to have detractors, even after the case settled Friday, indicating the NFL wanted it to go away. But some notable figures have voiced their support. I stand with Kap. I kneel with Kap, Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James told reporters in Charlotte during All-Star Weekend festivities. I mean, I just feel what he was talking about, nobody wanted to listen to. Nobody ever really wanted to actually understand where he was coming from. I think that anybody that would sacrifice their livelihood for the better of all of us, I could respect that. And hes done that. You got a guy who basically lost his job because he wanted to stand for something that was more than just him. And so Im happy to see the news come out (Friday) that he won his (lawsuit). I hope its a hell of a lot of money that could set not only him up, but set his family up, set his grandkids up for the rest of their lives. And I hope that the word of what he did will live on throughout American history but also world history, because its important for all of us not only African Americans, but for everybody that wants to stand up for something thats more important than them. But not everyone considers the settlement a slam dunk victory for Kaepernick. Founding director of the Sports and Entertainment Law Institute and Sports Illustrated legal analyst Michael McCann wrote: Either side can spin this settlement as a win. No doubt, it will be spun by Kaepernicks supporters and his critics alike. In reality, the settlement is more like a draw that underscores the relative strengths and weaknesses for each side. Also, the absence of public knowledge of the terms of the settlement makes classifying it as a win or loss highly speculative. SHARE COPY LINK NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said if teams thought Colin Kaepernick could help them win, they would have signed him by now. | The NFL settled with Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid over their collusion case. The terms of the settlement have been kept confidential. Some see the settlement as a win for Kaepernick, but not everyone does. The case has been one of the most polarizing topics in sports over the past three years. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article226408555.html | 0.481059 |
Should I Have A Single Person S-Corporation? | The 2018 tax season is here! We are finally going to see the effects of the tax law change at the end of 2017. And as you can image, lots of questions are coming in already. One subject that has really caught my eye has been how to handle running an S-Corp as a sole shareholder. Youve likely heard a lot of talk about the new 20% Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction. Many businesses are now reevaluating their business structure to see what is best. This is especially important for those running a business by themselves. For instance, one of my small business owner clients recently asked me whether it made sense for her to reorganize a single member LLC into a solo S-Corporation because of the new law. Its a technical question, and it has broad implications. Today, I want to talk specifically about running an S-Corp as a one-person shop and what you should consider if choosing this structure. The simplest form of business organization for a one-person shop is a sole proprietorship, where you and your company are essentially the same entity. That works up to a point. You could lose your house, your personal savings, college accounts for your kids, even your car. If you want to shelter personal assets from legal liabilities, you have a choice between two types of business structures. Single Member LLC To avoid the unlimited liability of a sole proprietorship, you can organize your business as a single member LLC (Limited Liability Company). LLCs are straightforward to administer, and in most cases, youll still report income on a Schedule C. However, you gain some protection because your business is considered a separate entity. In an LLC, you are only liable for damages up to the amount that you have invested in the business. However, you should make sure to keep your personal and business assets separate to prevent creditors from piercing the corporate veil. Simply put, that means a creditor can sue for your personal assets because your business and personal assets are comingled and your LLC only serves as a shell for a separation that doesnt actually exist. You also have to take a few more steps to set up a LLC than you do for a sole proprietorship. You have to file articles or organization with your state, and you should have some sort of operation agreement that explains how the business will carry out its mission. One last potential pitfall of the LLC is that you have to pay self-employment tax on all business profits because, for tax purpose, you and the business are one in the same. The self-employment tax rate is 15.3%, which consists of 12.4% in for social security and 2.9% for Medicare. You may remember these amounts that were withheld from your pay stubs when you were an employee. S-Corporation An S corporation separates you from your company completely, for both operational and tax purposes. The business is its own entity, and you as the owner are the sole shareholder and an employee. That division, however, comes with operational costs. To create an S corporation, you have to file articles of incorporation with the state, appoint officers and create bylaws for the business. In addition, you have to adhere to corporate formalities including paying yourself on payroll, meetings of the board of directors and taking meeting minutes (even if youre the only one in the meeting!). Lastly, you to the file a Form 1120s for the business and the business profit or loss will flow through to you personally on a Form K-1. Many one-person businesses find these requirements too time-consuming and expensive. Additionally, some states, like Illinois and New York, have additional taxes on and costs for S-Corps. But you can obtain significant tax savings if your business ends up making a substantial profit. Before the TCJA, most of the talk around choosing an S-Corp vs. an LLC revolved around the self-employment tax savings mentioned above. For example, if you were an accountant that made $200,000 in net business income, and gave yourself a reasonable salary of $100,000, youd save $15,300 in tax by having an S-Corp vs. an LLC. Thats a nice chunk of change. The key issue here is what constitutes a reasonable salary. This issue has long been contested, as people tend to push reasonable limits in order to save in self-employment tax. Business owners have even more incentive now that the QBI deduction only allows a 20% deduction for profits from the business, not salary. (You can read my business owner cheat sheet on QBI here.) The IRS determines reasonable-ness on a case-by-case basis but offers ten factors as guidelines. These include your role and duties in the company, your background and experience and amounts paid to others in similar-situated businesses. Its a grey area, but experts have developed some rules of thumb for example, the ideal salary is equal to one-third of business income up to the Social Security wage base, or, more recently, the perfect salary is 28.57% of your income. While I love a good rule of thumb, small-business owners who are making the decision between these two entities need to take extra precautions. If your business revenue comes mostly comes from your services, the IRS will likely see all of your business income as your salary. In other words, all of you solo accountants, advisors, etc. need to consider the fact that it may not be reasonable for you to have any dividend income at all. That fact defeats the purpose of having a more costly and burdensome S-Corp. Here are a few court cases that can shed a bit more light on the subject. Spicer Accounting, Inc., Plaintiff-appellant, v. United States of America, Defendant-appellee, 918 F.2d 90 (9th Cir. 1990) Spicer was the president, treasurer and direct of his corporation Spicer Accounting Inc. He was the lone accountant in his firm. He received no compensation for his services but did take distributions (and thus paid $0 in payroll taxes). The district court held that Spicer was an employee and that payments to him were wages. The 9 th circuit affirmed the district courts ruling finding that as the firms lone CPA, Spicer was the only person capable of signing tax returns, performing audits and preparing opinion letters. Thus, his services were integral to the operation of the firm and all payments to him should be considered wages subject to FICA and FUTA tax. Spicer was the president, treasurer and direct of his corporation Spicer Accounting Inc. He was the lone accountant in his firm. He received no compensation for his services but did take distributions (and thus paid $0 in payroll taxes). The district court held that Spicer was an employee and that payments to him were wages. The 9 circuit affirmed the district courts ruling finding that as the firms lone CPA, Spicer was the only person capable of signing tax returns, performing audits and preparing opinion letters. Thus, his services were integral to the operation of the firm and all payments to him should be considered wages subject to FICA and FUTA tax. Sean McAlary LTD, Inc. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, T.C. Summary Opinion 2013-62. McAlary was a real estate agent. He was the president, secretary, treasurer and sole director and the sole shareholder of his S-Corporation. He managed all aspects of the corporations operations, and was the only one in the firm that held a brokers license. However, he did supervise eight independent contractor sales agents, four of whom generated sales for him. McAlary paid himself $24,000 per year and took a $240,000 distribution. The IRS determined that $100,000 of the $240,000 as reasonable compensation basing it on the median hourly wage for real estate brokers in California. The Tax Court took an even smaller figure of $83,200 basing it on $40/hour. The key factor here seems to be that while the only shareholder in the S-Corporation, he wasnt the only one producing income. Thus not all of the distributions were wages. McAlary was a real estate agent. He was the president, secretary, treasurer and sole director and the sole shareholder of his S-Corporation. He managed all aspects of the corporations operations, and was the only one in the firm that held a brokers license. However, he did supervise eight independent contractor sales agents, four of whom generated sales for him. McAlary paid himself $24,000 per year and took a $240,000 distribution. The IRS determined that $100,000 of the $240,000 as reasonable compensation basing it on the median hourly wage for real estate brokers in California. The Tax Court took an even smaller figure of $83,200 basing it on $40/hour. The key factor here seems to be that while the only shareholder in the S-Corporation, he wasnt the only one producing income. Thus not all of the distributions were wages. Glass Blocks Unlimited v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, T.C. Summary Opinion 2013-180. Fredrick Blodgett was the president and sole shareholder of his S-Corp that sold and distributed glass blocks. The firm had no other full-time employees and Blodgett was responsible for all operational and financial decisions for the company. Although he did not receive a salary, Blodgett received $30,844 and $31,644 in distributions from the company in 2007 and 2008. The IRS argued that those entire amounts should be considered wages. The Tax Court agreed finding that any officer who performs more than minor services for a corporation and who receives remuneration in any form for those services is considered an employee, and his or her wages are subject to the employers payment of Federal employment taxes. Blodgett tried to claim that a reasonable salary would have been $15.25/hr for 20 hours a week based on wages for a shipping clerk, an accounts receivable clerk, or an accounts payable clerk. But the Court did not find his argument persuasive, as he performed all of those roles within the company and generated all of the business sales and income for those periods. How to choose My hope is to equip you with enough knowledge and tools to have an effective conversation with your tax or financial advisor of whether an S-Corp is best for you. Service businesses trigger both the reasonable salary requirement and the ability to take the QBI deduction. both the reasonable salary requirement and the ability to take the QBI deduction. Check out the IRS ten-factor reasonable salary test. You can hire someone to help with this. The more above the wage base, the more appealing the 20% QBI deduction. A single-member LLC allows you to save faster with a Solo 401k. Also, keep in mind that you dont have to choose right away. As a single member LLC, you can elect to be taxed as an S-Corp as long as the election is made no more than two months and 15 days after the beginning of the tax year you want the election to go into effect. You make the election on form 2553. You can also withdrawal that election by writing a letter to the IRS regarding your intentions. One final word of caution: do not make these decisions in a vacuum. The savings in self-employment tax and QBI deduction will have to be balanced against one another. Additionally, a change in entity type can have long-lasting implications. We dont know if the QBI deduction will be around after 2025. So talk to your tax and financial advisor to see how these provisions will affect you. | The new 20% Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction will take effect in 2018. If you are running a one-person business, there are two types of business structures. An S corporation separates you from your company completely, for both operational and tax purposes. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianthompson1/2019/02/17/should-i-have-a-single-person-s-corporation/ | 0.11221 |
Does Sacramento State have a hazing problem in Greek life? | News of a Sacramento State fraternity allegedly hazing its prospective members and abusing active members spread across the country last week. The university started investigating Delta Chi after receiving a photo of four pledges doing a modified elephant walk which typically involves men marching in a single-file line while holding the genitals of the man behind them then sent the fraternity a cease-and-desist order after video of an active member bound to a wood table and gagged was shared with the media. The allegations come a month after Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity was reinstated at Sacramento State. Pi Kappa Alpha was placed on probation in February 2018 after a Snapchat video surfaced of a pledge vomiting from intoxication and appearing to have a seizure, the student newspaper The State Hornet reported. Sacramento State then removed its recognition of the fraternity after its members violated their probation, only to reinstate the recognition in January with a probationary period running through May, university spokesman Brian Blomster said Wednesday. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Sacramento Bee Lambda Sigma Gamma, a sorority that focuses recruitment efforts on minority students, is also under investigation amid allegations it violated an undisclosed section of the universitys student organization handbook, Sacramento State interim director of student organizations and leadership Nicki Croly said. The recent headlines are a change for Sacramento States Greek life, which doesnt have the hard-partying image often associated with some other California universities. Were not a party school, said Beth Lesen, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students. If thats what youre looking for, Im not sure that youd wind up at Sac State to begin with. Youd probably pick some campus that has more of a reputation for being a party institution. About 1,400 Sacramento State students (roughly 4.7 percent of the student body) are involved with Greek life, a number that has barely fluctuated over the last five years, according to university statistics. For comparison, 12 percent of Chico State and 18 percent of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo students belong to fraternities or sororities. Sacramento States 16 fraternities and 21 sororities average 34 members per chapter, though some sororities have more than 100. There are no classic brick-and-ivy frat mansions; Alpha Phi sorority is the only Greek organization with a lettered house, a midtown Victorian. Most students who join Sacramento State fraternities have fantasized about doing so before they even get to campus, Lesen said. That means they likely got their inspiration from hedonistic movies such as Neighbors, said David Easlick, a Michigan lawyer and hazing expert witness who served as executive director of Delta Kappa Epsilon for more than 20 years the same fraternity that had nine Louisiana State University members arrested on hazing-related charges Thursday. More than 95 percent of fraternities nationwide engage in practices that meet the Fraternal Information and Programming Groups definition of hazing, Easlick estimated. That ranges from road trips and engaging in public stunts and buffoonery to physical shocks and forced alcohol consumption. Its getting much, much, much worse ... its wanton servitude and so alcohol- and drug-imbued that I dont even know how to deal with it sometimes, Easlick said. Its gotta stop, or if it doesnt stop thats the end of the fraternities. Local fraternity Xi Phi Chi was suspended from Sacramento State in 2015 after school officials found pledges were tasked with completing a scavenger hunt including used womens underwear, a large sex toy and a photo showing pledges drinking with bums, The State Hornet reported. Nationwide, 19 fraternity pledges have died from hazing in the last 10 years, including students at Fresno State and the University of Nevada, Reno. Lesen and Croly defended Greek lifes role on Sacramento States campus, noting that its members combined to provide more than 31,000 hours of community service last year and raise nearly $200,000 for various charities. Members regularly develop lifelong friendships through fraternities and sororities, Lesen said, and turn to their chosen brothers and sisters to handle lifes curveballs. I would think that its worthwhile to keep them on campus just for the support they provide each other. That would be a good enough reason, Lesen said. But the 31,000 hours of community service is no joke. Our entire Sacramento community benefits from this group of people, and the money going to charity is a serious bonus. The Greek community could very well expand in years to come as Sacramento State tries to better engage students in campus life and veer away from its commuter school reputation. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been poured into seven new student housing complexes expected to open by summer 2021, which should provide an additional 4,000 beds around Folsom Boulevard and Highway 50. Croly said she had no preference whether the Sacramento States Greek system grew or shrunk so long as it followed the student bodys natural course of interest. President Robert Nelsen, who has not yet publicly acknowledged the Delta Chi or Pi Kappa Alpha incidents, declined to comment about the universitys Greek life. In its efforts to develop campus life, Sacramento State may want to consider a Greek row or Greek-only dorms with resident advisers in every building, Easlick said. Such a decision would surely be met with pushback from members intent on keeping their chapters secrets, but hazings current frequency necessitates some sort of adult involvement, Easlick said. Lesen, however, doesnt see hazing as pervasive. Pledges are required to complete a standardized Sacramento State new member education program prior to initiation and can call (916) 278-6595 to report hazing violations. National organizations also often have ways to report hazing within specific chapters. We dont have rampant hazing to my knowledge, Lesen said. Im confident that when something happens, theres a pretty high likelihood that someones going to come forward with it. | Delta Chi fraternity at Sacramento State is under investigation for hazing and abusing active members. The allegations come a month after Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity was reinstated. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article226104015.html | 0.493345 |
Does Sacramento State have a hazing problem in Greek life? | News of a Sacramento State fraternity allegedly hazing its prospective members and abusing active members spread across the country last week. The university started investigating Delta Chi after receiving a photo of four pledges doing a modified elephant walk which typically involves men marching in a single-file line while holding the genitals of the man behind them then sent the fraternity a cease-and-desist order after video of an active member bound to a wood table and gagged was shared with the media. The allegations come a month after Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity was reinstated at Sacramento State. Pi Kappa Alpha was placed on probation in February 2018 after a Snapchat video surfaced of a pledge vomiting from intoxication and appearing to have a seizure, the student newspaper The State Hornet reported. Sacramento State then removed its recognition of the fraternity after its members violated their probation, only to reinstate the recognition in January with a probationary period running through May, university spokesman Brian Blomster said Wednesday. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Sacramento Bee Lambda Sigma Gamma, a sorority that focuses recruitment efforts on minority students, is also under investigation amid allegations it violated an undisclosed section of the universitys student organization handbook, Sacramento State interim director of student organizations and leadership Nicki Croly said. The recent headlines are a change for Sacramento States Greek life, which doesnt have the hard-partying image often associated with some other California universities. Were not a party school, said Beth Lesen, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students. If thats what youre looking for, Im not sure that youd wind up at Sac State to begin with. Youd probably pick some campus that has more of a reputation for being a party institution. About 1,400 Sacramento State students (roughly 4.7 percent of the student body) are involved with Greek life, a number that has barely fluctuated over the last five years, according to university statistics. For comparison, 12 percent of Chico State and 18 percent of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo students belong to fraternities or sororities. Sacramento States 16 fraternities and 21 sororities average 34 members per chapter, though some sororities have more than 100. There are no classic brick-and-ivy frat mansions; Alpha Phi sorority is the only Greek organization with a lettered house, a midtown Victorian. Most students who join Sacramento State fraternities have fantasized about doing so before they even get to campus, Lesen said. That means they likely got their inspiration from hedonistic movies such as Neighbors, said David Easlick, a Michigan lawyer and hazing expert witness who served as executive director of Delta Kappa Epsilon for more than 20 years the same fraternity that had nine Louisiana State University members arrested on hazing-related charges Thursday. More than 95 percent of fraternities nationwide engage in practices that meet the Fraternal Information and Programming Groups definition of hazing, Easlick estimated. That ranges from road trips and engaging in public stunts and buffoonery to physical shocks and forced alcohol consumption. Its getting much, much, much worse ... its wanton servitude and so alcohol- and drug-imbued that I dont even know how to deal with it sometimes, Easlick said. Its gotta stop, or if it doesnt stop thats the end of the fraternities. Local fraternity Xi Phi Chi was suspended from Sacramento State in 2015 after school officials found pledges were tasked with completing a scavenger hunt including used womens underwear, a large sex toy and a photo showing pledges drinking with bums, The State Hornet reported. Nationwide, 19 fraternity pledges have died from hazing in the last 10 years, including students at Fresno State and the University of Nevada, Reno. Lesen and Croly defended Greek lifes role on Sacramento States campus, noting that its members combined to provide more than 31,000 hours of community service last year and raise nearly $200,000 for various charities. Members regularly develop lifelong friendships through fraternities and sororities, Lesen said, and turn to their chosen brothers and sisters to handle lifes curveballs. I would think that its worthwhile to keep them on campus just for the support they provide each other. That would be a good enough reason, Lesen said. But the 31,000 hours of community service is no joke. Our entire Sacramento community benefits from this group of people, and the money going to charity is a serious bonus. The Greek community could very well expand in years to come as Sacramento State tries to better engage students in campus life and veer away from its commuter school reputation. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been poured into seven new student housing complexes expected to open by summer 2021, which should provide an additional 4,000 beds around Folsom Boulevard and Highway 50. Croly said she had no preference whether the Sacramento States Greek system grew or shrunk so long as it followed the student bodys natural course of interest. President Robert Nelsen, who has not yet publicly acknowledged the Delta Chi or Pi Kappa Alpha incidents, declined to comment about the universitys Greek life. In its efforts to develop campus life, Sacramento State may want to consider a Greek row or Greek-only dorms with resident advisers in every building, Easlick said. Such a decision would surely be met with pushback from members intent on keeping their chapters secrets, but hazings current frequency necessitates some sort of adult involvement, Easlick said. Lesen, however, doesnt see hazing as pervasive. Pledges are required to complete a standardized Sacramento State new member education program prior to initiation and can call (916) 278-6595 to report hazing violations. National organizations also often have ways to report hazing within specific chapters. We dont have rampant hazing to my knowledge, Lesen said. Im confident that when something happens, theres a pretty high likelihood that someones going to come forward with it. | Sacramento State University is investigating two fraternities and a sorority for alleged hazing and abuse. A hazing expert says 95 percent of frat groups engage in practices that meet the university's definition of hazing. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article226104015.html | 0.327523 |
Does Sacramento State have a hazing problem in Greek life? | News of a Sacramento State fraternity allegedly hazing its prospective members and abusing active members spread across the country last week. The university started investigating Delta Chi after receiving a photo of four pledges doing a modified elephant walk which typically involves men marching in a single-file line while holding the genitals of the man behind them then sent the fraternity a cease-and-desist order after video of an active member bound to a wood table and gagged was shared with the media. The allegations come a month after Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity was reinstated at Sacramento State. Pi Kappa Alpha was placed on probation in February 2018 after a Snapchat video surfaced of a pledge vomiting from intoxication and appearing to have a seizure, the student newspaper The State Hornet reported. Sacramento State then removed its recognition of the fraternity after its members violated their probation, only to reinstate the recognition in January with a probationary period running through May, university spokesman Brian Blomster said Wednesday. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Sacramento Bee Lambda Sigma Gamma, a sorority that focuses recruitment efforts on minority students, is also under investigation amid allegations it violated an undisclosed section of the universitys student organization handbook, Sacramento State interim director of student organizations and leadership Nicki Croly said. The recent headlines are a change for Sacramento States Greek life, which doesnt have the hard-partying image often associated with some other California universities. Were not a party school, said Beth Lesen, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students. If thats what youre looking for, Im not sure that youd wind up at Sac State to begin with. Youd probably pick some campus that has more of a reputation for being a party institution. About 1,400 Sacramento State students (roughly 4.7 percent of the student body) are involved with Greek life, a number that has barely fluctuated over the last five years, according to university statistics. For comparison, 12 percent of Chico State and 18 percent of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo students belong to fraternities or sororities. Sacramento States 16 fraternities and 21 sororities average 34 members per chapter, though some sororities have more than 100. There are no classic brick-and-ivy frat mansions; Alpha Phi sorority is the only Greek organization with a lettered house, a midtown Victorian. Most students who join Sacramento State fraternities have fantasized about doing so before they even get to campus, Lesen said. That means they likely got their inspiration from hedonistic movies such as Neighbors, said David Easlick, a Michigan lawyer and hazing expert witness who served as executive director of Delta Kappa Epsilon for more than 20 years the same fraternity that had nine Louisiana State University members arrested on hazing-related charges Thursday. More than 95 percent of fraternities nationwide engage in practices that meet the Fraternal Information and Programming Groups definition of hazing, Easlick estimated. That ranges from road trips and engaging in public stunts and buffoonery to physical shocks and forced alcohol consumption. Its getting much, much, much worse ... its wanton servitude and so alcohol- and drug-imbued that I dont even know how to deal with it sometimes, Easlick said. Its gotta stop, or if it doesnt stop thats the end of the fraternities. Local fraternity Xi Phi Chi was suspended from Sacramento State in 2015 after school officials found pledges were tasked with completing a scavenger hunt including used womens underwear, a large sex toy and a photo showing pledges drinking with bums, The State Hornet reported. Nationwide, 19 fraternity pledges have died from hazing in the last 10 years, including students at Fresno State and the University of Nevada, Reno. Lesen and Croly defended Greek lifes role on Sacramento States campus, noting that its members combined to provide more than 31,000 hours of community service last year and raise nearly $200,000 for various charities. Members regularly develop lifelong friendships through fraternities and sororities, Lesen said, and turn to their chosen brothers and sisters to handle lifes curveballs. I would think that its worthwhile to keep them on campus just for the support they provide each other. That would be a good enough reason, Lesen said. But the 31,000 hours of community service is no joke. Our entire Sacramento community benefits from this group of people, and the money going to charity is a serious bonus. The Greek community could very well expand in years to come as Sacramento State tries to better engage students in campus life and veer away from its commuter school reputation. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been poured into seven new student housing complexes expected to open by summer 2021, which should provide an additional 4,000 beds around Folsom Boulevard and Highway 50. Croly said she had no preference whether the Sacramento States Greek system grew or shrunk so long as it followed the student bodys natural course of interest. President Robert Nelsen, who has not yet publicly acknowledged the Delta Chi or Pi Kappa Alpha incidents, declined to comment about the universitys Greek life. In its efforts to develop campus life, Sacramento State may want to consider a Greek row or Greek-only dorms with resident advisers in every building, Easlick said. Such a decision would surely be met with pushback from members intent on keeping their chapters secrets, but hazings current frequency necessitates some sort of adult involvement, Easlick said. Lesen, however, doesnt see hazing as pervasive. Pledges are required to complete a standardized Sacramento State new member education program prior to initiation and can call (916) 278-6595 to report hazing violations. National organizations also often have ways to report hazing within specific chapters. We dont have rampant hazing to my knowledge, Lesen said. Im confident that when something happens, theres a pretty high likelihood that someones going to come forward with it. | Delta Chi fraternity at Sacramento State is accused of hazing prospective members and abusing active members. The allegations come a month after Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity was reinstated at Sacramento State. About 1,400 Sacramento State students (roughly 4.7 percent of the student body) are involved with Greek life. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article226104015.html | 0.465223 |
Why cant Canadians relax on their vacation? | Just like Netflix famously instituted, my husbands company now has an unlimited vacation day policy. In theory this sounds fantastic, but in reality, he takes even less time off than he did before. Cunning move, corporate world! Worse yet, when he does take those precious, oh, I dont know, 10 days a year, hes checking email daily. Hes not alone. Im tapping away on a keyboard right beside him. But its not just us. A new study reveals half of Canadians say they check their office emails while travelling on vacation. So much for getting away from it all. The results were gathered in a survey of Canadian travellers by Allianz Global Assistance Canada, a leading provider of travel insurance and assistance services, which asked Canadians about their travel habits. The survey revealed men are more likely to check their work emails than women (54 per cent versus 44 per cent), but the biggest differentiators were associated with age. Some 72 per cent of Millennials say they check their work emails while on vacation, compared to 42 per cent of GenXers and 32 per cent of Baby Boomers. My own highly unofficial poll on Facebook revealed the majority of my friends (mostly GenXers) felt better if they checked their inbox on vacation. I find it much easier to spend 20 to 30 minutes a day on work email than come home to hundreds of unread messages. That makes my return to work much happier and I dont have a sense of dread about going back, admits Jane Leckey, a Toronto-based communications adviser. For others, its too stressful to take a peak. Instead of peace of mind, scanning their inbox sends their minds racing. These brave travellers recognize their need to disconnect. If youre highly disciplined, you could set a time limit, knowing theres a difference between checking email and responding to it. Not bringing your laptop or smartphone is another option, but one that admittedly strikes fear in my heart. Not so much. Besides all the apps, I like knowing I can connect with family, friends and yes, even work should I choose to do so. And if Im being really honest, Ill admit my phone has become my security blanket when exploring unfamiliar territory. Beyond capturing and sharing amazing travel memories, our smartphones are a valuable aid in a travel emergency. Our assistance centre in Kitchener, Ont., receives approximately two million calls every year from Canadian travellers in need of medical or travel assistance, says Dan Keon, vice-president, market management, Allianz Global Assistance Canada. Having your smartphone available while travelling makes it that much easier to reach us if an emergency unexpectedly arises. The reality is, work-life boundaries are a blur. Worse case, see if you can take time in lieu, scheduling a day off within a week of your return to make up for what you lost on your vacation. Technology is a blessing, but its also made it all too easy for work to invade our play, even on the other side of the world. Understanding yourself and your travel companions expectations is an important factor in a balanced vacation, whatever your definition of balanced is. Ive come to accept Im not going to change my husbands tendency to check in, and thats OK. What I learned from this survey, is that whether we choose to disconnect completely or check in from time to time, were not alone. Tips for stress-free travel Practice a dry run, by not accessing your work email for an entire weekend. If that feels more stressful than checking in, go ahead and plan to check email on your trip. Read Bon Voyage, but This Government of Canada doc gives advice on how to register at an embassy abroad, what to do if you lose your passport and provides travel health information. The government also recommends purchasing the best travel insurance you can afford, as Canadian health insurance wont cover your medical fees while youre outside Canada. Visit a travel health clinic or an injection certified pharmacist to find out what vaccines or medications are needed prior to travel. Cabin baggage rules and fees have recently changed on many airlines. Check with your carrier before heading to the airport. You may also be interested in reading: How to breeze through airport security 6 Tips to avoid travel theft | A new study reveals half of Canadians say they check their office emails while travelling on vacation. Men are more likely to check their work emails than women. | pegasus | 0 | https://calgaryherald.com/travel/why-cant-canadians-relax-on-their-vacation | 0.125372 |
Why cant Canadians relax on their vacation? | Just like Netflix famously instituted, my husbands company now has an unlimited vacation day policy. In theory this sounds fantastic, but in reality, he takes even less time off than he did before. Cunning move, corporate world! Worse yet, when he does take those precious, oh, I dont know, 10 days a year, hes checking email daily. Hes not alone. Im tapping away on a keyboard right beside him. But its not just us. A new study reveals half of Canadians say they check their office emails while travelling on vacation. So much for getting away from it all. The results were gathered in a survey of Canadian travellers by Allianz Global Assistance Canada, a leading provider of travel insurance and assistance services, which asked Canadians about their travel habits. The survey revealed men are more likely to check their work emails than women (54 per cent versus 44 per cent), but the biggest differentiators were associated with age. Some 72 per cent of Millennials say they check their work emails while on vacation, compared to 42 per cent of GenXers and 32 per cent of Baby Boomers. My own highly unofficial poll on Facebook revealed the majority of my friends (mostly GenXers) felt better if they checked their inbox on vacation. I find it much easier to spend 20 to 30 minutes a day on work email than come home to hundreds of unread messages. That makes my return to work much happier and I dont have a sense of dread about going back, admits Jane Leckey, a Toronto-based communications adviser. For others, its too stressful to take a peak. Instead of peace of mind, scanning their inbox sends their minds racing. These brave travellers recognize their need to disconnect. If youre highly disciplined, you could set a time limit, knowing theres a difference between checking email and responding to it. Not bringing your laptop or smartphone is another option, but one that admittedly strikes fear in my heart. Not so much. Besides all the apps, I like knowing I can connect with family, friends and yes, even work should I choose to do so. And if Im being really honest, Ill admit my phone has become my security blanket when exploring unfamiliar territory. Beyond capturing and sharing amazing travel memories, our smartphones are a valuable aid in a travel emergency. Our assistance centre in Kitchener, Ont., receives approximately two million calls every year from Canadian travellers in need of medical or travel assistance, says Dan Keon, vice-president, market management, Allianz Global Assistance Canada. Having your smartphone available while travelling makes it that much easier to reach us if an emergency unexpectedly arises. The reality is, work-life boundaries are a blur. Worse case, see if you can take time in lieu, scheduling a day off within a week of your return to make up for what you lost on your vacation. Technology is a blessing, but its also made it all too easy for work to invade our play, even on the other side of the world. Understanding yourself and your travel companions expectations is an important factor in a balanced vacation, whatever your definition of balanced is. Ive come to accept Im not going to change my husbands tendency to check in, and thats OK. What I learned from this survey, is that whether we choose to disconnect completely or check in from time to time, were not alone. Tips for stress-free travel Practice a dry run, by not accessing your work email for an entire weekend. If that feels more stressful than checking in, go ahead and plan to check email on your trip. Read Bon Voyage, but This Government of Canada doc gives advice on how to register at an embassy abroad, what to do if you lose your passport and provides travel health information. The government also recommends purchasing the best travel insurance you can afford, as Canadian health insurance wont cover your medical fees while youre outside Canada. Visit a travel health clinic or an injection certified pharmacist to find out what vaccines or medications are needed prior to travel. Cabin baggage rules and fees have recently changed on many airlines. Check with your carrier before heading to the airport. You may also be interested in reading: How to breeze through airport security 6 Tips to avoid travel theft | A new study reveals half of Canadians say they check their office emails while on vacation. For others, its too stressful to take a peak, and scanning their inbox sends their minds racing. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://calgaryherald.com/travel/why-cant-canadians-relax-on-their-vacation | 0.240845 |
Why cant Canadians relax on their vacation? | Just like Netflix famously instituted, my husbands company now has an unlimited vacation day policy. In theory this sounds fantastic, but in reality, he takes even less time off than he did before. Cunning move, corporate world! Worse yet, when he does take those precious, oh, I dont know, 10 days a year, hes checking email daily. Hes not alone. Im tapping away on a keyboard right beside him. But its not just us. A new study reveals half of Canadians say they check their office emails while travelling on vacation. So much for getting away from it all. The results were gathered in a survey of Canadian travellers by Allianz Global Assistance Canada, a leading provider of travel insurance and assistance services, which asked Canadians about their travel habits. The survey revealed men are more likely to check their work emails than women (54 per cent versus 44 per cent), but the biggest differentiators were associated with age. Some 72 per cent of Millennials say they check their work emails while on vacation, compared to 42 per cent of GenXers and 32 per cent of Baby Boomers. My own highly unofficial poll on Facebook revealed the majority of my friends (mostly GenXers) felt better if they checked their inbox on vacation. I find it much easier to spend 20 to 30 minutes a day on work email than come home to hundreds of unread messages. That makes my return to work much happier and I dont have a sense of dread about going back, admits Jane Leckey, a Toronto-based communications adviser. For others, its too stressful to take a peak. Instead of peace of mind, scanning their inbox sends their minds racing. These brave travellers recognize their need to disconnect. If youre highly disciplined, you could set a time limit, knowing theres a difference between checking email and responding to it. Not bringing your laptop or smartphone is another option, but one that admittedly strikes fear in my heart. Not so much. Besides all the apps, I like knowing I can connect with family, friends and yes, even work should I choose to do so. And if Im being really honest, Ill admit my phone has become my security blanket when exploring unfamiliar territory. Beyond capturing and sharing amazing travel memories, our smartphones are a valuable aid in a travel emergency. Our assistance centre in Kitchener, Ont., receives approximately two million calls every year from Canadian travellers in need of medical or travel assistance, says Dan Keon, vice-president, market management, Allianz Global Assistance Canada. Having your smartphone available while travelling makes it that much easier to reach us if an emergency unexpectedly arises. The reality is, work-life boundaries are a blur. Worse case, see if you can take time in lieu, scheduling a day off within a week of your return to make up for what you lost on your vacation. Technology is a blessing, but its also made it all too easy for work to invade our play, even on the other side of the world. Understanding yourself and your travel companions expectations is an important factor in a balanced vacation, whatever your definition of balanced is. Ive come to accept Im not going to change my husbands tendency to check in, and thats OK. What I learned from this survey, is that whether we choose to disconnect completely or check in from time to time, were not alone. Tips for stress-free travel Practice a dry run, by not accessing your work email for an entire weekend. If that feels more stressful than checking in, go ahead and plan to check email on your trip. Read Bon Voyage, but This Government of Canada doc gives advice on how to register at an embassy abroad, what to do if you lose your passport and provides travel health information. The government also recommends purchasing the best travel insurance you can afford, as Canadian health insurance wont cover your medical fees while youre outside Canada. Visit a travel health clinic or an injection certified pharmacist to find out what vaccines or medications are needed prior to travel. Cabin baggage rules and fees have recently changed on many airlines. Check with your carrier before heading to the airport. You may also be interested in reading: How to breeze through airport security 6 Tips to avoid travel theft | A new study reveals half of Canadians say they check their office emails while on vacation. For others, its too stressful to take a peak, and scanning their inbox sends their minds racing. The reality is, work-life boundaries are a blur, and were not alone. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://calgaryherald.com/travel/why-cant-canadians-relax-on-their-vacation | 0.277661 |
Could Rob Brant Vs. Jeff Horn Be Headed Down Under For A Summer Title Fight In Brisbane? | Rob Brant was impressive on Friday night as he successfully defended his regular WBA middleweight title against Khasan Baysangurov by an 11th round TKO in Hinckley, Minnesota. Prior to the main event, when ESPN analysts Joe Tessitore, Timothy Bradley and Mark Kriegel were talking about the middleweight division and what could be next for Brant, out of nowhere, Manny Pacquiao conqueror, Jeff Horn was mentioned as a possible opponent for Brant to take place during the summer in Brisbane, Australia. It was also made known that Brant would automatically become the WBA mandatory for the winner of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Daniel Jacobs fight on May 4. THE SETUP As I was getting ready to live blog the Brant vs. Baysangurov fight for Forbes, I didn't give the Horn reference much thought until as if right on queue I received a text message from Jeff Horn's promoter, Dean Lonergan. "Hey mate, how long before the Brant fight starts?" My initial response was to send the link to the live blog so that I can get back to the issue at hand and Lonergan could follow my blog in order to follow the fight, however, I couldn't leave it at that. I needed to know if Brant vs. Horn was really in motion, especially after the ESPN analysts had talked about it as an option. It wasn't far fetched. Lonergan has a good relationship with Top Rank and specifically, Bob Arum. They had already teamed up for three big fights in Pacquiao vs. Horn, Parker vs. Ruiz and Horn vs. Crawford. In addition, it wasn't a mistake that Horn's name was dropped into the broadcast. If Horn's name was mentioned, it's because the conversation for Brant vs. Horn was already underway. I began a simultaneous text conversation with Lonergan while live blogging the fight. I immediately asked Lonergan if there were formal conversations taking place for Horn to face Brant in Brisbane. Knowing Lonergan for quite some time and having done business with him, I knew I had to drop some bait in the water to get the information I was looking for. So I sent a text message simply saying, "Brant becomes mandatory for Canelo if he wins." Before I could put the phone down to get back to the live blog, Lonergan replied, "Really?" Then after being grilled by Lonergan as to what I have heard and from whom, I simply told him it was mentioned during the broadcast, but at this point, I now knew the conversations were real. So as the night went on and I was keeping Longergan up to date on the Brant fight, we talked about the reality of Brant traveling to Brisbane to face Horn. SHOW ME THE MONEY The truth of the matter is that this sport is still called prizefighting. These fighters don't put themselves in harm's way for kicks. They like to get paid. Kudos to Rob Brant for winning the WBA regular middleweight title against Ryota Murata in October putting on an outstanding performance in doing so. Especially as the underdog. In addition, he put on an impressive performance against Baysangurov on Saturday night with another solid win, this time in front of his hometown fans in Hinckley, Minnesota. But here's the reality. No matter how you slice it or dice, not taking anything away from Brant, but Canelo Alvarez is the WBA middleweight champion of the world. The fact that we're actually in this day and age having to refer to the WBA's titles as regular and super is perplexing. But that's another story. Here's the bottom line. It could possibly take at least a year for Brant to even sniff that mandatory against the winner of Canelo vs. Jacobs. It's simple. There's only one logical option. Jeff Horn. Brant should be hoping right now that Top Rank and Dean Lonergan can find a way to make it work because this is going to be a massive payday for Brant against an opponent who is going to be fighting two weight classes above where he fought Manny Pacquiao and Terence Crawford. SIGN ME UP Jeff Horn is the type of fighter who doesn't care who he fights. After losing to Terence Crawford in June 2018 by TKO, Horn bounced back with a crushing first round knockout victory over former world champion, Anthony Mundine at middleweight. I asked the former WBO welterweight champion what he thought about Brant's win on Friday night. Horn said, "Brant looked big and strong in his fight. He was able to box well off the front and back foot. He threw a lot of punches." When asked about what he felt about fighting Brant, Horn responded, "He is a dangerous opponent and would be a risky fight for me. He is awkward so he is the type that looks bad but is hard to deal with in there. I do think I have the skills to beat him but it might not be pretty." When asked about where he sees weakness in Brant's fighting style, Horn said, "The combos he throws can be hard to deal with but if you time it right he can be hurt." Horn added, "Because he throws lots of punches and leans in. It generates power but overbalances him." The landscape of the middleweight division, especially in the WBA is such that there really isn't another name that Brant could fight while waiting for his mandatory that will provide him with the type of purse he can receive by going down under to face Horn. Lonergan and crew already packed 50,000 fans in Suncorp Stadium for the Pacquiao fight in 2017 and 30,000 fans paid to see Horn vs. Mundine at the same stadium last year. Brant's in a unique position. He has the opportunity to cash in against Horn and be the odds on favorite to leave Brisbane with his title, just in time to face the winner of Canelo vs. Jacobs. This should all unfold within the next few weeks. If this fight manifests, it's a win-win for both Brant and Horn and is definitely a fan-friendly matchup. | Rob Brant successfully defended his WBA middleweight title against Khasan Baysangurov on Friday night. ESPN analysts Joe Tessitore, Timothy Bradley and Mark Kriegel were talking about the middleweight division. Jeff Horn was mentioned as a possible opponent for Brant to take place during the summer in Brisbane, Australia. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterkahn/2019/02/17/could-rob-brant-vs-jeff-horn-be-headed-down-under-for-a-summer-title-fight-in-brisbane/ | 0.447771 |
Is an HSA a Good Place for My Retirement Savings? | Everyone knows about 401(k)s and IRAs, but there's another vehicle for retirement savings that's been getting a lot of attention lately: health savings accounts (HSAs). Most people think of HSAs as a tax-advantaged way to save up for future medical expenses, but they have a lot more to offer. Here's a closer look at how they work and how you can use an HSA to supplement your retirement savings. To be eligible for an HSA, your health insurance policy must be a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). This is defined as a plan with a deductible of $1,350 or more for individuals or $2,700 or more for a family. Once you've enrolled in the plan, you can open an HSA account with your bank and begin contributing funds. If your employer is offering the health insurance plan, your company may set up an HSA for you as an employee benefit. Single adults can contribute up to $3,500 to an HSA in 2019 while families can contribute up to $7,000. Adults 55 and older are allowed another $1,000 in catch-up contributions. These limits may change from year to year, and so might the minimum health insurance deductible required to qualify for an HSA. It's important to check these limits every year to see if they have risen. You can contribute up to the annual HSA limit every year from the time you open the account until you become eligible for Medicare at age 65, as long as you keep your high-deductible health plan. Piggy bank with HSA block letters next to it More Image source: Getty Images. Any after-tax money you contribute can be deducted from your taxable income for the year. If your employer's health insurance plan comes with an HSA option, you may be able to contribute pre-tax dollars directly to your HSA and your employer may match some of your contributions. However, the total contributions that you and your employer make to your account cannot exceed the annual contribution limits. Some HSAs keep your money in cash while others enable you to invest in mutual funds or other investment products, just like you would with a 401(k) or IRA, to help your savings grow faster. If you choose to invest your HSA, consider allocating the funds in a similar manner to your 401(k) and IRA funds to ensure that your investments match your risk tolerance and investing goals. You may need to save a certain amount before your bank will let you invest the sum. Unlike flexible spending accounts (FSAs), money in your HSA rolls over from year to year, so you keep it until you need to spend it. You can also take your HSA with you if you leave your current job, though you won't be able to make any new contributions unless you keep your high-deductible health plan. You're allowed to take distributions from your HSA at any age as long as you use it for a qualified medical expense -- paying for hospital bills, prescription medications, specialist visits, and other medical costs. And the best part is, you won't pay any taxes on these withdrawals. For this reason, it's a great place to stash emergency cash to help you cover out-of-pocket costs you incur if you become seriously injured or ill. You can also save the money for planned medical expenses, like pregnancy and childbirth, non-emergency surgeries, long-term care, and treatment for mental health or substance abuse. | Health savings accounts (HSAs) can be used to supplement your retirement savings. | pegasus | 0 | https://news.yahoo.com/hsa-good-place-retirement-savings-230000669.html | 0.388262 |
Is an HSA a Good Place for My Retirement Savings? | Everyone knows about 401(k)s and IRAs, but there's another vehicle for retirement savings that's been getting a lot of attention lately: health savings accounts (HSAs). Most people think of HSAs as a tax-advantaged way to save up for future medical expenses, but they have a lot more to offer. Here's a closer look at how they work and how you can use an HSA to supplement your retirement savings. To be eligible for an HSA, your health insurance policy must be a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). This is defined as a plan with a deductible of $1,350 or more for individuals or $2,700 or more for a family. Once you've enrolled in the plan, you can open an HSA account with your bank and begin contributing funds. If your employer is offering the health insurance plan, your company may set up an HSA for you as an employee benefit. Single adults can contribute up to $3,500 to an HSA in 2019 while families can contribute up to $7,000. Adults 55 and older are allowed another $1,000 in catch-up contributions. These limits may change from year to year, and so might the minimum health insurance deductible required to qualify for an HSA. It's important to check these limits every year to see if they have risen. You can contribute up to the annual HSA limit every year from the time you open the account until you become eligible for Medicare at age 65, as long as you keep your high-deductible health plan. Piggy bank with HSA block letters next to it More Image source: Getty Images. Any after-tax money you contribute can be deducted from your taxable income for the year. If your employer's health insurance plan comes with an HSA option, you may be able to contribute pre-tax dollars directly to your HSA and your employer may match some of your contributions. However, the total contributions that you and your employer make to your account cannot exceed the annual contribution limits. Some HSAs keep your money in cash while others enable you to invest in mutual funds or other investment products, just like you would with a 401(k) or IRA, to help your savings grow faster. If you choose to invest your HSA, consider allocating the funds in a similar manner to your 401(k) and IRA funds to ensure that your investments match your risk tolerance and investing goals. You may need to save a certain amount before your bank will let you invest the sum. Unlike flexible spending accounts (FSAs), money in your HSA rolls over from year to year, so you keep it until you need to spend it. You can also take your HSA with you if you leave your current job, though you won't be able to make any new contributions unless you keep your high-deductible health plan. You're allowed to take distributions from your HSA at any age as long as you use it for a qualified medical expense -- paying for hospital bills, prescription medications, specialist visits, and other medical costs. And the best part is, you won't pay any taxes on these withdrawals. For this reason, it's a great place to stash emergency cash to help you cover out-of-pocket costs you incur if you become seriously injured or ill. You can also save the money for planned medical expenses, like pregnancy and childbirth, non-emergency surgeries, long-term care, and treatment for mental health or substance abuse. | Health savings accounts (HSAs) can be used to supplement your retirement savings. To be eligible for an HSA, your health insurance policy must be a high-deductible health plan. | pegasus | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/hsa-good-place-retirement-savings-230000669.html | 0.449972 |
Is an HSA a Good Place for My Retirement Savings? | Everyone knows about 401(k)s and IRAs, but there's another vehicle for retirement savings that's been getting a lot of attention lately: health savings accounts (HSAs). Most people think of HSAs as a tax-advantaged way to save up for future medical expenses, but they have a lot more to offer. Here's a closer look at how they work and how you can use an HSA to supplement your retirement savings. To be eligible for an HSA, your health insurance policy must be a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). This is defined as a plan with a deductible of $1,350 or more for individuals or $2,700 or more for a family. Once you've enrolled in the plan, you can open an HSA account with your bank and begin contributing funds. If your employer is offering the health insurance plan, your company may set up an HSA for you as an employee benefit. Single adults can contribute up to $3,500 to an HSA in 2019 while families can contribute up to $7,000. Adults 55 and older are allowed another $1,000 in catch-up contributions. These limits may change from year to year, and so might the minimum health insurance deductible required to qualify for an HSA. It's important to check these limits every year to see if they have risen. You can contribute up to the annual HSA limit every year from the time you open the account until you become eligible for Medicare at age 65, as long as you keep your high-deductible health plan. Piggy bank with HSA block letters next to it More Image source: Getty Images. Any after-tax money you contribute can be deducted from your taxable income for the year. If your employer's health insurance plan comes with an HSA option, you may be able to contribute pre-tax dollars directly to your HSA and your employer may match some of your contributions. However, the total contributions that you and your employer make to your account cannot exceed the annual contribution limits. Some HSAs keep your money in cash while others enable you to invest in mutual funds or other investment products, just like you would with a 401(k) or IRA, to help your savings grow faster. If you choose to invest your HSA, consider allocating the funds in a similar manner to your 401(k) and IRA funds to ensure that your investments match your risk tolerance and investing goals. You may need to save a certain amount before your bank will let you invest the sum. Unlike flexible spending accounts (FSAs), money in your HSA rolls over from year to year, so you keep it until you need to spend it. You can also take your HSA with you if you leave your current job, though you won't be able to make any new contributions unless you keep your high-deductible health plan. You're allowed to take distributions from your HSA at any age as long as you use it for a qualified medical expense -- paying for hospital bills, prescription medications, specialist visits, and other medical costs. And the best part is, you won't pay any taxes on these withdrawals. For this reason, it's a great place to stash emergency cash to help you cover out-of-pocket costs you incur if you become seriously injured or ill. You can also save the money for planned medical expenses, like pregnancy and childbirth, non-emergency surgeries, long-term care, and treatment for mental health or substance abuse. | Health savings accounts (HSAs) can be used to supplement your retirement savings. To be eligible for an HSA, your health insurance policy must be a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) You can contribute up to the annual HSA limit every year from the time you open the account until you become eligible for Medicare at age 65. | pegasus | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/hsa-good-place-retirement-savings-230000669.html | 0.497644 |
Could NZ go bananas for tropical crops? | Bananas, so often associated with warm tropical climates on the equator may prove to be another cropping opportunity for enterprising horticulturalists from Northland to Gisborne. New Zealanders have an appetite for the yellow fruit, chomping through a whopping 18kg per capita a year, about $140 million worth that puts this country at top of the global list for banana consumption. The semi-tropical climate of Northland is proving an excellent hub for a band of enthusiastic and increasingly commercially focused banana growers, headed up through the Tropical Fruit Growers of NZ group. Farming on a 40ha property near Parua Bay on Northland's east coast near Whangarei Hugh Rose, head of Tropical Fruit Growers of NZ has a veritable fruit bowl of tropical produce growing. Advertisement Varied varieties of exotic fruit compete for visitors' taste-buds, ranging from pineapples to bananas, dragon fruit, pawpaw and even sugar cane. Head of Tropical Fruit Growers of NZ, Hugh Rose. Photo / Supplied Rose classes bananas as the easiest crop in the world to grow, benefiting from New Zealand's low disease and pest levels compared to the tropics, and capable of producing fruit almost constantly through the year once temperatures exceed 14C. With 17 varieties of the popular fruit growing, there is increasing consumer interest in the New Zealand sourced bananas that have a ready market at about $8/kg through Whangarei's farmers' market. "And with the number of enthusiasts we now have on board, there should be enough bananas growing now for Northland to be self-sufficient in a couple of years." Rose's calculations on potential earnings would make most horticulturalists sit up and take notice. His calculations per hectare with1500 plants a hectare in the ground could easily result in over 15,000kg of bananas a year. Even at $2/kg this returns $30,000 a hectare. And the crop is not necessarily dependent upon traditional views of what sort of climate the fruit usually grows in. "We have growers producing bananas in Invercargill, admittedly under tunnel shelter, but there are growers throughout Northland, Bay of Plenty, down to Gisborne all producing good crops." As a highly water-efficient, funnel-shaped plant they do not require much irrigation, grow well on most soil types and are tolerant to many pests and diseases. The fruit also sits well alongside traditional pastoral activities like dairying. "Dairy effluent is high in nitrogen and phosphate, exactly what bananas love, and the plant just sucks up those nutrients, making it an ideal crop alongside a dairy operation." It is also a source of cattle feed, with all of the plant edible to stock. Pineapples, coffee and a little known Peruvian fruit called lucuma all have potential in the sub-tropical regions throughout New Zealand. Rose is excited by the growing level of experimentation by enthusiasts and the knowledge that is being acquired by them. "Globally consumers' tastes are changing, and we have the ability to grow many of these products, saving on imports and food miles, generating new high value horticultural sectors along the way" Bayleys Whangarei horticulture and lifestyle specialist Vinni Bhula said the appealing climate and supply of smaller scale lifestyle blocks available throughout Northland set the region up well to develop some exciting new produce sectors. "I often get people asking me what else they could do with a small block, other than avocados or kiwifruit. The returns from bananas mean a block has the potential to deliver similar income to a green kiwifruit, so it's an appealing option to consider." He said there was a growing demand for niche crops coming from farmers markets and restaurants that made such options more viable than ever. | Northland's semi-tropical climate is proving an excellent hub for banana growers. Head of Tropical Fruit Growers of NZ, Hugh Rose, says bananas are the easiest crop in the world to grow. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/article.cfm?c_id=16&objectid=12204835 | 0.179341 |
Could NZ go bananas for tropical crops? | Bananas, so often associated with warm tropical climates on the equator may prove to be another cropping opportunity for enterprising horticulturalists from Northland to Gisborne. New Zealanders have an appetite for the yellow fruit, chomping through a whopping 18kg per capita a year, about $140 million worth that puts this country at top of the global list for banana consumption. The semi-tropical climate of Northland is proving an excellent hub for a band of enthusiastic and increasingly commercially focused banana growers, headed up through the Tropical Fruit Growers of NZ group. Farming on a 40ha property near Parua Bay on Northland's east coast near Whangarei Hugh Rose, head of Tropical Fruit Growers of NZ has a veritable fruit bowl of tropical produce growing. Advertisement Varied varieties of exotic fruit compete for visitors' taste-buds, ranging from pineapples to bananas, dragon fruit, pawpaw and even sugar cane. Head of Tropical Fruit Growers of NZ, Hugh Rose. Photo / Supplied Rose classes bananas as the easiest crop in the world to grow, benefiting from New Zealand's low disease and pest levels compared to the tropics, and capable of producing fruit almost constantly through the year once temperatures exceed 14C. With 17 varieties of the popular fruit growing, there is increasing consumer interest in the New Zealand sourced bananas that have a ready market at about $8/kg through Whangarei's farmers' market. "And with the number of enthusiasts we now have on board, there should be enough bananas growing now for Northland to be self-sufficient in a couple of years." Rose's calculations on potential earnings would make most horticulturalists sit up and take notice. His calculations per hectare with1500 plants a hectare in the ground could easily result in over 15,000kg of bananas a year. Even at $2/kg this returns $30,000 a hectare. And the crop is not necessarily dependent upon traditional views of what sort of climate the fruit usually grows in. "We have growers producing bananas in Invercargill, admittedly under tunnel shelter, but there are growers throughout Northland, Bay of Plenty, down to Gisborne all producing good crops." As a highly water-efficient, funnel-shaped plant they do not require much irrigation, grow well on most soil types and are tolerant to many pests and diseases. The fruit also sits well alongside traditional pastoral activities like dairying. "Dairy effluent is high in nitrogen and phosphate, exactly what bananas love, and the plant just sucks up those nutrients, making it an ideal crop alongside a dairy operation." It is also a source of cattle feed, with all of the plant edible to stock. Pineapples, coffee and a little known Peruvian fruit called lucuma all have potential in the sub-tropical regions throughout New Zealand. Rose is excited by the growing level of experimentation by enthusiasts and the knowledge that is being acquired by them. "Globally consumers' tastes are changing, and we have the ability to grow many of these products, saving on imports and food miles, generating new high value horticultural sectors along the way" Bayleys Whangarei horticulture and lifestyle specialist Vinni Bhula said the appealing climate and supply of smaller scale lifestyle blocks available throughout Northland set the region up well to develop some exciting new produce sectors. "I often get people asking me what else they could do with a small block, other than avocados or kiwifruit. The returns from bananas mean a block has the potential to deliver similar income to a green kiwifruit, so it's an appealing option to consider." He said there was a growing demand for niche crops coming from farmers markets and restaurants that made such options more viable than ever. | Northland is proving an excellent hub for a band of enthusiastic banana growers, headed up through the Tropical Fruit Growers of NZ group. New Zealanders eat 18kg of bananas per capita a year, putting it at the top of the global list for banana consumption. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/article.cfm?c_id=16&objectid=12204835 | 0.336934 |
Will universities go bust if fees are cut? | Image copyright Getty Images There's a growing expectation that the review of student finance in England, headed by the financier Philip Augar, is going to recommend a cut in tuition fees. The first figure floated, 6,500, seems to have drifted up to 7,500 after complaints from universities - but that would still be significantly less than the current maximum of 9,250. With some universities already facing precarious finances - with borrowing, recruitment problems and emergency bailouts - there are claims that institutions will be at risk of collapsing. Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner says the government needs to "get real about the consequences of a university going bust". What makes universities really nervous is that a reduction in fees will not be replaced by direct funding from the government. Even if funding is promised, it will make universities dependent on the goodwill of politicians, competing with other spending pressures, such as health and schools. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Universities are worried that a cut in fees will not be replaced by an equivalent in direct funding Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute and former universities minister special adviser, says the rule of thumb is that every cut in fees of 1,000 will take about a billion away from the current funding stream. If there is a significant cut in per student funding, he says, it will "push some to the wall". As well as a loss of fees, he says universities face a "perfect storm" - with a demographic dip in the number of 18-year-olds and Brexit casting a shadow over recruiting international students. There are universities already on financial thin ice - in debt over new buildings and then struggling when they fail to attract students. And if a university has a terrible year for recruitment, they have three years of teaching that reduced cohort and its smaller income. Dr Greg Walker, chief executive of the MillionPlus group of new universities, warns if funding for students is cut, or there are limits on numbers, there are risks of "significant damage". "Difficult choices could well have to be made," he said. But he said undermining university finances would be a "national own-goal". Sir Anthony Seldon, vice-chancellor of the University of Buckingham, and an influential figure in the politics of education, says there is already a "serious risk that some universities will go under". He warns that the aggressive expansion of some "juggernaut universities" is pushing others out of business. Universities with increasing undergraduate student numbers between 2007-08 and 2016-17 There are a finite number of students - and if some universities take an ever-rising number, others will be left starved of fee income. Sir Anthony attacks a "greedy cohort" for threatening the higher education "eco-system". Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show some universities have piled on extra students, while others have shrunk. Universities with decreasing undergraduate student numbers between 2007-08 and 2016-17 Over the past decade, Exeter University has expanded its undergraduate numbers by 72%. University College London has grown by 65%, York 48%, Bath 46% and Bristol by 41%. But London Metropolitan University has shrunk by 62%, with the University of West London down by 44%, Cumbria by 41%, the University of Central Lancashire by 34% and University of East London by 33%. If this process continues, Sir Anthony says it will threaten the future of some universities. But the University of Exeter rejects the criticism, saying it is "proud of its growth" and expanding has allowed more people to get places, rather than being turned away "because of our lack of space". Ministers and regulators have always kept to the script that they will not intervene. Last week, Universities Minister Chris Skidmore, said: "There is an expectation that in a small number of cases providers may exit the market altogether as a result of strong competition." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Sheffield is now a city of students rather than steel at the centre of the local economy But Hepi director, Nick Hillman, says the risks of a financial crisis will not be shared evenly, and it's likely to be survival of the biggest. Only smaller institutions would be allowed to fail. Big universities are major employers, anchors of the local economy, and the legal and political fallout from closure would be too toxic, he says. Above a certain size, he says, "the government cannot let a university fall over". A report last week from the UPP Foundation's civic university commission showed universities' pivotal place in regional economies. In Sheffield in 1978, it says "there were 4,000 students and nearly 45,000 people working in the steel industry". "Today there are around 60,000 students and around 3,000 steelworkers." Mergers or take-overs are more likely than shut downs, so that students could carry on, even though the name of the institution might have changed. Image copyright Getty Images Universities, as part of their registration with the Office for Students, have to produce a "student protection plan" showing how students could continue with their studies even if their university or course closed. Even if universities buckle financially, they would still have a long stretch before hitting the rocks. "The capacity to cope with decline can vary," says higher education adviser Louis Coiffait. Some universities could trade for a long time on the value of their assets, such as land or property, with sell-offs giving them enough of a "war chest" to fund a recruitment drive and recovery, he says. Dr Walker says if the review could reverse the decline in part-time students that would mean a significant improvement particularly for new universities. Image copyright PA "The right recommendations could rocket-boost support for prospective students wishing to study flexibly," he says. A switch from fees to direct funding, without an overall loss of budget, could give universities a more stable income, less vulnerable to unpredictable levels of recruitment. But if fees are lowered, perhaps for autumn 2020 or later, there are are fears about a sudden drop in university cash flow, as students would be likely to postpone starting. As such the review is being urged to include a phased approach to any changes. | Universities are worried that a cut in fees will not be replaced by an equivalent in direct funding from the government. There are fears that some institutions will be at risk of collapsing. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-47204922 | 0.323276 |
Will universities go bust if fees are cut? | Image copyright Getty Images There's a growing expectation that the review of student finance in England, headed by the financier Philip Augar, is going to recommend a cut in tuition fees. The first figure floated, 6,500, seems to have drifted up to 7,500 after complaints from universities - but that would still be significantly less than the current maximum of 9,250. With some universities already facing precarious finances - with borrowing, recruitment problems and emergency bailouts - there are claims that institutions will be at risk of collapsing. Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner says the government needs to "get real about the consequences of a university going bust". What makes universities really nervous is that a reduction in fees will not be replaced by direct funding from the government. Even if funding is promised, it will make universities dependent on the goodwill of politicians, competing with other spending pressures, such as health and schools. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Universities are worried that a cut in fees will not be replaced by an equivalent in direct funding Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute and former universities minister special adviser, says the rule of thumb is that every cut in fees of 1,000 will take about a billion away from the current funding stream. If there is a significant cut in per student funding, he says, it will "push some to the wall". As well as a loss of fees, he says universities face a "perfect storm" - with a demographic dip in the number of 18-year-olds and Brexit casting a shadow over recruiting international students. There are universities already on financial thin ice - in debt over new buildings and then struggling when they fail to attract students. And if a university has a terrible year for recruitment, they have three years of teaching that reduced cohort and its smaller income. Dr Greg Walker, chief executive of the MillionPlus group of new universities, warns if funding for students is cut, or there are limits on numbers, there are risks of "significant damage". "Difficult choices could well have to be made," he said. But he said undermining university finances would be a "national own-goal". Sir Anthony Seldon, vice-chancellor of the University of Buckingham, and an influential figure in the politics of education, says there is already a "serious risk that some universities will go under". He warns that the aggressive expansion of some "juggernaut universities" is pushing others out of business. Universities with increasing undergraduate student numbers between 2007-08 and 2016-17 There are a finite number of students - and if some universities take an ever-rising number, others will be left starved of fee income. Sir Anthony attacks a "greedy cohort" for threatening the higher education "eco-system". Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show some universities have piled on extra students, while others have shrunk. Universities with decreasing undergraduate student numbers between 2007-08 and 2016-17 Over the past decade, Exeter University has expanded its undergraduate numbers by 72%. University College London has grown by 65%, York 48%, Bath 46% and Bristol by 41%. But London Metropolitan University has shrunk by 62%, with the University of West London down by 44%, Cumbria by 41%, the University of Central Lancashire by 34% and University of East London by 33%. If this process continues, Sir Anthony says it will threaten the future of some universities. But the University of Exeter rejects the criticism, saying it is "proud of its growth" and expanding has allowed more people to get places, rather than being turned away "because of our lack of space". Ministers and regulators have always kept to the script that they will not intervene. Last week, Universities Minister Chris Skidmore, said: "There is an expectation that in a small number of cases providers may exit the market altogether as a result of strong competition." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Sheffield is now a city of students rather than steel at the centre of the local economy But Hepi director, Nick Hillman, says the risks of a financial crisis will not be shared evenly, and it's likely to be survival of the biggest. Only smaller institutions would be allowed to fail. Big universities are major employers, anchors of the local economy, and the legal and political fallout from closure would be too toxic, he says. Above a certain size, he says, "the government cannot let a university fall over". A report last week from the UPP Foundation's civic university commission showed universities' pivotal place in regional economies. In Sheffield in 1978, it says "there were 4,000 students and nearly 45,000 people working in the steel industry". "Today there are around 60,000 students and around 3,000 steelworkers." Mergers or take-overs are more likely than shut downs, so that students could carry on, even though the name of the institution might have changed. Image copyright Getty Images Universities, as part of their registration with the Office for Students, have to produce a "student protection plan" showing how students could continue with their studies even if their university or course closed. Even if universities buckle financially, they would still have a long stretch before hitting the rocks. "The capacity to cope with decline can vary," says higher education adviser Louis Coiffait. Some universities could trade for a long time on the value of their assets, such as land or property, with sell-offs giving them enough of a "war chest" to fund a recruitment drive and recovery, he says. Dr Walker says if the review could reverse the decline in part-time students that would mean a significant improvement particularly for new universities. Image copyright PA "The right recommendations could rocket-boost support for prospective students wishing to study flexibly," he says. A switch from fees to direct funding, without an overall loss of budget, could give universities a more stable income, less vulnerable to unpredictable levels of recruitment. But if fees are lowered, perhaps for autumn 2020 or later, there are are fears about a sudden drop in university cash flow, as students would be likely to postpone starting. As such the review is being urged to include a phased approach to any changes. | Universities are worried that a cut in fees will not be replaced by an equivalent in direct funding from the government. There are fears that some institutions will be at risk of collapsing if fees are cut. Some universities have been expanding their numbers, while others have shrunk, figures show. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-47204922 | 0.419875 |
What does Mizzous loss to UT mean for the NCAA Tournament? | The momentum from Missouris upset at No. 5 Mississippi State lasted all of three days. After winning in Starkville, Miss., on Thursday, the Tigers (19-8, 8-5 SEC) fell 62-60 to Tennessee (17-8, 6-6 SEC) Sunday night, hurting Missouris chances of hosting games in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Amber Smith led Missouri with 14 points while Sophie Cunningham and Cierra Porter each had 13. How much this loss hurts depends upon who you ask. ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme tweeted shortly after the game that he doesnt think it changes Missouris situation. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Kansas City Star Obviously, a huge win for @LadyVol_Hoops , one they really needed and given the state of the bubble it many end up being exactly the only one they need. The loss doesn't hurt Missouri at all given the losses by Michigan St and Texas today. Charlie Creme (@CharlieCreme) February 17, 2019 The loss doesnt hurt Missouri at all given the losses by Michigan St and Texas today, Creme tweeted. The Tigers were a No. 7 seed in Cremes mock bracket last Monday but will likely move up a seed after their upset win over the Bulldogs. While hosting may be a long shot, Missouri can still get up to a No. 5 seed if the Tigers win out in the regular season. Missouris situation was already going to be up in the air given that the Tigers likely had to run the table and maybe win a game or two in the SEC tournament. The Volunteers hung with the Tigers for most of the game and took a two-point lead with 52 seconds left on a pair of free throws by Rennia Davis. The Tigers missed a three-point attempt on their following possession and then turned it over after a UT player kicked the ball and it wasnt called. Officials cant review plays for possible kicked balls. After a defensive stop, Missouri still had a chance to tie or win the game when Sophie Cunningham drove to the basket and kicked out to Akira Levy. But Levys three-point attempt rimmed out. Pingeton didnt think Missouris defensive stop changed the officials impact on the end of the game. I think it was a pretty big call, she said. Missouri got the ball back with three-tenths of a second left, and while Jordan Chavis half-court heave went in, it was well after the final buzzer sounded. Pingeton said she thought Chavis knew that there wasnt enough time on the clock to dribble, but she dribbled once before shooting. Tensions ran high the last time Missouri played UT, a game that ended in a 66-64 MU win. Missouri guard Lauren Aldridge was accused of clapping in Vols coach Holly Warlicks face, and one of UTs assistants refused to shake Cunninghams hand in the post-game line, which led to an exchange of words between the Columbia native and UTs players. The incident led to multiple former UT players calling out Pingeton and Cunningham on social media, which surprised Missouris coach. Warlick said she never was upset at Missouri after the Tigers win in Knoxville and echoed Pingetons words. Im worried about losing basketball games, Warlick said. I dont have social media. I dont worry about it. | Missouri lost 62-60 to Tennessee on Sunday night. The loss hurts Missouri's chances of hosting games in the NCAA Tournament. | bart | 0 | https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article226420025.html | 0.481469 |
What does Mizzous loss to UT mean for the NCAA Tournament? | The momentum from Missouris upset at No. 5 Mississippi State lasted all of three days. After winning in Starkville, Miss., on Thursday, the Tigers (19-8, 8-5 SEC) fell 62-60 to Tennessee (17-8, 6-6 SEC) Sunday night, hurting Missouris chances of hosting games in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Amber Smith led Missouri with 14 points while Sophie Cunningham and Cierra Porter each had 13. How much this loss hurts depends upon who you ask. ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme tweeted shortly after the game that he doesnt think it changes Missouris situation. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Kansas City Star Obviously, a huge win for @LadyVol_Hoops , one they really needed and given the state of the bubble it many end up being exactly the only one they need. The loss doesn't hurt Missouri at all given the losses by Michigan St and Texas today. Charlie Creme (@CharlieCreme) February 17, 2019 The loss doesnt hurt Missouri at all given the losses by Michigan St and Texas today, Creme tweeted. The Tigers were a No. 7 seed in Cremes mock bracket last Monday but will likely move up a seed after their upset win over the Bulldogs. While hosting may be a long shot, Missouri can still get up to a No. 5 seed if the Tigers win out in the regular season. Missouris situation was already going to be up in the air given that the Tigers likely had to run the table and maybe win a game or two in the SEC tournament. The Volunteers hung with the Tigers for most of the game and took a two-point lead with 52 seconds left on a pair of free throws by Rennia Davis. The Tigers missed a three-point attempt on their following possession and then turned it over after a UT player kicked the ball and it wasnt called. Officials cant review plays for possible kicked balls. After a defensive stop, Missouri still had a chance to tie or win the game when Sophie Cunningham drove to the basket and kicked out to Akira Levy. But Levys three-point attempt rimmed out. Pingeton didnt think Missouris defensive stop changed the officials impact on the end of the game. I think it was a pretty big call, she said. Missouri got the ball back with three-tenths of a second left, and while Jordan Chavis half-court heave went in, it was well after the final buzzer sounded. Pingeton said she thought Chavis knew that there wasnt enough time on the clock to dribble, but she dribbled once before shooting. Tensions ran high the last time Missouri played UT, a game that ended in a 66-64 MU win. Missouri guard Lauren Aldridge was accused of clapping in Vols coach Holly Warlicks face, and one of UTs assistants refused to shake Cunninghams hand in the post-game line, which led to an exchange of words between the Columbia native and UTs players. The incident led to multiple former UT players calling out Pingeton and Cunningham on social media, which surprised Missouris coach. Warlick said she never was upset at Missouri after the Tigers win in Knoxville and echoed Pingetons words. Im worried about losing basketball games, Warlick said. I dont have social media. I dont worry about it. | Missouri lost 62-60 to Tennessee on Sunday night. The loss hurts Missouri's chances of hosting games in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. | bart | 1 | https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article226420025.html | 0.466308 |
What does Mizzous loss to UT mean for the NCAA Tournament? | The momentum from Missouris upset at No. 5 Mississippi State lasted all of three days. After winning in Starkville, Miss., on Thursday, the Tigers (19-8, 8-5 SEC) fell 62-60 to Tennessee (17-8, 6-6 SEC) Sunday night, hurting Missouris chances of hosting games in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Amber Smith led Missouri with 14 points while Sophie Cunningham and Cierra Porter each had 13. How much this loss hurts depends upon who you ask. ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme tweeted shortly after the game that he doesnt think it changes Missouris situation. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Kansas City Star Obviously, a huge win for @LadyVol_Hoops , one they really needed and given the state of the bubble it many end up being exactly the only one they need. The loss doesn't hurt Missouri at all given the losses by Michigan St and Texas today. Charlie Creme (@CharlieCreme) February 17, 2019 The loss doesnt hurt Missouri at all given the losses by Michigan St and Texas today, Creme tweeted. The Tigers were a No. 7 seed in Cremes mock bracket last Monday but will likely move up a seed after their upset win over the Bulldogs. While hosting may be a long shot, Missouri can still get up to a No. 5 seed if the Tigers win out in the regular season. Missouris situation was already going to be up in the air given that the Tigers likely had to run the table and maybe win a game or two in the SEC tournament. The Volunteers hung with the Tigers for most of the game and took a two-point lead with 52 seconds left on a pair of free throws by Rennia Davis. The Tigers missed a three-point attempt on their following possession and then turned it over after a UT player kicked the ball and it wasnt called. Officials cant review plays for possible kicked balls. After a defensive stop, Missouri still had a chance to tie or win the game when Sophie Cunningham drove to the basket and kicked out to Akira Levy. But Levys three-point attempt rimmed out. Pingeton didnt think Missouris defensive stop changed the officials impact on the end of the game. I think it was a pretty big call, she said. Missouri got the ball back with three-tenths of a second left, and while Jordan Chavis half-court heave went in, it was well after the final buzzer sounded. Pingeton said she thought Chavis knew that there wasnt enough time on the clock to dribble, but she dribbled once before shooting. Tensions ran high the last time Missouri played UT, a game that ended in a 66-64 MU win. Missouri guard Lauren Aldridge was accused of clapping in Vols coach Holly Warlicks face, and one of UTs assistants refused to shake Cunninghams hand in the post-game line, which led to an exchange of words between the Columbia native and UTs players. The incident led to multiple former UT players calling out Pingeton and Cunningham on social media, which surprised Missouris coach. Warlick said she never was upset at Missouri after the Tigers win in Knoxville and echoed Pingetons words. Im worried about losing basketball games, Warlick said. I dont have social media. I dont worry about it. | Missouri lost 62-60 to Tennessee on Sunday night. The loss hurts Missouri's chances of hosting games in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme tweeted shortly after the game that he doesnt think it changes Missouris situation. | bart | 2 | https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article226420025.html | 0.560792 |
Did Japan's PM nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize after president asked him to? | Donald Trump's administration asked Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize after he and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un met for a historic summit, according to a Japanese newspaper. On Friday (US time), Trump boasted during a White House Rose Garden press event that Abe had handed him "the most beautiful copy" of a five-page letter about the nomination but concluded "I'll probably never get it", the Daily Mail reported. The request came months after the Trump-Kim summit in Singapore on June 12, according to the newspaper Asahi Shimbun. Abe ultimately submitted Trump's name, citing his efforts to defuse decades-long tensions on the Korean peninsula. Advertisement "He said, 'I have nominated you, respectfully, on behalf of Japan. I am asking them to give you the Nobel Peace Prize'," Trump told reporters. "I said 'thank you'. "Many other people feel that way, too. I'll probably never get it. That's okay,' he said. Abe and his chief spokesman declined to say if the PM nominated the US President for the prize. Abe noted while speaking in Parliament on Monday (Japan time) that the Nobel committee does not disclose the parties behind nominations for a half-century. He said, "I thus decline comment." The government's top spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, told reporters that Japan highly valued Trump's efforts on North Korea's nuclear disarmament, but he echoed Abe in refusing other comment. The Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported on Sunday, citing unnamed government sources, that Abe nominated Trump's at the president's request. It's unclear how common it is for governments to lobby each others' leaders for award endorsements. The Japanese Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump has made strides in opening talks with North Korea, saying consistently that the hermit kingdom's belligerence should have been countered by his predecessors. Last year's meeting was the first between a sitting American president and a North Korean head of state. A spokesman for Japan's Foreign Ministry in Tokyo told Reuters that it was aware of Trump's remarks but "would refrain from commenting on the interaction between the two leaders". The Nobel Foundation's website says a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize may be submitted by any person who meets the nomination criteria, which includes current heads of states. The former non-voting secretary of the Nobel Peace Prize committee said in 2015 that members regretted giving the prestigious award to former president Barack Obama in 2009, less than a year into his first term. Geir Lundestad told the Associated Press that the committee had hoped the prize would strengthen Obama, but instead it was met with ridicule since he hadn't yet had a significant impact on global affairs. "No Nobel Peace Prize ever elicited more attention than the 2009 prize to Barack Obama," Lundestad wrote in his memoir. "Even many of Obama's supporters believed that the prize was a mistake. In that sense the committee didn't achieve what it had hoped for." Trump noted on Friday that "they gave it to Obama". "He didn't even know what he got it for. He was there for about 15 seconds and he got the Nobel Prize. He said, 'Oh, what did I get it for?'" The anecdote came as he hailed Pyongyang's "tremendous" economic potential and his "great relationship" with Kim ahead of a second scheduled summit between the two leaders late next week. Trump also took a second dig at Barack Obama, suggesting his predecessor had been close to going to war with the nuclear-armed state. Recalling a conversation he had with Obama shortly before his inauguration, Trump said: "I don't want to speak for him but I believe he would have gone to war with North Korea. "I think he was ready to go to war, he told me he was so close to starting a big war with North Korea. No missiles, no rockets, no nuclear testing. "We've learned a lot. But much more importantly than all of it much more important, much, much more important than that is we have a great relationship. I have a very good relationship with Kim Jong-un. And I've done a job." | Donald Trump's administration asked Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize. | bart | 0 | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12205000 | 0.289763 |
Did Japan's PM nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize after president asked him to? | Donald Trump's administration asked Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize after he and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un met for a historic summit, according to a Japanese newspaper. On Friday (US time), Trump boasted during a White House Rose Garden press event that Abe had handed him "the most beautiful copy" of a five-page letter about the nomination but concluded "I'll probably never get it", the Daily Mail reported. The request came months after the Trump-Kim summit in Singapore on June 12, according to the newspaper Asahi Shimbun. Abe ultimately submitted Trump's name, citing his efforts to defuse decades-long tensions on the Korean peninsula. Advertisement "He said, 'I have nominated you, respectfully, on behalf of Japan. I am asking them to give you the Nobel Peace Prize'," Trump told reporters. "I said 'thank you'. "Many other people feel that way, too. I'll probably never get it. That's okay,' he said. Abe and his chief spokesman declined to say if the PM nominated the US President for the prize. Abe noted while speaking in Parliament on Monday (Japan time) that the Nobel committee does not disclose the parties behind nominations for a half-century. He said, "I thus decline comment." The government's top spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, told reporters that Japan highly valued Trump's efforts on North Korea's nuclear disarmament, but he echoed Abe in refusing other comment. The Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported on Sunday, citing unnamed government sources, that Abe nominated Trump's at the president's request. It's unclear how common it is for governments to lobby each others' leaders for award endorsements. The Japanese Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump has made strides in opening talks with North Korea, saying consistently that the hermit kingdom's belligerence should have been countered by his predecessors. Last year's meeting was the first between a sitting American president and a North Korean head of state. A spokesman for Japan's Foreign Ministry in Tokyo told Reuters that it was aware of Trump's remarks but "would refrain from commenting on the interaction between the two leaders". The Nobel Foundation's website says a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize may be submitted by any person who meets the nomination criteria, which includes current heads of states. The former non-voting secretary of the Nobel Peace Prize committee said in 2015 that members regretted giving the prestigious award to former president Barack Obama in 2009, less than a year into his first term. Geir Lundestad told the Associated Press that the committee had hoped the prize would strengthen Obama, but instead it was met with ridicule since he hadn't yet had a significant impact on global affairs. "No Nobel Peace Prize ever elicited more attention than the 2009 prize to Barack Obama," Lundestad wrote in his memoir. "Even many of Obama's supporters believed that the prize was a mistake. In that sense the committee didn't achieve what it had hoped for." Trump noted on Friday that "they gave it to Obama". "He didn't even know what he got it for. He was there for about 15 seconds and he got the Nobel Prize. He said, 'Oh, what did I get it for?'" The anecdote came as he hailed Pyongyang's "tremendous" economic potential and his "great relationship" with Kim ahead of a second scheduled summit between the two leaders late next week. Trump also took a second dig at Barack Obama, suggesting his predecessor had been close to going to war with the nuclear-armed state. Recalling a conversation he had with Obama shortly before his inauguration, Trump said: "I don't want to speak for him but I believe he would have gone to war with North Korea. "I think he was ready to go to war, he told me he was so close to starting a big war with North Korea. No missiles, no rockets, no nuclear testing. "We've learned a lot. But much more importantly than all of it much more important, much, much more important than that is we have a great relationship. I have a very good relationship with Kim Jong-un. And I've done a job." | Donald Trump's administration asked Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize, according to a Japanese newspaper. Abe submitted Trump's name, citing his efforts to defuse decades-long tensions on the Korean peninsula. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12205000 | 0.393573 |
Did Japan's PM nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize after president asked him to? | Donald Trump's administration asked Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize after he and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un met for a historic summit, according to a Japanese newspaper. On Friday (US time), Trump boasted during a White House Rose Garden press event that Abe had handed him "the most beautiful copy" of a five-page letter about the nomination but concluded "I'll probably never get it", the Daily Mail reported. The request came months after the Trump-Kim summit in Singapore on June 12, according to the newspaper Asahi Shimbun. Abe ultimately submitted Trump's name, citing his efforts to defuse decades-long tensions on the Korean peninsula. Advertisement "He said, 'I have nominated you, respectfully, on behalf of Japan. I am asking them to give you the Nobel Peace Prize'," Trump told reporters. "I said 'thank you'. "Many other people feel that way, too. I'll probably never get it. That's okay,' he said. Abe and his chief spokesman declined to say if the PM nominated the US President for the prize. Abe noted while speaking in Parliament on Monday (Japan time) that the Nobel committee does not disclose the parties behind nominations for a half-century. He said, "I thus decline comment." The government's top spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, told reporters that Japan highly valued Trump's efforts on North Korea's nuclear disarmament, but he echoed Abe in refusing other comment. The Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported on Sunday, citing unnamed government sources, that Abe nominated Trump's at the president's request. It's unclear how common it is for governments to lobby each others' leaders for award endorsements. The Japanese Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump has made strides in opening talks with North Korea, saying consistently that the hermit kingdom's belligerence should have been countered by his predecessors. Last year's meeting was the first between a sitting American president and a North Korean head of state. A spokesman for Japan's Foreign Ministry in Tokyo told Reuters that it was aware of Trump's remarks but "would refrain from commenting on the interaction between the two leaders". The Nobel Foundation's website says a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize may be submitted by any person who meets the nomination criteria, which includes current heads of states. The former non-voting secretary of the Nobel Peace Prize committee said in 2015 that members regretted giving the prestigious award to former president Barack Obama in 2009, less than a year into his first term. Geir Lundestad told the Associated Press that the committee had hoped the prize would strengthen Obama, but instead it was met with ridicule since he hadn't yet had a significant impact on global affairs. "No Nobel Peace Prize ever elicited more attention than the 2009 prize to Barack Obama," Lundestad wrote in his memoir. "Even many of Obama's supporters believed that the prize was a mistake. In that sense the committee didn't achieve what it had hoped for." Trump noted on Friday that "they gave it to Obama". "He didn't even know what he got it for. He was there for about 15 seconds and he got the Nobel Prize. He said, 'Oh, what did I get it for?'" The anecdote came as he hailed Pyongyang's "tremendous" economic potential and his "great relationship" with Kim ahead of a second scheduled summit between the two leaders late next week. Trump also took a second dig at Barack Obama, suggesting his predecessor had been close to going to war with the nuclear-armed state. Recalling a conversation he had with Obama shortly before his inauguration, Trump said: "I don't want to speak for him but I believe he would have gone to war with North Korea. "I think he was ready to go to war, he told me he was so close to starting a big war with North Korea. No missiles, no rockets, no nuclear testing. "We've learned a lot. But much more importantly than all of it much more important, much, much more important than that is we have a great relationship. I have a very good relationship with Kim Jong-un. And I've done a job." | Donald Trump's administration asked Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize. The request came months after the Trump-Kim summit in Singapore on June 12, according to a Japanese newspaper. Abe ultimately submitted Trump's name, citing his efforts to defuse decades-long tensions on the Korean peninsula. | bart | 2 | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12205000 | 0.456491 |
Is promotion and relegation any closer in US soccer? | Americas international teams go through ups and downs but the issue of promotion and relegation in domestic leagues refuses to die A year after Carlos Cordeiro was elected US Soccer president in a free-for-all that threw everything in the sport up for debate, the federation convened for a much quieter annual meeting over the weekend. Hall of Fame player Cindy Cone was officially declared vice president, a foregone conclusion after she was the only candidate to secure a nomination. In Cordeiros first year, the national teams and youth soccer have drawn plenty of attention. But the issue of promotion and relegation in America is still a matter of debate throughout the countrys soccer communities. Heres how things stand at the moment. As it turns out, a lot of people. The American Soccer League. And the National Independent Soccer Association. And the National Premier Soccer League. And the United Premier Soccer League. And the US Premiership. And the United Soccer League. Oh, and, some regional leagues too. Thats a lot of organizations. They are not. They do not. The federation sanctions professional leagues as Divisions 1, 2 and 3. MLS is Division 1. The USL can boast three levels: the Division 2 Championship, the Division 3 League One, and the amateur League Two, though it doesnt (yet) have pro/rel. More than one league can occupy each tier. NISA, for example, is applying to join Division 3, the same tier as USLs League One. It hopes to cater to clubs that bristle at the USLs central control and its partnership with MLS. What division a team in doesnt necessarily tell the story of how big they are though. Detroit City FC, who average more than 5,000 fans per game, are in the same tier as a UPSL regional group that takes place entirely within a single city park. Actually, professional teams can play below Division 3, though theyre rare. Heres where it gets (even more) complicated, and heres where the Cosmos enter the picture. A few bigger (richer) NPSL clubs have joined up with the Cosmos and Miami FC, both of whom played in the Division 2 NASL, to form something called the Founders Cup, which will run from August to November in its first season, and will have professional players. A US Soccer spokesman confirmed that the federation has no issue with professional players on these teams. Bu at some point, the federation would surely want to prevent a league from doing a full-fledged end run around the Pro League Standards. Depending on who you ask, they may be a bulwark against the constant cycle of clubs emerging and folding, or theyre an unfair roadblock against community clubs. The standards include a required performance bond to keep teams from jumping ship midseason. More to the head-scratching end of things is the insistence that each league team must have a media guide. The more stringent Division 2 standards are central to the NASLs lawsuit against US Soccer in September 2017, filed in the wake of the NASL losing its Division 2 status. The league is currently in limbo. Thats one reason. But most of these clubs, apart from the ones in the Founders Cup, arent planning to turn professional, at least not in the near future. The UPSL has a few ambitious clubs, but its status as a low-budget, low-travel alternative is the key to its rapid expansion. USL League Two and the NPSL rely heavily on college players, who cant play on professional teams. (They can play against professionals, which makes the US Open Cup possible.) That, and the US Amateur Cup, the rough analogue to Englands FA Trophy. And most of these leagues have their own national playoffs, which is why the UPSLs fall season ended in February. Yes. Pro/rel happens regionally in the UPSL and local and regional amateur leagues. On the national level, USL president Jake Edwards has a habit of teasing the possibility of doing it once the league has a critical mass in League One. At the moment, thats 10 teams. Ask the lawyers. Thats one of the arguments in the NASLs suit against US Soccer, for which the discovery deadline has been extended to November, and its the subject of a complaint the NASLs Miami FC and the NPSLs Kingston Stockade filed with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in August 2017. The complexities of that case have been considered on a lawyers blog and in an academic paper, but apparently not in CAS as of yet. He was asked about it during his campaign. His response to ESPNs Jeff Carlisle: I regret that Im not able to comment on this issue at this time because, as vice president, I am a sitting officer of the federation and this is a matter pending in arbitration. Given the frequency of litigation in this realm, US Soccer is bound to be risk-averse for the foreseeable future. Its up to everyone else to sort it out. | The issue of promotion and relegation in America is still a matter of debate throughout the countrys soccer communities. | bart | 0 | https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/18/is-promotion-and-relegation-any-closer-in-us-soccer | 0.197572 |
Is promotion and relegation any closer in US soccer? | Americas international teams go through ups and downs but the issue of promotion and relegation in domestic leagues refuses to die A year after Carlos Cordeiro was elected US Soccer president in a free-for-all that threw everything in the sport up for debate, the federation convened for a much quieter annual meeting over the weekend. Hall of Fame player Cindy Cone was officially declared vice president, a foregone conclusion after she was the only candidate to secure a nomination. In Cordeiros first year, the national teams and youth soccer have drawn plenty of attention. But the issue of promotion and relegation in America is still a matter of debate throughout the countrys soccer communities. Heres how things stand at the moment. As it turns out, a lot of people. The American Soccer League. And the National Independent Soccer Association. And the National Premier Soccer League. And the United Premier Soccer League. And the US Premiership. And the United Soccer League. Oh, and, some regional leagues too. Thats a lot of organizations. They are not. They do not. The federation sanctions professional leagues as Divisions 1, 2 and 3. MLS is Division 1. The USL can boast three levels: the Division 2 Championship, the Division 3 League One, and the amateur League Two, though it doesnt (yet) have pro/rel. More than one league can occupy each tier. NISA, for example, is applying to join Division 3, the same tier as USLs League One. It hopes to cater to clubs that bristle at the USLs central control and its partnership with MLS. What division a team in doesnt necessarily tell the story of how big they are though. Detroit City FC, who average more than 5,000 fans per game, are in the same tier as a UPSL regional group that takes place entirely within a single city park. Actually, professional teams can play below Division 3, though theyre rare. Heres where it gets (even more) complicated, and heres where the Cosmos enter the picture. A few bigger (richer) NPSL clubs have joined up with the Cosmos and Miami FC, both of whom played in the Division 2 NASL, to form something called the Founders Cup, which will run from August to November in its first season, and will have professional players. A US Soccer spokesman confirmed that the federation has no issue with professional players on these teams. Bu at some point, the federation would surely want to prevent a league from doing a full-fledged end run around the Pro League Standards. Depending on who you ask, they may be a bulwark against the constant cycle of clubs emerging and folding, or theyre an unfair roadblock against community clubs. The standards include a required performance bond to keep teams from jumping ship midseason. More to the head-scratching end of things is the insistence that each league team must have a media guide. The more stringent Division 2 standards are central to the NASLs lawsuit against US Soccer in September 2017, filed in the wake of the NASL losing its Division 2 status. The league is currently in limbo. Thats one reason. But most of these clubs, apart from the ones in the Founders Cup, arent planning to turn professional, at least not in the near future. The UPSL has a few ambitious clubs, but its status as a low-budget, low-travel alternative is the key to its rapid expansion. USL League Two and the NPSL rely heavily on college players, who cant play on professional teams. (They can play against professionals, which makes the US Open Cup possible.) That, and the US Amateur Cup, the rough analogue to Englands FA Trophy. And most of these leagues have their own national playoffs, which is why the UPSLs fall season ended in February. Yes. Pro/rel happens regionally in the UPSL and local and regional amateur leagues. On the national level, USL president Jake Edwards has a habit of teasing the possibility of doing it once the league has a critical mass in League One. At the moment, thats 10 teams. Ask the lawyers. Thats one of the arguments in the NASLs suit against US Soccer, for which the discovery deadline has been extended to November, and its the subject of a complaint the NASLs Miami FC and the NPSLs Kingston Stockade filed with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in August 2017. The complexities of that case have been considered on a lawyers blog and in an academic paper, but apparently not in CAS as of yet. He was asked about it during his campaign. His response to ESPNs Jeff Carlisle: I regret that Im not able to comment on this issue at this time because, as vice president, I am a sitting officer of the federation and this is a matter pending in arbitration. Given the frequency of litigation in this realm, US Soccer is bound to be risk-averse for the foreseeable future. Its up to everyone else to sort it out. | The issue of promotion and relegation in America is still a matter of debate throughout the countrys soccer communities. The American Soccer League can boast three levels: the Division 2 Championship, the Division 3 League One, and the amateur League Two. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/18/is-promotion-and-relegation-any-closer-in-us-soccer | 0.212032 |
Is promotion and relegation any closer in US soccer? | Americas international teams go through ups and downs but the issue of promotion and relegation in domestic leagues refuses to die A year after Carlos Cordeiro was elected US Soccer president in a free-for-all that threw everything in the sport up for debate, the federation convened for a much quieter annual meeting over the weekend. Hall of Fame player Cindy Cone was officially declared vice president, a foregone conclusion after she was the only candidate to secure a nomination. In Cordeiros first year, the national teams and youth soccer have drawn plenty of attention. But the issue of promotion and relegation in America is still a matter of debate throughout the countrys soccer communities. Heres how things stand at the moment. As it turns out, a lot of people. The American Soccer League. And the National Independent Soccer Association. And the National Premier Soccer League. And the United Premier Soccer League. And the US Premiership. And the United Soccer League. Oh, and, some regional leagues too. Thats a lot of organizations. They are not. They do not. The federation sanctions professional leagues as Divisions 1, 2 and 3. MLS is Division 1. The USL can boast three levels: the Division 2 Championship, the Division 3 League One, and the amateur League Two, though it doesnt (yet) have pro/rel. More than one league can occupy each tier. NISA, for example, is applying to join Division 3, the same tier as USLs League One. It hopes to cater to clubs that bristle at the USLs central control and its partnership with MLS. What division a team in doesnt necessarily tell the story of how big they are though. Detroit City FC, who average more than 5,000 fans per game, are in the same tier as a UPSL regional group that takes place entirely within a single city park. Actually, professional teams can play below Division 3, though theyre rare. Heres where it gets (even more) complicated, and heres where the Cosmos enter the picture. A few bigger (richer) NPSL clubs have joined up with the Cosmos and Miami FC, both of whom played in the Division 2 NASL, to form something called the Founders Cup, which will run from August to November in its first season, and will have professional players. A US Soccer spokesman confirmed that the federation has no issue with professional players on these teams. Bu at some point, the federation would surely want to prevent a league from doing a full-fledged end run around the Pro League Standards. Depending on who you ask, they may be a bulwark against the constant cycle of clubs emerging and folding, or theyre an unfair roadblock against community clubs. The standards include a required performance bond to keep teams from jumping ship midseason. More to the head-scratching end of things is the insistence that each league team must have a media guide. The more stringent Division 2 standards are central to the NASLs lawsuit against US Soccer in September 2017, filed in the wake of the NASL losing its Division 2 status. The league is currently in limbo. Thats one reason. But most of these clubs, apart from the ones in the Founders Cup, arent planning to turn professional, at least not in the near future. The UPSL has a few ambitious clubs, but its status as a low-budget, low-travel alternative is the key to its rapid expansion. USL League Two and the NPSL rely heavily on college players, who cant play on professional teams. (They can play against professionals, which makes the US Open Cup possible.) That, and the US Amateur Cup, the rough analogue to Englands FA Trophy. And most of these leagues have their own national playoffs, which is why the UPSLs fall season ended in February. Yes. Pro/rel happens regionally in the UPSL and local and regional amateur leagues. On the national level, USL president Jake Edwards has a habit of teasing the possibility of doing it once the league has a critical mass in League One. At the moment, thats 10 teams. Ask the lawyers. Thats one of the arguments in the NASLs suit against US Soccer, for which the discovery deadline has been extended to November, and its the subject of a complaint the NASLs Miami FC and the NPSLs Kingston Stockade filed with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in August 2017. The complexities of that case have been considered on a lawyers blog and in an academic paper, but apparently not in CAS as of yet. He was asked about it during his campaign. His response to ESPNs Jeff Carlisle: I regret that Im not able to comment on this issue at this time because, as vice president, I am a sitting officer of the federation and this is a matter pending in arbitration. Given the frequency of litigation in this realm, US Soccer is bound to be risk-averse for the foreseeable future. Its up to everyone else to sort it out. | The issue of promotion and relegation in America is still a matter of debate throughout the countrys soccer communities. US Soccer sanctions professional leagues as Divisions 1, 2 and 3. A few bigger (richer) NPSL clubs have joined up with the Cosmos and Miami FC to form something called the Founders Cup. | bart | 2 | https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/18/is-promotion-and-relegation-any-closer-in-us-soccer | 0.25636 |
Will P&G stock split again soon? | CLOSE Take a virtual shopping trip to find all of Procter & Gamble's products. Sam Greene Procter & Gamble stock is near all-time highs as its turnaround efforts appear to be taking hold. Usually, when P&G stock crosses the century mark, the consumer products giant doubles the number of shares outstanding with two-for-one splits. Since 1970, P&G stock has traded for several weeks or a few months north of $100 before shares split. The longest time the shares traded above $100 was for about a year in the late 1990s when the stock traded above $150. Shares won't trade today since the market is closed for Presidents Day. With 10,000 P&G employees in the region and legions more retirees, P&G is one of the most widely held stocks in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Buy Photo Headquarters of Procter & Gamble in downtown Cincinnati. (Photo11: The Enquirer/ Liz Dufour) P&G officials generally don't comment about the company's stock price and didn't offer one when asked about splits by The Enquirer last week. Still, the last time, P&G's stock closed above $100 for just over one month in early 2004, the company announced a two-for-one split. While the swiftness of the split announcement suggests there might have been some automatic benchmark, it might have been the result of a previous split plan that had been put on hold. P&G's stock also closed above $100 several times in late 1999 and early 2000, but a split wasn't declared and the stock market saw a major downturn in March 2000 when the dot.com bubble burst. Also wreaking havoc that spring: the implosion of CEO Durk Jager's short tenure. Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2019/02/18/p-g-stock-split-coming-soon/2883239002/ | Usually, when P&G stock crosses the century mark, the consumer products giant doubles the number of shares outstanding with two-for-one splits. The last time the company split was in 2004. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2019/02/18/p-g-stock-split-coming-soon/2883239002/ | 0.171743 |
Will P&G stock split again soon? | CLOSE Take a virtual shopping trip to find all of Procter & Gamble's products. Sam Greene Procter & Gamble stock is near all-time highs as its turnaround efforts appear to be taking hold. Usually, when P&G stock crosses the century mark, the consumer products giant doubles the number of shares outstanding with two-for-one splits. Since 1970, P&G stock has traded for several weeks or a few months north of $100 before shares split. The longest time the shares traded above $100 was for about a year in the late 1990s when the stock traded above $150. Shares won't trade today since the market is closed for Presidents Day. With 10,000 P&G employees in the region and legions more retirees, P&G is one of the most widely held stocks in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Buy Photo Headquarters of Procter & Gamble in downtown Cincinnati. (Photo11: The Enquirer/ Liz Dufour) P&G officials generally don't comment about the company's stock price and didn't offer one when asked about splits by The Enquirer last week. Still, the last time, P&G's stock closed above $100 for just over one month in early 2004, the company announced a two-for-one split. While the swiftness of the split announcement suggests there might have been some automatic benchmark, it might have been the result of a previous split plan that had been put on hold. P&G's stock also closed above $100 several times in late 1999 and early 2000, but a split wasn't declared and the stock market saw a major downturn in March 2000 when the dot.com bubble burst. Also wreaking havoc that spring: the implosion of CEO Durk Jager's short tenure. Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2019/02/18/p-g-stock-split-coming-soon/2883239002/ | Usually, when P&G stock crosses the century mark, the consumer products giant doubles the number of shares outstanding with two-for-one splits. The last time the company announced a split was in 2004, when the stock traded above $100 for just over one month. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2019/02/18/p-g-stock-split-coming-soon/2883239002/ | 0.136736 |
Is Walmart the Next Retail Dinosaur to Fail with Amazons Dominance of Deliveries? | The news of a terminated partnership between delivery startup Deliv and Walmart could potentially be the canary in the coalmine signaling an impending power shift away from Walmart and toward Amazon in the American retail market. To those in the know, a clandestine but very real war is currently underway between the two titans of American retail, with the potential to fundamentally reshape how Americans and eventually the rest of the world do their shopping. After leaving a trail of disrupted retail business models and conquered markets in its wake, Amazon is currently locked in a battle for U.S. retail supremacy with Walmart, which is still the worlds largest retailer. Thus far, Walmart has managed to avoid the fate of retailers like Toys R Us and Sears by blurring the lines between its online and offline retail offering in response to Amazons $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods in 2017. Last-Mile Grocery Delivery Is The Key From a business point of view, Walmart and Amazon are not that different. They both have the same highly efficient supply chains and Just-in-Time inventory management systems. They both offer customers a dizzyingly wide variety of stock and brands to choose from at similar prices. The difference between both has always been that while Amazon places a famously obsessive emphasis on delivering products to customers homes the same day, Walmart has retained its reputation as a big-box supermarket where customers physically purchase their items and walk away with them instantly. Amazons Whole Foods acquisition changed all that, however, with the company combining its ruthlessly efficient delivery infrastructure with the inventory of a respected premium supermarket brand. Unlike Walmart, Amazon is not dependent on a fleet of trucks with drivers working defined hours. In true internet startup style, the company has consistently demonstrated its fierce determination to get goods to customers within as little as two hours using any means possible, even mooting the idea of delivery drones. Read the full story on CCN.com. | Walmart and Amazon are locked in a battle for U.S. retail supremacy with Walmart still the worlds largest retailer. Amazon's Whole Foods acquisition changed all that, however, with the company combining its ruthlessly efficient delivery infrastructure with the inventory of a respected premium supermarket brand. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/walmart-next-retail-dinosaur-fail-092716665.html | 0.137625 |
What to do with Canadian Daesh supporters who want to come home? | The federal government is refusing to actively repatriate Canadian Daesh fighters and their families captured abroad. It may not be able to hold out forever. The question of what to do with Canadian citizens who travel abroad to join terror groups like Daesh (also known as ISIS), has never been fully sorted out. Mohammad Ali, a 28-year-old Canadian jihadist captured by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks to AFP at a detention centre in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh on Feb. 10. He said he had been interrogated by the American FBI, CIA and U.S. defence officials, but never visited by a Canadian official. The Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria wants to send the prisoners back for trial, but governments in their countries of origin are often reluctant. ( FADEL SENNA / AFP/GETTY IMAGES ) The government cannot legally bar a Canadian citizen from returning home. It can charge those who aided Daesh once they are back in Canada. But it must prove its case in court not always a simple task when the alleged crimes occurred half a world away. For the governing Liberals, who campaigned on the slogan that Canadian citizenship is sacrosanct, the fate of returning Daesh supporters was always a political problem. But as long as the alleged fighters were returning home in dribs and drabs, it was a manageable one. Article Continued Below Now, with the final collapse of Daeshs so-called Syrian caliphate, the problem has moved front and centre. Last week, CNN interviewed two Canadian women a college student from Toronto and a graphic designer from Alberta who voluntarily came to Daesh-controlled Syria, where they married and had children. The two have since surrendered to Kurdish forces fighting Daesh and now want to come home. A few days later, CTV reported on a Canadian man imprisoned by the Kurds, who spent four years fighting for Daesh and who also wants to return home. On Tuesday, the Daily Mail published an interview with a 46-year-old Canadian woman called Kimberley, who said she had travelled to Daesh-controlled Syria for humanitarian motives and who now wants to come home. Its estimated that there are somewhere between 27 and 32 Canadians imprisoned in Kurdish-controlled Syria. The number is expected to rise. Roughly half of those in custody are children under the age of eight according to the organization Families Against Violent Extremism. Article Continued Below In a report released late last year, the federal government estimated that about 190 Canadians with ties to terrorism are living abroad. About 60 more have already returned home. Up to now, the federal governments position on would-be returnees has been one of studied indifference. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale notes that it is dangerous for consular officials to travel into Syria to visit Canadian citizens detained there. Repatriating those who voluntarily travelled abroad to join Daesh, he says, is not a high priority for the Liberal government. In this, Canada echoes the position of countries such as Britain and Germany. But the luxury of doing nothing may be coming to an end. The Kurdish fighters dont have the facilities to house Daesh prisoners and their families indefinitely. They are pressing Western countries like Canada to take responsibility for their own citizens. On top of this, U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to withdraw all American forces from Syria a move that would leave the Kurds there vulnerable to attack from their age-old enemy Turkey. The simplest solution for the Kurds is to release all of their Daesh prisoners and let them resume their terrorist activities somewhere else. The Americans are not partial to this solution. The U.S. wants Canada and others to repatriate their citizens and try them on terror charges at home. According to the New York Times, Saudi Arabia is already taking Washingtons advice and France plans to do so. As well, Canadas courts might have something to say about Ottawas refusal to repatriate Canadian citizens. In 2009, a federal court judge forced Ottawa to bring home Abousfian Abdelrazik, a Canadian with alleged terror ties, who was stranded in Sudan. The judge ruled that by throwing up roadblocks to Abdelraziks return, the government had violated his charter rights. Incidentally, the terror allegations against Abdelrazik were eventually found to be groundless. It is possible that the allegations against some or all of the so-called Daesh families stranded abroad are equally untrue. Thomas Walkom is a Toronto-based columnist covering politics. Follow him on Twitter: @tomwalkom Read more about: | The question of what to do with Canadian citizens who travel abroad to join terror groups like Daesh has never been fully sorted out. The government cannot legally bar a Canadian citizen from returning home. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2019/02/18/what-to-do-with-canadian-daesh-supporters-who-want-to-come-home.html | 0.184785 |
What to do with Canadian Daesh supporters who want to come home? | The federal government is refusing to actively repatriate Canadian Daesh fighters and their families captured abroad. It may not be able to hold out forever. The question of what to do with Canadian citizens who travel abroad to join terror groups like Daesh (also known as ISIS), has never been fully sorted out. Mohammad Ali, a 28-year-old Canadian jihadist captured by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks to AFP at a detention centre in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh on Feb. 10. He said he had been interrogated by the American FBI, CIA and U.S. defence officials, but never visited by a Canadian official. The Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria wants to send the prisoners back for trial, but governments in their countries of origin are often reluctant. ( FADEL SENNA / AFP/GETTY IMAGES ) The government cannot legally bar a Canadian citizen from returning home. It can charge those who aided Daesh once they are back in Canada. But it must prove its case in court not always a simple task when the alleged crimes occurred half a world away. For the governing Liberals, who campaigned on the slogan that Canadian citizenship is sacrosanct, the fate of returning Daesh supporters was always a political problem. But as long as the alleged fighters were returning home in dribs and drabs, it was a manageable one. Article Continued Below Now, with the final collapse of Daeshs so-called Syrian caliphate, the problem has moved front and centre. Last week, CNN interviewed two Canadian women a college student from Toronto and a graphic designer from Alberta who voluntarily came to Daesh-controlled Syria, where they married and had children. The two have since surrendered to Kurdish forces fighting Daesh and now want to come home. A few days later, CTV reported on a Canadian man imprisoned by the Kurds, who spent four years fighting for Daesh and who also wants to return home. On Tuesday, the Daily Mail published an interview with a 46-year-old Canadian woman called Kimberley, who said she had travelled to Daesh-controlled Syria for humanitarian motives and who now wants to come home. Its estimated that there are somewhere between 27 and 32 Canadians imprisoned in Kurdish-controlled Syria. The number is expected to rise. Roughly half of those in custody are children under the age of eight according to the organization Families Against Violent Extremism. Article Continued Below In a report released late last year, the federal government estimated that about 190 Canadians with ties to terrorism are living abroad. About 60 more have already returned home. Up to now, the federal governments position on would-be returnees has been one of studied indifference. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale notes that it is dangerous for consular officials to travel into Syria to visit Canadian citizens detained there. Repatriating those who voluntarily travelled abroad to join Daesh, he says, is not a high priority for the Liberal government. In this, Canada echoes the position of countries such as Britain and Germany. But the luxury of doing nothing may be coming to an end. The Kurdish fighters dont have the facilities to house Daesh prisoners and their families indefinitely. They are pressing Western countries like Canada to take responsibility for their own citizens. On top of this, U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to withdraw all American forces from Syria a move that would leave the Kurds there vulnerable to attack from their age-old enemy Turkey. The simplest solution for the Kurds is to release all of their Daesh prisoners and let them resume their terrorist activities somewhere else. The Americans are not partial to this solution. The U.S. wants Canada and others to repatriate their citizens and try them on terror charges at home. According to the New York Times, Saudi Arabia is already taking Washingtons advice and France plans to do so. As well, Canadas courts might have something to say about Ottawas refusal to repatriate Canadian citizens. In 2009, a federal court judge forced Ottawa to bring home Abousfian Abdelrazik, a Canadian with alleged terror ties, who was stranded in Sudan. The judge ruled that by throwing up roadblocks to Abdelraziks return, the government had violated his charter rights. Incidentally, the terror allegations against Abdelrazik were eventually found to be groundless. It is possible that the allegations against some or all of the so-called Daesh families stranded abroad are equally untrue. Thomas Walkom is a Toronto-based columnist covering politics. Follow him on Twitter: @tomwalkom Read more about: | The federal government is refusing to actively repatriate Canadian Daesh fighters and their families captured abroad. The government cannot legally bar a Canadian citizen from returning home. But it must prove its case in court not always a simple task when the alleged crimes occurred half a world away. The luxury of doing nothing may be coming to an end. | bart | 2 | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2019/02/18/what-to-do-with-canadian-daesh-supporters-who-want-to-come-home.html | 0.234591 |
Does The Herbicide RoundUp Cause Cancer? | For many years, environmental activists have been concerned about the herbicide glyphosphate, which is the main ingredient in RoundUp, the world's most widely-used weed killer. Since 1996, global usage of glyphosphate has increased 15-fold, in part due to the widespread cultivation of "RoundUp Ready" crops, which are genetically modified to be resistant to RoundUp. This allows farmers to use the herbicide freely, killing undesirable weeds without harming their crops. RoundUp's manufacturer, Monsanto, has long claimed that glyphosphate is safe, and they point to hundreds of studies that support their argument. Nonetheless, a new study raises the question again. First let's look briefly at another recent study. A bit more than a year ago, in November 2017, a large study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute looked at nearly 45,000 glyphosphate users (farmers and other agricultural workers who apply glyphosphate to crops). These "users" have a much higher exposure to RoundUp than ordinary people. That study concluded: "no association was apparent between glyphosate and any solid tumors or lymphoid malignancies overall, including NHL [non-Hodgkins lymphoma]." They did find, though, that there was a trendnot quite significanttowards an increased risk for one type of leukemia, AML. This trend appeared in users who had the highest exposure to RoundUp. In the new study, by a group of scientists from UC Berkeley, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and the University of Washington, the authors (L. Zhang et al.) decided to focus exclusively on people with the highest exposures to glyphosphate. They point out that including people with low exposure, who might have no increased risk of cancer, tends to dilute risk estimates. Statistically speaking, this is undeniably correct, but it also means that their results may only apply to people with high exposures, and not to ordinary consumers. The punchline from the new study: people with the highest exposure to glyphosphate had a 41% higher risk of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. One caveat to this finding is that it's a meta-analysis, meaning the authors did not collect any new data. Instead, they merged the results from six earlier studies including over 65,000 people, and they focused on those with the highest exposure levels. Meta-analyses can be prone to cherry-picking; that is, picking the studies that tend to support your hypothesis. However, I couldn't find any sign of that here. The authors include a frank assessment of all the limitations of their study, and they also point out that multiple previous studies had similar findings, although most found smaller increases in relative risk. In the end, they conclude: "The overall evidence from human, animal, and mechanistic studies presented here supports a compelling link between exposures to GBHs [glyphosphate-based herbicides] and increased risk for NHL." A couple more caveats are important. First, this finding is all about relative risk. Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is one of the most common cancers in the U.S. and Europe, but the lifetime risk for most people, according to the American Cancer Society, is just 1 in 42 (2.4%) for men and 1 in 54 (1.9%) for women. A 41% increase in relative risk increases those numbers to 3.4% (men) and 2.6% (women). Second, this higher risk only applies to people with very high exposure to glyphosphate: primarily people who work in agriculture and apply RoundUp to crops. Ordinary consumers (including people who eat "Roundup Ready" crops) have a far, far lower exposure, and dozens of studies have failed to show any increased risk of cancer for consumers. For most of us, then, this new study should not cause much concern, but for agricultural workers, it does raise a warning flag. | A new study raises the question of whether the herbicide RoundUp causes cancer. The study focused on those with the highest exposure levels to glyphosphate, the main ingredient in the weed killer. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2019/02/18/does-the-herbicide-roundup-cause-cancer/ | 0.138151 |
Does The Herbicide RoundUp Cause Cancer? | For many years, environmental activists have been concerned about the herbicide glyphosphate, which is the main ingredient in RoundUp, the world's most widely-used weed killer. Since 1996, global usage of glyphosphate has increased 15-fold, in part due to the widespread cultivation of "RoundUp Ready" crops, which are genetically modified to be resistant to RoundUp. This allows farmers to use the herbicide freely, killing undesirable weeds without harming their crops. RoundUp's manufacturer, Monsanto, has long claimed that glyphosphate is safe, and they point to hundreds of studies that support their argument. Nonetheless, a new study raises the question again. First let's look briefly at another recent study. A bit more than a year ago, in November 2017, a large study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute looked at nearly 45,000 glyphosphate users (farmers and other agricultural workers who apply glyphosphate to crops). These "users" have a much higher exposure to RoundUp than ordinary people. That study concluded: "no association was apparent between glyphosate and any solid tumors or lymphoid malignancies overall, including NHL [non-Hodgkins lymphoma]." They did find, though, that there was a trendnot quite significanttowards an increased risk for one type of leukemia, AML. This trend appeared in users who had the highest exposure to RoundUp. In the new study, by a group of scientists from UC Berkeley, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and the University of Washington, the authors (L. Zhang et al.) decided to focus exclusively on people with the highest exposures to glyphosphate. They point out that including people with low exposure, who might have no increased risk of cancer, tends to dilute risk estimates. Statistically speaking, this is undeniably correct, but it also means that their results may only apply to people with high exposures, and not to ordinary consumers. The punchline from the new study: people with the highest exposure to glyphosphate had a 41% higher risk of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. One caveat to this finding is that it's a meta-analysis, meaning the authors did not collect any new data. Instead, they merged the results from six earlier studies including over 65,000 people, and they focused on those with the highest exposure levels. Meta-analyses can be prone to cherry-picking; that is, picking the studies that tend to support your hypothesis. However, I couldn't find any sign of that here. The authors include a frank assessment of all the limitations of their study, and they also point out that multiple previous studies had similar findings, although most found smaller increases in relative risk. In the end, they conclude: "The overall evidence from human, animal, and mechanistic studies presented here supports a compelling link between exposures to GBHs [glyphosphate-based herbicides] and increased risk for NHL." A couple more caveats are important. First, this finding is all about relative risk. Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is one of the most common cancers in the U.S. and Europe, but the lifetime risk for most people, according to the American Cancer Society, is just 1 in 42 (2.4%) for men and 1 in 54 (1.9%) for women. A 41% increase in relative risk increases those numbers to 3.4% (men) and 2.6% (women). Second, this higher risk only applies to people with very high exposure to glyphosphate: primarily people who work in agriculture and apply RoundUp to crops. Ordinary consumers (including people who eat "Roundup Ready" crops) have a far, far lower exposure, and dozens of studies have failed to show any increased risk of cancer for consumers. For most of us, then, this new study should not cause much concern, but for agricultural workers, it does raise a warning flag. | A new study raises the question of whether the herbicide RoundUp causes cancer. The study focused on people with the highest exposure levels to glyphosphate. The manufacturer, Monsanto, has long claimed that glyph phosphate is safe, and they point to hundreds of studies that support their argument. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2019/02/18/does-the-herbicide-roundup-cause-cancer/ | 0.167401 |
What are Brexit contingency plans for aerospace and defence? | With no deal estimated to mean billions of pounds in extra costs, heres what firms are doing The British aerospace sector is bracing for a no-deal Brexit, which it estimates could mean billions of pounds in extra costs. The impact on some goods could equate to 38% of their sale value, according to one no-deal Brexit scenario modelled by ADS, a lobby group for the aerospace and defence sectors. The group estimates that new customs checks alone will cost an extra 1.5bn per year. While tariffs are less of an issue for the sector, as most finished aerospace parts are not caught by the levies, import VAT and tariffs on generic parts and raw materials could still add significant costs. Read more That scenario also includes customs checks taking only 70 seconds per vehicle, which the Department for Transport estimates could cause six-day delays at the border. When youre selling an aircraft you cant have any parts missing, the chief economist at ADS, Jeegar Kakkad, said. One part stops the whole process. The output of British aerospace manufacturers fell for the first time in four years in 2018, according to the Office for National Statistics, with concerns around global growth as well as Brexit clouding the outlook. Airbus, one of the UKs largest aerospace employers at its wing factory and design centre, has warned that a no-deal Brexit could cost it 1bn (875m) per week, while indicating that it could leave the UK altogether in the event of a disorderly departure. Kakkad added that smaller suppliers are likely to be more vulnerable to problems with cashflow. The aerospace and defence sectors together employed more than 260,000 people in Britain in 2017, according to ADS figures but future expansion by non-British companies could be threatened if new frictions are introduced in the trade between the UK and the EU. Kakkad said: The issue isnt about what we have now; its if we look halfway through the next decade when decisions are being made on the next set of wings; the next supply chain. Airbus Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Airbus chief executive, Tom Enders. Photograph: Guillaume Horcajuelo/EPA Rolls-Royce BAE Systems Facebook Twitter Pinterest Staff work on the Eurofighter Typhoon at BAE Systems Warton plant near Preston. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters Bombardier Aerospace Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Bombardier Aerospace plant in Belfast. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Boeing Babcock Facebook Twitter Pinterest An attack submarine at Devonport, Plymouth, where Babcock works in partnership with the MOD and the Royal Navy. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian Cobham Leonardo Safran Facebook Twitter Pinterest A technician works on the foundry wax production line for cluster assembly preparation at the Safran Aircraft Engines plant in Gennevilliers, France. Photograph: Benot Tessier/Reuters Lockheed Martin Meggitt Melrose Facebook Twitter Pinterest Melrose took over GKN in 2018. Photograph: Hannah Mckay/Reuters GE Aviation QinetiQ Facebook Twitter Pinterest QinetiQ scientific equipment in a laboratory. Photograph: PR handout Marshall Thales | British aerospace sector is bracing for a no-deal Brexit, which it estimates could mean billions of pounds in extra costs. The impact on some goods could equate to 38% of their sale value, according to one no- Deal scenario modelled by ADS, a lobby group for the aerospace and defence sectors. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/18/what-are-brexit-contingency-plans-for-aerospace-and-defence | 0.108346 |
Are tiny handbags pointless? | Tiny handbags were all over New York Fashion Week and according to the fashion gods, they are a must-have item of 2019. Brightly colored handbags stood out against big puffy winter coats and everyone noticed. The bags are perfect for making a statement and for keeping clutter to a minimum. But for a person on the go with a long day ahead, a small hand bag may fall short and not carry everything you need. A tiny handbag is perfect for making a statement. According to Teen Vogue: The trends that happen off the runway are often just as important. This season, it was tiny bags from Jakarta-based handbag brand Alfeya Valrina. Everyone from stylist Solange Franklin and buyer-turned-style blogger Janelle Marie Lloyd to...um, me, Teen Vogues Fashion News Editor, was carrying them. Keep in mind you can probably only fit your wallet, keys and maybe your phone in a tiny handbag. This trend is all about the look and lacks functionality. lol I live for huge bags. Elaine Carmona (@hehatesmenot) February 12, 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, wed love to hear what you have to say. | Tiny handbags were all over New York Fashion Week. The bags are perfect for making a statement and for keeping clutter to a minimum. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.oregonlive.com/tylt/2019/02/are-tiny-handbags-pointless.html | 0.32074 |
Are tiny handbags pointless? | Tiny handbags were all over New York Fashion Week and according to the fashion gods, they are a must-have item of 2019. Brightly colored handbags stood out against big puffy winter coats and everyone noticed. The bags are perfect for making a statement and for keeping clutter to a minimum. But for a person on the go with a long day ahead, a small hand bag may fall short and not carry everything you need. A tiny handbag is perfect for making a statement. According to Teen Vogue: The trends that happen off the runway are often just as important. This season, it was tiny bags from Jakarta-based handbag brand Alfeya Valrina. Everyone from stylist Solange Franklin and buyer-turned-style blogger Janelle Marie Lloyd to...um, me, Teen Vogues Fashion News Editor, was carrying them. Keep in mind you can probably only fit your wallet, keys and maybe your phone in a tiny handbag. This trend is all about the look and lacks functionality. lol I live for huge bags. Elaine Carmona (@hehatesmenot) February 12, 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, wed love to hear what you have to say. | Tiny handbags were all over New York Fashion Week. Brightly colored handbags stood out against big puffy winter coats. The bags are perfect for making a statement and for keeping clutter to a minimum. | bart | 1 | https://www.oregonlive.com/tylt/2019/02/are-tiny-handbags-pointless.html | 0.27073 |
Are tiny handbags pointless? | Tiny handbags were all over New York Fashion Week and according to the fashion gods, they are a must-have item of 2019. Brightly colored handbags stood out against big puffy winter coats and everyone noticed. The bags are perfect for making a statement and for keeping clutter to a minimum. But for a person on the go with a long day ahead, a small hand bag may fall short and not carry everything you need. A tiny handbag is perfect for making a statement. According to Teen Vogue: The trends that happen off the runway are often just as important. This season, it was tiny bags from Jakarta-based handbag brand Alfeya Valrina. Everyone from stylist Solange Franklin and buyer-turned-style blogger Janelle Marie Lloyd to...um, me, Teen Vogues Fashion News Editor, was carrying them. Keep in mind you can probably only fit your wallet, keys and maybe your phone in a tiny handbag. This trend is all about the look and lacks functionality. lol I live for huge bags. Elaine Carmona (@hehatesmenot) February 12, 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, wed love to hear what you have to say. | Brightly colored handbags stood out against big puffy winter coats. The bags are perfect for making a statement and for keeping clutter to a minimum. Keep in mind you can probably only fit your wallet, keys and maybe your phone in a tiny handbag. This trend is all about the look and lacks functionality. | bart | 2 | https://www.oregonlive.com/tylt/2019/02/are-tiny-handbags-pointless.html | 0.271976 |
Will Procter & Gamble stock split again soon? | CLOSE Take a virtual shopping trip to find all of Procter & Gamble's products. Sam Greene Procter & Gamble stock is near all-time highs as its turnaround efforts appear to be taking hold. Usually, when P&G stock crosses the century mark, the consumer products giant doubles the number of shares outstanding with two-for-one splits. Since 1970, P&G stock has traded for several weeks or a few months north of $100 before shares split. The longest time the shares traded above $100 was for about a year in the late 1990s when the stock traded above $150. Shares won't trade today since the market is closed for Presidents Day. With 10,000 P&G employees in the region and legions more retirees, P&G is one of the most widely held stocks in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Headquarters of Procter & Gamble in downtown Cincinnati. (Photo11: The Enquirer/ Liz Dufour) P&G officials generally don't comment about the company's stock price and didn't offer one when asked about splits by The Enquirer last week. Still, the last time, P&G's stock closed above $100 for just over one month in early 2004, the company announced a two-for-one split. While the swiftness of the split announcement suggests there might have been some automatic benchmark, it might have been the result of a previous split plan that had been put on hold. P&G's stock also closed above $100 several times in late 1999 and early 2000, but a split wasn't declared and the stock market saw a major downturn in March 2000 when the dot.com bubble burst. Also wreaking havoc that spring: the implosion of CEO Durk Jager's short tenure. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2019/02/18/p-g-could-stock-split-come-soon-procter-gamble-shares/2903889002/ | Usually, when P&G stock crosses the century mark, the company doubles the number of shares outstanding with two-for-one splits. The last time the company split was in 2004. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2019/02/18/p-g-could-stock-split-come-soon-procter-gamble-shares/2903889002/ | 0.156799 |
Will Procter & Gamble stock split again soon? | CLOSE Take a virtual shopping trip to find all of Procter & Gamble's products. Sam Greene Procter & Gamble stock is near all-time highs as its turnaround efforts appear to be taking hold. Usually, when P&G stock crosses the century mark, the consumer products giant doubles the number of shares outstanding with two-for-one splits. Since 1970, P&G stock has traded for several weeks or a few months north of $100 before shares split. The longest time the shares traded above $100 was for about a year in the late 1990s when the stock traded above $150. Shares won't trade today since the market is closed for Presidents Day. With 10,000 P&G employees in the region and legions more retirees, P&G is one of the most widely held stocks in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Headquarters of Procter & Gamble in downtown Cincinnati. (Photo11: The Enquirer/ Liz Dufour) P&G officials generally don't comment about the company's stock price and didn't offer one when asked about splits by The Enquirer last week. Still, the last time, P&G's stock closed above $100 for just over one month in early 2004, the company announced a two-for-one split. While the swiftness of the split announcement suggests there might have been some automatic benchmark, it might have been the result of a previous split plan that had been put on hold. P&G's stock also closed above $100 several times in late 1999 and early 2000, but a split wasn't declared and the stock market saw a major downturn in March 2000 when the dot.com bubble burst. Also wreaking havoc that spring: the implosion of CEO Durk Jager's short tenure. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2019/02/18/p-g-could-stock-split-come-soon-procter-gamble-shares/2903889002/ | Usually, when P&G stock crosses the century mark, the consumer products giant doubles the number of shares outstanding with two-for-one splits. The last time the company split was in 2004, when the stock traded above $100 for just over one month before a split. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2019/02/18/p-g-could-stock-split-come-soon-procter-gamble-shares/2903889002/ | 0.116556 |
When Are New Characters Coming To 'Apex Legends'? | It would probably take me weeks just to master the ins and outs of a single character in Apex Legends, but I have a feeling I'm not going to get the time to do it. Apex Legends is a hit, it's had its first major patch, and soon it's going to be time to get rolling on content. In the modern era--and especially the post-Fortnite era--anything in the world of games as service thrives depending on whether or not it can release new content quickly enough to stay ahead of its players' attention spans and the competition at the same time. In the case of Apex Legends that's going to mean new cosmetics, likely some map changes, new weapons, attachments and items and, most importantly, new characters. Apex Legends already had a minor content drop in the form of some Valentine's Day skins, but the first major content update is due out in March with the game's first battle pass. Like Fortnite, Apex Legends will be using the battle pass as a way to broadly organize the game over time. Each season will at least come with new characters, new guns, new loot and new loot: it's unclear if the team is also mulling either new maps or Fortnite-style map changes, but we might not see as much of that in the early days. Regardless, "March" is as good as we're going to do for an arrival date of the new characters/legends. It's unclear right now if the battle pass will be early, mid or late March, so we'll stay tuned on that. We already have an idea of what some of these characters are going to be, however, thanks to some intrepid datamining. If you want to see what those will likely be, check out the list here. But there's a ton of resources here for Respawn to draw on: not only does the team have its own work with pilot abilities in the Titanfall series, it already seems to have drawn from other class-based shooters like Rainbow Six Siege as inspiration for some of its current characters. Characters are going to have to be one of the cornerstones of monetization in Apex Legends, making it a little less Overwatch and a little more Rainbow Six Siege. And it's probably Respawn's best chance to start making a good chunk of change of its new hit: so far, the skins aren't nearly flashy or unique enough to drive a ton of purchases, leaving the game with a bit of a monetization gap in the early period. But characters are a handy fix to that, because I have a hunch that this game is more popular with the sort of core gamer that's going to leap at the chance to play the game in a different way before they'll necessarily shell out for a cosmetic item. It's a bit unclear whether new characters will be premium purchases outside of the battle pass or part of the battle pass itself, but right now I think they'd have a better home in the battle pass. Again, the cosmetics aren't really up to par yet, and Respawn needs something bright and shiny to push people towards making that new purchase, especially since it might take a little while to bring its skin game on par with some of the other big names in the space. But, the ability to sell characters is a benefit of rock-solid gameplay: if people like playing your game, they'll want to play it in different ways. | Apex Legends' first major content update is due out in March with the game's first battle pass. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2019/02/18/when-are-new-characters-coming-to-apex-legends/ | 0.105589 |
When Are New Characters Coming To 'Apex Legends'? | It would probably take me weeks just to master the ins and outs of a single character in Apex Legends, but I have a feeling I'm not going to get the time to do it. Apex Legends is a hit, it's had its first major patch, and soon it's going to be time to get rolling on content. In the modern era--and especially the post-Fortnite era--anything in the world of games as service thrives depending on whether or not it can release new content quickly enough to stay ahead of its players' attention spans and the competition at the same time. In the case of Apex Legends that's going to mean new cosmetics, likely some map changes, new weapons, attachments and items and, most importantly, new characters. Apex Legends already had a minor content drop in the form of some Valentine's Day skins, but the first major content update is due out in March with the game's first battle pass. Like Fortnite, Apex Legends will be using the battle pass as a way to broadly organize the game over time. Each season will at least come with new characters, new guns, new loot and new loot: it's unclear if the team is also mulling either new maps or Fortnite-style map changes, but we might not see as much of that in the early days. Regardless, "March" is as good as we're going to do for an arrival date of the new characters/legends. It's unclear right now if the battle pass will be early, mid or late March, so we'll stay tuned on that. We already have an idea of what some of these characters are going to be, however, thanks to some intrepid datamining. If you want to see what those will likely be, check out the list here. But there's a ton of resources here for Respawn to draw on: not only does the team have its own work with pilot abilities in the Titanfall series, it already seems to have drawn from other class-based shooters like Rainbow Six Siege as inspiration for some of its current characters. Characters are going to have to be one of the cornerstones of monetization in Apex Legends, making it a little less Overwatch and a little more Rainbow Six Siege. And it's probably Respawn's best chance to start making a good chunk of change of its new hit: so far, the skins aren't nearly flashy or unique enough to drive a ton of purchases, leaving the game with a bit of a monetization gap in the early period. But characters are a handy fix to that, because I have a hunch that this game is more popular with the sort of core gamer that's going to leap at the chance to play the game in a different way before they'll necessarily shell out for a cosmetic item. It's a bit unclear whether new characters will be premium purchases outside of the battle pass or part of the battle pass itself, but right now I think they'd have a better home in the battle pass. Again, the cosmetics aren't really up to par yet, and Respawn needs something bright and shiny to push people towards making that new purchase, especially since it might take a little while to bring its skin game on par with some of the other big names in the space. But, the ability to sell characters is a benefit of rock-solid gameplay: if people like playing your game, they'll want to play it in different ways. | Apex Legends' first major content update is due out in March with the game's first battle pass. Each season will at least come with new characters, new guns, new loot and new loot. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2019/02/18/when-are-new-characters-coming-to-apex-legends/ | 0.168526 |
When Are New Characters Coming To 'Apex Legends'? | It would probably take me weeks just to master the ins and outs of a single character in Apex Legends, but I have a feeling I'm not going to get the time to do it. Apex Legends is a hit, it's had its first major patch, and soon it's going to be time to get rolling on content. In the modern era--and especially the post-Fortnite era--anything in the world of games as service thrives depending on whether or not it can release new content quickly enough to stay ahead of its players' attention spans and the competition at the same time. In the case of Apex Legends that's going to mean new cosmetics, likely some map changes, new weapons, attachments and items and, most importantly, new characters. Apex Legends already had a minor content drop in the form of some Valentine's Day skins, but the first major content update is due out in March with the game's first battle pass. Like Fortnite, Apex Legends will be using the battle pass as a way to broadly organize the game over time. Each season will at least come with new characters, new guns, new loot and new loot: it's unclear if the team is also mulling either new maps or Fortnite-style map changes, but we might not see as much of that in the early days. Regardless, "March" is as good as we're going to do for an arrival date of the new characters/legends. It's unclear right now if the battle pass will be early, mid or late March, so we'll stay tuned on that. We already have an idea of what some of these characters are going to be, however, thanks to some intrepid datamining. If you want to see what those will likely be, check out the list here. But there's a ton of resources here for Respawn to draw on: not only does the team have its own work with pilot abilities in the Titanfall series, it already seems to have drawn from other class-based shooters like Rainbow Six Siege as inspiration for some of its current characters. Characters are going to have to be one of the cornerstones of monetization in Apex Legends, making it a little less Overwatch and a little more Rainbow Six Siege. And it's probably Respawn's best chance to start making a good chunk of change of its new hit: so far, the skins aren't nearly flashy or unique enough to drive a ton of purchases, leaving the game with a bit of a monetization gap in the early period. But characters are a handy fix to that, because I have a hunch that this game is more popular with the sort of core gamer that's going to leap at the chance to play the game in a different way before they'll necessarily shell out for a cosmetic item. It's a bit unclear whether new characters will be premium purchases outside of the battle pass or part of the battle pass itself, but right now I think they'd have a better home in the battle pass. Again, the cosmetics aren't really up to par yet, and Respawn needs something bright and shiny to push people towards making that new purchase, especially since it might take a little while to bring its skin game on par with some of the other big names in the space. But, the ability to sell characters is a benefit of rock-solid gameplay: if people like playing your game, they'll want to play it in different ways. | Apex Legends' first major content update is due out in March with the game's first battle pass. Each season will at least come with new characters, new guns, new loot and new loot. It's unclear right now if the battle pass will be early, mid or late March. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2019/02/18/when-are-new-characters-coming-to-apex-legends/ | 0.318718 |
Does Cirrus Logic Have a Future Beyond Apple? | Cirrus Logic (NASDAQ: CRUS) paid heavily for its reliance on Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) last quarter. The audio-chip specialist's top and bottom lines took a massive hit thanks to weak iPhone demand and its failure to diversify its revenue stream beyond Apple (the tech giant produced 83% of Cirrus' third-quarter revenue, up from 82% in Q2). Given Apple's headwinds in its smartphone segment recently, Cirrus' reliance on the company meant its guidance was ugly as well. Cirrus is looking at a 27% annual drop in the top line for the fourth quarter, though it hopes that new product ramps and customer launches over the spring will make up for weak smartphone sales to some extent. A man looking up and wondering in front of a wall with question marks. More Image source: Getty Images. The iPhone problem Cirrus, however, doesn't seem confident of returning to growth in the near term. The company was originally looking to deliver revenue growth in fiscal 2020, but it is now refraining from providing top-line guidance for the period, citing "the wide array of uncertainties surrounding the macroeconomic environment and their unknowable impact on smartphone volumes." However, the company seems confident about getting more revenue from Android customers thanks to content gains and a strong product launch pipeline. But all those efforts won't move the needle substantially for Cirrus given its massive dependence on the iPhone. The chipmaker pointed out in the shareholder letter that its relationship with Apple remains "outstanding," with both companies engaged in design activity on various products. However, the only way Apple could drive Cirrus' top line is by selling more iPhones, and that's something that Cupertino is finding difficult to do. However, Apple is reportedly looking at ways to boost sales, such as reducing iPhone pricing in certain markets where the devices are more expensive as compared to the U.S. due to foreign exchange fluctuations. Such a move could breathe life into iPhone sales -- and Cirrus' prospects. iPhone sales at Chinese retailers spiked in the range of 70%-83% after a round of price cuts in January. In all, Cirrus can only hope that Apple takes some concrete steps to arrest sliding iPhone sales. Otherwise, there's not much of a chance of a turnaround in its financial fortunes in the near term. The long-term picture Cirrus predicts that its revenue opportunities will be more diversified going forward. Flagship smartphones currently occupy the biggest share of the chipmaker's serviceable addressable market, and that doesn't seem to be working in its favor anymore. As a result, Cirrus is now looking to expand its presence in midtier smartphones and smart audio accessories, while unlocking new opportunities in voice biometrics, smart audio, and haptic drivers at the same time. | Cirrus Logic's top and bottom lines took a massive hit thanks to weak iPhone demand. The audio-chip specialist's failure to diversify its revenue stream beyond Apple meant its guidance was ugly as well. | pegasus | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/does-cirrus-logic-future-beyond-133100783.html | 0.174374 |
Does Cirrus Logic Have a Future Beyond Apple? | Cirrus Logic (NASDAQ: CRUS) paid heavily for its reliance on Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) last quarter. The audio-chip specialist's top and bottom lines took a massive hit thanks to weak iPhone demand and its failure to diversify its revenue stream beyond Apple (the tech giant produced 83% of Cirrus' third-quarter revenue, up from 82% in Q2). Given Apple's headwinds in its smartphone segment recently, Cirrus' reliance on the company meant its guidance was ugly as well. Cirrus is looking at a 27% annual drop in the top line for the fourth quarter, though it hopes that new product ramps and customer launches over the spring will make up for weak smartphone sales to some extent. A man looking up and wondering in front of a wall with question marks. More Image source: Getty Images. The iPhone problem Cirrus, however, doesn't seem confident of returning to growth in the near term. The company was originally looking to deliver revenue growth in fiscal 2020, but it is now refraining from providing top-line guidance for the period, citing "the wide array of uncertainties surrounding the macroeconomic environment and their unknowable impact on smartphone volumes." However, the company seems confident about getting more revenue from Android customers thanks to content gains and a strong product launch pipeline. But all those efforts won't move the needle substantially for Cirrus given its massive dependence on the iPhone. The chipmaker pointed out in the shareholder letter that its relationship with Apple remains "outstanding," with both companies engaged in design activity on various products. However, the only way Apple could drive Cirrus' top line is by selling more iPhones, and that's something that Cupertino is finding difficult to do. However, Apple is reportedly looking at ways to boost sales, such as reducing iPhone pricing in certain markets where the devices are more expensive as compared to the U.S. due to foreign exchange fluctuations. Such a move could breathe life into iPhone sales -- and Cirrus' prospects. iPhone sales at Chinese retailers spiked in the range of 70%-83% after a round of price cuts in January. In all, Cirrus can only hope that Apple takes some concrete steps to arrest sliding iPhone sales. Otherwise, there's not much of a chance of a turnaround in its financial fortunes in the near term. The long-term picture Cirrus predicts that its revenue opportunities will be more diversified going forward. Flagship smartphones currently occupy the biggest share of the chipmaker's serviceable addressable market, and that doesn't seem to be working in its favor anymore. As a result, Cirrus is now looking to expand its presence in midtier smartphones and smart audio accessories, while unlocking new opportunities in voice biometrics, smart audio, and haptic drivers at the same time. | Cirrus Logic's top and bottom lines took a massive hit thanks to weak iPhone demand. The audio-chip specialist's failure to diversify its revenue stream beyond Apple meant its guidance was ugly as well. The company was originally looking to deliver revenue growth in fiscal 2020, but it is now refraining from providing top-line guidance for the period. | pegasus | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/does-cirrus-logic-future-beyond-133100783.html | 0.241922 |
How Important Is Sleep For Exercise Recovery? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Christie Aschwanden, Author of GOOD TO GO, on Quora: Sleep is the most potent recovery tool known to science. Nothing else comes close. If youre not getting enough sleep, theres no other recovery method you can use that will make up the difference. Sleep is when your body repairs the damage youve done during the day. While you sleep, hormones involved in tissue repair, like testosterone and human growth hormone, kick into high gear. One study I wrote about found that young men who were otherwise healthy saw a 10 to 15 percent drop in their testosterone levels after getting only five hours of sleep per night over the course of a week. Losing sleep can also impair your athletic performance. One researcher I spoke to for my book told me that sleeping only six hours can double or even triple your reaction time. When it comes to performance, arriving at your workout sleep deprived is like showing up drunk. Sleep deprivation also makes you more susceptible to colds and more likely to get injured. A study of high school athletes found that those who slept fewer than eight hours each night were more susceptible to injury. Bottom line: sleep should be your number one recovery priority. 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: | Sleep is the most potent recovery tool known to science. While you sleep, hormones involved in tissue repair kick into high gear. Losing sleep can also impair your athletic performance. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/02/18/how-important-is-sleep-for-exercise-recovery/ | 0.14757 |
How Important Is Sleep For Exercise Recovery? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Christie Aschwanden, Author of GOOD TO GO, on Quora: Sleep is the most potent recovery tool known to science. Nothing else comes close. If youre not getting enough sleep, theres no other recovery method you can use that will make up the difference. Sleep is when your body repairs the damage youve done during the day. While you sleep, hormones involved in tissue repair, like testosterone and human growth hormone, kick into high gear. One study I wrote about found that young men who were otherwise healthy saw a 10 to 15 percent drop in their testosterone levels after getting only five hours of sleep per night over the course of a week. Losing sleep can also impair your athletic performance. One researcher I spoke to for my book told me that sleeping only six hours can double or even triple your reaction time. When it comes to performance, arriving at your workout sleep deprived is like showing up drunk. Sleep deprivation also makes you more susceptible to colds and more likely to get injured. A study of high school athletes found that those who slept fewer than eight hours each night were more susceptible to injury. Bottom line: sleep should be your number one recovery priority. 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: | Sleep is the most potent recovery tool known to science. If youre not getting enough sleep, theres no other recovery method you can use that will make up the difference. Losing sleep can also impair your athletic performance. Sleep deprivation also makes you more susceptible to colds and more likely to get injured. | bart | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/02/18/how-important-is-sleep-for-exercise-recovery/ | 0.140997 |
What Common Misconceptions Do People Have About Refugees? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Betsy Fisher, Policy Director, International Refugee Assistance Project, on Quora: Unfortunately, the political rhetoric of the last few years has led to two common misconceptions: that refugees are a burden on the economy and that they are a national security threat. Both couldnt be further from the truth. Refugees are a net benefit to the United States economy, as was found by a recent study conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2017 and commissioned by the Trump Administration! The study found that over the past decade refugees brought in $63 billion more in government revenues than in services received. What that means in more concrete terms is that refugees are entrepreneurs, job creators, and taxpayers who participate in the economy just like any other Americans. In fact, cities such as Buffalo, NY, and Erie, PA, that were troubled by urban decline saw their communities revitalized by the influx of refugees. And since refugee admissions have been drastically lowered by the current Administration, these cities are feeling the impact already. The notion that refugees are a threat is equally false. In 2016, the Cato Institute conducted a study into the links between immigration and terrorism and found that since the creation of the Refugee Act in 1980, no refugees had been involved in terror-related murders. Refugees have to go through a years-long process, during which they get screened by multiple agencies, before they are ever granted entry to the United States. In fact, the vast majority of refugees come to America because they are seeking peace and security; many of them have fled terrorism in their home countries themselves. 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: | Refugees are entrepreneurs, job creators, and taxpayers who participate in the economy just like any other Americans. In fact, cities such as Buffalo, NY, and Erie, PA, that were troubled by urban decline saw their communities revitalized by the influx of refugees. The notion that refugees are a threat is equally false. | bart | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/02/18/what-common-misconceptions-do-people-have-about-refugees/ | 0.117963 |
How far did LSU skyrocket in the polls after beating Kentucky, Georgia? | The LSU Tigers rose six spots in the latest Associated Press Top-25 poll, jumping to No. 13 for the programs highest ranking since Week 16 of the 2008-09 season. The USA Today Coaches poll has not yet been released. LSUs upward movement in the poll came after upsetting then-No. 5 Kentucky in Rupp Arena and holding off Georgia in Stegeman Coliseum. LSU (21-4, 11-1 SEC) hosts Florida on Wednesday (Feb. 20) and then to No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday in what will be the the first Top-15 matchup in the Assembly Center in 35 years. The last time there was a Top-15 matchup in Baton Rouge was when then-No. 9 LSU hosted No. 2 Kentucky on Jan. 7, 1984. It also will be the first ranked matchup in the PMAC since then-No. 14 LSU hosted No. 18 UConn on Jan. 6, 2007. The last time LSU was ranked in the Top 15 of the AP Poll was March 2, 2009, after the Tigers upset Florida in the PMAC and downed Kentucky in Rupp Arena. LSU was No. 19 in the AP Top 25 and No. 21 in the coaches poll last week. LSU is one of three ranked SEC teams in the AP Top 25: No. 4 Kentucky, No. 5 Tennessee and LSU. Auburn, Mississippi State and Ole Miss all received votes. | The LSU Tigers rose six spots in the latest Associated Press Top-25 poll. | bart | 0 | https://www.nola.com/lsu/2019/02/how-far-did-lsu-skyrocket-in-the-polls-after-beating-kentucky-georgia.html | 0.136835 |
How far did LSU skyrocket in the polls after beating Kentucky, Georgia? | The LSU Tigers rose six spots in the latest Associated Press Top-25 poll, jumping to No. 13 for the programs highest ranking since Week 16 of the 2008-09 season. The USA Today Coaches poll has not yet been released. LSUs upward movement in the poll came after upsetting then-No. 5 Kentucky in Rupp Arena and holding off Georgia in Stegeman Coliseum. LSU (21-4, 11-1 SEC) hosts Florida on Wednesday (Feb. 20) and then to No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday in what will be the the first Top-15 matchup in the Assembly Center in 35 years. The last time there was a Top-15 matchup in Baton Rouge was when then-No. 9 LSU hosted No. 2 Kentucky on Jan. 7, 1984. It also will be the first ranked matchup in the PMAC since then-No. 14 LSU hosted No. 18 UConn on Jan. 6, 2007. The last time LSU was ranked in the Top 15 of the AP Poll was March 2, 2009, after the Tigers upset Florida in the PMAC and downed Kentucky in Rupp Arena. LSU was No. 19 in the AP Top 25 and No. 21 in the coaches poll last week. LSU is one of three ranked SEC teams in the AP Top 25: No. 4 Kentucky, No. 5 Tennessee and LSU. Auburn, Mississippi State and Ole Miss all received votes. | The LSU Tigers rose six spots in the latest Associated Press Top-25 poll. LSU's upward movement in the poll came after upsetting then-No. 5 Kentucky and holding off Georgia. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.nola.com/lsu/2019/02/how-far-did-lsu-skyrocket-in-the-polls-after-beating-kentucky-georgia.html | 0.405676 |
How far did LSU skyrocket in the polls after beating Kentucky, Georgia? | The LSU Tigers rose six spots in the latest Associated Press Top-25 poll, jumping to No. 13 for the programs highest ranking since Week 16 of the 2008-09 season. The USA Today Coaches poll has not yet been released. LSUs upward movement in the poll came after upsetting then-No. 5 Kentucky in Rupp Arena and holding off Georgia in Stegeman Coliseum. LSU (21-4, 11-1 SEC) hosts Florida on Wednesday (Feb. 20) and then to No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday in what will be the the first Top-15 matchup in the Assembly Center in 35 years. The last time there was a Top-15 matchup in Baton Rouge was when then-No. 9 LSU hosted No. 2 Kentucky on Jan. 7, 1984. It also will be the first ranked matchup in the PMAC since then-No. 14 LSU hosted No. 18 UConn on Jan. 6, 2007. The last time LSU was ranked in the Top 15 of the AP Poll was March 2, 2009, after the Tigers upset Florida in the PMAC and downed Kentucky in Rupp Arena. LSU was No. 19 in the AP Top 25 and No. 21 in the coaches poll last week. LSU is one of three ranked SEC teams in the AP Top 25: No. 4 Kentucky, No. 5 Tennessee and LSU. Auburn, Mississippi State and Ole Miss all received votes. | The LSU Tigers rose six spots to No. 13 in the latest Associated Press Top-25 poll. LSU's upward movement in the poll came after upsetting then-No. 5 Kentucky and holding off Georgia. The last time LSU was ranked in the Top 15 of the AP Poll was March 2, 2009. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.nola.com/lsu/2019/02/how-far-did-lsu-skyrocket-in-the-polls-after-beating-kentucky-georgia.html | 0.533048 |
Will Tyler Henry Make a Believer Out of The Bachelor's Chris Harrison on Hollywood Medium? | In this clip from Thursday's season premiere of Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry, the longtime Bachelor host meets with Tyler Henry, despite having "never done anything like this." Hilariously, Tyler struggles to recognize Chriswhich makes the latter believe the medium has his "work cut out for him." Even though it appears the famed TV personality has some doubts about Henry's abilities, he's eager to meet with the famed clairvoyant for the sake of "good TV." Why would I agree to do this?'" Harrison quips to the camera. "Frankly, I'm a producer. I love TV, Tyler's good TV and there's that curiosity there of like, 'How does he do it?'" Nonetheless, it doesn't take long for Tyler to connect with someone on Chris' behalf. While holding a personal item belonging to the deceased, Tyler is able to surmise that he's talking to a male "contemporary" whose life was cut short. | Tyler Henry appears on Thursday's season premiere of "Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry" The longtime Bachelor host struggles to recognize his co-star Chris Harrison. Henry is able to connect with someone on Chris' behalf. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.eonline.com/uk/news/1015673/will-tyler-henry-make-a-believer-out-of-the-bachelor-s-chris-harrison-on-hollywood-medium?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories | 0.153099 |
Will Tyler Henry Make a Believer Out of The Bachelor's Chris Harrison on Hollywood Medium? | In this clip from Thursday's season premiere of Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry, the longtime Bachelor host meets with Tyler Henry, despite having "never done anything like this." Hilariously, Tyler struggles to recognize Chriswhich makes the latter believe the medium has his "work cut out for him." Even though it appears the famed TV personality has some doubts about Henry's abilities, he's eager to meet with the famed clairvoyant for the sake of "good TV." Why would I agree to do this?'" Harrison quips to the camera. "Frankly, I'm a producer. I love TV, Tyler's good TV and there's that curiosity there of like, 'How does he do it?'" Nonetheless, it doesn't take long for Tyler to connect with someone on Chris' behalf. While holding a personal item belonging to the deceased, Tyler is able to surmise that he's talking to a male "contemporary" whose life was cut short. | Tyler Henry appears on Thursday's season premiere of "Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry" The longtime Bachelor host struggles to recognize his co-star Chris Harrison. Henry is able to connect with someone on Chris' behalf, though he doesn't know who it is. It's unclear whether Harrison will believe in Henry's abilities. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.eonline.com/uk/news/1015673/will-tyler-henry-make-a-believer-out-of-the-bachelor-s-chris-harrison-on-hollywood-medium?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories | 0.170956 |
What next for Labour's breakaway MPs? | In a boiling hot, cramped room in a swish venue on the south bank of the Thames this morning, a small group of MPs made a big statement. Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Chuka Umunna, Mike Gapes, Anne Coffey, Angela Smith and Gavin Shuker all know they face an extremely bumpy future. But they hope together they'll start as a few, and end up being a group for the many. Their reasons for quitting are both historic and immediate. The splinter has been a long time coming because for a couple of years these MPs have been part of the large chunk of the Labour parliamentary party which had grave concerns about Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. Angela Smith, for example, now admits that during the 2017 election she was telling voters in her constituency that her leader could not, and would not be prime minister, despite campaigning for the party he was at the top of. The seven who have decided to quit are not the only MPs I know of who did that. There have been fears, many publicly articulated but expressed with more fury in private, about the leadership's attitude to security policy, to Nato, as well as Jeremy Corbyn's response to the Skripal attack and his attitude to the Trident nuclear deterrent. One of those who has left described it today as "Marxism in disguise", illustrating the deep-seated, long-held and profound differences of world view. Add to that the hurt and concern inside the party over anti-Semitism that has built up over the last year, what the departing group have described as institutional racism towards Jewish people. Whatever else, let that sink in for a moment. That in 2019, a group of MPs believe that our main opposition party is institutionally biased against a minority group. But consider too the Labour leadership's hesitancy in campaigning full throttle for another referendum on staying in the EU, and the group, all of whom believe there should be another referendum, felt they had no choice but to quit. To do so goes against the grain of our tribal politics. Some of their colleagues are openly furious, accusing them of being "cowards". Others are responding more in sorrow than in anger. This is not an easy moment for anyone in the Labour party, and you could not have sat in that stuffy room this morning and felt it was an easy moment for any of those leaving either. Many other Labour MPs and members will see this as nothing less than a betrayal. And in our first-past-the-post system it is very hard to see in the short term, what kind of impact this group will have. So far they are not a political party, although they say they may evolve into one. So far they have no leader, and no policy programme as such. They are clearly open to welcoming disgruntled members of the Conservative party too. Their view is that our whole political system is broken and neither the Tories nor Labour fit for purpose. And it is possible within days that they might be joined by a sprinkling of Tory MPs. This splintering might, just might - in time - turn into a much bigger redrawing of the landscape. For now though that is way off. And this is first and foremost about the Labour Party - the seeds of the splinter sown more than three years ago, bearing bitter fruit just when Parliament's biggest decisions over Brexit are about to be made. MPs still in the party will have a variety of reactions, from fury to sadness. But few of them now could pretend there isn't a problem, even prompting an astonishing admission from the party's deputy leader, Tom Watson, who - remember - is also elected by the members who so overwhelmingly supported Jeremy Corbyn. "I love this party. But sometimes I no longer recognise it," he said. A warning that despite the government's many and multiple problems, it is Labour that's losing members and losing MPs. | Seven Labour MPs have announced they are leaving the party. They say they want to form a group for the many, not a political party. But they are likely to be joined by a sprinkling of Tory MPs. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47282328 | 0.109179 |
What next for Labour's breakaway MPs? | In a boiling hot, cramped room in a swish venue on the south bank of the Thames this morning, a small group of MPs made a big statement. Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Chuka Umunna, Mike Gapes, Anne Coffey, Angela Smith and Gavin Shuker all know they face an extremely bumpy future. But they hope together they'll start as a few, and end up being a group for the many. Their reasons for quitting are both historic and immediate. The splinter has been a long time coming because for a couple of years these MPs have been part of the large chunk of the Labour parliamentary party which had grave concerns about Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. Angela Smith, for example, now admits that during the 2017 election she was telling voters in her constituency that her leader could not, and would not be prime minister, despite campaigning for the party he was at the top of. The seven who have decided to quit are not the only MPs I know of who did that. There have been fears, many publicly articulated but expressed with more fury in private, about the leadership's attitude to security policy, to Nato, as well as Jeremy Corbyn's response to the Skripal attack and his attitude to the Trident nuclear deterrent. One of those who has left described it today as "Marxism in disguise", illustrating the deep-seated, long-held and profound differences of world view. Add to that the hurt and concern inside the party over anti-Semitism that has built up over the last year, what the departing group have described as institutional racism towards Jewish people. Whatever else, let that sink in for a moment. That in 2019, a group of MPs believe that our main opposition party is institutionally biased against a minority group. But consider too the Labour leadership's hesitancy in campaigning full throttle for another referendum on staying in the EU, and the group, all of whom believe there should be another referendum, felt they had no choice but to quit. To do so goes against the grain of our tribal politics. Some of their colleagues are openly furious, accusing them of being "cowards". Others are responding more in sorrow than in anger. This is not an easy moment for anyone in the Labour party, and you could not have sat in that stuffy room this morning and felt it was an easy moment for any of those leaving either. Many other Labour MPs and members will see this as nothing less than a betrayal. And in our first-past-the-post system it is very hard to see in the short term, what kind of impact this group will have. So far they are not a political party, although they say they may evolve into one. So far they have no leader, and no policy programme as such. They are clearly open to welcoming disgruntled members of the Conservative party too. Their view is that our whole political system is broken and neither the Tories nor Labour fit for purpose. And it is possible within days that they might be joined by a sprinkling of Tory MPs. This splintering might, just might - in time - turn into a much bigger redrawing of the landscape. For now though that is way off. And this is first and foremost about the Labour Party - the seeds of the splinter sown more than three years ago, bearing bitter fruit just when Parliament's biggest decisions over Brexit are about to be made. MPs still in the party will have a variety of reactions, from fury to sadness. But few of them now could pretend there isn't a problem, even prompting an astonishing admission from the party's deputy leader, Tom Watson, who - remember - is also elected by the members who so overwhelmingly supported Jeremy Corbyn. "I love this party. But sometimes I no longer recognise it," he said. A warning that despite the government's many and multiple problems, it is Labour that's losing members and losing MPs. | Seven Labour MPs have announced they are leaving the party. They say they want to form a group for the many, not a political party. But they are likely to be joined by a sprinkling of Tory MPs in the coming days. The party has been rocked by allegations of anti-Semitism in the past year. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47282328 | 0.174905 |
Are Matson, Inc.s Returns On Capital Worth Investigating? | Help shape the future of investing tools and receive a $20 prize! Today well look at Matson, Inc. (NYSE:MATX) and reflect on its potential as an investment. In particular, well consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), as that can give us insight into how profitably the company is able to employ capital in its business. First, well go over how we calculate ROCE. Then well compare its ROCE to similar companies. Then well determine how its current liabilities are affecting its ROCE. ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. In general, businesses with a higher ROCE are usually better quality. Overall, it is a valuable metric that has its flaws. Renowned investment researcher Michael Mauboussin has suggested that a high ROCE can indicate that one dollar invested in the company generates value of more than one dollar. Analysts use this formula to calculate return on capital employed: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets Current Liabilities) Or for Matson: 0.059 = US$121m (US$2.4b US$326m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2018.) Therefore, Matson has an ROCE of 5.9%. ROCE can be useful when making comparisons, such as between similar companies. Using our data, Matsons ROCE appears to be around the 5.4% average of the Shipping industry. Separate from how Matson stacks up against its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms is mediocre; relative to the returns on government bonds. Readers may find more attractive investment prospects elsewhere. As we can see, Matson currently has an ROCE of 5.9%, less than the 13% it reported 3 years ago. Therefore we wonder if the company is facing new headwinds. NYSE:MATX Last Perf February 18th 19 More When considering ROCE, bear in mind that it reflects the past and does not necessarily predict the future. ROCE can be deceptive for cyclical businesses, as returns can look incredible in boom times, and terribly low in downturns. ROCE is only a point-in-time measure. Future performance is what matters, and you can see analyst predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company. How Matsons Current Liabilities Impact Its ROCE Current liabilities are short term bills and invoices that need to be paid in 12 months or less. Due to the way the ROCE equation works, having large bills due in the near term can make it look as though a company has less capital employed, and thus a higher ROCE than usual. To counteract this, we check if a company has high current liabilities, relative to its total assets. Matson has total assets of US$2.4b and current liabilities of US$326m. As a result, its current liabilities are equal to approximately 13% of its total assets. It is good to see a restrained amount of current liabilities, as this limits the effect on ROCE. Our Take On Matsons ROCE If Matson continues to earn an uninspiring ROCE, there may be better places to invest. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20. | Matson, Inc. has a Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) of 5.9%. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://news.yahoo.com/matson-inc-returns-capital-worth-170055600.html | 0.476636 |
Are Matson, Inc.s Returns On Capital Worth Investigating? | Help shape the future of investing tools and receive a $20 prize! Today well look at Matson, Inc. (NYSE:MATX) and reflect on its potential as an investment. In particular, well consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), as that can give us insight into how profitably the company is able to employ capital in its business. First, well go over how we calculate ROCE. Then well compare its ROCE to similar companies. Then well determine how its current liabilities are affecting its ROCE. ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. In general, businesses with a higher ROCE are usually better quality. Overall, it is a valuable metric that has its flaws. Renowned investment researcher Michael Mauboussin has suggested that a high ROCE can indicate that one dollar invested in the company generates value of more than one dollar. Analysts use this formula to calculate return on capital employed: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets Current Liabilities) Or for Matson: 0.059 = US$121m (US$2.4b US$326m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2018.) Therefore, Matson has an ROCE of 5.9%. ROCE can be useful when making comparisons, such as between similar companies. Using our data, Matsons ROCE appears to be around the 5.4% average of the Shipping industry. Separate from how Matson stacks up against its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms is mediocre; relative to the returns on government bonds. Readers may find more attractive investment prospects elsewhere. As we can see, Matson currently has an ROCE of 5.9%, less than the 13% it reported 3 years ago. Therefore we wonder if the company is facing new headwinds. NYSE:MATX Last Perf February 18th 19 More When considering ROCE, bear in mind that it reflects the past and does not necessarily predict the future. ROCE can be deceptive for cyclical businesses, as returns can look incredible in boom times, and terribly low in downturns. ROCE is only a point-in-time measure. Future performance is what matters, and you can see analyst predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company. How Matsons Current Liabilities Impact Its ROCE Current liabilities are short term bills and invoices that need to be paid in 12 months or less. Due to the way the ROCE equation works, having large bills due in the near term can make it look as though a company has less capital employed, and thus a higher ROCE than usual. To counteract this, we check if a company has high current liabilities, relative to its total assets. Matson has total assets of US$2.4b and current liabilities of US$326m. As a result, its current liabilities are equal to approximately 13% of its total assets. It is good to see a restrained amount of current liabilities, as this limits the effect on ROCE. Our Take On Matsons ROCE If Matson continues to earn an uninspiring ROCE, there may be better places to invest. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20. | Matson, Inc. has a Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) of 5.9%. That is, it has a higher ROCE than the 5.4% average in the Shipping industry. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/matson-inc-returns-capital-worth-170055600.html | 0.390386 |
Are Matson, Inc.s Returns On Capital Worth Investigating? | Help shape the future of investing tools and receive a $20 prize! Today well look at Matson, Inc. (NYSE:MATX) and reflect on its potential as an investment. In particular, well consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), as that can give us insight into how profitably the company is able to employ capital in its business. First, well go over how we calculate ROCE. Then well compare its ROCE to similar companies. Then well determine how its current liabilities are affecting its ROCE. ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. In general, businesses with a higher ROCE are usually better quality. Overall, it is a valuable metric that has its flaws. Renowned investment researcher Michael Mauboussin has suggested that a high ROCE can indicate that one dollar invested in the company generates value of more than one dollar. Analysts use this formula to calculate return on capital employed: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets Current Liabilities) Or for Matson: 0.059 = US$121m (US$2.4b US$326m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2018.) Therefore, Matson has an ROCE of 5.9%. ROCE can be useful when making comparisons, such as between similar companies. Using our data, Matsons ROCE appears to be around the 5.4% average of the Shipping industry. Separate from how Matson stacks up against its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms is mediocre; relative to the returns on government bonds. Readers may find more attractive investment prospects elsewhere. As we can see, Matson currently has an ROCE of 5.9%, less than the 13% it reported 3 years ago. Therefore we wonder if the company is facing new headwinds. NYSE:MATX Last Perf February 18th 19 More When considering ROCE, bear in mind that it reflects the past and does not necessarily predict the future. ROCE can be deceptive for cyclical businesses, as returns can look incredible in boom times, and terribly low in downturns. ROCE is only a point-in-time measure. Future performance is what matters, and you can see analyst predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company. How Matsons Current Liabilities Impact Its ROCE Current liabilities are short term bills and invoices that need to be paid in 12 months or less. Due to the way the ROCE equation works, having large bills due in the near term can make it look as though a company has less capital employed, and thus a higher ROCE than usual. To counteract this, we check if a company has high current liabilities, relative to its total assets. Matson has total assets of US$2.4b and current liabilities of US$326m. As a result, its current liabilities are equal to approximately 13% of its total assets. It is good to see a restrained amount of current liabilities, as this limits the effect on ROCE. Our Take On Matsons ROCE If Matson continues to earn an uninspiring ROCE, there may be better places to invest. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20. | Matson, Inc. has a Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) of 5.9%. That is, it has a higher ROCE than the 5.4% average in the Shipping industry. The way this metric is calculated is to look at whether the company is making money on its capital. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/matson-inc-returns-capital-worth-170055600.html | 0.381161 |
Did the tit Rex mini Mardi Gras parade get bigger in 2019? | The tit Rex parade floats that rolled through the Marigny on Sunday (Feb. 17) didnt get any bigger; they were still about the size of toy poodles on leashes. But the crowd seemed to be considerably larger than in recent years, which was a relief because the devotion of tit Rexs following was tested in 2019. You see, the city moved tit Rex to an earlier spot on the calendar this year and separated it from another popular parade, Chewbacchus, that used to roll on the same night. So it was questionable if the audience for the tiny parade would be as large as usual. Sundays beautiful weather certainly played a part in the tremendous turnout, but it seems safe to say that the move didnt diminish tit Rexs fanbase at all. 'tit Rex rolls through the Marigny neighborhood in New Orleans 2019 And no wonder. Tiny tit Rex is the best Carnival procession that youll ever struggle to see. Unlike full-sized parades that fill a curbside onlookers entire field of view, the exquisitely detailed tit Rex floats are led through a forest of onlookers legs, small children and crouching camerafolk, in such tight quarters that a quick glance at the rattling contraptions is about all you can hope for at least at the crowded start of the roll on St. Roch Avenue. Watching tit Rex is like watching a rock show from way in the back row, even if youre up close. But this is a problem that should never be solved. Tit Rex (pronounce it like the toothy dinosaur) is all about deliberate downsizing. The smallness of tit Rex, which was modeled after elementary school shoebox parades, was always meant as a subversion of the steroidal superkrewes such as Endymion and Bacchus. The tiny, hand-made tit Rex throws (which are too precious to actually throw) are intended as antidotes to the hail storm of plastic imports that accompanies more conventional parades. 'tit Rex parade throws 2019 (Photo by Doug MacCash, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune) Photo by Doug MacCash, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune Tit Rex may be tiny, but it has a big chip on its shoulder. The do-it-yourself tit Rex float builders make some of the most scathing satirical statements in all of Carnival, but they can rely on miniaturization for a certain degree of obfuscation. Its easy enough to get the gist of the social-political commentary on topics such as President Trumps proposed border wall, the crackdown on Bourbon Street prostitution, dysfunctional infrastructure, gentrification, etc. But the details are as difficult to bring into focus as the lyrics in a Bob Dylan song. Mardi Gras 2019: See the complete parade schedule My personal favorite 'tit Rex 2019 float was an adorable pastel jetliner stuffed with rows of marshmallow Peeps. It had something to do with the discomfort of contemporary air travel or so I surmised. Curiously, I didnt see any NFL lampooning in this years parade. Or maybe I missed something. 'tit Rex rolls through the Marigny neighborhood of in New Orleans, La. Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019. The theme for the 11th parade was 'A Modicum of Decency' . or try to! (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune) (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.c Doug MacCash has the best job in the world, covering art, music and culture in New Orleans. Contact him via email at dmaccash@nola.com. Follow him on Twitter at Doug MacCash and on Facebook at Douglas James MacCash. As always, please add your point of view to the comment stream. | tit Rex parade floats that rolled through the Marigny on Sunday (Feb. 17) didnt get any bigger; they were still about the size of toy poodles on leashes. | bart | 1 | https://www.nola.com/mardigras/2019/02/did-the-tit-rex-mini-mardi-gras-parade-get-bigger-in-2019.html | 0.133132 |
Did the tit Rex mini Mardi Gras parade get bigger in 2019? | The tit Rex parade floats that rolled through the Marigny on Sunday (Feb. 17) didnt get any bigger; they were still about the size of toy poodles on leashes. But the crowd seemed to be considerably larger than in recent years, which was a relief because the devotion of tit Rexs following was tested in 2019. You see, the city moved tit Rex to an earlier spot on the calendar this year and separated it from another popular parade, Chewbacchus, that used to roll on the same night. So it was questionable if the audience for the tiny parade would be as large as usual. Sundays beautiful weather certainly played a part in the tremendous turnout, but it seems safe to say that the move didnt diminish tit Rexs fanbase at all. 'tit Rex rolls through the Marigny neighborhood in New Orleans 2019 And no wonder. Tiny tit Rex is the best Carnival procession that youll ever struggle to see. Unlike full-sized parades that fill a curbside onlookers entire field of view, the exquisitely detailed tit Rex floats are led through a forest of onlookers legs, small children and crouching camerafolk, in such tight quarters that a quick glance at the rattling contraptions is about all you can hope for at least at the crowded start of the roll on St. Roch Avenue. Watching tit Rex is like watching a rock show from way in the back row, even if youre up close. But this is a problem that should never be solved. Tit Rex (pronounce it like the toothy dinosaur) is all about deliberate downsizing. The smallness of tit Rex, which was modeled after elementary school shoebox parades, was always meant as a subversion of the steroidal superkrewes such as Endymion and Bacchus. The tiny, hand-made tit Rex throws (which are too precious to actually throw) are intended as antidotes to the hail storm of plastic imports that accompanies more conventional parades. 'tit Rex parade throws 2019 (Photo by Doug MacCash, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune) Photo by Doug MacCash, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune Tit Rex may be tiny, but it has a big chip on its shoulder. The do-it-yourself tit Rex float builders make some of the most scathing satirical statements in all of Carnival, but they can rely on miniaturization for a certain degree of obfuscation. Its easy enough to get the gist of the social-political commentary on topics such as President Trumps proposed border wall, the crackdown on Bourbon Street prostitution, dysfunctional infrastructure, gentrification, etc. But the details are as difficult to bring into focus as the lyrics in a Bob Dylan song. Mardi Gras 2019: See the complete parade schedule My personal favorite 'tit Rex 2019 float was an adorable pastel jetliner stuffed with rows of marshmallow Peeps. It had something to do with the discomfort of contemporary air travel or so I surmised. Curiously, I didnt see any NFL lampooning in this years parade. Or maybe I missed something. 'tit Rex rolls through the Marigny neighborhood of in New Orleans, La. Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019. The theme for the 11th parade was 'A Modicum of Decency' . or try to! (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune) (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.c Doug MacCash has the best job in the world, covering art, music and culture in New Orleans. Contact him via email at dmaccash@nola.com. Follow him on Twitter at Doug MacCash and on Facebook at Douglas James MacCash. As always, please add your point of view to the comment stream. | Tiny 'tit Rex parade rolls through the Marigny on Sunday (Feb. 17) The crowd seemed to be considerably larger than in recent years, which was a relief. ' Tit Rex (pronounce it like the toothy dinosaur) is all about deliberate downsizing. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.nola.com/mardigras/2019/02/did-the-tit-rex-mini-mardi-gras-parade-get-bigger-in-2019.html | 0.109744 |
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