question
stringlengths 11
149
| article
stringlengths 529
63.5k
| summary
stringlengths 4
444
| model source
stringclasses 3
values | length bucket
int8 0
2
| url
stringlengths 35
310
| qa classifier score
float32 0.1
0.85
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Can Wisdom Protect Against Loneliness As We Age? | By Holly Lawrence, Next Avenue Contributor A fascinating new study of loneliness found that adults are at risk across the entire lifespan, but especially during their late-20s, mid-50s and late-80s. Equally interesting: the researchers say that wisdom can help protect against loneliness. That finding could be particularly useful for boomers in their mid-50s and their parents in their late-80s. You have more control over loneliness than you might think," said Dr. Dilip Jeste, the professor of psychiatry and neurosciences and director of the Center for Healthy Aging at the University of California, San Diego who conducted the study. Loneliness is a personality trait. All traits are modifiable. Thats where wisdom comes in. The researchers studied 340 residents of San Diego, ages 27 to 101. Roughly three-fourths (76%) of the participants reported moderate to high levels of loneliness, and loneliness increased for those in their late-20s, mid-50s and late-80s. Loneliness was associated with depression, anxiety, stress, and cognitive complaints and those with higher levels of loneliness had lower resilience, optimism and mental well-being. Also on Forbes: Loneliness means feeling stressed out because your expectations for quality social relationships are not met, said Jeste. It then leads to anxiety, and even fear about future social engagement. Instead of expecting a positive experience from a new relationship, the person goes in anticipating an unsuccessful or disheartening or stressful encounter. That becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy and perpetuates a vicious circle. Jeste and his colleagues created the San Diego Wisdom Scale which identifies wisdom as having a variety of components including compassion, empathy, self-reflection, decisiveness, the ability to give good advice to others, the ability to control your emotions and the acceptance of uncertainty and diversity of perspectives. Our study shows that wisdom and loneliness did not seem to coexist. In other words, wiser people don't feel lonely and vice versa, Jeste said. Of course, not everyone in their mid-50s or late-80s will get lonely, Jeste noted. But he and his colleague Dr. Ellen Lee, a geriatric neuropsychiatrist and one of the studys authors, offered thoughts on why loneliness may peak at those ages: The mid-50s is a period of midlife crisis, Jeste explained. Also, during that time of life, women experience menopause and men experience changes associated with andropause (symptoms including fatigue and a decrease in libido). Physical illnesses start to surface, too. You start seeing death in your family, friends and you become aware of the shorter lifespan, said Jeste. You start to realize that the time horizon is truncated now. Lee said that research assumes people in their late-80s group are at greater risk of loneliness for a variety of reasons: they may become widowed, lose friends, have a smaller social network or become more isolated socially due to physical disabilities, for example. Advice for Increasing Wisdom to Prevent Loneliness Jeste offered advice on how to break a pattern loneliness by increasing wisdom. Start with self-reflection, what Jeste calls the most important part of wisdom. This means honestly looking inside yourself and thinking about your strengths and your limitations, he advised, providing an example. I may have five friends, and I feel lonely because I feel that I need twenty friends. However, you may have five friends, and youre more than happy with having five friends. So, you dont feel lonely. Jeste explained that the person who feels lonely with only five friends do one of two things. I can find opportunities to increase my friendships from five to twenty; an older person could move into senior housing where there are organized social activities or find friends through Facebook. Is it because Im not decisive? Self-reflection, Jeste added, helps in adjusting expectations to the reality. You can also increase wisdom by developing self-compassion, Jeste said. Thats about accepting yourself for who you are. If you go to a party and not everyone wants to talk with you, let it go. By developing compassion for yourself, you become less bothered about not connecting with those people, said Jeste. To become more positive about your life, Jeste said, keep a gratitude diary and write in it daily what makes you feel grateful, happy or proud. Doing this regularly would help you start the next day looking for positive happenings, said Jeste. Alternatively, he suggested, share your days positive experiences with others at the dinner table. Summing up his studys findings, Jeste said: Every one of us is capable of being wiser and less lonely. We have more control over our brain, mind, and body than we think. We teach our kids to form good physical habits like brushing teeth every morning and night. Likewise, we can form good mental and behavioral habits of wisdom at any age. Loneliness will then be a thing of the past. | A new study of loneliness found that adults are at risk across the entire lifespan, but especially during their late-20s, mid-50s and late-80s. The researchers say that wisdom can help protect against loneliness and that you have more control over loneliness than you might think. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2019/02/11/can-wisdom-protect-against-loneliness-as-we-age/ | 0.477901 |
Can Israeli Wine Succeed Beyond The Kosher Aisle? | During a recent visit to the US, Lenny Recanati, whose family are the majority owners of Israels Recanati Winery, spoke candidly about the need for wines from Israel to move out of the kosher aisle and take their place alongside other great wines in wine shops and on wine lists. He was accompanied by Recanatis head winemaker, Gil Schatsberg, who also weighed in on the future of Israeli wine. Over dinner at a bustling Flatiron Greek restaurant, Kyma, where Recanati Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve will be added to the list in the near future, we tasted the newly-released 2017 vintage of several Recanati wines and discussed the winerys recipe for success. Recanati Winerys total production is 100,000 cases (1,200,000 bottles) per year. Of that, 13,000 cases (156,000 bottles) are shipped to the United States, with 70 percent sold to non-kosher accounts. The majority of Recanati wine, about 75 percent, is sold domestically within Israel. For wine to be considered kosher, only Sabbath-observant Jews can handle the grapes and finished wine from the moment the grapes enter the winery through bottling. Selling the wine in a separate aisle or section of wine stores can be a barrier to the wines gaining widespread recognition among US wine consumers. Lenny Recanati:We are one of the few Israeli wineries with a national presence as were available in 44 states. New York is our largest market; however, we have a very strong presence in Florida, California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Colorado. LR:Yes. We are on the cusp of Israel breaking through. Our strategy has been to represent ourselves as world-class wine. Our wine quality is getting recognized by the press, the trade, and consumers which is resulting in more and more non-kosher business. LR:The biggest obstacle we are facing is fighting the image and the perception of Israel as a producer of only kosher and simple wines, and the misperception of kosher wine as degraded wine or as "Manischewitz wine." LR:First of all, we strongly believe that the main reason for our success is the quality of our wines and the consistency of the quality; without this nothing could happen. Consistent high scores for our wines from acclaimed critics around the world are the proof that the quality is there. Having said this, a large part of our success in the US market is due to a long-term cooperation with our US importer, Palm Bay International; without the hard work and fruitful cooperation of the Palm Bay team with our winery team, this gradual and steady growth in the US market would never have happened. LR:These are high quality wines that reflect our unique growing conditions. Recanati wines are an excellent example of great wines from Mediterranean varieties and indigenous varieties that reflect the Israeli terroir. These are wines that are earning consistently high scores from critics and have a place on the global stage. In a follow-up email, Hal Cashman, Brand Development Director for Palm Bay International, Recanatis importer, confirmed that the non-kosher area is where Recanatis U.S. growth is coming from; in 2018, this sector grew 15 percent. Asked how he and his team have been able to get onto wine lists in non-kosher restaurants, Cashman attributed the change to the quality of the wine itself: Our winemaking team is amazing. Gil has been at the frontier of Israeli winemaking for years, championing Mediterranean varieties. As the trade and consumers continue to taste our wines and get to know us, they are recognizing that there is something special here. | Recanati Winery is one of the few Israeli wineries with a national presence in 44 states. The winery's biggest obstacle is fighting the image and the perception of Israel as a producer of only kosher and simple wines, and the misperception of kosher wine as degraded wine. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/theworldwineguys/2019/02/11/israels-recanati-winery-finds-success-outside-the-kosher-aisle/ | 0.112878 |
Who is excluded from conferences and summits and why? | The exclusion of countries, peoples or individuals from high-profile summits and conferences often says much about the events themselves. As the Mideast conference in Poland convenes with U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shaping the narrative in Warsaw as part of the Trump administrations global push to isolate Iran and promote Israeli interests, its no surprise that Tehran is not invited. Iran has denounced the conference as an American anti-Iran circus. The Palestinians have boycotted the conference and urged others to do the same. Notable absences are those of senior officials from France, Germany and Russia as well as various non-Gulf Arab nations. Heres a look at some major summits and conferences over the years which have seen key players excluded or refusing to attend. THE PALESTINIANS: CAMP DAVID TO MADRID While President Jimmy Carter, Egypts Anwar Sadat and Israels Menachem Begin cemented the Camp David peace accord in 1978 with a three-way handshake at the White House before the worlds cameras, the Palestinians were markedly absent. They hadnt been included and references to the West Bank and Gaza did nothing to mollify anger among the stateless seeking a state. In 1991 in Madrid, the Palestinians were represented but only as part of the Jordanian delegation in a contentious and acerbic Mideast conference that saw Syria and Israel openly trading insults. Two years later, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat shook hands with his Israeli counterpart Yitzhak Rabin with President Clinton beaming alongside them. The Palestinians were now much more so on diplomacys world stage, but a quarter of a century later they are no closer to their elusive goal of independence. SOUTH KOREAS MOON: DMZ BUT NOT SINGAPORE OR VIETNAM North Koreas dynastic leaders, as much by design and desire as exclusion, were always on the outside of international gatherings looking in from afar. That changed in a series of seismic events for the Korean Peninsula in 2018, following a year where threats of nuclear Armageddon were at the fore. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing for his second summit with President Donald Trump in two weeks in Vietnam. This follows the mind-boggling spectacle of their first encounter in Singapore last year. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been a key driving figure with determined plans and aspirations for engagement with Pyongyang. Moon himself held historic summits with Kim at the Demilitarized Zone on the border between the two nations. Now Moon finds himself excluded again as Trump and Kim take centre stage. There is speculation about a possible four-way meeting, also including Moon and Chinese President Xi Jinping, to declare a formal end to the Korean War, which stopped with an armistice and left the peninsula still technically at war. DAYTON AND THE BOSNIAN SERBS A city in Ohio became the byword for ending Europes worst conflict since World War II. The Dayton Accords ended the Bosnian War which had claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced more than 2 million people as former Yugoslavia broke apart in a frenzy of communal violence. The grim-faced presidents of Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were all in attendance in Dayton in 1995 and for the official signing in Paris the following month. But absent were the group blamed by many for some of the worst bloodshed and persecution in the war, the Bosnian Serbs. Serbia President Slobodan Milosevic, himself an international outcast, represented his fellow Serbs interests in Dayton. The Bosnian Serb wartime leader, Radovan Karadzic, by then already an indicted war criminal was a fugitive evading justice. He was finally captured in 2008. Tamer Fakahany can be followed on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TamerFakahany | The Palestinians have boycotted the conference and urged others to do the same. Notable absences are those of senior officials from France, Germany and Russia. | pegasus | 1 | https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/who-is-excluded-from-conferences-and-summits-and-why | 0.106069 |
Who is excluded from conferences and summits and why? | The exclusion of countries, peoples or individuals from high-profile summits and conferences often says much about the events themselves. As the Mideast conference in Poland convenes with U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shaping the narrative in Warsaw as part of the Trump administrations global push to isolate Iran and promote Israeli interests, its no surprise that Tehran is not invited. Iran has denounced the conference as an American anti-Iran circus. The Palestinians have boycotted the conference and urged others to do the same. Notable absences are those of senior officials from France, Germany and Russia as well as various non-Gulf Arab nations. Heres a look at some major summits and conferences over the years which have seen key players excluded or refusing to attend. THE PALESTINIANS: CAMP DAVID TO MADRID While President Jimmy Carter, Egypts Anwar Sadat and Israels Menachem Begin cemented the Camp David peace accord in 1978 with a three-way handshake at the White House before the worlds cameras, the Palestinians were markedly absent. They hadnt been included and references to the West Bank and Gaza did nothing to mollify anger among the stateless seeking a state. In 1991 in Madrid, the Palestinians were represented but only as part of the Jordanian delegation in a contentious and acerbic Mideast conference that saw Syria and Israel openly trading insults. Two years later, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat shook hands with his Israeli counterpart Yitzhak Rabin with President Clinton beaming alongside them. The Palestinians were now much more so on diplomacys world stage, but a quarter of a century later they are no closer to their elusive goal of independence. SOUTH KOREAS MOON: DMZ BUT NOT SINGAPORE OR VIETNAM North Koreas dynastic leaders, as much by design and desire as exclusion, were always on the outside of international gatherings looking in from afar. That changed in a series of seismic events for the Korean Peninsula in 2018, following a year where threats of nuclear Armageddon were at the fore. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing for his second summit with President Donald Trump in two weeks in Vietnam. This follows the mind-boggling spectacle of their first encounter in Singapore last year. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been a key driving figure with determined plans and aspirations for engagement with Pyongyang. Moon himself held historic summits with Kim at the Demilitarized Zone on the border between the two nations. Now Moon finds himself excluded again as Trump and Kim take centre stage. There is speculation about a possible four-way meeting, also including Moon and Chinese President Xi Jinping, to declare a formal end to the Korean War, which stopped with an armistice and left the peninsula still technically at war. DAYTON AND THE BOSNIAN SERBS A city in Ohio became the byword for ending Europes worst conflict since World War II. The Dayton Accords ended the Bosnian War which had claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced more than 2 million people as former Yugoslavia broke apart in a frenzy of communal violence. The grim-faced presidents of Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were all in attendance in Dayton in 1995 and for the official signing in Paris the following month. But absent were the group blamed by many for some of the worst bloodshed and persecution in the war, the Bosnian Serbs. Serbia President Slobodan Milosevic, himself an international outcast, represented his fellow Serbs interests in Dayton. The Bosnian Serb wartime leader, Radovan Karadzic, by then already an indicted war criminal was a fugitive evading justice. He was finally captured in 2008. Tamer Fakahany can be followed on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TamerFakahany | The Mideast conference in Poland is being boycotted by the Palestinians. Iran has denounced the conference as an American anti-Iran circus. North Koreas dynastic leaders were always on the outside of international gatherings looking in from afar. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/who-is-excluded-from-conferences-and-summits-and-why | 0.100909 |
Why is Twitter's Jack Dorsey wanted in India? | Image copyright AFP Image caption Indian MPs want Jack Dorsey to appear before them on 25 February Jack Dorsey is no stranger to controversies. On his last trip to India in November, the chief executive of Twitter posed for what he thought was an innocuous picture and ended up enraging Hindu nationalists. The picture had a placard reading "Smash Brahminical patriarchy", alluding to oppression by upper-caste Hindus. The backlash on his own social media network was fierce: Mr Dorsey was promptly accused of "hate-mongering". (The following month, in an unrelated controversy, he was criticised for promoting Myanmar as a tourist destination in a series of tweets despite widespread allegations of human rights abuses in the country.) Now Mr Dorsey has been summoned by MPs in India, one of the fastest growing markets for his network, which claims 126 million daily users worldwide. By one estimate, more than a sixth of its users come from here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is one of the most followed leaders on the network. "It's quite an exciting time for us in India," says Maya Hari, the network's vice president and managing director, Asia-Pacific. A 31-member panel of MPs wants Mr Dorsey to appear before it on 25 February to get his views on "safeguarding citizens' rights on social/online news media platforms". The panel is led by Anurag Thakur, a MP belonging to Mr Modi's governing BJP. Twitter appears to have been singled out for this unusual meeting. It all began with the MPs shooting off a letter to Twitter India earlier this month. They said they wanted to meet the head of the network or a senior functionary on 11 February. Twitter's local office informed the panel that Mr Dorsey could not appear at such short notice and offered its top local policy executive instead. Mr Thakur was clearly displeased with the response: Skip Twitter post by @ianuragthakur The Parliamentary Commitee on Information Technology takes very serious note of this. We will take appropriate action on 11th February. Citizens are welcome to send their concerns/issues via email to the Parliamentary Commitee. comit@sansad.nic.in https://t.co/oKBzdoJkhV Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) February 9, 2019 Report When some top local executives reached the meeting venue on Monday, the MPs refused to see them. Clearly, they wanted to talk to Mr Dorsey. The timing of the "summons" to Mr Dorsey is interesting. With crucial summer elections looming, right-wingers on Twitter have been complaining that the network is banning accounts supportive of the BJP. Pro-government TV networks reported that the MPs had actually summoned Twitter officials over "allegations of bias", something which was not stated in the government's official communication with the network. BJP spokesman Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga weighed in, promoting a hashtag called #ProtestAgainstTwitter: Others have joined in, accusing Twitter of bias and an "authoritarian" stance: And last week, members of a group who call themselves Youth for Social Democracy gathered outside the local office of Twitter near Delhi to protest, saying that Twitter had "acquired an anti-right wing" attitude. "They block our accounts and impressions of the tweets," one protester said. Skip Twitter post by @ANI Delhi: Members of 'Youth for Social Media Democracy' protest outside the office of Twitter India. Protesters say "Twitter has acquired an anti-right wing attitude. They block our accounts & impressions of the tweets. We won't tolerate this, they will have to change their policy." pic.twitter.com/rsgTO99uWx ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2019 Report Twitter has responded, saying that the network did not act against users based on their ideology. "To be clear, we do not review, prioritise or enforce our policies on the basis of political ideology. Every tweet and every account is treated impartially. We apply our policies fairly and judiciously for all," says Colin Crowell, who leads public policy, governance and corporate philanthropy efforts at the network. He said Twitter had made more than 70 "product, policy and operational changes" since the beginning of 2018, to help people "feel safe expressing themselves on our service". "Abuse and hateful conduct comes from accounts across the ideological spectrum and we will continue to take action when our rules are broken." However, the network admitted that "mistakes can happen", which means accounts could get taken down wrongly for a short time. "However, these mistakes or 'false positive' decisions are not political statements of intent; they are the basic human error rate of running the fastest, most open conversational tool in history." Image copyright AFP Image caption India is one of Twitter's fastest growing markets "We have a specialised, global team that enforces the Twitter Rules with impartiality. Twitter India employees do not make enforcement decisions. This is by design to ensure fairness and objectivity." Most Twitter users believe the bigger problems in India - as they are elsewhere in the world - are hate speech, intimidation, death threats and vicious trolling of women. "It does not behove a great institution like the parliament of India to get into a standoff with Twitter on so trivial a matter. Let's not forget that Jack Dorsey has no stakes in upholding the dignity of India's parliament. Our parliamentarians, on the other hand, are sworn to it," says Nitin Pai, the director of the Takshashila Institution, an independent Bangalore-based centre for research and education in public policy. Analysts like Prasanto Roy believe the summons to Mr Dorsey appears to be part of Mr Modi's government's increasingly "viciously combative position against multinationals and foreign digital companies". Over the past year, Mr Modi's government has sought data localisation of all payment gateways and digital payment companies based outside India. It has pressured WhatsApp - India is the biggest market for the messaging app - to allow traceability of messages that trigger public unrest. And in December, it changed e-commerce rules to prevent online retailers from selling products through vendors in which they hold an equity stake without holding consultations with key stakeholders like Amazon and Flipkart. "Most of this is driven by extreme nationalism and pressure from local business lobbies," says Mr Roy. "India's much-touted big bang digital collaboration in the form of Mr Modi's ambitious Digital India programme with the world has completely soured." More on India from Soutik: Follow Soutik at @soutikBBC | Indian MPs want Jack Dorsey to appear before them on 25 February. India is one of the fastest growing markets for Twitter. | bart | 0 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-47208172 | 0.242577 |
Why is Twitter's Jack Dorsey wanted in India? | Image copyright AFP Image caption Indian MPs want Jack Dorsey to appear before them on 25 February Jack Dorsey is no stranger to controversies. On his last trip to India in November, the chief executive of Twitter posed for what he thought was an innocuous picture and ended up enraging Hindu nationalists. The picture had a placard reading "Smash Brahminical patriarchy", alluding to oppression by upper-caste Hindus. The backlash on his own social media network was fierce: Mr Dorsey was promptly accused of "hate-mongering". (The following month, in an unrelated controversy, he was criticised for promoting Myanmar as a tourist destination in a series of tweets despite widespread allegations of human rights abuses in the country.) Now Mr Dorsey has been summoned by MPs in India, one of the fastest growing markets for his network, which claims 126 million daily users worldwide. By one estimate, more than a sixth of its users come from here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is one of the most followed leaders on the network. "It's quite an exciting time for us in India," says Maya Hari, the network's vice president and managing director, Asia-Pacific. A 31-member panel of MPs wants Mr Dorsey to appear before it on 25 February to get his views on "safeguarding citizens' rights on social/online news media platforms". The panel is led by Anurag Thakur, a MP belonging to Mr Modi's governing BJP. Twitter appears to have been singled out for this unusual meeting. It all began with the MPs shooting off a letter to Twitter India earlier this month. They said they wanted to meet the head of the network or a senior functionary on 11 February. Twitter's local office informed the panel that Mr Dorsey could not appear at such short notice and offered its top local policy executive instead. Mr Thakur was clearly displeased with the response: Skip Twitter post by @ianuragthakur The Parliamentary Commitee on Information Technology takes very serious note of this. We will take appropriate action on 11th February. Citizens are welcome to send their concerns/issues via email to the Parliamentary Commitee. comit@sansad.nic.in https://t.co/oKBzdoJkhV Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) February 9, 2019 Report When some top local executives reached the meeting venue on Monday, the MPs refused to see them. Clearly, they wanted to talk to Mr Dorsey. The timing of the "summons" to Mr Dorsey is interesting. With crucial summer elections looming, right-wingers on Twitter have been complaining that the network is banning accounts supportive of the BJP. Pro-government TV networks reported that the MPs had actually summoned Twitter officials over "allegations of bias", something which was not stated in the government's official communication with the network. BJP spokesman Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga weighed in, promoting a hashtag called #ProtestAgainstTwitter: Others have joined in, accusing Twitter of bias and an "authoritarian" stance: And last week, members of a group who call themselves Youth for Social Democracy gathered outside the local office of Twitter near Delhi to protest, saying that Twitter had "acquired an anti-right wing" attitude. "They block our accounts and impressions of the tweets," one protester said. Skip Twitter post by @ANI Delhi: Members of 'Youth for Social Media Democracy' protest outside the office of Twitter India. Protesters say "Twitter has acquired an anti-right wing attitude. They block our accounts & impressions of the tweets. We won't tolerate this, they will have to change their policy." pic.twitter.com/rsgTO99uWx ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2019 Report Twitter has responded, saying that the network did not act against users based on their ideology. "To be clear, we do not review, prioritise or enforce our policies on the basis of political ideology. Every tweet and every account is treated impartially. We apply our policies fairly and judiciously for all," says Colin Crowell, who leads public policy, governance and corporate philanthropy efforts at the network. He said Twitter had made more than 70 "product, policy and operational changes" since the beginning of 2018, to help people "feel safe expressing themselves on our service". "Abuse and hateful conduct comes from accounts across the ideological spectrum and we will continue to take action when our rules are broken." However, the network admitted that "mistakes can happen", which means accounts could get taken down wrongly for a short time. "However, these mistakes or 'false positive' decisions are not political statements of intent; they are the basic human error rate of running the fastest, most open conversational tool in history." Image copyright AFP Image caption India is one of Twitter's fastest growing markets "We have a specialised, global team that enforces the Twitter Rules with impartiality. Twitter India employees do not make enforcement decisions. This is by design to ensure fairness and objectivity." Most Twitter users believe the bigger problems in India - as they are elsewhere in the world - are hate speech, intimidation, death threats and vicious trolling of women. "It does not behove a great institution like the parliament of India to get into a standoff with Twitter on so trivial a matter. Let's not forget that Jack Dorsey has no stakes in upholding the dignity of India's parliament. Our parliamentarians, on the other hand, are sworn to it," says Nitin Pai, the director of the Takshashila Institution, an independent Bangalore-based centre for research and education in public policy. Analysts like Prasanto Roy believe the summons to Mr Dorsey appears to be part of Mr Modi's government's increasingly "viciously combative position against multinationals and foreign digital companies". Over the past year, Mr Modi's government has sought data localisation of all payment gateways and digital payment companies based outside India. It has pressured WhatsApp - India is the biggest market for the messaging app - to allow traceability of messages that trigger public unrest. And in December, it changed e-commerce rules to prevent online retailers from selling products through vendors in which they hold an equity stake without holding consultations with key stakeholders like Amazon and Flipkart. "Most of this is driven by extreme nationalism and pressure from local business lobbies," says Mr Roy. "India's much-touted big bang digital collaboration in the form of Mr Modi's ambitious Digital India programme with the world has completely soured." More on India from Soutik: Follow Soutik at @soutikBBC | Indian MPs want Jack Dorsey to appear before them on 25 February. India is one of the fastest growing markets for Twitter. More than a sixth of the network's users come from here. | bart | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-47208172 | 0.246097 |
Why is Twitter's Jack Dorsey wanted in India? | Image copyright AFP Image caption Indian MPs want Jack Dorsey to appear before them on 25 February Jack Dorsey is no stranger to controversies. On his last trip to India in November, the chief executive of Twitter posed for what he thought was an innocuous picture and ended up enraging Hindu nationalists. The picture had a placard reading "Smash Brahminical patriarchy", alluding to oppression by upper-caste Hindus. The backlash on his own social media network was fierce: Mr Dorsey was promptly accused of "hate-mongering". (The following month, in an unrelated controversy, he was criticised for promoting Myanmar as a tourist destination in a series of tweets despite widespread allegations of human rights abuses in the country.) Now Mr Dorsey has been summoned by MPs in India, one of the fastest growing markets for his network, which claims 126 million daily users worldwide. By one estimate, more than a sixth of its users come from here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is one of the most followed leaders on the network. "It's quite an exciting time for us in India," says Maya Hari, the network's vice president and managing director, Asia-Pacific. A 31-member panel of MPs wants Mr Dorsey to appear before it on 25 February to get his views on "safeguarding citizens' rights on social/online news media platforms". The panel is led by Anurag Thakur, a MP belonging to Mr Modi's governing BJP. Twitter appears to have been singled out for this unusual meeting. It all began with the MPs shooting off a letter to Twitter India earlier this month. They said they wanted to meet the head of the network or a senior functionary on 11 February. Twitter's local office informed the panel that Mr Dorsey could not appear at such short notice and offered its top local policy executive instead. Mr Thakur was clearly displeased with the response: Skip Twitter post by @ianuragthakur The Parliamentary Commitee on Information Technology takes very serious note of this. We will take appropriate action on 11th February. Citizens are welcome to send their concerns/issues via email to the Parliamentary Commitee. comit@sansad.nic.in https://t.co/oKBzdoJkhV Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) February 9, 2019 Report When some top local executives reached the meeting venue on Monday, the MPs refused to see them. Clearly, they wanted to talk to Mr Dorsey. The timing of the "summons" to Mr Dorsey is interesting. With crucial summer elections looming, right-wingers on Twitter have been complaining that the network is banning accounts supportive of the BJP. Pro-government TV networks reported that the MPs had actually summoned Twitter officials over "allegations of bias", something which was not stated in the government's official communication with the network. BJP spokesman Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga weighed in, promoting a hashtag called #ProtestAgainstTwitter: Others have joined in, accusing Twitter of bias and an "authoritarian" stance: And last week, members of a group who call themselves Youth for Social Democracy gathered outside the local office of Twitter near Delhi to protest, saying that Twitter had "acquired an anti-right wing" attitude. "They block our accounts and impressions of the tweets," one protester said. Skip Twitter post by @ANI Delhi: Members of 'Youth for Social Media Democracy' protest outside the office of Twitter India. Protesters say "Twitter has acquired an anti-right wing attitude. They block our accounts & impressions of the tweets. We won't tolerate this, they will have to change their policy." pic.twitter.com/rsgTO99uWx ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2019 Report Twitter has responded, saying that the network did not act against users based on their ideology. "To be clear, we do not review, prioritise or enforce our policies on the basis of political ideology. Every tweet and every account is treated impartially. We apply our policies fairly and judiciously for all," says Colin Crowell, who leads public policy, governance and corporate philanthropy efforts at the network. He said Twitter had made more than 70 "product, policy and operational changes" since the beginning of 2018, to help people "feel safe expressing themselves on our service". "Abuse and hateful conduct comes from accounts across the ideological spectrum and we will continue to take action when our rules are broken." However, the network admitted that "mistakes can happen", which means accounts could get taken down wrongly for a short time. "However, these mistakes or 'false positive' decisions are not political statements of intent; they are the basic human error rate of running the fastest, most open conversational tool in history." Image copyright AFP Image caption India is one of Twitter's fastest growing markets "We have a specialised, global team that enforces the Twitter Rules with impartiality. Twitter India employees do not make enforcement decisions. This is by design to ensure fairness and objectivity." Most Twitter users believe the bigger problems in India - as they are elsewhere in the world - are hate speech, intimidation, death threats and vicious trolling of women. "It does not behove a great institution like the parliament of India to get into a standoff with Twitter on so trivial a matter. Let's not forget that Jack Dorsey has no stakes in upholding the dignity of India's parliament. Our parliamentarians, on the other hand, are sworn to it," says Nitin Pai, the director of the Takshashila Institution, an independent Bangalore-based centre for research and education in public policy. Analysts like Prasanto Roy believe the summons to Mr Dorsey appears to be part of Mr Modi's government's increasingly "viciously combative position against multinationals and foreign digital companies". Over the past year, Mr Modi's government has sought data localisation of all payment gateways and digital payment companies based outside India. It has pressured WhatsApp - India is the biggest market for the messaging app - to allow traceability of messages that trigger public unrest. And in December, it changed e-commerce rules to prevent online retailers from selling products through vendors in which they hold an equity stake without holding consultations with key stakeholders like Amazon and Flipkart. "Most of this is driven by extreme nationalism and pressure from local business lobbies," says Mr Roy. "India's much-touted big bang digital collaboration in the form of Mr Modi's ambitious Digital India programme with the world has completely soured." More on India from Soutik: Follow Soutik at @soutikBBC | Jack Dorsey has been summoned by Indian MPs to appear before them. They want him to give his views on "safeguarding citizens' rights on social media platforms" Twitter appears to have been singled out for this unusual meeting. Right-wingers on Twitter have been complaining that the network is banning accounts supportive of the BJP. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-47208172 | 0.359881 |
How Much Will Refranchising Boost Coca-Cola's Margins in 2018? | The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is set to announce its fourth quarter results on February 14, 2019, followed by a conference call with analysts. The market expects the company to report net revenue of $7.03 billion in Q4 2018, 6.4% lower than in Q4 2017. Adjusted earnings for the quarter are expected to be $0.43 per share compared to $0.39 per share in the year-ago period. For the full year, revenue is expected to decrease by 10% to $31.9 billion and adjusted EPS to increase by 9.4% to $2.09. Increased earnings are likely to be the result of large-scale refranchising of the companys bottling business, coupled with lower tax expense for the year. We have summarized our key expectations about the earnings in our interactive dashboard Lower Revenue and Higher Margins: Coca-Colas Mixed Bag in 2018. In addition, all Trefis Consumer Staples data is here. Key Factors Affecting Earnings Impressive growth of zero sugar: As the world over people are increasingly moving away from soda consumption due to increased health concerns and awareness, Coca-Cola has benefited from this trend with the revamping of its Coke Zero into Coca-Cola Zero Sugar in Q3 2017. The company witnessed impressive growth in sales of Zero Sugar, which increased by 11% in Q3 2018 compared to the year-ago period. We expect consumption to remain robust in the fourth quarter as well, thus driving revenue for the product. Potential of ready-to-drink tea: Research has shown that the ready-to-drink tea category has shown steady growth in 2018, growing at about 3.4% year-on-year driven by consumers preference for healthier and easily available options. This corresponds to a steady rise in Coca-Colas tea portfolio, driven by Fuze Tea, Ayataka, and Gold Peak. The US and Asia Pacific are the two main regions where the ready-to-drink tea market is surging. In the Asia-Pacific segment of the company, tea and coffee witnessed 4% growth in volumes during the first nine months of 2018. Ready-to-drink tea and coffee market size is expected to reach $116.13 billion by 2024. Such immense growth potential would drive sales of Coca-Colas ready-to-drink tea in 2018 and beyond. FY 2018 growth is expected to be around 3.5% to 4% for the full year as Q4 sales are generally lower due to seasonality. Refranchising of bottling operations: Coca-Cola is refranchising many of its bottling operations in a bid to move away from the capital intensive and low margin business of bottling, and focus more on the concentrate business as the consumption of carbonated drinks continues to slow down, especially in developed markets. Coca-Colas net sales growth has been hurt in the last few quarters due to these structural changes. The bottling business comes with four to five times more revenue per drink sold and the accompanying cost. Thus, any impact on the sales of the bottler is going to have a magnified impact on overall sales for Coca-Cola and much less effect on the companys profits. In the last two years, the company has completed the refranchising of its bottling operations in China, Japan, Canada, and Latin America. Thus, in spite of higher revenues in almost all the geographical segments of the company, total revenue for 2018 is most likely to see a drop of close to 10% due to the near halving of bottling revenues compared to the previous year. Productivity and Reinvestment plan: This plan, which was introduced in 2012 and expanded a couple of times since then to extend up to 2019, focuses on restructuring the Companys global supply chain; implementing zero-based work, an evolution of zero-based budget principles, across the organization; streamlining and simplifying the Companys operating model; and further driving increased discipline and efficiency in direct marketing investments. The new productivity plan means that Coca-Cola now has extended its previous productivity plan to save $3 billion in annual savings by 2019 to achieve incremental savings of about $800 million, bringing its current program to $3.8 billion in productivity savings. If the $500 million of productivity that will transfer to Coca-Colas bottling partners due to the accelerated pace of refranchising is added, the program extends to $4.3 billion in productivity savings by 2019. This program has boosted margins to 22.4% in the first three quarters of 2018 compared to 14.3% in the corresponding period of 2017. We expect margins to remain elevated around the same level in Q4. Coca-Cola is also expected to report a close to 10% year-on-year reduction in its tax expense in 2018, benefiting from a lower effective tax rate due to the implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Lower tax expense, operating efficiency in the form of lower costs due to the refranchising initiatives, and the productivity program would help the company increase its profitability. Net income margin for 2018 is expected to witness a sharp increase to 22% from 3.5% in 2017, thus translating into a higher adjusted earnings per share of $2.10 compared to $1.91 in the previous year. We have a price estimate of $53 per share for the company, which is higher than its current market price. We believe that the companys focus on its high-margin core products and diverse offerings to cater to the health-conscious young generation, along with steps to boost its bottom line, will provide support to its stock price going forward. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | The Coca-Cola Company is expected to report net revenue of $7.03 billion in Q4 2018, 6.4% lower than Q4 2017. The company is refranchising many of its bottling operations in a bid to move away from the capital intensive and low margin business of bottling. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/02/13/how-much-will-refranchising-boost-coca-colas-margins-in-2018/ | 0.156151 |
Will the Apostle Islands ice caves open this winter? | Video (02:19) : In 2014, the south shore of Lake Superior froze, allowing access by foot to the ice caves of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Photographer Brian Peterson was there in February as more than 8,000 people visited. There are high hopes the mainline ice caves at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore will open this winter after three years of no access. Park officials say the next few weeks are crucial to determine if visitors will be able to witness the dazzling ice formations this season or whether theyll have to wait another year. The caves are a hit-or-miss phenomenon. For the ice caves to open, there needs to be a sufficiently thick layer of ice on Lake Superior for people to make the miles-long trek to the formations. You need the right conditions so that people can get out there, said Julie Van Stappen, chief of planning and resource management for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The best conditions for ice formation is when its really cold and really calm. After a warm December, the regions recent cold freeze helped form more ice along the south shore of Lake Superior in northwest Wisconsin. But strong winds last week broke up ice and stymied progress. A photo posted on the Apostle Islands Facebook page Saturday shows ice on the lake is patchy, with round sheets of pancake ice floating on the surface. The sea caves are carved along Lake Superiors coast on the northern tip of Bayfield Peninsula. During winter, waves splashing against the sandstone cliffs along with water seeping down from rock layers freeze on the rock formations, creating a magnificent array of icicles, crystals and sheets of ice. The caves unique ice structures form every winter, regardless if theres access to the caves or not. But jagged shark ice sticking up along the coast has prevented even trained park rangers from going out on Lake Superior this winter to see what they look like. When accessible, the caves have become wildly popular. In 2014, more than a hundred thousand people flocked to the area to witness the caves firsthand. A much shorter season in 2015, just nine days, still drew thousands of visitors. It was really more a local phenomena until 2014. And then all of a sudden the whole world discovered it, which was really cool, Van Stappen said. But warm weather has prevented public access for the last three winters. Although theres ice forming on Lake Superior this year, Van Stappen said, the sheet of ice needs to be locked in place between several islands and the mainland to ensure safety. It went from no ice to pack ice, which formed really quickly, she said. Its jumbled up ice and its not high-quality at this point. Park ranger are monitoring conditions over the next few weeks to gauge if ice becomes safe enough to walk on. The park posts regular updates on its Facebook page and the parks website. Its hard to say, Van Stappen said. Its all dependent on weather conditions. Austen Macalus is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune. | There are high hopes the mainline ice caves at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore will open this winter after three years of no access. The caves are a hit-or-miss phenomenon. | ctrlsum | 1 | http://www.startribune.com/will-the-apostle-islands-ice-caves-open-this-winter/505721642/ | 0.31827 |
Will the Apostle Islands ice caves open this winter? | Video (02:19) : In 2014, the south shore of Lake Superior froze, allowing access by foot to the ice caves of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Photographer Brian Peterson was there in February as more than 8,000 people visited. There are high hopes the mainline ice caves at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore will open this winter after three years of no access. Park officials say the next few weeks are crucial to determine if visitors will be able to witness the dazzling ice formations this season or whether theyll have to wait another year. The caves are a hit-or-miss phenomenon. For the ice caves to open, there needs to be a sufficiently thick layer of ice on Lake Superior for people to make the miles-long trek to the formations. You need the right conditions so that people can get out there, said Julie Van Stappen, chief of planning and resource management for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The best conditions for ice formation is when its really cold and really calm. After a warm December, the regions recent cold freeze helped form more ice along the south shore of Lake Superior in northwest Wisconsin. But strong winds last week broke up ice and stymied progress. A photo posted on the Apostle Islands Facebook page Saturday shows ice on the lake is patchy, with round sheets of pancake ice floating on the surface. The sea caves are carved along Lake Superiors coast on the northern tip of Bayfield Peninsula. During winter, waves splashing against the sandstone cliffs along with water seeping down from rock layers freeze on the rock formations, creating a magnificent array of icicles, crystals and sheets of ice. The caves unique ice structures form every winter, regardless if theres access to the caves or not. But jagged shark ice sticking up along the coast has prevented even trained park rangers from going out on Lake Superior this winter to see what they look like. When accessible, the caves have become wildly popular. In 2014, more than a hundred thousand people flocked to the area to witness the caves firsthand. A much shorter season in 2015, just nine days, still drew thousands of visitors. It was really more a local phenomena until 2014. And then all of a sudden the whole world discovered it, which was really cool, Van Stappen said. But warm weather has prevented public access for the last three winters. Although theres ice forming on Lake Superior this year, Van Stappen said, the sheet of ice needs to be locked in place between several islands and the mainland to ensure safety. It went from no ice to pack ice, which formed really quickly, she said. Its jumbled up ice and its not high-quality at this point. Park ranger are monitoring conditions over the next few weeks to gauge if ice becomes safe enough to walk on. The park posts regular updates on its Facebook page and the parks website. Its hard to say, Van Stappen said. Its all dependent on weather conditions. Austen Macalus is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune. | There are high hopes the mainline ice caves at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore will open this winter. In 2014, the south shore of Lake Superior froze, allowing access by foot to the ice caves. But warm weather has prevented public access for the last three winters. | ctrlsum | 2 | http://www.startribune.com/will-the-apostle-islands-ice-caves-open-this-winter/505721642/ | 0.404576 |
What is Valentine's Day and how did it start? | seb_ra Valentine's Day, or St Valentine's Day, is celebrated every year on 14 February. It's the day when people show their affection for another person or people by sending cards, flowers or chocolates with messages of love. The day gets its name from a famous saint, but there are several stories of who he was. The popular belief about St Valentine is that he was a priest from Rome in the third century AD. PA This is the oldest known Valentine's Day message in English. It was written in 1477 Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage because he thought married men were bad soldiers. Valentine felt this was unfair, so he broke the rules and arranged marriages in secret. When Claudius found out, Valentine was thrown in jail and sentenced to death. There, he fell in love with the jailer's daughter and when he was taken to be killed on 14 February he sent her a love letter signed "from your Valentine". Oops you can't see this activity! To enjoy Newsround at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. The first Valentine's Day was in the year 496! Having a particular Valentine's Day is a very old tradition, thought to have originated from a Roman festival. The Romans had a festival called Lupercalia in the middle of February - officially the start of their springtime. Getty Images These penguins in California have been known to get into the spirit of Valentine's Day It's thought that as part of the celebrations, boys drew names of girls from a box. They'd be boyfriend and girlfriend during the festival and sometimes they'd get married. Later on, the church wanted to turn this festival into a Christian celebration and decided to use it to remember St Valentine too. Gradually, St Valentine's name started to be used by people to express their feelings to those they loved. | The first Valentine's Day was in the year 496. The popular belief is that he was a priest from Rome in the third century AD. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/16945378 | 0.332272 |
What is Valentine's Day and how did it start? | seb_ra Valentine's Day, or St Valentine's Day, is celebrated every year on 14 February. It's the day when people show their affection for another person or people by sending cards, flowers or chocolates with messages of love. The day gets its name from a famous saint, but there are several stories of who he was. The popular belief about St Valentine is that he was a priest from Rome in the third century AD. PA This is the oldest known Valentine's Day message in English. It was written in 1477 Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage because he thought married men were bad soldiers. Valentine felt this was unfair, so he broke the rules and arranged marriages in secret. When Claudius found out, Valentine was thrown in jail and sentenced to death. There, he fell in love with the jailer's daughter and when he was taken to be killed on 14 February he sent her a love letter signed "from your Valentine". Oops you can't see this activity! To enjoy Newsround at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. The first Valentine's Day was in the year 496! Having a particular Valentine's Day is a very old tradition, thought to have originated from a Roman festival. The Romans had a festival called Lupercalia in the middle of February - officially the start of their springtime. Getty Images These penguins in California have been known to get into the spirit of Valentine's Day It's thought that as part of the celebrations, boys drew names of girls from a box. They'd be boyfriend and girlfriend during the festival and sometimes they'd get married. Later on, the church wanted to turn this festival into a Christian celebration and decided to use it to remember St Valentine too. Gradually, St Valentine's name started to be used by people to express their feelings to those they loved. | The first Valentine's Day was in the year 496, thought to have originated from a Roman festival. The day gets its name from a famous saint, but there are several stories of who he was. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/16945378 | 0.46412 |
What is Valentine's Day and how did it start? | seb_ra Valentine's Day, or St Valentine's Day, is celebrated every year on 14 February. It's the day when people show their affection for another person or people by sending cards, flowers or chocolates with messages of love. The day gets its name from a famous saint, but there are several stories of who he was. The popular belief about St Valentine is that he was a priest from Rome in the third century AD. PA This is the oldest known Valentine's Day message in English. It was written in 1477 Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage because he thought married men were bad soldiers. Valentine felt this was unfair, so he broke the rules and arranged marriages in secret. When Claudius found out, Valentine was thrown in jail and sentenced to death. There, he fell in love with the jailer's daughter and when he was taken to be killed on 14 February he sent her a love letter signed "from your Valentine". Oops you can't see this activity! To enjoy Newsround at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. The first Valentine's Day was in the year 496! Having a particular Valentine's Day is a very old tradition, thought to have originated from a Roman festival. The Romans had a festival called Lupercalia in the middle of February - officially the start of their springtime. Getty Images These penguins in California have been known to get into the spirit of Valentine's Day It's thought that as part of the celebrations, boys drew names of girls from a box. They'd be boyfriend and girlfriend during the festival and sometimes they'd get married. Later on, the church wanted to turn this festival into a Christian celebration and decided to use it to remember St Valentine too. Gradually, St Valentine's name started to be used by people to express their feelings to those they loved. | The first Valentine's Day was in the year 496, thought to have originated from a Roman festival. The day gets its name from a famous saint, but there are several stories of who he was. It's thought he was a priest from Rome in the third century AD. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/16945378 | 0.449383 |
Why is Doug Ford attacking student newspapers? | Even for a government that seems like a series of sideshows in search of a plot, Premier Doug Fords attacks on campus student organizations has a jump-the-shark feel. This week, he looped back to a perplexing storyline about how undergrads have been held hostage by Marxist student government unions that allegedly impose extortionist fees and levies. The Eyeopener, a student newspaper at Ryerson University, is investigating improper spending by Ryerson student council executives. ( Photo Supplied ) Its bizarre to watch Ford attempt to convince voters in the Peoples Republic of Ontario that he has a mandate to eliminate not just student government, but also the campus newspapers that hold those dues-collecting student groups to account. As The Varsity, the University of Torontos student newspaper, revealed last week, the Tories have now set out the rules that give students the right to opt-out of paying levies for campus clubs and organizations, among them student newspapers. During last springs election, Ford talked frequently about bringing accountability to government and restoring free speech on university campuses. But Fords student choice initiative, as this policy has been dubbed, may well achieve the opposite. Article Continued Below In fact, it is conceivable that undergrads on some campuses may opt to continue funding student unions while defunding campus media organizations a result that could allow those organizations to operate with little or no scrutiny. The notion that a provincial government would have a hand in snuffing out campus journalism is not just ridiculous, but also unprecedented. Even more troubling is the fact that student news organizations are the only media that systematically cover university administrations, faculty and staff unions, and governing councils. Its a big file. Ontario spent $6.6 billion on university and college operating costs in fiscal 2017-2018. The post-secondary sector absorbs billions more from tuition and fundraising revenue streams, as well as vast research grants from the federal government. These institutions, moreover, are enormous employers and serve as the stewards of professional education in the province. Yet the mainstream medias coverage of this vast and costly sector is slim. Most news organizations have stopped systematically covering university spending and labour relations, except during strikes. Research breakthroughs and large philanthropic gifts generate hits of coverage. In the main, only campus news organizations have the mandate and the contacts to provide thorough coverage, some of which becomes raw material for the daily press. Case in point: a series of recent investigative stories by Ryerson Universitys Eyeopener about thousands of dollars of alleged spending irregularities by members of the student union executive. The Star has picked up the story, reporting last week about the unions move to approve a forensic audit of $700,000 in spending. Its hardly the only such example. The University of Ottawas Fulcrum last year broke a story about a fraud probe involving senior student union officials. In 2017, The Varsity dug up the findings of an audit of secret slush fund maintained by the Canadian Federation of Students, a secretive umbrella organization. Its also worth noting that campuses such as York University are as large in population terms as small- to mid-sized cities. They experience crime and addiction-related crises and contend with controversies over development and investment plans. Such topics are only grist for campus media, yet find audiences among the students and faculty. Article Continued Below With a few universities, independent student news organizations have sought to offer alternatives to fee-financed campus papers. But given the precipitous decline in ad revenue, it seems unlikely that privately run campus media can fill the void left when student newspapers lose their levy funding. Its possible that university administrators will step in to fill the funding breach. But the arrangement is less than ideal. After all, student journalists covering university presidents, governing councils or influential deans may wonder if hard-hitting coverage will jeopardize their funding. Fords strange digression through the world of campus organizations may produce less light where more is required or create a scenario in which student journalists are subtly discouraged from doing precisely what the premier claims to want, which is holding expensive public institutions to account. Then again, for a government that launched a fake news channel to broadcast propaganda about itself, maybe this big campus chill is precisely the desired result. Urban affairs journalist John Lorinc is a senior editor of Spacing and a former Varsity staff reporter (1984-1987). Read more about: | Doug Ford wants students to opt-out of paying fees for campus clubs and organizations, among them student newspapers. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/02/13/why-is-doug-ford-attacking-student-newspapers.html | 0.417732 |
Why is Doug Ford attacking student newspapers? | Even for a government that seems like a series of sideshows in search of a plot, Premier Doug Fords attacks on campus student organizations has a jump-the-shark feel. This week, he looped back to a perplexing storyline about how undergrads have been held hostage by Marxist student government unions that allegedly impose extortionist fees and levies. The Eyeopener, a student newspaper at Ryerson University, is investigating improper spending by Ryerson student council executives. ( Photo Supplied ) Its bizarre to watch Ford attempt to convince voters in the Peoples Republic of Ontario that he has a mandate to eliminate not just student government, but also the campus newspapers that hold those dues-collecting student groups to account. As The Varsity, the University of Torontos student newspaper, revealed last week, the Tories have now set out the rules that give students the right to opt-out of paying levies for campus clubs and organizations, among them student newspapers. During last springs election, Ford talked frequently about bringing accountability to government and restoring free speech on university campuses. But Fords student choice initiative, as this policy has been dubbed, may well achieve the opposite. Article Continued Below In fact, it is conceivable that undergrads on some campuses may opt to continue funding student unions while defunding campus media organizations a result that could allow those organizations to operate with little or no scrutiny. The notion that a provincial government would have a hand in snuffing out campus journalism is not just ridiculous, but also unprecedented. Even more troubling is the fact that student news organizations are the only media that systematically cover university administrations, faculty and staff unions, and governing councils. Its a big file. Ontario spent $6.6 billion on university and college operating costs in fiscal 2017-2018. The post-secondary sector absorbs billions more from tuition and fundraising revenue streams, as well as vast research grants from the federal government. These institutions, moreover, are enormous employers and serve as the stewards of professional education in the province. Yet the mainstream medias coverage of this vast and costly sector is slim. Most news organizations have stopped systematically covering university spending and labour relations, except during strikes. Research breakthroughs and large philanthropic gifts generate hits of coverage. In the main, only campus news organizations have the mandate and the contacts to provide thorough coverage, some of which becomes raw material for the daily press. Case in point: a series of recent investigative stories by Ryerson Universitys Eyeopener about thousands of dollars of alleged spending irregularities by members of the student union executive. The Star has picked up the story, reporting last week about the unions move to approve a forensic audit of $700,000 in spending. Its hardly the only such example. The University of Ottawas Fulcrum last year broke a story about a fraud probe involving senior student union officials. In 2017, The Varsity dug up the findings of an audit of secret slush fund maintained by the Canadian Federation of Students, a secretive umbrella organization. Its also worth noting that campuses such as York University are as large in population terms as small- to mid-sized cities. They experience crime and addiction-related crises and contend with controversies over development and investment plans. Such topics are only grist for campus media, yet find audiences among the students and faculty. Article Continued Below With a few universities, independent student news organizations have sought to offer alternatives to fee-financed campus papers. But given the precipitous decline in ad revenue, it seems unlikely that privately run campus media can fill the void left when student newspapers lose their levy funding. Its possible that university administrators will step in to fill the funding breach. But the arrangement is less than ideal. After all, student journalists covering university presidents, governing councils or influential deans may wonder if hard-hitting coverage will jeopardize their funding. Fords strange digression through the world of campus organizations may produce less light where more is required or create a scenario in which student journalists are subtly discouraged from doing precisely what the premier claims to want, which is holding expensive public institutions to account. Then again, for a government that launched a fake news channel to broadcast propaganda about itself, maybe this big campus chill is precisely the desired result. Urban affairs journalist John Lorinc is a senior editor of Spacing and a former Varsity staff reporter (1984-1987). Read more about: | Doug Ford wants students to opt-out of paying fees for campus clubs and organizations, among them student newspapers. It's bizarre to watch Ford attempt to convince voters that he has a mandate to eliminate not just student government, but also campus newspapers. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/02/13/why-is-doug-ford-attacking-student-newspapers.html | 0.462154 |
Why is Doug Ford attacking student newspapers? | Even for a government that seems like a series of sideshows in search of a plot, Premier Doug Fords attacks on campus student organizations has a jump-the-shark feel. This week, he looped back to a perplexing storyline about how undergrads have been held hostage by Marxist student government unions that allegedly impose extortionist fees and levies. The Eyeopener, a student newspaper at Ryerson University, is investigating improper spending by Ryerson student council executives. ( Photo Supplied ) Its bizarre to watch Ford attempt to convince voters in the Peoples Republic of Ontario that he has a mandate to eliminate not just student government, but also the campus newspapers that hold those dues-collecting student groups to account. As The Varsity, the University of Torontos student newspaper, revealed last week, the Tories have now set out the rules that give students the right to opt-out of paying levies for campus clubs and organizations, among them student newspapers. During last springs election, Ford talked frequently about bringing accountability to government and restoring free speech on university campuses. But Fords student choice initiative, as this policy has been dubbed, may well achieve the opposite. Article Continued Below In fact, it is conceivable that undergrads on some campuses may opt to continue funding student unions while defunding campus media organizations a result that could allow those organizations to operate with little or no scrutiny. The notion that a provincial government would have a hand in snuffing out campus journalism is not just ridiculous, but also unprecedented. Even more troubling is the fact that student news organizations are the only media that systematically cover university administrations, faculty and staff unions, and governing councils. Its a big file. Ontario spent $6.6 billion on university and college operating costs in fiscal 2017-2018. The post-secondary sector absorbs billions more from tuition and fundraising revenue streams, as well as vast research grants from the federal government. These institutions, moreover, are enormous employers and serve as the stewards of professional education in the province. Yet the mainstream medias coverage of this vast and costly sector is slim. Most news organizations have stopped systematically covering university spending and labour relations, except during strikes. Research breakthroughs and large philanthropic gifts generate hits of coverage. In the main, only campus news organizations have the mandate and the contacts to provide thorough coverage, some of which becomes raw material for the daily press. Case in point: a series of recent investigative stories by Ryerson Universitys Eyeopener about thousands of dollars of alleged spending irregularities by members of the student union executive. The Star has picked up the story, reporting last week about the unions move to approve a forensic audit of $700,000 in spending. Its hardly the only such example. The University of Ottawas Fulcrum last year broke a story about a fraud probe involving senior student union officials. In 2017, The Varsity dug up the findings of an audit of secret slush fund maintained by the Canadian Federation of Students, a secretive umbrella organization. Its also worth noting that campuses such as York University are as large in population terms as small- to mid-sized cities. They experience crime and addiction-related crises and contend with controversies over development and investment plans. Such topics are only grist for campus media, yet find audiences among the students and faculty. Article Continued Below With a few universities, independent student news organizations have sought to offer alternatives to fee-financed campus papers. But given the precipitous decline in ad revenue, it seems unlikely that privately run campus media can fill the void left when student newspapers lose their levy funding. Its possible that university administrators will step in to fill the funding breach. But the arrangement is less than ideal. After all, student journalists covering university presidents, governing councils or influential deans may wonder if hard-hitting coverage will jeopardize their funding. Fords strange digression through the world of campus organizations may produce less light where more is required or create a scenario in which student journalists are subtly discouraged from doing precisely what the premier claims to want, which is holding expensive public institutions to account. Then again, for a government that launched a fake news channel to broadcast propaganda about itself, maybe this big campus chill is precisely the desired result. Urban affairs journalist John Lorinc is a senior editor of Spacing and a former Varsity staff reporter (1984-1987). Read more about: | Doug Ford wants students to opt-out of paying fees for campus clubs and organizations, among them student newspapers. It's bizarre to watch Ford attempt to convince voters that he has a mandate to eliminate not just student government, but also the campus newspapers that hold those dues-collecting groups to account. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/02/13/why-is-doug-ford-attacking-student-newspapers.html | 0.472157 |
When did Valentine's day start? | We look at the history of Valentine's day and how our soppy traditions came about. It turns out that it is in fact a real thing and it's been around for thousands of years. The Ancient Romans used to hold a festival in February called Lupercalia which celebrated the coming spring. And the first official Valentine's Day was in 496. In the 1500s, St Valentine's Day really started to get popular, with people sending messages to the ones they loved. And by the late 1700s, this tradition had really started to take hold, when printed cards were made with declarations of love. | The first official Valentine's Day was in 496. In the 1500s, St Valentine's Day really started to get popular. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47228743 | 0.466907 |
When did Valentine's day start? | We look at the history of Valentine's day and how our soppy traditions came about. It turns out that it is in fact a real thing and it's been around for thousands of years. The Ancient Romans used to hold a festival in February called Lupercalia which celebrated the coming spring. And the first official Valentine's Day was in 496. In the 1500s, St Valentine's Day really started to get popular, with people sending messages to the ones they loved. And by the late 1700s, this tradition had really started to take hold, when printed cards were made with declarations of love. | The first official Valentine's Day was in 496. In the 1500s, St Valentine's Day really started to get popular. By the late 1700s, this tradition had really started to take hold. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47228743 | 0.511878 |
When did Valentine's day start? | We look at the history of Valentine's day and how our soppy traditions came about. It turns out that it is in fact a real thing and it's been around for thousands of years. The Ancient Romans used to hold a festival in February called Lupercalia which celebrated the coming spring. And the first official Valentine's Day was in 496. In the 1500s, St Valentine's Day really started to get popular, with people sending messages to the ones they loved. And by the late 1700s, this tradition had really started to take hold, when printed cards were made with declarations of love. | The first official Valentine's Day was in 496. The Ancient Romans used to hold a festival in February called Lupercalia. In the 1500s, St Valentine's Day really started to get popular. By the late 1700s, this tradition had really started to take hold. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47228743 | 0.489192 |
Do we really need a 'Gossip Girl' reboot? | There is reportedly a "Gossip Girl" reboot in the works and fans have mixed feelings about it. The CW show told the story of rich kids living on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The teen drama had a massive following when it aired between 2007-2012. In the age of reboots, it makes sense for the network to attempt to revive the popular show, but some fans argue the ship has sailed and the network should leave the past alone. PERSPECTIVES When news broke "Gossip Girl" may be coming back to the small screen, some fans quickly got excited. THEY MIGHT REBOOT GOSSIP GIRL, GUESS WHOS PUMPED?!?! -- abygail (@TheOnlyAbygail) February 1, 2019 Not everyone is jumping on the "Gossip Girl" reboot bandwagon. Some argue a show about Manhattan's elite is outdated and unnecessary. According to Teen Vogue: It's already been argued before that Gossip Girl has had its fair share of problematic plot points. For starters, the series seriously lacked in terms of diversity. The first season featured no person of color in the leading cast, and not one plus-size character was ever featured. It also included a sexual assault storyline in which Chuck Bass preyed on young girls and got away with it -- largely because he was a rich white man -- only to have the show make him out to be a good guy and someone we should root for by the end of the series. Say NO to the Gossip Girl reboot. pic.twitter.com/RBjLiArnWK -- Miss Elizabeth Morgan-Stark-Rogers (@SakuraAi) February 2, 2019 i'm the biggest gossip girl fan i know and i can admit that the show had many many faults can you even imagine how bad a reboot would be lmaooo -- cynthia (@jonathansgroffs) February 1, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | Some fans are excited about a "Gossip Girl" reboot. Others say the show is outdated and unnecessary. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.nola.com/interact/2019/02/do_we_really_need_a_gossip_gir.html | 0.20421 |
Do we really need a 'Gossip Girl' reboot? | There is reportedly a "Gossip Girl" reboot in the works and fans have mixed feelings about it. The CW show told the story of rich kids living on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The teen drama had a massive following when it aired between 2007-2012. In the age of reboots, it makes sense for the network to attempt to revive the popular show, but some fans argue the ship has sailed and the network should leave the past alone. PERSPECTIVES When news broke "Gossip Girl" may be coming back to the small screen, some fans quickly got excited. THEY MIGHT REBOOT GOSSIP GIRL, GUESS WHOS PUMPED?!?! -- abygail (@TheOnlyAbygail) February 1, 2019 Not everyone is jumping on the "Gossip Girl" reboot bandwagon. Some argue a show about Manhattan's elite is outdated and unnecessary. According to Teen Vogue: It's already been argued before that Gossip Girl has had its fair share of problematic plot points. For starters, the series seriously lacked in terms of diversity. The first season featured no person of color in the leading cast, and not one plus-size character was ever featured. It also included a sexual assault storyline in which Chuck Bass preyed on young girls and got away with it -- largely because he was a rich white man -- only to have the show make him out to be a good guy and someone we should root for by the end of the series. Say NO to the Gossip Girl reboot. pic.twitter.com/RBjLiArnWK -- Miss Elizabeth Morgan-Stark-Rogers (@SakuraAi) February 2, 2019 i'm the biggest gossip girl fan i know and i can admit that the show had many many faults can you even imagine how bad a reboot would be lmaooo -- cynthia (@jonathansgroffs) February 1, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | "Gossip Girl" may be coming back to the small screen. Some fans are excited about the possibility. Others say the show is outdated and should not be revived. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.nola.com/interact/2019/02/do_we_really_need_a_gossip_gir.html | 0.104685 |
Do we really need a 'Gossip Girl' reboot? | There is reportedly a "Gossip Girl" reboot in the works and fans have mixed feelings about it. The CW show told the story of rich kids living on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The teen drama had a massive following when it aired between 2007-2012. In the age of reboots, it makes sense for the network to attempt to revive the popular show, but some fans argue the ship has sailed and the network should leave the past alone. PERSPECTIVES When news broke "Gossip Girl" may be coming back to the small screen, some fans quickly got excited. THEY MIGHT REBOOT GOSSIP GIRL, GUESS WHOS PUMPED?!?! -- abygail (@TheOnlyAbygail) February 1, 2019 Not everyone is jumping on the "Gossip Girl" reboot bandwagon. Some argue a show about Manhattan's elite is outdated and unnecessary. According to Teen Vogue: It's already been argued before that Gossip Girl has had its fair share of problematic plot points. For starters, the series seriously lacked in terms of diversity. The first season featured no person of color in the leading cast, and not one plus-size character was ever featured. It also included a sexual assault storyline in which Chuck Bass preyed on young girls and got away with it -- largely because he was a rich white man -- only to have the show make him out to be a good guy and someone we should root for by the end of the series. Say NO to the Gossip Girl reboot. pic.twitter.com/RBjLiArnWK -- Miss Elizabeth Morgan-Stark-Rogers (@SakuraAi) February 2, 2019 i'm the biggest gossip girl fan i know and i can admit that the show had many many faults can you even imagine how bad a reboot would be lmaooo -- cynthia (@jonathansgroffs) February 1, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | There is reportedly a "Gossip Girl" reboot in the works. The CW show told the story of rich kids living on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Not everyone is jumping on the reboot bandwagon. Some argue a show about Manhattan's elite is outdated and unnecessary. | bart | 2 | https://www.nola.com/interact/2019/02/do_we_really_need_a_gossip_gir.html | 0.174521 |
Can Tottenham Hotspur stay under radar in Champions League? | Jan Vertonghen scored and assisted in a goal in Spurs' 3-0 win Tottenham's understated and underrated progress through this season has been accompanied every inch of the way by suggestions they are going "under the radar". Mauricio Pochettino's side have been following in the slipstream of headline-grabbing Premier League pacesetters Manchester City and Liverpool, almost but not quite getting knocked out of the Champions League and generally living in the shadows cast by Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. Spurs midfielder Moussa Sissoko even used the phrase in recent days to illustrate how they might just be able to emerge to win the title. In reality, the big prizes are rarely won by stealth and if Spurs are still under the radar after their magnificent 3-0 dismissal of Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund to put themselves on the brink of the Champions League quarter-finals, then we must assume they are currently being tracked by the cheapest, most inefficient detection system known to man. Pochettino's stock will only rise after Spurs, regarded as slight underdogs when the draw was made, overpowered the highly touted Germans with a display of skill, steel and organisation that made light of the absence of signature talents such as injured captain Harry Kane and Dele Alli. The Spurs manager might still be on the radar of Manchester United and even Real Madrid - but on nights like this he will realise what a good thing he is on to in north London and this will be mutually felt by chairman Daniel Levy. When all this is bolted on to the fact that Spurs made no signings in the summer transfer window or in January, it simply underlines what a superb job Pochettino is doing. Indeed, it is a tough task to think of any manager at a high-profile club currently making better use of, or getting more out of, the resources available to him. Spurs will now need a collapse of calamitous proportions not to reach the Champions League last eight, while still standing only five points behind Manchester City and Liverpool in the title race, despite the searing pace the top two teams have set this season. And while they certainly used the scenic route to reach the Champions League knockout phase after losing to Inter Milan and Barcelona and drawing with PSV Eindhoven in their first three games, they look like making the most of achieving "mission impossible" by going through. The manner in which they first subdued and then outclassed such impressive opponents as Borussia Dortmund was a tribute to the inner steel and staying power of a team that has not had the credit it deserves this season. And that applies close to home, where some of us praising them now were doubting them earlier in the season. After the home loss to Barcelona maintained that miserable start, this observer suggested it was stretching credibility to say Spurs belonged anywhere near Europe's best, as Pochettino had stated a year earlier after Real Madrid were beaten at Wembley. Spurs qualified for the knockout stages by virtue of away goals in their games against Inter Milan If the humble pie is not yet being eaten, it is certainly on its way from the kitchen in the aftermath of this Spurs performance. Credit where credit is due. The recent late victories against Watford and Newcastle United and the fight to the finishing line against Leicester City showed one side of Spurs, stubborn and resilient and almost overcoming themselves to grind out the points. Against a team five points clear of Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga, they delivered a more complete display here to snuff out the threat of the first half and push themselves into dreamland after the break as two late goals from Jan Vertonghen and Fernando Llorente delivered that crucial three-goal cushion bolstered by the all-important clean sheet. Vertonghen, in a wing-back role, gave a performance that must rank among his finest for Spurs. The Belgian was not only solid in defence, he gave Spurs an added dimension in attack, his cross dropping over Dan-Axel Zagadou for Son's opener before he knocked the stuffing out of Dortmund by slamming home the second himself. Llorente, sometimes derided but now a match-winner against Watford and the scorer of the third here, demonstrated exactly why Pochettino retains such faith in him. Harry Winks, the long injury problems behind him, is maturing into a midfielder who will excel for Spurs and England. And in Son, Spurs have a remarkably consistent attacking operator of the highest class, tireless, dangerous, intelligent and never frightened of running the hard yards. Son has also made Borussia Dortmund his personal playthings. He scored five in five games against them when he was with Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen in Germany and now has four in five games for Spurs in Europe. They must be sick of the sight of the South Korean. He is the man keeping Spurs going in an attacking context in the absence of their big hitter and with Kane now on the brink of a return after his latest ankle problems, Son's contribution cannot be praised highly enough. No wonder he attracts so many from his homeland to Spurs games, South Korean fans posing proudly with their national flag for photographs after the final whistle. This was no freak victory. This was fully deserved, a sign of growing quality and stature and a reminder that when Spurs get it right they can be a huge threat in this competition. Pochettino will now be warning his players against complacency before the second leg in Germany on 5 March, although Spurs do not look like a team that entertains such an attitude. They still feel the pain of how a five-minute switch off cost them in the second leg against Juventus at this stage last season, wasting the hard work of the first game when they came from two goals down to earn a draw in Italy. Of course, accidents can still happen but what a position Spurs have fashioned for themselves. Spurs are the team that simply will not go away. And if Pochettino and his players are still under the radar, it is time to invest in a new detection system. | Tottenham beat Borussia Dortmund 3-0 in the Champions League last 16. Mauricio Pochettino's side are currently fifth in the Premier League. Spurs are also in the last eight of the Champions League. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47234647 | 0.119712 |
Can Tottenham Hotspur stay under radar in Champions League? | Jan Vertonghen scored and assisted in a goal in Spurs' 3-0 win Tottenham's understated and underrated progress through this season has been accompanied every inch of the way by suggestions they are going "under the radar". Mauricio Pochettino's side have been following in the slipstream of headline-grabbing Premier League pacesetters Manchester City and Liverpool, almost but not quite getting knocked out of the Champions League and generally living in the shadows cast by Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. Spurs midfielder Moussa Sissoko even used the phrase in recent days to illustrate how they might just be able to emerge to win the title. In reality, the big prizes are rarely won by stealth and if Spurs are still under the radar after their magnificent 3-0 dismissal of Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund to put themselves on the brink of the Champions League quarter-finals, then we must assume they are currently being tracked by the cheapest, most inefficient detection system known to man. Pochettino's stock will only rise after Spurs, regarded as slight underdogs when the draw was made, overpowered the highly touted Germans with a display of skill, steel and organisation that made light of the absence of signature talents such as injured captain Harry Kane and Dele Alli. The Spurs manager might still be on the radar of Manchester United and even Real Madrid - but on nights like this he will realise what a good thing he is on to in north London and this will be mutually felt by chairman Daniel Levy. When all this is bolted on to the fact that Spurs made no signings in the summer transfer window or in January, it simply underlines what a superb job Pochettino is doing. Indeed, it is a tough task to think of any manager at a high-profile club currently making better use of, or getting more out of, the resources available to him. Spurs will now need a collapse of calamitous proportions not to reach the Champions League last eight, while still standing only five points behind Manchester City and Liverpool in the title race, despite the searing pace the top two teams have set this season. And while they certainly used the scenic route to reach the Champions League knockout phase after losing to Inter Milan and Barcelona and drawing with PSV Eindhoven in their first three games, they look like making the most of achieving "mission impossible" by going through. The manner in which they first subdued and then outclassed such impressive opponents as Borussia Dortmund was a tribute to the inner steel and staying power of a team that has not had the credit it deserves this season. And that applies close to home, where some of us praising them now were doubting them earlier in the season. After the home loss to Barcelona maintained that miserable start, this observer suggested it was stretching credibility to say Spurs belonged anywhere near Europe's best, as Pochettino had stated a year earlier after Real Madrid were beaten at Wembley. Spurs qualified for the knockout stages by virtue of away goals in their games against Inter Milan If the humble pie is not yet being eaten, it is certainly on its way from the kitchen in the aftermath of this Spurs performance. Credit where credit is due. The recent late victories against Watford and Newcastle United and the fight to the finishing line against Leicester City showed one side of Spurs, stubborn and resilient and almost overcoming themselves to grind out the points. Against a team five points clear of Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga, they delivered a more complete display here to snuff out the threat of the first half and push themselves into dreamland after the break as two late goals from Jan Vertonghen and Fernando Llorente delivered that crucial three-goal cushion bolstered by the all-important clean sheet. Vertonghen, in a wing-back role, gave a performance that must rank among his finest for Spurs. The Belgian was not only solid in defence, he gave Spurs an added dimension in attack, his cross dropping over Dan-Axel Zagadou for Son's opener before he knocked the stuffing out of Dortmund by slamming home the second himself. Llorente, sometimes derided but now a match-winner against Watford and the scorer of the third here, demonstrated exactly why Pochettino retains such faith in him. Harry Winks, the long injury problems behind him, is maturing into a midfielder who will excel for Spurs and England. And in Son, Spurs have a remarkably consistent attacking operator of the highest class, tireless, dangerous, intelligent and never frightened of running the hard yards. Son has also made Borussia Dortmund his personal playthings. He scored five in five games against them when he was with Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen in Germany and now has four in five games for Spurs in Europe. They must be sick of the sight of the South Korean. He is the man keeping Spurs going in an attacking context in the absence of their big hitter and with Kane now on the brink of a return after his latest ankle problems, Son's contribution cannot be praised highly enough. No wonder he attracts so many from his homeland to Spurs games, South Korean fans posing proudly with their national flag for photographs after the final whistle. This was no freak victory. This was fully deserved, a sign of growing quality and stature and a reminder that when Spurs get it right they can be a huge threat in this competition. Pochettino will now be warning his players against complacency before the second leg in Germany on 5 March, although Spurs do not look like a team that entertains such an attitude. They still feel the pain of how a five-minute switch off cost them in the second leg against Juventus at this stage last season, wasting the hard work of the first game when they came from two goals down to earn a draw in Italy. Of course, accidents can still happen but what a position Spurs have fashioned for themselves. Spurs are the team that simply will not go away. And if Pochettino and his players are still under the radar, it is time to invest in a new detection system. | Tottenham beat Borussia Dortmund 3-0 in the Champions League last 16. Mauricio Pochettino's side are currently fifth in the Premier League. Spurs are also in the last eight of the FA Cup and Champions League. CLICK HERE for all the latest Tottenham Hotspur news. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47234647 | 0.173903 |
Who Won Celebrity Big Brother Season 2? | Another season of Celebrity Big Brother has come to a close, and once again, we could never have guessed at the start of the season that this is where we'd end up. The final five came down to Dina Lohan, Kandi Burruss, Ricky Williams, Lolo Jones, and Tamar Braxton, with at least two final alliances at odds with each other going into the finale. Ricky won the first HOH, securing his spot in the final four, and immediately sent Kandi out of the house. Ricky then won HOH again, sending Dina and Lolo out the door with Tamar remaining as his fellow final two. Kandi, Dina, and Lolo all then joined the jury. After taking all of the first five votes read, Tamar Braxton was named the winner! Which was obvious, but still! Congrats to Tamar! | Tamar Braxton won the second season of Celebrity Big Brother. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.eonline.com/ap/news/1015015/who-won-celebrity-big-brother-season-2 | 0.627974 |
Who Won Celebrity Big Brother Season 2? | Another season of Celebrity Big Brother has come to a close, and once again, we could never have guessed at the start of the season that this is where we'd end up. The final five came down to Dina Lohan, Kandi Burruss, Ricky Williams, Lolo Jones, and Tamar Braxton, with at least two final alliances at odds with each other going into the finale. Ricky won the first HOH, securing his spot in the final four, and immediately sent Kandi out of the house. Ricky then won HOH again, sending Dina and Lolo out the door with Tamar remaining as his fellow final two. Kandi, Dina, and Lolo all then joined the jury. After taking all of the first five votes read, Tamar Braxton was named the winner! Which was obvious, but still! Congrats to Tamar! | Tamar Braxton won the second season of Celebrity Big Brother. She beat out Dina Lohan, Kandi Burruss, Ricky Williams, and Lolo Jones. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.eonline.com/ap/news/1015015/who-won-celebrity-big-brother-season-2 | 0.675428 |
Who Won Celebrity Big Brother Season 2? | Another season of Celebrity Big Brother has come to a close, and once again, we could never have guessed at the start of the season that this is where we'd end up. The final five came down to Dina Lohan, Kandi Burruss, Ricky Williams, Lolo Jones, and Tamar Braxton, with at least two final alliances at odds with each other going into the finale. Ricky won the first HOH, securing his spot in the final four, and immediately sent Kandi out of the house. Ricky then won HOH again, sending Dina and Lolo out the door with Tamar remaining as his fellow final two. Kandi, Dina, and Lolo all then joined the jury. After taking all of the first five votes read, Tamar Braxton was named the winner! Which was obvious, but still! Congrats to Tamar! | Tamar Braxton won the second season of Celebrity Big Brother. She beat out Dina Lohan, Kandi Burruss, Ricky Williams, Lolo Jones, and Dina and Lolo in the final five. The winner was announced after the first five votes were read. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.eonline.com/ap/news/1015015/who-won-celebrity-big-brother-season-2 | 0.662655 |
Did Clarke Gayford get the worst Valentine's Day gift of all time? | Happy Valentine's Day to everyone but especially New Zealand's first bloke Clarke Gayford who's going through some rough times. Gayford, who had been quiet on Twitter since November, posted on the social network this afternoon that, for Valentine's Day, he received a load of plain white bread. "It might not seem like much, but considering the food poisoning I'm coming out the other side of, it is EVERYTHING," he added. For valentine's I got this loaf of plain white bread. It might not seem like much, but considering the food poisoning I'm coming out the other side of, it is EVERYTHING. pic.twitter.com/OAtTlP2YHF Clarke Gayford (@NZClarke) February 14, 2019 There won't be any fancy candlelit dinners at the Ardern-Gayford's this evening. Advertisement Twitter users jumped onto the chance to sympathise with Gayford and also offer advice on coping with his misfortune. One Twitter user suggested raspberry cordial to help with the runs (at least the cordial is red so it's sort of within the theme of the day), while another one suggests ginger ale. | Clarke Gayford received a loaf of plain white bread for Valentine's Day. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12203954 | 0.269876 |
Did Clarke Gayford get the worst Valentine's Day gift of all time? | Happy Valentine's Day to everyone but especially New Zealand's first bloke Clarke Gayford who's going through some rough times. Gayford, who had been quiet on Twitter since November, posted on the social network this afternoon that, for Valentine's Day, he received a load of plain white bread. "It might not seem like much, but considering the food poisoning I'm coming out the other side of, it is EVERYTHING," he added. For valentine's I got this loaf of plain white bread. It might not seem like much, but considering the food poisoning I'm coming out the other side of, it is EVERYTHING. pic.twitter.com/OAtTlP2YHF Clarke Gayford (@NZClarke) February 14, 2019 There won't be any fancy candlelit dinners at the Ardern-Gayford's this evening. Advertisement Twitter users jumped onto the chance to sympathise with Gayford and also offer advice on coping with his misfortune. One Twitter user suggested raspberry cordial to help with the runs (at least the cordial is red so it's sort of within the theme of the day), while another one suggests ginger ale. | Clarke Gayford received a loaf of plain white bread for Valentine's Day. The first bloke tweeted that he was suffering from food poisoning. Gayford had been quiet on Twitter since November. Twitter users sympathised with him and offered advice. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12203954 | 0.348156 |
Did Clarke Gayford get the worst Valentine's Day gift of all time? | Happy Valentine's Day to everyone but especially New Zealand's first bloke Clarke Gayford who's going through some rough times. Gayford, who had been quiet on Twitter since November, posted on the social network this afternoon that, for Valentine's Day, he received a load of plain white bread. "It might not seem like much, but considering the food poisoning I'm coming out the other side of, it is EVERYTHING," he added. For valentine's I got this loaf of plain white bread. It might not seem like much, but considering the food poisoning I'm coming out the other side of, it is EVERYTHING. pic.twitter.com/OAtTlP2YHF Clarke Gayford (@NZClarke) February 14, 2019 There won't be any fancy candlelit dinners at the Ardern-Gayford's this evening. Advertisement Twitter users jumped onto the chance to sympathise with Gayford and also offer advice on coping with his misfortune. One Twitter user suggested raspberry cordial to help with the runs (at least the cordial is red so it's sort of within the theme of the day), while another one suggests ginger ale. | Clarke Gayford received a loaf of plain white bread for Valentine's Day. The New Zealand first bloke tweeted that it was 'everything' Twitter users sympathised with Gayford and offered advice on coping with his misfortune. He has been quiet on Twitter since November. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12203954 | 0.353034 |
Why did the Airbus A380 fail? | Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The A380 is the world's largest passenger aircraft When Singapore Airlines took the A380 superjumbo for its first commercial flight in 2007, there was widespread applause that the future of air travel had arrived. But the Airbus programme, long-delayed and over-budget, never really shook off accusations that it would be a white elephant of the skies. The A380, whose wings are made at Airbus UK, was a bold challenger to US rival Boeing's dominance of the large aircraft market. While Airbus was taking a multi-billion-dollar bet that airlines would want big aircraft in the future, Boeing was developing its smaller, nimbler (and seemingly more successful) 787 Dreamliner. Carrying about 550 passengers - but with capacity for more - over a range of 8,000 nautical miles, the A380 was pitched at the fast-growing Asia and Middle East markets, where airlines were keen to fly more people per flight. The A380 also boasted more than 500 sq m of usable floor space, enabling carriers to offer plush first-class suites, as well as bars, beauty salons and duty-free shops. But after an initial surge of orders, especially from Dubai-based Emirates, demand dried up and the programme has never turned a profit. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The spacious plane has rooms for bars and lounge areas The whole programme is thought to have cost $25bn (19.4bn) and has been dogged by controversies over subsidies from the French and German governments. Last year, the World Trade Organisation ruled that the EU failed to comply with requests to end state aid to the planemaker, ramping up trade tensions between the bloc and the US. As of January, Airbus had received 313 firm orders for the passenger version of the plane, of which 234 had been delivered. Its target was to sell 700 in total. Ironically, the double-decker planes are popular with passengers, but airlines have come to view them as inefficient. Some argue that the A380 is too large, making it unprofitable when too many seats go unfilled. And Willie Walsh, boss of British Airways-owner IAG, just last week suggested that the plane - while good - was too pricey. With fuel prices rising and campaigners questioning the environmental impact of aircraft, some airlines chose to opt for smaller, but more efficient, planes produced by both Boeing and Airbus. Some airlines preferred to wait for more details about Boeing's new family of 777s - deliveries of which start in 2020 - which has fewer seats but the same range, more payload, and two fewer engines. Since 2005, a total of 57 firm orders for the A380 have been cancelled by airlines including Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa. A cargo version of the plane also never took off because of a lack of interest. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The wings of the A380 are made in Broughton, Wales, then transported to France on Airbus's Beluga cargo plane Not surprisingly, speculation that the aircraft could be scrapped has swirled for years, although Airbus could have continued to produce the A380 in limited numbers, experts say. However, a decision by its biggest customer, Emirates, to downgrade an order appears to have forced Airbus's hand. | The A380 superjumbo is the world's largest passenger aircraft. It was designed to compete with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner. But demand dried up and the programme has never turned a profit. | bart | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47225789 | 0.199426 |
Why did the Airbus A380 fail? | Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The A380 is the world's largest passenger aircraft When Singapore Airlines took the A380 superjumbo for its first commercial flight in 2007, there was widespread applause that the future of air travel had arrived. But the Airbus programme, long-delayed and over-budget, never really shook off accusations that it would be a white elephant of the skies. The A380, whose wings are made at Airbus UK, was a bold challenger to US rival Boeing's dominance of the large aircraft market. While Airbus was taking a multi-billion-dollar bet that airlines would want big aircraft in the future, Boeing was developing its smaller, nimbler (and seemingly more successful) 787 Dreamliner. Carrying about 550 passengers - but with capacity for more - over a range of 8,000 nautical miles, the A380 was pitched at the fast-growing Asia and Middle East markets, where airlines were keen to fly more people per flight. The A380 also boasted more than 500 sq m of usable floor space, enabling carriers to offer plush first-class suites, as well as bars, beauty salons and duty-free shops. But after an initial surge of orders, especially from Dubai-based Emirates, demand dried up and the programme has never turned a profit. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The spacious plane has rooms for bars and lounge areas The whole programme is thought to have cost $25bn (19.4bn) and has been dogged by controversies over subsidies from the French and German governments. Last year, the World Trade Organisation ruled that the EU failed to comply with requests to end state aid to the planemaker, ramping up trade tensions between the bloc and the US. As of January, Airbus had received 313 firm orders for the passenger version of the plane, of which 234 had been delivered. Its target was to sell 700 in total. Ironically, the double-decker planes are popular with passengers, but airlines have come to view them as inefficient. Some argue that the A380 is too large, making it unprofitable when too many seats go unfilled. And Willie Walsh, boss of British Airways-owner IAG, just last week suggested that the plane - while good - was too pricey. With fuel prices rising and campaigners questioning the environmental impact of aircraft, some airlines chose to opt for smaller, but more efficient, planes produced by both Boeing and Airbus. Some airlines preferred to wait for more details about Boeing's new family of 777s - deliveries of which start in 2020 - which has fewer seats but the same range, more payload, and two fewer engines. Since 2005, a total of 57 firm orders for the A380 have been cancelled by airlines including Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa. A cargo version of the plane also never took off because of a lack of interest. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The wings of the A380 are made in Broughton, Wales, then transported to France on Airbus's Beluga cargo plane Not surprisingly, speculation that the aircraft could be scrapped has swirled for years, although Airbus could have continued to produce the A380 in limited numbers, experts say. However, a decision by its biggest customer, Emirates, to downgrade an order appears to have forced Airbus's hand. | The A380 superjumbo is the world's largest passenger aircraft. It was designed to compete with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner. But demand dried up and the programme has never turned a profit. Since 2005, a total of 57 firm orders for the A380 have been cancelled. | bart | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47225789 | 0.279215 |
Whats new in auto technology at the AutoShow? | If you havent been in the new-vehicle market for more than a year or two, you may be surprised at some of the technologies youll now find available, or even in common, on the new cars, trucks and utility vehicles at this years Canadian International AutoShow. The future of automobiles, the prognosticators say, will be autonomous and electric, and many of the vehicles on show floors reinforce that direction. Infiniti has developed a new engine technology that varies the compression ratio, which helps save fuel without affecting performance. ( Courtesy of Infiniti ) While there are no vehicles in production yet that even approach full autonomy, there are many that incorporate a variety of advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) that are stepping stones toward that ultimate goal. Among those systems, most manufacturers have agreed to make automatic emergency braking standard by model year 2022 and many are well ahead of that schedule, with standard availability right now. In a few cases, the vehicle can even steer automatically around objects in its path. Lane-keeping assist features, which provide a warning if the driver ventures out of the driving lane and, in many cases, automatically keep the car in the centre of the lane, are now commonplace. Article Continued Below Cross-traffic alert systems, which warn of oncoming traffic when reversing out of a parking place, are now commonly available, too. On some models, they work at the front, as well, and several automatically stop the vehicle if a potential collision is imminent. The availability of adaptive cruise control, which automatically maintains a pre-set space behind the vehicle ahead, has moved from high-priced luxury models well down into the mainstream. And its capability has been expanded to include operation in stop-and-go traffic, in some cases. Several vehicles, primarily those of premium brands, do now offer semi-hands-free operation in specific conditions, such as expressway driving, although they typically require some verification that the driver remains in control, such as a touch on the steering wheel every few seconds. The flip side of that scenario is technology that detects driver distraction and provides a warning to the errant driver, available in various guises. As for electrification, not only are there a few new fully electric models ready to buy, including fuel-cell electrics, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are proliferating, with several new variants now available. PHEVs permit battery charging from an external source that will provide a period of pure-electric driving in some cases up to 50 kilometres or more before the gasoline engine cuts in and normal operation (as we know it) takes over. More models are adopting mild-hybrid technologies, as well typically using the alternator as a motor to provide some driving assistance. A few premium vehicles have adopted 48-volt electrical systems to aid such technologies, as well as to support ever-increasing electrical loads. Article Continued Below Also becoming more widespread are automatic stop-start systems that shut off the engine when the vehicle stops and restarts it when the driver applies the accelerator. But powertrain advances arent limited to electrification. Eight, nine and 10-speed transmissions are now routine, and even CVTs (continuously variable transmissions) are being improved to seem less disconnected some even with artificial shift points. Engines, too, continue to improve. Features such as direct injection are all but ubiquitous and small four-cylinder engines with turbochargers have replaced larger fours and V6s in many applications, providing similar power outputs but with lower fuel consumption. Theres even a whole new engine concept variable compression ratio making its debut in the Infiniti QX50 utility vehicle. A long sought-after technology, varying the compression ratio according to conditions helps optimize both fuel efficiency and performance. As for performance, peak power outputs just keep on climbing. The 700-horsepower barrier has now been breached, more than once, and not just by exotics. On a whole different technology front, connectivity in cars is no longer a novelty. Its simply expected. Bluetooth is the norm and almost everything offers Android Auto or Apple CarPlay or both, as well as in-car Wi-Fi. And theres a whole universe of available apps. Of course, most automakers offer their own navigation and infotainment systems, as well, each with its own features to entice buyers with more than just smartphone connectivity. There seems to be a size war growing with touchscreen displays, and both gesture and voice controls are making huge progress. The latter is exemplified by Mercedes-Benzs new MBUX system, introduced on the entry-level CLA and the subject of a recent Super Bowl TV ad. It responds to the command, Hey, Mercedes! and incorporates AI (artificial intelligence) learning capabilities. Most of these features are available on a multitude of models from several manufacturers. To find out which are offered on any vehicle youre interested in, just ask the brand representatives at the show. | The future of automobiles, the prognosticators say, will be autonomous and electric. Some of the technologies you'll find available, or even in common, on the new cars, trucks and utility vehicles at this years Canadian International AutoShow. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.thestar.com/autos/toronto_auto_show/2019/02/14/whats-new-in-auto-technology-at-the-autoshow.html | 0.14648 |
Could On-Demand Online Tutoring Be The Gateway To Personalizing Learning For Colleges? | A few years ago, the ReWired Groupand Bob Moesta, my coauthor on my next book, Choosing College, undertook a project for the tutoring marketplace company, Wyzant. As players like Byjus, Khan Academy, and others have disrupted the tutoring market, online tutoring companies, which offer access to real, live tutors, have mostly struggled to break out of a crowded market. The question Wyzant, which began as a platform that typically facilitated face-to-face tutoring sessions, wanted to understand was what Job to be Done were people hiring it to do in their livesthat is, what is the progress people were trying to make that caused them to pay for Wyzants services. In Bobs words, they initially discovered four discreet Jobs (you can listen more about the process Wyzant took on this podcast at the Disruptive Voice). Help me recover from failure. After students failed in something in school, they would hire Wyzant to help them get back on track. Help me ensure my successand avoid painful failure. Students hired Wyzant before trouble arrived. Help me get the skills I need now to do my job or help me get the skills I need in the future to look good. Employees with this Job were either currently working in a job where they didnt have the requisite skillset and they wanted to cover up for it, or they were eyeing their future and knew they needed to improve their skillset so they could look good in the eyes of their colleagues. Help me advance in my hobby or passion.People wanted help in a variety of pursuits. Rather than hire a full-time private instructor, an on-demand tutor was good enough. Whats striking about these Jobs is how emotional and, in certain cases, social they are. The tutors werent just being hired for the functional reason of helping a student with their academic progress, but with elements far more fundamental to their sense of self and the avoidance of crippling failure. Following this research, Wyzant focused its efforts on becoming a one-to-one, synchronous online tutoring platformas opposed to the face-to-face tutoring on which it had focused previouslyas it realized its customers were willing to work in any environment to avoid failure. As Wyzant has continued to grow, they also work directly now with colleges and universities to provide on-demand online tutoring support that helps students ensure their success. Thats a Job that colleges themselves are increasingly paying attention to. As Levi Belnap, Wyzants VP of Business Development, and I argue in a new white paper titled, Success for Post-Traditional Learners: How to Make Colleges More Student-Ready, given the increasing proportion of diverse post-traditional students who hail from a far wider range of backgrounds, its time to not only prepare students to be college ready, but for colleges to also become more student ready. Today, the post-traditional college student is in the majority. In 2012, roughly three-quarters of students had at least one of the seven post-traditional characteristics, according to the National Center for Education Statistics: being independent for financial aid purposes, having one or more dependents, being a single caregiver, not having a traditional high school diploma, delaying postsecondary enrollment, attending school part time, or being employed full time. The challenge is that higher education was not designed for this diversity, but rather with the needs of only an elite few in mind. Although many post-traditional students attend college, relatively few graduate for a wide variety of reasons, as we detail in the paper. We recommend that colleges explore several actions. They could move away from offering remedial classes that are a blunt instrument with low efficacy and instead offer so-called corequisite classes, in which students in need of support take more rigorous credit-bearing classes that are paired with some sort of additional reinforcement, such as a small-group seminar or one-on-one tutoring designed to fill in their academic gaps. The City University of New York and Austin Peay offer promising examples of this approach. Another piece of advice is to move away from lecture-based courses that are tied to the credit hour and instead use competency-based education, in which students progress as they demonstrate mastery. In this system, time becomes the variable and learning the constant as opposed to our current system in which time is held as a constant and students learning is highly variable. The challenge of course with this sort of an approach is it flies in the face of decades of processes and priorities in most colleges and universities that are built around the credit hour and passive learning. Undoing this is difficult at best. And its why I left with one other takeaway. In K12 education, the last decade has seen significant innovation around personalizing learningtailoring learning to an individual students particular needs to help each individual succeed given that students learn at different paces and possess different background knowledge. In higher education there has conversely been a lot of innovation around business models, but, relative to K12 education, comparatively less innovation around learning models. Personalizing learning is sometimes discussedby leading disruptive innovators like Western Governors Universitybut for most its a fanciful term. If colleges and universities cannot redesign their processes and prioritiesor introduce new models with new and different processes and prioritiesthen bolting online tutoring on top of their existing model could be a critical sustaining innovation that allows them to capture some of the benefits of personalizing learning to become student-ready institutions. The reason why is that tutoring is inherently adaptive. Even if a college course cant slow its pace of learning or accommodate learners with different levels of background knowledge about a subject, tutors can adjust and fill in whats missingeven if its knowledge entirely outside the scope of the class that dates back to earlier concepts a student should have mastered in high school. If a student is struggling with a different challengea sense of belonging in a class or on campus, the ability to prioritize, or other habits of success critical to making progresstutors can offer the necessary emotional and social support to allow a student to persist and ultimately thrive. As such, online tutoring can be the gateway to personalizing learning for traditional higher education institutionsand a critical step toward accelerating needed innovation on the road to becoming student-ready institutions. | Wyzant, an on-demand online tutoring platform, is looking to personalize learning for colleges. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhorn/2019/02/14/could-on-demand-online-tutoring-be-the-gateway-to-personalizing-learning-for-colleges/ | 0.38299 |
Could On-Demand Online Tutoring Be The Gateway To Personalizing Learning For Colleges? | A few years ago, the ReWired Groupand Bob Moesta, my coauthor on my next book, Choosing College, undertook a project for the tutoring marketplace company, Wyzant. As players like Byjus, Khan Academy, and others have disrupted the tutoring market, online tutoring companies, which offer access to real, live tutors, have mostly struggled to break out of a crowded market. The question Wyzant, which began as a platform that typically facilitated face-to-face tutoring sessions, wanted to understand was what Job to be Done were people hiring it to do in their livesthat is, what is the progress people were trying to make that caused them to pay for Wyzants services. In Bobs words, they initially discovered four discreet Jobs (you can listen more about the process Wyzant took on this podcast at the Disruptive Voice). Help me recover from failure. After students failed in something in school, they would hire Wyzant to help them get back on track. Help me ensure my successand avoid painful failure. Students hired Wyzant before trouble arrived. Help me get the skills I need now to do my job or help me get the skills I need in the future to look good. Employees with this Job were either currently working in a job where they didnt have the requisite skillset and they wanted to cover up for it, or they were eyeing their future and knew they needed to improve their skillset so they could look good in the eyes of their colleagues. Help me advance in my hobby or passion.People wanted help in a variety of pursuits. Rather than hire a full-time private instructor, an on-demand tutor was good enough. Whats striking about these Jobs is how emotional and, in certain cases, social they are. The tutors werent just being hired for the functional reason of helping a student with their academic progress, but with elements far more fundamental to their sense of self and the avoidance of crippling failure. Following this research, Wyzant focused its efforts on becoming a one-to-one, synchronous online tutoring platformas opposed to the face-to-face tutoring on which it had focused previouslyas it realized its customers were willing to work in any environment to avoid failure. As Wyzant has continued to grow, they also work directly now with colleges and universities to provide on-demand online tutoring support that helps students ensure their success. Thats a Job that colleges themselves are increasingly paying attention to. As Levi Belnap, Wyzants VP of Business Development, and I argue in a new white paper titled, Success for Post-Traditional Learners: How to Make Colleges More Student-Ready, given the increasing proportion of diverse post-traditional students who hail from a far wider range of backgrounds, its time to not only prepare students to be college ready, but for colleges to also become more student ready. Today, the post-traditional college student is in the majority. In 2012, roughly three-quarters of students had at least one of the seven post-traditional characteristics, according to the National Center for Education Statistics: being independent for financial aid purposes, having one or more dependents, being a single caregiver, not having a traditional high school diploma, delaying postsecondary enrollment, attending school part time, or being employed full time. The challenge is that higher education was not designed for this diversity, but rather with the needs of only an elite few in mind. Although many post-traditional students attend college, relatively few graduate for a wide variety of reasons, as we detail in the paper. We recommend that colleges explore several actions. They could move away from offering remedial classes that are a blunt instrument with low efficacy and instead offer so-called corequisite classes, in which students in need of support take more rigorous credit-bearing classes that are paired with some sort of additional reinforcement, such as a small-group seminar or one-on-one tutoring designed to fill in their academic gaps. The City University of New York and Austin Peay offer promising examples of this approach. Another piece of advice is to move away from lecture-based courses that are tied to the credit hour and instead use competency-based education, in which students progress as they demonstrate mastery. In this system, time becomes the variable and learning the constant as opposed to our current system in which time is held as a constant and students learning is highly variable. The challenge of course with this sort of an approach is it flies in the face of decades of processes and priorities in most colleges and universities that are built around the credit hour and passive learning. Undoing this is difficult at best. And its why I left with one other takeaway. In K12 education, the last decade has seen significant innovation around personalizing learningtailoring learning to an individual students particular needs to help each individual succeed given that students learn at different paces and possess different background knowledge. In higher education there has conversely been a lot of innovation around business models, but, relative to K12 education, comparatively less innovation around learning models. Personalizing learning is sometimes discussedby leading disruptive innovators like Western Governors Universitybut for most its a fanciful term. If colleges and universities cannot redesign their processes and prioritiesor introduce new models with new and different processes and prioritiesthen bolting online tutoring on top of their existing model could be a critical sustaining innovation that allows them to capture some of the benefits of personalizing learning to become student-ready institutions. The reason why is that tutoring is inherently adaptive. Even if a college course cant slow its pace of learning or accommodate learners with different levels of background knowledge about a subject, tutors can adjust and fill in whats missingeven if its knowledge entirely outside the scope of the class that dates back to earlier concepts a student should have mastered in high school. If a student is struggling with a different challengea sense of belonging in a class or on campus, the ability to prioritize, or other habits of success critical to making progresstutors can offer the necessary emotional and social support to allow a student to persist and ultimately thrive. As such, online tutoring can be the gateway to personalizing learning for traditional higher education institutionsand a critical step toward accelerating needed innovation on the road to becoming student-ready institutions. | Wyzant, an on-demand online tutoring platform, is trying to personalize learning for colleges. The company has found that students are willing to work in any environment to avoid failure. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhorn/2019/02/14/could-on-demand-online-tutoring-be-the-gateway-to-personalizing-learning-for-colleges/ | 0.518661 |
Could On-Demand Online Tutoring Be The Gateway To Personalizing Learning For Colleges? | A few years ago, the ReWired Groupand Bob Moesta, my coauthor on my next book, Choosing College, undertook a project for the tutoring marketplace company, Wyzant. As players like Byjus, Khan Academy, and others have disrupted the tutoring market, online tutoring companies, which offer access to real, live tutors, have mostly struggled to break out of a crowded market. The question Wyzant, which began as a platform that typically facilitated face-to-face tutoring sessions, wanted to understand was what Job to be Done were people hiring it to do in their livesthat is, what is the progress people were trying to make that caused them to pay for Wyzants services. In Bobs words, they initially discovered four discreet Jobs (you can listen more about the process Wyzant took on this podcast at the Disruptive Voice). Help me recover from failure. After students failed in something in school, they would hire Wyzant to help them get back on track. Help me ensure my successand avoid painful failure. Students hired Wyzant before trouble arrived. Help me get the skills I need now to do my job or help me get the skills I need in the future to look good. Employees with this Job were either currently working in a job where they didnt have the requisite skillset and they wanted to cover up for it, or they were eyeing their future and knew they needed to improve their skillset so they could look good in the eyes of their colleagues. Help me advance in my hobby or passion.People wanted help in a variety of pursuits. Rather than hire a full-time private instructor, an on-demand tutor was good enough. Whats striking about these Jobs is how emotional and, in certain cases, social they are. The tutors werent just being hired for the functional reason of helping a student with their academic progress, but with elements far more fundamental to their sense of self and the avoidance of crippling failure. Following this research, Wyzant focused its efforts on becoming a one-to-one, synchronous online tutoring platformas opposed to the face-to-face tutoring on which it had focused previouslyas it realized its customers were willing to work in any environment to avoid failure. As Wyzant has continued to grow, they also work directly now with colleges and universities to provide on-demand online tutoring support that helps students ensure their success. Thats a Job that colleges themselves are increasingly paying attention to. As Levi Belnap, Wyzants VP of Business Development, and I argue in a new white paper titled, Success for Post-Traditional Learners: How to Make Colleges More Student-Ready, given the increasing proportion of diverse post-traditional students who hail from a far wider range of backgrounds, its time to not only prepare students to be college ready, but for colleges to also become more student ready. Today, the post-traditional college student is in the majority. In 2012, roughly three-quarters of students had at least one of the seven post-traditional characteristics, according to the National Center for Education Statistics: being independent for financial aid purposes, having one or more dependents, being a single caregiver, not having a traditional high school diploma, delaying postsecondary enrollment, attending school part time, or being employed full time. The challenge is that higher education was not designed for this diversity, but rather with the needs of only an elite few in mind. Although many post-traditional students attend college, relatively few graduate for a wide variety of reasons, as we detail in the paper. We recommend that colleges explore several actions. They could move away from offering remedial classes that are a blunt instrument with low efficacy and instead offer so-called corequisite classes, in which students in need of support take more rigorous credit-bearing classes that are paired with some sort of additional reinforcement, such as a small-group seminar or one-on-one tutoring designed to fill in their academic gaps. The City University of New York and Austin Peay offer promising examples of this approach. Another piece of advice is to move away from lecture-based courses that are tied to the credit hour and instead use competency-based education, in which students progress as they demonstrate mastery. In this system, time becomes the variable and learning the constant as opposed to our current system in which time is held as a constant and students learning is highly variable. The challenge of course with this sort of an approach is it flies in the face of decades of processes and priorities in most colleges and universities that are built around the credit hour and passive learning. Undoing this is difficult at best. And its why I left with one other takeaway. In K12 education, the last decade has seen significant innovation around personalizing learningtailoring learning to an individual students particular needs to help each individual succeed given that students learn at different paces and possess different background knowledge. In higher education there has conversely been a lot of innovation around business models, but, relative to K12 education, comparatively less innovation around learning models. Personalizing learning is sometimes discussedby leading disruptive innovators like Western Governors Universitybut for most its a fanciful term. If colleges and universities cannot redesign their processes and prioritiesor introduce new models with new and different processes and prioritiesthen bolting online tutoring on top of their existing model could be a critical sustaining innovation that allows them to capture some of the benefits of personalizing learning to become student-ready institutions. The reason why is that tutoring is inherently adaptive. Even if a college course cant slow its pace of learning or accommodate learners with different levels of background knowledge about a subject, tutors can adjust and fill in whats missingeven if its knowledge entirely outside the scope of the class that dates back to earlier concepts a student should have mastered in high school. If a student is struggling with a different challengea sense of belonging in a class or on campus, the ability to prioritize, or other habits of success critical to making progresstutors can offer the necessary emotional and social support to allow a student to persist and ultimately thrive. As such, online tutoring can be the gateway to personalizing learning for traditional higher education institutionsand a critical step toward accelerating needed innovation on the road to becoming student-ready institutions. | Wyzant, an on-demand online tutoring platform, is trying to personalize learning for colleges. The company has found that students are willing to work in any environment to avoid failure. The "post-traditional" college student is in the majority, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhorn/2019/02/14/could-on-demand-online-tutoring-be-the-gateway-to-personalizing-learning-for-colleges/ | 0.550405 |
When Race, Tech and Class Collide, What Does The Future Look Like? | These past few weeks in our culture have shown us nothing if not the searing fact that we are deeply embroiled within the turmoil of the redefinition of such important elements in our society as identity and authenticity in the largest sense of these words. Who gets to "own" what values, accolades and responsibilities, particularly as it pertains to race and class, is a growing narrative in our culture with people quick to take sides, form opinions and brutally chastise or fiercely support. Naturally, the modern-day Colosseum is clearly the no-holds-barred feeds of today's social media where current business leaders would do well to observe the sentiment, concerns and future impact of such exchange in order to ensure relevancy in today's turbulent world and perhaps even create new business models at the tech and culture intersection. Talk about the winter of our discontent! The dark February weather has seemed to usher in equally dark emotions and actions. And the fact that this has all primarily kicked off Black History Month, has not been lost on many, and in less than a two-week time span. From actor Liam Neesom revealing that the thought had more than crossed his mind to find a Black man to kill in place of the Black man that raped a friend of Neesom to the governor of Virginia dodging accusations about sporting blackface during his younger years to Latina multi-hyphenate Jennifer Lopez being berated for commandeering a tribute during the recent Grammy Awards to the legendary Motown record label known for its iconic Black artists to talk show host Steve Harvey completely over-talking his female guest Academy-award winning actress Mo'Nique regarding the unwritten rules of being Black and making money; it's been a particularly prickly moment and Twitter, in particular, has been the immediate go-to for everything from unwavering support to massive tongue-lashing, or shall we say, a post-lashing. Indeed, at a recent trend discussion held by Wunderman Thompson during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, former Futurist at Intel, Steve Brown said, " This era is forcing a lot of introspection. People are asking 'who am I, and what's important to me? ' " And I would add to that mix that we are also asking who others are in relationship to us, what the parameters and rules are and what is and is not appropriate for the new era. This collective of questions is perhaps one of the most intriguing and everlasting because as mankind evolves and our tools for communication along with us, these questions become more expansive, often times more bold, confrontational, wide-spread and definitely transparent given the aid of technology. The Wunderman Thompson event lured by noting that it is not so much about predicting the future but asking ourselves how we might best prepare. But I actually believe it's a definite combination of both elements. As we begin to have even greater interaction about what could be called the delicate current and future negotiation of sub-cultural borders between each other, businesses need to be fully armed with an understanding of both in order to truly be relevant in a bottom-up society. For example, Dr. Anita Sengupta, Head of Innovation and Strategy, Airspace Experience Technologies, noted at the event that over the course of history, transportation technology has traditionally spurred economic growth. From the invention of the wheel to that of the airplane, transportation is a major factor in connecting people and expanding industry. And many companies, such as LG, are making a bet on autonomous vehicles driving more of that connection via all sorts of content that will envelop and occupy you on each and every trip. Indeed, Mike LaSalle, partner at Shamrock Capital Advisors, a venture firm that specializes in investing in media and content libraries says, "People are consuming and creating more content than ever before. So we're definitely looking and thinking about how that will intersect with autonomous cars as well as the infrastructure that will support this new industry for the future." So if you think information, news and opinion travel quickly and abundantly across our current tech devices, imagine the ante being upped significantly via this next iteration in transportation, should it be successful. And, of course, Artificial Intelligence and 5G will facilitate work toward such innovation. Guru Gowrappan, Oath CEO told me, "AI is already helping improve the consumer experience for a billion Verizon Media consumers globally from personalizing content to delivering a more customized video experience, and yet we've only scratched the surface." He continues, "With a highly engaged audience that generates billions of data signals daily, our continued investment in AI this year will help fuel our learning, optimize our experiences for consumers and advertisers, and lead to the innovations of tomorrow. We are empowering consumers with personalization and utility across our portfolio of brands, on top of Verizon's world-class 5G network." But perhaps the most intriguing part of all such offerings is what impact these advances will have on perspective, debate and culture and vice-versa. One is not a driver of the other but rather both are reflections of the other. The intersection of the two is, indeed, everything. The impact on one's mind and thoughts is massive. Yet, the very rich psychological and sociological components of this arena are those which are, for the most part, unfortunately, hidden within the halls of academia. But here is where the true, modern business opportunity may lie. Those who can actually create a more holistic approach to emerging tech in the context of the massive cultural upheaval taking place now and for the foreseeable future will have the new competitive edge. Companies that can somehow go the extra step in successfully providing greater comprehension, additional resources for support and somehow facilitate unification within a society actively growing in analysis around race and class relations while barreling toward ever greater tech usage will be that which is most sought. This will be how we define the new powerhouse corporations of the day. | Business leaders need to be aware of the impact of race, class and technology on society and their bottom-up ability to make a difference. The future of business will be defined by how it deals with race and class. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurencoleman/2019/02/14/when-race-tech-and-class-collide-what-does-the-future-look-like/ | 0.118467 |
When Race, Tech and Class Collide, What Does The Future Look Like? | These past few weeks in our culture have shown us nothing if not the searing fact that we are deeply embroiled within the turmoil of the redefinition of such important elements in our society as identity and authenticity in the largest sense of these words. Who gets to "own" what values, accolades and responsibilities, particularly as it pertains to race and class, is a growing narrative in our culture with people quick to take sides, form opinions and brutally chastise or fiercely support. Naturally, the modern-day Colosseum is clearly the no-holds-barred feeds of today's social media where current business leaders would do well to observe the sentiment, concerns and future impact of such exchange in order to ensure relevancy in today's turbulent world and perhaps even create new business models at the tech and culture intersection. Talk about the winter of our discontent! The dark February weather has seemed to usher in equally dark emotions and actions. And the fact that this has all primarily kicked off Black History Month, has not been lost on many, and in less than a two-week time span. From actor Liam Neesom revealing that the thought had more than crossed his mind to find a Black man to kill in place of the Black man that raped a friend of Neesom to the governor of Virginia dodging accusations about sporting blackface during his younger years to Latina multi-hyphenate Jennifer Lopez being berated for commandeering a tribute during the recent Grammy Awards to the legendary Motown record label known for its iconic Black artists to talk show host Steve Harvey completely over-talking his female guest Academy-award winning actress Mo'Nique regarding the unwritten rules of being Black and making money; it's been a particularly prickly moment and Twitter, in particular, has been the immediate go-to for everything from unwavering support to massive tongue-lashing, or shall we say, a post-lashing. Indeed, at a recent trend discussion held by Wunderman Thompson during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, former Futurist at Intel, Steve Brown said, " This era is forcing a lot of introspection. People are asking 'who am I, and what's important to me? ' " And I would add to that mix that we are also asking who others are in relationship to us, what the parameters and rules are and what is and is not appropriate for the new era. This collective of questions is perhaps one of the most intriguing and everlasting because as mankind evolves and our tools for communication along with us, these questions become more expansive, often times more bold, confrontational, wide-spread and definitely transparent given the aid of technology. The Wunderman Thompson event lured by noting that it is not so much about predicting the future but asking ourselves how we might best prepare. But I actually believe it's a definite combination of both elements. As we begin to have even greater interaction about what could be called the delicate current and future negotiation of sub-cultural borders between each other, businesses need to be fully armed with an understanding of both in order to truly be relevant in a bottom-up society. For example, Dr. Anita Sengupta, Head of Innovation and Strategy, Airspace Experience Technologies, noted at the event that over the course of history, transportation technology has traditionally spurred economic growth. From the invention of the wheel to that of the airplane, transportation is a major factor in connecting people and expanding industry. And many companies, such as LG, are making a bet on autonomous vehicles driving more of that connection via all sorts of content that will envelop and occupy you on each and every trip. Indeed, Mike LaSalle, partner at Shamrock Capital Advisors, a venture firm that specializes in investing in media and content libraries says, "People are consuming and creating more content than ever before. So we're definitely looking and thinking about how that will intersect with autonomous cars as well as the infrastructure that will support this new industry for the future." So if you think information, news and opinion travel quickly and abundantly across our current tech devices, imagine the ante being upped significantly via this next iteration in transportation, should it be successful. And, of course, Artificial Intelligence and 5G will facilitate work toward such innovation. Guru Gowrappan, Oath CEO told me, "AI is already helping improve the consumer experience for a billion Verizon Media consumers globally from personalizing content to delivering a more customized video experience, and yet we've only scratched the surface." He continues, "With a highly engaged audience that generates billions of data signals daily, our continued investment in AI this year will help fuel our learning, optimize our experiences for consumers and advertisers, and lead to the innovations of tomorrow. We are empowering consumers with personalization and utility across our portfolio of brands, on top of Verizon's world-class 5G network." But perhaps the most intriguing part of all such offerings is what impact these advances will have on perspective, debate and culture and vice-versa. One is not a driver of the other but rather both are reflections of the other. The intersection of the two is, indeed, everything. The impact on one's mind and thoughts is massive. Yet, the very rich psychological and sociological components of this arena are those which are, for the most part, unfortunately, hidden within the halls of academia. But here is where the true, modern business opportunity may lie. Those who can actually create a more holistic approach to emerging tech in the context of the massive cultural upheaval taking place now and for the foreseeable future will have the new competitive edge. Companies that can somehow go the extra step in successfully providing greater comprehension, additional resources for support and somehow facilitate unification within a society actively growing in analysis around race and class relations while barreling toward ever greater tech usage will be that which is most sought. This will be how we define the new powerhouse corporations of the day. | Business leaders need to be aware of the impact of race, class and technology on society and their bottom-up ability to make a difference. The future of business will be defined by how it deals with race and class, and how it responds to those who cross that line. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurencoleman/2019/02/14/when-race-tech-and-class-collide-what-does-the-future-look-like/ | 0.191921 |
Will Xilinx's Hot 5G Catalyst Fade Away? | Xilinx (NASDAQ: XLNX) is probably one of hottest semiconductor names on the stock market. Shares of the chipmaker have defied the broader market weakness over the past year and as of this writing trade very close to their 52-week highs. Those who have been following Xilinx for a long time wouldn't be surprised at the company's rapid rise, as it was pulling strings in the right areas to boost long-term growth. The company's latest third-quarter results, quite expectedly, gave it yet another massive boost thanks to the early ramp in the 5G business, as well as continued strength across other segments such as automotive, data centers, and industrial. Let's find out. Stressed woman sitting with her hands on her face. More Image Source: Getty Images. Something to be afraid of Xilinx had always expected that fifth generation (5G) wireless networks would be a catalyst, but it probably didn't expect this space to start paying off so soon. Its 5G chip platforms moved from the prototyping phase to the early production phase during the fiscal second quarter. So, the 41% annual jump in its communications business, thanks to early 5G deployments, was a welcome surprise. CEO Victor Peng credited "5G deployments in South Korea and a very early start of the ramp of 5G deployments in China" for Xilinx's strong performance in the communications business, which supplied 35% of its revenue last quarter. As such, the proliferation of 5G networks in the coming years should be a long-term tailwind for Xilinx, though that might be easier said than done. Xilinx is known for making field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). These are programmable chips that aren't made with a specific purpose, so they can be easily configured after being bought off the shelf, which saves on both time and costs. FPGAs work for early stage 5G deployments as carriers need to test the new networks and the related algorithms, and that may require regular tweaks and updates. That's where Xilinx's FPGAs excel, since they can be reprogrammed multiple times, giving developers a low-cost option to test new technology. However, demand for these programmable chips starts waning in a couple of years once the standards are set and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) are designed for those tasks. Development of ASICs usually takes around two years and a lot of money, so Xilinx's FPGAs are in strong demand in the early 5G deployment phase. But once a custom chip comes out, the chipmaker could lose market share to rivals because the former are supposed to perform faster and also cost less since they are already programmed for that purpose. Cavium, which was acquired by Marvell Technology in 2018, already showcased its next-generation 5G chips at the Mobile World Congress last year. Nokia, meanwhile, launched its ReefShark 5G chipsets last year in January, claiming that they can reduce the size of 5G antennas considerably and also reduce power consumption of baseband units by 64%. However, the good news is that Xilinx has found ways to beat this inevitability by ingraining itself deeply into the 5G ecosystem. | Xilinx's 5G chip platforms moved from the prototyping phase to the early production phase during the fiscal second quarter. The chipmaker had always expected that fifth generation (5G) wireless networks would be a catalyst, but it probably didn't expect this space to start paying off so soon. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/xilinx-apos-hot-5g-catalyst-112100386.html | 0.109923 |
Will Deckers Outdoor Corporation (DECK) Continue to Surge Higher? | As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in Deckers Outdoor. As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in Deckers Outdoor Corporation DECK. The stock has moved higher by 16.1% in the past month, while it is also above its 20 Day SMA too. This combination of strong price performance and favorable technical, could suggest that the stock may be on the right path. We certainly think that this might be the case, particularly if you consider APPSs recent earnings estimate revision activity. From this look, the companys future is quite favorable; as APPS has earned itself a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), meaning that its recent run may continue for a bit longer, and that this isnt the top for the in-focus company. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research. It's not the one you think. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Deckers Outdoor Corporation (DECK) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Deckers Outdoor Corporation (DECK) has moved higher by 16.1% in the past month. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://news.yahoo.com/deckers-outdoor-corporation-deck-continue-120712556.html | 0.203864 |
Will Deckers Outdoor Corporation (DECK) Continue to Surge Higher? | As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in Deckers Outdoor. As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in Deckers Outdoor Corporation DECK. The stock has moved higher by 16.1% in the past month, while it is also above its 20 Day SMA too. This combination of strong price performance and favorable technical, could suggest that the stock may be on the right path. We certainly think that this might be the case, particularly if you consider APPSs recent earnings estimate revision activity. From this look, the companys future is quite favorable; as APPS has earned itself a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), meaning that its recent run may continue for a bit longer, and that this isnt the top for the in-focus company. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research. It's not the one you think. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Deckers Outdoor Corporation (DECK) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in Deckers Outdoor Corporation DECK. The stock has moved higher by 16.1% in the past month, while it is also above its 20 Day SMA too. | bart | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/deckers-outdoor-corporation-deck-continue-120712556.html | 0.195996 |
Will Deckers Outdoor Corporation (DECK) Continue to Surge Higher? | As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in Deckers Outdoor. As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in Deckers Outdoor Corporation DECK. The stock has moved higher by 16.1% in the past month, while it is also above its 20 Day SMA too. This combination of strong price performance and favorable technical, could suggest that the stock may be on the right path. We certainly think that this might be the case, particularly if you consider APPSs recent earnings estimate revision activity. From this look, the companys future is quite favorable; as APPS has earned itself a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), meaning that its recent run may continue for a bit longer, and that this isnt the top for the in-focus company. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research. It's not the one you think. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Deckers Outdoor Corporation (DECK) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in Deckers Outdoor Corporation DECK. The stock has moved higher by 16.1% in the past month, while it is also above its 20 Day SMA too. This combination of strong price performance and favorable technical, could suggest that the stock may be on the right path. | bart | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/deckers-outdoor-corporation-deck-continue-120712556.html | 0.256276 |
How Much Oil Does Saudi Arabia Really Have? | Officially, Venezuela has the world's largest crude oil reserves with 303 billion barrels of proved reserves. In reality, a lot of this oil is extra-heavy crude oil, and may not be economical to produce at prevailing prices. Thus, some portion of Venezuela's barrels may in reality no longer be in the "proved reserves" category. Consider that Venezuela's proved reserves jumped from 80 billion barrels in 2005 to 300 billion barrels in 2014. The main reason for that wasn't a bunch of new oil discoveries. No, it was the fact that oil prices had reached triple digits, making Venezuela's extra heavy oil economical to produce. In other words, "resources" (the oil in the ground) were moved into the "proved reserves" (oil that is economical to produce) category. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, reported 264 billion barrels of proved reserves in 2005, and 267 billion barrels in 2014. In other words, Saudi Arabia's barrels were deemed to be economical to produce even before oil prices spiked. For that reason, I consider Saudi Arabia's proved reserves -- 16% of the global total -- to be of the most significance to the global oil market. But doubts about the amount of Saudi Arabia's reserves have persisted for years. In 1982, Saudi Arabia stopped allowing their oil and gas data to be scrutinized. Prior to that, outsiders had some access to information on their reserves. When that accessibility was shut down, Saudi proved oil reserves were estimated to be 166 billion barrels. However, around 1988 Saudi raised their estimate of proved reserves by 90 billion barrels. Many pundits have suggested that this upward revision was based on internal OPEC politics. Since the reserves were no longer subject to outside audit, there was a great deal of skepticism around the official numbers the Saudis released. The skepticism deepened when one considered that Saudi's reserves in 1990 were 260 billion barrels, and today -- nearly 30 years later -- they are reportedly 266 billion barrels. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia produced over 100 billion barrels between 1990 and 2017. In preparation for a potential IPO, Saudi's national oil company, Saudi Aramco, recently commissioned an outside audit of its proved reserves. The independent external audit found Saudi's proved oil reserves to be at least 270 billion barrels. But doubts persist. For example, oil economist Dr. Mamdouh G. Salameh, who is a Visiting Professor of Energy Economics at ESCP Europe Business School, London, recently wrote: My calculation of Saudi reserves based on Saudi production since the discovery of oil in 1938 till now (for which we have figures) and a deduction of an annual depletion rate of Saudi aging fields averaging 5%-7% for the same period, gives a figure of 70-74 bb of remaining reserves. My figures are more or less in line with those of other experts." In fact, I once did a similar calculation. I started with the assumption that the 1982 estimate of 166 billion barrels was correct, and then I just subtracted Saudi production since then. I calculated their total production since 1982 as ~100 billion barrels, leaving 66 billion barrels of reserves. However, I then did a sanity check that threw that calculation in doubt. I did the same calculation for U.S. proved reserves over the same time frame. In 1982, U.S. proved crude oil reserves were reported to be 35 billion barrels. By 2005 -- and before the shale oil boom was underway, U.S. proved reserves had only fallen to 30 billion barrels. But total U.S. production between 1982 and 2005 was 77 billion barrels. If we extend that calculation through the end of 2017, U.S. proved reserves have actually jumped to 50 billion barrels, and there have been 117 billion barrels of U.S. production since 1982 (more even than for Saudi Arabia). To reiterate, in 1982 U.S. proved crude oil reserves stood at 35 billion barrels. Between then and 2017, the U.S. produced 117 billion barrels of oil, yet proved reserves grew to 50 billion barrels. There were new discoveries, technological improvements that allowed more barrels to be extracted from existing fields, and higher prices that made additional resources economical to extract. I think it's reasonable to assume that Saudi Arabia also found additional barrels since 1982. They also have access to the same kinds of technology that improved recovery in U.S. fields. Therefore, I do not believe it's a legitimate exercise to consider depletion from a historical reserves number to estimate current reserves. Such an exercise would have suggested that U.S. oil production would have fallen to zero by 1991. Thus, I think it's reasonable to conclude that Saudi Arabia really does have the proved reserves they say they have and not a much lower number. Their published reserves are consistent with the independent audit, and they are consistent with the experience in the U.S. of reserves growth despite significant oil production. Lest you think that the U.S. results are atypical, you can repeat this exercise for any of the world's major oil producers and find the same thing. Starting with the proved reserves in 1982 and subtracting the subsequent production will not accurately predict the reserves at some point in the future. In many cases -- as with the U.S. -- cumulative production was greater than the 1982 proved reserves number. So, I have no good reason to doubt Saudi Arabia's official numbers. They probably do have 270 billion barrels of proved oil reserves. | Saudi Arabia's proved oil reserves are 16% of the global total. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2019/02/14/how-much-oil-does-saudi-arabia-have/ | 0.143134 |
How Much Oil Does Saudi Arabia Really Have? | Officially, Venezuela has the world's largest crude oil reserves with 303 billion barrels of proved reserves. In reality, a lot of this oil is extra-heavy crude oil, and may not be economical to produce at prevailing prices. Thus, some portion of Venezuela's barrels may in reality no longer be in the "proved reserves" category. Consider that Venezuela's proved reserves jumped from 80 billion barrels in 2005 to 300 billion barrels in 2014. The main reason for that wasn't a bunch of new oil discoveries. No, it was the fact that oil prices had reached triple digits, making Venezuela's extra heavy oil economical to produce. In other words, "resources" (the oil in the ground) were moved into the "proved reserves" (oil that is economical to produce) category. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, reported 264 billion barrels of proved reserves in 2005, and 267 billion barrels in 2014. In other words, Saudi Arabia's barrels were deemed to be economical to produce even before oil prices spiked. For that reason, I consider Saudi Arabia's proved reserves -- 16% of the global total -- to be of the most significance to the global oil market. But doubts about the amount of Saudi Arabia's reserves have persisted for years. In 1982, Saudi Arabia stopped allowing their oil and gas data to be scrutinized. Prior to that, outsiders had some access to information on their reserves. When that accessibility was shut down, Saudi proved oil reserves were estimated to be 166 billion barrels. However, around 1988 Saudi raised their estimate of proved reserves by 90 billion barrels. Many pundits have suggested that this upward revision was based on internal OPEC politics. Since the reserves were no longer subject to outside audit, there was a great deal of skepticism around the official numbers the Saudis released. The skepticism deepened when one considered that Saudi's reserves in 1990 were 260 billion barrels, and today -- nearly 30 years later -- they are reportedly 266 billion barrels. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia produced over 100 billion barrels between 1990 and 2017. In preparation for a potential IPO, Saudi's national oil company, Saudi Aramco, recently commissioned an outside audit of its proved reserves. The independent external audit found Saudi's proved oil reserves to be at least 270 billion barrels. But doubts persist. For example, oil economist Dr. Mamdouh G. Salameh, who is a Visiting Professor of Energy Economics at ESCP Europe Business School, London, recently wrote: My calculation of Saudi reserves based on Saudi production since the discovery of oil in 1938 till now (for which we have figures) and a deduction of an annual depletion rate of Saudi aging fields averaging 5%-7% for the same period, gives a figure of 70-74 bb of remaining reserves. My figures are more or less in line with those of other experts." In fact, I once did a similar calculation. I started with the assumption that the 1982 estimate of 166 billion barrels was correct, and then I just subtracted Saudi production since then. I calculated their total production since 1982 as ~100 billion barrels, leaving 66 billion barrels of reserves. However, I then did a sanity check that threw that calculation in doubt. I did the same calculation for U.S. proved reserves over the same time frame. In 1982, U.S. proved crude oil reserves were reported to be 35 billion barrels. By 2005 -- and before the shale oil boom was underway, U.S. proved reserves had only fallen to 30 billion barrels. But total U.S. production between 1982 and 2005 was 77 billion barrels. If we extend that calculation through the end of 2017, U.S. proved reserves have actually jumped to 50 billion barrels, and there have been 117 billion barrels of U.S. production since 1982 (more even than for Saudi Arabia). To reiterate, in 1982 U.S. proved crude oil reserves stood at 35 billion barrels. Between then and 2017, the U.S. produced 117 billion barrels of oil, yet proved reserves grew to 50 billion barrels. There were new discoveries, technological improvements that allowed more barrels to be extracted from existing fields, and higher prices that made additional resources economical to extract. I think it's reasonable to assume that Saudi Arabia also found additional barrels since 1982. They also have access to the same kinds of technology that improved recovery in U.S. fields. Therefore, I do not believe it's a legitimate exercise to consider depletion from a historical reserves number to estimate current reserves. Such an exercise would have suggested that U.S. oil production would have fallen to zero by 1991. Thus, I think it's reasonable to conclude that Saudi Arabia really does have the proved reserves they say they have and not a much lower number. Their published reserves are consistent with the independent audit, and they are consistent with the experience in the U.S. of reserves growth despite significant oil production. Lest you think that the U.S. results are atypical, you can repeat this exercise for any of the world's major oil producers and find the same thing. Starting with the proved reserves in 1982 and subtracting the subsequent production will not accurately predict the reserves at some point in the future. In many cases -- as with the U.S. -- cumulative production was greater than the 1982 proved reserves number. So, I have no good reason to doubt Saudi Arabia's official numbers. They probably do have 270 billion barrels of proved oil reserves. | Venezuela has the world's largest crude oil reserves with 303 billion barrels of proved reserves. Saudi Arabia reported 264 billion barrels of proved reserves in 2005, 267 billion barrels in 2014. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2019/02/14/how-much-oil-does-saudi-arabia-have/ | 0.369905 |
How Much Oil Does Saudi Arabia Really Have? | Officially, Venezuela has the world's largest crude oil reserves with 303 billion barrels of proved reserves. In reality, a lot of this oil is extra-heavy crude oil, and may not be economical to produce at prevailing prices. Thus, some portion of Venezuela's barrels may in reality no longer be in the "proved reserves" category. Consider that Venezuela's proved reserves jumped from 80 billion barrels in 2005 to 300 billion barrels in 2014. The main reason for that wasn't a bunch of new oil discoveries. No, it was the fact that oil prices had reached triple digits, making Venezuela's extra heavy oil economical to produce. In other words, "resources" (the oil in the ground) were moved into the "proved reserves" (oil that is economical to produce) category. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, reported 264 billion barrels of proved reserves in 2005, and 267 billion barrels in 2014. In other words, Saudi Arabia's barrels were deemed to be economical to produce even before oil prices spiked. For that reason, I consider Saudi Arabia's proved reserves -- 16% of the global total -- to be of the most significance to the global oil market. But doubts about the amount of Saudi Arabia's reserves have persisted for years. In 1982, Saudi Arabia stopped allowing their oil and gas data to be scrutinized. Prior to that, outsiders had some access to information on their reserves. When that accessibility was shut down, Saudi proved oil reserves were estimated to be 166 billion barrels. However, around 1988 Saudi raised their estimate of proved reserves by 90 billion barrels. Many pundits have suggested that this upward revision was based on internal OPEC politics. Since the reserves were no longer subject to outside audit, there was a great deal of skepticism around the official numbers the Saudis released. The skepticism deepened when one considered that Saudi's reserves in 1990 were 260 billion barrels, and today -- nearly 30 years later -- they are reportedly 266 billion barrels. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia produced over 100 billion barrels between 1990 and 2017. In preparation for a potential IPO, Saudi's national oil company, Saudi Aramco, recently commissioned an outside audit of its proved reserves. The independent external audit found Saudi's proved oil reserves to be at least 270 billion barrels. But doubts persist. For example, oil economist Dr. Mamdouh G. Salameh, who is a Visiting Professor of Energy Economics at ESCP Europe Business School, London, recently wrote: My calculation of Saudi reserves based on Saudi production since the discovery of oil in 1938 till now (for which we have figures) and a deduction of an annual depletion rate of Saudi aging fields averaging 5%-7% for the same period, gives a figure of 70-74 bb of remaining reserves. My figures are more or less in line with those of other experts." In fact, I once did a similar calculation. I started with the assumption that the 1982 estimate of 166 billion barrels was correct, and then I just subtracted Saudi production since then. I calculated their total production since 1982 as ~100 billion barrels, leaving 66 billion barrels of reserves. However, I then did a sanity check that threw that calculation in doubt. I did the same calculation for U.S. proved reserves over the same time frame. In 1982, U.S. proved crude oil reserves were reported to be 35 billion barrels. By 2005 -- and before the shale oil boom was underway, U.S. proved reserves had only fallen to 30 billion barrels. But total U.S. production between 1982 and 2005 was 77 billion barrels. If we extend that calculation through the end of 2017, U.S. proved reserves have actually jumped to 50 billion barrels, and there have been 117 billion barrels of U.S. production since 1982 (more even than for Saudi Arabia). To reiterate, in 1982 U.S. proved crude oil reserves stood at 35 billion barrels. Between then and 2017, the U.S. produced 117 billion barrels of oil, yet proved reserves grew to 50 billion barrels. There were new discoveries, technological improvements that allowed more barrels to be extracted from existing fields, and higher prices that made additional resources economical to extract. I think it's reasonable to assume that Saudi Arabia also found additional barrels since 1982. They also have access to the same kinds of technology that improved recovery in U.S. fields. Therefore, I do not believe it's a legitimate exercise to consider depletion from a historical reserves number to estimate current reserves. Such an exercise would have suggested that U.S. oil production would have fallen to zero by 1991. Thus, I think it's reasonable to conclude that Saudi Arabia really does have the proved reserves they say they have and not a much lower number. Their published reserves are consistent with the independent audit, and they are consistent with the experience in the U.S. of reserves growth despite significant oil production. Lest you think that the U.S. results are atypical, you can repeat this exercise for any of the world's major oil producers and find the same thing. Starting with the proved reserves in 1982 and subtracting the subsequent production will not accurately predict the reserves at some point in the future. In many cases -- as with the U.S. -- cumulative production was greater than the 1982 proved reserves number. So, I have no good reason to doubt Saudi Arabia's official numbers. They probably do have 270 billion barrels of proved oil reserves. | Venezuela has the world's largest crude oil reserves with 303 billion barrels of proved reserves. Saudi Arabia reported 264 billion barrels of proved reserves in 2005, 267 billion barrels in 2014. But doubts about the amount of Saudi Arabia's reserves have persisted for years. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2019/02/14/how-much-oil-does-saudi-arabia-have/ | 0.351223 |
Are Investors Undervaluing Air Lease (AL) Right Now? | Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks. While the proven Zacks Rank places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find strong stocks, we also know that investors tend to develop their own individual strategies. With this in mind, we are always looking at value, growth, and momentum trends to discover great companies. Looking at the history of these trends, perhaps none is more beloved than value investing. This strategy simply looks to identify companies that are being undervalued by the broader market. Value investors use fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are being undervalued by the market at large. Zacks has developed the innovative Style Scores system to highlight stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will be interested in stocks with great grades in the "Value" category. When paired with a high Zacks Rank, "A" grades in the Value category are among the strongest value stocks on the market today. Air Lease (AL) is a stock many investors are watching right now. AL is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as an A grade for Value. The stock is trading with P/E ratio of 6.23 right now. For comparison, its industry sports an average P/E of 11.30. Over the past 52 weeks, AL's Forward P/E has been as high as 10.07 and as low as 4.82, with a median of 8.11. We also note that AL holds a PEG ratio of 0.73. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. AL's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 1.10. AL's PEG has been as high as 1.65 and as low as 0.57, with a median of 0.94, all within the past year. Another valuation metric that we should highlight is AL's P/B ratio of 0.89. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks solid versus its industry's average P/B of 1.33. Within the past 52 weeks, AL's P/B has been as high as 1.15 and as low as 0.67, with a median of 1.04. Finally, we should also recognize that AL has a P/CF ratio of 2.96. This data point considers a firm's operating cash flow and is frequently used to find companies that are undervalued when considering their solid cash outlook. This company's current P/CF looks solid when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 4.27. Within the past 12 months, AL's P/CF has been as high as 3.99 and as low as 2.23, with a median of 3.55. These are just a handful of the figures considered in Air Lease's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that AL is an impressive value stock right now. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Air Lease Corporation (AL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | Air Lease (AL) is a great value stock right now. | pegasus | 0 | https://news.yahoo.com/investors-undervaluing-air-lease-al-141002593.html | 0.539158 |
Are Investors Undervaluing Air Lease (AL) Right Now? | Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks. While the proven Zacks Rank places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find strong stocks, we also know that investors tend to develop their own individual strategies. With this in mind, we are always looking at value, growth, and momentum trends to discover great companies. Looking at the history of these trends, perhaps none is more beloved than value investing. This strategy simply looks to identify companies that are being undervalued by the broader market. Value investors use fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are being undervalued by the market at large. Zacks has developed the innovative Style Scores system to highlight stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will be interested in stocks with great grades in the "Value" category. When paired with a high Zacks Rank, "A" grades in the Value category are among the strongest value stocks on the market today. Air Lease (AL) is a stock many investors are watching right now. AL is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as an A grade for Value. The stock is trading with P/E ratio of 6.23 right now. For comparison, its industry sports an average P/E of 11.30. Over the past 52 weeks, AL's Forward P/E has been as high as 10.07 and as low as 4.82, with a median of 8.11. We also note that AL holds a PEG ratio of 0.73. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. AL's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 1.10. AL's PEG has been as high as 1.65 and as low as 0.57, with a median of 0.94, all within the past year. Another valuation metric that we should highlight is AL's P/B ratio of 0.89. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks solid versus its industry's average P/B of 1.33. Within the past 52 weeks, AL's P/B has been as high as 1.15 and as low as 0.67, with a median of 1.04. Finally, we should also recognize that AL has a P/CF ratio of 2.96. This data point considers a firm's operating cash flow and is frequently used to find companies that are undervalued when considering their solid cash outlook. This company's current P/CF looks solid when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 4.27. Within the past 12 months, AL's P/CF has been as high as 3.99 and as low as 2.23, with a median of 3.55. These are just a handful of the figures considered in Air Lease's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that AL is an impressive value stock right now. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Air Lease Corporation (AL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | Air Lease (AL) is a great value stock right now. The company has a forward P/E ratio of 6.23, as well as a PEG ratio of 0.73. | pegasus | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/investors-undervaluing-air-lease-al-141002593.html | 0.53989 |
Are Investors Undervaluing Air Lease (AL) Right Now? | Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks. While the proven Zacks Rank places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find strong stocks, we also know that investors tend to develop their own individual strategies. With this in mind, we are always looking at value, growth, and momentum trends to discover great companies. Looking at the history of these trends, perhaps none is more beloved than value investing. This strategy simply looks to identify companies that are being undervalued by the broader market. Value investors use fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are being undervalued by the market at large. Zacks has developed the innovative Style Scores system to highlight stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will be interested in stocks with great grades in the "Value" category. When paired with a high Zacks Rank, "A" grades in the Value category are among the strongest value stocks on the market today. Air Lease (AL) is a stock many investors are watching right now. AL is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as an A grade for Value. The stock is trading with P/E ratio of 6.23 right now. For comparison, its industry sports an average P/E of 11.30. Over the past 52 weeks, AL's Forward P/E has been as high as 10.07 and as low as 4.82, with a median of 8.11. We also note that AL holds a PEG ratio of 0.73. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. AL's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 1.10. AL's PEG has been as high as 1.65 and as low as 0.57, with a median of 0.94, all within the past year. Another valuation metric that we should highlight is AL's P/B ratio of 0.89. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks solid versus its industry's average P/B of 1.33. Within the past 52 weeks, AL's P/B has been as high as 1.15 and as low as 0.67, with a median of 1.04. Finally, we should also recognize that AL has a P/CF ratio of 2.96. This data point considers a firm's operating cash flow and is frequently used to find companies that are undervalued when considering their solid cash outlook. This company's current P/CF looks solid when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 4.27. Within the past 12 months, AL's P/CF has been as high as 3.99 and as low as 2.23, with a median of 3.55. These are just a handful of the figures considered in Air Lease's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that AL is an impressive value stock right now. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Air Lease Corporation (AL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | Air Lease (AL) is a great value stock right now. The company has a forward P/E ratio of 6.23, as well as a PEG ratio of 0.73. This stock's P/B ratio is at 0.89, which compares to its industry's average P/B of 1.33. | pegasus | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/investors-undervaluing-air-lease-al-141002593.html | 0.52553 |
What Awaits SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG) in Q4 Earnings? | SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. SEDG is set to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Feb 20, after the market closes. In the last reported quarter, the company witnessed a positive earnings surprise of 2.38%. The bottom line outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, the average beat being 9.29%. Lets see how things are shaping up prior to this announcement. Factors Under Consideration Growing commercial and residential solar installations in the United States and increasing demand for its inverters in Europe have been constantly driving SolarEdge Technologies revenues, of late. These trends are likely to boost the companys top line in the to-be-reported quarter. Meanwhile, SolarEdge Technologies continues to invest in manufacturing capacity. This, in turn, is likely to increase shipments to its valued customers and bolster the companys revenue growth in the to-be-reported quarter. In line with this, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth- quarter revenues is pegged at $249 million, reflecting an annual increase of 31.6%. In December, SolarEdge Technologies acquired approximately 75% of Kokam Co., a leading provider of lithium ion cells, batteries and energy storage solutions. Although the acquisition will enable the company to further enhance its portfolio and industry leadership in the long run, the deal might have unfavorable impacts on the upcoming quarterly results. This is because SolarEdge Technologies made an aggregate investment of $88 million to purchase Kokam's shares, including transaction-related expenses, which might drag down the formers bottom line. As a result, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at 56 cents, reflecting an annual decline of 30%. What the Zacks Model Unveils Our proven model does not conclusively show that SolarEdge Technologies is likely to beat estimates in the fourth quarter. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. Earnings ESP: SolarEdge Technologies has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Zacks Rank: SolarEdge Technologies has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Please note that we caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Strong Sell) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. Quote Upcoming Solar Releases Canadian Solar Inc. CSIQ sports a Zacks Rank #1 and is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results on March 21. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Sunrun Inc. RUN carries a Zacks Rank #3 and is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results on Feb 28. First Solar Inc. FSLR carries a Zacks Rank #3 and is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results on Feb 21. Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research. It's not the one you think. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report First Solar, Inc. (FSLR) : Free Stock Analysis Report SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. (SEDG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Sunrun Inc. (RUN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. SEDG is set to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Feb 20, after the market closes. In the last reported quarter, the company witnessed a positive earnings surprise of 2.38%. The company has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/awaits-solaredge-technologies-sedg-q4-141002236.html | 0.165359 |
Are Investors Undervaluing Information Services Group (III) Right Now? | Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks. Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers. Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors rely on traditional forms of analysis on key valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are undervalued, leaving room for profits. In addition to the Zacks Rank, investors looking for stocks with specific traits can utilize our Style Scores system. Of course, value investors will be most interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with "A" grades for Value and high Zacks Ranks are among the best value stocks available at any given moment. One company to watch right now is Information Services Group (III). III is currently holding a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. The stock is trading with P/E ratio of 10.48 right now. For comparison, its industry sports an average P/E of 20.45. Over the last 12 months, III's Forward P/E has been as high as 13.62 and as low as 9.44, with a median of 10.80. Investors should also note that III holds a PEG ratio of 0.75. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. III's industry has an average PEG of 1.79 right now. Over the past 52 weeks, III's PEG has been as high as 0.99 and as low as 0.67, with a median of 0.78. Investors should also recognize that III has a P/B ratio of 2.45. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. III's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 6.56. Over the past 12 months, III's P/B has been as high as 3.41 and as low as 2.41, with a median of 2.67. Value investors also use the P/S ratio. The P/S ratio is is calculated as price divided by sales. Some people prefer this metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement. This means it could be a truer performance indicator. III has a P/S ratio of 0.68. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.4. These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that Information Services Group is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, III feels like a great value stock at the moment. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Information Services Group, Inc. (III) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Information Services Group (III) is a great value stock right now. | pegasus | 0 | https://news.yahoo.com/investors-undervaluing-information-services-group-141002992.html | 0.619875 |
Are Investors Undervaluing Information Services Group (III) Right Now? | Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks. Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers. Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors rely on traditional forms of analysis on key valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are undervalued, leaving room for profits. In addition to the Zacks Rank, investors looking for stocks with specific traits can utilize our Style Scores system. Of course, value investors will be most interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with "A" grades for Value and high Zacks Ranks are among the best value stocks available at any given moment. One company to watch right now is Information Services Group (III). III is currently holding a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. The stock is trading with P/E ratio of 10.48 right now. For comparison, its industry sports an average P/E of 20.45. Over the last 12 months, III's Forward P/E has been as high as 13.62 and as low as 9.44, with a median of 10.80. Investors should also note that III holds a PEG ratio of 0.75. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. III's industry has an average PEG of 1.79 right now. Over the past 52 weeks, III's PEG has been as high as 0.99 and as low as 0.67, with a median of 0.78. Investors should also recognize that III has a P/B ratio of 2.45. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. III's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 6.56. Over the past 12 months, III's P/B has been as high as 3.41 and as low as 2.41, with a median of 2.67. Value investors also use the P/S ratio. The P/S ratio is is calculated as price divided by sales. Some people prefer this metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement. This means it could be a truer performance indicator. III has a P/S ratio of 0.68. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.4. These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that Information Services Group is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, III feels like a great value stock at the moment. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Information Services Group, Inc. (III) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Information Services Group (III) is a great value stock right now. The company is holding a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. | pegasus | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/investors-undervaluing-information-services-group-141002992.html | 0.569968 |
Are Investors Undervaluing Information Services Group (III) Right Now? | Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks. Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers. Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors rely on traditional forms of analysis on key valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are undervalued, leaving room for profits. In addition to the Zacks Rank, investors looking for stocks with specific traits can utilize our Style Scores system. Of course, value investors will be most interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with "A" grades for Value and high Zacks Ranks are among the best value stocks available at any given moment. One company to watch right now is Information Services Group (III). III is currently holding a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. The stock is trading with P/E ratio of 10.48 right now. For comparison, its industry sports an average P/E of 20.45. Over the last 12 months, III's Forward P/E has been as high as 13.62 and as low as 9.44, with a median of 10.80. Investors should also note that III holds a PEG ratio of 0.75. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. III's industry has an average PEG of 1.79 right now. Over the past 52 weeks, III's PEG has been as high as 0.99 and as low as 0.67, with a median of 0.78. Investors should also recognize that III has a P/B ratio of 2.45. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. III's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 6.56. Over the past 12 months, III's P/B has been as high as 3.41 and as low as 2.41, with a median of 2.67. Value investors also use the P/S ratio. The P/S ratio is is calculated as price divided by sales. Some people prefer this metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement. This means it could be a truer performance indicator. III has a P/S ratio of 0.68. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.4. These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that Information Services Group is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, III feels like a great value stock at the moment. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Information Services Group, Inc. (III) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | Information Services Group (III) is a great value stock right now. It has a forward P/E ratio of 10.48, a PEG ratio of 0.75, and a P/B ratio of 2.45. III is trading at a discount to its industry's average P/E of 20.45. | pegasus | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/investors-undervaluing-information-services-group-141002992.html | 0.652634 |
Will Japan have self-driving cars on the road in time for the 2020 Olympics? | Open this photo in gallery During the Tokyo Olympics, Toyota's e-Palette will be used to ferry competitors around the Athletes Village. Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail On the first of October, 1964, at precisely 10 a.m., two Hikari Super Express Shinkansen trains pulled into stations at Osaka and Tokyo, respectively. The bullet trains were right on time, and their arrival just weeks before the start of the summer Olympics marked a massive change in transportation for the people of Japan. Now, Tokyo is looking forward to a new Olympics in 2020, and toward a potential new era in mobility. Ambitious infrastructure projects are in full swing, including a new national stadium that threatened to be the most expensive in the world before plans were sent back to the drawing board. Elsewhere, billions of yen are being spent on highway upgrades and a push for hydrogen-powered vehicles. Theres also an initiative to make the 2020 Olympics a showcase for Japanese technology, and in todays automotive world, that means autonomous vehicles. There are a number of factors that make Tokyo an ideal place for vehicle autonomy to gain wider acceptance. First, there's governmental will behind the decision. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government has set ambitious targets for a fleet of self-driving cars by 2020, with aims to make the service commercially viable by 2022. Story continues below advertisement Second, residents of Tokyo are already used to giving up their steering wheels. With expensive toll roads everywhere, heavy traffic and limited parking, owning a car in Japans capital city is generally more trouble than its worth. In urban environments, a fleet of autonomous cars is likely to generate excited curiosity rather than suspicion. Lastly, theres the well-developed Japanese infrastructure. With smooth, well maintained toll roads throughout the country, limiting automated functions to specific areas via geo-fencing is a straightforward proposition. However, all is not smooth sailing toward the future. The Olympics themselves, for instance, are set to cost four times their initial budget. The scandal surrounding Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn comes at a time when ambitious leadership is required to deliver on the promise of a fleet of fully autonomous electric Nissan Leafs by 2020. Further, while the Japanese government seems generally willing to support the testing of automated vehicles on public roads, official legislation regulating autonomy is not due until next year. In Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, the mood seems cautiously optimistic. Toyota became an official Olympics and Paralympics partner in 2015 and, as Japans largest automaker, is deeply involved in planning for the huge influx of tourists. However, Toyotas big project is not full autonomy but hydrogen- and hybrid-powered vehicles. The goal is to have some 3,000 fuel-cell and plug-in hybrid vehicles in service for logistics and transportation during the games, including everything from the fuel-cell-powered Sora bus to the Mirai passenger car to fuel-cell forklifts. Honda will also be diving into hydrogen power, and the Japanese government is set to provide about 45.2 billion yen (more than $541-million) in hydrogen infrastructure and subsidies. Open this photo in gallery The Toyota i-Road, right, will be used by security teams during the 2020 Olympics. Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail By comparison, Toyota's autonomous vehicles will operate in more of a showcase capacity. Their boxy e-Palette autonomous EV will ferry competitors around the athlete's village, while the Concept-i will be used for demonstrations. On the busy roads beneath Tokyos towering concrete overpasses, you can see why the Japanese have evolved a disciplined approach to public transit just watch any escalator in operation during rush hour, as stationary people stand in a strictly ordered line to the left but the countrys city traffic is chaotic. Cars and trucks flip on their four-way-flashers and park in the curb lane, while scooters carve up traffic. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement This is to say nothing of narrow alleyways that arent even wide enough for two of the tiny kei-cars to pass abreast, nor of the surprisingly flexible Japanese attitude toward merging. The highways will be easy, but the cut-and-thrust of regular Tokyo traffic presents more of a challenge to computerized brains and sensors. Toyota and others are therefore taking a split-level approach toward automation, with privately owned vehicles proceeding step-by-step through ever greater driver assistance, and full autonomy being deployed experimentally. Toyotas goal is a zero-accident games, something they hope to achieve with improved automated safety systems. The idea of a car that protects society with pedestrian detection and automated emergency braking is a relatively easy sell to western markets. Toyota's future plans for data collection may not be as easy to translate. For the Olympics, the ability to manage fleet logistics via vehicle tracking makes a great deal of sense. A Japanese acceptance of vehicle telematics being tied to insurance rates, as is currently present in the mid-sized Toyota Crown sedan, might not fly in the North American market. Its worth noting that the Shinkansen themselves are not without their critics. Their construction had considerable environmental impact, and the long-term effect on Japanese society has been increasing city sprawl and the draining of youth from rural areas. By 2020, vehicle autonomy will be on display in Japan, but still likely in an early phase. The creation of hydrogen-fuelling infrastructure will likely be the larger change in the short term. But perhaps dont expect upheaval like that driven by Japans high-speed rail revolution. The trains arrived, just on time, with the speed of a bullet. Autonomous vehicles, even in highly organized Japan, seem to be plotting a slower course. 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. | Tokyo has a number of factors that make it an ideal place for vehicle autonomy to gain wider acceptance. The Japanese government has set ambitious targets for a fleet of self-driving cars by 2020. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/drive/culture/article-tokyo-accelerates-its-push-for-autonomous-cars-ahead-of-the-202/ | 0.209197 |
Should IS teenager be allowed back in UK? | Video A British woman who ran away to Syria as a schoolgirl to join the Islamic State group has now said she wants to come back to the UK. Speaking from a Syrian refugee camp, Shamima Begum, now 19, told the Times newspaper she had no regrets but wanted to come back to the UK as she was nine months pregnant. In Syria, she married an IS fighter and had two children, who have both died. In her interview, Ms Begum showed little remorse for her involvement with the terror group, saying she was not fazed by seeing "beheaded heads" in bins. "I don't regret coming here," she told Times journalist Anthony Loyd, who found her in the camp. "I'm not the same silly little 15-year-old schoolgirl who ran away from Bethnal Green four years ago." | Shamima Begum, now 19, ran away to Syria as a schoolgirl to join IS. She has now said she wants to come back to the UK. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-47244397/should-is-teenager-be-allowed-back-in-uk | 0.179245 |
Should IS teenager be allowed back in UK? | Video A British woman who ran away to Syria as a schoolgirl to join the Islamic State group has now said she wants to come back to the UK. Speaking from a Syrian refugee camp, Shamima Begum, now 19, told the Times newspaper she had no regrets but wanted to come back to the UK as she was nine months pregnant. In Syria, she married an IS fighter and had two children, who have both died. In her interview, Ms Begum showed little remorse for her involvement with the terror group, saying she was not fazed by seeing "beheaded heads" in bins. "I don't regret coming here," she told Times journalist Anthony Loyd, who found her in the camp. "I'm not the same silly little 15-year-old schoolgirl who ran away from Bethnal Green four years ago." | Shamima Begum, now 19, ran away to Syria as a schoolgirl to join ISIS. She has now said she wants to come back to the UK. In an interview from a Syrian refugee camp she said she had no regrets. She said she was not fazed by seeing "beheaded heads" in bins. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-47244397/should-is-teenager-be-allowed-back-in-uk | 0.150092 |
Can Starboard Value Do for Papa John's What It Did for Olive Garden? | Shares of Papa John's (NASDAQ: PZZA) continue to rise in the aftermath of activist investor Starboard Value injecting $200 million into the pizzeria and having the hedge fund's founder Jeffrey Smith take on the role of chairman of the board. Many believe that Smith, who is credited with engineering the turnaround at Olive Garden following the ouster of the entire board of directors at Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI), has the skills to fashion a resurgence at Papa John's. Couple eating pizza More Image source: Getty Images. But the pizza chain is not the Italian restaurant, which suffered mostly from execution issues (which is why Smith's action plan included such minutiae as salting the pasta water). Papa John's has seemingly much bigger problems in that its reputation has been damaged by the actions of John Schnatter, its former chairman and founder. Schnatter purportedly made racially insensitive comments and blamed the National Football League for falling sales. While the latter point suggests there were issues prior to the various brouhahas that resulted in Schnatter resigning his position with the company (he still owns 30% of the company's stock), sales plunged in the aftermath. Winning back consumer trust will not be as easy as tweaking Papa John's pizza sauce. Sticking with a winning formula Yet Starboard's Smith is expected to use the same formula at the pizzeria that he did at Olive Garden: Overhaul the menu, its marketing, and its operational performance. In announcing the investment and his elevation to board chairman, Smith extolled Papa John's pizza -- calling it "the best product in the space" -- its franchisees, and the board for taking decisive action. Cost-cutting is not as much of a priority at Papa John's as it was at Olive Garden, but there is only so much space to maneuver with a somewhat limited menu. People aren't going to a pizzeria for a new chicken, fish, or pasta dish, like they could at the Italian food chain; they want pizza, and there are only so many ways to innovate. Pizza is also somewhat more competitive than casual dining. While there are only a handful of national pizza chains, there are almost 42,000 independent pizzerias, making Papa John's turnaround more of a challenge. Customers can always go to their local pizza joint if they don't want to patronize one of the national chains. Better messaging might not be enough to persuade customers to return. Moreover, rival Domino's (NYSE: DPZ) is already the industry leader, and made a point of trying to capitalize on Papa John's woes by attracting more customers with the promise of free pies. It has also greatly improved its digital presence, an area where Papa John's was seen as leading, and Domino's has maintained consistently high rates of comparable-store sales growth, logging 30 consecutive quarters of gains. Similarly, Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) is also hungry for a turnaround with its Pizza Hut chain after years of languishing. Its efforts may finally be starting to pay off with comps flat year over year in the fourth quarter as well as for the year, a sign that the chain may have finally stabilized. Meanwhile, Papa John's 2018 comps were down 7.3%, making the hill it has to climb much steeper. The pizza chain will use Starboard's $200 million investment to pay down some of its debt. In return, the hedge fund is buying a newly designated Series B convertible preferred stock with an option to purchase up to $50 million more. Franchisees are also being given an opportunity to buy a total of $10 million of the convertible preferred stock on the same terms as Starboard. Most of Papa John's efforts need to go toward repairing its image. But because this is not a quick-fix solution, something Starboard Value acknowledges, it may not be a battle it can easily win. It also suggests investors can bide their time before deciding whether the Papa John's turnaround will work. More From The Motley Fool Rich Duprey has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. | Starboard Value invested $200 million in Papa John's (NASDAQ: PZZA) The hedge fund's founder Jeffrey Smith is expected to use the same formula at the pizzeria that he did at Olive Garden. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/starboard-value-papa-john-apos-160100331.html | 0.247283 |
Can Starboard Value Do for Papa John's What It Did for Olive Garden? | Shares of Papa John's (NASDAQ: PZZA) continue to rise in the aftermath of activist investor Starboard Value injecting $200 million into the pizzeria and having the hedge fund's founder Jeffrey Smith take on the role of chairman of the board. Many believe that Smith, who is credited with engineering the turnaround at Olive Garden following the ouster of the entire board of directors at Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI), has the skills to fashion a resurgence at Papa John's. Couple eating pizza More Image source: Getty Images. But the pizza chain is not the Italian restaurant, which suffered mostly from execution issues (which is why Smith's action plan included such minutiae as salting the pasta water). Papa John's has seemingly much bigger problems in that its reputation has been damaged by the actions of John Schnatter, its former chairman and founder. Schnatter purportedly made racially insensitive comments and blamed the National Football League for falling sales. While the latter point suggests there were issues prior to the various brouhahas that resulted in Schnatter resigning his position with the company (he still owns 30% of the company's stock), sales plunged in the aftermath. Winning back consumer trust will not be as easy as tweaking Papa John's pizza sauce. Sticking with a winning formula Yet Starboard's Smith is expected to use the same formula at the pizzeria that he did at Olive Garden: Overhaul the menu, its marketing, and its operational performance. In announcing the investment and his elevation to board chairman, Smith extolled Papa John's pizza -- calling it "the best product in the space" -- its franchisees, and the board for taking decisive action. Cost-cutting is not as much of a priority at Papa John's as it was at Olive Garden, but there is only so much space to maneuver with a somewhat limited menu. People aren't going to a pizzeria for a new chicken, fish, or pasta dish, like they could at the Italian food chain; they want pizza, and there are only so many ways to innovate. Pizza is also somewhat more competitive than casual dining. While there are only a handful of national pizza chains, there are almost 42,000 independent pizzerias, making Papa John's turnaround more of a challenge. Customers can always go to their local pizza joint if they don't want to patronize one of the national chains. Better messaging might not be enough to persuade customers to return. Moreover, rival Domino's (NYSE: DPZ) is already the industry leader, and made a point of trying to capitalize on Papa John's woes by attracting more customers with the promise of free pies. It has also greatly improved its digital presence, an area where Papa John's was seen as leading, and Domino's has maintained consistently high rates of comparable-store sales growth, logging 30 consecutive quarters of gains. Similarly, Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) is also hungry for a turnaround with its Pizza Hut chain after years of languishing. Its efforts may finally be starting to pay off with comps flat year over year in the fourth quarter as well as for the year, a sign that the chain may have finally stabilized. Meanwhile, Papa John's 2018 comps were down 7.3%, making the hill it has to climb much steeper. The pizza chain will use Starboard's $200 million investment to pay down some of its debt. In return, the hedge fund is buying a newly designated Series B convertible preferred stock with an option to purchase up to $50 million more. Franchisees are also being given an opportunity to buy a total of $10 million of the convertible preferred stock on the same terms as Starboard. Most of Papa John's efforts need to go toward repairing its image. But because this is not a quick-fix solution, something Starboard Value acknowledges, it may not be a battle it can easily win. It also suggests investors can bide their time before deciding whether the Papa John's turnaround will work. More From The Motley Fool Rich Duprey has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. | Activist investor Starboard Value is injecting $200 million into Papa John's. The hedge fund's founder Jeffrey Smith will take on the role of chairman of the board. Smith is credited with engineering the turnaround at Olive Garden following the ouster of the entire board of directors at Darden Restaurants. | bart | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/starboard-value-papa-john-apos-160100331.html | 0.35604 |
Where are Stoneman Douglas students, parents, officials now? | PARKLAND, Fla. The massacre that left 17 dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School pushed students, parents, officials and others into the national limelight, something most never sought. A look at where some of the most prominent are today: STUDENTS EMMA GONZALEZ -- Gonzalez, 19, became known for her "We Call B.S." speech criticizing politicians who accept money from the National Rifle Association, which she gave days after the shooting during a Fort Lauderdale rally. She, David Hogg and other March for Our Lives founders were featured on the cover of Time magazine. They spent the summer as part of the "Road to Change" tour, which registered young voters around the country. She is attending Florida's New College. DAVID HOGG -- Hogg, 18, became the most prominent spokesman for March for Our Lives, a group he and other Stoneman Douglas students founded that is pushing for stronger gun laws. It won the International Children's Peace Prize. His activism led to significant criticism, including death threats. He and his younger sister, Lauren, wrote a book, "#NeverAgain: A New Generation Draws the Line." He will be attending Harvard in the fall. KYLE KASHUV -- The Stoneman Douglas senior has become the most prominent conservative voice among the students, meeting with President Donald Trump, Republican members of Congress and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Kashuv was a member of Gov. Ron DeSantis' transition team and is high school outreach director for Turning Point USA, a conservative group. PARENTS ANDREW POLLACK -- Pollack, whose 18-year-old daughter Meadow died in the shooting, became the most outspoken critic of school and law enforcement officials among the victims' parents and a force in Florida conservative politics. He has met with Trump, and was on DeSantis' transition team. He is pushing for the removal of Broward school Superintendent Robert Runcie and is suing suspect Nikolas Cruz, the Broward school district and sheriff's office and former Broward sheriff's Deputy Scot Peterson, who was on duty at the school during the shooting but did not enter the building to confront the shooter. FRED GUTTENBERG -- Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime was killed, has become an outspoken advocate for gun control and liberal causes. He drew national attention when he approached new Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing and extended his hand, only to have Kavanaugh walk away. Guttenberg was part of the transition team for new state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, Florida's only statewide Democratic officeholder. RYAN PETTY -- Petty, whose 14-year-old daughter Alaina died, was appointed to the state commission investigating the shooting's causes. His comments tended to hit at police and school system failures he perceived. He lost a bid for the Broward County school board, but was also part of DeSantis' transition team. MAX SCHACHTER -- Schacter, whose 14-year-old son Alex died, became the emotional voice of the parents as a member of the state commission and founder of the group, "Safe Schools for Alex." He has traveled extensively looking at school security systems. LORI ALHADEFF -- Alhadeff, whose 14-year-old daughter Alyssa was killed, won a school board seat representing Parkland in August. She tried hiring a Runcie critic as her secretary, but the superintendent said the woman, a college instructor who holds a doctorate, was unqualified because she didn't have related experience. Alhadeff has pushed Runcie to set a timeline for implementing school security projects. TONY MONTALTO -- Montalto, whose 14-year-old daughter Gina was killed, is president of "Stand with Parkland," a group of parents and spouses of the victims. The group has pushed for enhanced school security measures, better mental health screening programs and universal background checks for gun purchases. MANUEL OLIVER -- Oliver, whose 17-year-old son Joaquin died, is an artist who has created projects honoring his son and condemning gun violence. He recently took on comic Louis CK, who mocked the victims during a December performance. At his website, changetheref.org, Oliver poses as a standup comedian and in the form of a joke he tells about dropping his son off the day he died. No one laughs. OFFICIALS ROBERT RUNCIE -- The Broward County school superintendent remains in office over the objection of the victims' families, as he has the backing of a majority of the nine-member school board. DeSantis has hinted he would like to suspend Runcie, but state law won't allow it as Runcie is an appointed official, not elected. SCOTT ISRAEL - DeSantis suspended the Broward County sheriff on Jan. 11, saying he "repeatedly failed and has demonstrated a pattern of poor leadership." Before the shooting, Israel had changed his department's policy to say deputies "may" confront shooters from "shall." Critics say that gave eight deputies an excuse for not confronting the gunman when they arrived during the shooting but stayed outside. Israel's attorneys say he intends to challenge the suspension. He intends to run again next year. SCOT PETERSON -- Peterson, a longtime Broward sheriff's deputy assigned to school, retired shortly after the shooting. Security video showed he drew his gun but did not enter the three-story freshman building where the killings took place. Instead, he took cover nearby and stayed there for about 50 minutes. In interviews with the "Today" show and The Washington Post, he said he did not know where the shots were coming from. He was subpoenaed to testify before the state investigative commission, but invoked his Fifth Amendment right to silence after it was announced he is under criminal investigation. The commission concluded that he lied about not knowing the location of the shooter, and several members called him a coward. He is collecting a pension of more than $100,000 annually. SUSPECT AND FAMILY NIKOLAS CRUZ -- Cruz, 20, remains jailed in Broward County, charged with 17 counts of first-degree murder. His attorneys have said the former Stoneman Douglas student would plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence, but prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. No trial date has been set. In November, he was charged with attacking a jail guard who investigators say told him not to drag his sandals while walking. The guard fended off the attack, investigators said. ZACHARY CRUZ -- The suspect's 18-year-old brother pleaded no contest in March to trespassing at the school 33 days after the shooting. He was re-arrested weeks later for violating probation for driving without a license and for driving near a school, but was quickly released. He has moved to Virginia, and has shown up at some of his brother's court hearings. | The massacre that left 17 dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School pushed students, parents, officials into the national limelight. A look at where some of the most prominent are today: Students, parents and others have become prominent voices in the aftermath of the shooting. | ctrlsum | 2 | http://www.startribune.com/where-are-stoneman-douglas-students-parents-officials-now/505836002/ | 0.228113 |
Does Netanyahu's chumminess with Arab leaders really signal a new era? | They are images that will infuriate the Palestinian leadership. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu joking and smiling with Arab leaders at an international conference on the Middle East. Israel has formal diplomatic relations with only two Arab states, Egypt and Jordan. And for decades, one price the small country has paid for its occupation of the Palestinian territories has been snubs by the majority of its neighbours. But events at a two-day summit in Warsaw tell a different story. First, there were the videos of Netanyahu sitting at the grand opening dinner on Wednesday night with Arab officials. I believe we are beginning a new era, said US vice-president Mike Pence at the meal, with prime minister Netanyahu from the state of Israel, with leaders from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, all breaking bread together. Then there was the meeting and warm handshake with Omani Foreign Minister, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah. It built on another landmark trip Netanyahu made in October, when he met with the Gulf countrys Sultan, the first such visit in more than two decades. Raphael Ahren (@RaphaelAhren) PM @Netanyahu met with Omani FM Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah in Warsaw: The courageous decision of Sultan Qaboos to invite me to #Oman is changing the world. Its pointing the way for many others to do what you said - not to be stuck in the past but to cease the future. pic.twitter.com/20JolijILO And finally, the gut-punch, a brief smile with the foreign minister of Yemen, who Netanyahu sat next to for a group discussion. Jason Greenblatt, President Trumps Middle East envoy, said minister Khaled Alyemany even offered Netanyahu his microphone when the Israeli premiers broke during a closed session. Netanyahu joked about the new cooperation between Israel and Yemen. Step by step ... Greenblatt said on Twitter. The Israeli leader, who will likely become the countrys longest-serving prime minister if he wins the forthcoming election in April, has promised his citizens that warmer ties with Arab states are still possible despite lacklustre peace efforts with the Palestinians. Antipathy towards Iran and trade are two areas where his government has sought to find common ground, hoping they will overshadow solidarity with the Palestinians, who have long relied on regional pressure against Israel. Mike Pence chides US allies at Warsaw summit on Iran Read more In a room of some 60 foreign ministers representative of dozens of governments, an Israeli prime minister and the foreign ministers of the leading Arab countries stood together and spoke with unusual force, clarity and unity against the common threat of the Iranian regime, Netanyahu told reporters in Warsaw. So far, Arab countries have been reluctant to show public ties, fearful of domestic embarrassment, but there are growing signs of thawing relations. Last March, Saudi Arabia opened its airspace to an Israel-bound passenger plane, breaking a 70-year-ban on commercial jets flying over the Arab kingdom to reach the Jewish state. Washington has also pressured Arab leaders, seeking their backing in an unreleased peace plan drafted by Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner. His deal is rumoured to award Israel normalised relations with some Middle East powers for yet-to-be specified compromises for the Palestinians. A Palestinian delegation was reportedly invited to the conference but refused to attend. The West Bank-based leadership rejected Washingtons historical role as a peace mediator after Trump declared the contested city of Jerusalem as Israels capital. Palestine will not provide cover to warmongering or legitimise efforts to market an Israeli-centric fake solution that normalises Arab-Israeli relations at the expense of Palestinian rights, senior Palestinian politician Hanan Ashrawi said ahead of the summit. But in Israel, some are already cheering the end of an era. An article in the Jerusalem Post newspaper said on Thursday that the message from Warsaw was clear: Palestinian leaders do not have a veto on which Arab countries can ally with Israel. The long-held assumption that the Arab world would not deal with Israel until the Palestinian issue is solved has proven empty, it said. | Israel has formal diplomatic relations with only two Arab states, Egypt and Jordan. The Israeli leader has promised his citizens that warmer ties with Arab states are still possible despite lacklustre peace efforts with the Palestinians. The images of Netanyahu joking and smiling with Arab leaders at an international conference on the Middle East will infuriate the Palestinian leadership. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/14/netanyahu-israel-arab-leaders-iran-palestine-warsaw-summit | 0.116265 |
What happened to our feminist Prime Minister? | In September 2017 I was in the audience at the Women in the World Summit in Toronto, and listened to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talk about his feminist bona fides. Well, first we had to watch a video many clips set to a pumping rock score on that subject. I am a feminist, and proud to call myself one, said the onscreen Prime Minister. He went on to add, A gender-balanced cabinet is a significant accomplishment and one that I am particularly proud of. Then our chief elected feminist, whose party has never been led by a woman, came out on stage to be interviewed by famed editor Tina Brown. Mr. Trudeau trotted out a familiar line about goodness-through-utility: Its not just about doing the right thing, its about doing the smart thing. Its about recognizing that when you have a gender-balanced, diverse cabinet, you can really make better decisions, have better conversations. Story continues below advertisement Then he made a very interesting point about how it was relatively easy to recruit women into politics, compared with keeping them there, which he called a challenge around retention. Women would be elected, he said, and after a couple of years wonder if this business was really for them, because of the nastiness, because of the negativity. Im not sure what the retention challenge was when it came to Mr. Trudeaus colleague Jody Wilson-Raybould, who quit the federal cabinet this week. We dont know, and likely wont until all the parties write their memoirs, because a government that promised transparency and openness actually operates with a pythons grip on information. Worse, this government, which branded itself as womens champions I dont know if youve heard, but theyre feminists made a colossal error in hanging out to dry the first Indigenous woman to be named justice minister. The trouble began when the Globe and Mail reported that Ms. Wilson-Raybould, when she was justice minister and attorney-general, had felt pressed by the Prime Ministers Office to intervene in the upcoming bribery case of the Quebec construction giant SNC-Lavalin. Ms. Wilson-Raybould reportedly resisted these entreaties (she hasnt spoken on the matter, citing attorney-client privilege.) In the last cabinet shuffle, Ms. Wilson-Raybould was moved to veteran affairs, which was largely seen as a demotion. We may have to wait a long time, perhaps until Ottawa thaws, before we understand the underlying realities. The optics, though, are stick-in-the-eye terrible. Mr. Trudeau pronounced himself disappointed that Ms. Wilson-Raybould didnt come to him with her concerns, in the tone that you might take with a wayward teenager. Its one thing for a government to treat a female cabinet minister shabbily; its quite another when the government has hung its entire brand national and global on the twin hooks of fairness and feminism. Live by the f-word, die by the f-word. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs released a statement calling on the Prime Minister to condemn the racist and sexist innuendo about Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould that is being spread by unnamed elected officials and staff of your government. That innuendo was contained in a Canadian Press story in which the minister was described as a thorn in the side of cabinet difficult and sort of in it for herself. In case you didnt know, difficult is a whistle that feminist ears are particularly good at picking up. It is part of a familiar and timeworn melody. Here I defer to a much more authoritative source, the World Banks 2015 report The Female Political Career, which looks at the sources of stagnation in womens political trajectories around the world: Once in office, gendered roles and expectations continue to dog female legislators, capping ambitions as surely as they stunt their success. Its no fun pointing out the shortfall between the shiny brand and the dull reality. Id much prefer there was no gap at all. In fairness, this government has made meaningful progress, including a federal budget developed through gender analysis, as well as important legislation on violence against women and sexual harassment. Theres also Foreign Affairs minister Chrystia Freeland, who spends her time actually doing feminism rather than talking about it. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement This government is being held to a high standard because it claimed that space for itself, and then when it fell short, decided to mouth platitudes instead of taking responsibility. Or said nothing at all, which is more the style of a government that likes to communicate through statement socks rather than letting its MPs speak freely. The abandoned campaign promise of electoral reform is just one issue. Proponents of electoral reform argue that we need a new system to draw in non-traditional candidates, include women and people from different racial backgrounds. This government promised, then chucked, a commitment to systemic change and left a young minister, Maryam Monsef, to do that dirty work. At the time, Conservative MP Candice Bergen called out the Prime Minister for turning his young female ministers into political roadkill. At least Ms. Wilson-Raybould can count on the support of some of the women in the Liberal caucus, who seem to have defied the Prime Ministers Office and reached out through Twitter (really, you need a degree in Kremlinology to understand this government.) MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes wrote, As someone on the inside, who knows @Puglaas, I can tell you that she is fierce, smart and unapologetic. When women speak up and out, they are always going to be labelled. Go ahead. Label away. We are not going anywhere. Treasury Board President Jane Philpott tweeted a picture with Ms. Wilson-Raybould, the two of them smiling together on a boat, with the words, You taught me so much - particularly about Indigenous history, rights and justice. I know you will continue to serve Canadians. Ms. Wilson-Raybould will undoubtedly continue to serve, and one day shell speak her piece. Im not worried about her. Im worried that the idea of a feminist agenda has now become a joke, a tarnished brand, and its the women of this country who will pay. | In September, Justin Trudeau said he was a feminist, and proud to call himself one. The Prime Minister has since been criticized for his treatment of Jody Wilson-Raybould. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-what-happened-to-our-feminist-prime-minister/ | 0.178797 |
What happened to our feminist Prime Minister? | In September 2017 I was in the audience at the Women in the World Summit in Toronto, and listened to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talk about his feminist bona fides. Well, first we had to watch a video many clips set to a pumping rock score on that subject. I am a feminist, and proud to call myself one, said the onscreen Prime Minister. He went on to add, A gender-balanced cabinet is a significant accomplishment and one that I am particularly proud of. Then our chief elected feminist, whose party has never been led by a woman, came out on stage to be interviewed by famed editor Tina Brown. Mr. Trudeau trotted out a familiar line about goodness-through-utility: Its not just about doing the right thing, its about doing the smart thing. Its about recognizing that when you have a gender-balanced, diverse cabinet, you can really make better decisions, have better conversations. Story continues below advertisement Then he made a very interesting point about how it was relatively easy to recruit women into politics, compared with keeping them there, which he called a challenge around retention. Women would be elected, he said, and after a couple of years wonder if this business was really for them, because of the nastiness, because of the negativity. Im not sure what the retention challenge was when it came to Mr. Trudeaus colleague Jody Wilson-Raybould, who quit the federal cabinet this week. We dont know, and likely wont until all the parties write their memoirs, because a government that promised transparency and openness actually operates with a pythons grip on information. Worse, this government, which branded itself as womens champions I dont know if youve heard, but theyre feminists made a colossal error in hanging out to dry the first Indigenous woman to be named justice minister. The trouble began when the Globe and Mail reported that Ms. Wilson-Raybould, when she was justice minister and attorney-general, had felt pressed by the Prime Ministers Office to intervene in the upcoming bribery case of the Quebec construction giant SNC-Lavalin. Ms. Wilson-Raybould reportedly resisted these entreaties (she hasnt spoken on the matter, citing attorney-client privilege.) In the last cabinet shuffle, Ms. Wilson-Raybould was moved to veteran affairs, which was largely seen as a demotion. We may have to wait a long time, perhaps until Ottawa thaws, before we understand the underlying realities. The optics, though, are stick-in-the-eye terrible. Mr. Trudeau pronounced himself disappointed that Ms. Wilson-Raybould didnt come to him with her concerns, in the tone that you might take with a wayward teenager. Its one thing for a government to treat a female cabinet minister shabbily; its quite another when the government has hung its entire brand national and global on the twin hooks of fairness and feminism. Live by the f-word, die by the f-word. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs released a statement calling on the Prime Minister to condemn the racist and sexist innuendo about Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould that is being spread by unnamed elected officials and staff of your government. That innuendo was contained in a Canadian Press story in which the minister was described as a thorn in the side of cabinet difficult and sort of in it for herself. In case you didnt know, difficult is a whistle that feminist ears are particularly good at picking up. It is part of a familiar and timeworn melody. Here I defer to a much more authoritative source, the World Banks 2015 report The Female Political Career, which looks at the sources of stagnation in womens political trajectories around the world: Once in office, gendered roles and expectations continue to dog female legislators, capping ambitions as surely as they stunt their success. Its no fun pointing out the shortfall between the shiny brand and the dull reality. Id much prefer there was no gap at all. In fairness, this government has made meaningful progress, including a federal budget developed through gender analysis, as well as important legislation on violence against women and sexual harassment. Theres also Foreign Affairs minister Chrystia Freeland, who spends her time actually doing feminism rather than talking about it. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement This government is being held to a high standard because it claimed that space for itself, and then when it fell short, decided to mouth platitudes instead of taking responsibility. Or said nothing at all, which is more the style of a government that likes to communicate through statement socks rather than letting its MPs speak freely. The abandoned campaign promise of electoral reform is just one issue. Proponents of electoral reform argue that we need a new system to draw in non-traditional candidates, include women and people from different racial backgrounds. This government promised, then chucked, a commitment to systemic change and left a young minister, Maryam Monsef, to do that dirty work. At the time, Conservative MP Candice Bergen called out the Prime Minister for turning his young female ministers into political roadkill. At least Ms. Wilson-Raybould can count on the support of some of the women in the Liberal caucus, who seem to have defied the Prime Ministers Office and reached out through Twitter (really, you need a degree in Kremlinology to understand this government.) MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes wrote, As someone on the inside, who knows @Puglaas, I can tell you that she is fierce, smart and unapologetic. When women speak up and out, they are always going to be labelled. Go ahead. Label away. We are not going anywhere. Treasury Board President Jane Philpott tweeted a picture with Ms. Wilson-Raybould, the two of them smiling together on a boat, with the words, You taught me so much - particularly about Indigenous history, rights and justice. I know you will continue to serve Canadians. Ms. Wilson-Raybould will undoubtedly continue to serve, and one day shell speak her piece. Im not worried about her. Im worried that the idea of a feminist agenda has now become a joke, a tarnished brand, and its the women of this country who will pay. | In September, Justin Trudeau said he was a feminist, and proud to call himself one. The Prime Minister has since been criticized for his treatment of Jody Wilson-Raybould. The optics are stick-in-the-eye terrible for a government that promised transparency and openness. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-what-happened-to-our-feminist-prime-minister/ | 0.250681 |
Does Will Smith look terrifying as Genie in 'Aladdin'? | By Keydra Manns Disney recently released a trailer to the live-action version of "Aladdin" and almost shut down Twitter. The approximately one-minute trailer ends with a massive and muscled up Will Smith coated in a shade of deep blue. And although fans are excited for the movie, they feel Smith looks terrifying and is not giving the beloved Genie his proper justice. But some say folks online are exaggerating per usual and the Genie looks fine. PERSPECTIVES Some critics were terrified after seeing Will Smith as Genie. Some wish they hadn't seen it at all. #WillSmith as Aladin's genie is the smurf of my nightmares -- beau harris (@roast_and_toast) February 11, 2019 But others argue it is just a movie, and folks will find anything to complain about. Its ah MOVIE!!!!! Some folks just Need anything to Trip on!!!!! -- Mony Wayne (@WayneMony) February 12, 2019 Blue Will, I can't wait to watch it... 2019 is all about bringing our childhood back: Alladin, Dumbo, The Lion King let's just try to enjoy it... -- Alexander Herrera (@alexherlara) 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, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | Disney recently released a trailer to the live-action version of "Aladdin" Some critics were terrified after seeing Will Smith as Genie. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2019/02/does_will_smith_look_terrifyin.html | 0.264475 |
Does Will Smith look terrifying as Genie in 'Aladdin'? | By Keydra Manns Disney recently released a trailer to the live-action version of "Aladdin" and almost shut down Twitter. The approximately one-minute trailer ends with a massive and muscled up Will Smith coated in a shade of deep blue. And although fans are excited for the movie, they feel Smith looks terrifying and is not giving the beloved Genie his proper justice. But some say folks online are exaggerating per usual and the Genie looks fine. PERSPECTIVES Some critics were terrified after seeing Will Smith as Genie. Some wish they hadn't seen it at all. #WillSmith as Aladin's genie is the smurf of my nightmares -- beau harris (@roast_and_toast) February 11, 2019 But others argue it is just a movie, and folks will find anything to complain about. Its ah MOVIE!!!!! Some folks just Need anything to Trip on!!!!! -- Mony Wayne (@WayneMony) February 12, 2019 Blue Will, I can't wait to watch it... 2019 is all about bringing our childhood back: Alladin, Dumbo, The Lion King let's just try to enjoy it... -- Alexander Herrera (@alexherlara) 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, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | Will Smith's appearance in "Aladdin" has been met with mixed reviews. Some say he looks terrifying, while others say it's just a movie. Others say critics are exaggerating and the Genie looks fine. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2019/02/does_will_smith_look_terrifyin.html | 0.384751 |
Does Will Smith look terrifying as Genie in 'Aladdin'? | By Keydra Manns Disney recently released a trailer to the live-action version of "Aladdin" and almost shut down Twitter. The approximately one-minute trailer ends with a massive and muscled up Will Smith coated in a shade of deep blue. And although fans are excited for the movie, they feel Smith looks terrifying and is not giving the beloved Genie his proper justice. But some say folks online are exaggerating per usual and the Genie looks fine. PERSPECTIVES Some critics were terrified after seeing Will Smith as Genie. Some wish they hadn't seen it at all. #WillSmith as Aladin's genie is the smurf of my nightmares -- beau harris (@roast_and_toast) February 11, 2019 But others argue it is just a movie, and folks will find anything to complain about. Its ah MOVIE!!!!! Some folks just Need anything to Trip on!!!!! -- Mony Wayne (@WayneMony) February 12, 2019 Blue Will, I can't wait to watch it... 2019 is all about bringing our childhood back: Alladin, Dumbo, The Lion King let's just try to enjoy it... -- Alexander Herrera (@alexherlara) 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, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | Disney recently released a trailer to the live-action version of "Aladdin" Some critics were terrified after seeing Will Smith as Genie. Others argue it is just a movie, and folks will find anything to complain about. The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2019/02/does_will_smith_look_terrifyin.html | 0.30893 |
Are private home-care companies about to become more profitable? | Despite Ontarios health ministers insistence that nothing has been decided it seems likely that radical changes to Ontario health care delivery will arrive shortly. Legislation has been drafted and new structures to support a super agency have been incorporated. According to leaked government documents, it appears that agencies such as Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and Cancer Care Ontario are soon to be eliminated. (H)ome-care companies have grown from small organizations to diversified profit generators. They even provide international consulting services that are focused on maximizing profits as the richest generation in the worlds history ages and requires help at home, writes Bob Bell. ( Dreamstime ) Despite mounting evidence of impending transformation, neither the premier nor the minister have explained what this radical change will accomplish. The premiers health platform commitments were to eliminate hallway medicine and increase long-term care beds and mental illness services. These promises do not require dismembering our current system. The commitment to new long-term care beds is fundamental to ending hallway medicine. We have an immediate need for about 5,000 such beds. Patients waiting for these beds to open are crowding our hospital wards. With the number of Ontarians over 75 growing at 4 to 5 per cent annually, we need 15,000 new nursing home beds over the next four years and a continued expansion of home-care services to eliminate hallway medicine. Article Continued Below Thinking of the advisers presumably recommending radical structural changes to our system, three of the 11 members of the Premiers Council to Improve Healthcare and Eliminate Hallway Medicine are associated now, or in the past, with the private companies that deliver home-care in Ontario. Two are current CEOs of home-care companies and a third council member is a former home-care company board chair. Over the past 18 months, the LHINs have organized the delivery, payment and supervision of home-care services provided by these private companies. With the LHINs presumably about to expire, the private companies that provide more than 95 per cent of Ontario home-care are going to be supervised more loosely, presumably by the bureaucratic Queens Park super agency. The profit margins that these companies enjoy in their existing business with the LHINs are very healthy. For each home-care visit made by a personal support worker (PSW), the company gets $34. The worker gets $17 to $19 of this money. Even with employment benefits worth about 18 per cent of pay, these companies are achieving at least a 20 per cent profit margin with no risk of bad debts since their client is the tax payer of Ontario. The former government and LHINs initially standardized the cost of a PSW visit to $34, with the hope that this price could be reduced by a process of managed competition that would allow for increased home-care services with less incremental cost. Managed competition envisioned offering companies the ability to provide contracted services at a slightly lower rate than the current standard. Managed competition would create lower costs without the race to the bottom that often occurs with tendering. This opportunity for managed competition will likely disappear with the churn of transferring home-care contracts to the Super Agency. And the healthy margins that home-care companies already make from PSW visits seem insufficient for them. In their 2019 prebudget submission, Home Care Ontario, the association for home-care companies, demands a provincial task force . to determine contract rate increases. Article Continued Below Getting rid of the LHINs, which wanted better value for tax payers by using managed competition to increase home-care services, risks leaving the private companies largely unaccountable. Well, these companies also provide private home-care services and will increase their profit margin even further if they can shift more vulnerable Ontarians from a publicly funded to a private model of care. These home-care companies have grown from small organizations to diversified profit generators. They even provide international consulting services that are focused on maximizing profits as the richest generation in the worlds history ages and requires help at home. If the LHINS had been able to achieve managed competition, patients would have benefited from more hours of service and PSWs would have kept the wage enhancements provided by the former government. And, with two or three years of competition and increased efficiency, the large home-care companies would have maintained profitability. With three insiders on the Premiers Council, the home-care industry is getting relief from supervision by the LHINs. Now, without any provincial agency focused on better value for tax payers, the home-care industry may be about to enter a golden era of profitability in Ontario. Bob Bell worked in Ontario health care for more than 40 years as a GP, surgeon, hospital CEO and Deputy Minister of Health. Read more about: | Bob Bell: Leaked government documents suggest home-care agencies are to be eliminated. Bell: Home-care companies already make healthy profit margins from their business with the LHINs. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/02/14/are-private-home-care-companies-about-to-become-more-profitable.html | 0.170608 |
Are private home-care companies about to become more profitable? | Despite Ontarios health ministers insistence that nothing has been decided it seems likely that radical changes to Ontario health care delivery will arrive shortly. Legislation has been drafted and new structures to support a super agency have been incorporated. According to leaked government documents, it appears that agencies such as Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and Cancer Care Ontario are soon to be eliminated. (H)ome-care companies have grown from small organizations to diversified profit generators. They even provide international consulting services that are focused on maximizing profits as the richest generation in the worlds history ages and requires help at home, writes Bob Bell. ( Dreamstime ) Despite mounting evidence of impending transformation, neither the premier nor the minister have explained what this radical change will accomplish. The premiers health platform commitments were to eliminate hallway medicine and increase long-term care beds and mental illness services. These promises do not require dismembering our current system. The commitment to new long-term care beds is fundamental to ending hallway medicine. We have an immediate need for about 5,000 such beds. Patients waiting for these beds to open are crowding our hospital wards. With the number of Ontarians over 75 growing at 4 to 5 per cent annually, we need 15,000 new nursing home beds over the next four years and a continued expansion of home-care services to eliminate hallway medicine. Article Continued Below Thinking of the advisers presumably recommending radical structural changes to our system, three of the 11 members of the Premiers Council to Improve Healthcare and Eliminate Hallway Medicine are associated now, or in the past, with the private companies that deliver home-care in Ontario. Two are current CEOs of home-care companies and a third council member is a former home-care company board chair. Over the past 18 months, the LHINs have organized the delivery, payment and supervision of home-care services provided by these private companies. With the LHINs presumably about to expire, the private companies that provide more than 95 per cent of Ontario home-care are going to be supervised more loosely, presumably by the bureaucratic Queens Park super agency. The profit margins that these companies enjoy in their existing business with the LHINs are very healthy. For each home-care visit made by a personal support worker (PSW), the company gets $34. The worker gets $17 to $19 of this money. Even with employment benefits worth about 18 per cent of pay, these companies are achieving at least a 20 per cent profit margin with no risk of bad debts since their client is the tax payer of Ontario. The former government and LHINs initially standardized the cost of a PSW visit to $34, with the hope that this price could be reduced by a process of managed competition that would allow for increased home-care services with less incremental cost. Managed competition envisioned offering companies the ability to provide contracted services at a slightly lower rate than the current standard. Managed competition would create lower costs without the race to the bottom that often occurs with tendering. This opportunity for managed competition will likely disappear with the churn of transferring home-care contracts to the Super Agency. And the healthy margins that home-care companies already make from PSW visits seem insufficient for them. In their 2019 prebudget submission, Home Care Ontario, the association for home-care companies, demands a provincial task force . to determine contract rate increases. Article Continued Below Getting rid of the LHINs, which wanted better value for tax payers by using managed competition to increase home-care services, risks leaving the private companies largely unaccountable. Well, these companies also provide private home-care services and will increase their profit margin even further if they can shift more vulnerable Ontarians from a publicly funded to a private model of care. These home-care companies have grown from small organizations to diversified profit generators. They even provide international consulting services that are focused on maximizing profits as the richest generation in the worlds history ages and requires help at home. If the LHINS had been able to achieve managed competition, patients would have benefited from more hours of service and PSWs would have kept the wage enhancements provided by the former government. And, with two or three years of competition and increased efficiency, the large home-care companies would have maintained profitability. With three insiders on the Premiers Council, the home-care industry is getting relief from supervision by the LHINs. Now, without any provincial agency focused on better value for tax payers, the home-care industry may be about to enter a golden era of profitability in Ontario. Bob Bell worked in Ontario health care for more than 40 years as a GP, surgeon, hospital CEO and Deputy Minister of Health. Read more about: | Bob Bell: Leaked government documents suggest home-care agencies are to be eliminated. Bell: Home-care companies already make healthy profit margins from their business with the LHINs. He says Ontario needs 5,000 more nursing home beds and expansion of home- care services. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/02/14/are-private-home-care-companies-about-to-become-more-profitable.html | 0.28256 |
What 5 used cars are best values for Cincinnati area shoppers? | <b>Nissan Altima:</b> As the cornerstone of Nissans dynamic product lineup, Nissan Altima embodies the philosophy of Innovation that excites with thoughtful technology solutions that make life easier and a premium experience that is unique in its segment. Altima is not only Nissans best-selling vehicle but also one of the top-selling cars in the United States thanks to its distinctive exterior and interior design, rewarding driving experience and innovative, driver-focused technology. Base price: $22,300. (Photo: Provided) If you're in the market for a new set of wheels and looking for a bargain, you might consider buying used. According to the latest study by the automotive research firm and search engine, iSeeCars.com, you could reduce what you pay by more than 23 percent if you choose a lightly used vehicle, 1-year-old, over a new version of the same vehicle. In Cincinnati, selecting certain vehicle models could save you even more. Certain lightly used vehicles can cost up to 37.7 percent less than their new counterpart, savings in dollars between $6,700 to $10,600. According to iSeeCars.com, the top used vehicles to buy in Cincinnati are: Nissan Altima Chevrolet Impala Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Nissan Rogue Kia Optima More: Report: Deals on a Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus or Chevrolet Malibu can be found here More: Study: 1 in 10 Cincinnati residents keep their car for over 15 years Support local journalism: President's Day sale for new subscribers. The research firm also ranked vehicles nationally. Best values for lightly used vs. new SUVs, for example, according to iSeeCars.com are: Ford Expedition Infiniti QX80 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Kia Sportage Nissan Armada Nissan Rogue GMC Yukon XL Nissan Pathfinder Kia Sorento Mitsubishi Outlander In developing its list, iSeeCars.com analyzed more than 7 million new and used cars sold from August 2018 to January 2019, comparing prices of new cars to lightly used equivalents and identifying those with the highest price differences to determine the cars consumers should buy used in Cincinnati. Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/02/14/what-five-used-cars-best-values-cincinnati-shoppers/2868906002/ | Nissan Altima, Chevrolet Impala, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport and Kia Optima. iSeeCars.com: Best used vehicles to buy in Cincinnati are: Altima and Impala. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/02/14/what-five-used-cars-best-values-cincinnati-shoppers/2868906002/ | 0.678071 |
What 5 used cars are best values for Cincinnati area shoppers? | <b>Nissan Altima:</b> As the cornerstone of Nissans dynamic product lineup, Nissan Altima embodies the philosophy of Innovation that excites with thoughtful technology solutions that make life easier and a premium experience that is unique in its segment. Altima is not only Nissans best-selling vehicle but also one of the top-selling cars in the United States thanks to its distinctive exterior and interior design, rewarding driving experience and innovative, driver-focused technology. Base price: $22,300. (Photo: Provided) If you're in the market for a new set of wheels and looking for a bargain, you might consider buying used. According to the latest study by the automotive research firm and search engine, iSeeCars.com, you could reduce what you pay by more than 23 percent if you choose a lightly used vehicle, 1-year-old, over a new version of the same vehicle. In Cincinnati, selecting certain vehicle models could save you even more. Certain lightly used vehicles can cost up to 37.7 percent less than their new counterpart, savings in dollars between $6,700 to $10,600. According to iSeeCars.com, the top used vehicles to buy in Cincinnati are: Nissan Altima Chevrolet Impala Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Nissan Rogue Kia Optima More: Report: Deals on a Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus or Chevrolet Malibu can be found here More: Study: 1 in 10 Cincinnati residents keep their car for over 15 years Support local journalism: President's Day sale for new subscribers. The research firm also ranked vehicles nationally. Best values for lightly used vs. new SUVs, for example, according to iSeeCars.com are: Ford Expedition Infiniti QX80 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Kia Sportage Nissan Armada Nissan Rogue GMC Yukon XL Nissan Pathfinder Kia Sorento Mitsubishi Outlander In developing its list, iSeeCars.com analyzed more than 7 million new and used cars sold from August 2018 to January 2019, comparing prices of new cars to lightly used equivalents and identifying those with the highest price differences to determine the cars consumers should buy used in Cincinnati. Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/02/14/what-five-used-cars-best-values-cincinnati-shoppers/2868906002/ | You could reduce what you pay by more than 23 percent if you choose a lightly used vehicle, 1-year-old, over a new version of the same vehicle. Certain lightly used vehicles can cost up to 37.7 percent less than their new counterpart. The top used vehicles to buy in Cincinnati are: Nissan Altima and Chevrolet Impala. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/02/14/what-five-used-cars-best-values-cincinnati-shoppers/2868906002/ | 0.734931 |
Will Democrats leftward drift hurt their chances in 2020? | Theres no question the party has shifted since President Trumps election and shifted fairly dramatically. The Democrats arent just changing their rhetoric, writes Peter Beinart in The Atlantic. They are embracing Big Government policies dismissed as utopian or irresponsible only a year or two ago. As Mr. Beinart notes, as recently as 2016, Hillary Clinton said that a single-payer health care system would never, ever come to pass. Now, most of the 2020 contenders are endorsing the concept of Medicare-for-all. Theyre also promoting higher taxes on the wealthy, backing a broad-scale approach to climate change like the one outlined in the Green New Deal, and talking seriously about things like free college tuition. Liberals defend these policies by noting that many public polls show majority support for them. Turns out, these supposedly wacky socialist ideas Democrats are proposing are things Americans think are perfectly worthwhile, writes Paul Waldman in The Washington Post. But some worry the partys leftward shift will create political challenges for Democratic lawmakers from more moderate states and districts many of whom were key to the Democrats retaking the House last November. It makes it more difficult in more rural areas like mine, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin told the Post. It may also give Mr. Trump an opening to win back some of the swing voters who have been moving away from him and whose support he will need in order to win reelection. Interestingly, The Cook Political Reports Amy Walter points to Gallup data showing that while 50 percent of Democrats now identify as liberal, 54 percent also say they want their party to become more moderate. (This is in contrast to Republicans, 57 percent of whom want their party to become more conservative.) That seeming contradiction suggests Democratic voters are more concerned with winning right now than with holding their eventual nominee to certain ideological standards, Ms. Walter writes. Indeed, when it comes to picking their presidential nominee, Democratic voters are likely to have one overriding goal: defeating Trump. And ideological purity may factor far less into their decision than pure politics. Let us know what youre thinking at csmpolitics@csmonitor.com. | Democrats have shifted dramatically since President Trump's election. Some worry the party's leftward drift will hurt their chances in 2020. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/Politics-Watch/2019/0214/Will-Democrats-leftward-drift-hurt-their-chances-in-2020 | 0.280109 |
Will Democrats leftward drift hurt their chances in 2020? | Theres no question the party has shifted since President Trumps election and shifted fairly dramatically. The Democrats arent just changing their rhetoric, writes Peter Beinart in The Atlantic. They are embracing Big Government policies dismissed as utopian or irresponsible only a year or two ago. As Mr. Beinart notes, as recently as 2016, Hillary Clinton said that a single-payer health care system would never, ever come to pass. Now, most of the 2020 contenders are endorsing the concept of Medicare-for-all. Theyre also promoting higher taxes on the wealthy, backing a broad-scale approach to climate change like the one outlined in the Green New Deal, and talking seriously about things like free college tuition. Liberals defend these policies by noting that many public polls show majority support for them. Turns out, these supposedly wacky socialist ideas Democrats are proposing are things Americans think are perfectly worthwhile, writes Paul Waldman in The Washington Post. But some worry the partys leftward shift will create political challenges for Democratic lawmakers from more moderate states and districts many of whom were key to the Democrats retaking the House last November. It makes it more difficult in more rural areas like mine, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin told the Post. It may also give Mr. Trump an opening to win back some of the swing voters who have been moving away from him and whose support he will need in order to win reelection. Interestingly, The Cook Political Reports Amy Walter points to Gallup data showing that while 50 percent of Democrats now identify as liberal, 54 percent also say they want their party to become more moderate. (This is in contrast to Republicans, 57 percent of whom want their party to become more conservative.) That seeming contradiction suggests Democratic voters are more concerned with winning right now than with holding their eventual nominee to certain ideological standards, Ms. Walter writes. Indeed, when it comes to picking their presidential nominee, Democratic voters are likely to have one overriding goal: defeating Trump. And ideological purity may factor far less into their decision than pure politics. Let us know what youre thinking at csmpolitics@csmonitor.com. | The Democratic Party has shifted dramatically since President Trump's election. Some worry the party's leftward shift will hurt its chances in 2020. Others say it could help the party in the long run. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/Politics-Watch/2019/0214/Will-Democrats-leftward-drift-hurt-their-chances-in-2020 | 0.342564 |
Will Democrats leftward drift hurt their chances in 2020? | Theres no question the party has shifted since President Trumps election and shifted fairly dramatically. The Democrats arent just changing their rhetoric, writes Peter Beinart in The Atlantic. They are embracing Big Government policies dismissed as utopian or irresponsible only a year or two ago. As Mr. Beinart notes, as recently as 2016, Hillary Clinton said that a single-payer health care system would never, ever come to pass. Now, most of the 2020 contenders are endorsing the concept of Medicare-for-all. Theyre also promoting higher taxes on the wealthy, backing a broad-scale approach to climate change like the one outlined in the Green New Deal, and talking seriously about things like free college tuition. Liberals defend these policies by noting that many public polls show majority support for them. Turns out, these supposedly wacky socialist ideas Democrats are proposing are things Americans think are perfectly worthwhile, writes Paul Waldman in The Washington Post. But some worry the partys leftward shift will create political challenges for Democratic lawmakers from more moderate states and districts many of whom were key to the Democrats retaking the House last November. It makes it more difficult in more rural areas like mine, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin told the Post. It may also give Mr. Trump an opening to win back some of the swing voters who have been moving away from him and whose support he will need in order to win reelection. Interestingly, The Cook Political Reports Amy Walter points to Gallup data showing that while 50 percent of Democrats now identify as liberal, 54 percent also say they want their party to become more moderate. (This is in contrast to Republicans, 57 percent of whom want their party to become more conservative.) That seeming contradiction suggests Democratic voters are more concerned with winning right now than with holding their eventual nominee to certain ideological standards, Ms. Walter writes. Indeed, when it comes to picking their presidential nominee, Democratic voters are likely to have one overriding goal: defeating Trump. And ideological purity may factor far less into their decision than pure politics. Let us know what youre thinking at csmpolitics@csmonitor.com. | The Democratic Party has shifted dramatically since President Trump's election. Some worry the party's leftward shift will hurt its chances in 2020. Others say it could help the party win back some of the swing voters it lost in 2016. The party is likely to have one overriding goal: defeating Trump. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/Politics-Watch/2019/0214/Will-Democrats-leftward-drift-hurt-their-chances-in-2020 | 0.400973 |
What is a 'national emergency,' and how can Trump use it to fund border wall? | President Trump is hoping to avoid another lengthy government shutdown over funding for a border wall, vowing to sign a border security compromise package and declare a "national emergency" to complete his oft-repeated campaign promise. Trump has repeatedly demanded more than $5 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. When he campaigned for president, he often promised Mexico would pay for the wall. Democrats have refused to capitulate to Trump's budget demands, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has rejected what she calls an "immoral and hateful obesssion" with building a border wall. Now Trump is considering a different route for getting his border wall: a declaration of emergency. On Thursday, the White House announced Trump would take other executive actions to "ensure we stop the national security and humanitarian crisis at the border." TRUMP WILL SIGN BORDER SECURITY BILL, DECLARE NATIONAL EMERGENCY, WHITE HOUSE SAYS "We will get a win ... or I will declare a national emergency," Trump previously said amid the recent partial government shutdown that stretched throughout January. Outlined in the National Emergencies Act of 1976, the president has the authority to declare emergencies, thus unlocking certain provisions, when the country is threatened by crisis, exigency, or emergency circumstances other than wars or natural disasters, a 2007 report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) explains. TRUMPS BORDER WALL: A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS Some of those provisions include the ability to seize commodities or property; control production, transportation and communication; institute martial law or restrict travel, according to the report. Trumps continued reassurance that he could declare a national emergency to build the wall has legal scholars and lawmakers at odds over whether it would even be possible. Presidents have the authority to defend the nation, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney asserted. Rep. Adam Smith, the new Armed Services Committee chair, told ABCs This Week that Trump would have the ability to make such a move earning him a shout-out from the president on Twitter but noted it would almost certainly be met with legal challenges. As Yale Law professor Bruce Ackerman pointed out in a column for The New York Times, Congress does have the ability to reign in an emergency declaration. Although Republicans control the Senate (and Democrats have the House), Ackerman argued its still possible for lawmakers to reject the declaration. PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WORRIES ANTI-SEXUAL VIOLENCE ORGS AS FUNDING RUNS OUT Since President Trumps emergency declaration would be a direct response to his failure to convince Congress that national security requires his wall, it is hard to believe that a majority of the Senate, if forced to vote, would accept his show of contempt for their authority, he said. One statute, 33 U.S. Code 2293, says: "Reprogramming during national emergencies," permits the president to "apply the resources of the Department of the Armys civil works program, including funds, personnel, and equipment, to construct or assist in the construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of authorized civil works, military construction, and civil defense projects that are essential to the national defense." Another law, 10 U.S. Code 2808, dictates: "Construction authority in the event of a declaration of war or national emergency," permits the secretary of defense, in a presidentially declared emergency, to use "funds that have been appropriated for military construction" for the purpose of undertaking "military construction projects." During the Korean War, President Harry S. Truman sought to take control of the countrys steel mills in an attempt to circumvent a planned nationwide strike among workers through an executive order. But the Supreme Court ultimately ruled in Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company v. Sawyer that the president did not have such authority. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Look, if Harry Truman couldnt authorize the steel industry during wartime, this president doesnt have the power to declare an emergency and build a multibillion-dollar wall on the border, Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic chair of the Intelligence Committee, told CNN. Fox News' Gregg Re and The Associated Press contributed to this report. | The National Emergencies Act of 1976 gives the president the power to seize commodities or property, control production, transportation and communication. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/what-is-a-national-emergency-how-can-trump-use-it-to-fund-border-wall | 0.161979 |
What is a 'national emergency,' and how can Trump use it to fund border wall? | President Trump is hoping to avoid another lengthy government shutdown over funding for a border wall, vowing to sign a border security compromise package and declare a "national emergency" to complete his oft-repeated campaign promise. Trump has repeatedly demanded more than $5 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. When he campaigned for president, he often promised Mexico would pay for the wall. Democrats have refused to capitulate to Trump's budget demands, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has rejected what she calls an "immoral and hateful obesssion" with building a border wall. Now Trump is considering a different route for getting his border wall: a declaration of emergency. On Thursday, the White House announced Trump would take other executive actions to "ensure we stop the national security and humanitarian crisis at the border." TRUMP WILL SIGN BORDER SECURITY BILL, DECLARE NATIONAL EMERGENCY, WHITE HOUSE SAYS "We will get a win ... or I will declare a national emergency," Trump previously said amid the recent partial government shutdown that stretched throughout January. Outlined in the National Emergencies Act of 1976, the president has the authority to declare emergencies, thus unlocking certain provisions, when the country is threatened by crisis, exigency, or emergency circumstances other than wars or natural disasters, a 2007 report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) explains. TRUMPS BORDER WALL: A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS Some of those provisions include the ability to seize commodities or property; control production, transportation and communication; institute martial law or restrict travel, according to the report. Trumps continued reassurance that he could declare a national emergency to build the wall has legal scholars and lawmakers at odds over whether it would even be possible. Presidents have the authority to defend the nation, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney asserted. Rep. Adam Smith, the new Armed Services Committee chair, told ABCs This Week that Trump would have the ability to make such a move earning him a shout-out from the president on Twitter but noted it would almost certainly be met with legal challenges. As Yale Law professor Bruce Ackerman pointed out in a column for The New York Times, Congress does have the ability to reign in an emergency declaration. Although Republicans control the Senate (and Democrats have the House), Ackerman argued its still possible for lawmakers to reject the declaration. PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WORRIES ANTI-SEXUAL VIOLENCE ORGS AS FUNDING RUNS OUT Since President Trumps emergency declaration would be a direct response to his failure to convince Congress that national security requires his wall, it is hard to believe that a majority of the Senate, if forced to vote, would accept his show of contempt for their authority, he said. One statute, 33 U.S. Code 2293, says: "Reprogramming during national emergencies," permits the president to "apply the resources of the Department of the Armys civil works program, including funds, personnel, and equipment, to construct or assist in the construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of authorized civil works, military construction, and civil defense projects that are essential to the national defense." Another law, 10 U.S. Code 2808, dictates: "Construction authority in the event of a declaration of war or national emergency," permits the secretary of defense, in a presidentially declared emergency, to use "funds that have been appropriated for military construction" for the purpose of undertaking "military construction projects." During the Korean War, President Harry S. Truman sought to take control of the countrys steel mills in an attempt to circumvent a planned nationwide strike among workers through an executive order. But the Supreme Court ultimately ruled in Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company v. Sawyer that the president did not have such authority. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Look, if Harry Truman couldnt authorize the steel industry during wartime, this president doesnt have the power to declare an emergency and build a multibillion-dollar wall on the border, Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic chair of the Intelligence Committee, told CNN. Fox News' Gregg Re and The Associated Press contributed to this report. | President Trump is considering a national emergency declaration to fund his border wall. The president has the authority to declare emergencies when the country is threatened by crisis, exigency, or emergency circumstances. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/what-is-a-national-emergency-how-can-trump-use-it-to-fund-border-wall | 0.381941 |
What is a 'national emergency,' and how can Trump use it to fund border wall? | President Trump is hoping to avoid another lengthy government shutdown over funding for a border wall, vowing to sign a border security compromise package and declare a "national emergency" to complete his oft-repeated campaign promise. Trump has repeatedly demanded more than $5 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. When he campaigned for president, he often promised Mexico would pay for the wall. Democrats have refused to capitulate to Trump's budget demands, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has rejected what she calls an "immoral and hateful obesssion" with building a border wall. Now Trump is considering a different route for getting his border wall: a declaration of emergency. On Thursday, the White House announced Trump would take other executive actions to "ensure we stop the national security and humanitarian crisis at the border." TRUMP WILL SIGN BORDER SECURITY BILL, DECLARE NATIONAL EMERGENCY, WHITE HOUSE SAYS "We will get a win ... or I will declare a national emergency," Trump previously said amid the recent partial government shutdown that stretched throughout January. Outlined in the National Emergencies Act of 1976, the president has the authority to declare emergencies, thus unlocking certain provisions, when the country is threatened by crisis, exigency, or emergency circumstances other than wars or natural disasters, a 2007 report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) explains. TRUMPS BORDER WALL: A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS Some of those provisions include the ability to seize commodities or property; control production, transportation and communication; institute martial law or restrict travel, according to the report. Trumps continued reassurance that he could declare a national emergency to build the wall has legal scholars and lawmakers at odds over whether it would even be possible. Presidents have the authority to defend the nation, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney asserted. Rep. Adam Smith, the new Armed Services Committee chair, told ABCs This Week that Trump would have the ability to make such a move earning him a shout-out from the president on Twitter but noted it would almost certainly be met with legal challenges. As Yale Law professor Bruce Ackerman pointed out in a column for The New York Times, Congress does have the ability to reign in an emergency declaration. Although Republicans control the Senate (and Democrats have the House), Ackerman argued its still possible for lawmakers to reject the declaration. PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WORRIES ANTI-SEXUAL VIOLENCE ORGS AS FUNDING RUNS OUT Since President Trumps emergency declaration would be a direct response to his failure to convince Congress that national security requires his wall, it is hard to believe that a majority of the Senate, if forced to vote, would accept his show of contempt for their authority, he said. One statute, 33 U.S. Code 2293, says: "Reprogramming during national emergencies," permits the president to "apply the resources of the Department of the Armys civil works program, including funds, personnel, and equipment, to construct or assist in the construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of authorized civil works, military construction, and civil defense projects that are essential to the national defense." Another law, 10 U.S. Code 2808, dictates: "Construction authority in the event of a declaration of war or national emergency," permits the secretary of defense, in a presidentially declared emergency, to use "funds that have been appropriated for military construction" for the purpose of undertaking "military construction projects." During the Korean War, President Harry S. Truman sought to take control of the countrys steel mills in an attempt to circumvent a planned nationwide strike among workers through an executive order. But the Supreme Court ultimately ruled in Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company v. Sawyer that the president did not have such authority. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Look, if Harry Truman couldnt authorize the steel industry during wartime, this president doesnt have the power to declare an emergency and build a multibillion-dollar wall on the border, Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic chair of the Intelligence Committee, told CNN. Fox News' Gregg Re and The Associated Press contributed to this report. | President Trump is considering a national emergency declaration to fund his border wall. The president has the authority to declare emergencies when the country is threatened by crisis, exigency, or emergency circumstances Law scholars and lawmakers are at odds over whether it would even be possible. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/what-is-a-national-emergency-how-can-trump-use-it-to-fund-border-wall | 0.460923 |
Will the Houston Botanic Garden be a good neighbor? | Like most grand architectural visions, the Houston Botanic Garden has evolved into a simpler version of itself as it nears a built reality. Gone is the eye-catching, if controversial, tree-bridge that was first unveiled in renderings in 2016. The storybook-like climbing structure in the Children's Discovery Garden has been replaced with a quieter, smaller-scale form, and Sims Bayou is no longer featured as prominently as it was in the earlier choreographed entry sequence in which visitors crossed over it and back again to arrive at the formal garden. Still, what remains of the original design of landscape and urban design firm West 8, which has offices in New York City, Rotterdam and Belgium, is a sensitive response to the rolling terrain of the former Glenbrook Golf Course, located eight miles south of downtown in the Park Place and Meadowbrook neighborhoods. A video produced by West 8 takes the viewer on a journey through Phase I of the HBG that, along with a portion of the South Lawn on the opposite side of Sims, includes The Island named so because it is surrounded on three sides by the Sims Meander and by the more recently engineered Sims Bayou to the south. As the video shows, the HBG journey begins at a lacy metal gate off of Park Place Boulevard that opens onto the tree-lined Botanic Boulevard originally called the Botanic Mile, which would have carried visitors across Sims to the South Lawn where they would park before walking back across the bayou to enter the gardens. The revised entry sequence is more straightforward, now, with visitors parking shortly after entering the gated gardens under a canopy of oak trees in the Parking Forest. A Welcome Pavilion defined by repeated thin-shell concrete vaults creates an understated backdrop to the richly articulated landscape. In the Global Collection Garden, pathways weave around mounds planted with a host of subtropical, tropical and arid plants and counter the rectilinear layout of the overall scheme. In addition to the Global Collection Garden, The Island, which is about half of the site, will feature an Events Lawn and Edible Garden. There's more, too. A Children's Discovery Garden on the South Lawn will integrate an existing pond into an oasis for aquatic and carnivorous plants, forests, natural play areas for running free and a picnic grove. A tree farm has been planted and renovations of existing on-site structures that will house administrative offices and classrooms will begin this fall. Though landscape architect Keiji Asakura left the garden's board in 2005, research fields on the northern side hark back to his vision 30 years ago of a research garden that could partner with Houston health care institutions to create botanic pharmaceuticals. After Hurricane Harvey, new concerns about potential flooding have emerged. West 8 has extensive experience in flood control, and the scheme anticipates repeated flooding of both the Sims Meander and Sims Bayou, but some neighbors have raised concerns about the increased risk created by the tons of infill that will lift plantings out of the 100-year floodplain. Evelyn Merz, a resident who was instrumental in advocacy around the Sims Bayou flood-control expansion, is particularly concerned that, with that infill as well as the increase of impermeable surfaces like the Parking Forest on the site, stormwater that would have been absorbed into the golf course will be diverted to the surrounding neighborhoods. Old questions don't seem to have been addressed, either. The revised scheme doesn't alleviate any of the Meadowbrook and Park Place neighbors' initial concerns about access through the garden. The video does not show details about the edge condition that will enclose the site and could cut off access for residents who used to cut through the course every day. The precise edge condition of the revised scheme is unclear the video shows a gated entry from Park Place Boulevard, but the aerial perspective does not. Unless the designers are imagining the Sims Meander as a ha-ha (a landscape element recessed in the earth that creates a vertical barrier while preserving an uninterrupted view), the view into the garden from the surrounding neighborhoods as depicted in the video does not seem possible. The video and aerial perspective also don't show whether there will be a fence around the garden, which raises questions about how the Sims Bayou Greenway, which is under construction, will be accessed. Moreover, a historic right-of-way used to allow residents to walk on cart bridges and other pathways throughout the golf course to access city parks with basketball courts and baseball fields and a swimming pool. Despite the lush richness of the images in the video, it is short on specifics, and the aerial perspectives of the site don't clarify much or resolve these questions. As Christof Spieler, an urban designer and lecturer at Rice University, told me in 2016, "I fear that this garden will become a fenced compound designed to be accessed by car when it could be an integral part of the Bayou Greenways and the surrounding neighborhood." At least for now, the public relations strategy seems to be that the less we understand about the specifics of the garden, the better. Most conservancies in the Houston region, including Memorial Park Conservancy, the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, Buffalo Bayou Partnership and the Hermann Park Conservancy have shared detailed plans before the construction of major projects. When asked about the integration of Bayou Greenways 2020, a garden representative told me: Houston Botanic Garden's Phase I design integrates the Bayou Greenways 2020 trail to continue along Sims Bayou, and our hope is that the paths along Sims and around the perimeter provide continuous access to pedestrians and bikes. We are working with the Houston Parks Board and City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department as they finalize plans for the Bayou Greenways 2020 trails, but at this time the specific path has not been finalized. The Parks Board added that it, HPARD and the garden finalized the alignment of the greenway in 2018. The plans are still in the design phase, but when they are complete, the greenway will not be interrupted between I-45 and Old Galveston Road and will include connections to Glenbrook Park. Additionally, the Parks Board is working to create a trailhead on a site off River Drive to the southwest of the garden that will provide public access to the greenway. But the jury is still out on what the day-to-day lived experience of the garden will be for its neighbors, who Merz fears won't be able to afford the price of admission on a regular basis. For now, all we can do is hope that the garden won't be a big, beautiful, inaccessible island in a sea of mostly low- to moderate-income households. Sheryl Tucker de Vazquez is a practicing architect and clinical professor at the University of Houston College of Architecture and Design. Email Allyn West. Get the Gray Matters newsletter. Its precise edge condition is unclear. | The Houston Botanic Garden has evolved into a simpler version of itself as it nears a built reality. Some neighbors have raised concerns about potential flooding of both the Sims Meander and Sims Bayou. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/gray-matters/article/houston-botanic-garden-plans-access-community-13616937.php | 0.104957 |
Will the Houston Botanic Garden be a good neighbor? | Like most grand architectural visions, the Houston Botanic Garden has evolved into a simpler version of itself as it nears a built reality. Gone is the eye-catching, if controversial, tree-bridge that was first unveiled in renderings in 2016. The storybook-like climbing structure in the Children's Discovery Garden has been replaced with a quieter, smaller-scale form, and Sims Bayou is no longer featured as prominently as it was in the earlier choreographed entry sequence in which visitors crossed over it and back again to arrive at the formal garden. Still, what remains of the original design of landscape and urban design firm West 8, which has offices in New York City, Rotterdam and Belgium, is a sensitive response to the rolling terrain of the former Glenbrook Golf Course, located eight miles south of downtown in the Park Place and Meadowbrook neighborhoods. A video produced by West 8 takes the viewer on a journey through Phase I of the HBG that, along with a portion of the South Lawn on the opposite side of Sims, includes The Island named so because it is surrounded on three sides by the Sims Meander and by the more recently engineered Sims Bayou to the south. As the video shows, the HBG journey begins at a lacy metal gate off of Park Place Boulevard that opens onto the tree-lined Botanic Boulevard originally called the Botanic Mile, which would have carried visitors across Sims to the South Lawn where they would park before walking back across the bayou to enter the gardens. The revised entry sequence is more straightforward, now, with visitors parking shortly after entering the gated gardens under a canopy of oak trees in the Parking Forest. A Welcome Pavilion defined by repeated thin-shell concrete vaults creates an understated backdrop to the richly articulated landscape. In the Global Collection Garden, pathways weave around mounds planted with a host of subtropical, tropical and arid plants and counter the rectilinear layout of the overall scheme. In addition to the Global Collection Garden, The Island, which is about half of the site, will feature an Events Lawn and Edible Garden. There's more, too. A Children's Discovery Garden on the South Lawn will integrate an existing pond into an oasis for aquatic and carnivorous plants, forests, natural play areas for running free and a picnic grove. A tree farm has been planted and renovations of existing on-site structures that will house administrative offices and classrooms will begin this fall. Though landscape architect Keiji Asakura left the garden's board in 2005, research fields on the northern side hark back to his vision 30 years ago of a research garden that could partner with Houston health care institutions to create botanic pharmaceuticals. After Hurricane Harvey, new concerns about potential flooding have emerged. West 8 has extensive experience in flood control, and the scheme anticipates repeated flooding of both the Sims Meander and Sims Bayou, but some neighbors have raised concerns about the increased risk created by the tons of infill that will lift plantings out of the 100-year floodplain. Evelyn Merz, a resident who was instrumental in advocacy around the Sims Bayou flood-control expansion, is particularly concerned that, with that infill as well as the increase of impermeable surfaces like the Parking Forest on the site, stormwater that would have been absorbed into the golf course will be diverted to the surrounding neighborhoods. Old questions don't seem to have been addressed, either. The revised scheme doesn't alleviate any of the Meadowbrook and Park Place neighbors' initial concerns about access through the garden. The video does not show details about the edge condition that will enclose the site and could cut off access for residents who used to cut through the course every day. The precise edge condition of the revised scheme is unclear the video shows a gated entry from Park Place Boulevard, but the aerial perspective does not. Unless the designers are imagining the Sims Meander as a ha-ha (a landscape element recessed in the earth that creates a vertical barrier while preserving an uninterrupted view), the view into the garden from the surrounding neighborhoods as depicted in the video does not seem possible. The video and aerial perspective also don't show whether there will be a fence around the garden, which raises questions about how the Sims Bayou Greenway, which is under construction, will be accessed. Moreover, a historic right-of-way used to allow residents to walk on cart bridges and other pathways throughout the golf course to access city parks with basketball courts and baseball fields and a swimming pool. Despite the lush richness of the images in the video, it is short on specifics, and the aerial perspectives of the site don't clarify much or resolve these questions. As Christof Spieler, an urban designer and lecturer at Rice University, told me in 2016, "I fear that this garden will become a fenced compound designed to be accessed by car when it could be an integral part of the Bayou Greenways and the surrounding neighborhood." At least for now, the public relations strategy seems to be that the less we understand about the specifics of the garden, the better. Most conservancies in the Houston region, including Memorial Park Conservancy, the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, Buffalo Bayou Partnership and the Hermann Park Conservancy have shared detailed plans before the construction of major projects. When asked about the integration of Bayou Greenways 2020, a garden representative told me: Houston Botanic Garden's Phase I design integrates the Bayou Greenways 2020 trail to continue along Sims Bayou, and our hope is that the paths along Sims and around the perimeter provide continuous access to pedestrians and bikes. We are working with the Houston Parks Board and City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department as they finalize plans for the Bayou Greenways 2020 trails, but at this time the specific path has not been finalized. The Parks Board added that it, HPARD and the garden finalized the alignment of the greenway in 2018. The plans are still in the design phase, but when they are complete, the greenway will not be interrupted between I-45 and Old Galveston Road and will include connections to Glenbrook Park. Additionally, the Parks Board is working to create a trailhead on a site off River Drive to the southwest of the garden that will provide public access to the greenway. But the jury is still out on what the day-to-day lived experience of the garden will be for its neighbors, who Merz fears won't be able to afford the price of admission on a regular basis. For now, all we can do is hope that the garden won't be a big, beautiful, inaccessible island in a sea of mostly low- to moderate-income households. Sheryl Tucker de Vazquez is a practicing architect and clinical professor at the University of Houston College of Architecture and Design. Email Allyn West. Get the Gray Matters newsletter. Its precise edge condition is unclear. | The Houston Botanic Garden has evolved into a simpler version of itself as it nears a built reality. Some neighbors have raised concerns about the increased risk created by the tons of infill that will lift plantings out of the 100-year floodplain. A video produced by West 8 takes the viewer on a journey through Phase I of the HBG. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/gray-matters/article/houston-botanic-garden-plans-access-community-13616937.php | 0.157155 |
When did reality TV become ... nice? | Ever since "The Real World" debuted on MTV in 1992, reality TV has given us so much anger: Accusations. Betrayals. Brawls. Plenty of chardonnay in the face. By 2006, when "The Real Housewives" reared its triple-processed blond head, the Mean Reality TV genre had clawed its French Tips into America's brain. Pumpkin spitting on New York. Stassi smacking Kristen. Jeff outing Zeke. Aviva throwing her prosthetic leg at Heather. Trump firing Omarosa. From the White House. Organizing consultant and author Marie Kondo visits the Brit+ Co #CreateGood Wellness event at Build Studio on October 18, 2018 in New York City. Photo / Getty In the past few years, though, there's been a collective softening on reality TV. After years of witnessing beautiful people shred their dignity to find a spouse or get off an island, we've rediscovered the comforts of regular folk whipping up custards and crafts and getting tough on that messy garage. Nice Reality TV, let's call it, has become a respite from all the real-life madness we can't control - the Twitter mobs, the 1 percent gobbling up all the wealth, the breaking news and fake news, all abuzz on our phones. Advertisement There's a reason each episode of "Making It," the NBC competitive crafts show hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman that aired its first season last summer, kicks off with Poehler announcing: Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Bobby Berk and Karamo Brown visit SiriusXM to talk about the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy reboot. Photo / Getty "Life is stressful enough. Let's make a show that makes you feel good!" In our politically contemptuous, personally overwhelmed and financially disempowered lives, escape can come in the form of a perfectly organized sock drawer, a flawless opera cake and the wonders of beard oil. The Nice Reality TV formula is one that HGTV, the fourth most-watched cable channel in 2018, has been building since "House Hunters" hatched atop the real estate bubble two decades ago. Whereas Mean Reality TV feeds on scandal, Nice Reality keeps it behind the scenes, if it must exist at all. Shows such as the squeaky-clean "Fixer Upper," a ratings magnet that wrapped up last year after five seasons, and "Property Brothers," an HGTV cornerstone since it debuted in 2011, keep the drills whirring inside the home - ignoring the clamor of harsh reality outside of it. Today's wave of Nice Reality TV takes HGTV's aversion to conflict, and overwhelming whiteness (recently lampooned by "South Park" in a bit called "White People Renovating Houses") and diversifies it: We've been introduced to avid British bakers, a non-English-speaking organization expert and a rebooted "Queer Eye" Fab Five. It's hard to imagine this moment in a pre-digital streaming era. Reality TV, circa mid-aughts, had to lust - for beauty, money or infamy - to keep its dominance over scripted TV. Back then, the musty cop and doctor shows couldn't compete with the primal wish fulfilment of winning a million dollars or marrying a Harvard real estate prince who looks like a personal trainer. And prestige TV, such as "The Sopranos," was available only to HBO's elite subscribers. Digital streaming platforms, such as HBO Now, Netflix and Hulu, not only spread prestige to the masses, but also helped kindness find its widest audience. Now we can self-soothe whenever we need it. After a bad day. After the kids go to bed. Or even after an election gone sideways, as Hillary Clinton did with HGTV, as she wrote in her 2017 memoir, "What Happened." The latest entry in the growing pantheon of Nice is "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo," the Netflix show from Japan's decluttering expert, which released eight episodes at the start of this year. Where"Hoarders" used horror-movie music to show the stuff Americans can't get rid of, Kondo instead comes in, freshly dressed in her trademark white, and greets the messy home as if it's a Shinto shrine and not a hovel for Nutcracker dolls. She smiles at the junk drawers, coos at out-of-control closets and gushes, in one insta-meme, "I love mess!" Twitter tried to make her controversial - protect your books from this walking Fahrenheit 451, everyone! - but it didn't stick because, well, she doesn't hate books; she's a best-selling author. The truth is, even if her cleanup strategies are just common sense masquerading as the latest in the #blessed witchcrafts, Kondo's positivity toward the slovenly home is a much-needed relief, especially for women who disproportionately clean the home more than men. Kondo, who minored in women's studies in college, vicariously delivers permission ("It's OK if your house falls into disorder") and optimism ("It's never too late to whip it back into shape"), as well as an unflagging belief in the organizational power of little boxes. Some of Nice Reality TV's best examples are imports such as "Tidying Up," because maybe we're all tired of the American penchant for bluntness. When tension happens on "The Great British Baking Show," which has been running in Britain since 2010 and in the United States since 2014, it typically gets resolved with sportsmanship and manners. No one gets dragged or doxed or promises to start therapy, not even when Diana supposedly wrecked Iain's baked Alaska. There's a great weight lifted knowing that the worst crisis we'll suffer is some ice cream gone soupy. See also: "Terrace House," an exceedingly polite "Real World"-like franchise brought to Netflix in the United States from Japan. "The Great British Baking Show" also shows a multicultural modern vision: people of all races, religions and backgrounds, struggling to conquer dampfnudel or some other sweet obscurity. Watching a group of strangers bond, no matter their prior affiliations or competitive rank, counters all the ways in which we're pushed to tribally insulate and view anyone different with suspicion. Nice Reality TV also offers us a marker of how far we've come. The rebooted "Queer Eye" has crossed even more into tear-jerker territory than the first generation. The world is less hostile to five gay strangers than it used to be. In the series premiere, Tom, a 57-year-old Georgia Dad who drinks "redneck margaritas" in his stained recliner, is given the tools to woo a special lady friend into his life. Tom sobs when he says goodbye to the Fab Five and tells his lady friend that he's never "hung out with gay guys before, and they were great. They were so open with me, and I was open with them." His new worldview is the sweet promise of Nice Reality TV: Transformation doesn't always have to be stormy and upsetting. Sometimes, it can just be plain nice. | In the past few years, there's been a collective softening on reality TV. Nice Reality TV has become a respite from all the real-life madness we can't control. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=12204101 | 0.136207 |
When did reality TV become ... nice? | Ever since "The Real World" debuted on MTV in 1992, reality TV has given us so much anger: Accusations. Betrayals. Brawls. Plenty of chardonnay in the face. By 2006, when "The Real Housewives" reared its triple-processed blond head, the Mean Reality TV genre had clawed its French Tips into America's brain. Pumpkin spitting on New York. Stassi smacking Kristen. Jeff outing Zeke. Aviva throwing her prosthetic leg at Heather. Trump firing Omarosa. From the White House. Organizing consultant and author Marie Kondo visits the Brit+ Co #CreateGood Wellness event at Build Studio on October 18, 2018 in New York City. Photo / Getty In the past few years, though, there's been a collective softening on reality TV. After years of witnessing beautiful people shred their dignity to find a spouse or get off an island, we've rediscovered the comforts of regular folk whipping up custards and crafts and getting tough on that messy garage. Nice Reality TV, let's call it, has become a respite from all the real-life madness we can't control - the Twitter mobs, the 1 percent gobbling up all the wealth, the breaking news and fake news, all abuzz on our phones. Advertisement There's a reason each episode of "Making It," the NBC competitive crafts show hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman that aired its first season last summer, kicks off with Poehler announcing: Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Bobby Berk and Karamo Brown visit SiriusXM to talk about the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy reboot. Photo / Getty "Life is stressful enough. Let's make a show that makes you feel good!" In our politically contemptuous, personally overwhelmed and financially disempowered lives, escape can come in the form of a perfectly organized sock drawer, a flawless opera cake and the wonders of beard oil. The Nice Reality TV formula is one that HGTV, the fourth most-watched cable channel in 2018, has been building since "House Hunters" hatched atop the real estate bubble two decades ago. Whereas Mean Reality TV feeds on scandal, Nice Reality keeps it behind the scenes, if it must exist at all. Shows such as the squeaky-clean "Fixer Upper," a ratings magnet that wrapped up last year after five seasons, and "Property Brothers," an HGTV cornerstone since it debuted in 2011, keep the drills whirring inside the home - ignoring the clamor of harsh reality outside of it. Today's wave of Nice Reality TV takes HGTV's aversion to conflict, and overwhelming whiteness (recently lampooned by "South Park" in a bit called "White People Renovating Houses") and diversifies it: We've been introduced to avid British bakers, a non-English-speaking organization expert and a rebooted "Queer Eye" Fab Five. It's hard to imagine this moment in a pre-digital streaming era. Reality TV, circa mid-aughts, had to lust - for beauty, money or infamy - to keep its dominance over scripted TV. Back then, the musty cop and doctor shows couldn't compete with the primal wish fulfilment of winning a million dollars or marrying a Harvard real estate prince who looks like a personal trainer. And prestige TV, such as "The Sopranos," was available only to HBO's elite subscribers. Digital streaming platforms, such as HBO Now, Netflix and Hulu, not only spread prestige to the masses, but also helped kindness find its widest audience. Now we can self-soothe whenever we need it. After a bad day. After the kids go to bed. Or even after an election gone sideways, as Hillary Clinton did with HGTV, as she wrote in her 2017 memoir, "What Happened." The latest entry in the growing pantheon of Nice is "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo," the Netflix show from Japan's decluttering expert, which released eight episodes at the start of this year. Where"Hoarders" used horror-movie music to show the stuff Americans can't get rid of, Kondo instead comes in, freshly dressed in her trademark white, and greets the messy home as if it's a Shinto shrine and not a hovel for Nutcracker dolls. She smiles at the junk drawers, coos at out-of-control closets and gushes, in one insta-meme, "I love mess!" Twitter tried to make her controversial - protect your books from this walking Fahrenheit 451, everyone! - but it didn't stick because, well, she doesn't hate books; she's a best-selling author. The truth is, even if her cleanup strategies are just common sense masquerading as the latest in the #blessed witchcrafts, Kondo's positivity toward the slovenly home is a much-needed relief, especially for women who disproportionately clean the home more than men. Kondo, who minored in women's studies in college, vicariously delivers permission ("It's OK if your house falls into disorder") and optimism ("It's never too late to whip it back into shape"), as well as an unflagging belief in the organizational power of little boxes. Some of Nice Reality TV's best examples are imports such as "Tidying Up," because maybe we're all tired of the American penchant for bluntness. When tension happens on "The Great British Baking Show," which has been running in Britain since 2010 and in the United States since 2014, it typically gets resolved with sportsmanship and manners. No one gets dragged or doxed or promises to start therapy, not even when Diana supposedly wrecked Iain's baked Alaska. There's a great weight lifted knowing that the worst crisis we'll suffer is some ice cream gone soupy. See also: "Terrace House," an exceedingly polite "Real World"-like franchise brought to Netflix in the United States from Japan. "The Great British Baking Show" also shows a multicultural modern vision: people of all races, religions and backgrounds, struggling to conquer dampfnudel or some other sweet obscurity. Watching a group of strangers bond, no matter their prior affiliations or competitive rank, counters all the ways in which we're pushed to tribally insulate and view anyone different with suspicion. Nice Reality TV also offers us a marker of how far we've come. The rebooted "Queer Eye" has crossed even more into tear-jerker territory than the first generation. The world is less hostile to five gay strangers than it used to be. In the series premiere, Tom, a 57-year-old Georgia Dad who drinks "redneck margaritas" in his stained recliner, is given the tools to woo a special lady friend into his life. Tom sobs when he says goodbye to the Fab Five and tells his lady friend that he's never "hung out with gay guys before, and they were great. They were so open with me, and I was open with them." His new worldview is the sweet promise of Nice Reality TV: Transformation doesn't always have to be stormy and upsetting. Sometimes, it can just be plain nice. | In the past few years, there's been a collective softening on reality TV. Nice Reality TV, let's call it, has become a respite from all the real-life madness we can't control - the Twitter mobs, the 1 percent gobbling up all the wealth. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=12204101 | 0.158757 |
What does it take to win the National Handicapping Championship? | Competitors in the National Handicapping Championship react while watching a race at Treasure Island in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto Bettors gather for the National Handicapping Championship at Treasure Island in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto If youre like me, youve probably read about the National Handicapping Championship and daydreamed about what it would be like competing for big money against the best handicappers in North America. For some insight, I turned to Vic Stauffer, a Las Vegas resident when hes not serving as the voice of Oaklawn Park and a damn fine handicapper. Hes also a five-time qualifier for the NHC. Here are a few of his thoughts on the strategy you need to do well in the tournament: The basic rule of thumb is that over the 36 races, you have to average about $8 a race return, just by the mathematics, he said this week. That means if youre going to play a horse in the 5-2, 7-2 range, you have to hit over 50 percent. Since thats a threshold few handicappers can even dream of hitting, Stauffer says most players concentrate on finding playable long shots in both the mandatory and optional races over the three-day event. He personally sets a minimum of 8-1 before hell consider using one of his valuable optional picks on a horse. Being organized also is crucial. Once the races start they come fast and furious, said Stauffer, who finished midpack in this years contest. If youre not prepared with a list of horses that are potential plays, then you can not only lose a possible optional (wager), you can have a mandatory race come up and you dont know. Then you could really have to make three decisions at the same time. The handicappers who regularly end up near the top of the leader board at the NHC and on the tour also tend to be avid users of technology. That includes this years winner, 34-year-old Scott Coles, a futures trader who told the Paulick Report this week that he uses TimeformUS to look at pace, the Daily Racing Form and STATS Race Lens to examine specific angles. Stauffer said the ability of the computer jockeys to find the races most likely to produce long-shot winners gives those players a big advantage. When I was going into my 50th hour of prep, I knew that I was desperately behind the 8 ball, he said. I dont know what theyre doing, how theyre eliminating races and horses, but those guys have such an edge over those of us who dont know how to do that. I mentioned that Stauffer is an excellent handicapper. I know that because Ive been following his recently launched Vics Picks report each weekend at Santa Anita. Im not in the habit of recommending winner-picking services, but Im making an exception because the information is good, the report is educational and its entertaining to boot. The cost is $20 per card, or $30 for both weekend cards, but well worth it, in my opinion. You can learn more at https://vicstauffer.com. #RJhorseracing featured races The #RJhorseracing handicappers are zeroed in on the most interesting Triple Crown prep so far this year: the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds, as well as the $200,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Check back later Thursday to see how the crowd cappers, and yours truly, size up these challenging handicapping puzzles. Better yet, theres still time to get involved. Simply download free past performances, courtesy of Equibase, at http://reviewjournal.com/horseracing, suss out the most likely winners and submit your top three picks, via email or Twitter (hashtag #RJhorseracing) Do it before 5 p.m. and your wisdom will be included in the consensus that appears in Fridays newspaper. Mike Brunkers horse racing column appears Friday. He can be reached at mbrunker@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4656. Follow @mike_brunker on Twitter. | Vic Stauffer is a Las Vegas resident and a five-time qualifier for the National Handicapping Championship. He says the key to winning is to average about $8 a race return. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/sports-columns/mike-brunker/what-does-it-take-to-win-the-national-handicapping-championship-1597213/ | 0.210671 |
What does it take to win the National Handicapping Championship? | Competitors in the National Handicapping Championship react while watching a race at Treasure Island in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto Bettors gather for the National Handicapping Championship at Treasure Island in Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto If youre like me, youve probably read about the National Handicapping Championship and daydreamed about what it would be like competing for big money against the best handicappers in North America. For some insight, I turned to Vic Stauffer, a Las Vegas resident when hes not serving as the voice of Oaklawn Park and a damn fine handicapper. Hes also a five-time qualifier for the NHC. Here are a few of his thoughts on the strategy you need to do well in the tournament: The basic rule of thumb is that over the 36 races, you have to average about $8 a race return, just by the mathematics, he said this week. That means if youre going to play a horse in the 5-2, 7-2 range, you have to hit over 50 percent. Since thats a threshold few handicappers can even dream of hitting, Stauffer says most players concentrate on finding playable long shots in both the mandatory and optional races over the three-day event. He personally sets a minimum of 8-1 before hell consider using one of his valuable optional picks on a horse. Being organized also is crucial. Once the races start they come fast and furious, said Stauffer, who finished midpack in this years contest. If youre not prepared with a list of horses that are potential plays, then you can not only lose a possible optional (wager), you can have a mandatory race come up and you dont know. Then you could really have to make three decisions at the same time. The handicappers who regularly end up near the top of the leader board at the NHC and on the tour also tend to be avid users of technology. That includes this years winner, 34-year-old Scott Coles, a futures trader who told the Paulick Report this week that he uses TimeformUS to look at pace, the Daily Racing Form and STATS Race Lens to examine specific angles. Stauffer said the ability of the computer jockeys to find the races most likely to produce long-shot winners gives those players a big advantage. When I was going into my 50th hour of prep, I knew that I was desperately behind the 8 ball, he said. I dont know what theyre doing, how theyre eliminating races and horses, but those guys have such an edge over those of us who dont know how to do that. I mentioned that Stauffer is an excellent handicapper. I know that because Ive been following his recently launched Vics Picks report each weekend at Santa Anita. Im not in the habit of recommending winner-picking services, but Im making an exception because the information is good, the report is educational and its entertaining to boot. The cost is $20 per card, or $30 for both weekend cards, but well worth it, in my opinion. You can learn more at https://vicstauffer.com. #RJhorseracing featured races The #RJhorseracing handicappers are zeroed in on the most interesting Triple Crown prep so far this year: the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds, as well as the $200,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Check back later Thursday to see how the crowd cappers, and yours truly, size up these challenging handicapping puzzles. Better yet, theres still time to get involved. Simply download free past performances, courtesy of Equibase, at http://reviewjournal.com/horseracing, suss out the most likely winners and submit your top three picks, via email or Twitter (hashtag #RJhorseracing) Do it before 5 p.m. and your wisdom will be included in the consensus that appears in Fridays newspaper. Mike Brunkers horse racing column appears Friday. He can be reached at mbrunker@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4656. Follow @mike_brunker on Twitter. | Vic Stauffer is a Las Vegas resident and a five-time qualifier for the National Handicapping Championship. He says the key to winning is to average about $8 a race return over the 36 races over the three-day event. He also says being organized is crucial. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/sports-columns/mike-brunker/what-does-it-take-to-win-the-national-handicapping-championship-1597213/ | 0.322012 |
Where has Mark Smiths six-game absence hurt Mizzou most? | Missouri goes to Mississippi this weekend with a much-needed weapon expected to return to the lineup for the first time in weeks. Tigers coach Cuonzo Martin said on his weekly radio show that barring a setback, sophomore guard Mark Smith will return from a left ankle sprain on Saturday against the Ole Miss Rebels. Smith has missed six games after injuring the ankle in the closing minutes of the Tigers Jan. 23 loss at Arkansas, and his absence has been felt. The Tigers are 2-4 without him and are somehow scoring more in spite of the fact that theyre missing their second-leading scorer and best shooter. In 17 games with Smith in the lineup, Missouri averaged 67.8 points per game. In the six without him, the Tigers are averaging 68.8. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Kansas City Star Smith was also one of Missouris best rebounding guards, averaging 5.5 boards per game, and was the teams leading rebounder in a lot of games, especially when Jeremiah Tilmon was in foul trouble. Freshman point guard Xavier Pinson has seen an uptick in playing time since Smith went down and has followed his lead on the glass. Pinson had 11 points and nine rebounds in Missouris win over Arkansas on Tuesday, and overall, MU has a 227-200 rebounding advantage in the six games Smith has missed. While Missouri has been able to score and rebound without Smith, it has struggled mightily from three-point territory. Smiths 47.5 three-point shooting percentage still ranks top 10 nationally and first in the conference despite his six-game absence, but Missouri cant say the same as a team. With Smith in the lineup, Missouri was one of the top three-point shooting teams in the Southeastern Conference, at a 39 percent clip. The Tigers currently rank No. 5 at 36.6 percent without him. Missouri has shot just 30 percent from three-point range in the six games Smith has missed. Wednesdays win over Arkansas was the first time MU shot better than 34 percent without him. Missouri has yet to hit 10 threes in a game without Smith. Martin admitted after MUs loss to Texas A&M on Saturday that Smiths absence has limited the Tigers on offense in a number of ways. He was a three-point presence, Martin said. What he did was spacing, more than anything. Its hard to leave him so your big can get a layup. Different things that we run, (we) put him in different positions because he can shoot the ball. Freshman Torrence Watson said Smiths presence simplified the offense for the Tigers younger players, who are still adjusting to the college game. The 6-foot-4 Illinois transfer was the one player opposing teams couldnt forget about. Help defense doesnt exist when Smith is on the floor. Hes the guy that you always have to stay attached to, said Torrence Watson, MUs freshman guard. So if hes in the corner, his man has to stay in the corner. Its almost like four-on-four. According to KenPom.com, Ole Miss ranks No. 279 nationally in three-point defense at 36.4, which could be an advantage for the Tigers. The Rebels have otherwise been a pleasant surprise under coach Kermit Davis. Davis is in first season in Oxford after taking over for Andy Kennedy. Last year, Missouris win in Oxford came in the middle of a five-game winning streak that helped get the Tigers to their first NCAA Tournament in five years. Smiths return could have a similar effect with the NIT. | Missouri's Mark Smith has missed six games with a left ankle sprain. Coach Cuonzo Martin said Smith will return against Ole Miss on Saturday. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article226287295.html | 0.183018 |
Where has Mark Smiths six-game absence hurt Mizzou most? | Missouri goes to Mississippi this weekend with a much-needed weapon expected to return to the lineup for the first time in weeks. Tigers coach Cuonzo Martin said on his weekly radio show that barring a setback, sophomore guard Mark Smith will return from a left ankle sprain on Saturday against the Ole Miss Rebels. Smith has missed six games after injuring the ankle in the closing minutes of the Tigers Jan. 23 loss at Arkansas, and his absence has been felt. The Tigers are 2-4 without him and are somehow scoring more in spite of the fact that theyre missing their second-leading scorer and best shooter. In 17 games with Smith in the lineup, Missouri averaged 67.8 points per game. In the six without him, the Tigers are averaging 68.8. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Kansas City Star Smith was also one of Missouris best rebounding guards, averaging 5.5 boards per game, and was the teams leading rebounder in a lot of games, especially when Jeremiah Tilmon was in foul trouble. Freshman point guard Xavier Pinson has seen an uptick in playing time since Smith went down and has followed his lead on the glass. Pinson had 11 points and nine rebounds in Missouris win over Arkansas on Tuesday, and overall, MU has a 227-200 rebounding advantage in the six games Smith has missed. While Missouri has been able to score and rebound without Smith, it has struggled mightily from three-point territory. Smiths 47.5 three-point shooting percentage still ranks top 10 nationally and first in the conference despite his six-game absence, but Missouri cant say the same as a team. With Smith in the lineup, Missouri was one of the top three-point shooting teams in the Southeastern Conference, at a 39 percent clip. The Tigers currently rank No. 5 at 36.6 percent without him. Missouri has shot just 30 percent from three-point range in the six games Smith has missed. Wednesdays win over Arkansas was the first time MU shot better than 34 percent without him. Missouri has yet to hit 10 threes in a game without Smith. Martin admitted after MUs loss to Texas A&M on Saturday that Smiths absence has limited the Tigers on offense in a number of ways. He was a three-point presence, Martin said. What he did was spacing, more than anything. Its hard to leave him so your big can get a layup. Different things that we run, (we) put him in different positions because he can shoot the ball. Freshman Torrence Watson said Smiths presence simplified the offense for the Tigers younger players, who are still adjusting to the college game. The 6-foot-4 Illinois transfer was the one player opposing teams couldnt forget about. Help defense doesnt exist when Smith is on the floor. Hes the guy that you always have to stay attached to, said Torrence Watson, MUs freshman guard. So if hes in the corner, his man has to stay in the corner. Its almost like four-on-four. According to KenPom.com, Ole Miss ranks No. 279 nationally in three-point defense at 36.4, which could be an advantage for the Tigers. The Rebels have otherwise been a pleasant surprise under coach Kermit Davis. Davis is in first season in Oxford after taking over for Andy Kennedy. Last year, Missouris win in Oxford came in the middle of a five-game winning streak that helped get the Tigers to their first NCAA Tournament in five years. Smiths return could have a similar effect with the NIT. | Missouri guard Mark Smith will return from a left ankle sprain on Saturday. Smith has missed six games after injuring the ankle in the closing minutes of the Tigers Jan. 23 loss at Arkansas. Missouri has been able to score and rebound without Smith, but it has struggled mightily from three-point territory. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article226287295.html | 0.306762 |
Is Valentine's Day overrated? | By Jessie Blaeser Valentine's Day is filled with chocolate, roses and love -- but it can come at quite the cost. The National Retail Federation projected Americans spent $19.6 billion on Valentine's Day in 2018, reinforcing the belief the day of love is nothing more than a commercial holiday designed to get couples to spend money. Others say Valentine's Day allows couples and friends to express how much they mean to one another. Plus, any holiday with an emphasis on chocolate is fun. PERSPECTIVES There's nothing pleasant about Valentine's Day. If you're in a relationship, you feel huge pressure to orchestrate an extravagant, romantic evening for no reason other than someone told you to. If you're single, you feel ostracized by a community of people seemingly in love. The entire holiday is a lose-lose. Cosmopolitan: 18 reasons Valentine's Day just sucks It's all about perspective. Flowers and chocolate don't have to be expensive, and they can mean the world to your significant other, friend, or even your mom. Whether you're single or in a relationship, Valentine's Day can just be a day to treat yourself. Have an extravagant evening if you want to, or spend the night in with Chipotle and a bottle of wine. The day of love can easily mean self-love. There are plenty of creative ways to celebrate: Valentine's Day is one of the worst days of the year to go out to eat. In reality, you'd probably rather save that special meal for a birthday or anniversary; instead, you feel pressure to succumb to the crazy consumerism of the modern world and suffer through a subpar, over-priced dinner. This is also the time of year when MeUndies and 1-800-Flowers ads are pelting you everywhere you look-Instagram, podcasts, the works. Resist the temptation. Refuse to acknowledge Valentine's Day madness. Just a little snippet of advice from a restaurant industry veteran: don't dine out on Valentine's Day, your service will suck, you won't get the table you want, and you'll be boxed into a prefix menu. Opt for the Monday before or after. -- Jaquline Margwarth (@forrreeeal) January 29, 2019 Perhaps everyone is missing the message here. It is a holiday filled with chocolate and candy. Who cares who you celebrate it with -- it's an excuse to indulge! You get to wear pink and red all day, get dressed up if you want to, and as Her Campus puts it: It's a chance to give [a] poor lonely teddy bear a new loving home. It's fun to embrace your cheesy side every once in a while. Unpopular opinion: I love everything about Valentine's Day pic.twitter.com/AGU4ZZl39p -- Killian [?] (@killiann_) January 30, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | Some say Valentine's Day is overrated. Others say it's a great excuse to indulge in chocolate. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2019/02/is_valentines_day_overrated_1.html | 0.289696 |
Is Valentine's Day overrated? | By Jessie Blaeser Valentine's Day is filled with chocolate, roses and love -- but it can come at quite the cost. The National Retail Federation projected Americans spent $19.6 billion on Valentine's Day in 2018, reinforcing the belief the day of love is nothing more than a commercial holiday designed to get couples to spend money. Others say Valentine's Day allows couples and friends to express how much they mean to one another. Plus, any holiday with an emphasis on chocolate is fun. PERSPECTIVES There's nothing pleasant about Valentine's Day. If you're in a relationship, you feel huge pressure to orchestrate an extravagant, romantic evening for no reason other than someone told you to. If you're single, you feel ostracized by a community of people seemingly in love. The entire holiday is a lose-lose. Cosmopolitan: 18 reasons Valentine's Day just sucks It's all about perspective. Flowers and chocolate don't have to be expensive, and they can mean the world to your significant other, friend, or even your mom. Whether you're single or in a relationship, Valentine's Day can just be a day to treat yourself. Have an extravagant evening if you want to, or spend the night in with Chipotle and a bottle of wine. The day of love can easily mean self-love. There are plenty of creative ways to celebrate: Valentine's Day is one of the worst days of the year to go out to eat. In reality, you'd probably rather save that special meal for a birthday or anniversary; instead, you feel pressure to succumb to the crazy consumerism of the modern world and suffer through a subpar, over-priced dinner. This is also the time of year when MeUndies and 1-800-Flowers ads are pelting you everywhere you look-Instagram, podcasts, the works. Resist the temptation. Refuse to acknowledge Valentine's Day madness. Just a little snippet of advice from a restaurant industry veteran: don't dine out on Valentine's Day, your service will suck, you won't get the table you want, and you'll be boxed into a prefix menu. Opt for the Monday before or after. -- Jaquline Margwarth (@forrreeeal) January 29, 2019 Perhaps everyone is missing the message here. It is a holiday filled with chocolate and candy. Who cares who you celebrate it with -- it's an excuse to indulge! You get to wear pink and red all day, get dressed up if you want to, and as Her Campus puts it: It's a chance to give [a] poor lonely teddy bear a new loving home. It's fun to embrace your cheesy side every once in a while. Unpopular opinion: I love everything about Valentine's Day pic.twitter.com/AGU4ZZl39p -- Killian [?] (@killiann_) January 30, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | Some say Valentine's Day is overrated. Others say it's a great excuse to indulge in chocolate and indulge in self-love. There are plenty of creative ways to celebrate the day of love. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2019/02/is_valentines_day_overrated_1.html | 0.387668 |
Is Valentine's Day overrated? | By Jessie Blaeser Valentine's Day is filled with chocolate, roses and love -- but it can come at quite the cost. The National Retail Federation projected Americans spent $19.6 billion on Valentine's Day in 2018, reinforcing the belief the day of love is nothing more than a commercial holiday designed to get couples to spend money. Others say Valentine's Day allows couples and friends to express how much they mean to one another. Plus, any holiday with an emphasis on chocolate is fun. PERSPECTIVES There's nothing pleasant about Valentine's Day. If you're in a relationship, you feel huge pressure to orchestrate an extravagant, romantic evening for no reason other than someone told you to. If you're single, you feel ostracized by a community of people seemingly in love. The entire holiday is a lose-lose. Cosmopolitan: 18 reasons Valentine's Day just sucks It's all about perspective. Flowers and chocolate don't have to be expensive, and they can mean the world to your significant other, friend, or even your mom. Whether you're single or in a relationship, Valentine's Day can just be a day to treat yourself. Have an extravagant evening if you want to, or spend the night in with Chipotle and a bottle of wine. The day of love can easily mean self-love. There are plenty of creative ways to celebrate: Valentine's Day is one of the worst days of the year to go out to eat. In reality, you'd probably rather save that special meal for a birthday or anniversary; instead, you feel pressure to succumb to the crazy consumerism of the modern world and suffer through a subpar, over-priced dinner. This is also the time of year when MeUndies and 1-800-Flowers ads are pelting you everywhere you look-Instagram, podcasts, the works. Resist the temptation. Refuse to acknowledge Valentine's Day madness. Just a little snippet of advice from a restaurant industry veteran: don't dine out on Valentine's Day, your service will suck, you won't get the table you want, and you'll be boxed into a prefix menu. Opt for the Monday before or after. -- Jaquline Margwarth (@forrreeeal) January 29, 2019 Perhaps everyone is missing the message here. It is a holiday filled with chocolate and candy. Who cares who you celebrate it with -- it's an excuse to indulge! You get to wear pink and red all day, get dressed up if you want to, and as Her Campus puts it: It's a chance to give [a] poor lonely teddy bear a new loving home. It's fun to embrace your cheesy side every once in a while. Unpopular opinion: I love everything about Valentine's Day pic.twitter.com/AGU4ZZl39p -- Killian [?] (@killiann_) January 30, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | Some say Valentine's Day is overrated. Others say it's a great excuse to indulge in chocolate and indulge in self-love. There are plenty of creative ways to celebrate the holiday, such as at Chipotle or at home. The Tylt wants to hear what you think. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2019/02/is_valentines_day_overrated_1.html | 0.387333 |
Was the Huskies' loss to Arizona State a hiccup, or something more? | 1 / 20 Back to Gallery The Washington Huskies were off to a perfect start in the Pac-12. Ten games, ten wins. What's more only three of those victories were even particularly close. On Saturday night in Tempe, however, that streak came grinding to a halt. Facing the Arizona State Sun Devils on their own turf, the Dawgs struggled out of the gate, and were unable to wrest control of the game away from their opponents. Making matters even worse for the Huskies, they were likely right on the cusp of finally breaking back into the AP Top-25 rankings. Now, given the historically bad season the Pac-12 is in the midst of, cracking that coveted list seems more difficult than ever. RELATED: Despite loss, Huskies still on top in latest Pac-12 power rankings Before answering, there are a couple of things about that loss to consider. First, the whole team had been battling off illness during that entire road trip, and was without starting forward Hameir Wright. Second, Arizona State had one of its better nights shooting the ball: the Sun Devils have averaged 44.4 percent shooting from the field all year long, but made a whopping 61.4 percent of their attempts against UW. Clearly, there were some mitigating factors. However, the Huskies can't pawn all of the blame off on someone else. For one thing, the Dawgs shot a paltry 36.8 percent from the field, and just 55 percent from the free throw line. They were also utterly beaten on the boards, grabbing just 23 rebounds to ASU's 40. And while they forced 24 Sun Devil turnovers, Washington coughed up the rock 17 times themselves. So yes, it was a deeply ugly game. But there were spots of good play amidst the mess. The star trio of Jaylen Nowell, David Crisp and Noah Dickerson each posted yet another double-figure performance. Matisse Thybulle had just three points, but also three boards, three assists, three steals and a pair of blocks. And, as noted earlier, all of this came while missing a starter and fighting off sickness. Now, none of that is to say that there isn't cause for concern. Arizona State isn't a truly elite opponent after all, Washington State and Princeton both beat them earlier in the season. Shooting as poorly as the Dawgs did is also worrying, but the team has shot at a 46 percent clip all year long. They've also averaged 32 boards per contest, and under 14 turnovers as well. ALSO: Perfect, but unranked: Evaluating the Huskies' 10-0 Pac-12 start The loss to Arizona State hurts there's no doubting that. A team as passionate as the Dawgs will always hate to give away a winnable contest. But with as solid as the team has been all year, there's little reason to believe that Washington won't right the ship. The Huskies will look to bounce back when they take on Washington State on Saturday, Feb. 16 in Pullman. | The Washington Huskies lost to Arizona State on Saturday night. It was their first loss in the Pac-12 and ended their 10-game winning streak. The team was missing a starter and fighting off illness. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/college/article/Was-the-Huskies-loss-to-Arizona-State-a-hiccup-13616571.php | 0.151243 |
Was the Huskies' loss to Arizona State a hiccup, or something more? | 1 / 20 Back to Gallery The Washington Huskies were off to a perfect start in the Pac-12. Ten games, ten wins. What's more only three of those victories were even particularly close. On Saturday night in Tempe, however, that streak came grinding to a halt. Facing the Arizona State Sun Devils on their own turf, the Dawgs struggled out of the gate, and were unable to wrest control of the game away from their opponents. Making matters even worse for the Huskies, they were likely right on the cusp of finally breaking back into the AP Top-25 rankings. Now, given the historically bad season the Pac-12 is in the midst of, cracking that coveted list seems more difficult than ever. RELATED: Despite loss, Huskies still on top in latest Pac-12 power rankings Before answering, there are a couple of things about that loss to consider. First, the whole team had been battling off illness during that entire road trip, and was without starting forward Hameir Wright. Second, Arizona State had one of its better nights shooting the ball: the Sun Devils have averaged 44.4 percent shooting from the field all year long, but made a whopping 61.4 percent of their attempts against UW. Clearly, there were some mitigating factors. However, the Huskies can't pawn all of the blame off on someone else. For one thing, the Dawgs shot a paltry 36.8 percent from the field, and just 55 percent from the free throw line. They were also utterly beaten on the boards, grabbing just 23 rebounds to ASU's 40. And while they forced 24 Sun Devil turnovers, Washington coughed up the rock 17 times themselves. So yes, it was a deeply ugly game. But there were spots of good play amidst the mess. The star trio of Jaylen Nowell, David Crisp and Noah Dickerson each posted yet another double-figure performance. Matisse Thybulle had just three points, but also three boards, three assists, three steals and a pair of blocks. And, as noted earlier, all of this came while missing a starter and fighting off sickness. Now, none of that is to say that there isn't cause for concern. Arizona State isn't a truly elite opponent after all, Washington State and Princeton both beat them earlier in the season. Shooting as poorly as the Dawgs did is also worrying, but the team has shot at a 46 percent clip all year long. They've also averaged 32 boards per contest, and under 14 turnovers as well. ALSO: Perfect, but unranked: Evaluating the Huskies' 10-0 Pac-12 start The loss to Arizona State hurts there's no doubting that. A team as passionate as the Dawgs will always hate to give away a winnable contest. But with as solid as the team has been all year, there's little reason to believe that Washington won't right the ship. The Huskies will look to bounce back when they take on Washington State on Saturday, Feb. 16 in Pullman. | The Washington Huskies lost to Arizona State on Saturday night. It was their first loss in the Pac-12, and ended their 10-game winning streak. The team was also missing a starting forward who was battling off illness. The Huskies will look to bounce back when they take on Washington State on Saturday. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/college/article/Was-the-Huskies-loss-to-Arizona-State-a-hiccup-13616571.php | 0.27964 |
Could diet soda raise a woman's stroke risk? | Older women, beware: New research warns that drinking a lot of diet sodas or artificially sweetened fruit juices may increase your risk for stroke. In a study that tracked nearly 82,000 postmenopausal women, those who drank two or more diet drinks per day saw their overall stroke risk rise by 23 percent, compared with those who consumed diet drinks less than once a week. Blocked arteries were often the main culprit, with heavy diet drink consumption linked to a 31 percent greater risk for an ischemic stroke, which is triggered by a clot, the study findings showed. Study author Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani acknowledged that an "association does not imply causation." But she stressed that the findings held up even after taking into account the nutritional value of each participant's overall diet. So, "we can't assume these diet drinks are harmless, particularly when consumed at high levels," Mossavar-Rahmani said. "The take-home message is that these findings give us pause," she added. "We need to do more research on why we are seeing these associations. Is there something about the artificial sweeteners, for example, that affect the bacteria in the gut and lead to health issues?" New study looks at diet soda's link to dementia Mossavar-Rahmani is an associate professor in the department of epidemiology and population health's division of health promotion and nutrition research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York City. The study authors pointed out that the American Heart Association (AHA) has recently underscored the lack of sufficient research into the cardiovascular impact of diet sodas. Until more work is done, the AHA says the jury remains out on whether artificially sweetened beverages do or do not hasten heart disease. Women in the latest study were between 50 and 79 when they first enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative trial between 1993 and 1998. Investigators tracked the general health of all the enrollees for an average of nearly 12 years. During that time -- at the three-year mark -- all the women were asked to indicate how frequently they consumed diet sodas and diet fruit drinks over a three-month period. The researchers did not take note of which brands of artificially sweetened drinks the women drank, and so did not know which artificial sweeteners were being consumed. That said, nearly two-thirds of the women consumed diet sodas or drinks very infrequently, meaning less than once a week or never. Only about 5 percent were found to be "heavy" consumers of artificially sweetened drinks. After taking into consideration a variety of stroke risk factors -- including blood pressure status, smoking history and age -- the study team concluded that heavy consumption of diet drinks did appear to be tied to cardiovascular risks in a number of ways. For example, those women who drank two or more diet beverages a day saw their overall risk for developing heart disease increase by 29 percent. They were also 16 percent more likely to die prematurely from any cause. Certain groups fared even worse: Among obese women and black women with no history of heart disease or diabetes, a diet drink habit pushed clot-driven stroke risk up by roughly twofold and fourfold, respectively, the researchers reported. Whether or not the findings would apply to either men or younger women remains unclear, the study authors noted. The findings were published online Feb. 14 in the journal Stroke. Lona Sandon is program director of the department of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She agreed that more research is needed to further explore a possible diet drink-heart disease connection. But for now Sandon offered simple advice: diet or regular, sodas offer no nutritional value other than calories. "If they replace other drinks, such as milk and 100 percent fruit or vegetable drinks, then these women miss out on valuable nutrition for protecting the heart and vascular system," Sandon warned. "The nutrition you are missing because you are drinking artificially sweetened beverages instead may be the real problem," she said. A group representing the artificial sweetener industry offered another caveat about the findings -- that many women who drink diet drinks are already struggling with weight issues. "It is likely study subjects were already at a greater health risk and chose low-calorie sweetened beverages to manage their calorie and sugar intake as these products are proven safe and beneficial for those managing their weight and blood glucose levels," said Robert Rankin, president of the Calorie Control Council. "The contribution of reverse causality, meaning that individuals already at a greater risk of stroke and cardiovascular events chose low-calorie sweetened beverages, is very likely the cause of the associations presented by these researchers," the council added in a statement. | Study: Drinking two or more diet drinks per day increases stroke risk by 23%. Blocked arteries are often the main culprit, study finds. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/could-diet-soda-raise-an-older-womans-stroke-risk/ | 0.129019 |
Could diet soda raise a woman's stroke risk? | Older women, beware: New research warns that drinking a lot of diet sodas or artificially sweetened fruit juices may increase your risk for stroke. In a study that tracked nearly 82,000 postmenopausal women, those who drank two or more diet drinks per day saw their overall stroke risk rise by 23 percent, compared with those who consumed diet drinks less than once a week. Blocked arteries were often the main culprit, with heavy diet drink consumption linked to a 31 percent greater risk for an ischemic stroke, which is triggered by a clot, the study findings showed. Study author Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani acknowledged that an "association does not imply causation." But she stressed that the findings held up even after taking into account the nutritional value of each participant's overall diet. So, "we can't assume these diet drinks are harmless, particularly when consumed at high levels," Mossavar-Rahmani said. "The take-home message is that these findings give us pause," she added. "We need to do more research on why we are seeing these associations. Is there something about the artificial sweeteners, for example, that affect the bacteria in the gut and lead to health issues?" New study looks at diet soda's link to dementia Mossavar-Rahmani is an associate professor in the department of epidemiology and population health's division of health promotion and nutrition research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York City. The study authors pointed out that the American Heart Association (AHA) has recently underscored the lack of sufficient research into the cardiovascular impact of diet sodas. Until more work is done, the AHA says the jury remains out on whether artificially sweetened beverages do or do not hasten heart disease. Women in the latest study were between 50 and 79 when they first enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative trial between 1993 and 1998. Investigators tracked the general health of all the enrollees for an average of nearly 12 years. During that time -- at the three-year mark -- all the women were asked to indicate how frequently they consumed diet sodas and diet fruit drinks over a three-month period. The researchers did not take note of which brands of artificially sweetened drinks the women drank, and so did not know which artificial sweeteners were being consumed. That said, nearly two-thirds of the women consumed diet sodas or drinks very infrequently, meaning less than once a week or never. Only about 5 percent were found to be "heavy" consumers of artificially sweetened drinks. After taking into consideration a variety of stroke risk factors -- including blood pressure status, smoking history and age -- the study team concluded that heavy consumption of diet drinks did appear to be tied to cardiovascular risks in a number of ways. For example, those women who drank two or more diet beverages a day saw their overall risk for developing heart disease increase by 29 percent. They were also 16 percent more likely to die prematurely from any cause. Certain groups fared even worse: Among obese women and black women with no history of heart disease or diabetes, a diet drink habit pushed clot-driven stroke risk up by roughly twofold and fourfold, respectively, the researchers reported. Whether or not the findings would apply to either men or younger women remains unclear, the study authors noted. The findings were published online Feb. 14 in the journal Stroke. Lona Sandon is program director of the department of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She agreed that more research is needed to further explore a possible diet drink-heart disease connection. But for now Sandon offered simple advice: diet or regular, sodas offer no nutritional value other than calories. "If they replace other drinks, such as milk and 100 percent fruit or vegetable drinks, then these women miss out on valuable nutrition for protecting the heart and vascular system," Sandon warned. "The nutrition you are missing because you are drinking artificially sweetened beverages instead may be the real problem," she said. A group representing the artificial sweetener industry offered another caveat about the findings -- that many women who drink diet drinks are already struggling with weight issues. "It is likely study subjects were already at a greater health risk and chose low-calorie sweetened beverages to manage their calorie and sugar intake as these products are proven safe and beneficial for those managing their weight and blood glucose levels," said Robert Rankin, president of the Calorie Control Council. "The contribution of reverse causality, meaning that individuals already at a greater risk of stroke and cardiovascular events chose low-calorie sweetened beverages, is very likely the cause of the associations presented by these researchers," the council added in a statement. | Study tracked nearly 82,000 postmenopausal women. Those who drank two or more diet drinks per day saw their overall stroke risk rise by 23 percent. | bart | 1 | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/could-diet-soda-raise-an-older-womans-stroke-risk/ | 0.299687 |
Could diet soda raise a woman's stroke risk? | Older women, beware: New research warns that drinking a lot of diet sodas or artificially sweetened fruit juices may increase your risk for stroke. In a study that tracked nearly 82,000 postmenopausal women, those who drank two or more diet drinks per day saw their overall stroke risk rise by 23 percent, compared with those who consumed diet drinks less than once a week. Blocked arteries were often the main culprit, with heavy diet drink consumption linked to a 31 percent greater risk for an ischemic stroke, which is triggered by a clot, the study findings showed. Study author Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani acknowledged that an "association does not imply causation." But she stressed that the findings held up even after taking into account the nutritional value of each participant's overall diet. So, "we can't assume these diet drinks are harmless, particularly when consumed at high levels," Mossavar-Rahmani said. "The take-home message is that these findings give us pause," she added. "We need to do more research on why we are seeing these associations. Is there something about the artificial sweeteners, for example, that affect the bacteria in the gut and lead to health issues?" New study looks at diet soda's link to dementia Mossavar-Rahmani is an associate professor in the department of epidemiology and population health's division of health promotion and nutrition research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York City. The study authors pointed out that the American Heart Association (AHA) has recently underscored the lack of sufficient research into the cardiovascular impact of diet sodas. Until more work is done, the AHA says the jury remains out on whether artificially sweetened beverages do or do not hasten heart disease. Women in the latest study were between 50 and 79 when they first enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative trial between 1993 and 1998. Investigators tracked the general health of all the enrollees for an average of nearly 12 years. During that time -- at the three-year mark -- all the women were asked to indicate how frequently they consumed diet sodas and diet fruit drinks over a three-month period. The researchers did not take note of which brands of artificially sweetened drinks the women drank, and so did not know which artificial sweeteners were being consumed. That said, nearly two-thirds of the women consumed diet sodas or drinks very infrequently, meaning less than once a week or never. Only about 5 percent were found to be "heavy" consumers of artificially sweetened drinks. After taking into consideration a variety of stroke risk factors -- including blood pressure status, smoking history and age -- the study team concluded that heavy consumption of diet drinks did appear to be tied to cardiovascular risks in a number of ways. For example, those women who drank two or more diet beverages a day saw their overall risk for developing heart disease increase by 29 percent. They were also 16 percent more likely to die prematurely from any cause. Certain groups fared even worse: Among obese women and black women with no history of heart disease or diabetes, a diet drink habit pushed clot-driven stroke risk up by roughly twofold and fourfold, respectively, the researchers reported. Whether or not the findings would apply to either men or younger women remains unclear, the study authors noted. The findings were published online Feb. 14 in the journal Stroke. Lona Sandon is program director of the department of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She agreed that more research is needed to further explore a possible diet drink-heart disease connection. But for now Sandon offered simple advice: diet or regular, sodas offer no nutritional value other than calories. "If they replace other drinks, such as milk and 100 percent fruit or vegetable drinks, then these women miss out on valuable nutrition for protecting the heart and vascular system," Sandon warned. "The nutrition you are missing because you are drinking artificially sweetened beverages instead may be the real problem," she said. A group representing the artificial sweetener industry offered another caveat about the findings -- that many women who drink diet drinks are already struggling with weight issues. "It is likely study subjects were already at a greater health risk and chose low-calorie sweetened beverages to manage their calorie and sugar intake as these products are proven safe and beneficial for those managing their weight and blood glucose levels," said Robert Rankin, president of the Calorie Control Council. "The contribution of reverse causality, meaning that individuals already at a greater risk of stroke and cardiovascular events chose low-calorie sweetened beverages, is very likely the cause of the associations presented by these researchers," the council added in a statement. | Study tracked nearly 82,000 postmenopausal women. Those who drank two or more diet drinks per day saw their overall stroke risk rise by 23 percent. Blocked arteries were often the main culprit. "We can't assume these diet drinks are harmless," study author says. | bart | 2 | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/could-diet-soda-raise-an-older-womans-stroke-risk/ | 0.2794 |
Is the national emergency a big deal and will it get Trump his wall? | Trump said he will declare a national emergency to build a border wall. Donald Trump has said he will declare a national emergency in an effort to secure resources to build a wall on the US-Mexico border. The analysis flies in both directions on this question. Some legal analysts say the emergency declaration is deeply alarming because it is an aggressive power grab by the president on funding issues. The constitution allots the power of the purse uniquely to Congress. Here, Congress has refused to pay for Trumps border wall, and now it appears that Trump is trying to usurp the appropriations power. Many legal analysts take a more sanguine attitude about the emergency declaration. They point out that any declaration built on shaky legal ground is likely to collapse in court. They point out that Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi has the power to force the Senate to vote on a resolution to rescind the declaration, which if it does not succeed could extract a potentially large political cost from Republicans. Finally, voices counseling calm in the face of the emergency declaration point to the 59 emergency declarations made by presidents since the 1976 National Emergencies Act. It emerges that presidents declare national emergencies with fair regularity. The most recent such declaration, in November of last year, is described as blocking the property of certain persons contributing to the situation in Nicaragua. In theory it could. Military officials are empowered under multiple statutes, following the declaration of a national emergency, to divert funding and resources essential to the national defense including the use of the armed forces. So Trump might declare a national emergency, then order the military to move money and troops around to address the emergency in this case, Trump imagines, by building a wall. But many analysts believe that the emergency declaration will not produce a wall, owing to the aforementioned anticipated challenges in the courts and Congress. Or it will fail due to public outcryor perhaps to a breakdown in compliance somewhere in the chain of command, either on the part of military officials or Trumps own legal team. A CNN poll conducted 30 January through 2 February found that a strong majority of the public was opposed to the idea of Trump declaring a national emergency to build his wall. In response to the question, Should Trump Declare Emergency to Build Wall?, 31% said yes while 66% said no. The national emergency declaration seems particularly to pose political hazards for Republicans. If they are forced to vote on a resolution to repeal the declaration, they risk being tied to a potentially unpopular policy. If they back the policy, they risk eroding their credentials as devotees to the US constitution, whose checks on the presidency were sermonized gospel among Republicans during the Barack Obama years. But as bad as that could get for Republicans, Mitch McConnell might have decided that the political risks of a national emergency were smaller than those of a second government shutdown in 2019, which Trump had also threatened but many saw as a likely political disaster. | Trump said he will declare a national emergency to build a border wall. Some legal analysts say it is an aggressive power grab by the president. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/14/trump-national-emergency-explainer-border-wall | 0.227934 |
Is the national emergency a big deal and will it get Trump his wall? | Trump said he will declare a national emergency to build a border wall. Donald Trump has said he will declare a national emergency in an effort to secure resources to build a wall on the US-Mexico border. The analysis flies in both directions on this question. Some legal analysts say the emergency declaration is deeply alarming because it is an aggressive power grab by the president on funding issues. The constitution allots the power of the purse uniquely to Congress. Here, Congress has refused to pay for Trumps border wall, and now it appears that Trump is trying to usurp the appropriations power. Many legal analysts take a more sanguine attitude about the emergency declaration. They point out that any declaration built on shaky legal ground is likely to collapse in court. They point out that Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi has the power to force the Senate to vote on a resolution to rescind the declaration, which if it does not succeed could extract a potentially large political cost from Republicans. Finally, voices counseling calm in the face of the emergency declaration point to the 59 emergency declarations made by presidents since the 1976 National Emergencies Act. It emerges that presidents declare national emergencies with fair regularity. The most recent such declaration, in November of last year, is described as blocking the property of certain persons contributing to the situation in Nicaragua. In theory it could. Military officials are empowered under multiple statutes, following the declaration of a national emergency, to divert funding and resources essential to the national defense including the use of the armed forces. So Trump might declare a national emergency, then order the military to move money and troops around to address the emergency in this case, Trump imagines, by building a wall. But many analysts believe that the emergency declaration will not produce a wall, owing to the aforementioned anticipated challenges in the courts and Congress. Or it will fail due to public outcryor perhaps to a breakdown in compliance somewhere in the chain of command, either on the part of military officials or Trumps own legal team. A CNN poll conducted 30 January through 2 February found that a strong majority of the public was opposed to the idea of Trump declaring a national emergency to build his wall. In response to the question, Should Trump Declare Emergency to Build Wall?, 31% said yes while 66% said no. The national emergency declaration seems particularly to pose political hazards for Republicans. If they are forced to vote on a resolution to repeal the declaration, they risk being tied to a potentially unpopular policy. If they back the policy, they risk eroding their credentials as devotees to the US constitution, whose checks on the presidency were sermonized gospel among Republicans during the Barack Obama years. But as bad as that could get for Republicans, Mitch McConnell might have decided that the political risks of a national emergency were smaller than those of a second government shutdown in 2019, which Trump had also threatened but many saw as a likely political disaster. | Trump said he will declare a national emergency to build a border wall. Legal analysts say the emergency declaration is deeply alarming because it is an aggressive power grab by the president on funding issues. | bart | 1 | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/14/trump-national-emergency-explainer-border-wall | 0.351951 |
Is the national emergency a big deal and will it get Trump his wall? | Trump said he will declare a national emergency to build a border wall. Donald Trump has said he will declare a national emergency in an effort to secure resources to build a wall on the US-Mexico border. The analysis flies in both directions on this question. Some legal analysts say the emergency declaration is deeply alarming because it is an aggressive power grab by the president on funding issues. The constitution allots the power of the purse uniquely to Congress. Here, Congress has refused to pay for Trumps border wall, and now it appears that Trump is trying to usurp the appropriations power. Many legal analysts take a more sanguine attitude about the emergency declaration. They point out that any declaration built on shaky legal ground is likely to collapse in court. They point out that Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi has the power to force the Senate to vote on a resolution to rescind the declaration, which if it does not succeed could extract a potentially large political cost from Republicans. Finally, voices counseling calm in the face of the emergency declaration point to the 59 emergency declarations made by presidents since the 1976 National Emergencies Act. It emerges that presidents declare national emergencies with fair regularity. The most recent such declaration, in November of last year, is described as blocking the property of certain persons contributing to the situation in Nicaragua. In theory it could. Military officials are empowered under multiple statutes, following the declaration of a national emergency, to divert funding and resources essential to the national defense including the use of the armed forces. So Trump might declare a national emergency, then order the military to move money and troops around to address the emergency in this case, Trump imagines, by building a wall. But many analysts believe that the emergency declaration will not produce a wall, owing to the aforementioned anticipated challenges in the courts and Congress. Or it will fail due to public outcryor perhaps to a breakdown in compliance somewhere in the chain of command, either on the part of military officials or Trumps own legal team. A CNN poll conducted 30 January through 2 February found that a strong majority of the public was opposed to the idea of Trump declaring a national emergency to build his wall. In response to the question, Should Trump Declare Emergency to Build Wall?, 31% said yes while 66% said no. The national emergency declaration seems particularly to pose political hazards for Republicans. If they are forced to vote on a resolution to repeal the declaration, they risk being tied to a potentially unpopular policy. If they back the policy, they risk eroding their credentials as devotees to the US constitution, whose checks on the presidency were sermonized gospel among Republicans during the Barack Obama years. But as bad as that could get for Republicans, Mitch McConnell might have decided that the political risks of a national emergency were smaller than those of a second government shutdown in 2019, which Trump had also threatened but many saw as a likely political disaster. | Donald Trump said he will declare a national emergency to build a border wall. Some legal analysts say the emergency declaration is deeply alarming because it is an aggressive power grab by the president on funding issues. Many analysts believe that the declaration will not produce a wall, owing to the anticipated challenges in the courts and Congress. | bart | 2 | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/14/trump-national-emergency-explainer-border-wall | 0.448611 |
Will Washington cancellation hurt No. 19 ASU women's basketball? | ASU's Courtney Ekmark (22) runs the floor during a game against Arizona on Feb. 16 at Wells Fargo Arena. (Photo11: Patrick Breen/The Republic) The best thing Charli Turner Thorne can say about her team having a game cancelled at Washington last week is that it's a mixed blessing. Arizona State women's basketball was barely done celebrating its win over Washington State on Feb. 7 when it learned that its road trip was ending early because of an impending snowstorm. Rather than flying from Pullman to Seattle on Feb. 8, the Sun Devils returned home via Spokane, and for a second consecutive week played just one game. Going into Friday's game at home against Colorado, No. 19 ASU (16-6, 7-4 in the Pac-12) has played two games in the previous 18 days. Turner Thorne wanted a one-game week in February that was the point of splitting up rivalry games against Arizona with the first held Dec. 30 but not two such weeks in a row. Plus, ASU is in a battle with UCLA and Utah for fourth place in the Pac-12 and a first-round bye in the conference tournament. UCLA (15-9, 8-4) is now a half game ahead of the Sun Devils in addition to holding a tiebreaker because they won in their only regular season meeting on Jan. 25, 61-59. ASU is a half game up on Utah (18-5, 7-5) with a road win over the Utes. The rematch is Sunday at Wells Fargo Arena. To finish ahead of UCLA in Pac-12 in winning percentage, ASU will need one fewer loss. But that would have been the case before the cancellation, too, because of the head-to-head tiebreaker. ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne yells out to her team during the first half of a game against Arizona on Feb. 16 at Wells Fargo Arena. (Photo11: Patrick Breen/The Republic) ASU and UCLA will play the same six teams to end the regular season. The Sun Devils' order is Colorado, Utah, at California, at No. 10 Stanford, No. 9 Oregon State, No. 3 Oregon. For the Bruins, it's Stanford, Cal, at Oregon, at Oregon State, Utah, Colorado. Whoever finishes in fifth place plays the 12th-place team in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament on March 7 in Las Vegas. There's a chance that could be ASU against Washington since the Huskies are currently are tied for 12th with Colorado. It's also possible the Sun Devils are heading toward a Pac-12 quarterfinal game against UCLA. Through Wednesday, ASU was No. 18 nationally in the ratings percentage index and No. 12 in strength of schedule. Playing Washington (No. 144 RPI) would have lowered ASU's strength of schedule and likely RPI even given a win. The Sun Devils were not among the early top 16 NCAA Tournaments seeds announced Monday by the selection committee, but that does not preclude them from achieving that by March. They are a No. 5 seed in ESPN's latest bracketology and need to get to No. 4 to host first- and second-round games in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016. "For NCAA (seeding), I don't know that it matters that much," Turner Thorne said of losing a projected win against Washington. "We have a schedule down the stretch where we can put ourselves in position to host." UP NEXT: Colorado at Arizona State, 6 p.m. Friday (KDUS-AM 1060) No. 20 ASU (16-6, 7-4) is seeking its fourth consecutive win and a season sweep over the Buffs (11-12, 1-11), coming off their first Pac-12 win. MORE ASU | No. 19 ASU women's basketball has played two games in the previous 18 days. The cancellation of a game against Washington last week is a mixed blessing for the Sun Devils. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2019/02/14/washington-cancellation-hurt-no-19-asu-womens-basketball/2872376002/ | 0.285884 |
Will Washington cancellation hurt No. 19 ASU women's basketball? | ASU's Courtney Ekmark (22) runs the floor during a game against Arizona on Feb. 16 at Wells Fargo Arena. (Photo11: Patrick Breen/The Republic) The best thing Charli Turner Thorne can say about her team having a game cancelled at Washington last week is that it's a mixed blessing. Arizona State women's basketball was barely done celebrating its win over Washington State on Feb. 7 when it learned that its road trip was ending early because of an impending snowstorm. Rather than flying from Pullman to Seattle on Feb. 8, the Sun Devils returned home via Spokane, and for a second consecutive week played just one game. Going into Friday's game at home against Colorado, No. 19 ASU (16-6, 7-4 in the Pac-12) has played two games in the previous 18 days. Turner Thorne wanted a one-game week in February that was the point of splitting up rivalry games against Arizona with the first held Dec. 30 but not two such weeks in a row. Plus, ASU is in a battle with UCLA and Utah for fourth place in the Pac-12 and a first-round bye in the conference tournament. UCLA (15-9, 8-4) is now a half game ahead of the Sun Devils in addition to holding a tiebreaker because they won in their only regular season meeting on Jan. 25, 61-59. ASU is a half game up on Utah (18-5, 7-5) with a road win over the Utes. The rematch is Sunday at Wells Fargo Arena. To finish ahead of UCLA in Pac-12 in winning percentage, ASU will need one fewer loss. But that would have been the case before the cancellation, too, because of the head-to-head tiebreaker. ASU coach Charli Turner Thorne yells out to her team during the first half of a game against Arizona on Feb. 16 at Wells Fargo Arena. (Photo11: Patrick Breen/The Republic) ASU and UCLA will play the same six teams to end the regular season. The Sun Devils' order is Colorado, Utah, at California, at No. 10 Stanford, No. 9 Oregon State, No. 3 Oregon. For the Bruins, it's Stanford, Cal, at Oregon, at Oregon State, Utah, Colorado. Whoever finishes in fifth place plays the 12th-place team in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament on March 7 in Las Vegas. There's a chance that could be ASU against Washington since the Huskies are currently are tied for 12th with Colorado. It's also possible the Sun Devils are heading toward a Pac-12 quarterfinal game against UCLA. Through Wednesday, ASU was No. 18 nationally in the ratings percentage index and No. 12 in strength of schedule. Playing Washington (No. 144 RPI) would have lowered ASU's strength of schedule and likely RPI even given a win. The Sun Devils were not among the early top 16 NCAA Tournaments seeds announced Monday by the selection committee, but that does not preclude them from achieving that by March. They are a No. 5 seed in ESPN's latest bracketology and need to get to No. 4 to host first- and second-round games in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016. "For NCAA (seeding), I don't know that it matters that much," Turner Thorne said of losing a projected win against Washington. "We have a schedule down the stretch where we can put ourselves in position to host." UP NEXT: Colorado at Arizona State, 6 p.m. Friday (KDUS-AM 1060) No. 20 ASU (16-6, 7-4) is seeking its fourth consecutive win and a season sweep over the Buffs (11-12, 1-11), coming off their first Pac-12 win. MORE ASU | No. 19 ASU women's basketball has played two games in the previous 18 days. The cancellation of a game against Washington last week is a mixed blessing for the Sun Devils. ASU is in a battle with UCLA and Utah for fourth place in the Pac-12 and a first-round bye. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2019/02/14/washington-cancellation-hurt-no-19-asu-womens-basketball/2872376002/ | 0.41146 |
How effective is this year's flu shot? | The United States is in the middle of flu season and new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says this year's flu vaccine appears to be working. The CDC estimates the vaccine has reduced the risk of going to the doctor for flu-related illness by 47 percent overall this season. The effectiveness is even higher among children between the ages of 6 months and 17 years old, with the vaccine reducing doctors' visits by 61 percent. "Numbers can change between now and at the end of the season. The important thing is the vaccine is providing some protection against the viruses that are circulating," Dr. Brendan Flannery of the CDC told CBS News. The CDC says the predominant strain of the virus so far this season is H1N1 in most of the country, although a strain called H3N2 is predominant in the southeast. Even though flu activity is lower than it was at this point last year, the illness is still responsible for somewhere between 155,000 and 186,000 hospitalizations and 10,000 to 16,000 deaths nationwide. "That puts it on track to be a season with a substantial number of deaths that's likely to rise," Flannery said. "We also see 28 pediatric deaths so far this season, that's also unfortunately likely to rise." Last season, the CDC estimated 80,000 Americans died of the flu and its complications. That was the deadliest toll in 40 years. Health officials said that after a slow start, flu activity has been picking up in the past few weeks and is now the highest it's been all season. Experts stress if you haven't received a flu shot yet, there is still time to get one. You can also help avoid illnesses like the flu by following these guidelines from the CDC: Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water. If soap isn't available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If you are sick, limit contact with others as much as possible. If you have the flu, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone, except to get medical care or for other necessities. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, as germs spread this way. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and then throw the tissue away. | The CDC estimates the vaccine has reduced the risk of going to the doctor for flu-related illness by 47 percent overall this season. The effectiveness is even higher among children between the ages of 6 months and 17 years old. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-effective-is-this-years-flu-shot/ | 0.135257 |
When is the rain ever going to stop falling in the Bay Area? | The short answer is showers will continue through the weekend, with the first day of clear skies and dry weather forecast for Monday. On Thursday, lingering bands of heavy rain, and possibly some thunderstorms, will move across the Bay Area as an atmospheric river originating in the tropics sags south and a cold front from the Gulf of Alaska drops into the region from the north. The cold front was still off the coast Thursday afternoon and will push through the region Thursday night, delivering more rain and a cold blast of air. "Behind that cold front we are anticipating rain showers to continue throughout most of the weekend as a colder air mass settles into the region," said Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Monterey. "The weather is going to be similar to last weekend. Cool and showery. It didn't rain all day, but it's not going to be clear, beautiful skies." MORE: Weather going from 'almost tropical' to cold as new storm hits Bay Area As temperatures drop into the 30s and low-40s overnight, snow levels are expected to fall Friday and Saturday and snow is in the forecast for peaks above 3,000 feet. "There's still not a lot of confidence in the forecast, but we think a lot of the higher peaks will see some snow," said Gass. Finally, on Sunday afternoon, the precipitation is expected to taper off and Gass' best educated guess at when the rain might finally stop is Sunday at 3 p.m. Confidence is high Monday will be dry, so if you want to plan a hike or a bike ride over the three-day weekend, that's the day to do it. | Showers will continue through the weekend, with the first day of clear skies and dry weather forecast for Monday. On Thursday, lingering bands of heavy rain, and possibly some thunderstorms, will move across the Bay Area. | bart | 1 | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/When-is-the-rain-going-to-stop-Bay-Area-SF-13617583.php | 0.259832 |
When is the rain ever going to stop falling in the Bay Area? | The short answer is showers will continue through the weekend, with the first day of clear skies and dry weather forecast for Monday. On Thursday, lingering bands of heavy rain, and possibly some thunderstorms, will move across the Bay Area as an atmospheric river originating in the tropics sags south and a cold front from the Gulf of Alaska drops into the region from the north. The cold front was still off the coast Thursday afternoon and will push through the region Thursday night, delivering more rain and a cold blast of air. "Behind that cold front we are anticipating rain showers to continue throughout most of the weekend as a colder air mass settles into the region," said Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Monterey. "The weather is going to be similar to last weekend. Cool and showery. It didn't rain all day, but it's not going to be clear, beautiful skies." MORE: Weather going from 'almost tropical' to cold as new storm hits Bay Area As temperatures drop into the 30s and low-40s overnight, snow levels are expected to fall Friday and Saturday and snow is in the forecast for peaks above 3,000 feet. "There's still not a lot of confidence in the forecast, but we think a lot of the higher peaks will see some snow," said Gass. Finally, on Sunday afternoon, the precipitation is expected to taper off and Gass' best educated guess at when the rain might finally stop is Sunday at 3 p.m. Confidence is high Monday will be dry, so if you want to plan a hike or a bike ride over the three-day weekend, that's the day to do it. | Showers will continue through the weekend, with the first day of clear skies and dry weather forecast for Monday. On Thursday, lingering bands of heavy rain, and possibly some thunderstorms, will move across the Bay Area. Snow is in the forecast for peaks above 3,000 feet. | bart | 2 | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/When-is-the-rain-going-to-stop-Bay-Area-SF-13617583.php | 0.2916 |
Did Britain Overhear Theresa Mays Brexit Plan in a Hotel Bar? | On Monday night, Oliver Robbins, Theresa Mays chief Brexit negotiator, left a dinner at the residence of the British Ambassador in Brussels and headed back to his hotel. During the chaotic summer of 2016, Robbins, who is forty-three years old, was chosen by May and Sir Jeremy Heywood, the former head of the civil service, to represent Britain in its talks with the European Union. A looming figure with a heavy brow, Robbins has been one of the Prime Ministers most visible and enduring advisers ever since. When Robbins arrived at his hotel, he joined some colleagues in the bar for a drink. A reporter for ITV News, one of Britains main news channels, was sitting nearby and overheard portions of their conversation, in which Robbins outlined the likely endgame to Mays torturous attempt to steer her Brexit deal through the House of Commons. As things stand, Britain will leave the E.U.with or without an agreementat 11 P.M. London time on March 29th. In the bar in Brussels, Robbins said that May is planning to make members of Parliament wait until the very last minute before giving them a choice between her unpopular compromise package with the E.U. or a lengthy delay to Brexit, during which the already agonizing negotiations would continue. If they dont vote for the deal, Robbins is reported to have said, then the extension is a long one. In politics, as Hannah Arendt said, speech rules supreme. Taken on its own, what Robbins disclosed was not particularly surprising, but, in the current Brexit vacuum, it was enough to dominate the news when the story broke the following day. Britain has been without a leaders voice since December, when it became clear that May could not get her Brexit agreement through Parliament. On January 15th, when she finally tried, she lost by two hundred and thirty votes, the largest government defeat in British history. In the weeks since, there has been all manner of political fiddlingbackbench amendments, unlikely alliances of M.P.s, non-talks between May and Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, to find a way through the impassebut nothing concrete has emerged. If anything, the respective positions of the E.U., May, and her opponents in Westminster appear to have become further entrenched. Patience is running out. Ive been wondering, Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, told a press conference in Brussels last week, what that special place in Hell looks like for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. On Tuesday, May told M.P.s to bear with her a little longer. We now all need to hold our nerve, she said. May adopted a hard-line strategy for the Brexit negotiations a little more than two years ago. No deal for Britain is better than a bad deal, she said in a grand, set-piece speech, which she delivered in the long gallery of Lancaster House, a Foreign Office residence that, in the Netflix series The Crown, often doubles for Buckingham Palace. At the time, and until recently, the threat of walking away from the E.U. without any kind of agreement in place seemed like a piece of bad acting, a crib from The Art of the Deal. But, with Brexit now forty-three days away, the possibility of Britain suddenly losing its place in the international orderby accident or by designis something that you can hear and feel. Last week, the civil service advertised for staff at a planned EU Exit Emergencies Centre, to oversee the widespread disruption to Britains ports, food supplies, and general way of life that is expected in the event of no deal. Withdrawing from forty-six years of integration with European regulations and replacing them with nothing at all would complicate everything from aviation rules to fruit inspections to cross-border arrest warrants. The jobs at the E.U.X.E. center, which will operate around the clock for at least six months, were described in the ad as part of an incredibly high-profile and complex Business Change/Transformation Programme. Applicants should be unflappable and able to see the emergency trends with little or no information and act appropriately at pace. The keenest Brexiteers like to imagine a no deal as a kind of cathartic, revolutionary moment, from which a new, leaner Britain will emerge. The jobs at the E.U.X.E. are advertised as lasting for up to two years. Businesses are panicking. Earlier this week, Britains Food and Drink Federation compared a no-deal Brexit to the outbreak of the Second World War. This is the biggest threat that our members and businesses have faced since 1939, Ian Wright, the groups chief executive, told the BBC, predicting that a quarter of British food exporters would face bankruptcy if there is more than six weeks of delays at the countrys ports. The following day, the British Chambers of Commerce, which represent more than seventy-five thousand businesses, published twenty questions, on behalf of companies preparing for no deal, that Mays government has failed to answer. (Question No. 16: Which regulator will be overseeing my business after 29 March 2019 and what rules do I need to follow?) Multinational corporations are cutting jobs and moving projects out of the U.K. On February 3rd, Nissan, the Japanese carmaker, announced that it would no longer be making its new X-Trail S.U.V. in Sunderland, where it employs almost seven thousand people and where sixty-one per cent of voters decided to leave the E.U. Over all, car production fell by almost ten per cent in the U.K. last year. Britains latest official economic data, published on February 11th, showed that growth came to a standstill in December. Medical supplies are likely to be interrupted if there is no Brexit deal. On Wednesday afternoon, I met Martin Sawer, the executive director of the Healthcare Distribution Association, which represents the logistics firms that transport the drugs used in Britains hospitals, pharmacies, and local doctors clinics. Around two-thirds of medicines used in the U.K. come from the E.U. The H.D.A. recently analyzed the typical contents of a pharmaceuticals warehouse and found that ninety per cent of its products had touched another country at some point. The vast majority of Britains cardboard medical packaging is made in Belgiuman unrecognized consequence of a quarter of a century of seamless trade with the Continent. It grew up in the time of the single market, Sawer said, of Britains current drug-supply network. We dont know any different. Last summer, officials asked pharmaceutical companies to stockpile six weeks worth of medicines, to weather a possible no-deal Brexit. That advice recently changed. Sawer has signed a nondisclosure agreement with the government, so he couldnt tell me the exact plans, but he suggested that the problem lay at the Strait of Doverthe short crossing of the English Channel, which accounts for the vast majority of Britains truck traffic with the E.U. Six weeks wouldnt necessarily be enough for that route, Sawer said. In January, the government chartered extra ferry crossings between France and the ports of Plymouth, Poole, and Portsmouth, to cope with congestion in the Channel. It also quietly introduced a Serious Shortage Protocol, which will allow pharmacists to supply alternative medication to what is listed on a patients prescription, in case of a civil emergency. We are able to ration supply, if we have to, Sawer said. Brexiteers often summon the memory of Britains wartime resilience to indicate that we have what it takes to survive a piffling showdown with the E.U. But the truth is that we are now a nation that makes barely a drop of insulin but that is home to millions of citizens with diabetes. Were all consumers now and we expect things immediately, Sawer told me. It is only going to take a couple of patients to be in trouble for the government to be seriously embarrassed, and they will come down and they will invoke emergency powers. That is where I think we would soon be. I dont think its about fighting them on the beaches. Most rational people think that Britain and the E.U. will still avoid the catastrophe of a no-deal Brexit. That is a large part of the reason why the British media leaped on Robbinss bar talkas proof that there was a plan to extend the talks, a sign that sense will prevail. But most rational people also thought that Britain would vote to stay in the E.U., and Robbins, whom many pro-Brexit campaigners regard as a kind of deep-state saboteur, has been overruled by May before. On Tuesday, Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, who usually has a bearish take on Britains departure from the E.U., described Brexit as the first test of a new global order, which might yet demonstrate a new approach to international trade and diplomacy that is more accountable to populations who feel they have not shared in the spoils of the party. It is possible that new rules of the road will be developed for a more inclusive and resilient global economy, Carney said. The anger that drove the Brexit vote in 2016around immigration, unfettered capitalism, and being ignored by political liteswas real and has not gone anywhere. But, in the past three years, Britains leaders have failed even to start a conversation about what a more equitable society might look like. With exit day only six weeks away and the risk of chaos so high, it is possible that something much worse is about to emerge. | Oliver Robbins, Theresa May's chief Brexit negotiator, told a reporter in a hotel bar that the Prime Minister planned to delay Parliament's vote on her deal until the very last minute. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-the-uk/did-britain-overhear-theresa-mays-brexit-plan-in-a-hotel-bar | 0.301322 |
Did Britain Overhear Theresa Mays Brexit Plan in a Hotel Bar? | On Monday night, Oliver Robbins, Theresa Mays chief Brexit negotiator, left a dinner at the residence of the British Ambassador in Brussels and headed back to his hotel. During the chaotic summer of 2016, Robbins, who is forty-three years old, was chosen by May and Sir Jeremy Heywood, the former head of the civil service, to represent Britain in its talks with the European Union. A looming figure with a heavy brow, Robbins has been one of the Prime Ministers most visible and enduring advisers ever since. When Robbins arrived at his hotel, he joined some colleagues in the bar for a drink. A reporter for ITV News, one of Britains main news channels, was sitting nearby and overheard portions of their conversation, in which Robbins outlined the likely endgame to Mays torturous attempt to steer her Brexit deal through the House of Commons. As things stand, Britain will leave the E.U.with or without an agreementat 11 P.M. London time on March 29th. In the bar in Brussels, Robbins said that May is planning to make members of Parliament wait until the very last minute before giving them a choice between her unpopular compromise package with the E.U. or a lengthy delay to Brexit, during which the already agonizing negotiations would continue. If they dont vote for the deal, Robbins is reported to have said, then the extension is a long one. In politics, as Hannah Arendt said, speech rules supreme. Taken on its own, what Robbins disclosed was not particularly surprising, but, in the current Brexit vacuum, it was enough to dominate the news when the story broke the following day. Britain has been without a leaders voice since December, when it became clear that May could not get her Brexit agreement through Parliament. On January 15th, when she finally tried, she lost by two hundred and thirty votes, the largest government defeat in British history. In the weeks since, there has been all manner of political fiddlingbackbench amendments, unlikely alliances of M.P.s, non-talks between May and Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, to find a way through the impassebut nothing concrete has emerged. If anything, the respective positions of the E.U., May, and her opponents in Westminster appear to have become further entrenched. Patience is running out. Ive been wondering, Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, told a press conference in Brussels last week, what that special place in Hell looks like for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. On Tuesday, May told M.P.s to bear with her a little longer. We now all need to hold our nerve, she said. May adopted a hard-line strategy for the Brexit negotiations a little more than two years ago. No deal for Britain is better than a bad deal, she said in a grand, set-piece speech, which she delivered in the long gallery of Lancaster House, a Foreign Office residence that, in the Netflix series The Crown, often doubles for Buckingham Palace. At the time, and until recently, the threat of walking away from the E.U. without any kind of agreement in place seemed like a piece of bad acting, a crib from The Art of the Deal. But, with Brexit now forty-three days away, the possibility of Britain suddenly losing its place in the international orderby accident or by designis something that you can hear and feel. Last week, the civil service advertised for staff at a planned EU Exit Emergencies Centre, to oversee the widespread disruption to Britains ports, food supplies, and general way of life that is expected in the event of no deal. Withdrawing from forty-six years of integration with European regulations and replacing them with nothing at all would complicate everything from aviation rules to fruit inspections to cross-border arrest warrants. The jobs at the E.U.X.E. center, which will operate around the clock for at least six months, were described in the ad as part of an incredibly high-profile and complex Business Change/Transformation Programme. Applicants should be unflappable and able to see the emergency trends with little or no information and act appropriately at pace. The keenest Brexiteers like to imagine a no deal as a kind of cathartic, revolutionary moment, from which a new, leaner Britain will emerge. The jobs at the E.U.X.E. are advertised as lasting for up to two years. Businesses are panicking. Earlier this week, Britains Food and Drink Federation compared a no-deal Brexit to the outbreak of the Second World War. This is the biggest threat that our members and businesses have faced since 1939, Ian Wright, the groups chief executive, told the BBC, predicting that a quarter of British food exporters would face bankruptcy if there is more than six weeks of delays at the countrys ports. The following day, the British Chambers of Commerce, which represent more than seventy-five thousand businesses, published twenty questions, on behalf of companies preparing for no deal, that Mays government has failed to answer. (Question No. 16: Which regulator will be overseeing my business after 29 March 2019 and what rules do I need to follow?) Multinational corporations are cutting jobs and moving projects out of the U.K. On February 3rd, Nissan, the Japanese carmaker, announced that it would no longer be making its new X-Trail S.U.V. in Sunderland, where it employs almost seven thousand people and where sixty-one per cent of voters decided to leave the E.U. Over all, car production fell by almost ten per cent in the U.K. last year. Britains latest official economic data, published on February 11th, showed that growth came to a standstill in December. Medical supplies are likely to be interrupted if there is no Brexit deal. On Wednesday afternoon, I met Martin Sawer, the executive director of the Healthcare Distribution Association, which represents the logistics firms that transport the drugs used in Britains hospitals, pharmacies, and local doctors clinics. Around two-thirds of medicines used in the U.K. come from the E.U. The H.D.A. recently analyzed the typical contents of a pharmaceuticals warehouse and found that ninety per cent of its products had touched another country at some point. The vast majority of Britains cardboard medical packaging is made in Belgiuman unrecognized consequence of a quarter of a century of seamless trade with the Continent. It grew up in the time of the single market, Sawer said, of Britains current drug-supply network. We dont know any different. Last summer, officials asked pharmaceutical companies to stockpile six weeks worth of medicines, to weather a possible no-deal Brexit. That advice recently changed. Sawer has signed a nondisclosure agreement with the government, so he couldnt tell me the exact plans, but he suggested that the problem lay at the Strait of Doverthe short crossing of the English Channel, which accounts for the vast majority of Britains truck traffic with the E.U. Six weeks wouldnt necessarily be enough for that route, Sawer said. In January, the government chartered extra ferry crossings between France and the ports of Plymouth, Poole, and Portsmouth, to cope with congestion in the Channel. It also quietly introduced a Serious Shortage Protocol, which will allow pharmacists to supply alternative medication to what is listed on a patients prescription, in case of a civil emergency. We are able to ration supply, if we have to, Sawer said. Brexiteers often summon the memory of Britains wartime resilience to indicate that we have what it takes to survive a piffling showdown with the E.U. But the truth is that we are now a nation that makes barely a drop of insulin but that is home to millions of citizens with diabetes. Were all consumers now and we expect things immediately, Sawer told me. It is only going to take a couple of patients to be in trouble for the government to be seriously embarrassed, and they will come down and they will invoke emergency powers. That is where I think we would soon be. I dont think its about fighting them on the beaches. Most rational people think that Britain and the E.U. will still avoid the catastrophe of a no-deal Brexit. That is a large part of the reason why the British media leaped on Robbinss bar talkas proof that there was a plan to extend the talks, a sign that sense will prevail. But most rational people also thought that Britain would vote to stay in the E.U., and Robbins, whom many pro-Brexit campaigners regard as a kind of deep-state saboteur, has been overruled by May before. On Tuesday, Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, who usually has a bearish take on Britains departure from the E.U., described Brexit as the first test of a new global order, which might yet demonstrate a new approach to international trade and diplomacy that is more accountable to populations who feel they have not shared in the spoils of the party. It is possible that new rules of the road will be developed for a more inclusive and resilient global economy, Carney said. The anger that drove the Brexit vote in 2016around immigration, unfettered capitalism, and being ignored by political liteswas real and has not gone anywhere. But, in the past three years, Britains leaders have failed even to start a conversation about what a more equitable society might look like. With exit day only six weeks away and the risk of chaos so high, it is possible that something much worse is about to emerge. | Oliver Robbins, Theresa May's chief Brexit negotiator, told a reporter in a hotel bar that the Prime Minister planned to delay Parliament's vote on her deal until the very last minute. Robbins' revelation was enough to dominate the news the next day, when it was reported that Parliament would have to wait until the last minute to vote on the deal. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-the-uk/did-britain-overhear-theresa-mays-brexit-plan-in-a-hotel-bar | 0.382593 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.