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Is YouTube Right to Demonetize Anti-Vax Channels? | After pressure from advertisers and advocacy groups, YouTube has finally pulled all advertisements from videos that discourage parents from vaccinating their children and stopped them from appearing as recommended videos. Citing the videos as in violation of YouTubes guidelines that prohibit dangerous and harmful content, YouTubes demonetization of these channels aims to quell criticisms that the site along with other social media companies like Facebook and Pinterest spread misinformation and conspiracy videos. Nonetheless, its recent move again moves YouTube from a platform to a publisher, and, this time, on shaky grounds. While, vaccine hesitancy does pose public health risks, seeking to hide misinformed videos rather than engaging them in a debate doesnt help the issue. Vaccine hesitancy, in which people either delay or refuse vaccines despite their availability, has been listed as one of the World Health Organization's top ten threats to global health. Failure to vaccinate has caused many of the most widespread outbreaks of disease in the United States such as whooping cough in California and measles in Texas. Opponents to vaccinations are very well organized, being able to pressure local legislators to make vaccines non-compulsory and social media has augmented their presence. An article by the Guardian states that users of Facebook or YouTube curious about vaccination encounter search pages dominated by anti-vax videos and content. The issue even prompted a letter to Google and Facebook from California representative Adam Schiff asking that the companies take measures to address vaccine misinformation. Despite what Schiff and others may suggest, anti-vaxxers are far from being unchallenged online. There are a number of videos that seek to counteract misinformation about the risk and likelihood of danger associated with vaccines. Just a few days before YouTubes demonetization of anti-vax videos, the YouTube channel Jubilee uploaded a video debate between proponents and opponents of vaccines as part of its Middle Ground debate series. This led to a number of response videos with millions of views by medical professionals, explaining where exactly anti-vaxxers were going wrong. Although vaccination hesitancy is a danger it doesnt appear that access to social media is augmenting it, in fact, by engaging with anti-vax misinformation, social media may be the key to change the minds of vaccine opponents. YouTubes demonetization of anti-vax videos doesn't help people get the correct information about vaccination, it drives the camp underground and further alienates them. Opponents of vaccines already feel isolated in their schools, families, and society. This isolation is what has caused them to band together, sharing misinformation between them and building the structures to organize politically. Demonetizing videos is likely to only affirm anti-vaxxer beliefs of being persecuted, making them more difficult to reach. The lack of a clear danger and flawed plan of action in addressing it poses additional problems for YouTube as it is another example in how it is moving from a social media platform to a social media publisher. This new demonetization has been driven by advertisers. YouTubes bigger scandals, such as the sites secret pedophile ring posting coded messages on videos featuring children, have made advertisers skittish. Major companies like Disney, Epic Games, and AT&T have removed all marketing from YouTube. In this climate, Buzzfeeds reveal that advertisements were playing in videos that falsely contributed autism to vaccines, quickly led to advertisers taking issue with YouTube once more. YouTubes demonetization response, while it assuaged advertiser concerns, was an overreach of platform responsibilities and was in line with the curation aspect of media publishers. This may have ripple effects for the companys legal arguments and image as a place where anyone can make their voice heard. YouTubes policy on videos that are anti-vaccine isnt all bad. Importantly, the site has introduced an information panel for these videos which correctly describes vaccines being discussed and links to Wikipedia pages on these vaccines and vaccine hesitancy for more information. This approach is good policy and serves to inform and engage rather than alienate. Failure to vaccinate can jeopardize public health, and there has been a social media effort to encourage vaccinations and combat vaccine myths. Yet, YouTubes demonetization of anti-vax channels hinders these efforts by censoring anti-vaccine videos, driving anti-vaxxers further underground. As an anti-vaccine advocate, Melissa, stated in Jubilees video debate, I wish there was just more compassion. We just want to be acknowledged. We should seek to acknowledge, engage, and inform anti-vaxxers, even if it doesnt mean we agree with them. Thats how YouTube can remain an ethical platform. | After pressure from advertisers and advocacy groups, YouTube has finally pulled all advertisements from videos that discourage parents from vaccinating their children. Vaccination hesitancy has been listed as one of the World Health Organization's top ten threats to global health. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/masonsands/2019/02/25/is-youtube-right-to-demonetize-anti-vax-channels/ | 0.147363 |
Is YouTube Right to Demonetize Anti-Vax Channels? | After pressure from advertisers and advocacy groups, YouTube has finally pulled all advertisements from videos that discourage parents from vaccinating their children and stopped them from appearing as recommended videos. Citing the videos as in violation of YouTubes guidelines that prohibit dangerous and harmful content, YouTubes demonetization of these channels aims to quell criticisms that the site along with other social media companies like Facebook and Pinterest spread misinformation and conspiracy videos. Nonetheless, its recent move again moves YouTube from a platform to a publisher, and, this time, on shaky grounds. While, vaccine hesitancy does pose public health risks, seeking to hide misinformed videos rather than engaging them in a debate doesnt help the issue. Vaccine hesitancy, in which people either delay or refuse vaccines despite their availability, has been listed as one of the World Health Organization's top ten threats to global health. Failure to vaccinate has caused many of the most widespread outbreaks of disease in the United States such as whooping cough in California and measles in Texas. Opponents to vaccinations are very well organized, being able to pressure local legislators to make vaccines non-compulsory and social media has augmented their presence. An article by the Guardian states that users of Facebook or YouTube curious about vaccination encounter search pages dominated by anti-vax videos and content. The issue even prompted a letter to Google and Facebook from California representative Adam Schiff asking that the companies take measures to address vaccine misinformation. Despite what Schiff and others may suggest, anti-vaxxers are far from being unchallenged online. There are a number of videos that seek to counteract misinformation about the risk and likelihood of danger associated with vaccines. Just a few days before YouTubes demonetization of anti-vax videos, the YouTube channel Jubilee uploaded a video debate between proponents and opponents of vaccines as part of its Middle Ground debate series. This led to a number of response videos with millions of views by medical professionals, explaining where exactly anti-vaxxers were going wrong. Although vaccination hesitancy is a danger it doesnt appear that access to social media is augmenting it, in fact, by engaging with anti-vax misinformation, social media may be the key to change the minds of vaccine opponents. YouTubes demonetization of anti-vax videos doesn't help people get the correct information about vaccination, it drives the camp underground and further alienates them. Opponents of vaccines already feel isolated in their schools, families, and society. This isolation is what has caused them to band together, sharing misinformation between them and building the structures to organize politically. Demonetizing videos is likely to only affirm anti-vaxxer beliefs of being persecuted, making them more difficult to reach. The lack of a clear danger and flawed plan of action in addressing it poses additional problems for YouTube as it is another example in how it is moving from a social media platform to a social media publisher. This new demonetization has been driven by advertisers. YouTubes bigger scandals, such as the sites secret pedophile ring posting coded messages on videos featuring children, have made advertisers skittish. Major companies like Disney, Epic Games, and AT&T have removed all marketing from YouTube. In this climate, Buzzfeeds reveal that advertisements were playing in videos that falsely contributed autism to vaccines, quickly led to advertisers taking issue with YouTube once more. YouTubes demonetization response, while it assuaged advertiser concerns, was an overreach of platform responsibilities and was in line with the curation aspect of media publishers. This may have ripple effects for the companys legal arguments and image as a place where anyone can make their voice heard. YouTubes policy on videos that are anti-vaccine isnt all bad. Importantly, the site has introduced an information panel for these videos which correctly describes vaccines being discussed and links to Wikipedia pages on these vaccines and vaccine hesitancy for more information. This approach is good policy and serves to inform and engage rather than alienate. Failure to vaccinate can jeopardize public health, and there has been a social media effort to encourage vaccinations and combat vaccine myths. Yet, YouTubes demonetization of anti-vax channels hinders these efforts by censoring anti-vaccine videos, driving anti-vaxxers further underground. As an anti-vaccine advocate, Melissa, stated in Jubilees video debate, I wish there was just more compassion. We just want to be acknowledged. We should seek to acknowledge, engage, and inform anti-vaxxers, even if it doesnt mean we agree with them. Thats how YouTube can remain an ethical platform. | YouTube's demonetization of anti-vax videos doesn't help people get the correct information about vaccination, it drives the camp underground and further alienates them. The move again moves YouTube from a platform to a publisher and, this time, on shaky grounds. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/masonsands/2019/02/25/is-youtube-right-to-demonetize-anti-vax-channels/ | 0.405201 |
Where did LSU land in the polls after falling to Florida, but beating Tennessee? | The LSU Tigers stayed put at No. 13 in the latest Associated Press Top-25 poll. The USA Today Coaches poll has yet to be released. LSUs ranking came after falling to unranked Florida, but rebounding with an overtime win over No. 5 Tennessee. The Tigers have now been ranked in the AP poll for nine weeks this season, starting off in the rankings at the beginning of the year and then coming back into the polls after their hot start in league play. The nine weeks in the rankings are the most for the program since the 2006-07 team was ranked for 12 weeks. LSU (22-5, SEC 12-2) was No. 13 in the AP Top 25 and No. 15 in the coaches poll last week. LSU is one of three ranked SEC teams in the AP Top 25 as Kentucky stayed at No. 4 and Tennessee fell to No. 7. Mississippi State and Auburn both received votes. LSU, Kentucky and Tennessee are all tied for first in the SEC with four games to go. The Tigers host Texas A&M on Tuesday and play at Alabama on Saturday. | LSU is one of three SEC teams in the AP Top 25 as Kentucky stayed at No. 4 and Tennessee fell to No. 7. Mississippi State and Auburn both received votes. The USA Today Coaches poll has yet to be released. | bart | 1 | https://www.nola.com/lsu/2019/02/where-did-lsu-land-in-the-polls-after-falling-to-florida-but-beating-tennessee.html | 0.11605 |
Where did LSU land in the polls after falling to Florida, but beating Tennessee? | The LSU Tigers stayed put at No. 13 in the latest Associated Press Top-25 poll. The USA Today Coaches poll has yet to be released. LSUs ranking came after falling to unranked Florida, but rebounding with an overtime win over No. 5 Tennessee. The Tigers have now been ranked in the AP poll for nine weeks this season, starting off in the rankings at the beginning of the year and then coming back into the polls after their hot start in league play. The nine weeks in the rankings are the most for the program since the 2006-07 team was ranked for 12 weeks. LSU (22-5, SEC 12-2) was No. 13 in the AP Top 25 and No. 15 in the coaches poll last week. LSU is one of three ranked SEC teams in the AP Top 25 as Kentucky stayed at No. 4 and Tennessee fell to No. 7. Mississippi State and Auburn both received votes. LSU, Kentucky and Tennessee are all tied for first in the SEC with four games to go. The Tigers host Texas A&M on Tuesday and play at Alabama on Saturday. | The LSU Tigers have now been ranked in the AP poll for nine weeks this season. The Tigers fell to unranked Florida, but rebounded with an overtime win over No. 5 Tennessee. LSU, Kentucky and Tennessee are all tied for first in the SEC with four games to go. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.nola.com/lsu/2019/02/where-did-lsu-land-in-the-polls-after-falling-to-florida-but-beating-tennessee.html | 0.105338 |
What happens if Mueller finds Trump fingerprints in Russia conspiracy? | (Reuters) - Special Counsel Robert Mueller is preparing to submit to U.S. Attorney General William Barr a report detailing his findings in the investigation into Russias role in the 2016 presidential election and any links to the Trump campaign. FILE PHOTO: Robert Mueller, as FBI director, testifies before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. Sept. 16, 2009. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo Mueller has been looking since May 2017 into whether U.S. President Donald Trumps campaign conspired with Russia and whether Trump unlawfully sought to obstruct the probe. Mueller already has indicted or secured guilty pleas from 34 people, including six associates of Trump, as well as three Russian entities. Here is a look at possible scenarios following the completion of Muellers report. REPORT FINDS TRUMP INVOLVED IN RUSSIA CONSPIRACY Among those who already have pleaded guilty or have been convicted are: former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort; former Trump personal lawyer Michael Cohen; former national security advisor Michael Flynn; and former Trump campaign aides Richard Gates and George Papadopoulos. Others indicted include Trump adviser Roger Stone and Russian intelligence officers. But the central question is whether Mueller will find that Trump himself played a role in a conspiracy with Moscow to boost his chances of winning the election or committed obstruction of justice to try to impede the Russia probe. Trump has denied collusion and obstruction. If Muellers report reveals a willingness by Trump to collude with Russia or contains evidence of direct coordination involving the Republican president, such findings could be the starting gun for the Democratic-led House of Representatives to launch the impeachment process set out in the U.S. Constitution to remove a president from office. Current Justice Department policy opposes bringing criminal charges against a sitting president. Stones indictment points to instances in which people connected to the campaign communicated with him about Wikileaks, the website that released emails that U.S. officials have said Russians stole from Democrats to harm Trumps Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. For example, after a July 2016 release of emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee a senior Trump campaign official was directed to contact STONE about any additional releases by Wikileaks, the indictment stated. The sentences wording left open the possibility that Trump himself directed the campaign official. Sam Nunberg, a former Trump aide and Republican political consultant, said any evidence that Trump was willing to work with Moscow, even without proof that he actually did that, might be enough for Democrats to draw up articles of impeachment. Thats impeachable for the Democrats, Nunberg said. The U.S. Constitution sets specific grounds for impeachment: treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. If the House approves any articles of impeachment, the Senate then would hold a trial to determine whether to remove the president from office. The Senate is controlled by Trumps fellow Republicans. Only two presidents have been impeached in American history, and neither was removed. There is also the issue of obstruction. Legal experts have pointed to Trumps firing of former FBI director James Comey while he was leading the Russia probe, Comeys allegation that Trump asked him to end the investigation of Flynn, and the presidents dangling a possible pardon to Manafort among other acts that may amount to obstruction of justice. Barr, months before Trump named him as attorney general, last year wrote an unsolicited memo to the Justice Department arguing Mueller should not be permitted to investigate obstruction by the president. NOBODY IN TRUMP CAMPAIGN IMPLICATED IN RUSSIA CONSPIRACY Muellers cases against Manafort and Stone have come the closest to showing coordination between Trumps campaign and Russia. Manafort shared election polling data with his Russian associate Konstantin Kilimnik, who prosecutors have said is tied to Russian intelligence. Manafort attended a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York with other campaign officials with a Russian lawyer who promised dirt on Clinton. Mueller also found that Stone communicated with Wikileaks and the Russian hacker dubbed Guccifer 2.0. But Muellers evidence made public to date falls short of demonstrating Trump and his campaign colluded with Russia. Collusion is a non-legal term often used to describe acts that in a criminal context in this investigation likely would translate to a charge of conspiracy against the United States. If Muellers report goes no further, it could set back any Democratic effort to impeach Trump. But House Democrats could proceed with their own investigations that could cause Trump ongoing political damage heading into his 2020 re-election bid. If nothing more comes out than what is public then I think Trump could claim victory, said Nelson Cunningham, a former federal prosecutor in New York and White House lawyer under Democratic President Bill Clinton. REPORT IMPLICATES OTHERS IN CONSPIRACY BUT NOT TRUMP Transcripts of closed court hearings this month indicated Mueller considers Manaforts alleged lies about his interactions with Kilimnik to be at the heart of the probe into possible collusion between Trumps campaign and Russia. But that disclosure suggested Mueller was still trying to determine whether collusion occurred. In addition to sharing polling data, court filings show, Manafort and Kilimnik discussed a Ukrainian peace plan, a reference to Kremlin-friendly proposals to resolve the Ukraine conflict and end U.S. sanctions on Russia. It is possible Muellers report will show that Manafort or others in Trumps orbit conspired with Russians but there was no credible evidence Trump himself was involved or aware. While politically damaging to Trump, such a finding may not be enough to trigger an impeachment effort, though it could fuel House committee investigations. Its not enough to show the Russians used their people, said Robert Ray, who served as the second independent counsel in the 1990s Whitewater probe involving the Clintons business dealings, adding there would need to be proof that Trumps people actively colluded to the point that it violated the law. I dont think it occurred, Ray said. | If Mueller finds that Trump himself played a role in a conspiracy with Moscow to boost his chances of winning the election, he could be impeached. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-scenarios/what-happens-if-mueller-finds-trump-fingerprints-in-russia-conspiracy-idUSKCN1QE2GL?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | 0.34794 |
What happens if Mueller finds Trump fingerprints in Russia conspiracy? | (Reuters) - Special Counsel Robert Mueller is preparing to submit to U.S. Attorney General William Barr a report detailing his findings in the investigation into Russias role in the 2016 presidential election and any links to the Trump campaign. FILE PHOTO: Robert Mueller, as FBI director, testifies before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. Sept. 16, 2009. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo Mueller has been looking since May 2017 into whether U.S. President Donald Trumps campaign conspired with Russia and whether Trump unlawfully sought to obstruct the probe. Mueller already has indicted or secured guilty pleas from 34 people, including six associates of Trump, as well as three Russian entities. Here is a look at possible scenarios following the completion of Muellers report. REPORT FINDS TRUMP INVOLVED IN RUSSIA CONSPIRACY Among those who already have pleaded guilty or have been convicted are: former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort; former Trump personal lawyer Michael Cohen; former national security advisor Michael Flynn; and former Trump campaign aides Richard Gates and George Papadopoulos. Others indicted include Trump adviser Roger Stone and Russian intelligence officers. But the central question is whether Mueller will find that Trump himself played a role in a conspiracy with Moscow to boost his chances of winning the election or committed obstruction of justice to try to impede the Russia probe. Trump has denied collusion and obstruction. If Muellers report reveals a willingness by Trump to collude with Russia or contains evidence of direct coordination involving the Republican president, such findings could be the starting gun for the Democratic-led House of Representatives to launch the impeachment process set out in the U.S. Constitution to remove a president from office. Current Justice Department policy opposes bringing criminal charges against a sitting president. Stones indictment points to instances in which people connected to the campaign communicated with him about Wikileaks, the website that released emails that U.S. officials have said Russians stole from Democrats to harm Trumps Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. For example, after a July 2016 release of emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee a senior Trump campaign official was directed to contact STONE about any additional releases by Wikileaks, the indictment stated. The sentences wording left open the possibility that Trump himself directed the campaign official. Sam Nunberg, a former Trump aide and Republican political consultant, said any evidence that Trump was willing to work with Moscow, even without proof that he actually did that, might be enough for Democrats to draw up articles of impeachment. Thats impeachable for the Democrats, Nunberg said. The U.S. Constitution sets specific grounds for impeachment: treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. If the House approves any articles of impeachment, the Senate then would hold a trial to determine whether to remove the president from office. The Senate is controlled by Trumps fellow Republicans. Only two presidents have been impeached in American history, and neither was removed. There is also the issue of obstruction. Legal experts have pointed to Trumps firing of former FBI director James Comey while he was leading the Russia probe, Comeys allegation that Trump asked him to end the investigation of Flynn, and the presidents dangling a possible pardon to Manafort among other acts that may amount to obstruction of justice. Barr, months before Trump named him as attorney general, last year wrote an unsolicited memo to the Justice Department arguing Mueller should not be permitted to investigate obstruction by the president. NOBODY IN TRUMP CAMPAIGN IMPLICATED IN RUSSIA CONSPIRACY Muellers cases against Manafort and Stone have come the closest to showing coordination between Trumps campaign and Russia. Manafort shared election polling data with his Russian associate Konstantin Kilimnik, who prosecutors have said is tied to Russian intelligence. Manafort attended a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York with other campaign officials with a Russian lawyer who promised dirt on Clinton. Mueller also found that Stone communicated with Wikileaks and the Russian hacker dubbed Guccifer 2.0. But Muellers evidence made public to date falls short of demonstrating Trump and his campaign colluded with Russia. Collusion is a non-legal term often used to describe acts that in a criminal context in this investigation likely would translate to a charge of conspiracy against the United States. If Muellers report goes no further, it could set back any Democratic effort to impeach Trump. But House Democrats could proceed with their own investigations that could cause Trump ongoing political damage heading into his 2020 re-election bid. If nothing more comes out than what is public then I think Trump could claim victory, said Nelson Cunningham, a former federal prosecutor in New York and White House lawyer under Democratic President Bill Clinton. REPORT IMPLICATES OTHERS IN CONSPIRACY BUT NOT TRUMP Transcripts of closed court hearings this month indicated Mueller considers Manaforts alleged lies about his interactions with Kilimnik to be at the heart of the probe into possible collusion between Trumps campaign and Russia. But that disclosure suggested Mueller was still trying to determine whether collusion occurred. In addition to sharing polling data, court filings show, Manafort and Kilimnik discussed a Ukrainian peace plan, a reference to Kremlin-friendly proposals to resolve the Ukraine conflict and end U.S. sanctions on Russia. It is possible Muellers report will show that Manafort or others in Trumps orbit conspired with Russians but there was no credible evidence Trump himself was involved or aware. While politically damaging to Trump, such a finding may not be enough to trigger an impeachment effort, though it could fuel House committee investigations. Its not enough to show the Russians used their people, said Robert Ray, who served as the second independent counsel in the 1990s Whitewater probe involving the Clintons business dealings, adding there would need to be proof that Trumps people actively colluded to the point that it violated the law. I dont think it occurred, Ray said. | If Mueller finds that Trump himself played a role in a conspiracy with Moscow to boost his chances of winning the election, the U.S. Constitution sets specific grounds for impeachment: treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-scenarios/what-happens-if-mueller-finds-trump-fingerprints-in-russia-conspiracy-idUSKCN1QE2GL?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | 0.248762 |
What Is Causing The Urban Housing Crunch? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Andrew Collins, CEO and Co-founder at Bungalow, on Quora: The Urban House Crunch is incredibly complicated, but the primary problem is that Americans are moving to cities in huge numbers yet urban markets simply dont have enough affordable housing stock. Zoning laws that prohibit density in urban centers and Nimbyism a whole smorgasbord of factors adds up to the simple fact that we just dont have enough places for people to live in cities affordably. A city like Vancouver is an extreme example, where overseas investors have snapped up so much of the housing stock and housing prices have risen by 60 percent over the past three years (while income is the lowest of any tech hub). Its become unsustainable. New York and San Francisco arent far behind. But I do see reason for optimism. Cities are aware of the problem and are looking for creative solutions. Microsoft just donated $500 million to help create affordable housing in Seattle. Bungalow is trying to make a dent by bringing more rentals to the market, right now. I think its going to take conscious collaboration between the private and public sectors, and Im encouraged that theres change in the air. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | The primary problem is that Americans are moving to cities in huge numbers yet urban markets simply dont have enough affordable housing stock. Bungalow is trying to make a dent by bringing more rentals to the market, right now. | bart | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/02/25/what-is-causing-the-urban-housing-crunch/ | 0.110928 |
What Is Causing The Urban Housing Crunch? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Andrew Collins, CEO and Co-founder at Bungalow, on Quora: The Urban House Crunch is incredibly complicated, but the primary problem is that Americans are moving to cities in huge numbers yet urban markets simply dont have enough affordable housing stock. Zoning laws that prohibit density in urban centers and Nimbyism a whole smorgasbord of factors adds up to the simple fact that we just dont have enough places for people to live in cities affordably. A city like Vancouver is an extreme example, where overseas investors have snapped up so much of the housing stock and housing prices have risen by 60 percent over the past three years (while income is the lowest of any tech hub). Its become unsustainable. New York and San Francisco arent far behind. But I do see reason for optimism. Cities are aware of the problem and are looking for creative solutions. Microsoft just donated $500 million to help create affordable housing in Seattle. Bungalow is trying to make a dent by bringing more rentals to the market, right now. I think its going to take conscious collaboration between the private and public sectors, and Im encouraged that theres change in the air. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | Main problem is that Americans are moving to cities in huge numbers yet urban markets simply dont have enough affordable housing stock. A city like Vancouver is an extreme example, where overseas investors have snapped up so much of the housing stock and housing prices have risen by 60 percent over the past three years. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/02/25/what-is-causing-the-urban-housing-crunch/ | 0.11035 |
What Will Drive Union Pacific's Growth In 2019? | Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) saw high single-digit revenue growth, while its EBITDA was up in mid-single-digits for the full year 2018. This can be attributed to strong trends in the companys premium segment, which includes intermodal and automotive freight. The Intermodal business saw strong growth last year, due to capacity constraints in the trucking industry. Looking forward, we expect the overall revenue growth to be relatively slower in 2019. Intermodal should continue to lead the growth for Union Pacific. You can adjust various drivers to see the impact on the companys overall earnings, and price estimate. Below we discuss our forecast in detail. In addition, here is more Industrials data. Expect Revenues To Grow In Low-To-Mid-Single-Digits In 2019 Union Pacific generates its revenues from the freight of agriculture, industrial, energy, and premium products. Agriculture freight was up 4% in 2018, primarily led by higher average revenue per carload, while its volume was actually down in low single-digits. The growth in average revenue per carload was visible across segments, primarily due to higher fuel surcharge revenues. The crude oil prices were trending higher till the third quarter of last year, and railroad companies benefited from the same. The Agriculture products volume decline can primarily be attributed to lower grain shipments, primarily wheat and soybean export. Looking forward, the agriculture volume is expected to remain soft, given the foreign tariffs. Overall, segment revenues could see modest growth, led by better pricing. However, the movement in crude oil prices will be an important factor to watch out for. Energy freight revenues grew in low single-digits last year, led by a modest decline in volume, and growth in average revenue per energy carload. The energy segment includes freight from coal, sand and petroleum, liquid petroleum gases, and renewables. Coal revenues declined in mid-single-digits in the last quarter, due to a contract loss, and the company expects these headwinds to continue in 2019 as well. Note that coal accounts for over 70% of the segment freight revenues. As such, we forecast only a low single-digit growth in segment revenues, driven by higher petroleum products shipments, given the increased drilling activity in the U.S. The overall U.S. output is expected to expand by over 1 million barrels in 2019. Industrial freight revenue was up in high single-digits in 2018, led by gains in both volume, and average revenue per carload. This can be attributed to higher industrial production, which was up 4% (y-o-y) in December 2018. This led to higher shipments of metals, construction products, plastics, and industrial chemicals. This trend will likely continue in 2019, and drive the segment revenues higher. The company should see higher shipments of metals and construction related commodities, given that the U.S. construction sector is forecast to grow in mid-single-digits over the next three years, according to a research report. This growth will be led by both residential and non-residential construction. Also, there is an increase in plastic production in the U.S., which has aided the Industrial shipments for Union Pacific in the previous quarter, and this trend could continue in the near term. Looking at the premium segment, most of the railroad companies benefited from tight trucking capacity in 2018, and Union Pacific saw revenue growth in the low teens, led by strong volume and pricing gains. The trends in the trucking industry are favorable for railroad companies, as manufacturers look for alternative means of transport. Any significant growth in trucking capacity in 2019 is unlikely, given that there is a shortage of drivers. As such, railroad companies should continue to see steady growth in intermodal revenues. The company last year launched Unified Plan 2020 aimed at better efficiency. This plan should help improve margins and create more reliability for customers, and aid the companys overall earnings growth in the coming years. We expect the companys EBITDA margins to improve by 100 basis points in 2019, resulting in mid-single-digit growth in EBITDA to $11.40 billion. We forecast the companys earnings to be $9.05 per share in 2019, reflecting a low teens growth over the prior year. Our price estimate of $159 for Union Pacific is based of a 18x forward price to earnings multiple. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | Intermodal should continue to lead the growth for Union Pacific. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/02/25/what-will-drive-union-pacifics-growth-in-2019/ | 0.122607 |
What Will Drive Union Pacific's Growth In 2019? | Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) saw high single-digit revenue growth, while its EBITDA was up in mid-single-digits for the full year 2018. This can be attributed to strong trends in the companys premium segment, which includes intermodal and automotive freight. The Intermodal business saw strong growth last year, due to capacity constraints in the trucking industry. Looking forward, we expect the overall revenue growth to be relatively slower in 2019. Intermodal should continue to lead the growth for Union Pacific. You can adjust various drivers to see the impact on the companys overall earnings, and price estimate. Below we discuss our forecast in detail. In addition, here is more Industrials data. Expect Revenues To Grow In Low-To-Mid-Single-Digits In 2019 Union Pacific generates its revenues from the freight of agriculture, industrial, energy, and premium products. Agriculture freight was up 4% in 2018, primarily led by higher average revenue per carload, while its volume was actually down in low single-digits. The growth in average revenue per carload was visible across segments, primarily due to higher fuel surcharge revenues. The crude oil prices were trending higher till the third quarter of last year, and railroad companies benefited from the same. The Agriculture products volume decline can primarily be attributed to lower grain shipments, primarily wheat and soybean export. Looking forward, the agriculture volume is expected to remain soft, given the foreign tariffs. Overall, segment revenues could see modest growth, led by better pricing. However, the movement in crude oil prices will be an important factor to watch out for. Energy freight revenues grew in low single-digits last year, led by a modest decline in volume, and growth in average revenue per energy carload. The energy segment includes freight from coal, sand and petroleum, liquid petroleum gases, and renewables. Coal revenues declined in mid-single-digits in the last quarter, due to a contract loss, and the company expects these headwinds to continue in 2019 as well. Note that coal accounts for over 70% of the segment freight revenues. As such, we forecast only a low single-digit growth in segment revenues, driven by higher petroleum products shipments, given the increased drilling activity in the U.S. The overall U.S. output is expected to expand by over 1 million barrels in 2019. Industrial freight revenue was up in high single-digits in 2018, led by gains in both volume, and average revenue per carload. This can be attributed to higher industrial production, which was up 4% (y-o-y) in December 2018. This led to higher shipments of metals, construction products, plastics, and industrial chemicals. This trend will likely continue in 2019, and drive the segment revenues higher. The company should see higher shipments of metals and construction related commodities, given that the U.S. construction sector is forecast to grow in mid-single-digits over the next three years, according to a research report. This growth will be led by both residential and non-residential construction. Also, there is an increase in plastic production in the U.S., which has aided the Industrial shipments for Union Pacific in the previous quarter, and this trend could continue in the near term. Looking at the premium segment, most of the railroad companies benefited from tight trucking capacity in 2018, and Union Pacific saw revenue growth in the low teens, led by strong volume and pricing gains. The trends in the trucking industry are favorable for railroad companies, as manufacturers look for alternative means of transport. Any significant growth in trucking capacity in 2019 is unlikely, given that there is a shortage of drivers. As such, railroad companies should continue to see steady growth in intermodal revenues. The company last year launched Unified Plan 2020 aimed at better efficiency. This plan should help improve margins and create more reliability for customers, and aid the companys overall earnings growth in the coming years. We expect the companys EBITDA margins to improve by 100 basis points in 2019, resulting in mid-single-digit growth in EBITDA to $11.40 billion. We forecast the companys earnings to be $9.05 per share in 2019, reflecting a low teens growth over the prior year. Our price estimate of $159 for Union Pacific is based of a 18x forward price to earnings multiple. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) saw high single-digit revenue growth for the full year 2018. Intermodal should continue to lead the growth for Union Pacific. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/02/25/what-will-drive-union-pacifics-growth-in-2019/ | 0.14942 |
What Will Drive Union Pacific's Growth In 2019? | Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) saw high single-digit revenue growth, while its EBITDA was up in mid-single-digits for the full year 2018. This can be attributed to strong trends in the companys premium segment, which includes intermodal and automotive freight. The Intermodal business saw strong growth last year, due to capacity constraints in the trucking industry. Looking forward, we expect the overall revenue growth to be relatively slower in 2019. Intermodal should continue to lead the growth for Union Pacific. You can adjust various drivers to see the impact on the companys overall earnings, and price estimate. Below we discuss our forecast in detail. In addition, here is more Industrials data. Expect Revenues To Grow In Low-To-Mid-Single-Digits In 2019 Union Pacific generates its revenues from the freight of agriculture, industrial, energy, and premium products. Agriculture freight was up 4% in 2018, primarily led by higher average revenue per carload, while its volume was actually down in low single-digits. The growth in average revenue per carload was visible across segments, primarily due to higher fuel surcharge revenues. The crude oil prices were trending higher till the third quarter of last year, and railroad companies benefited from the same. The Agriculture products volume decline can primarily be attributed to lower grain shipments, primarily wheat and soybean export. Looking forward, the agriculture volume is expected to remain soft, given the foreign tariffs. Overall, segment revenues could see modest growth, led by better pricing. However, the movement in crude oil prices will be an important factor to watch out for. Energy freight revenues grew in low single-digits last year, led by a modest decline in volume, and growth in average revenue per energy carload. The energy segment includes freight from coal, sand and petroleum, liquid petroleum gases, and renewables. Coal revenues declined in mid-single-digits in the last quarter, due to a contract loss, and the company expects these headwinds to continue in 2019 as well. Note that coal accounts for over 70% of the segment freight revenues. As such, we forecast only a low single-digit growth in segment revenues, driven by higher petroleum products shipments, given the increased drilling activity in the U.S. The overall U.S. output is expected to expand by over 1 million barrels in 2019. Industrial freight revenue was up in high single-digits in 2018, led by gains in both volume, and average revenue per carload. This can be attributed to higher industrial production, which was up 4% (y-o-y) in December 2018. This led to higher shipments of metals, construction products, plastics, and industrial chemicals. This trend will likely continue in 2019, and drive the segment revenues higher. The company should see higher shipments of metals and construction related commodities, given that the U.S. construction sector is forecast to grow in mid-single-digits over the next three years, according to a research report. This growth will be led by both residential and non-residential construction. Also, there is an increase in plastic production in the U.S., which has aided the Industrial shipments for Union Pacific in the previous quarter, and this trend could continue in the near term. Looking at the premium segment, most of the railroad companies benefited from tight trucking capacity in 2018, and Union Pacific saw revenue growth in the low teens, led by strong volume and pricing gains. The trends in the trucking industry are favorable for railroad companies, as manufacturers look for alternative means of transport. Any significant growth in trucking capacity in 2019 is unlikely, given that there is a shortage of drivers. As such, railroad companies should continue to see steady growth in intermodal revenues. The company last year launched Unified Plan 2020 aimed at better efficiency. This plan should help improve margins and create more reliability for customers, and aid the companys overall earnings growth in the coming years. We expect the companys EBITDA margins to improve by 100 basis points in 2019, resulting in mid-single-digit growth in EBITDA to $11.40 billion. We forecast the companys earnings to be $9.05 per share in 2019, reflecting a low teens growth over the prior year. Our price estimate of $159 for Union Pacific is based of a 18x forward price to earnings multiple. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) saw high single-digit revenue growth for the full year 2018. Intermodal should continue to lead the growth for Union Pacific, but the overall revenue growth is expected to be relatively slower in 2019, according to our forecast. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/02/25/what-will-drive-union-pacifics-growth-in-2019/ | 0.375352 |
Are We Sure Apple Is 'Behind The Mac' After Last Week's News? | As Apple's neglect toward the Mac became apparent, the company launched an ad campaign to reaffirm its commitment to laptops and desktops in 2018. "Behind the Mac" echoes the great Chiat/Day "Think Different" campaign of the 1990s, but last week's news challenges the sincerity of Apple's latest slogan. "Think Different" marked the resurrection of Steve Jobs. After his banishment in 1985, Jobs returned to save the company he once co-founded. He earned a Christlike reputation in popular culture when he took control of Apple as CEO in 1997. He soon bestowed a sacred MP3 player unto us all and offered salvation to a collapsing music industry. While "Think Different" celebrated the rebirth of a brand and its leader, "Behind the Mac" is almost defensive in tone. For the "Make Something Wonderful" ad from the "Behind the Mac" campaign, Apple dragged out the ol' black-and-white to hammer home the double meaning of its new slogan. While it can give you the feels, it's in that same icky way an overpackaged ABC sitcom manipulates your emotions. It may not have the eloquent narration of its predecessor, but both ads end on a small child, representing the limitless potential of the human spirit. The campaign's more like an exploitation of "Think Different" than an homage, but the superficial aesthetic similarities must have worked because "Behind the Mac" is now a global campaign. It's important to consider the subtle shift Apples brand underwent in the last decade when assessing the quality of its advertising. It started with the success of the iPhone. While there will always be a creative dimension to Apple's brand, the company hasn't been as innovative in recent years. Tim Cook is a reliable CEO, but the most impressive product released under his leadership is a pair of wireless earbuds. Lets be honest, the Apple Watch is a glorified fitness tracker that can cost upwards of fifteen-hundred dollars. Under Cook's tenure, Apple has become a luxury brand. Thats why "Behind the Mac" doesn't have the same resonance as "Think Different." The campaign references an era when Apple inspired people by example. Apples fanatical base lost spiritual ownership of the brand when the iPhone brought in new customers and Steve Jobs passed away. It started as early as 2011, just months before Jobs death, when Apple scrapped the film industry favorite, Final Cut Pro 7, for a totally rewritten Final Cut Pro X that felt like a beefed up version of iMovie for consumers. This precedent, from eight years ago, would make anyone suspicious of Bloombergs report last week. Without getting too technical, there's software that's written for the iPhone and iPad, and there is software written for the Mac. Through a multistep plan called Marzipan, Apple wants to move toward a "single binary" an app that runs on both desktop and mobile by 2021. The macOS and iOS operating systems will remain separate, but developers will be able to write code that runs on Apple's mobile and desktop platforms. This sounds like a logical evolution, especially if you consider all the different operating systems Apple has nowadays. Not only is there tvOS for the Apple TV and WatchOS for the Apple Watch, one must assume HomePod has its own weird thing going on in the shadow of Alexa. Simplifying app development isnt just practical from a technical perspective; there are business reasons why Apple wants to make this change happen. Smartphone sales are leveling off, so the company needs to focus on software and services for future growth. Also, there are more iOS developers than macOS developers, which means the initiative could spur growth for the Mac. So yeah, Marzipan could help the Macintosh, but if you think back to the Final Cut Pro debacle, its hard to imagine Apple stepping in to preserve Mac applications as we know them today. The platform trends toward the consumer end of the market. Even as iOS apps become more sophisticated, they offer limited functionality relative to desktop applications. The iPad Pro, for instance, has been criticized for lacking software for pros. As the lightweight tap tap swipe user-experience of the iPhone makes its way onto the Mac (which has already begun), the economic viability of software built for professionals exclusively on the platform starts to waver. Even if developers continue to release applications exclusively for the Mac, it's hard to imagine that the software will remain as competitive as it is today. For example, the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, After Effects, etc.) is essential for many digital professions. While its hard to picture Adobe retiring the Creative Suite altogether, the larger ecosystem of apps that target digital professionals will likely dwindle. As that competition decreases, Adobe wont be forced to innovate in the way it has in recent years. "Behind the Mac" suggests Apple wants to protect its personal computers from market forces, but the swift timeline of last week's news jeopardizes the likelihood of this. Aside from an ad campaign, it's unclear if Apple really cares if its users create in the future, or if it's content with just letting them consume. | "Behind the Mac" echoes the great Chiat/Day "Think Different" campaign of the 1990s. Last week's news challenges the sincerity of Apple's latest slogan. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/theodorecasey/2019/02/25/are-we-sure-apple-is-behind-the-mac-after-last-weeks-news/ | 0.10576 |
Could Corey Crawford's Return Spark A Blackhawks Rally For A NHL Wild Card Spot? | The Blackhawks began the season hoping a healthy Corey Crawford would help them return to the NHL playoffs following a one-year hiatus. At 34, Crawford is entered this season in the fifth year of a six-year contract that pays the veteran goalie an average of $6 million. But Crawford was trying to bounce back after missing 47 games of the 2017-18 campaign with a concussion. Without him, the Blackhawks who won three Stanley Cup titles between 2010-2015 found them outside of the playoff window for the first time in 10 years. Crawford began the season on injured reserve still feeling the effects of last years head injury. The Blackhawks stumbled out of the gates, fired the second-winningest coach in NHL history in Joel Quenneville and quickly fell out of the Western Conference playoff picture. Once Crawford was healthy enough to return this season, optimists hoped the Blackhawks could turn things around. But Crawford struggled to a 6-14-2 record in 23 starts with a .902 save percentage before he sustained another concussion on Dec. 16 against the Sharks. He hasnt played since, missing 28 games. The Blackhawks activated Crawford on Monday as Chicago currently sits five points behind the Wild for the second Western Conference wild-card spot. The Blackhawks made things interesting of late by winning 11 of 13 games to jump temporarily into the postseason picture. But back-to-back home losses over the weekend to the Avalanche and Stars dropped Chicago five points behind the Wild for the final playoff spot. It depends on who you ask. As optimistic as coach Jeremy Collison is about his team catching fire and trying to quickly make up ground, the math may just not add up. Thats not keeping Collison from keeping the hope alive despite the fact the Blackhawks dropped a pair of home games to the Avalanche and Stars over the weekend. Yeah, I think we wouldve liked the standings to look different coming out of the weekend, but its probably not as ugly as it looked a month ago, Colliton told reporters after Sundays 4-3 loss to the Stars. (We) just got to have a good road trip, get some points, theres lots of points available. Nobodys going to win every game. If we win more than our fair share, well get in. Even with being activated Monday, it is unclear if Crawford will start over Cam Ward when the Blackhawks begin a West Coast swing starting Wednesday against the Ducks in Anaheim. The Blackhawks remained quiet on Monday as the NHL trade deadline came and went, which leaves Collison to try to close ground on the rest of the wild card competition with the team he has had to work with since taking over for Quenneville. Crawford has been anxious to get back on the ice. He has participated in on-ice drills and has said repeatedly he is tired of practicing. But given Crawfords history with concussions between this season and last, the Blackhawks were in no hurry to rush Crawford back. Especially given where they stood in the standings. You want every player to avoid injury, not just Corey, all of our guys, general manager Stan Bowman said Monday. Hes certainly prepared himself well. Hes really worked at it. Hes taken his time. I know theres a lot of, I guess, concern for him not only from the media and the fans but internally to make sure hes on the right path and hes ready to play. When you talk to him, which hes excited, he wants to get back on the ice. I know hes been pushing for us to get him back there even sooner, but you got to do things the right way and follow the protocols and listen to the doctors, and thats how we got to this point. But as Blackhawks fans have waited for good news and better hockey, they havent stopped backing their beloved team. The Blackhawks lead the NHL in attendance and have drawn 760,212 (an average of 23,036) over 30 home dates. Chicago is the only team in the league to draw over 700,000 fans this season as the Canadiens rank second with 692,771 (an average of 20,993). But as the finish line approaches, the Blackhawks will play 11 of their remaining 19 games on the road, which creates an uphill fight to sneak into one of the two wild-card spots. Crawfords return should create a buzz, but at the end of the day, the question boils down to one thing. | Chicago Blackhawks activate goalie Corey Crawford from injured reserve. Crawford missed 47 games of the 2017-18 season with a concussion. The Blackhawks are currently five points behind the Minnesota Wild for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. It is unclear if Crawford will start over Cam Ward when the Blackhawks begin a West Coast swing starting Wednesday. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffarnold/2019/02/25/could-corey-crawfords-return-spark-a-blackhawks-rally-for-a-nhl-wild-card-spot/ | 0.148388 |
Is It Too Much To Ask That Work Have Meaning? | Two recent articles, one each in The Atlantic and the New York Times, get to the heart of a feeling bubbling beneath the surface of many workplaces. People find their jobs unfulfilling. What is different now is that for the past generation or so, we have been raised, educated and inculcated with the idea that work must be fulfilling and enriching. And if we dont feel that sentiment, we back off. This is a theme that Derek Thompson of The Atlantic magazine explores in his article, Workism Is Making Americans Miserable. Workism is the belief that work is not only necessary to economic production, but also the centerpiece of ones identity and lifes purpose; and the belief that any policy to promote human welfare must always encourage more work. Trouble in the form of dissatisfaction arises when work does not satisfy personal expectations. Charles Duhigg describes such malaise in New York Times Magazine article, Wealthy, Successful and Miserable. A graduate of Harvard Business School, Duhiggs attendance at his classs 15th-year reunion in 2017 caused him to question the nature of work. Comfortable, even wealthy, but dissatisfied. Duhiggs former HBS-ers are not unique; job satisfaction, according to the Conference Board, peaked in the early Eighties and while on the uptick now only 50% of employees report being satisfied. What people are looking for, as Duhigg writes, is a sense of autonomy, an ability to control what they do. But they are also looking for community. People want to work alongside others whom they respect (and, optimally, enjoy spending time with) and who seem to respect them in return. Such respect emerges when people are engaged in a collective that they find enriching. Call it purpose. When you know that what you do matters, and if you are working on a project that you think matters, then you will be supercharged about what you do. You will work longer and harder, and you will find yourself happier. Finding purpose can be an evolving process depending on where you are and what you do. And once you discover your initial purpose, it may change over time. What challenged you at 25 may not do the same at 40. If that occurs, you need to seek out work that means something to you. Work cannot ever be the be all, end all.It is the beliefthe faith, eventhat work is not lifes product, but its currency, concludes Thompson. What we choose to buy with it is the ultimate project of living. In short, work is a means to an end, not the end in itself. Decades of research, conducted by Stew Friedman at Wharton, reveals that family, friends and communityas well as an outlet for self-expressionhold varying degrees of importance for employees. For some, providing for the family is enough of a motivator. For others, work defines them and their outlook on life. For still others, work is enriching but so too are family and community. Professor Friedmans work focuses on how individuals can create an optimal work-life equilibrium. The equilibrium may change over time, so you make adjustments to fit your circumstances. Discovering what you want to do and how you like to do itand with whomprovides direction. Fulfilling that purpose at work and in life delivers meaning, and ultimately even happiness. | LZ Granderson: It's too much to ask that work have meaning. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnbaldoni/2019/02/25/is-it-too-much-to-ask-that-work-have-meaning/ | 0.199107 |
Is It Too Much To Ask That Work Have Meaning? | Two recent articles, one each in The Atlantic and the New York Times, get to the heart of a feeling bubbling beneath the surface of many workplaces. People find their jobs unfulfilling. What is different now is that for the past generation or so, we have been raised, educated and inculcated with the idea that work must be fulfilling and enriching. And if we dont feel that sentiment, we back off. This is a theme that Derek Thompson of The Atlantic magazine explores in his article, Workism Is Making Americans Miserable. Workism is the belief that work is not only necessary to economic production, but also the centerpiece of ones identity and lifes purpose; and the belief that any policy to promote human welfare must always encourage more work. Trouble in the form of dissatisfaction arises when work does not satisfy personal expectations. Charles Duhigg describes such malaise in New York Times Magazine article, Wealthy, Successful and Miserable. A graduate of Harvard Business School, Duhiggs attendance at his classs 15th-year reunion in 2017 caused him to question the nature of work. Comfortable, even wealthy, but dissatisfied. Duhiggs former HBS-ers are not unique; job satisfaction, according to the Conference Board, peaked in the early Eighties and while on the uptick now only 50% of employees report being satisfied. What people are looking for, as Duhigg writes, is a sense of autonomy, an ability to control what they do. But they are also looking for community. People want to work alongside others whom they respect (and, optimally, enjoy spending time with) and who seem to respect them in return. Such respect emerges when people are engaged in a collective that they find enriching. Call it purpose. When you know that what you do matters, and if you are working on a project that you think matters, then you will be supercharged about what you do. You will work longer and harder, and you will find yourself happier. Finding purpose can be an evolving process depending on where you are and what you do. And once you discover your initial purpose, it may change over time. What challenged you at 25 may not do the same at 40. If that occurs, you need to seek out work that means something to you. Work cannot ever be the be all, end all.It is the beliefthe faith, eventhat work is not lifes product, but its currency, concludes Thompson. What we choose to buy with it is the ultimate project of living. In short, work is a means to an end, not the end in itself. Decades of research, conducted by Stew Friedman at Wharton, reveals that family, friends and communityas well as an outlet for self-expressionhold varying degrees of importance for employees. For some, providing for the family is enough of a motivator. For others, work defines them and their outlook on life. For still others, work is enriching but so too are family and community. Professor Friedmans work focuses on how individuals can create an optimal work-life equilibrium. The equilibrium may change over time, so you make adjustments to fit your circumstances. Discovering what you want to do and how you like to do itand with whomprovides direction. Fulfilling that purpose at work and in life delivers meaning, and ultimately even happiness. | Work is a means to an end, not the end in itself, says David Perry. Perry: It's not too much to ask that work have meaning and be fulfilling. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnbaldoni/2019/02/25/is-it-too-much-to-ask-that-work-have-meaning/ | 0.234301 |
Is It Too Much To Ask That Work Have Meaning? | Two recent articles, one each in The Atlantic and the New York Times, get to the heart of a feeling bubbling beneath the surface of many workplaces. People find their jobs unfulfilling. What is different now is that for the past generation or so, we have been raised, educated and inculcated with the idea that work must be fulfilling and enriching. And if we dont feel that sentiment, we back off. This is a theme that Derek Thompson of The Atlantic magazine explores in his article, Workism Is Making Americans Miserable. Workism is the belief that work is not only necessary to economic production, but also the centerpiece of ones identity and lifes purpose; and the belief that any policy to promote human welfare must always encourage more work. Trouble in the form of dissatisfaction arises when work does not satisfy personal expectations. Charles Duhigg describes such malaise in New York Times Magazine article, Wealthy, Successful and Miserable. A graduate of Harvard Business School, Duhiggs attendance at his classs 15th-year reunion in 2017 caused him to question the nature of work. Comfortable, even wealthy, but dissatisfied. Duhiggs former HBS-ers are not unique; job satisfaction, according to the Conference Board, peaked in the early Eighties and while on the uptick now only 50% of employees report being satisfied. What people are looking for, as Duhigg writes, is a sense of autonomy, an ability to control what they do. But they are also looking for community. People want to work alongside others whom they respect (and, optimally, enjoy spending time with) and who seem to respect them in return. Such respect emerges when people are engaged in a collective that they find enriching. Call it purpose. When you know that what you do matters, and if you are working on a project that you think matters, then you will be supercharged about what you do. You will work longer and harder, and you will find yourself happier. Finding purpose can be an evolving process depending on where you are and what you do. And once you discover your initial purpose, it may change over time. What challenged you at 25 may not do the same at 40. If that occurs, you need to seek out work that means something to you. Work cannot ever be the be all, end all.It is the beliefthe faith, eventhat work is not lifes product, but its currency, concludes Thompson. What we choose to buy with it is the ultimate project of living. In short, work is a means to an end, not the end in itself. Decades of research, conducted by Stew Friedman at Wharton, reveals that family, friends and communityas well as an outlet for self-expressionhold varying degrees of importance for employees. For some, providing for the family is enough of a motivator. For others, work defines them and their outlook on life. For still others, work is enriching but so too are family and community. Professor Friedmans work focuses on how individuals can create an optimal work-life equilibrium. The equilibrium may change over time, so you make adjustments to fit your circumstances. Discovering what you want to do and how you like to do itand with whomprovides direction. Fulfilling that purpose at work and in life delivers meaning, and ultimately even happiness. | Work is a means to an end, not the end in itself, says David Perry. Perry: It's not too much to ask that work have meaning and be enriching. He says finding purpose can be an evolving process depending on where you are and what you do. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnbaldoni/2019/02/25/is-it-too-much-to-ask-that-work-have-meaning/ | 0.343665 |
Could Jerry Sandusky get new trial on 2012 child-molestation conviction? | STATE COLLEGE, Pa. Attorney Al Lindsay stood at the dais of a three-star hotel's meeting room Monday to proclaim Jerry Sandusky's case is not going to go away. While many in and around Penn State wish it would, Lindsay will soon make another bid to reverse the former longtime assistant football coachs 2012 conviction on 45 counts of child molestation. One of the problems we have confronted that people dont want to deal with is this: Suppose Im telling you the truth, said Lindsay, who took over the case five years ago. Suppose that Jerry Sandusky is absolutely innocent. Suppose that Im right. You are, a voice from the audience responded. Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky arrives at the Centre County Courthouse for a post-conviction appeals hearing on March 24, 2017. (Photo11: Abby Drey, Centre Daily Times via AP) The composition of those who attended the news conference about a mile from Beaver Stadium included representatives from two local television stations, the Centre Daily Times, the Penn State college paper (the Daily Collegian) and a couple bloggers. Some of the others could be described as Penn State truthers or "Paterno-deniers, pejorative designations for those who believe the conclusions made in the Sandusky investigation that led to upheaval in Happy Valley were flawed. Its easier to find those who believe Joe Paterno, who was fired in the wake of Sanduskys 2011 arrest after 62 years at Penn State, did not cover up Sandusky's acts. And the attention paid at least nationally has subsided since 2012, the year Paterno died, Sandusky was convicted, the Freeh report that alleged a cover-up was released and the university was sanctioned by the NCAA. Lindsay told USA TODAY Sports after the news conference that he will file a petition with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court next week to seek a new trial of Sandusky. A similar filing to the Pennsylvania Superior Court was denied, but Sandusky was granted a re-sentencing request. Sandusky, now 75, was originally sentenced to 30-60 years in prison. While Lindsay said hes still drafting the petition, one of the subjects he will argue to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is that exculpatory evidence was not disclosed to Sanduskys original team prior to his trial in violation of federal law. Lindsay said that includes the testimony of two alleged victims, who disclosed new molestation claims while on the witness stand. Lindsay along with others at Mondays news conference also pointed to a 2018 report from five current and two former members of Penn States board of trustees that alleged flaws in Freeh's investigation. The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported on the report this month. It was the product of external influences and was not by any measure objective or the result of independence, the board of trustee members concluded in the report. In short, it is both unreliable and misleading. Our University paid $8.3 million for an independent investigation that was neither independent nor a fair and thorough investigation. Freeh, the former head of the FBI, issued the following statement: A small but vocal segment of the Penn State community, the deniers continue to detract from the real victims in this case by trying to convince the public that Coach Paterno and his football legacy were somehow instead the victims. The deniers continue to embarrass the many thousands of outstanding Penn State students, faculty, and alumni by blindly disregarding the uncontroverted facts in favor of a misguided agenda. Sandusky, meanwhile, sits in a prison about 100 miles away, where he was visited by his wife of more than 50 years, Dottie, on Monday. Dottie Sandusky told USA TODAY Sports that he's in frequent contact with Lindsay. "Jerry drives him crazy," Dottie Sandusky said. If this latest bid in a state court or a future one in federal court are successful, Lindsay's work will truly begin. Aren't you like the dog chasing car?' Lindsay said. Is there any way he could possibly get a fair trial? The answer is no, but we dont care. If we get a new trial, its the not a situation where you have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. We recognize, ladies and gentlemen, if we get a new trial for Jerry Sandusky, we have to prove his innocence beyond all doubt. Thats what I intend to do." Follow A.J. Perez on Twitter @byajperez | Attorney Al Lindsay will soon make another bid to reverse the former longtime assistant football coachs 2012 conviction. Lindsay will file a petition with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court next week to seek a new trial of Sandusky. | bart | 1 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2019/02/25/could-jerry-sandusky-win-petition-get-new-trial/2984219002/ | 0.14845 |
Could Jerry Sandusky get new trial on 2012 child-molestation conviction? | STATE COLLEGE, Pa. Attorney Al Lindsay stood at the dais of a three-star hotel's meeting room Monday to proclaim Jerry Sandusky's case is not going to go away. While many in and around Penn State wish it would, Lindsay will soon make another bid to reverse the former longtime assistant football coachs 2012 conviction on 45 counts of child molestation. One of the problems we have confronted that people dont want to deal with is this: Suppose Im telling you the truth, said Lindsay, who took over the case five years ago. Suppose that Jerry Sandusky is absolutely innocent. Suppose that Im right. You are, a voice from the audience responded. Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky arrives at the Centre County Courthouse for a post-conviction appeals hearing on March 24, 2017. (Photo11: Abby Drey, Centre Daily Times via AP) The composition of those who attended the news conference about a mile from Beaver Stadium included representatives from two local television stations, the Centre Daily Times, the Penn State college paper (the Daily Collegian) and a couple bloggers. Some of the others could be described as Penn State truthers or "Paterno-deniers, pejorative designations for those who believe the conclusions made in the Sandusky investigation that led to upheaval in Happy Valley were flawed. Its easier to find those who believe Joe Paterno, who was fired in the wake of Sanduskys 2011 arrest after 62 years at Penn State, did not cover up Sandusky's acts. And the attention paid at least nationally has subsided since 2012, the year Paterno died, Sandusky was convicted, the Freeh report that alleged a cover-up was released and the university was sanctioned by the NCAA. Lindsay told USA TODAY Sports after the news conference that he will file a petition with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court next week to seek a new trial of Sandusky. A similar filing to the Pennsylvania Superior Court was denied, but Sandusky was granted a re-sentencing request. Sandusky, now 75, was originally sentenced to 30-60 years in prison. While Lindsay said hes still drafting the petition, one of the subjects he will argue to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is that exculpatory evidence was not disclosed to Sanduskys original team prior to his trial in violation of federal law. Lindsay said that includes the testimony of two alleged victims, who disclosed new molestation claims while on the witness stand. Lindsay along with others at Mondays news conference also pointed to a 2018 report from five current and two former members of Penn States board of trustees that alleged flaws in Freeh's investigation. The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported on the report this month. It was the product of external influences and was not by any measure objective or the result of independence, the board of trustee members concluded in the report. In short, it is both unreliable and misleading. Our University paid $8.3 million for an independent investigation that was neither independent nor a fair and thorough investigation. Freeh, the former head of the FBI, issued the following statement: A small but vocal segment of the Penn State community, the deniers continue to detract from the real victims in this case by trying to convince the public that Coach Paterno and his football legacy were somehow instead the victims. The deniers continue to embarrass the many thousands of outstanding Penn State students, faculty, and alumni by blindly disregarding the uncontroverted facts in favor of a misguided agenda. Sandusky, meanwhile, sits in a prison about 100 miles away, where he was visited by his wife of more than 50 years, Dottie, on Monday. Dottie Sandusky told USA TODAY Sports that he's in frequent contact with Lindsay. "Jerry drives him crazy," Dottie Sandusky said. If this latest bid in a state court or a future one in federal court are successful, Lindsay's work will truly begin. Aren't you like the dog chasing car?' Lindsay said. Is there any way he could possibly get a fair trial? The answer is no, but we dont care. If we get a new trial, its the not a situation where you have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. We recognize, ladies and gentlemen, if we get a new trial for Jerry Sandusky, we have to prove his innocence beyond all doubt. Thats what I intend to do." Follow A.J. Perez on Twitter @byajperez | Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted in 2012 of 45 counts of child molestation. Sandusky, now 75, was originally sentenced to 30-60 years in prison. His attorney says he will file a petition next week to seek a new trial of Sandusky. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2019/02/25/could-jerry-sandusky-win-petition-get-new-trial/2984219002/ | 0.274022 |
Will 'Harry Potter' Appear On New Streaming Services From WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal? | WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal both have streaming services launching in 2019 and 2020, respectively, putting a question mark over the future whereabouts of the Harry Potter film series for avid fans, and raising even bigger questions about the possibilities of an original TV series based on J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World. J.K. Rowling has always been protective of her stories, and after trusting David Heyman and Steve Kloves with the Harry Potter film series, she shocked fans by putting her world in the hands of producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender, script writer Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany for the original production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Since then, two Fantastic Beasts films - penned by J.K. Rowling herself - have been released, and with three more apparently in the line-up, fans are still wondering when and where we might see a Harry Potter TV series. In 2015, J.K. Rowling tried to dissuade fans from speculating on a new TV series, but the film series' Daniel Radcliffe recently aired his own thoughts on the matter at a TV Guide press conference, saying that he'd be intrigued to see a series on the generation preceding Harry Potter (focused on the Marauders), and that he feels a reboot is a possibility: "I definitely think there will be another version of it within my lifetime. It will be interesting to see. At the moment those films have sort of a sacred varnish on them, but that will be worn away at some point... I'm just intrigued to see when that happens." Although the series wouldn't necessarily need to be written by Rowling - critiques of both Cursed Child and Fantastic Beasts appear to have cancelled each other out, nobody knows who they want new Wizarding World stories written by anymore, or if they want them at all - the biggest question currently appears to be where a series would even appear. Binge-watching and online streaming appears to be here to stay, with Disney, WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal all looking to start their own streaming services across 2019 and 2020. These will combine tens of thousands of hours of content from billion dollar production companies, and promise new original content in the coming years. That, of course, is where the ears of the Harry Potter fan might perk up. The expected creator of a new TV show set in the wizarding world is the upcoming WarnerMedia streaming platform. AT&T acquired Time Warner (now WarnerMedia) for $84.5 billion in June 2018. The upcoming service - which has yet to be named - will have access to some huge blockbusters and franchises, from Harry Potter to The LEGO Movie and Lord of The Rings, but this might not be enough to guarantee the platform's success. At the Television Critics Association presentation this month, TBS/TNT president Kevin Reilly provided updates on the service, announcing that Warner Media's streaming service will launch in beta form in Q4 this year, with original content coming when the three-tiered service launches in full in 2020. The expected future platform for streaming the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film series is NBCUniversal, which currently owns the exclusive TV rights to Harry Potter until April 2025 thanks to a $250 million acquisition deal, giving the ComCast owned media company on-air and digital rights to Wizarding World properties, and cable rights for the movies. The deal also gives exclusive rights for content at their Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks, Deadline reported. NBCUniversal plans to launch an ad-supported streaming service in 2020, available at no extra cost to NBCUniversal pay TV subscribers. A press release from last month reads: "This innovative new service will draw on NBCUniversals large content library, as well as its broad reach of over 90 million U.S. households, plus Comcast and Skys leading technology platforms. It will feature some of the worlds most popular television and film franchises, including homegrown original programming as well as content from outside partners." The film series is available on USA Network and Syfy, having previously aired (and streamed) on HBO. After HBO's streaming license to the films ended in June 2018, it's unclear how WarnerMedia might negotiate or share streaming rights to these movies. When reached for comment, NBCUniversal confirmed that plans for the Wizarding World on their streaming service have not been determined as of yet, and as suggested by the non-exclusive deal being forged between AT&T and Netflix for Friends shared streaming rights (and the fact that Reilly made clear AT&T's intentions to take on full streaming rights to the show in future), there's a shift occurring in Hollywood, as on-demand services begin to dominate the market it's possible that WarnerMedia might hold the rights to Potter just a little closer in future, and might seriously consider the possibility of an original series based in the world of Harry Potter. There's also the question of the demand for a new series. J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World is still managing to dominate markets, but with the comparatively low ratings of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, it's possible that too much of a good thing could hinder the progress of the franchise. We'll likely not see an official TV series based in this world - especially a simple reboot - for at least a few years to come. | WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal both have streaming services launching in 2019 and 2020. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/emmapocock/2019/02/25/will-harry-potter-appear-on-new-streaming-services-from-warnermedia-and-nbcuniversal/ | 0.103076 |
Will 'Harry Potter' Appear On New Streaming Services From WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal? | WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal both have streaming services launching in 2019 and 2020, respectively, putting a question mark over the future whereabouts of the Harry Potter film series for avid fans, and raising even bigger questions about the possibilities of an original TV series based on J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World. J.K. Rowling has always been protective of her stories, and after trusting David Heyman and Steve Kloves with the Harry Potter film series, she shocked fans by putting her world in the hands of producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender, script writer Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany for the original production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Since then, two Fantastic Beasts films - penned by J.K. Rowling herself - have been released, and with three more apparently in the line-up, fans are still wondering when and where we might see a Harry Potter TV series. In 2015, J.K. Rowling tried to dissuade fans from speculating on a new TV series, but the film series' Daniel Radcliffe recently aired his own thoughts on the matter at a TV Guide press conference, saying that he'd be intrigued to see a series on the generation preceding Harry Potter (focused on the Marauders), and that he feels a reboot is a possibility: "I definitely think there will be another version of it within my lifetime. It will be interesting to see. At the moment those films have sort of a sacred varnish on them, but that will be worn away at some point... I'm just intrigued to see when that happens." Although the series wouldn't necessarily need to be written by Rowling - critiques of both Cursed Child and Fantastic Beasts appear to have cancelled each other out, nobody knows who they want new Wizarding World stories written by anymore, or if they want them at all - the biggest question currently appears to be where a series would even appear. Binge-watching and online streaming appears to be here to stay, with Disney, WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal all looking to start their own streaming services across 2019 and 2020. These will combine tens of thousands of hours of content from billion dollar production companies, and promise new original content in the coming years. That, of course, is where the ears of the Harry Potter fan might perk up. The expected creator of a new TV show set in the wizarding world is the upcoming WarnerMedia streaming platform. AT&T acquired Time Warner (now WarnerMedia) for $84.5 billion in June 2018. The upcoming service - which has yet to be named - will have access to some huge blockbusters and franchises, from Harry Potter to The LEGO Movie and Lord of The Rings, but this might not be enough to guarantee the platform's success. At the Television Critics Association presentation this month, TBS/TNT president Kevin Reilly provided updates on the service, announcing that Warner Media's streaming service will launch in beta form in Q4 this year, with original content coming when the three-tiered service launches in full in 2020. The expected future platform for streaming the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film series is NBCUniversal, which currently owns the exclusive TV rights to Harry Potter until April 2025 thanks to a $250 million acquisition deal, giving the ComCast owned media company on-air and digital rights to Wizarding World properties, and cable rights for the movies. The deal also gives exclusive rights for content at their Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks, Deadline reported. NBCUniversal plans to launch an ad-supported streaming service in 2020, available at no extra cost to NBCUniversal pay TV subscribers. A press release from last month reads: "This innovative new service will draw on NBCUniversals large content library, as well as its broad reach of over 90 million U.S. households, plus Comcast and Skys leading technology platforms. It will feature some of the worlds most popular television and film franchises, including homegrown original programming as well as content from outside partners." The film series is available on USA Network and Syfy, having previously aired (and streamed) on HBO. After HBO's streaming license to the films ended in June 2018, it's unclear how WarnerMedia might negotiate or share streaming rights to these movies. When reached for comment, NBCUniversal confirmed that plans for the Wizarding World on their streaming service have not been determined as of yet, and as suggested by the non-exclusive deal being forged between AT&T and Netflix for Friends shared streaming rights (and the fact that Reilly made clear AT&T's intentions to take on full streaming rights to the show in future), there's a shift occurring in Hollywood, as on-demand services begin to dominate the market it's possible that WarnerMedia might hold the rights to Potter just a little closer in future, and might seriously consider the possibility of an original series based in the world of Harry Potter. There's also the question of the demand for a new series. J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World is still managing to dominate markets, but with the comparatively low ratings of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, it's possible that too much of a good thing could hinder the progress of the franchise. We'll likely not see an official TV series based in this world - especially a simple reboot - for at least a few years to come. | WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal both have streaming services launching in 2019 and 2020. This puts a question mark over the future whereabouts of the Harry Potter film series. | bart | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/emmapocock/2019/02/25/will-harry-potter-appear-on-new-streaming-services-from-warnermedia-and-nbcuniversal/ | 0.222798 |
Will 'Harry Potter' Appear On New Streaming Services From WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal? | WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal both have streaming services launching in 2019 and 2020, respectively, putting a question mark over the future whereabouts of the Harry Potter film series for avid fans, and raising even bigger questions about the possibilities of an original TV series based on J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World. J.K. Rowling has always been protective of her stories, and after trusting David Heyman and Steve Kloves with the Harry Potter film series, she shocked fans by putting her world in the hands of producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender, script writer Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany for the original production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Since then, two Fantastic Beasts films - penned by J.K. Rowling herself - have been released, and with three more apparently in the line-up, fans are still wondering when and where we might see a Harry Potter TV series. In 2015, J.K. Rowling tried to dissuade fans from speculating on a new TV series, but the film series' Daniel Radcliffe recently aired his own thoughts on the matter at a TV Guide press conference, saying that he'd be intrigued to see a series on the generation preceding Harry Potter (focused on the Marauders), and that he feels a reboot is a possibility: "I definitely think there will be another version of it within my lifetime. It will be interesting to see. At the moment those films have sort of a sacred varnish on them, but that will be worn away at some point... I'm just intrigued to see when that happens." Although the series wouldn't necessarily need to be written by Rowling - critiques of both Cursed Child and Fantastic Beasts appear to have cancelled each other out, nobody knows who they want new Wizarding World stories written by anymore, or if they want them at all - the biggest question currently appears to be where a series would even appear. Binge-watching and online streaming appears to be here to stay, with Disney, WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal all looking to start their own streaming services across 2019 and 2020. These will combine tens of thousands of hours of content from billion dollar production companies, and promise new original content in the coming years. That, of course, is where the ears of the Harry Potter fan might perk up. The expected creator of a new TV show set in the wizarding world is the upcoming WarnerMedia streaming platform. AT&T acquired Time Warner (now WarnerMedia) for $84.5 billion in June 2018. The upcoming service - which has yet to be named - will have access to some huge blockbusters and franchises, from Harry Potter to The LEGO Movie and Lord of The Rings, but this might not be enough to guarantee the platform's success. At the Television Critics Association presentation this month, TBS/TNT president Kevin Reilly provided updates on the service, announcing that Warner Media's streaming service will launch in beta form in Q4 this year, with original content coming when the three-tiered service launches in full in 2020. The expected future platform for streaming the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film series is NBCUniversal, which currently owns the exclusive TV rights to Harry Potter until April 2025 thanks to a $250 million acquisition deal, giving the ComCast owned media company on-air and digital rights to Wizarding World properties, and cable rights for the movies. The deal also gives exclusive rights for content at their Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks, Deadline reported. NBCUniversal plans to launch an ad-supported streaming service in 2020, available at no extra cost to NBCUniversal pay TV subscribers. A press release from last month reads: "This innovative new service will draw on NBCUniversals large content library, as well as its broad reach of over 90 million U.S. households, plus Comcast and Skys leading technology platforms. It will feature some of the worlds most popular television and film franchises, including homegrown original programming as well as content from outside partners." The film series is available on USA Network and Syfy, having previously aired (and streamed) on HBO. After HBO's streaming license to the films ended in June 2018, it's unclear how WarnerMedia might negotiate or share streaming rights to these movies. When reached for comment, NBCUniversal confirmed that plans for the Wizarding World on their streaming service have not been determined as of yet, and as suggested by the non-exclusive deal being forged between AT&T and Netflix for Friends shared streaming rights (and the fact that Reilly made clear AT&T's intentions to take on full streaming rights to the show in future), there's a shift occurring in Hollywood, as on-demand services begin to dominate the market it's possible that WarnerMedia might hold the rights to Potter just a little closer in future, and might seriously consider the possibility of an original series based in the world of Harry Potter. There's also the question of the demand for a new series. J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World is still managing to dominate markets, but with the comparatively low ratings of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, it's possible that too much of a good thing could hinder the progress of the franchise. We'll likely not see an official TV series based in this world - especially a simple reboot - for at least a few years to come. | WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal both have streaming services launching in 2019 and 2020. This puts a question mark over the future whereabouts of the Harry Potter film series. It also raises even bigger questions about the possibilities of an original TV series based on J.K. | bart | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/emmapocock/2019/02/25/will-harry-potter-appear-on-new-streaming-services-from-warnermedia-and-nbcuniversal/ | 0.266808 |
Who is George Pell and what has he been convicted of? | Pell is essentially the treasurer of the Vatican and the Holy See in Rome, a high-ranking position that makes him among the worlds most powerful Catholics. He has also been a longtime confidant to Pope Francis. Before his appointment to the Vatican in 2014, Pell held senior positions within the Catholic church in Australia, including as the archbishop of Sydney and the archbishop of Melbourne. He is known for his staunch conservativism on issues including marriage equality and abortion. Cardinal George Pell: Vatican treasurer found guilty of child sexual assault Read more He is Australias most senior Catholic. He was made a companion in the Order of Australia in the Queens birthday honours in 2005 for his service to the church. Pell is now also the highest-ranking Catholic official in the world to have been convicted of child sexual abuse. Pell has attracted criticism since the 1990s for the way he responded to allegations of child sexual abuse while he was working in Australian Catholic institutions. As archbishop of Melbourne he formulated the much-criticised Melbourne Response, which offered support and counselling to victims of sexual abuse but capped compensation payments. In 2014 he said the church was no more responsible for child abuse carried out by church figures than a trucking company would be if they employed a driver who molested women. At Australias child sex abuse royal commission, he described offending by his one-time friend, the priest Gerald Ridsdale, as a sad story that wasnt of much interest to me. Ridsdale has been found guilty of offending against more than 60 children. In June 2017 Pell was charged with child sexual assault offences by Australian police. Pell took leave from the Vatican and stood aside from his position there to return to Australia and face a committal hearing, which began in March 2018. In a committal hearing, a magistrate decides if there is enough evidence to go to trial. The magistrate threw out the most serious charges owing to credibility issues of witnesses. Other charges were withdrawn by prosecutors. Cardinal Pell: Vatican treasurer convicted on historic child sex abuse charges latest news Read more Pell was left facing several charges, which were split into two trials. The first group related to offending in 1996 at St Patricks Cathedral in Melbourne when he was archbishop. The second group related to alleged offending in a swimming pool while he was a priest in the regional Victorian town of Ballarat in the 1970s. The cathedral trial was held in August and resulted in a hung jury. A mistrial was declared and the trial was held a second time, beginning in November. On 11 December the jury returned a verdict of guilty on five charges; one count of sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16 and four counts of indecent assault of a child under the age of 16. The convictions relate to Pells offending against two 13-year-old choirboys. A suppression order was in place so that jurors in the trial of the second group of alleged offences would not be prejudiced by reporting of the first trial. Such suppression orders are standard when an accused person is facing multiple trials. But the swimming pool charges were dropped by prosecutors on Tuesday after evidence they were relying on to build their case was deemed inadmissible by the judge, Peter Kidd. With Pell no longer facing a further trial, the suppression order was lifted and the cathedral trial and mistrial can now be reported in full. Pells defence barrister, Robert Richter QC, has indicated that his client will appeal. Usually, a single judge considers the appeal application and decides whether the accused has legal grounds for appealing. If there are grounds for appeal, the matter proceeds to a hearing. If the judge refuses the application, a convicted person can elect to have the refusal reconsidered by other judges of the court of appeal. If the matter goes to a hearing and the conviction is set aside, the court may order a new trial, or acquit the person. The process can take eight to 10 months, sometimes longer. In the meantime, Pell is due to be sentenced on Wednesday. He was granted bail in December to undergo knee surgery, which he has since had. Now that the trial is over, the royal commission may release its findings relating to Pell. When the five-year inquiry into institutional responses to child sexual abuse delivered its final report in 2017, the section relating to Pell was redacted so as not to prejudice court proceedings. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Pope Francis greets Pell after mass at the Vatican in 2016. The pontiff will be under pressure to respond to Pells verdict quickly. The Vatican will have been made aware of the verdict when it was delivered in December. A Vatican spokesman has consistently said the pope does not intend to speak until the judicial process is complete, including a possible appeal. Two days after the verdict, Pope Francis removed Pell from his inner circle in a restructure of his Council of Cardinals. Pell was not removed from his position as financial controller of the Vatican, a position he technically still holds. On Pells removal from the council, Francis thanked him for his work reforming the Vatican bureaucracy. There will be pressure on the Vatican to respond to Pells verdict quickly, given growing global anger about the way the church has responded to and concealed child sexual abuse. Last weeks landmark child sexual abuse summit at the Vatican drew criticism after Francis failed to promise a zero tolerance approach to paedophiles and those who cover up their crimes. | George Pell is Australia's most senior Catholic and confidant to Pope Francis. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/26/who-is-george-pell-and-what-has-he-been-convicted-of | 0.2505 |
Who is George Pell and what has he been convicted of? | Pell is essentially the treasurer of the Vatican and the Holy See in Rome, a high-ranking position that makes him among the worlds most powerful Catholics. He has also been a longtime confidant to Pope Francis. Before his appointment to the Vatican in 2014, Pell held senior positions within the Catholic church in Australia, including as the archbishop of Sydney and the archbishop of Melbourne. He is known for his staunch conservativism on issues including marriage equality and abortion. Cardinal George Pell: Vatican treasurer found guilty of child sexual assault Read more He is Australias most senior Catholic. He was made a companion in the Order of Australia in the Queens birthday honours in 2005 for his service to the church. Pell is now also the highest-ranking Catholic official in the world to have been convicted of child sexual abuse. Pell has attracted criticism since the 1990s for the way he responded to allegations of child sexual abuse while he was working in Australian Catholic institutions. As archbishop of Melbourne he formulated the much-criticised Melbourne Response, which offered support and counselling to victims of sexual abuse but capped compensation payments. In 2014 he said the church was no more responsible for child abuse carried out by church figures than a trucking company would be if they employed a driver who molested women. At Australias child sex abuse royal commission, he described offending by his one-time friend, the priest Gerald Ridsdale, as a sad story that wasnt of much interest to me. Ridsdale has been found guilty of offending against more than 60 children. In June 2017 Pell was charged with child sexual assault offences by Australian police. Pell took leave from the Vatican and stood aside from his position there to return to Australia and face a committal hearing, which began in March 2018. In a committal hearing, a magistrate decides if there is enough evidence to go to trial. The magistrate threw out the most serious charges owing to credibility issues of witnesses. Other charges were withdrawn by prosecutors. Cardinal Pell: Vatican treasurer convicted on historic child sex abuse charges latest news Read more Pell was left facing several charges, which were split into two trials. The first group related to offending in 1996 at St Patricks Cathedral in Melbourne when he was archbishop. The second group related to alleged offending in a swimming pool while he was a priest in the regional Victorian town of Ballarat in the 1970s. The cathedral trial was held in August and resulted in a hung jury. A mistrial was declared and the trial was held a second time, beginning in November. On 11 December the jury returned a verdict of guilty on five charges; one count of sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16 and four counts of indecent assault of a child under the age of 16. The convictions relate to Pells offending against two 13-year-old choirboys. A suppression order was in place so that jurors in the trial of the second group of alleged offences would not be prejudiced by reporting of the first trial. Such suppression orders are standard when an accused person is facing multiple trials. But the swimming pool charges were dropped by prosecutors on Tuesday after evidence they were relying on to build their case was deemed inadmissible by the judge, Peter Kidd. With Pell no longer facing a further trial, the suppression order was lifted and the cathedral trial and mistrial can now be reported in full. Pells defence barrister, Robert Richter QC, has indicated that his client will appeal. Usually, a single judge considers the appeal application and decides whether the accused has legal grounds for appealing. If there are grounds for appeal, the matter proceeds to a hearing. If the judge refuses the application, a convicted person can elect to have the refusal reconsidered by other judges of the court of appeal. If the matter goes to a hearing and the conviction is set aside, the court may order a new trial, or acquit the person. The process can take eight to 10 months, sometimes longer. In the meantime, Pell is due to be sentenced on Wednesday. He was granted bail in December to undergo knee surgery, which he has since had. Now that the trial is over, the royal commission may release its findings relating to Pell. When the five-year inquiry into institutional responses to child sexual abuse delivered its final report in 2017, the section relating to Pell was redacted so as not to prejudice court proceedings. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Pope Francis greets Pell after mass at the Vatican in 2016. The pontiff will be under pressure to respond to Pells verdict quickly. The Vatican will have been made aware of the verdict when it was delivered in December. A Vatican spokesman has consistently said the pope does not intend to speak until the judicial process is complete, including a possible appeal. Two days after the verdict, Pope Francis removed Pell from his inner circle in a restructure of his Council of Cardinals. Pell was not removed from his position as financial controller of the Vatican, a position he technically still holds. On Pells removal from the council, Francis thanked him for his work reforming the Vatican bureaucracy. There will be pressure on the Vatican to respond to Pells verdict quickly, given growing global anger about the way the church has responded to and concealed child sexual abuse. Last weeks landmark child sexual abuse summit at the Vatican drew criticism after Francis failed to promise a zero tolerance approach to paedophiles and those who cover up their crimes. | George Pell is Australia's most senior Catholic and a longtime confidant to Pope Francis. He was convicted of five counts of sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16 and four counts of indecent assault. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/26/who-is-george-pell-and-what-has-he-been-convicted-of | 0.620612 |
Who is George Pell and what has he been convicted of? | Pell is essentially the treasurer of the Vatican and the Holy See in Rome, a high-ranking position that makes him among the worlds most powerful Catholics. He has also been a longtime confidant to Pope Francis. Before his appointment to the Vatican in 2014, Pell held senior positions within the Catholic church in Australia, including as the archbishop of Sydney and the archbishop of Melbourne. He is known for his staunch conservativism on issues including marriage equality and abortion. Cardinal George Pell: Vatican treasurer found guilty of child sexual assault Read more He is Australias most senior Catholic. He was made a companion in the Order of Australia in the Queens birthday honours in 2005 for his service to the church. Pell is now also the highest-ranking Catholic official in the world to have been convicted of child sexual abuse. Pell has attracted criticism since the 1990s for the way he responded to allegations of child sexual abuse while he was working in Australian Catholic institutions. As archbishop of Melbourne he formulated the much-criticised Melbourne Response, which offered support and counselling to victims of sexual abuse but capped compensation payments. In 2014 he said the church was no more responsible for child abuse carried out by church figures than a trucking company would be if they employed a driver who molested women. At Australias child sex abuse royal commission, he described offending by his one-time friend, the priest Gerald Ridsdale, as a sad story that wasnt of much interest to me. Ridsdale has been found guilty of offending against more than 60 children. In June 2017 Pell was charged with child sexual assault offences by Australian police. Pell took leave from the Vatican and stood aside from his position there to return to Australia and face a committal hearing, which began in March 2018. In a committal hearing, a magistrate decides if there is enough evidence to go to trial. The magistrate threw out the most serious charges owing to credibility issues of witnesses. Other charges were withdrawn by prosecutors. Cardinal Pell: Vatican treasurer convicted on historic child sex abuse charges latest news Read more Pell was left facing several charges, which were split into two trials. The first group related to offending in 1996 at St Patricks Cathedral in Melbourne when he was archbishop. The second group related to alleged offending in a swimming pool while he was a priest in the regional Victorian town of Ballarat in the 1970s. The cathedral trial was held in August and resulted in a hung jury. A mistrial was declared and the trial was held a second time, beginning in November. On 11 December the jury returned a verdict of guilty on five charges; one count of sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16 and four counts of indecent assault of a child under the age of 16. The convictions relate to Pells offending against two 13-year-old choirboys. A suppression order was in place so that jurors in the trial of the second group of alleged offences would not be prejudiced by reporting of the first trial. Such suppression orders are standard when an accused person is facing multiple trials. But the swimming pool charges were dropped by prosecutors on Tuesday after evidence they were relying on to build their case was deemed inadmissible by the judge, Peter Kidd. With Pell no longer facing a further trial, the suppression order was lifted and the cathedral trial and mistrial can now be reported in full. Pells defence barrister, Robert Richter QC, has indicated that his client will appeal. Usually, a single judge considers the appeal application and decides whether the accused has legal grounds for appealing. If there are grounds for appeal, the matter proceeds to a hearing. If the judge refuses the application, a convicted person can elect to have the refusal reconsidered by other judges of the court of appeal. If the matter goes to a hearing and the conviction is set aside, the court may order a new trial, or acquit the person. The process can take eight to 10 months, sometimes longer. In the meantime, Pell is due to be sentenced on Wednesday. He was granted bail in December to undergo knee surgery, which he has since had. Now that the trial is over, the royal commission may release its findings relating to Pell. When the five-year inquiry into institutional responses to child sexual abuse delivered its final report in 2017, the section relating to Pell was redacted so as not to prejudice court proceedings. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Pope Francis greets Pell after mass at the Vatican in 2016. The pontiff will be under pressure to respond to Pells verdict quickly. The Vatican will have been made aware of the verdict when it was delivered in December. A Vatican spokesman has consistently said the pope does not intend to speak until the judicial process is complete, including a possible appeal. Two days after the verdict, Pope Francis removed Pell from his inner circle in a restructure of his Council of Cardinals. Pell was not removed from his position as financial controller of the Vatican, a position he technically still holds. On Pells removal from the council, Francis thanked him for his work reforming the Vatican bureaucracy. There will be pressure on the Vatican to respond to Pells verdict quickly, given growing global anger about the way the church has responded to and concealed child sexual abuse. Last weeks landmark child sexual abuse summit at the Vatican drew criticism after Francis failed to promise a zero tolerance approach to paedophiles and those who cover up their crimes. | George Pell is Australia's most senior Catholic and a longtime confidant to Pope Francis. He was found guilty of five counts of sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16 and four counts of indecent assault of a Child under the Age of 16. He is expected to appeal the verdict. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/26/who-is-george-pell-and-what-has-he-been-convicted-of | 0.565155 |
Did Green Book deserve to win Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars? | Critics blasted Green Book after the movie won Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars. The film stars Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen and centers a black pianist and his white chauffeur as they navigate racist territory of the Deep South using the safe African American travelers guide, The Negro Motorist Green Book. Critics argue the film perpetuates the white savior trope and fails to tell the story of what The Negro Motorist Green Book means to black people. Julia Roberts hit the stage to announce Green Book won Best Picture. The film was up against fan favorites such as Black Panther, Roma and BlacKkKlansman. Critics argue that Green Book was problematic because it neglected to shed light on the full story of famed classical pianist Don Shirley, and focuses on his chauffeur who had a shallow mindset of black people until he befriends Shirley. Critics argue films like Green Book only showcase the black experience through a filtered white lens. Spike Lee said Green Book's win at the #Oscars was synonymous to a referee making a bad call. pic.twitter.com/d10hbBKb2z The Root (@TheRoot) February 25, 2019 No disrespect to Green Book at the #Oscars, but many of us in the black community would like to see greater recognition for movies about the black experience and not just for movies that make the black experience comfortable for white audiences.pic.twitter.com/vOdNEmx53X Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) February 25, 2019 But some moviegoers argue that "Green Book" is an inspirational film that deserve deserve all of the hate. Green Book holds a fresh rating of 79 percent and an audience score of 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes (at the time of publication). The film also grossed over $144 million globally at the box office. So, its a hit! I think Green Book was a good film and deserving of best picture #Oscars #SpikeLee #Roma #GreenBook Ethan Zuchkan (@EZuchkan) February 25, 2019 Congrats to #GreenBook! At the end of the day, all of the #BestPicture nominees were fantastic and we got a good handful of incredible film out of 2018 #Oscars pic.twitter.com/GfqNZ140PV Connor (@Connor_M5) February 25, 2019 | Critics blasted "Green Book" after the movie won Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars. | bart | 0 | https://www.nola.com/tylt/2019/02/did-green-book-deserve-to-win-best-picture-at-the-2019-oscars.html | 0.223587 |
Did Green Book deserve to win Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars? | Critics blasted Green Book after the movie won Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars. The film stars Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen and centers a black pianist and his white chauffeur as they navigate racist territory of the Deep South using the safe African American travelers guide, The Negro Motorist Green Book. Critics argue the film perpetuates the white savior trope and fails to tell the story of what The Negro Motorist Green Book means to black people. Julia Roberts hit the stage to announce Green Book won Best Picture. The film was up against fan favorites such as Black Panther, Roma and BlacKkKlansman. Critics argue that Green Book was problematic because it neglected to shed light on the full story of famed classical pianist Don Shirley, and focuses on his chauffeur who had a shallow mindset of black people until he befriends Shirley. Critics argue films like Green Book only showcase the black experience through a filtered white lens. Spike Lee said Green Book's win at the #Oscars was synonymous to a referee making a bad call. pic.twitter.com/d10hbBKb2z The Root (@TheRoot) February 25, 2019 No disrespect to Green Book at the #Oscars, but many of us in the black community would like to see greater recognition for movies about the black experience and not just for movies that make the black experience comfortable for white audiences.pic.twitter.com/vOdNEmx53X Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) February 25, 2019 But some moviegoers argue that "Green Book" is an inspirational film that deserve deserve all of the hate. Green Book holds a fresh rating of 79 percent and an audience score of 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes (at the time of publication). The film also grossed over $144 million globally at the box office. So, its a hit! I think Green Book was a good film and deserving of best picture #Oscars #SpikeLee #Roma #GreenBook Ethan Zuchkan (@EZuchkan) February 25, 2019 Congrats to #GreenBook! At the end of the day, all of the #BestPicture nominees were fantastic and we got a good handful of incredible film out of 2018 #Oscars pic.twitter.com/GfqNZ140PV Connor (@Connor_M5) February 25, 2019 | Critics blasted Green Book after the movie won Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars. The film stars Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen and centers a black pianist and his white chauffeur. | bart | 1 | https://www.nola.com/tylt/2019/02/did-green-book-deserve-to-win-best-picture-at-the-2019-oscars.html | 0.247708 |
Is Cold Pursuit just Taken in the snow? | Director Hans Petter Moland would like you to know that his new movie, Cold Pursuit starring Liam Neeson, is not just Taken in the snow. In broad strokes, its a revenge movie, says the Norwegian director of his first English-language film. But take a closer look; theres no one to salvage or rescue, because his sons already dead. This is a particular way to mourn rather than to save somebody. Point taken. Early in the movie, Neesons characters son is killed during a robbery. The culprits make it look like a drug overdose, and the police buy the story and refuse to dig further. And so Neeson, playing mild-mannered Colorado snowplow driver Nels Coxman, goes looking for the truth. Much blood is spilled during his quest. He has no special set of skills, says Moland, referring to the Taken franchise. Hes just an amateur whos highly motivated, whos saddened by what has happened, and who doesnt care (for his own safety). Cold Pursuit is actually Molands second take on the movie. In 2014, he made In Order of Disappearance, starring Stellan Skarsgrd and set in the snowy mountains of Norway. The film premiered in Berlin and did well on the festival circuit, which is when producer Michael Shamberg suggested a do-over. Conventional wisdom says somebody else would do it, says Moland. But one of the particular qualities of the original was the tone, and its hard to duplicate another filmmakers tone. And so the directors own special set of skills were put to use. The plot of Cold Pursuit is faithful to the original, but rewriting took more than translation software and the removal of odd Scandinavian letters by first-time screenwriter Frank Baldwin. Thats because there are elements of race and nationalism that wouldnt play the same way in Colorado as in Norway. Among other things, says Moland, Skarsgrds character is teased for being an immigrant from Sweden, which is, like, 80 metres away. So whereas In Order of Disappearance features a gang of native Norwegians and another comprised of Serbians, Cold Pursuit turns the Norwegians into casually racist Americans, while the outsider Serbians are recast as First Nations. (Parks Canada, troubled by this, refused to let the film shoot in Banff, even though First Nations actor Tom Jackson, playing the gang leader, lobbied on the movies behalf. The production eventually found new locations in Alberta and B.C.) Moland says the remake allowed for some new narrative possibilities, such as a misunderstanding when Jacksons character shows up at a fancy ski resort and is told he needs a reservation. We also see the First Nations group enjoying ski slopes as the Serbs did in the original, but here theres a certain wistfulness and irony because of the native Americans relationship to the landscape theyre standing in. The director brought some of his regular collaborators with him on Cold Pursuit, including cinematographer Philip gaard, his costume designer and a few stunt performers. But he relished the novelty of making things anew. The chance to work with Liam was interesting, and making the film for a whole different audience who hadnt seen the original and transplant it to a new culture was fun. But the biggest draw was probably Shamberg, a septuagenarian producer whose credits extend back to such classics as The Big Chill, A Fish Called Wanda and Pulp Fiction. If it hadnt been him asking me to consider it, I dont think I would have. | Hans Petter Moland's Cold Pursuit is not just "Taken in the snow," he says. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/movies/is-cold-pursuit-just-taken-in-the-snow | 0.271781 |
Is Cold Pursuit just Taken in the snow? | Director Hans Petter Moland would like you to know that his new movie, Cold Pursuit starring Liam Neeson, is not just Taken in the snow. In broad strokes, its a revenge movie, says the Norwegian director of his first English-language film. But take a closer look; theres no one to salvage or rescue, because his sons already dead. This is a particular way to mourn rather than to save somebody. Point taken. Early in the movie, Neesons characters son is killed during a robbery. The culprits make it look like a drug overdose, and the police buy the story and refuse to dig further. And so Neeson, playing mild-mannered Colorado snowplow driver Nels Coxman, goes looking for the truth. Much blood is spilled during his quest. He has no special set of skills, says Moland, referring to the Taken franchise. Hes just an amateur whos highly motivated, whos saddened by what has happened, and who doesnt care (for his own safety). Cold Pursuit is actually Molands second take on the movie. In 2014, he made In Order of Disappearance, starring Stellan Skarsgrd and set in the snowy mountains of Norway. The film premiered in Berlin and did well on the festival circuit, which is when producer Michael Shamberg suggested a do-over. Conventional wisdom says somebody else would do it, says Moland. But one of the particular qualities of the original was the tone, and its hard to duplicate another filmmakers tone. And so the directors own special set of skills were put to use. The plot of Cold Pursuit is faithful to the original, but rewriting took more than translation software and the removal of odd Scandinavian letters by first-time screenwriter Frank Baldwin. Thats because there are elements of race and nationalism that wouldnt play the same way in Colorado as in Norway. Among other things, says Moland, Skarsgrds character is teased for being an immigrant from Sweden, which is, like, 80 metres away. So whereas In Order of Disappearance features a gang of native Norwegians and another comprised of Serbians, Cold Pursuit turns the Norwegians into casually racist Americans, while the outsider Serbians are recast as First Nations. (Parks Canada, troubled by this, refused to let the film shoot in Banff, even though First Nations actor Tom Jackson, playing the gang leader, lobbied on the movies behalf. The production eventually found new locations in Alberta and B.C.) Moland says the remake allowed for some new narrative possibilities, such as a misunderstanding when Jacksons character shows up at a fancy ski resort and is told he needs a reservation. We also see the First Nations group enjoying ski slopes as the Serbs did in the original, but here theres a certain wistfulness and irony because of the native Americans relationship to the landscape theyre standing in. The director brought some of his regular collaborators with him on Cold Pursuit, including cinematographer Philip gaard, his costume designer and a few stunt performers. But he relished the novelty of making things anew. The chance to work with Liam was interesting, and making the film for a whole different audience who hadnt seen the original and transplant it to a new culture was fun. But the biggest draw was probably Shamberg, a septuagenarian producer whose credits extend back to such classics as The Big Chill, A Fish Called Wanda and Pulp Fiction. If it hadnt been him asking me to consider it, I dont think I would have. | Director Hans Petter Moland says Cold Pursuit is not just "Taken in the snow" Moland made his second take on the movie In Order of Disappearance, starring Stellan Skarsgrd. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/movies/is-cold-pursuit-just-taken-in-the-snow | 0.378224 |
Is Cold Pursuit just Taken in the snow? | Director Hans Petter Moland would like you to know that his new movie, Cold Pursuit starring Liam Neeson, is not just Taken in the snow. In broad strokes, its a revenge movie, says the Norwegian director of his first English-language film. But take a closer look; theres no one to salvage or rescue, because his sons already dead. This is a particular way to mourn rather than to save somebody. Point taken. Early in the movie, Neesons characters son is killed during a robbery. The culprits make it look like a drug overdose, and the police buy the story and refuse to dig further. And so Neeson, playing mild-mannered Colorado snowplow driver Nels Coxman, goes looking for the truth. Much blood is spilled during his quest. He has no special set of skills, says Moland, referring to the Taken franchise. Hes just an amateur whos highly motivated, whos saddened by what has happened, and who doesnt care (for his own safety). Cold Pursuit is actually Molands second take on the movie. In 2014, he made In Order of Disappearance, starring Stellan Skarsgrd and set in the snowy mountains of Norway. The film premiered in Berlin and did well on the festival circuit, which is when producer Michael Shamberg suggested a do-over. Conventional wisdom says somebody else would do it, says Moland. But one of the particular qualities of the original was the tone, and its hard to duplicate another filmmakers tone. And so the directors own special set of skills were put to use. The plot of Cold Pursuit is faithful to the original, but rewriting took more than translation software and the removal of odd Scandinavian letters by first-time screenwriter Frank Baldwin. Thats because there are elements of race and nationalism that wouldnt play the same way in Colorado as in Norway. Among other things, says Moland, Skarsgrds character is teased for being an immigrant from Sweden, which is, like, 80 metres away. So whereas In Order of Disappearance features a gang of native Norwegians and another comprised of Serbians, Cold Pursuit turns the Norwegians into casually racist Americans, while the outsider Serbians are recast as First Nations. (Parks Canada, troubled by this, refused to let the film shoot in Banff, even though First Nations actor Tom Jackson, playing the gang leader, lobbied on the movies behalf. The production eventually found new locations in Alberta and B.C.) Moland says the remake allowed for some new narrative possibilities, such as a misunderstanding when Jacksons character shows up at a fancy ski resort and is told he needs a reservation. We also see the First Nations group enjoying ski slopes as the Serbs did in the original, but here theres a certain wistfulness and irony because of the native Americans relationship to the landscape theyre standing in. The director brought some of his regular collaborators with him on Cold Pursuit, including cinematographer Philip gaard, his costume designer and a few stunt performers. But he relished the novelty of making things anew. The chance to work with Liam was interesting, and making the film for a whole different audience who hadnt seen the original and transplant it to a new culture was fun. But the biggest draw was probably Shamberg, a septuagenarian producer whose credits extend back to such classics as The Big Chill, A Fish Called Wanda and Pulp Fiction. If it hadnt been him asking me to consider it, I dont think I would have. | Director Hans Petter Moland says Cold Pursuit is not just "Taken in the snow" Moland made his second take on the movie, In Order of Disappearance, starring Stellan Skarsgrd and set in the snowy mountains of Norway. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/movies/is-cold-pursuit-just-taken-in-the-snow | 0.410828 |
Where does LSUs 2019 signing class stand nationally and in the SEC? | Ed Orgeron joked he knows LSUs National Signing Day wont feel as impressive to some people. He knows the six-man group announced Feb. 6 wont seem as impressive as the 19 signed in December, let alone as impressive as some of the bigger names signed then, such as 5-star cornerback Derek Stingley, 5-star running back John Emery and top-50 safety-linebacker Marcel Brooks. Orgeron, though, is going to look at the entire 25-man signing class, and hes happy with what LSU brought in. Its what you did for me lately, and everybody forgets about December, but we know we have an outstanding class, he said Wednesday (Feb. 6). Its Orgerons best since taking over in the fall of 2016. Using the 247Sports Composite rankings which combines rankings from different scouting services LSU has the No. 5 class in the country. Its No. 5 nationally, but its No. 4 in the SEC. LSU has three 5-star prospects and 11 4-stars. The average rating of its signings is 90.75, compared to No. 1 Alabama at 94.38. LSU lost on some d-line targets but has a top-5 class Heres the full top 10 list in the country, according to 247Sports: 1. Alabama 2. Georgia 3. Texas 4. Texas A&M 5. LSU 6. Oklahoma 7. Oregon 8. Michigan 9. Florida 10. Clemson LSUs class is highlighted by Stingley, the No. 3 player overall and No. 1 cornerback in the country, and by Emery, the nations No. 12 player and No. 2 running back. In addition, Texas outside linebacker-safety hybrid Marcel Brooks, who Orgeron said could be used as a versatile weapon like Grant Delpit, has jumped into the 5-star level since the early signing period. Hes now No. 32 overall and the No. 2 outside linebacker. Southern Lab guard Kardell Thomas was a consensus 5-star at the time of national signing day, but hes dropped to a 4-star across the board since. Hes still the No. 97 player nationally and No. 4 guard. LSU has four players in the 247Sports Composite top 100, eight in the top 150 and 12 in the top 250. Preparation a key factor in Sopsher choosing Alabama Alabama whose class some are already arguing could be on the best of all-time has 12 players in the top 100, 16 in the top 150 and 21 in the top 250. Georgia has nine in the top 100, 10 in the top 150 and 15 in the top 250. Georgia also loaded up on five high-caliber junior college players. The other conference rival ahead of LSU, Texas A&M, had seven players in the top 100, seven in the top 150 and 10 in the top 250. LSUs class is more talented at the top, but Texas A&Ms average rating of 90.80 is just 0.05 better than LSUs. Its Orgerons best class since taking over the full-time job. He had the No. 7 class in 2017, just three months after becoming head coach, and the No. 15 class in 2018. LSU was in the top five each of the three final years under Les Miles. One of the main victories in Orgerons eyes was that LSU locked down eight of the top 10 players in Louisiana and only missed out one in-state player Orgeron pursued: Alabama signee Ishmael Sopsher from Amite. LSU currently has the No. 2 recruiting class for 2020. | LSU has the No. 5 class in the country and No. 4 in the SEC. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.nola.com/lsu/2019/02/where-does-lsus-2019-signing-class-stand-nationally-and-in-the-sec.html | 0.559445 |
Where does LSUs 2019 signing class stand nationally and in the SEC? | Ed Orgeron joked he knows LSUs National Signing Day wont feel as impressive to some people. He knows the six-man group announced Feb. 6 wont seem as impressive as the 19 signed in December, let alone as impressive as some of the bigger names signed then, such as 5-star cornerback Derek Stingley, 5-star running back John Emery and top-50 safety-linebacker Marcel Brooks. Orgeron, though, is going to look at the entire 25-man signing class, and hes happy with what LSU brought in. Its what you did for me lately, and everybody forgets about December, but we know we have an outstanding class, he said Wednesday (Feb. 6). Its Orgerons best since taking over in the fall of 2016. Using the 247Sports Composite rankings which combines rankings from different scouting services LSU has the No. 5 class in the country. Its No. 5 nationally, but its No. 4 in the SEC. LSU has three 5-star prospects and 11 4-stars. The average rating of its signings is 90.75, compared to No. 1 Alabama at 94.38. LSU lost on some d-line targets but has a top-5 class Heres the full top 10 list in the country, according to 247Sports: 1. Alabama 2. Georgia 3. Texas 4. Texas A&M 5. LSU 6. Oklahoma 7. Oregon 8. Michigan 9. Florida 10. Clemson LSUs class is highlighted by Stingley, the No. 3 player overall and No. 1 cornerback in the country, and by Emery, the nations No. 12 player and No. 2 running back. In addition, Texas outside linebacker-safety hybrid Marcel Brooks, who Orgeron said could be used as a versatile weapon like Grant Delpit, has jumped into the 5-star level since the early signing period. Hes now No. 32 overall and the No. 2 outside linebacker. Southern Lab guard Kardell Thomas was a consensus 5-star at the time of national signing day, but hes dropped to a 4-star across the board since. Hes still the No. 97 player nationally and No. 4 guard. LSU has four players in the 247Sports Composite top 100, eight in the top 150 and 12 in the top 250. Preparation a key factor in Sopsher choosing Alabama Alabama whose class some are already arguing could be on the best of all-time has 12 players in the top 100, 16 in the top 150 and 21 in the top 250. Georgia has nine in the top 100, 10 in the top 150 and 15 in the top 250. Georgia also loaded up on five high-caliber junior college players. The other conference rival ahead of LSU, Texas A&M, had seven players in the top 100, seven in the top 150 and 10 in the top 250. LSUs class is more talented at the top, but Texas A&Ms average rating of 90.80 is just 0.05 better than LSUs. Its Orgerons best class since taking over the full-time job. He had the No. 7 class in 2017, just three months after becoming head coach, and the No. 15 class in 2018. LSU was in the top five each of the three final years under Les Miles. One of the main victories in Orgerons eyes was that LSU locked down eight of the top 10 players in Louisiana and only missed out one in-state player Orgeron pursued: Alabama signee Ishmael Sopsher from Amite. LSU currently has the No. 2 recruiting class for 2020. | LSU has the No. 5 class in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. The average rating of its signings is 90.75, compared to No. 1 Alabama at 94.38. | bart | 1 | https://www.nola.com/lsu/2019/02/where-does-lsus-2019-signing-class-stand-nationally-and-in-the-sec.html | 0.446619 |
Where does LSUs 2019 signing class stand nationally and in the SEC? | Ed Orgeron joked he knows LSUs National Signing Day wont feel as impressive to some people. He knows the six-man group announced Feb. 6 wont seem as impressive as the 19 signed in December, let alone as impressive as some of the bigger names signed then, such as 5-star cornerback Derek Stingley, 5-star running back John Emery and top-50 safety-linebacker Marcel Brooks. Orgeron, though, is going to look at the entire 25-man signing class, and hes happy with what LSU brought in. Its what you did for me lately, and everybody forgets about December, but we know we have an outstanding class, he said Wednesday (Feb. 6). Its Orgerons best since taking over in the fall of 2016. Using the 247Sports Composite rankings which combines rankings from different scouting services LSU has the No. 5 class in the country. Its No. 5 nationally, but its No. 4 in the SEC. LSU has three 5-star prospects and 11 4-stars. The average rating of its signings is 90.75, compared to No. 1 Alabama at 94.38. LSU lost on some d-line targets but has a top-5 class Heres the full top 10 list in the country, according to 247Sports: 1. Alabama 2. Georgia 3. Texas 4. Texas A&M 5. LSU 6. Oklahoma 7. Oregon 8. Michigan 9. Florida 10. Clemson LSUs class is highlighted by Stingley, the No. 3 player overall and No. 1 cornerback in the country, and by Emery, the nations No. 12 player and No. 2 running back. In addition, Texas outside linebacker-safety hybrid Marcel Brooks, who Orgeron said could be used as a versatile weapon like Grant Delpit, has jumped into the 5-star level since the early signing period. Hes now No. 32 overall and the No. 2 outside linebacker. Southern Lab guard Kardell Thomas was a consensus 5-star at the time of national signing day, but hes dropped to a 4-star across the board since. Hes still the No. 97 player nationally and No. 4 guard. LSU has four players in the 247Sports Composite top 100, eight in the top 150 and 12 in the top 250. Preparation a key factor in Sopsher choosing Alabama Alabama whose class some are already arguing could be on the best of all-time has 12 players in the top 100, 16 in the top 150 and 21 in the top 250. Georgia has nine in the top 100, 10 in the top 150 and 15 in the top 250. Georgia also loaded up on five high-caliber junior college players. The other conference rival ahead of LSU, Texas A&M, had seven players in the top 100, seven in the top 150 and 10 in the top 250. LSUs class is more talented at the top, but Texas A&Ms average rating of 90.80 is just 0.05 better than LSUs. Its Orgerons best class since taking over the full-time job. He had the No. 7 class in 2017, just three months after becoming head coach, and the No. 15 class in 2018. LSU was in the top five each of the three final years under Les Miles. One of the main victories in Orgerons eyes was that LSU locked down eight of the top 10 players in Louisiana and only missed out one in-state player Orgeron pursued: Alabama signee Ishmael Sopsher from Amite. LSU currently has the No. 2 recruiting class for 2020. | LSU has the No. 5 class in the country and No. 4 in the SEC, according to 247Sports. The average rating of its signings is 90.75, compared to No. 1 Alabama at 94.38. It's Orgeron's best class since taking over in the fall of 2016. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.nola.com/lsu/2019/02/where-does-lsus-2019-signing-class-stand-nationally-and-in-the-sec.html | 0.61578 |
Is Site Reliability Engineering A Trend Or A Mainstay? | As online services become the lifeblood of just about every business, the health of these interconnected services becomes critical. Googles decades of operating the most advanced and scalable applications in the world set the standard for how to operate reliable services at global scale, and over the past couple of years, Google has published and promoted their best practices for operations, dubbed Site Reliability Engineering (SRE). Contrary to what some have suggested on the subject, SRE is not a replacement for modern DevOps practices and, in fact, SRE lays out the groundwork for what is required to make DevOps scale for most organizations. Site Reliability Engineering Essentials Considering multiple books have been written to explain what SRE is and how to implement it, the fundamentals are whats important in appreciating why SRE is unique over most existing practices. First, the entire organization must rally around a few well-known reliability objectives, and second, the organization must automate operations via software as the only way to meet these objectives while growing the business. Arguably, a third principle would include the creation of a semi-independent group focused on the previous two fundamentals, but, as discussed later, several factors can affect how specific staffing occurs within an organization. Regardless, the basics revolve around uniting the organization in determining what to measure and then setting operational goals to balance business needs and customer expectations. Service level indicators (SLIs) provide the key measurements that align to customer satisfaction, while service level objectives (SLOs) determine the healthy ranges for which the organization as a whole strives to achieve these goals. While all or a subset of SLOs may be published to customers, this should not be confused with service level agreements (SLAs), which are the contractual agreements with customers for missed SLOs or other measurements of service health. One Size Does Not Fit All Corporations the mega-size of Google obviously have differing needs relative to a small startup feeding off of venture capital. Large organizations would be wise to take the leap toward a separate team comprised of software and systems engineers, while smaller organizations may choose to define SRE roles across multiple departments or create a virtual team with rotating staff members from existing teams. In either case, the rallying effect of shared responsibility for a set of SLOs will improve the reliability equation. To establish buy-in, teams will be forced to make some difficult trade-offs to determine whats really important to the customer and then determine how to measure the corresponding SLIs. Injecting SRE into a well-established culture will create typical transitional stress as boundaries are shifted, but for most organizations, SRE fundamentals will provide blueprints to unite groups and balance the functionality-versus-reliability contention. While "site reliability engineer" has recently become a trendy title on job sites, DevOps teams should resist the temptation to retitle team members as SRE while keeping previous job duties the same. This approach leads to accountability confusion and hinders the benefits of shared SLOs and the automation necessary to make them achievable. Making Site Reliability Engineering Work For SRE to work effectively in any organization (or service) of notable size, teams must be able to monitor, troubleshoot and eventually automate around the key SLOs. Given that key services may span legacy data centers, as well as multiple public cloud vendors, tooling that can communicate with and correlate information across these disparate landscapes is required. When uniting a myriad of different stakeholders with diverse backgrounds, role-flexible dashboards are necessary, and even more important is the ability for dashboards to dynamically adjust as the underlying apps and services shift. This diverse data set requires a scalable platform that can elastically handle ingest of data streams with suddenly large data spikes, and in most cases, a cloud-based back end provides the only option to minimize the volume of staff needed to manage the tool itself. Making sense of several semi-related data streams requires machine learning capabilities to stitch key relationships together and build models to detect and adjust to an ever-changing ecosystem. While changes in organizational boundaries to build an SRE team will create some strife, leaders will tussle even more with the federation of tools into a singular tool (or a subset thereof) as departments vie to keep their ingrained workflows intact. Whether this article represents an introduction to SRE or reinforces previous learnings, theres little doubt that SRE is here to stay at least until the next technological transformation takes shape. Many executives will struggle with organizational shifts and appropriate tooling to unite internal stakeholders toward a common set of objectives, but ultimately, end users will benefit the most from a fully functioning SRE team representing their interests from behind the scenes. | Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) lays out the groundwork for what is required to make DevOps scale for most organizations. SRE fundamentals include uniting the organization in determining what to measure and then setting operational goals. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/02/07/is-site-reliability-engineering-a-trend-or-a-mainstay/ | 0.113203 |
Is Site Reliability Engineering A Trend Or A Mainstay? | As online services become the lifeblood of just about every business, the health of these interconnected services becomes critical. Googles decades of operating the most advanced and scalable applications in the world set the standard for how to operate reliable services at global scale, and over the past couple of years, Google has published and promoted their best practices for operations, dubbed Site Reliability Engineering (SRE). Contrary to what some have suggested on the subject, SRE is not a replacement for modern DevOps practices and, in fact, SRE lays out the groundwork for what is required to make DevOps scale for most organizations. Site Reliability Engineering Essentials Considering multiple books have been written to explain what SRE is and how to implement it, the fundamentals are whats important in appreciating why SRE is unique over most existing practices. First, the entire organization must rally around a few well-known reliability objectives, and second, the organization must automate operations via software as the only way to meet these objectives while growing the business. Arguably, a third principle would include the creation of a semi-independent group focused on the previous two fundamentals, but, as discussed later, several factors can affect how specific staffing occurs within an organization. Regardless, the basics revolve around uniting the organization in determining what to measure and then setting operational goals to balance business needs and customer expectations. Service level indicators (SLIs) provide the key measurements that align to customer satisfaction, while service level objectives (SLOs) determine the healthy ranges for which the organization as a whole strives to achieve these goals. While all or a subset of SLOs may be published to customers, this should not be confused with service level agreements (SLAs), which are the contractual agreements with customers for missed SLOs or other measurements of service health. One Size Does Not Fit All Corporations the mega-size of Google obviously have differing needs relative to a small startup feeding off of venture capital. Large organizations would be wise to take the leap toward a separate team comprised of software and systems engineers, while smaller organizations may choose to define SRE roles across multiple departments or create a virtual team with rotating staff members from existing teams. In either case, the rallying effect of shared responsibility for a set of SLOs will improve the reliability equation. To establish buy-in, teams will be forced to make some difficult trade-offs to determine whats really important to the customer and then determine how to measure the corresponding SLIs. Injecting SRE into a well-established culture will create typical transitional stress as boundaries are shifted, but for most organizations, SRE fundamentals will provide blueprints to unite groups and balance the functionality-versus-reliability contention. While "site reliability engineer" has recently become a trendy title on job sites, DevOps teams should resist the temptation to retitle team members as SRE while keeping previous job duties the same. This approach leads to accountability confusion and hinders the benefits of shared SLOs and the automation necessary to make them achievable. Making Site Reliability Engineering Work For SRE to work effectively in any organization (or service) of notable size, teams must be able to monitor, troubleshoot and eventually automate around the key SLOs. Given that key services may span legacy data centers, as well as multiple public cloud vendors, tooling that can communicate with and correlate information across these disparate landscapes is required. When uniting a myriad of different stakeholders with diverse backgrounds, role-flexible dashboards are necessary, and even more important is the ability for dashboards to dynamically adjust as the underlying apps and services shift. This diverse data set requires a scalable platform that can elastically handle ingest of data streams with suddenly large data spikes, and in most cases, a cloud-based back end provides the only option to minimize the volume of staff needed to manage the tool itself. Making sense of several semi-related data streams requires machine learning capabilities to stitch key relationships together and build models to detect and adjust to an ever-changing ecosystem. While changes in organizational boundaries to build an SRE team will create some strife, leaders will tussle even more with the federation of tools into a singular tool (or a subset thereof) as departments vie to keep their ingrained workflows intact. Whether this article represents an introduction to SRE or reinforces previous learnings, theres little doubt that SRE is here to stay at least until the next technological transformation takes shape. Many executives will struggle with organizational shifts and appropriate tooling to unite internal stakeholders toward a common set of objectives, but ultimately, end users will benefit the most from a fully functioning SRE team representing their interests from behind the scenes. | Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) lays out the groundwork for what is required to make DevOps scale for most organizations. SRE fundamentals include uniting the organization in determining what to measure and then setting operational goals to balance business needs and customer expectations. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/02/07/is-site-reliability-engineering-a-trend-or-a-mainstay/ | 0.12913 |
Do Gig Workers Unify To Support One Another? | I've written numerous times in the past few months about the perilous nature of those in low-skilled employment. Not only are they most at risk from both economic and technological disruption, but they are also less likely to engage in the kind of training and education that will give them access to the higher-skilled work that returns after any period of disruption. What's more, new research from the University of Exeter Business School suggests that such people are also less likely to band together for support. The research wanted to explore whether members of the 'precariat', who are defined as those in insecure and low-income employment, were prone to unite together to try and improve their collective lot. Band of giggers It should be said that it's not entirely clear where the perception of workers like this banding together to help one another has come from, but the researchers conclude that the perception is certainly far from true. "The idea of the existence of a formed and unified 'precariat' is increasingly taken for granted," the researchers explain. "Our research suggests that this tends to be over-stated. We need to also take into account personal life histories and working trajectories, individual experiences and aspirations; so their relationship with their boss, their own sense of pride in their job and their personal circumstances all play a part." The researchers found that membership of a particular social group is no guarantee of their willingness to band together with their peers, nor indeed is their attitude towards the workplace. So even if they have precarious jobs and don't really like their work, it seems unlikely that they will join together to try and make thins better. Suffice to say, the so called precariat are not strictly confined to gig workers, with the researchers boiling them down into three main groups: Workers who have lost access to secure or meaningful employment. Migrants and ethnic minority workers who have left their home countries. Educated members of the group who lack access to a career path. The precariat were also found to differ in the way they interact with their manager, their social status and even their social relationships. For instance, migrant workers were often all too well aware of their role in low-paid work, but because even this relatively low salary was several times higher than they might earn at home, it gave them a very different perspective on the work than native colleagues. It should be said that whilst most media attention has focused on gig workers and other people on 'zero hour' contracts, this research primarily examined the lives of cleaners, care workers and farm workers. Modern working practices It's a topic that was examined in the recently approved Taylor review into modern working practices that was conducted by the RSA's chief Matthew Taylor. The report was formulated on the basis that many workers had not enjoyed what many believe to be their fair share of the spoils of economic growth as the world emerged from the 2008 financial crisis. Not only has wage growth largely stagnated, but many of the jobs that have emerged since the crisis have been the kind of contingent work covered in the original research. Many have called for such work to receive the same range of employment rights enjoyed by salaried workers. As the research suggests however, there doesn't seem a great deal of motivation to pull together to try and secure such rights. Indeed, research has shown that around 75% of those on zero hour contracts are happy with the hours they work. What's more, access to short-term labor is vital in many industries where demand fluctuates greatly. A balanced approach Taylor argues that a moderate and balanced approach can help to maintain jobs growth whilst also ensuring people aren't unduly exploited. For instance, he notes that despite unemployment continuing to fall, wages have nonetheless began to creep up, with the last year seeing wages in the UK rise by 3.1%, which represents the biggest leap in a decade. What's more, the data suggests that much of the growth in new work in the past year has been of the full-time variety, with self-employment numbers largely static and zero hours work tumbling. Suffice to say, there is still much to be done, both in terms of understanding new forms of work and helping ensure that jobs are as healthy as possible. For instance, a recent study from Oxford University suggests that the relatively poor working conditions associated with online gig work can affect our wellbeing. The study looks specifically at digital gig work that allows people to work internationally, whether in software development, online translation or a range of other disciplines. The paper suggests that there are currently around 70 million people registered across a range of online work platforms. The research finds that whilst the flexibility and autonomy of such work is largely very appealing to workers, there are consequences that arent always evident from the start. Our findings demonstrate evidence that the autonomy of working in the gig economy often comes at the price of long, irregular and anti-social hours, which can lead to sleep deprivation and exhaustion, the authors say. A varied picture A recent study from Prudential also found that gig workers were not a uniform bunch. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the analysis found that people use the gig economy very differently at the various stages of their life. For instance, Millennial gig workers were most likely to proactively work in this way as they found the flexibility and freedom of the work most in line with their long-term aspirations. By contrast, gig workers in Gen X and Baby Boomer generations were much more likely to enter into gig work because of circumstances outside of their control. This then contributed to a general sense of dissatisfaction with their circumstances among Gen X gig workers, who were much more likely to prefer to move back into a traditional, full-time job. The report expressed particular concern about the financial implications for this group as their precarious situation makes it hard to save sufficiently for their retirement. Indeed, a worrying 63% of Gen X gig workers revealed that they were struggling financially, which is comfortably more than those from the other two age groups. Pragmatism and nuance are not always particularly evident in politics, and so there remains a risk that policy makers will take an excessively broad-brush approach to a topic that is nothing if not complex. As we gain a better understanding of the various new ways of working however, this will not be for lack of context. | New research suggests that gig workers are less likely to band together to support one another. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/adigaskell/2019/02/07/do-gig-workers-unify-to-support-one-another/ | 0.417388 |
Do Gig Workers Unify To Support One Another? | I've written numerous times in the past few months about the perilous nature of those in low-skilled employment. Not only are they most at risk from both economic and technological disruption, but they are also less likely to engage in the kind of training and education that will give them access to the higher-skilled work that returns after any period of disruption. What's more, new research from the University of Exeter Business School suggests that such people are also less likely to band together for support. The research wanted to explore whether members of the 'precariat', who are defined as those in insecure and low-income employment, were prone to unite together to try and improve their collective lot. Band of giggers It should be said that it's not entirely clear where the perception of workers like this banding together to help one another has come from, but the researchers conclude that the perception is certainly far from true. "The idea of the existence of a formed and unified 'precariat' is increasingly taken for granted," the researchers explain. "Our research suggests that this tends to be over-stated. We need to also take into account personal life histories and working trajectories, individual experiences and aspirations; so their relationship with their boss, their own sense of pride in their job and their personal circumstances all play a part." The researchers found that membership of a particular social group is no guarantee of their willingness to band together with their peers, nor indeed is their attitude towards the workplace. So even if they have precarious jobs and don't really like their work, it seems unlikely that they will join together to try and make thins better. Suffice to say, the so called precariat are not strictly confined to gig workers, with the researchers boiling them down into three main groups: Workers who have lost access to secure or meaningful employment. Migrants and ethnic minority workers who have left their home countries. Educated members of the group who lack access to a career path. The precariat were also found to differ in the way they interact with their manager, their social status and even their social relationships. For instance, migrant workers were often all too well aware of their role in low-paid work, but because even this relatively low salary was several times higher than they might earn at home, it gave them a very different perspective on the work than native colleagues. It should be said that whilst most media attention has focused on gig workers and other people on 'zero hour' contracts, this research primarily examined the lives of cleaners, care workers and farm workers. Modern working practices It's a topic that was examined in the recently approved Taylor review into modern working practices that was conducted by the RSA's chief Matthew Taylor. The report was formulated on the basis that many workers had not enjoyed what many believe to be their fair share of the spoils of economic growth as the world emerged from the 2008 financial crisis. Not only has wage growth largely stagnated, but many of the jobs that have emerged since the crisis have been the kind of contingent work covered in the original research. Many have called for such work to receive the same range of employment rights enjoyed by salaried workers. As the research suggests however, there doesn't seem a great deal of motivation to pull together to try and secure such rights. Indeed, research has shown that around 75% of those on zero hour contracts are happy with the hours they work. What's more, access to short-term labor is vital in many industries where demand fluctuates greatly. A balanced approach Taylor argues that a moderate and balanced approach can help to maintain jobs growth whilst also ensuring people aren't unduly exploited. For instance, he notes that despite unemployment continuing to fall, wages have nonetheless began to creep up, with the last year seeing wages in the UK rise by 3.1%, which represents the biggest leap in a decade. What's more, the data suggests that much of the growth in new work in the past year has been of the full-time variety, with self-employment numbers largely static and zero hours work tumbling. Suffice to say, there is still much to be done, both in terms of understanding new forms of work and helping ensure that jobs are as healthy as possible. For instance, a recent study from Oxford University suggests that the relatively poor working conditions associated with online gig work can affect our wellbeing. The study looks specifically at digital gig work that allows people to work internationally, whether in software development, online translation or a range of other disciplines. The paper suggests that there are currently around 70 million people registered across a range of online work platforms. The research finds that whilst the flexibility and autonomy of such work is largely very appealing to workers, there are consequences that arent always evident from the start. Our findings demonstrate evidence that the autonomy of working in the gig economy often comes at the price of long, irregular and anti-social hours, which can lead to sleep deprivation and exhaustion, the authors say. A varied picture A recent study from Prudential also found that gig workers were not a uniform bunch. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the analysis found that people use the gig economy very differently at the various stages of their life. For instance, Millennial gig workers were most likely to proactively work in this way as they found the flexibility and freedom of the work most in line with their long-term aspirations. By contrast, gig workers in Gen X and Baby Boomer generations were much more likely to enter into gig work because of circumstances outside of their control. This then contributed to a general sense of dissatisfaction with their circumstances among Gen X gig workers, who were much more likely to prefer to move back into a traditional, full-time job. The report expressed particular concern about the financial implications for this group as their precarious situation makes it hard to save sufficiently for their retirement. Indeed, a worrying 63% of Gen X gig workers revealed that they were struggling financially, which is comfortably more than those from the other two age groups. Pragmatism and nuance are not always particularly evident in politics, and so there remains a risk that policy makers will take an excessively broad-brush approach to a topic that is nothing if not complex. As we gain a better understanding of the various new ways of working however, this will not be for lack of context. | New research suggests that gig workers are less likely to band together to support one another. The 'precariat' are not strictly confined to gig workers, with the researchers boiling them down into three main groups: workers who have lost access to secure or meaningful employment, migrants and ethnic minority workers. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/adigaskell/2019/02/07/do-gig-workers-unify-to-support-one-another/ | 0.583493 |
Will Sen. Eddie Farnsworth kill the Equal Rights Amendment, again? | Opinion: Instead of the 18th century American ideal of one man, one vote, what we have in Arizona in the 21st century is one man no vote. State. Sen. Eddie Farnsworth (Photo: Mark Henle/The Republic) The fact that the Equal Rights Amendment can be killed by a single man just one -- proves just how much the ERA is needed. This has happened in the Arizona Legislature before, and it could happen again this year. Last session, then-Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, who was chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, refused to give a hearing to a couple of resolutions urging the lawmakers to ratify the ERA. A committee hearing is the first step on a bills path toward a full legislative vote. Thats all the sponsors of the ERA bill were asking for a vote. They wanted their brothers and sisters in the Legislature to take a stand, one way or another, on the issue of equal rights for women. Republican leaders in the Legislature wouldn't let that happen. Instead of the 18th century American ideal of one man, one vote, what we have in Arizona in the 21st century is one man no vote. And the same situation could happen this year. A resolution to ratify the ERA (SCR1009) has been introduced again and could be killed, again, by Farnsworth, this time in his current position as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Farnsworth's charter school bonanza If Farnsworths name seems familiar it is probably owing to news articles you read by The Republics Craig Harris outlining the $13.9 million (with more to come) windfall that Farnsworth was to make over the sale of the Benjamin Franklin Charter schools. Charter schools are public schools that use your tax dollars but have a lot less transparency than traditional public schools and allow the owners and administrators to get rich off taxpayer funds in a way that would land administrators in traditional public schools in jail. Farnsworth and fellow lawmakers were more than happy to move along the bills that allow such a scandal to exist. Shut up or leave the room Not so much. Last year the Republics Dustin Gardiner described a telling exchange between Farnsworth and some female constituents whod come to the State Capitol to ask Farnsworth why he wouldnt give the ERA resolution a hearing. Gardiner described it this way: I just want to know why its not going to be heard," a woman, wearing a purple-white-and-green ERA sash, asked Farnsworth during a February hearing. Youre done," he said. "Thank you for your testimony." You ask another question, Im going to clear this room," Farnsworth replied. "I ask you respect the process that we have here." Apparently, what we have is a process that compels inquiring women to shut up or leave the room. Another reason why the ERA is so necessary. MORE BY MONTINI: Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/02/07/sen-eddie-farnsworth-equal-rights-amendment-arizona/2798865002/ | Sen. Eddie Farnsworth could kill the Equal Rights Amendment, again. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/02/07/sen-eddie-farnsworth-equal-rights-amendment-arizona/2798865002/ | 0.242447 |
Will Sen. Eddie Farnsworth kill the Equal Rights Amendment, again? | Opinion: Instead of the 18th century American ideal of one man, one vote, what we have in Arizona in the 21st century is one man no vote. State. Sen. Eddie Farnsworth (Photo: Mark Henle/The Republic) The fact that the Equal Rights Amendment can be killed by a single man just one -- proves just how much the ERA is needed. This has happened in the Arizona Legislature before, and it could happen again this year. Last session, then-Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, who was chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, refused to give a hearing to a couple of resolutions urging the lawmakers to ratify the ERA. A committee hearing is the first step on a bills path toward a full legislative vote. Thats all the sponsors of the ERA bill were asking for a vote. They wanted their brothers and sisters in the Legislature to take a stand, one way or another, on the issue of equal rights for women. Republican leaders in the Legislature wouldn't let that happen. Instead of the 18th century American ideal of one man, one vote, what we have in Arizona in the 21st century is one man no vote. And the same situation could happen this year. A resolution to ratify the ERA (SCR1009) has been introduced again and could be killed, again, by Farnsworth, this time in his current position as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Farnsworth's charter school bonanza If Farnsworths name seems familiar it is probably owing to news articles you read by The Republics Craig Harris outlining the $13.9 million (with more to come) windfall that Farnsworth was to make over the sale of the Benjamin Franklin Charter schools. Charter schools are public schools that use your tax dollars but have a lot less transparency than traditional public schools and allow the owners and administrators to get rich off taxpayer funds in a way that would land administrators in traditional public schools in jail. Farnsworth and fellow lawmakers were more than happy to move along the bills that allow such a scandal to exist. Shut up or leave the room Not so much. Last year the Republics Dustin Gardiner described a telling exchange between Farnsworth and some female constituents whod come to the State Capitol to ask Farnsworth why he wouldnt give the ERA resolution a hearing. Gardiner described it this way: I just want to know why its not going to be heard," a woman, wearing a purple-white-and-green ERA sash, asked Farnsworth during a February hearing. Youre done," he said. "Thank you for your testimony." You ask another question, Im going to clear this room," Farnsworth replied. "I ask you respect the process that we have here." Apparently, what we have is a process that compels inquiring women to shut up or leave the room. Another reason why the ERA is so necessary. MORE BY MONTINI: Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/02/07/sen-eddie-farnsworth-equal-rights-amendment-arizona/2798865002/ | Eddie Farnsworth is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. A resolution to ratify the ERA has been introduced again and could be killed, again, by Farnsworth. | bart | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/02/07/sen-eddie-farnsworth-equal-rights-amendment-arizona/2798865002/ | 0.466188 |
Will Sen. Eddie Farnsworth kill the Equal Rights Amendment, again? | Opinion: Instead of the 18th century American ideal of one man, one vote, what we have in Arizona in the 21st century is one man no vote. State. Sen. Eddie Farnsworth (Photo: Mark Henle/The Republic) The fact that the Equal Rights Amendment can be killed by a single man just one -- proves just how much the ERA is needed. This has happened in the Arizona Legislature before, and it could happen again this year. Last session, then-Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, who was chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, refused to give a hearing to a couple of resolutions urging the lawmakers to ratify the ERA. A committee hearing is the first step on a bills path toward a full legislative vote. Thats all the sponsors of the ERA bill were asking for a vote. They wanted their brothers and sisters in the Legislature to take a stand, one way or another, on the issue of equal rights for women. Republican leaders in the Legislature wouldn't let that happen. Instead of the 18th century American ideal of one man, one vote, what we have in Arizona in the 21st century is one man no vote. And the same situation could happen this year. A resolution to ratify the ERA (SCR1009) has been introduced again and could be killed, again, by Farnsworth, this time in his current position as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Farnsworth's charter school bonanza If Farnsworths name seems familiar it is probably owing to news articles you read by The Republics Craig Harris outlining the $13.9 million (with more to come) windfall that Farnsworth was to make over the sale of the Benjamin Franklin Charter schools. Charter schools are public schools that use your tax dollars but have a lot less transparency than traditional public schools and allow the owners and administrators to get rich off taxpayer funds in a way that would land administrators in traditional public schools in jail. Farnsworth and fellow lawmakers were more than happy to move along the bills that allow such a scandal to exist. Shut up or leave the room Not so much. Last year the Republics Dustin Gardiner described a telling exchange between Farnsworth and some female constituents whod come to the State Capitol to ask Farnsworth why he wouldnt give the ERA resolution a hearing. Gardiner described it this way: I just want to know why its not going to be heard," a woman, wearing a purple-white-and-green ERA sash, asked Farnsworth during a February hearing. Youre done," he said. "Thank you for your testimony." You ask another question, Im going to clear this room," Farnsworth replied. "I ask you respect the process that we have here." Apparently, what we have is a process that compels inquiring women to shut up or leave the room. Another reason why the ERA is so necessary. MORE BY MONTINI: Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/02/07/sen-eddie-farnsworth-equal-rights-amendment-arizona/2798865002/ | Eddie Farnsworth is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. A resolution to ratify the ERA has been introduced again and could be killed, again, by Farnsworth. Farnsworth's name seems familiar because of the $13.9 million windfall he made over the sale of Benjamin Franklin Charter schools. | bart | 2 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/02/07/sen-eddie-farnsworth-equal-rights-amendment-arizona/2798865002/ | 0.579362 |
Who Would The Denver Nuggets Most Likely Make Available If They Made A Last Minute Deadline Trade? | Mere hours remain until the NBA trade deadline today at 3 p.m. EST, and despite the flurry of dealmaking over the past few days which has seen the movement of prominent players such as Tobias Harris and Otto Porter Jr., nary a hint of a trade rumor has escaped from the Pepsi Center in Denver. This should not come as much of a surprise. As I wrote for Forbes earlier this week, most signs have pointed to the Denver Nuggets standing pat at the deadline. The most probable outcome at this point appears to be that president of basketball operations Tim Connelly and his front office staff will opt to remain patient with the development of the much-beloved young players on their current roster, who they have carefully selected and cultivated over the past several years, rather than attempting to deal any of them in an effort to boost Denvers shorter-term success. Nevertheless, surprises can always happen at the deadline, and even if the Nuggets decide to keep their roster mostly intact, that may not preclude the possibility of at least making a minor move. And while it seems incredibly unlikely that they will deal away any of their regular starting lineup, their most promising young role players, their reliable backup center in Mason Plumlee, or their two 2018 draft picks, tinkering around with the end of the bench remains more plausible. Here are some potential candidates, with the caveat that this is purely speculation, and not the reporting of any sourced or substantiated rumors. As I covered for Forbes last month, it was reported by ESPNs Adrian Wojnarowski that the Nuggets biggest 2018 free agent pickup could return as early as February 11, which potentially would make him Denvers sole trade deadline acquisition. Since that report, however, there has been no further word, which makes such an imminent return seem less plausible. The surprisingly superb play of Monte Morris as backup point guard has effectively erased any pressure Denver may have had in bringing Thomas back , and moreover even raised concerns that introducing him to the mix could cost Morris minutes and disrupt the Nuggets chemistry. It is unclear whether any teams might be willing to gamble on adding Thomas in hopes that he could give their playoff chances a boost by adding a veteran former All-Star, and if so whether the Nuggets would be willing to risk what could appear as a show of disloyalty. But if both those boxes were checked, Thomas might at least return a second-round pick. And as the Nuggets have traded away several of their future second-round picks picks which Connelly is now famous for making the most of they just might consider that a worthwhile exchange. Trey Lyles Because Denver opted not to extend Trey Lyles contract by the October 16, 2018 deadline a move which in itself may have indicated a reluctance to commit to him long term the power forward on the fourth year of his rookie contract will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. With all three of Jamal Murray, Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez becoming eligible for extensions on July 1 and rookie forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Jarred Vanderbilt waiting in the wings, it seems unlikely that the Nuggets will want to pay Lyles the kind of salary he is surely hoping to earn. Lyles has had some value especially as injury insurance for Paul Millsap, but his .058 win shares per 48 minutes are the fewest of any player on the roster with over 500 minutes. With Denvers recent slippage on defense, it is conceivable they could try to deal Lyles for a small forward or power forward on a reasonable deal who could bolster them on that end of the court. Tyler Lydon In what effectively was a vote of no confidence, the Nuggets declined Tyler Lydons third-year option last October, making him an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Catch-22 with Lydon, however, is that he has struggled so badly to make any impact at all in the few garbage time opportunities he has had as to render his trade value virtually nonexistent. Lydon, however, remains a skilled three-point shooter with good size, and if any team out there were willing to take a flyer on him for a second-round pick, it seems likely the Nuggets might take that deal, especially since clearing a roster spot would also open the possibility of getting in on a buyout market which should have a fair share of players this season. | Most signs point to the Denver Nuggets standing pat at the NBA trade deadline today at 3 p.m. EST. However, the team may still make a move to shore up their bench. Trey Lyles, Jamal Murray, Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez are among those who could be available. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joelrush/2019/02/07/who-would-the-denver-nuggets-most-likely-make-available-if-they-made-a-last-minute-deadline-trade/ | 0.458808 |
How Did Twitter Perform In Q4? | Twitter announced its fourth quarter and full-year 2018 results on Thursday, February 7, reporting a 24% increase in net revenues to $909 million. Revenue growth was slightly ahead of market expectations as well as our expectations. The companys adjusted EBITDA margin expanded by about 2 percentage points over Q417 to 44% for the quarter (and increased around 4% to 39% for the full year). The overall GAAP net income and EPS beat consensus at $255 million and $0.33, respectively. Following the earnings release, Twitters stock traded down by over 5% despite the earnings beat. The companys total monthly active users (MAUs) declined both year-on-year and sequentially to 321 million. Management also disclosed that it will stop reporting monthly active users going forward, and will instead begin reporting monetizable daily active users. Its reported mDAUs stood at 126 million in Q4, up by around 9% year-on-year. Our interactive dashboard on Twitters Price Estimate outlines our forecasts and estimates for the company. You can modify any of the key drivers to visualize the impact of changes on its valuation. It should be noted that we are in the process of updating our model for the new reporting structure, which is not yet reflected in the dashboard. As mentioned above, Twitters stock traded down following its earnings release. This was primarily due to the decline in MAUs, the change in reporting structure and relatively soft guidance. For Q1 2019, Twitter expects total revenue of $715 million $775 million, and GAAP operating income of $5 million $35 million. The companys focus on user base cleanup may have further impacts on its overall user base, though that impact should be less noticeable on the new mDAU metric. Going forward, we expect Twitters user base to see modest growth over the next few years despite some of the aforementioned factors. Its international growth should remain solid, and we expect its overall ARPU figure to see a boost from an improved (and cleaned up) user base as well as overall platform improvement. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own | Twitter reported a 24% increase in net revenues to $909 million in Q4. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/02/07/how-did-twitter-perform-in-q4/ | 0.564334 |
How Did Twitter Perform In Q4? | Twitter announced its fourth quarter and full-year 2018 results on Thursday, February 7, reporting a 24% increase in net revenues to $909 million. Revenue growth was slightly ahead of market expectations as well as our expectations. The companys adjusted EBITDA margin expanded by about 2 percentage points over Q417 to 44% for the quarter (and increased around 4% to 39% for the full year). The overall GAAP net income and EPS beat consensus at $255 million and $0.33, respectively. Following the earnings release, Twitters stock traded down by over 5% despite the earnings beat. The companys total monthly active users (MAUs) declined both year-on-year and sequentially to 321 million. Management also disclosed that it will stop reporting monthly active users going forward, and will instead begin reporting monetizable daily active users. Its reported mDAUs stood at 126 million in Q4, up by around 9% year-on-year. Our interactive dashboard on Twitters Price Estimate outlines our forecasts and estimates for the company. You can modify any of the key drivers to visualize the impact of changes on its valuation. It should be noted that we are in the process of updating our model for the new reporting structure, which is not yet reflected in the dashboard. As mentioned above, Twitters stock traded down following its earnings release. This was primarily due to the decline in MAUs, the change in reporting structure and relatively soft guidance. For Q1 2019, Twitter expects total revenue of $715 million $775 million, and GAAP operating income of $5 million $35 million. The companys focus on user base cleanup may have further impacts on its overall user base, though that impact should be less noticeable on the new mDAU metric. Going forward, we expect Twitters user base to see modest growth over the next few years despite some of the aforementioned factors. Its international growth should remain solid, and we expect its overall ARPU figure to see a boost from an improved (and cleaned up) user base as well as overall platform improvement. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own | Twitter reported a 24% increase in net revenues to $909 million in Q4. The companys total monthly active users (MAUs) declined both year-on-year and sequentially to 321 million. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/02/07/how-did-twitter-perform-in-q4/ | 0.604249 |
How Did Twitter Perform In Q4? | Twitter announced its fourth quarter and full-year 2018 results on Thursday, February 7, reporting a 24% increase in net revenues to $909 million. Revenue growth was slightly ahead of market expectations as well as our expectations. The companys adjusted EBITDA margin expanded by about 2 percentage points over Q417 to 44% for the quarter (and increased around 4% to 39% for the full year). The overall GAAP net income and EPS beat consensus at $255 million and $0.33, respectively. Following the earnings release, Twitters stock traded down by over 5% despite the earnings beat. The companys total monthly active users (MAUs) declined both year-on-year and sequentially to 321 million. Management also disclosed that it will stop reporting monthly active users going forward, and will instead begin reporting monetizable daily active users. Its reported mDAUs stood at 126 million in Q4, up by around 9% year-on-year. Our interactive dashboard on Twitters Price Estimate outlines our forecasts and estimates for the company. You can modify any of the key drivers to visualize the impact of changes on its valuation. It should be noted that we are in the process of updating our model for the new reporting structure, which is not yet reflected in the dashboard. As mentioned above, Twitters stock traded down following its earnings release. This was primarily due to the decline in MAUs, the change in reporting structure and relatively soft guidance. For Q1 2019, Twitter expects total revenue of $715 million $775 million, and GAAP operating income of $5 million $35 million. The companys focus on user base cleanup may have further impacts on its overall user base, though that impact should be less noticeable on the new mDAU metric. Going forward, we expect Twitters user base to see modest growth over the next few years despite some of the aforementioned factors. Its international growth should remain solid, and we expect its overall ARPU figure to see a boost from an improved (and cleaned up) user base as well as overall platform improvement. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own | Twitter announced its fourth quarter and full-year 2018 results on Thursday, February 7, reporting a 24% increase in net revenues to $909 million. The companys total monthly active users (MAUs) declined both year-on-year and sequentially to 321 million. | bart | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/02/07/how-did-twitter-perform-in-q4/ | 0.393632 |
Will Cat Loss Affect CNA Financial's (CNA) Earnings in Q4? | CNA Financial Corporation CNA is slated to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Feb 11, before the market opens. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered a positive surprise of 3.54%. Lets see, how things are shaping up for this announcement. CNA Financial is likely to have reported premium growth in the to-be-reported quarter, fueled by a probable increase in new business, renewal premium change and solid retention. Also, higher premiums across its segments Commercial, International and Specialty are expected to drive this upside. Moreover, a strong execution across all production metrics might have contributed to this probable improvement. In fact, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the metric is pegged at $1.8 billion, reflecting a 1.6% rise from the prior-year period. Riding on the strength of rising interest rates, possibility of higher limited partnership returns and stable fixed income returns, we anticipate CNA Financial to witness better investment results in the fourth quarter. On the back of improved premiums and investment results, CNA Financial has possibly experienced top-line growth in the soon-to-be-reported quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is currently pegged at $2.6 billion, representing a 7% increase from the year-ago quarter. CNA Financial continues to efficiently manage its long-term care book of business through product claim management, thereby mitigating risk and aiding rate increase. Being a property and casualty (P&C) insurer, CNA Financial is persistently exposed to unpredictable weather-related events. Consequently, in the fourth quarter, the company is likely to suffer a substantial level of catastrophe loss, stemming from the cat events that occurred during the period. This in turn, might affect the insurers combined ratio, thus denting its underwriting performance in the quarter to be reported. In fact, the consensus mark for the combined ratio is pegged at 95%, indicating a deterioration of 100 basis points from the prior-year quarter. Further, the company has probably incurred higher expenses, primarily due to increasing net claims and benefits plus amortization of deferred acquisition costs. This rise in expenses could restrict the operating margin expansion, hurting the companys overall profitability in turn. The impact of catastrophe loss and anticipated higher expenses could weigh on the companys bottom line in the fourth quarter. In fact, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings stands at 81 cents, reflecting a decline of 22.9% from the year-earlier quarter. What Our Quantitative Model States Our proven model does not conclusively show that CNA Financial is likely to beat on earnings this season. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a favorable Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. But that is not the case here as you will see below. Earnings ESP: CNA Financial has an Earnings ESP of -27.39%. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate is pegged at 59 cents, lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 81 cents. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. CNA Financial Corporation Price and EPS Surprise CNA Financial Corporation Price and EPS Surprise | CNA Financial Corporation Quote Zacks Rank: CNA Financial carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), which lowers the predictive power of ESP. We caution against Sell-rated stocks (4 or 5) going into an earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. Stocks to Consider Some stocks worth considering from the finance sector with the perfect mix of elements to outshine estimates this time around are as follows: Ares Capital Corporation ARCC is set to report fourth-quarter earnings on Feb 12. The company has an Earnings ESP of +1.10% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. | CNA Financial is likely to have reported premium growth in the to-be-reported quarter, fueled by a probable increase in new business, renewal premium change and solid retention. However, catastrophe loss and anticipated higher expenses could weigh on the companys bottom line in the fourth quarter. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/cat-loss-affect-cna-financials-153803869.html | 0.331586 |
What was the Cold War? | AFP US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have said their countries are suspending their involvement in an agreement that both of their countries signed in 1987 towards the end of the Cold War The US and Russia have suspended their involvement in a treaty, which they signed back in 1987. The treaty - called the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty - banned both nations from using short and medium-range missiles (except sea-launched weapons). It was signed by both nations towards the end of the Cold War, which was a 40-year conflict between the east and the west. By 1991 - when the Cold War came to an end - nearly 2,700 missiles had been destroyed. On 1 February, the US said it would withdraw from what was agreed in the treaty and Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia would start developing new missiles too. Read on to find out more about the Cold War and why it was such a significant part of modern history. The Cold War was a division between Russia and western countries (the US and its allies, like Britain), which started in the 1940s and lasted until 1991. It is hard to pinpoint an exact date for when it started. It was a war between two ideas and ways of ruling - communism (the east) and capitalism (the west). This map shows the west in blue and the east in red, with the US also on the side of the west The Russians operated a communist state (from 1922 to 1991), while western countries like the US were capitalist countries. Throughout the Cold War, communist and capitalist nations tried to out-do each other, competing to develop the best technologies and weapons. To understand why the Cold War started, it is necessary to understand where communism in Russia came from, as it was the first time that this system of ruling had been introduced. In 1917, the Bolsheviks took power in Russia after the October Revolution and a new political system called communism was introduced. (In the years to follow, some other countries including China, North Korea and Cuba would adopt communism too.) Getty Images A group of demonstrators gather in Palace Square, Moscow in May 1917 In 1922, Russia - along with countries under its control - formed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the USSR) - better known as the Soviet Union (or the Soviets). It was a communist group and did not agree with western, capitalist countries or their way of ruling. The Cold War started in the aftermath of World War Two, but its foundations came earlier than this. During World War Two, something unusual happened. After Hitler started to invade USSR-controlled territories, the Soviet Union joined forces with Britain - traditionally its political enemy - to fight against Germany. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour in December 1941 and the US joined World War Two as well, this brought together the USSR and the US - also traditionally political enemies. Together, Britain, the US and the USSR became unlikely allies known as the Grand Alliance, fighting against the Nazis. This is why 1941 is sometimes said to be the start of the Cold War, when these three nations were brought together. Getty Images In December 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour, which led to the US joining World War Two In two separate meetings in 1943 and 1945, the leaders of Britain, the US and the USSR met to decide how they would deal with the Nazis in Europe. Winston Churchill was the UK prime minister, Franklin D Roosevelt was the US president and Joseph Stalin was premier of the USSR. But by the time it came to putting into action what they had agreed, the leaders had changed. By the time of an important meeting in 1945 in Potsdam in Berlin, there was a new UK prime minister (Clement Atlee) and a new US president (Harry S Truman). President Truman was more outspoken than President Roosevelt about his dislike of Stalin and communism, and Stalin didn't like how the US treated the USSR. Britain and the US did not trust that Stalin was going to allow elections to happen in areas which the USSR would control after the war - something that was agreed at an earlier meeting. Even during the war, Stalin had plans to take over Eastern Europe. As the Soviets drove the Nazis back, they had begun to occupy large parts of Eastern Europe and they wanted to impose communism in these areas. This was a worry for the US and Britain, but the Grand Alliance still had to work together to defeat the Japanese. Getty Images US President Truman (pictured here) was more vocal than Roosevelt about his dislike of Stalin and communism In 1945, the US dropped two atomic bombs on Japan - one on Hiroshima and another, three days later, on Nagasaki. Around 214,000 people lost their lives. While the Japanese surrendered from the war a few days later, some have said that dropping the bombs like this was also a way for the US to show the Soviet Union how powerful it was and who was really in control. Shortly after, World War Two was over - but relations between the Grand Alliance had become tense and the Cold War had begun. Cold War begins After World War Two was fought to ensure people's freedoms, the Western allies became worried that in many parts of Europe, Nazi dictatorship was simply being replaced by communist dictatorships. In 1946, Churchill - who was UK prime minister again - declared that an "iron curtain" had come down across Europe, as it was divided up between the east and the west. This became known as the famous iron curtain speech. Between 1945 and 1948, the Soviets made Albania, Bulgaria, East Germany, Romania, Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia communist nations. This gave them a buffer zone to protect the USSR from any potential future invasions by the west. Greece looked like it was the next country in Eastern Europe to become communist. Britain didn't have the money to stop it from happening and the west became worried about how communism was spreading. Getty Images General George Marshall came up with a plan that might help to stop the spread of communism in Eastern Europe In March 1947, the US vowed to help to stop this from happening. President Truman made a speech in which he promised that the US would help any country that took a stand against communism. It was called the Truman Doctrine. In June that year, he sent General George Marshall to see what could be done. Marshall came up with a plan - Marshall Aid - that would offer European countries money to recover after World War Two and reject communism. In 1947, Stalin had set up Cominform - an alliance of communist countries - and he forbade any of them from applying for Marshall Aid. Then, in January 1949, the Soviets set up a council called Comecon to run its very own Molotov Plan of financial help to try to keep the communist nations on its side. In a way, both sides were trying to buy support from countries. Berlin would become a significant city in the conflict between the West and the Soviets. After World War Two, Germany had been divided up into four between the US, Britain, France and Russia. Berlin was also divided in half, even though the west's portion of Berlin was surrounded by Soviet areas. It was the last gap in the USSR's buffer zone - and Stalin wanted control of it. The Allies used money from Marshall Aid to help Germany to recover after the war. But the areas controlled by the USSR were poor and it made communism look bad. Stalin set out to take over Berlin. In June 1948, Britain, France and the US joined their areas of Germany together in what would become known as West Germany, with West Berlin as its capital. Between 1949 and 1961 an estimated 2.7 million East Germans left for West Germany in the hope of a better life. Getty Images Joseph Stalin wanted to take control of Berlin Stalin did not like any of this. On 23 June 1948, he cut the west's road and rail access to West Berlin, in what became known as the Berlin Blockade. This meant West Berlin could only be accessed by the air. For 11 months, something called the Berlin Airlift supplied West Berlin with food and supplies from the air, as the west didn't want to force their way through by land and risk starting another war. The blockade was lifted in May 1949, but the conflict between East and West Germany was more strongly established than ever. The Cold War intensifies In 1949, Nato - the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, which was a group of countries working together to defend themselves - was formed as a result of the Berlin Blockade. It included the US, UK, Canada, West Germany, Portugal, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Iceland, Italy and Luxembourg. The USSR was not invited to join the group. In 1953, Stalin died and Nikita Khruschev became leader of the Soviets. He spoke about wanting to improve relations with the west and bring more peace, but this did not happen. In fact, 1953 to 1960 was one of the tensest periods of the Cold War. In May 1955, Khruschev set up a military group of communist countries called the Warsaw Pact, in response to the formation of Nato. It included the USSR, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, East Germany and Albania. Western countries were not part of it. This only made the feeling of east versus west even stronger. Getty Images Nikita Khruschev took over as leader of the USSR when Stalin died in 1953 The world was now very much divided between two opposing sides who had different ideas. While these groups weren't necessarily fighting against each other directly in physical battles, if any opposing countries got into a disagreement about something, the threat that this could escalate into something much bigger became very real. The two sides also got involved in other conflicts like the Korean War in (1950-1953) and the Vietnam War (1955-1975) on opposing sides, which heightened the division between them. By the early 1960s though, the situation in Berlin had become embarrassing for the Soviets. Nearly 2,000 refugees were escaping from the east and fleeing to the west every single day. Khruschev needed to take action to assert the USSR's power. When the west refused to leave its zone in West Berlin, on 13 August 1961 Khruschev closed the border between East and West Berlin - and the Berlin Wall was built. Getty Images This picture shows East German workers building the Berlin wall in 1961, while being watched by communist police This map shows how the Berlin Wall was built around the outside of West Berlin This became more than just a barrier dividing Berlin though. It became one of the most famous symbols of the Cold War division. 'Ich bin ein Berliner' On 26 June 1963, US President Kennedy went to Berlin and gave a speech in which he said that Berlin was a symbol of freedom and the fight against communism. His strong position showed the Soviets that the west had no intention of leaving Berlin. It is often called the 'Ich bin ein Berliner' ('I am a Berliner') speech, as he showed solidarity with the people there. The space race and the arms race were also heightening tensions. The space race was a competition between the east and the west during the Cold War for who could dominate space exploration. In 1957, the Soviets launched the first satellite Sputnik to orbit around the Earth. Four years later, they sent the first man into space. To enjoy the CBBC Newsround website at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. (October 2017) The US responded by sending their own man into space and pledging to become the first nation to put a man on the Moon by the end of the 1960s. They achieved this in 1969. During the Cold War, the west and east competed for who could build the best missiles and bombs. This was known as the arms race. Ever since the US dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945, the USSR wanted to have its own similar weapon. On 29 August 1949, the Soviets set off their first nuclear bomb. But one of the tensest moments of the whole Cold War came in 1962, with the Cuban missile crisis. Getty Images This intelligence photograph shows missile stands lined up in Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis For 13 days in October 1962, the world stood on the brink of nuclear war when the Soviet Union provided communist Cuba with missiles that they could use against the US, who wanted to invade Cuba and remove its leaders (the Castros) from power. The situation was eventually defused. Some say that it paved the way for sides to work together on agreements later in the Cold War about the development of weapons. The Cold War in summary The Cold War was a series of events where anything the west did, the USSR would respond by doing the same. In politics, Truman's Doctrine in 1947 was met by the USSR's Cominform. In economics, the Marshall Plan was followed by Stalin's Comecon in 1949. In terms of defence, the USSR responded to the formation of Nato in 1949 with its own Warsaw Pact in 1955 between the eastern European communist countries. The atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945 established the US as a superpower in terms of the weapons it had. But four years later, the Soviets set off their very own nuclear bomb. There were several factors that led to the end of the Cold War. During the 1970s, tensions between the west and east relaxed a little during a period called detente. Agreements were signed to encourage more peaceful relations, and Soviet and US crafts even docked together in space. The US allowed China - a communist nation - to join the United Nations and, in 1972, US President Richard Nixon even visited China. But these turned out to be little more than attempts to make the world think that everyone was getting along. Neither side stuck to their end of the agreements they'd made and their involvement in wars in Afghanistan, Nicaragua and Angola in the late 1970s showed the divisions were still very much there. But some countries were getting fed up about how much control the Soviets had over their lives. This had resulted in uprisings, which the USSR crushed, but it showed a weakening of the Soviet's communist ideas in Eastern Europe. The arrival of two leaders in the 1980s changed everything - US President Ronald Reagan in 1980 and USSR premier Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985. The arrival of these two leaders - US President Ronald Reagan in 1980 and USSR premier Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985 - changed the course of the Cold War Reagan was chosen partly because he was critical of the Soviet Union and strongly anti-communism. In a speech in 1983, he called the USSR an "evil empire". He increased US spending on the military and worked closely with UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to exert pressure on the Soviet Union, to the point that it had no choice but to back down. Gorbachev, meanwhile, realised he couldn't match what the US was spending on weapons, so started talks to limit the production of nuclear weapons on both sides. If Russia was going to be a strong, global superpower, he knew it would have to make up with the west. He also introduced more popular policies promoting more freedom of speech and restructured the economy. By the 1980s, the west and the USSR were learning how to live alongside each other more, but there was still unrest in Eastern European countries where people were poor and wanting to flee from the east. By the end of 1980s, the increased freedom and openness that Gorbachev had promoted in the USSR began to spread across Eastern Europe. The Berlin Wall had come to be a symbol of oppression and everything that was wrong with Soviet rule. On 8 November 1989, the Berlin Wall came down and the border was opened. You can watch Newsround's special programme to mark 25 years since the Berlin Wall came down here. Getty AFP There were great celebrations as the Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989 Due to economic problems, unrest in Eastern Europe and USSR defeat in Afghanistan, in December 1991, communism in the USSR - and the Cold War - came to an end. Russia declared itself a republic and elected a man called Boris Yeltsin as its president. | The Cold War was a 40-year conflict between the east and the west. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47122488 | 0.356564 |
What was the Cold War? | AFP US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have said their countries are suspending their involvement in an agreement that both of their countries signed in 1987 towards the end of the Cold War The US and Russia have suspended their involvement in a treaty, which they signed back in 1987. The treaty - called the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty - banned both nations from using short and medium-range missiles (except sea-launched weapons). It was signed by both nations towards the end of the Cold War, which was a 40-year conflict between the east and the west. By 1991 - when the Cold War came to an end - nearly 2,700 missiles had been destroyed. On 1 February, the US said it would withdraw from what was agreed in the treaty and Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia would start developing new missiles too. Read on to find out more about the Cold War and why it was such a significant part of modern history. The Cold War was a division between Russia and western countries (the US and its allies, like Britain), which started in the 1940s and lasted until 1991. It is hard to pinpoint an exact date for when it started. It was a war between two ideas and ways of ruling - communism (the east) and capitalism (the west). This map shows the west in blue and the east in red, with the US also on the side of the west The Russians operated a communist state (from 1922 to 1991), while western countries like the US were capitalist countries. Throughout the Cold War, communist and capitalist nations tried to out-do each other, competing to develop the best technologies and weapons. To understand why the Cold War started, it is necessary to understand where communism in Russia came from, as it was the first time that this system of ruling had been introduced. In 1917, the Bolsheviks took power in Russia after the October Revolution and a new political system called communism was introduced. (In the years to follow, some other countries including China, North Korea and Cuba would adopt communism too.) Getty Images A group of demonstrators gather in Palace Square, Moscow in May 1917 In 1922, Russia - along with countries under its control - formed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the USSR) - better known as the Soviet Union (or the Soviets). It was a communist group and did not agree with western, capitalist countries or their way of ruling. The Cold War started in the aftermath of World War Two, but its foundations came earlier than this. During World War Two, something unusual happened. After Hitler started to invade USSR-controlled territories, the Soviet Union joined forces with Britain - traditionally its political enemy - to fight against Germany. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour in December 1941 and the US joined World War Two as well, this brought together the USSR and the US - also traditionally political enemies. Together, Britain, the US and the USSR became unlikely allies known as the Grand Alliance, fighting against the Nazis. This is why 1941 is sometimes said to be the start of the Cold War, when these three nations were brought together. Getty Images In December 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour, which led to the US joining World War Two In two separate meetings in 1943 and 1945, the leaders of Britain, the US and the USSR met to decide how they would deal with the Nazis in Europe. Winston Churchill was the UK prime minister, Franklin D Roosevelt was the US president and Joseph Stalin was premier of the USSR. But by the time it came to putting into action what they had agreed, the leaders had changed. By the time of an important meeting in 1945 in Potsdam in Berlin, there was a new UK prime minister (Clement Atlee) and a new US president (Harry S Truman). President Truman was more outspoken than President Roosevelt about his dislike of Stalin and communism, and Stalin didn't like how the US treated the USSR. Britain and the US did not trust that Stalin was going to allow elections to happen in areas which the USSR would control after the war - something that was agreed at an earlier meeting. Even during the war, Stalin had plans to take over Eastern Europe. As the Soviets drove the Nazis back, they had begun to occupy large parts of Eastern Europe and they wanted to impose communism in these areas. This was a worry for the US and Britain, but the Grand Alliance still had to work together to defeat the Japanese. Getty Images US President Truman (pictured here) was more vocal than Roosevelt about his dislike of Stalin and communism In 1945, the US dropped two atomic bombs on Japan - one on Hiroshima and another, three days later, on Nagasaki. Around 214,000 people lost their lives. While the Japanese surrendered from the war a few days later, some have said that dropping the bombs like this was also a way for the US to show the Soviet Union how powerful it was and who was really in control. Shortly after, World War Two was over - but relations between the Grand Alliance had become tense and the Cold War had begun. Cold War begins After World War Two was fought to ensure people's freedoms, the Western allies became worried that in many parts of Europe, Nazi dictatorship was simply being replaced by communist dictatorships. In 1946, Churchill - who was UK prime minister again - declared that an "iron curtain" had come down across Europe, as it was divided up between the east and the west. This became known as the famous iron curtain speech. Between 1945 and 1948, the Soviets made Albania, Bulgaria, East Germany, Romania, Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia communist nations. This gave them a buffer zone to protect the USSR from any potential future invasions by the west. Greece looked like it was the next country in Eastern Europe to become communist. Britain didn't have the money to stop it from happening and the west became worried about how communism was spreading. Getty Images General George Marshall came up with a plan that might help to stop the spread of communism in Eastern Europe In March 1947, the US vowed to help to stop this from happening. President Truman made a speech in which he promised that the US would help any country that took a stand against communism. It was called the Truman Doctrine. In June that year, he sent General George Marshall to see what could be done. Marshall came up with a plan - Marshall Aid - that would offer European countries money to recover after World War Two and reject communism. In 1947, Stalin had set up Cominform - an alliance of communist countries - and he forbade any of them from applying for Marshall Aid. Then, in January 1949, the Soviets set up a council called Comecon to run its very own Molotov Plan of financial help to try to keep the communist nations on its side. In a way, both sides were trying to buy support from countries. Berlin would become a significant city in the conflict between the West and the Soviets. After World War Two, Germany had been divided up into four between the US, Britain, France and Russia. Berlin was also divided in half, even though the west's portion of Berlin was surrounded by Soviet areas. It was the last gap in the USSR's buffer zone - and Stalin wanted control of it. The Allies used money from Marshall Aid to help Germany to recover after the war. But the areas controlled by the USSR were poor and it made communism look bad. Stalin set out to take over Berlin. In June 1948, Britain, France and the US joined their areas of Germany together in what would become known as West Germany, with West Berlin as its capital. Between 1949 and 1961 an estimated 2.7 million East Germans left for West Germany in the hope of a better life. Getty Images Joseph Stalin wanted to take control of Berlin Stalin did not like any of this. On 23 June 1948, he cut the west's road and rail access to West Berlin, in what became known as the Berlin Blockade. This meant West Berlin could only be accessed by the air. For 11 months, something called the Berlin Airlift supplied West Berlin with food and supplies from the air, as the west didn't want to force their way through by land and risk starting another war. The blockade was lifted in May 1949, but the conflict between East and West Germany was more strongly established than ever. The Cold War intensifies In 1949, Nato - the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, which was a group of countries working together to defend themselves - was formed as a result of the Berlin Blockade. It included the US, UK, Canada, West Germany, Portugal, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Iceland, Italy and Luxembourg. The USSR was not invited to join the group. In 1953, Stalin died and Nikita Khruschev became leader of the Soviets. He spoke about wanting to improve relations with the west and bring more peace, but this did not happen. In fact, 1953 to 1960 was one of the tensest periods of the Cold War. In May 1955, Khruschev set up a military group of communist countries called the Warsaw Pact, in response to the formation of Nato. It included the USSR, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, East Germany and Albania. Western countries were not part of it. This only made the feeling of east versus west even stronger. Getty Images Nikita Khruschev took over as leader of the USSR when Stalin died in 1953 The world was now very much divided between two opposing sides who had different ideas. While these groups weren't necessarily fighting against each other directly in physical battles, if any opposing countries got into a disagreement about something, the threat that this could escalate into something much bigger became very real. The two sides also got involved in other conflicts like the Korean War in (1950-1953) and the Vietnam War (1955-1975) on opposing sides, which heightened the division between them. By the early 1960s though, the situation in Berlin had become embarrassing for the Soviets. Nearly 2,000 refugees were escaping from the east and fleeing to the west every single day. Khruschev needed to take action to assert the USSR's power. When the west refused to leave its zone in West Berlin, on 13 August 1961 Khruschev closed the border between East and West Berlin - and the Berlin Wall was built. Getty Images This picture shows East German workers building the Berlin wall in 1961, while being watched by communist police This map shows how the Berlin Wall was built around the outside of West Berlin This became more than just a barrier dividing Berlin though. It became one of the most famous symbols of the Cold War division. 'Ich bin ein Berliner' On 26 June 1963, US President Kennedy went to Berlin and gave a speech in which he said that Berlin was a symbol of freedom and the fight against communism. His strong position showed the Soviets that the west had no intention of leaving Berlin. It is often called the 'Ich bin ein Berliner' ('I am a Berliner') speech, as he showed solidarity with the people there. The space race and the arms race were also heightening tensions. The space race was a competition between the east and the west during the Cold War for who could dominate space exploration. In 1957, the Soviets launched the first satellite Sputnik to orbit around the Earth. Four years later, they sent the first man into space. To enjoy the CBBC Newsround website at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. (October 2017) The US responded by sending their own man into space and pledging to become the first nation to put a man on the Moon by the end of the 1960s. They achieved this in 1969. During the Cold War, the west and east competed for who could build the best missiles and bombs. This was known as the arms race. Ever since the US dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945, the USSR wanted to have its own similar weapon. On 29 August 1949, the Soviets set off their first nuclear bomb. But one of the tensest moments of the whole Cold War came in 1962, with the Cuban missile crisis. Getty Images This intelligence photograph shows missile stands lined up in Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis For 13 days in October 1962, the world stood on the brink of nuclear war when the Soviet Union provided communist Cuba with missiles that they could use against the US, who wanted to invade Cuba and remove its leaders (the Castros) from power. The situation was eventually defused. Some say that it paved the way for sides to work together on agreements later in the Cold War about the development of weapons. The Cold War in summary The Cold War was a series of events where anything the west did, the USSR would respond by doing the same. In politics, Truman's Doctrine in 1947 was met by the USSR's Cominform. In economics, the Marshall Plan was followed by Stalin's Comecon in 1949. In terms of defence, the USSR responded to the formation of Nato in 1949 with its own Warsaw Pact in 1955 between the eastern European communist countries. The atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945 established the US as a superpower in terms of the weapons it had. But four years later, the Soviets set off their very own nuclear bomb. There were several factors that led to the end of the Cold War. During the 1970s, tensions between the west and east relaxed a little during a period called detente. Agreements were signed to encourage more peaceful relations, and Soviet and US crafts even docked together in space. The US allowed China - a communist nation - to join the United Nations and, in 1972, US President Richard Nixon even visited China. But these turned out to be little more than attempts to make the world think that everyone was getting along. Neither side stuck to their end of the agreements they'd made and their involvement in wars in Afghanistan, Nicaragua and Angola in the late 1970s showed the divisions were still very much there. But some countries were getting fed up about how much control the Soviets had over their lives. This had resulted in uprisings, which the USSR crushed, but it showed a weakening of the Soviet's communist ideas in Eastern Europe. The arrival of two leaders in the 1980s changed everything - US President Ronald Reagan in 1980 and USSR premier Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985. The arrival of these two leaders - US President Ronald Reagan in 1980 and USSR premier Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985 - changed the course of the Cold War Reagan was chosen partly because he was critical of the Soviet Union and strongly anti-communism. In a speech in 1983, he called the USSR an "evil empire". He increased US spending on the military and worked closely with UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to exert pressure on the Soviet Union, to the point that it had no choice but to back down. Gorbachev, meanwhile, realised he couldn't match what the US was spending on weapons, so started talks to limit the production of nuclear weapons on both sides. If Russia was going to be a strong, global superpower, he knew it would have to make up with the west. He also introduced more popular policies promoting more freedom of speech and restructured the economy. By the 1980s, the west and the USSR were learning how to live alongside each other more, but there was still unrest in Eastern European countries where people were poor and wanting to flee from the east. By the end of 1980s, the increased freedom and openness that Gorbachev had promoted in the USSR began to spread across Eastern Europe. The Berlin Wall had come to be a symbol of oppression and everything that was wrong with Soviet rule. On 8 November 1989, the Berlin Wall came down and the border was opened. You can watch Newsround's special programme to mark 25 years since the Berlin Wall came down here. Getty AFP There were great celebrations as the Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989 Due to economic problems, unrest in Eastern Europe and USSR defeat in Afghanistan, in December 1991, communism in the USSR - and the Cold War - came to an end. Russia declared itself a republic and elected a man called Boris Yeltsin as its president. | The Cold War was a 40-year conflict between the east and the west. It was a war between two ideas and ways of ruling - communism (the east) and capitalism (the west) On 1 February, the US said it would withdraw from what was agreed in the treaty and Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia would start developing new missiles. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47122488 | 0.46157 |
Is a Beat in Store for Molina Healthcare (MOH) Q4 Earnings? | Molina Healthcare, Inc MOH is scheduled to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Feb 11. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered a positive surprise of 75.8%. Q4 Earnings Expectations Molina Healthcare expected fourth-quarter earnings to be around $1.90 per share. This upside is most likely to be backed by higher membership and restructuring initiatives taken by the company. The companys Medicaid business is also expected to carry on performing well in the fourth quarter. However, the same would likely be offset by the Marketplace business, rising medical costs, tax rate and an increase in general and administrative expense ratio. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the companys fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at $1.52, up 347% year over year. However, its revenues might suffer due to poor performance by the Marketplace business. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the companys revenues is pegged at a decline of 7.8% year over year to $4.5 billion. The companys operational efficiency might have improved in the to-be-reported quarter. However, administrative expense of the company is likely to increase in the fourth quarter due to higher marketing programs and certain transformation measures adopted by the company. The company earlier expected that the sale of Pathways would incur a loss of around 60 cents per share in the fourth quarter. The company projected the general and administrative expense ratio to be 8%, primarily due to seasonal spending, IT project costs, costs related to transformation efforts, which would likely bear an impact on 2019 earnings. Long-term debt of the company is likely to mount due to its growth-related investments. Earlier, Molina Healthcare issued a projection for the medical care ratio regarding the second half in the upper 70s bracket because of shift in membership, utilization, etc. Our proven model conclusively shows that Molina Healthcare is likely to beat on earnings this to-be-reported quarter. This is because the stock needs to have the right combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a favorable Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. Earnings ESP: Molina Healthcare has an Earnings ESP of +2.89% as the Most Accurate Estimate of $1.57 is pegged higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.52. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Molina Healthcare, Inc Price and EPS Surprise Molina Healthcare, Inc Price and EPS Surprise | Molina Healthcare, Inc Quote Zacks Rank: Molina Healthcare sports a Zacks Rank of 1, which increases the predictive power of ESP. Further, with a positive ESP in the combination, the stocks chances of beating estimates are significantly higher. Conversely, the Sell-rated stocks (#4 or 5) should never be considered going into an earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. Upcoming Releases From Medical Sector Some other stocks worth considering from the medical sector are as follows: Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ADMS is set to report fourth-quarter 2018 earnings performance on Feb 28. The stock has an Earnings ESP of +5.15% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Tenet Healthcare Corporation THC is slated to announce fourth-quarter earnings on Feb 25. It has a Zacks Rank of 3 and an Earnings ESP of +4.17%. Alder BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. ALDR has an Earnings ESP of +13.86% and a Zacks Rank #2. The company is scheduled to release fourth-quarter earnings on Feb 25. From more than 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank, these 10 were picked by a process that consistently beats the market. Even during 2018 while the market dropped -5.2%, our Top 10s were up well into double-digits. And during bullish 2012 2017, they soared far above the market's +126.3%, reaching +181.9%. This year, the portfolio features a player that thrives on volatility, an AI comer, and a dynamic tech company that helps doctors deliver better patient outcomes at lower costs. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Alder BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALDR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ADMS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | Molina Healthcare, Inc MOH is scheduled to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Feb 11. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered a positive surprise of 75.8%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the companys fourth- quarter earnings is pegged at $1.52. | bart | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/beat-store-molina-healthcare-moh-153403124.html | 0.122353 |
Should the Portland Trail Blazers trade for Nikola Mirotic? | After making a smaller deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers to acquire Rodney Hood in exchange for Nik Stauskas, Wade Baldwin IV and two future second round picks, the Blazers have seemingly addressed their need for depth on the perimeter and added a capable shooter. But Portland is still in need to a big man who can shoot. Someone that can reliably hit from outside when defenses collapse on Lillard and McCollum, much like they did in the 2018 NBA playoffs when New Orleans swept the Blazers out of the postseason in four games. A player who fits that description perfectly is Pelicans forward Nikola Mirotic. UPDATE: Kevin OConnor of The Ringer mentions in his latest trade chatter story that the Blazers and Utah Jazz are two teams that are interested in trading for Mirotic and that the Pelicans are looking for a first round pick in return. Separate from all things Anthony Davis, New Orleans continues to explore trades for Julius Randle and Nikola Mirotic in advance of Thursday's 3 PM deadline, league sources say Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 6, 2019 Blazers still need a playmaking/and or shooting 4 to make teams pay for traps. Most teams wont blitz in the regular season like Miami has tonight, but thats what is coming in the playoffs. Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 6, 2019 The Pelicans are staring down a rebuild on the heels of Anthony Davis' trade demand and looking to move any and all of their large contracts or veteran players so long as those trades can bring them back young players, expiring contracts or draft picks in return. It would be tough for the Blazers to make a deal with the salaries on their roster. They would most certainly have to give up their 2019 first round draft pick and might have to include a young player like Zach Collins, Anfernee Simons or Jake Layman along with any other player they include to match Mirotics $12.5 million expiring salary. You tell us: | New Orleans Pelicans forward Nikola Mirotic is a player the Portland Trail Blazers are interested in trading. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2019/02/should-the-portland-trail-blazers-trade-for-nikola-mirotic.html | 0.340723 |
Should the Portland Trail Blazers trade for Nikola Mirotic? | After making a smaller deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers to acquire Rodney Hood in exchange for Nik Stauskas, Wade Baldwin IV and two future second round picks, the Blazers have seemingly addressed their need for depth on the perimeter and added a capable shooter. But Portland is still in need to a big man who can shoot. Someone that can reliably hit from outside when defenses collapse on Lillard and McCollum, much like they did in the 2018 NBA playoffs when New Orleans swept the Blazers out of the postseason in four games. A player who fits that description perfectly is Pelicans forward Nikola Mirotic. UPDATE: Kevin OConnor of The Ringer mentions in his latest trade chatter story that the Blazers and Utah Jazz are two teams that are interested in trading for Mirotic and that the Pelicans are looking for a first round pick in return. Separate from all things Anthony Davis, New Orleans continues to explore trades for Julius Randle and Nikola Mirotic in advance of Thursday's 3 PM deadline, league sources say Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 6, 2019 Blazers still need a playmaking/and or shooting 4 to make teams pay for traps. Most teams wont blitz in the regular season like Miami has tonight, but thats what is coming in the playoffs. Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) February 6, 2019 The Pelicans are staring down a rebuild on the heels of Anthony Davis' trade demand and looking to move any and all of their large contracts or veteran players so long as those trades can bring them back young players, expiring contracts or draft picks in return. It would be tough for the Blazers to make a deal with the salaries on their roster. They would most certainly have to give up their 2019 first round draft pick and might have to include a young player like Zach Collins, Anfernee Simons or Jake Layman along with any other player they include to match Mirotics $12.5 million expiring salary. You tell us: | New Orleans Pelicans forward Nikola Mirotic is a player the Portland Trail Blazers are interested in trading. The Pelicans are looking to move any and all of their large contracts or veteran players so long as those trades can bring them back young players, expiring contracts or draft picks in return. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2019/02/should-the-portland-trail-blazers-trade-for-nikola-mirotic.html | 0.472873 |
Can Waukesha officials reach an agreement on new city hall's design? | This updated rendering shows what the exterior of the new Waukesha city Hall building will look like from Delafield Street. City officials are trying to finalize the design of the $27 million project, taking into considerations the concerns voiced by aldermen on Feb. 5. (Photo: City of Waukesha/BWBR rendering) WAUKESHA - The city's elected leaders got one more shot at the design of the new city hall, and it's safe to say some of what they saw they didn't like. A fitness center, a rooftop terrace and the number of private offices included in the preliminary design plans didn't sit well with multiple members of the Waukesha Common Council on Feb. 5. In fact, complaints came from a majority of the aldermen. Concerns also slipped into the realm of where certain features should be relocated including a mayor and administrator's office on the main floor and a meeting room adjacent to the council chambers for closed sessions before the plans are finalized by the end of February. Even the skyway, which would connect city hall with parking facilities in the transit center across North Street, drew additional criticism because of a revised angled design that would add to its length and cost. Building plans Rick Gabriel, the city's consulting architect with St. Paul-based BWBR, presented the floor-by-floor layout envisioned by designers, based on core teams within city hall as well as public input. The three-floor structure, an estimated $27 million building that will be erected on the existing campus on Delafield Street near Buena Vista Avenue, will look a lot different than the existing city hall. Aldermen had no concerns with its appearance, which features a yellow and tan stone design with large windows. One of the BWBR renderings of the new city hall focuses on the main entryway accessible from the Delafield side of the building. The municipal building would also be accessible via a skyway connected to the North Street transit center's parking facilities. (Photo: City of Waukesha/BWBR) As in earlier iterations, the site plan would depend on a skyway connecting the building to the North Street transit center, where guests would most often park. Though some aldermen still groused about the skyway concept in general, most accepted it as part of a design concept, which limits the amount of surface parking on the city hall grounds itself, thereby allowing some of the land to eventually be sold for private development. Beyond those elements, most of the focus was on the floor plans. The first floor would include the large council chambers (which will double as a municipal courtroom) and offices for municipal court officials and the city clerk and treasurer staff. It would also house a training center and building support space, including mechanical and electrical equipment. Both the main doors and the skyway would usher guests to the first floor, where an elevator would be located to take them to other floors. The second floor would feature office space for the community development and public works departments, plus a work cafe and a roof terrace which Gabriel explained is part of the building's green roof design to help manage stormwater runoff. The third floor would house the offices for the mayor, the city administrator, human resources, the city assessor, the city attorney, the information technology department and the finance department. Design don'ts After Gabriel's presentation, aldermen got to have their say in what city staff said was their last chance to have input on those plans. It took more than an hour and a half of sometimes pointed criticism to get through it all. And the fact that so much of the plan seemed out of character with aldermen's ideals irritated some council members, who acknowledged feeling pressed to offer input given the tight deadlines to keep the project on schedule for construction beginning this fall. "This is our last final kick a cat before we vote on a plan," Alderwoman Kathleen Cummings noted in frustration of the process, which she said should have included more input from aldermen prior to this point in the timeline. Here's what bothered aldermen most. Alderwoman Cassie Rodriguez was the first to question the inclusion of a small fitness center for employees on the first floor of the building. "When we were having our (design) meetings, some of the council was not in favor of having a gym," Rodriguez said. "And it looks particularly large in comparison to some of the other (spaces). So that I'm not OK with, particularly when we are using taxpayer money to buy gym equipment." She wasn't alone. At least a half-dozen aldermen expressed concerns about the fitness room in particular, despite staff's assertion that the facility was included as part of the city's wellness program to keep employees healthy. This overhead show shows where the new Waukesha City Hall would be located on the property. It would be closer to North Street at the rear of the existing campus, and the building would be connected to the city's transit center parking ramp via an angled skyway across North. (Photo: City of Waukesha/Legistar) The green roof concept, in which stormwater is absorbed by grass instead of running off of the typical hard surfaces, didn't necessarily bother aldermen. Making it an accessible garden for employees to occupy did. "I think that we have to strike a balance with the understanding that this is a public building," Alderman Joe Pieper said. "We want modern space, a solid and good work environment for city staff. ... I can appreciate the fact that other private entities have these types of luxuries and amenities, but we need to remember that there is a little bit of a difference in the way a private company and a public government (plan for space)." Some aldermen felt the amount of space set aside for private offices space separated by doors and full walls instead of partition space seemed excessive against earlier ideals discussed in design sessions they were part of. Likewise, several noted that the decision to put the mayor and administration offices on the third level instead of on the first floor, where the public would have easier access to top-ranking officials, was inconsistent with their preferences. For some, especially those who had previously expressed vocal concerns about the overall cost of the city hall project, the bottom line was that architects were not acting conservatively enough in their plans. "I've counted something like 10, 11, 12 conference rooms in that new building," said Alderman Eric Payne, who also concurred with concerns about the rooftop terrace and fitness room. "I believe we have five here now, and they're not always being used. "There is a whole lot space already in this building," he added. "Maybe if somebody sits down and goes over it the overall layout of all three floors and really thinks hard that the taxpayers are paying for this, ... I think there is an opportunity to downsize this whole building." BWBR and city officials will likely modify the final design plan to account for some of aldermen's concerns before the council votes on the design in March. If plans hold under what city officials acknowledge is an aggressive timeline, construction would be completed by fall 2020. Read or Share this story: https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/news/waukesha/2019/02/07/can-waukesha-officials-reach-agreement-new-city-halls-design/2783529002/ | Waukesha officials are trying to finalize the design of the $27 million building. Aldermen voiced concerns about a fitness center, rooftop terrace and more. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/news/waukesha/2019/02/07/can-waukesha-officials-reach-agreement-new-city-halls-design/2783529002/ | 0.16312 |
Can Waukesha officials reach an agreement on new city hall's design? | This updated rendering shows what the exterior of the new Waukesha city Hall building will look like from Delafield Street. City officials are trying to finalize the design of the $27 million project, taking into considerations the concerns voiced by aldermen on Feb. 5. (Photo: City of Waukesha/BWBR rendering) WAUKESHA - The city's elected leaders got one more shot at the design of the new city hall, and it's safe to say some of what they saw they didn't like. A fitness center, a rooftop terrace and the number of private offices included in the preliminary design plans didn't sit well with multiple members of the Waukesha Common Council on Feb. 5. In fact, complaints came from a majority of the aldermen. Concerns also slipped into the realm of where certain features should be relocated including a mayor and administrator's office on the main floor and a meeting room adjacent to the council chambers for closed sessions before the plans are finalized by the end of February. Even the skyway, which would connect city hall with parking facilities in the transit center across North Street, drew additional criticism because of a revised angled design that would add to its length and cost. Building plans Rick Gabriel, the city's consulting architect with St. Paul-based BWBR, presented the floor-by-floor layout envisioned by designers, based on core teams within city hall as well as public input. The three-floor structure, an estimated $27 million building that will be erected on the existing campus on Delafield Street near Buena Vista Avenue, will look a lot different than the existing city hall. Aldermen had no concerns with its appearance, which features a yellow and tan stone design with large windows. One of the BWBR renderings of the new city hall focuses on the main entryway accessible from the Delafield side of the building. The municipal building would also be accessible via a skyway connected to the North Street transit center's parking facilities. (Photo: City of Waukesha/BWBR) As in earlier iterations, the site plan would depend on a skyway connecting the building to the North Street transit center, where guests would most often park. Though some aldermen still groused about the skyway concept in general, most accepted it as part of a design concept, which limits the amount of surface parking on the city hall grounds itself, thereby allowing some of the land to eventually be sold for private development. Beyond those elements, most of the focus was on the floor plans. The first floor would include the large council chambers (which will double as a municipal courtroom) and offices for municipal court officials and the city clerk and treasurer staff. It would also house a training center and building support space, including mechanical and electrical equipment. Both the main doors and the skyway would usher guests to the first floor, where an elevator would be located to take them to other floors. The second floor would feature office space for the community development and public works departments, plus a work cafe and a roof terrace which Gabriel explained is part of the building's green roof design to help manage stormwater runoff. The third floor would house the offices for the mayor, the city administrator, human resources, the city assessor, the city attorney, the information technology department and the finance department. Design don'ts After Gabriel's presentation, aldermen got to have their say in what city staff said was their last chance to have input on those plans. It took more than an hour and a half of sometimes pointed criticism to get through it all. And the fact that so much of the plan seemed out of character with aldermen's ideals irritated some council members, who acknowledged feeling pressed to offer input given the tight deadlines to keep the project on schedule for construction beginning this fall. "This is our last final kick a cat before we vote on a plan," Alderwoman Kathleen Cummings noted in frustration of the process, which she said should have included more input from aldermen prior to this point in the timeline. Here's what bothered aldermen most. Alderwoman Cassie Rodriguez was the first to question the inclusion of a small fitness center for employees on the first floor of the building. "When we were having our (design) meetings, some of the council was not in favor of having a gym," Rodriguez said. "And it looks particularly large in comparison to some of the other (spaces). So that I'm not OK with, particularly when we are using taxpayer money to buy gym equipment." She wasn't alone. At least a half-dozen aldermen expressed concerns about the fitness room in particular, despite staff's assertion that the facility was included as part of the city's wellness program to keep employees healthy. This overhead show shows where the new Waukesha City Hall would be located on the property. It would be closer to North Street at the rear of the existing campus, and the building would be connected to the city's transit center parking ramp via an angled skyway across North. (Photo: City of Waukesha/Legistar) The green roof concept, in which stormwater is absorbed by grass instead of running off of the typical hard surfaces, didn't necessarily bother aldermen. Making it an accessible garden for employees to occupy did. "I think that we have to strike a balance with the understanding that this is a public building," Alderman Joe Pieper said. "We want modern space, a solid and good work environment for city staff. ... I can appreciate the fact that other private entities have these types of luxuries and amenities, but we need to remember that there is a little bit of a difference in the way a private company and a public government (plan for space)." Some aldermen felt the amount of space set aside for private offices space separated by doors and full walls instead of partition space seemed excessive against earlier ideals discussed in design sessions they were part of. Likewise, several noted that the decision to put the mayor and administration offices on the third level instead of on the first floor, where the public would have easier access to top-ranking officials, was inconsistent with their preferences. For some, especially those who had previously expressed vocal concerns about the overall cost of the city hall project, the bottom line was that architects were not acting conservatively enough in their plans. "I've counted something like 10, 11, 12 conference rooms in that new building," said Alderman Eric Payne, who also concurred with concerns about the rooftop terrace and fitness room. "I believe we have five here now, and they're not always being used. "There is a whole lot space already in this building," he added. "Maybe if somebody sits down and goes over it the overall layout of all three floors and really thinks hard that the taxpayers are paying for this, ... I think there is an opportunity to downsize this whole building." BWBR and city officials will likely modify the final design plan to account for some of aldermen's concerns before the council votes on the design in March. If plans hold under what city officials acknowledge is an aggressive timeline, construction would be completed by fall 2020. Read or Share this story: https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/news/waukesha/2019/02/07/can-waukesha-officials-reach-agreement-new-city-halls-design/2783529002/ | Waukesha officials are trying to finalize the design of the $27 million building. Aldermen voiced concerns about a fitness center, a rooftop terrace and the number of private offices included in the preliminary design plans. The plans are expected to be finalized by the end of February. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/news/waukesha/2019/02/07/can-waukesha-officials-reach-agreement-new-city-halls-design/2783529002/ | 0.19431 |
What is effect of NBA All Star weekend on Airbnb rentals? | Demand for housing is intense for the NBA All-Star Game, the biggest sporting event in Charlottes history thats expected to draw 150,000 visitors to the city. Many residents are looking to take advantage of the demand by renting their homes or apartments out over the weekend to make some extra cash. With many hotels filled to capacity, thousands of visitors need a place to stay. Theyre visiting for the game itself and also for the dozens of fan activities, parties and other NBA events throughout the weekend. The All-Star weekend, in fact, is expected to be the busiest weekend ever in Charlotte for Airbnb, the short-term home rental service. Airbnb estimates 3,400 guest arrivals during the All-Star weekend Feb. 15-17, the most that the company has ever seen over a one-weekend stretch in Charlotte. Hosts here are expected to make a combined income of $720,000, Airbnb spokesman Ben Breit said in an email. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer The typical host in Charlotte over the All-Star Game weekend will make $370, Breit said. In determining those figures, Airbnb looked at rentals just inside Charlottes city limits, not in the suburbs. The NBA contracted about 32,000 hotel rooms for the event from Feb. 7 to Feb. 15. Uptown has only 5,700 rooms, so overflow is expected well outside the city center. We just see particular value from our platform during these types of major events that cause hotels to reach peak capacity, Breit said in an email. Our host community can expand lodging capacity to ensure everyone who wants to be a part of the experience can stay within the corporate limits of Charlotte. Lejena Wynn is leasing two properties over the All-Star weekend. Her two-bedroom townhome near Villa Heights, roughly 2.5 miles from the Spectrum Center, is going for $400 per night over the All-Star Game weekend, for instance. Over the course of two nights, and including the cost of cleaning, a service fee and occupancy taxes and fees, the total comes to $960. The following weekend, Feb. 22-24, however, its about half that price ($160 per night, and $482 for the weekend). Cherry Treesort is a private 26 acre farm with 4 treehouses available to rent just outside of Charlotte Trent/ Airbnb We have been doing Airbnb for three years and are Super Hosts and love people. Thats why we are doing this, Wynn said of renting her home. Prices get even steeper the closer you get to the arena, where the NBA will host a number of events over the weekend, including the Rising Stars game on Feb. 15, the All-Star Saturday Night events Feb. 16 and the All-Star Game on Feb. 17. A one-bedroom high-rise apartment near Romare Bearden Park will cost $800 per night, or $2,015 for the the weekend, with taxes and fees included. For first-time Airbnb hosts, the Better Business Bureau is cautioning against scammers. Tom Bartholomy, CEO of the BBB of Southern Piedmont and Western North Carolina, said that the bureau received notices of a type of fraud called overpayment scams by Airbnb renters during the Democratic National Convention in 2012. When that happens, a renter/fraudster will pay in advance for the duration of their stay, often with a cashiers or other type of check. Theyll then contact the host again saying they sent too much money, and request that it be wired back after the host deposits the check. The host complies, only to find that the check has bounced, and that he or she has been scammed. Anyone who asks you to wire their money back run away, Bartholomy said. Just go away and tear (the check) up because its going to be worthless. The BBB also advises hosts to keep their valuables in a double deadbolt locked closet for security. VRBO is another vacation home rental marketplace. The company has rentals available in Charlotte over All-Star Game but would not share data on the weekend because its in a quiet week before its parent company, HomeAway, reports its quarterly earnings. Heightened Airbnb demand is typical when a large-scale event comes to town. Forbes reported last month that average Airbnb hosts in Atlanta stood to make about $690 from Jan. 27 to Feb. 3 for Super Bowl LIII. Airbnb hosts welcomed an estimated 9,200 guests from 59 countries and 49 states, according to Forbes. Short-term rentals are popular throughout North Carolina as a way to generate supplemental income. According to an Airbnb report last year, North Carolina residents who rented out their homes on the site made $97 million in 2017. Rentals were the most in demand in Asheville, where hosts earned almost $20 million. In Charlotte, hosts made $8.7 million, and in Raleigh, they made $3.8 million. | The NBA All-Star Game is expected to draw 150,000 visitors to Charlotte. Many residents are looking to take advantage of the demand by renting their homes or apartments. Airbnb estimates 3,400 guest arrivals over the weekend. | bart | 1 | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article225610375.html | 0.232381 |
What is effect of NBA All Star weekend on Airbnb rentals? | Demand for housing is intense for the NBA All-Star Game, the biggest sporting event in Charlottes history thats expected to draw 150,000 visitors to the city. Many residents are looking to take advantage of the demand by renting their homes or apartments out over the weekend to make some extra cash. With many hotels filled to capacity, thousands of visitors need a place to stay. Theyre visiting for the game itself and also for the dozens of fan activities, parties and other NBA events throughout the weekend. The All-Star weekend, in fact, is expected to be the busiest weekend ever in Charlotte for Airbnb, the short-term home rental service. Airbnb estimates 3,400 guest arrivals during the All-Star weekend Feb. 15-17, the most that the company has ever seen over a one-weekend stretch in Charlotte. Hosts here are expected to make a combined income of $720,000, Airbnb spokesman Ben Breit said in an email. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer The typical host in Charlotte over the All-Star Game weekend will make $370, Breit said. In determining those figures, Airbnb looked at rentals just inside Charlottes city limits, not in the suburbs. The NBA contracted about 32,000 hotel rooms for the event from Feb. 7 to Feb. 15. Uptown has only 5,700 rooms, so overflow is expected well outside the city center. We just see particular value from our platform during these types of major events that cause hotels to reach peak capacity, Breit said in an email. Our host community can expand lodging capacity to ensure everyone who wants to be a part of the experience can stay within the corporate limits of Charlotte. Lejena Wynn is leasing two properties over the All-Star weekend. Her two-bedroom townhome near Villa Heights, roughly 2.5 miles from the Spectrum Center, is going for $400 per night over the All-Star Game weekend, for instance. Over the course of two nights, and including the cost of cleaning, a service fee and occupancy taxes and fees, the total comes to $960. The following weekend, Feb. 22-24, however, its about half that price ($160 per night, and $482 for the weekend). Cherry Treesort is a private 26 acre farm with 4 treehouses available to rent just outside of Charlotte Trent/ Airbnb We have been doing Airbnb for three years and are Super Hosts and love people. Thats why we are doing this, Wynn said of renting her home. Prices get even steeper the closer you get to the arena, where the NBA will host a number of events over the weekend, including the Rising Stars game on Feb. 15, the All-Star Saturday Night events Feb. 16 and the All-Star Game on Feb. 17. A one-bedroom high-rise apartment near Romare Bearden Park will cost $800 per night, or $2,015 for the the weekend, with taxes and fees included. For first-time Airbnb hosts, the Better Business Bureau is cautioning against scammers. Tom Bartholomy, CEO of the BBB of Southern Piedmont and Western North Carolina, said that the bureau received notices of a type of fraud called overpayment scams by Airbnb renters during the Democratic National Convention in 2012. When that happens, a renter/fraudster will pay in advance for the duration of their stay, often with a cashiers or other type of check. Theyll then contact the host again saying they sent too much money, and request that it be wired back after the host deposits the check. The host complies, only to find that the check has bounced, and that he or she has been scammed. Anyone who asks you to wire their money back run away, Bartholomy said. Just go away and tear (the check) up because its going to be worthless. The BBB also advises hosts to keep their valuables in a double deadbolt locked closet for security. VRBO is another vacation home rental marketplace. The company has rentals available in Charlotte over All-Star Game but would not share data on the weekend because its in a quiet week before its parent company, HomeAway, reports its quarterly earnings. Heightened Airbnb demand is typical when a large-scale event comes to town. Forbes reported last month that average Airbnb hosts in Atlanta stood to make about $690 from Jan. 27 to Feb. 3 for Super Bowl LIII. Airbnb hosts welcomed an estimated 9,200 guests from 59 countries and 49 states, according to Forbes. Short-term rentals are popular throughout North Carolina as a way to generate supplemental income. According to an Airbnb report last year, North Carolina residents who rented out their homes on the site made $97 million in 2017. Rentals were the most in demand in Asheville, where hosts earned almost $20 million. In Charlotte, hosts made $8.7 million, and in Raleigh, they made $3.8 million. | The NBA All-Star Game is expected to draw 150,000 visitors to Charlotte. Many residents are looking to take advantage of the demand by renting their homes or apartments. Airbnb estimates 3,400 guest arrivals over the weekend. Hosts here are expected to make a combined income of $720,000. | bart | 2 | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article225610375.html | 0.317297 |
Why will Rangers Globe Life Field have artificial grass? | The Texas Rangers announced their new ballpark Globe Life Field will have artificial turf when it opens in 2020. The club, from general manager Jon Daniels to executive vice president of business operations Rob Matwick to senior medical operations and sports science director Jamie Reed, all shared similar stories with how the decision came to be last week. All agreed that they originally envisioned having natural grass in the retractable-roof Globe Life Field. Those three, along with representatives from Shaw Sports Turf, explained why synthetic grass was the best move for the new stadium, why this turf will be unlike previous artificial turfs and how it will benefit both the Rangers and fans. Here, in their own words, they explain how they came to their decision: Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to the Star-Telegram Rob Matwick: We certainly looked at grass from the beginning. The ballpark was designed to accommodate grass. The challenge with grass in retractable roof stadiums is they are not consistent from foul line to foul line. Arizona, for 20 years, tried to grow natural grass. This year, they finally said enough. We think its better from foul pole to foul pole. Better conditions, better safety for the players. We challenged Shaw [Sports Turf]. We said we are not going to consider this unless we have the best surface in Major League Baseball. We believe we have accomplished that and have the consistency from foul line to foul line. Jamie Reed: I got involved in this study to make sure this was the best possible synthetic playing surface for our players to play on. Im very confident this is going to be best artificial playing surface in the game. It will be the safest for our players and for the fans, aesthetically it is going to look like a natural field. Im really confident this is going to be a great product. Philipe Aldahir (Shaw Sports Turf director of research and innovation): There are three main keys to making a field play with excellence: one is the surface itself. We have been to a dozen natural grass venues to baseline what those properties needed to be. So when you start tweaking the fabric with the padding below, you start getting closer or further away from natural grass. We found this turf to be closest to natural grass playing ability. We went out and looked at natural fields and made our baseline properties look the same. Lastly, making sure the surface is compliant with player performance and player safety. We collaborated with institutions to make sure the surface has a similar feel as natural grass. Chuck McClurg (Shaw Sports Turf vice president): We do have a year to learn. We are not going to stop learning just because we are announcing today. Research is on-going and anything we learn, we will apply. This is a system that is more manageable to increase or lower the speed [of the reaction to the ball]. This is designed for this specific environment. This one is based on our research and studies here [at Globe Life Park] in Arlington. Matwick: One of the things that will be different too is this will be a permanent installation. We dont intend on putting this surface down and then roll it off and take it off the field lets say if we were moving a concert in. We will treat it like grass. So this will be a permanent installation, specific to this building, specific to the Rangers and then well study it. After each homestand next year well come in and test and make sure were meeting those standards that weve set to match us to our current ballpark to make sure were consistent throughout the year. Jon Daniels: I think we all started from the same place, which is baseball, ballpark, grass. But then as you start to dig into it, not just from the evidence-based studies these guys worked on, but just talking to the players, talking to agents. I didnt get a sense that it was going to be an issue for anybody. Players questions were over the past year or so, they were more curious about how it was going to play. The bounce in the outfield. Questions about the ball bouncing over peoples heads. Weve clearly learned that the difference in synthetic fields are very different and we can control those. What I was naive to was how different the [natural] grass fields are around the league. And even how different the individual fields are week to week if they had an event there. The consistency element were going to be able to have is pretty meaningful. And ultimately I think the decision came down was we feel like this will be a more consistent, higher quality field than we can provide than a grass surface at this point. | Globe Life Field will have artificial turf when it opens in 2020. The Rangers originally envisioned having natural grass in the retractable-roof stadium. Turf will be unlike previous artificial turfs and how it will benefit both the Rangers and fans. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/mlb/texas-rangers/article225488955.html | 0.143684 |
Is it proper to intervene when somebodys struggling with a corkscrew? | The question Every time I see somebody struggling with a cork, I get the urge to intervene before the thing invariably breaks into pieces. The answer On the contrary. You are a good soul with a high purpose. You want people to enjoy good wine in its pure state, without having to first pass the liquid through a cone-shaped coffee filter or a sweaty T-shirt. Some people take to uncorking better than others. I suspect the inferior ones are also bad at physics. Youve got to maintain correct angles at all times and youve got to be able to recognize when that little cylinder of tree bark is so dry that its going to strip when you pull with too much pressure. Story continues below advertisement Beppi's Pick of the Week: Burmester 20-Year-Old Tawny Port, Portugal Each cork assuming its the natural kind, not made of plastic and not one of those composite corks pressed into a cylinder using cork fragments and glue is different. Some strip or crack easily, some dont. Its always a good idea to go slowly. If youre good at it, and by your question I assume you are, its okay to offer to come to the rescue, particularly in the case of a precious bottle. Just be courteous and amusing about it. Say something like, That seems dry. It looks like its preparing to break. I hope you wont be offended, but Im actually really good at opening wine bottles because I get so much practice at my house! Can I give it a whirl? Should your undertaking fail, at least you can take comfort in the fact that you spoke up. Im thirsty and its stuck. Beppi Crosariol will once again be participating as The Globes wine expert on both the July 1-11, 2019, Globe and Mail Seine River (Paris and Normandy) Cruise and the July 28-Aug. 7, 2019, Globe and Mail Portugal River Cruise. For details on how to reserve your cabin visit GlobeandMailCruises.com. E-mail your wine and spirits questions to Beppi Crosariol. Look for answers to select questions to appear in the Wine & Spirits newsletter and on The Globe and Mail website. | Every time I see somebody struggling with a cork, I get the urge to intervene before the thing invariably breaks into pieces. | bart | 0 | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/article-is-it-proper-to-intervene-when-somebodys-struggling-with-a-corkscrew/ | 0.184182 |
Is it proper to intervene when somebodys struggling with a corkscrew? | The question Every time I see somebody struggling with a cork, I get the urge to intervene before the thing invariably breaks into pieces. The answer On the contrary. You are a good soul with a high purpose. You want people to enjoy good wine in its pure state, without having to first pass the liquid through a cone-shaped coffee filter or a sweaty T-shirt. Some people take to uncorking better than others. I suspect the inferior ones are also bad at physics. Youve got to maintain correct angles at all times and youve got to be able to recognize when that little cylinder of tree bark is so dry that its going to strip when you pull with too much pressure. Story continues below advertisement Beppi's Pick of the Week: Burmester 20-Year-Old Tawny Port, Portugal Each cork assuming its the natural kind, not made of plastic and not one of those composite corks pressed into a cylinder using cork fragments and glue is different. Some strip or crack easily, some dont. Its always a good idea to go slowly. If youre good at it, and by your question I assume you are, its okay to offer to come to the rescue, particularly in the case of a precious bottle. Just be courteous and amusing about it. Say something like, That seems dry. It looks like its preparing to break. I hope you wont be offended, but Im actually really good at opening wine bottles because I get so much practice at my house! Can I give it a whirl? Should your undertaking fail, at least you can take comfort in the fact that you spoke up. Im thirsty and its stuck. Beppi Crosariol will once again be participating as The Globes wine expert on both the July 1-11, 2019, Globe and Mail Seine River (Paris and Normandy) Cruise and the July 28-Aug. 7, 2019, Globe and Mail Portugal River Cruise. For details on how to reserve your cabin visit GlobeandMailCruises.com. E-mail your wine and spirits questions to Beppi Crosariol. Look for answers to select questions to appear in the Wine & Spirits newsletter and on The Globe and Mail website. | Every time I see somebody struggling with a cork, I get the urge to intervene before the thing invariably breaks into pieces. If youre good at it, and by your question I assume you are, its okay to offer to come to the rescue, particularly in the case of a precious bottle. | bart | 2 | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/article-is-it-proper-to-intervene-when-somebodys-struggling-with-a-corkscrew/ | 0.252634 |
Which former LSU players are participating in the NFL Scouting Combine? | Six former LSU players are listed as participants in the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine. The six are: safety John Battle, running back Nick Brossette, tight end Foster Moreau, placekicker Cole Tracy, linebacker Devin White and cornerback Greedy Williams. White and Williams were two of the three LSU Tigers to declare for the draft early. The third was nose tackle Ed Alexander. Alexander is not listed on the NFL Combines list of participants. Battle, Brossette, Moreau and Tracy had all run out of eligibility. Battle had three interceptions, five passes defensed, two pass breakups and 39 tackles in his senior season. The 6-foot, 200-pound Hallandale, Florida, native only played in 10 games this season after being temporarily sidelined with an ankle injury against Alabama. Battle doesnt have a prospect grade listed on his Combine page, meaning he likely needs time in developmental league." Brossette led LSU in rushing with 1,039 net yards on 240 carries in his senior season, averaging 4.3 yards per touch. He also had 78 yards receiving. The 6-foot, 221-pound Baton Rouge natives 14 rushing touchdowns helped him lead the offense in scoring with 84 points. Brossette had one extra game after the Fiesta Bowl the East-West Shrine Game. He finished that college all-star game with five carries for 19 yards and a touchdown. Brossette, like Battle, doesnt have a prospect grade listed on his NFL Combine page. Moreau was the main tight end LSU used this year, racking up 272 yards on 22 receptions for an average of 12.4 yards per catch. Moreau scored two touchdowns in his final year of eligibility. The 6-foot-4, 253-pound New Orleans native stood out in the lead up to the Reeses Senior Bowl, earning the offensive practice player of the week accolade for tight ends. In the all-star game itself, Moreau had one catch for 11 yards in the Norths 34-24 victory. Moreau has a prospect grade of 5.39, which lends itself to NFL backup or special teams potential. LSU tight end Foster Moreau with plenty to prove at Senior Bowl Tracy set multiple records in his one year with LSU. The graduate transfer from Assumption College made 28-of-33 field goals and all 42 of his PAT kicks, leading all of LSU with 129 points last year. In the Fiesta Bowl, the 5-foot-10, 188-pound Camarillo, California, native set the season record for LSU and the NCAA record for most field goals in a career. Tracy, along with Moreau, represented LSU at the Reeses Senior Bowl. He made both his field goal attempts in the all-star game, but missed an extra point that appeared to be tipped. Tracy has a prospect grade of 4.99, which corresponds with should be in an NFL training camp. White declared early for the NFL Draft after turning heads all career long. The 6-foot-1, 238-pound Springhill native is already widely regarded as one of the best linebackers to play for LSU and his professional career has yet to begin. He was the first LSU linebacker to win the Dick Butkus Award. White led LSU in tackles (123), tackles for loss (12), run stuffs (20.5) and forced fumbles (3). He was also named LSUs MVP for the second-straight season. White has a prospect grade of 6.20, which corresponds with "should become an instant starter. ESPNs Todd McShay ranks him as the No. 3 overall prospect in the 2019 Draft, and CBS Sports has White at No. 6. Ask his family Williams also declared for the NFL Draft after his redshirt-sophomore season. The 6-foot-2, 182-pound Shreveport native threw his name into the ring before the Fiesta Bowl and sat out. Even with the missed game, Williams still had 11 passes defensed, nine pass breakups, two interceptions, a quarterback hurry and 33 tackles in his final year as a Tiger. Williams has a prospect grade of 6.21, which corresponds to should become an instant starter. ESPNs Mel Kiper Jr. has Williams ranked as the No. 5 overall prospect for the 2019 Draft, and CBS Sports has him at No. 8. The NFL Combine is in Indianapolis from April 26-28. | Six former LSU players are participating in the NFL Scouting Combine. Safety John Battle, running back Nick Brossette, tight end Foster Moreau, placekicker Cole Tracy, linebacker Devin White and cornerback Greedy Williams are listed. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.nola.com/lsu/2019/02/which-former-lsu-players-are-participating-in-the-nfl-scouting-combine.html | 0.81074 |
Which former LSU players are participating in the NFL Scouting Combine? | Six former LSU players are listed as participants in the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine. The six are: safety John Battle, running back Nick Brossette, tight end Foster Moreau, placekicker Cole Tracy, linebacker Devin White and cornerback Greedy Williams. White and Williams were two of the three LSU Tigers to declare for the draft early. The third was nose tackle Ed Alexander. Alexander is not listed on the NFL Combines list of participants. Battle, Brossette, Moreau and Tracy had all run out of eligibility. Battle had three interceptions, five passes defensed, two pass breakups and 39 tackles in his senior season. The 6-foot, 200-pound Hallandale, Florida, native only played in 10 games this season after being temporarily sidelined with an ankle injury against Alabama. Battle doesnt have a prospect grade listed on his Combine page, meaning he likely needs time in developmental league." Brossette led LSU in rushing with 1,039 net yards on 240 carries in his senior season, averaging 4.3 yards per touch. He also had 78 yards receiving. The 6-foot, 221-pound Baton Rouge natives 14 rushing touchdowns helped him lead the offense in scoring with 84 points. Brossette had one extra game after the Fiesta Bowl the East-West Shrine Game. He finished that college all-star game with five carries for 19 yards and a touchdown. Brossette, like Battle, doesnt have a prospect grade listed on his NFL Combine page. Moreau was the main tight end LSU used this year, racking up 272 yards on 22 receptions for an average of 12.4 yards per catch. Moreau scored two touchdowns in his final year of eligibility. The 6-foot-4, 253-pound New Orleans native stood out in the lead up to the Reeses Senior Bowl, earning the offensive practice player of the week accolade for tight ends. In the all-star game itself, Moreau had one catch for 11 yards in the Norths 34-24 victory. Moreau has a prospect grade of 5.39, which lends itself to NFL backup or special teams potential. LSU tight end Foster Moreau with plenty to prove at Senior Bowl Tracy set multiple records in his one year with LSU. The graduate transfer from Assumption College made 28-of-33 field goals and all 42 of his PAT kicks, leading all of LSU with 129 points last year. In the Fiesta Bowl, the 5-foot-10, 188-pound Camarillo, California, native set the season record for LSU and the NCAA record for most field goals in a career. Tracy, along with Moreau, represented LSU at the Reeses Senior Bowl. He made both his field goal attempts in the all-star game, but missed an extra point that appeared to be tipped. Tracy has a prospect grade of 4.99, which corresponds with should be in an NFL training camp. White declared early for the NFL Draft after turning heads all career long. The 6-foot-1, 238-pound Springhill native is already widely regarded as one of the best linebackers to play for LSU and his professional career has yet to begin. He was the first LSU linebacker to win the Dick Butkus Award. White led LSU in tackles (123), tackles for loss (12), run stuffs (20.5) and forced fumbles (3). He was also named LSUs MVP for the second-straight season. White has a prospect grade of 6.20, which corresponds with "should become an instant starter. ESPNs Todd McShay ranks him as the No. 3 overall prospect in the 2019 Draft, and CBS Sports has White at No. 6. Ask his family Williams also declared for the NFL Draft after his redshirt-sophomore season. The 6-foot-2, 182-pound Shreveport native threw his name into the ring before the Fiesta Bowl and sat out. Even with the missed game, Williams still had 11 passes defensed, nine pass breakups, two interceptions, a quarterback hurry and 33 tackles in his final year as a Tiger. Williams has a prospect grade of 6.21, which corresponds to should become an instant starter. ESPNs Mel Kiper Jr. has Williams ranked as the No. 5 overall prospect for the 2019 Draft, and CBS Sports has him at No. 8. The NFL Combine is in Indianapolis from April 26-28. | Six former LSU players are participating in the NFL Scouting Combine. Safety John Battle, running back Nick Brossette, tight end Foster Moreau, placekicker Cole Tracy, linebacker Devin White and cornerback Greedy Williams are listed. Battle, Brossette, Moreau and Tracy had all run out of eligibility. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.nola.com/lsu/2019/02/which-former-lsu-players-are-participating-in-the-nfl-scouting-combine.html | 0.833567 |
When does Nikola Mirotic return to New Orleans? | After any trade deadline in any sport, there are always a few awkward return dates for the players involved in the transaction. This one is no exception. Former New Orleans Pelicans forward Nikola Mirotic, who was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday (Feb. 7) for Stanley Johnson, Jason Smith and multiple second-round picks, will return to Smoothie King Center on March 12 to face his former team ... on what was scheduled to be his bobblehead night. Guys... Nikola Mirotic returns to the Smoothie King in March 12. On what was scheduled to be... Nikola Mirotic bobblehead night pic.twitter.com/ekZoJEz0rV Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) February 7, 2019 No word yet on what the Pelicans King Cake Baby mascot plans to do with the extra bobbleheads. And for those reading the tea leaves, there was no Anthony Davis bobblehead night scheduled for the Lakers game Feb. 14. NBA trade deadline live updates: All eyes on Anthony Davis, Pelicans | Nikola Mirotic was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. He will return to New Orleans on March 12 on what was scheduled to be his bobblehead night. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.nola.com/sports/2019/02/when-does-nikola-mirotic-return-to-new-orleans.html | 0.646292 |
When does Nikola Mirotic return to New Orleans? | After any trade deadline in any sport, there are always a few awkward return dates for the players involved in the transaction. This one is no exception. Former New Orleans Pelicans forward Nikola Mirotic, who was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday (Feb. 7) for Stanley Johnson, Jason Smith and multiple second-round picks, will return to Smoothie King Center on March 12 to face his former team ... on what was scheduled to be his bobblehead night. Guys... Nikola Mirotic returns to the Smoothie King in March 12. On what was scheduled to be... Nikola Mirotic bobblehead night pic.twitter.com/ekZoJEz0rV Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) February 7, 2019 No word yet on what the Pelicans King Cake Baby mascot plans to do with the extra bobbleheads. And for those reading the tea leaves, there was no Anthony Davis bobblehead night scheduled for the Lakers game Feb. 14. NBA trade deadline live updates: All eyes on Anthony Davis, Pelicans | Nikola Mirotic was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. He will return to New Orleans on March 12 on what was scheduled to be his bobblehead night. He was traded from the Pelicans to the Bucks for Stanley Johnson, Jason Smith and multiple second-round picks. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.nola.com/sports/2019/02/when-does-nikola-mirotic-return-to-new-orleans.html | 0.679022 |
How Important Is Brand 'Marlboro' To Altria's Profitability In 2019? | Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO), one of the worlds largest producers and marketers of tobacco, cigarettes, and related products, ended 2018 with marginally higher revenues compared to the previous year, mainly driven by growth in smokeless products. Altria was adversely affected by lower sales from the companys smokeable products division due to a reduction in sale of cigarettes. Marlboro, the largest brand of cigarettes, contributes 85% of segment sales and 75% of total revenue for the company. However, the market share of the brand has seen steady decline over the last two years, which is expected to diminish further. Our analysis shows that a decrease in Marlboros market share (which is currently 43.0%) to 40.0%, could lead to a decline of over 7.7% in Altrias adjusted EPS, which could drop to $4.52 in 2019, from $4.89 in 2018, and $5.32 in 2017. You can view our interactive dashboard Declining Market Share Of Marlboro Poses A Significant Threat To Altrias Profitability In 2019 and make changes to our assumptions to arrive at your own estimates for revenue, margin, and EPS of the company. Lower Cigarette Sales In 2017, about 249 billion cigarettes were sold in the US, which was 3.5% lower than the 258 billion sold in 2016. Sales were lower in 2018 and are expected to decline further in 2019. This is primarily driven by an increase in sales of non-combustible products. Increased awareness and health consciousness have led to todays youngsters preferring e-cigarettes over the traditional ones. Marlboro, which is the most valuable cigarette brand, has seen its market share decline from 43.3% in 2017 (it was 43.8% and 43.7% in 2015 and 2016), to 43.0% in 2018. Marijuana, which is preferred by youngsters because of health concerns and its medicinal qualities, was recently legalized in several US states and Canada, which is expected to accelerate the rate of decline in Marlboros market share. At a market share of 43.3%, Altria sold close to 100 billion units of Marlboro cigarettes, which came down to 94.7 billion units in 2018. If the market share declines rapidly to 40% this year, then the number of units sold could sharply reduce to about 82 billion for 2019. This could bring down Marlboros share in revenue of Altrias smokeable products segment to 84.0% from 86.0%. In such a scenario, a price increase is the only alternative for Altria, which the company has resorted to over the last few years. However, a reduction in volume could far outweigh increasing prices, reducing revenues from the companys smokeable products segment to $20.6 billion, 7.6% lower than 2018. As Altria is currently focusing on its smokeless products segment through organic and well as inorganic growth, revenues from this segment are expected to see healthy growth of about 20% in 2019. However, a decline in sales of Marlboro could more than offset any gain in the smokeless segment, causing total net revenue to decrease by over 4.7% compared to 2019. Marlboro is also the most profitable brand for the company, contributing the most to Altrias net margin. A decrease in volume sold would hit the companys margin. In case of reduction in Marlboros market share to 40%, we expect Altrias net margin to decline to 35.0% in 2019, from 36.1% in 2018 and 40.0% in 2017, thus reducing net income to $8.5 billion in 2019, from $9.2 billion and $10.2 billion in 2018 and 2017, respectively. The importance of brand Marlboro to Altria is reflected in its influence and weight in the companys profitability, which could decrease by 7.7% with a 3.0 percentage point decline in the brands market share. Altria recently announced the acquisition of a 35% stake in JUUL Labs, which is expected to provide Altria great exposure to, and benefits from, the sale of smokeless products. However, fresh concerns related to regulation of e-cigarettes have taken the sheen out of the deal. JUUL is the company at the forefront of the FDA commissioners crusade against teenage e-cigarette usage. Any harsh regulation or partial ban on these products would be a huge setback for Altria. In such a case, Marlboro becomes more important for the company than ever before. The companys management too has acknowledged the importance of stabilizing Marlboro for the overall profitability of Altria. Thus, it would be ideal to have a balance between non-combustible segment growth and maintaining the share of Altrias biggest brand. However, based on current trends and our analysis, a diminishing market share of Marlboro, and declining profitability of the company, is the most likely scenario to materialize over 2019. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | Marlboro, the largest brand of cigarettes, contributes 85% of segment sales and 75% of total revenue for the company. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/02/07/how-important-is-brand-marlboro-to-altrias-profitability-in-2019/ | 0.125054 |
How Important Is Brand 'Marlboro' To Altria's Profitability In 2019? | Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO), one of the worlds largest producers and marketers of tobacco, cigarettes, and related products, ended 2018 with marginally higher revenues compared to the previous year, mainly driven by growth in smokeless products. Altria was adversely affected by lower sales from the companys smokeable products division due to a reduction in sale of cigarettes. Marlboro, the largest brand of cigarettes, contributes 85% of segment sales and 75% of total revenue for the company. However, the market share of the brand has seen steady decline over the last two years, which is expected to diminish further. Our analysis shows that a decrease in Marlboros market share (which is currently 43.0%) to 40.0%, could lead to a decline of over 7.7% in Altrias adjusted EPS, which could drop to $4.52 in 2019, from $4.89 in 2018, and $5.32 in 2017. You can view our interactive dashboard Declining Market Share Of Marlboro Poses A Significant Threat To Altrias Profitability In 2019 and make changes to our assumptions to arrive at your own estimates for revenue, margin, and EPS of the company. Lower Cigarette Sales In 2017, about 249 billion cigarettes were sold in the US, which was 3.5% lower than the 258 billion sold in 2016. Sales were lower in 2018 and are expected to decline further in 2019. This is primarily driven by an increase in sales of non-combustible products. Increased awareness and health consciousness have led to todays youngsters preferring e-cigarettes over the traditional ones. Marlboro, which is the most valuable cigarette brand, has seen its market share decline from 43.3% in 2017 (it was 43.8% and 43.7% in 2015 and 2016), to 43.0% in 2018. Marijuana, which is preferred by youngsters because of health concerns and its medicinal qualities, was recently legalized in several US states and Canada, which is expected to accelerate the rate of decline in Marlboros market share. At a market share of 43.3%, Altria sold close to 100 billion units of Marlboro cigarettes, which came down to 94.7 billion units in 2018. If the market share declines rapidly to 40% this year, then the number of units sold could sharply reduce to about 82 billion for 2019. This could bring down Marlboros share in revenue of Altrias smokeable products segment to 84.0% from 86.0%. In such a scenario, a price increase is the only alternative for Altria, which the company has resorted to over the last few years. However, a reduction in volume could far outweigh increasing prices, reducing revenues from the companys smokeable products segment to $20.6 billion, 7.6% lower than 2018. As Altria is currently focusing on its smokeless products segment through organic and well as inorganic growth, revenues from this segment are expected to see healthy growth of about 20% in 2019. However, a decline in sales of Marlboro could more than offset any gain in the smokeless segment, causing total net revenue to decrease by over 4.7% compared to 2019. Marlboro is also the most profitable brand for the company, contributing the most to Altrias net margin. A decrease in volume sold would hit the companys margin. In case of reduction in Marlboros market share to 40%, we expect Altrias net margin to decline to 35.0% in 2019, from 36.1% in 2018 and 40.0% in 2017, thus reducing net income to $8.5 billion in 2019, from $9.2 billion and $10.2 billion in 2018 and 2017, respectively. The importance of brand Marlboro to Altria is reflected in its influence and weight in the companys profitability, which could decrease by 7.7% with a 3.0 percentage point decline in the brands market share. Altria recently announced the acquisition of a 35% stake in JUUL Labs, which is expected to provide Altria great exposure to, and benefits from, the sale of smokeless products. However, fresh concerns related to regulation of e-cigarettes have taken the sheen out of the deal. JUUL is the company at the forefront of the FDA commissioners crusade against teenage e-cigarette usage. Any harsh regulation or partial ban on these products would be a huge setback for Altria. In such a case, Marlboro becomes more important for the company than ever before. The companys management too has acknowledged the importance of stabilizing Marlboro for the overall profitability of Altria. Thus, it would be ideal to have a balance between non-combustible segment growth and maintaining the share of Altrias biggest brand. However, based on current trends and our analysis, a diminishing market share of Marlboro, and declining profitability of the company, is the most likely scenario to materialize over 2019. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | Marlboro, the largest brand of cigarettes, contributes 85% of segment sales and 75% of total revenue for the company. Lower Cigarette Sales could lead to a decline in Altrias adjusted EPS. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/02/07/how-important-is-brand-marlboro-to-altrias-profitability-in-2019/ | 0.244588 |
How Important Is Brand 'Marlboro' To Altria's Profitability In 2019? | Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO), one of the worlds largest producers and marketers of tobacco, cigarettes, and related products, ended 2018 with marginally higher revenues compared to the previous year, mainly driven by growth in smokeless products. Altria was adversely affected by lower sales from the companys smokeable products division due to a reduction in sale of cigarettes. Marlboro, the largest brand of cigarettes, contributes 85% of segment sales and 75% of total revenue for the company. However, the market share of the brand has seen steady decline over the last two years, which is expected to diminish further. Our analysis shows that a decrease in Marlboros market share (which is currently 43.0%) to 40.0%, could lead to a decline of over 7.7% in Altrias adjusted EPS, which could drop to $4.52 in 2019, from $4.89 in 2018, and $5.32 in 2017. You can view our interactive dashboard Declining Market Share Of Marlboro Poses A Significant Threat To Altrias Profitability In 2019 and make changes to our assumptions to arrive at your own estimates for revenue, margin, and EPS of the company. Lower Cigarette Sales In 2017, about 249 billion cigarettes were sold in the US, which was 3.5% lower than the 258 billion sold in 2016. Sales were lower in 2018 and are expected to decline further in 2019. This is primarily driven by an increase in sales of non-combustible products. Increased awareness and health consciousness have led to todays youngsters preferring e-cigarettes over the traditional ones. Marlboro, which is the most valuable cigarette brand, has seen its market share decline from 43.3% in 2017 (it was 43.8% and 43.7% in 2015 and 2016), to 43.0% in 2018. Marijuana, which is preferred by youngsters because of health concerns and its medicinal qualities, was recently legalized in several US states and Canada, which is expected to accelerate the rate of decline in Marlboros market share. At a market share of 43.3%, Altria sold close to 100 billion units of Marlboro cigarettes, which came down to 94.7 billion units in 2018. If the market share declines rapidly to 40% this year, then the number of units sold could sharply reduce to about 82 billion for 2019. This could bring down Marlboros share in revenue of Altrias smokeable products segment to 84.0% from 86.0%. In such a scenario, a price increase is the only alternative for Altria, which the company has resorted to over the last few years. However, a reduction in volume could far outweigh increasing prices, reducing revenues from the companys smokeable products segment to $20.6 billion, 7.6% lower than 2018. As Altria is currently focusing on its smokeless products segment through organic and well as inorganic growth, revenues from this segment are expected to see healthy growth of about 20% in 2019. However, a decline in sales of Marlboro could more than offset any gain in the smokeless segment, causing total net revenue to decrease by over 4.7% compared to 2019. Marlboro is also the most profitable brand for the company, contributing the most to Altrias net margin. A decrease in volume sold would hit the companys margin. In case of reduction in Marlboros market share to 40%, we expect Altrias net margin to decline to 35.0% in 2019, from 36.1% in 2018 and 40.0% in 2017, thus reducing net income to $8.5 billion in 2019, from $9.2 billion and $10.2 billion in 2018 and 2017, respectively. The importance of brand Marlboro to Altria is reflected in its influence and weight in the companys profitability, which could decrease by 7.7% with a 3.0 percentage point decline in the brands market share. Altria recently announced the acquisition of a 35% stake in JUUL Labs, which is expected to provide Altria great exposure to, and benefits from, the sale of smokeless products. However, fresh concerns related to regulation of e-cigarettes have taken the sheen out of the deal. JUUL is the company at the forefront of the FDA commissioners crusade against teenage e-cigarette usage. Any harsh regulation or partial ban on these products would be a huge setback for Altria. In such a case, Marlboro becomes more important for the company than ever before. The companys management too has acknowledged the importance of stabilizing Marlboro for the overall profitability of Altria. Thus, it would be ideal to have a balance between non-combustible segment growth and maintaining the share of Altrias biggest brand. However, based on current trends and our analysis, a diminishing market share of Marlboro, and declining profitability of the company, is the most likely scenario to materialize over 2019. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | Marlboro, the largest brand of cigarettes, contributes 85% of segment sales and 75% of total revenue for the company. Lower Cigarette Sales could lead to a decline of over 7.7% in Altrias adjusted EPS, which could drop to $4.52 in 2019. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/02/07/how-important-is-brand-marlboro-to-altrias-profitability-in-2019/ | 0.466337 |
Is Spains Left-Wing Party Podemos Cracking Up? | Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nations journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. Fight Back! Sign up for Take Action Now and well send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nations journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and well send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Travel With The Nation Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Sign up for our Wine Club today. Early in the morning on January 17, Pablo Iglesias, the 40-year-old leader of Podemos, Spains second-largest party on the left, received an unexpected phone call from his old friend igo Errejn, 35. Iglesias was at home, on parental leave to take care of his infant twins. Errejn called to tell him that he had changed his mind about the upcoming regional elections, which will be held in May and will coincide with municipal elections and elections to the European Parliament. Ad Policy Errejn was poised to be Podemoss candidate for the region of Madrid, which has been governed by the right since 1995 and which Podemos is determined to win in an alliance with the United Left (Izquierda Unida), Spains third-largest left-wing party. Errejns phone call cut that plan short. Rather than running just on the Podemos ticket, Errejn told Iglesias, he had decided to join the coalition headed by Manuela Carmena, a retired judge who was elected mayor of Madrid in 2015. Five minutes after Errejn hung up, Carmena and Errejn tweeted out a letter announcing their alliance, called Ms Madrid (More Madrid). In Madrid, they wrote, theres a democratic and progressive majority that needs a project to renew its hope and confidence. Such a project, they added, needs to move beyond existing party structures. The recent regional elections in Andalusia, which saw an unexpected surge of the radical, nationalist right, due in part to a low turnout among progressive voters, were a wake-up call, they wrote. Today, everyone knows we need a shake-up. Later the same day, Iglesias published an emotional letter to his constituency all but expelling Errejn from the party. This has left me shaken and sad, he wrote. I cant believe that Manuela and igo would have kept from us that they were preparing to launch their own electoral bid. This is a bitter day. He also announced that Podemos would not follow Errejn into his alliance. Instead, he said, the party would present its own candidate. And so, on the five-year anniversary of Podemoss founding, the party suffered its biggest split yet. Sebastiaan Faber and Bcquer Segun The reaction to the split has been mixed among Podemos supporters. One unofficial poll from the online daily eldiario.es found that 59 percent of its readers thought Errejn was in the right. Another, from Telemadrid, concluded that 70 percent of Podemos voters favored a single ticket with Carmena and Errejns Ms Madrid and that 58 percent thought Errejn and Iglesiass going their separate ways was a bad or very bad decision. Many of those who over time have been sidetracked by Iglesias, or turned off by his leadership style, expressed their support for Errejns bid, pointing out that his attempt to broaden the electoral appeal is exactly what Podemos was created to do five years ago. I see it as good news, Clara Serra, the spokesperson for Podemos in the region of Madrid, said, welcoming Ms Madrid as a project for unity, a coordinated and joint initiative for Madrid. I think its a great idea that we overcome party identities and acronyms, Carolina Bescansa, a Podemos MP and one of the most powerful voices in the party, said. We should instead get behind political projects and visions that captivate a large majority of the society, as has been Manuela Carmenas way of doing politics, she said. That generates hope. Others, however, branded Errejns decision as selfish and opportunistic or, worse, treasonous. Anticapitalistas, a group within Podemos most closely associated with Miguel Urbn, a Podemos Member of the European Parliament, and Teresa Rodrguez, the leader of Podemos in Andalusia, called the alliance between Errejn and Carmena a unilateral move that doesnt meet the minimum requirements for a democratic municipalist project. Ms Madrid, they continued, is a party that would not be willing to confront the financial powersthat continue to run the city from the shadows. Meanwhile, 10 of the partys 17 regional leaders came together on January 25 to issue a call for unity, implicitly criticizing not only the divisiveness of Errejns action and Iglesiass reaction, but also the tendency of Madrid to impose itself on other regions. Current Issue View our current issue Whatever conclusions people drew from the split, many read Errejns surprise move and Iglesiass harsh reaction as the last straw. I dont think this is the umpteenth battle between igo and Pablo, Ignacio Escolar, the editor-in-chief of eldiario.es, said on television the following day. I think its the last. From now on, he continued, they will almost certainly take separate paths. The precocious pair of political scientists who together helped reshape Spains electoral landscape over the past five years had now become rivals. Iglesias and Errejn are the Lennon and McCartney of Podemos, which emerged in 2014 as the new hope of Spains, and Europes, progressive movement, promising not just a new party but a whole new way of doing politics. Podemos rejuvenated the left across Spain by shepherding into party politics the activist energy, organizational structures, and political ideas that, in the summer of 2011 and in response to the grave economic crisis, had erupted into mainstream Spanish political life with the 15-M movement (aka the indignados). The party used grassroots assemblies, called circles, to generate and debate policy proposals. It then held a large Citizens Assembly during which such proposals were debated by thousands of people both in person and online in real time. As Zeynep Tufekci writes in her book Twitter and Tear Gas, Podemos turned to free software social-media platforms, such as Loomio, that blended practical considerations with a movement ethos. Such platforms, she writes, were meant to keep the participatory structures of the assembly model to facilitate decision making. But as the years ticked by, so too did the patience of party leaders with many of the new ways of doing politics the party had once proposed. At its beginning, Podemos was much more than a party with a group of leaders, Marina Garcs, a philosopher and intellectual, told us. It wanted to be a broad, self-organizing, and creative base. Once that was lost, what was left was a fragile and individualized structure that, when it failed to reach power, began to fracture and confront itself. Garcs saw the split between Errejn and Iglesias coming from miles away. If Im being honest, what has happened between Errejn and Podemos is, unfortunately, not surprising, she said. For a while these dynamics have been visible and predictable in what remains of Podemos. Many point to Podemoss second national congress in February 2017 as the origin of the split. But the decision seems to go back to nearly five years ago, when the party was founded. Even at the time, as Iglesias and Errejn campaigned together on the same primary ticket, many onlookers saw a clear political difference between the two. In the fall of 2016, Iglesias, following the somewhat frustrating results of the June elections that year, said that the major internal debate in Podemos was deciding whether we should continue being populists or not. He meant populist in the very specific sense in which it was used by the late Argentine political philosopher Ernesto Laclau, whose ideas on the subject culminated in his book On Populist Reason. That kind of populism, which is what Errejn was advocating and still advocates to this day, involved talking about the caste and the people, viewing politics in moral terms, and crystallizing popular demands in certain symbols in order to bring all kinds of people together. Iglesias, by contrast, thought the party needed to move away from populism and attempt to consolidate the left and compete directly with the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), which today leads a minority government under Prime Minister Pedro Snchez. Ironically, despite Iglesias and Errejns shared political differences with Snchez and the PSOE, Podemoss most notable policy achievements have involved reaching deals with Snchez and pushing his government to the left on a number of issues. On December 21, for instance, the parties passed a 22 percent increase to the monthly minimum wage, which took effect on January 1. Errejns departure appears to echo what has taken place elsewhere in Europe, where left-wing parties, such as Die Linke in Germany, have split over questions of immigration. But such a view would mistake Errejns motives, which partly have to do with how to view the recent Andalusian elections and the rise of the xenophobic, far-right party Vox. Following Voxs surprise performance, few on the left thought the solution was to turn to nationalism and close the borders. Observers noted the historically low voter turnout, which disproportionately affected the left, and Podemos leaders concluded that motivating left-leaning voters would be key to stemming the far-right tide. But Errejn, whose political strategy includes downplaying left-wing symbols and appealing to voters from across the political spectrum, said that if the occasion presented itself, he would speak to and negotiate with Vox. As in the United States with President Trump, many on the left disagree with that strategy, preferring to quarantine the radical right. Its unclear whether Errejns strategy would work. Few, if any, historical precedents exist and, in a country where the far right ended its dictatorship only in the late 1970s, hostility toward any kind of negotiation is warranted. The Errejn-Carmena candidacy may instead simply end up playing for progressive votes that fall somewhere between the Socialist Party and Podemos. Another worrying factor is that Carmenas tenure as mayor of Madrid has not been without its own problems. The retired judge, who won the elections in 2015 with the support of a broad progressive coalition that included Podemos, has managed to alienate many of her initial supporters. They blame her for doing little to curb the power of urban developers or resolve the ongoing housing crisis. To make matters worse, last year Carmena struck a budget deal with Cristbal Montoro, former prime minister Mariano Rajoys conservative treasury minister, who, like many other treasury ministers from Rajoys Popular Party (Partido Popular), has been embroiled in a corruption scandal. As a result, Carmenas economy czar, Carlos Snchez Mato, who worked hard to reduce the citys massive debt but who opposed her deal with Montoro, was let go. He is now considering a run against Carmena in Madrid this spring on the ticket of the United Left. Despite its misgivings about Carmena, Podemos has announced it will not run against her in the city elections. But what will happen in the regional elections, where Errejn is running but not on the Podemos ticket, is not clear. In an interview with EFE, the Spanish equivalent of Reuters, Carmena urged caution when it came to joining in a coalition with Podemos. Why develop homogenous alternatives if there exist different visions, she said, comparing the direct action of left-wing parties like Podemos with broader movements like Ms Madrid. The opportunity to join forces will still be there, she said, after the election. Carmena downplayed the importance of division on the left. Im not worried, she said. Let citizens have the option to choose between different alternatives. At an emergency Citizens Council meeting on January 30, Podemos decided to first solidify the alliance with the United Left and other leftist parties, and only then invite Errejn to join. The United Left, meanwhile, has not yet decided what it will do. Errejns move puts Podemos in a further bind: The party has few candidates, if any, who would be able to compete against a Carmena-Errejn ticket in the region of Madrid. In the end, Podemos may be forced to join forces with Errejn, whether it wants to or not. This chaos and confusion was not exactly what Errejn had hoped for, Pedro Valln, a journalist at La Vanguardia, told us. I honestly think Errejn thought his challenge was going to work and that Podemos and the United Left would join his operation to avoid greater evils, he said. But to think that Pablo Iglesias would swallow such a thing was not very realistic. If theres one thing that distinguishes Iglesias, for better or worse, its his lack of fear. A week after Errejns departure, the chaos and confusion reached a fever pitch. On January 25, Ramn Espinar, the regional leader of Podemos in the Madrid region, announced that he would abandon politics altogether, saying that the conditions dont exist to take the project of Podemos in Madrid where it needs to go. Espinar, who is closer to Iglesias than to Errejn politically, made the decision to step down, apparently, in direct response to Iglesiass handling of Errejns departure. A recent poll from eldiario.es doesnt add much clarity to the situation in the Spanish capital region: It puts Errejn and Carmenas Ms Madrid at 10.5 percent, slightly ahead of Podemos, at 9 percent. In a widely read article, Valln, the journalist, compared the situation to France, speculating that Errejns break from Podemos may turn Madrid into a test case for a Macron-style coalition between the center-left (the Socialist Party and the Errejn-Carmena tandem) and the center-right, represented by Citizens (Ciudadanos). Such an alliance would end up isolating not only the radical right (Vox, along with the Popular Party) but also Podemos and the United Left. The countrys economic powers have long pushed for such a coalition, he explained: Madrid can become a laboratory for rehearsing a centrist front against the threat of the far right, a conservative bloc against postmodern fascism. As in France, such a front would mean a return to Tony Blairstyle neoliberalism. Iglesias and his inner circle have gone one step further, suggesting that Errejns breakaway was part of a premeditated strategy from the Socialist Party establishment and economic elites, meant to defang Podemos once and for all. I dont believe in Iglesiass conspiracy theories, Noelia Adnez, a writer and radio commentator, told us. They mostly serve to discredit Errejn. She continued, It was a mistake to dramatize the situation right away and to suggest that Errejn was a traitor. True, Errejn did not go about it in the best way possible. But he has ambitions. And in a politician, thats not a bad thing. Valln similarly rejects conspiracy talk. I dont buy into conspiracies from the powers that be, he said. That said, it is clear that some political operations receive support while others are sabotaged. Albert Rivera, the leader of Citizens, has gotten a white-glove treatment ever since he appeared on stage. He explained that Errejn, for his part, was seen by the center-left establishment as a useful battering-ram against Iglesias. But today, he continued, Iglesias and his party shore up the Socialist government in parliament. So for now, its not convenient for Podemos to fall apart. But some see a silver lining. Escolar, the editor, has said that having three parties on the left might turn out to be a good thing. Against the standard analysis that says division harms the bloc that becomes divided, in this case, Im not so sure it will go this way, he said on the news program Al Rojo Vivo. He pointed to the recent Andalusian elections, where the division of the right into three parties handed the right its first governorship there since the transition to democracy in the 1970s. He also compared the 2015 and 2016 general elections, where, in the first, there were three major parties on the left and, in the second, there were only two. The first elections. He continued, Its better to have three parties that are mobilized than two parties that are not. Sebastiaan Faber and Bcquer Segun Despite the possible silver lining, the public cockfights between the two former friends and their faithful have left many by the wayside. Theyve harmed the party, Lola Snchez, a political scientist who in 2011 was among the first five Podemos candidates to be elected to the European Parliament, said in a newspaper interview. Their leadership attitudes have been very traditional, classically alpha male, top-down. I honestly thought Podemos was going to be something different. The chaos in Madrid has spread across Podemoss regional affiliates as well in the form of conflict, cliques, and infighting. In the Andalusian elections in December, the alliance of Podemos with the United Left won 16 percent, five points less than in 2015. These results were disappointing but not surprising. Since the Catalan crisis came to a head in the fall of 2017, Podemos has had a hard time navigating a political landscape dominated by the territorial question. The Podemos leadership has also committed errorsamong them, allowing political conflicts to quickly get personal and public. And despite the partys much-touted internal democracy, its members have complained about participation, which, in some cases, has been reduced to referenda on trivial matters. Last May, Podemos members were asked to decide whether Iglesias and his partner, Irene Montero, who is also the partys second-in-command, should resign over their controversial decision to buy a $700,000 family home. (They won by 68 percent.) Important issues, such as how to respond to Errejns decision to join forces with Carmena, on the other hand, have not been submitted to a vote. Still, Adnez told us, the damage of this latest split may well be limited. Spain needs a strong party to the left of the Socialists. And Podemos members have learned not to take their party leadership too seriously, she told us. For many, Iglesiass decision to call for a vote over his purchase of a home was one bridge too far. But in the end, Podemos has a clear political program with policies that have broad social support, including raising the minimum wage, more access to affordable housing, and fighting gender violence. The latest national polls seem to confirm support for those policies. The conservative Popular Party has fallen to fourth place, and left-of-center parties, overall, now command 50 percent support as opposed to 39 percent support for those on the right. I think Podemos and the United Left will have no trouble maintaining between 15 and 18 percent of the votewhich is more than the slice that the United Left used to get on its own, Adnez told us. That said, they can no longer reach for the almost 25 percent they won in 2015. That opportunitys been lost. | Podemos is Spain's second-largest party on the left. The party has been in the news recently after two of its members decided to run for other parties. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.thenation.com/article/spain-podemos-split/ | 0.106125 |
Is Spains Left-Wing Party Podemos Cracking Up? | Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nations journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. Fight Back! Sign up for Take Action Now and well send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nations journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and well send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Travel With The Nation Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Sign up for our Wine Club today. Early in the morning on January 17, Pablo Iglesias, the 40-year-old leader of Podemos, Spains second-largest party on the left, received an unexpected phone call from his old friend igo Errejn, 35. Iglesias was at home, on parental leave to take care of his infant twins. Errejn called to tell him that he had changed his mind about the upcoming regional elections, which will be held in May and will coincide with municipal elections and elections to the European Parliament. Ad Policy Errejn was poised to be Podemoss candidate for the region of Madrid, which has been governed by the right since 1995 and which Podemos is determined to win in an alliance with the United Left (Izquierda Unida), Spains third-largest left-wing party. Errejns phone call cut that plan short. Rather than running just on the Podemos ticket, Errejn told Iglesias, he had decided to join the coalition headed by Manuela Carmena, a retired judge who was elected mayor of Madrid in 2015. Five minutes after Errejn hung up, Carmena and Errejn tweeted out a letter announcing their alliance, called Ms Madrid (More Madrid). In Madrid, they wrote, theres a democratic and progressive majority that needs a project to renew its hope and confidence. Such a project, they added, needs to move beyond existing party structures. The recent regional elections in Andalusia, which saw an unexpected surge of the radical, nationalist right, due in part to a low turnout among progressive voters, were a wake-up call, they wrote. Today, everyone knows we need a shake-up. Later the same day, Iglesias published an emotional letter to his constituency all but expelling Errejn from the party. This has left me shaken and sad, he wrote. I cant believe that Manuela and igo would have kept from us that they were preparing to launch their own electoral bid. This is a bitter day. He also announced that Podemos would not follow Errejn into his alliance. Instead, he said, the party would present its own candidate. And so, on the five-year anniversary of Podemoss founding, the party suffered its biggest split yet. Sebastiaan Faber and Bcquer Segun The reaction to the split has been mixed among Podemos supporters. One unofficial poll from the online daily eldiario.es found that 59 percent of its readers thought Errejn was in the right. Another, from Telemadrid, concluded that 70 percent of Podemos voters favored a single ticket with Carmena and Errejns Ms Madrid and that 58 percent thought Errejn and Iglesiass going their separate ways was a bad or very bad decision. Many of those who over time have been sidetracked by Iglesias, or turned off by his leadership style, expressed their support for Errejns bid, pointing out that his attempt to broaden the electoral appeal is exactly what Podemos was created to do five years ago. I see it as good news, Clara Serra, the spokesperson for Podemos in the region of Madrid, said, welcoming Ms Madrid as a project for unity, a coordinated and joint initiative for Madrid. I think its a great idea that we overcome party identities and acronyms, Carolina Bescansa, a Podemos MP and one of the most powerful voices in the party, said. We should instead get behind political projects and visions that captivate a large majority of the society, as has been Manuela Carmenas way of doing politics, she said. That generates hope. Others, however, branded Errejns decision as selfish and opportunistic or, worse, treasonous. Anticapitalistas, a group within Podemos most closely associated with Miguel Urbn, a Podemos Member of the European Parliament, and Teresa Rodrguez, the leader of Podemos in Andalusia, called the alliance between Errejn and Carmena a unilateral move that doesnt meet the minimum requirements for a democratic municipalist project. Ms Madrid, they continued, is a party that would not be willing to confront the financial powersthat continue to run the city from the shadows. Meanwhile, 10 of the partys 17 regional leaders came together on January 25 to issue a call for unity, implicitly criticizing not only the divisiveness of Errejns action and Iglesiass reaction, but also the tendency of Madrid to impose itself on other regions. Current Issue View our current issue Whatever conclusions people drew from the split, many read Errejns surprise move and Iglesiass harsh reaction as the last straw. I dont think this is the umpteenth battle between igo and Pablo, Ignacio Escolar, the editor-in-chief of eldiario.es, said on television the following day. I think its the last. From now on, he continued, they will almost certainly take separate paths. The precocious pair of political scientists who together helped reshape Spains electoral landscape over the past five years had now become rivals. Iglesias and Errejn are the Lennon and McCartney of Podemos, which emerged in 2014 as the new hope of Spains, and Europes, progressive movement, promising not just a new party but a whole new way of doing politics. Podemos rejuvenated the left across Spain by shepherding into party politics the activist energy, organizational structures, and political ideas that, in the summer of 2011 and in response to the grave economic crisis, had erupted into mainstream Spanish political life with the 15-M movement (aka the indignados). The party used grassroots assemblies, called circles, to generate and debate policy proposals. It then held a large Citizens Assembly during which such proposals were debated by thousands of people both in person and online in real time. As Zeynep Tufekci writes in her book Twitter and Tear Gas, Podemos turned to free software social-media platforms, such as Loomio, that blended practical considerations with a movement ethos. Such platforms, she writes, were meant to keep the participatory structures of the assembly model to facilitate decision making. But as the years ticked by, so too did the patience of party leaders with many of the new ways of doing politics the party had once proposed. At its beginning, Podemos was much more than a party with a group of leaders, Marina Garcs, a philosopher and intellectual, told us. It wanted to be a broad, self-organizing, and creative base. Once that was lost, what was left was a fragile and individualized structure that, when it failed to reach power, began to fracture and confront itself. Garcs saw the split between Errejn and Iglesias coming from miles away. If Im being honest, what has happened between Errejn and Podemos is, unfortunately, not surprising, she said. For a while these dynamics have been visible and predictable in what remains of Podemos. Many point to Podemoss second national congress in February 2017 as the origin of the split. But the decision seems to go back to nearly five years ago, when the party was founded. Even at the time, as Iglesias and Errejn campaigned together on the same primary ticket, many onlookers saw a clear political difference between the two. In the fall of 2016, Iglesias, following the somewhat frustrating results of the June elections that year, said that the major internal debate in Podemos was deciding whether we should continue being populists or not. He meant populist in the very specific sense in which it was used by the late Argentine political philosopher Ernesto Laclau, whose ideas on the subject culminated in his book On Populist Reason. That kind of populism, which is what Errejn was advocating and still advocates to this day, involved talking about the caste and the people, viewing politics in moral terms, and crystallizing popular demands in certain symbols in order to bring all kinds of people together. Iglesias, by contrast, thought the party needed to move away from populism and attempt to consolidate the left and compete directly with the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), which today leads a minority government under Prime Minister Pedro Snchez. Ironically, despite Iglesias and Errejns shared political differences with Snchez and the PSOE, Podemoss most notable policy achievements have involved reaching deals with Snchez and pushing his government to the left on a number of issues. On December 21, for instance, the parties passed a 22 percent increase to the monthly minimum wage, which took effect on January 1. Errejns departure appears to echo what has taken place elsewhere in Europe, where left-wing parties, such as Die Linke in Germany, have split over questions of immigration. But such a view would mistake Errejns motives, which partly have to do with how to view the recent Andalusian elections and the rise of the xenophobic, far-right party Vox. Following Voxs surprise performance, few on the left thought the solution was to turn to nationalism and close the borders. Observers noted the historically low voter turnout, which disproportionately affected the left, and Podemos leaders concluded that motivating left-leaning voters would be key to stemming the far-right tide. But Errejn, whose political strategy includes downplaying left-wing symbols and appealing to voters from across the political spectrum, said that if the occasion presented itself, he would speak to and negotiate with Vox. As in the United States with President Trump, many on the left disagree with that strategy, preferring to quarantine the radical right. Its unclear whether Errejns strategy would work. Few, if any, historical precedents exist and, in a country where the far right ended its dictatorship only in the late 1970s, hostility toward any kind of negotiation is warranted. The Errejn-Carmena candidacy may instead simply end up playing for progressive votes that fall somewhere between the Socialist Party and Podemos. Another worrying factor is that Carmenas tenure as mayor of Madrid has not been without its own problems. The retired judge, who won the elections in 2015 with the support of a broad progressive coalition that included Podemos, has managed to alienate many of her initial supporters. They blame her for doing little to curb the power of urban developers or resolve the ongoing housing crisis. To make matters worse, last year Carmena struck a budget deal with Cristbal Montoro, former prime minister Mariano Rajoys conservative treasury minister, who, like many other treasury ministers from Rajoys Popular Party (Partido Popular), has been embroiled in a corruption scandal. As a result, Carmenas economy czar, Carlos Snchez Mato, who worked hard to reduce the citys massive debt but who opposed her deal with Montoro, was let go. He is now considering a run against Carmena in Madrid this spring on the ticket of the United Left. Despite its misgivings about Carmena, Podemos has announced it will not run against her in the city elections. But what will happen in the regional elections, where Errejn is running but not on the Podemos ticket, is not clear. In an interview with EFE, the Spanish equivalent of Reuters, Carmena urged caution when it came to joining in a coalition with Podemos. Why develop homogenous alternatives if there exist different visions, she said, comparing the direct action of left-wing parties like Podemos with broader movements like Ms Madrid. The opportunity to join forces will still be there, she said, after the election. Carmena downplayed the importance of division on the left. Im not worried, she said. Let citizens have the option to choose between different alternatives. At an emergency Citizens Council meeting on January 30, Podemos decided to first solidify the alliance with the United Left and other leftist parties, and only then invite Errejn to join. The United Left, meanwhile, has not yet decided what it will do. Errejns move puts Podemos in a further bind: The party has few candidates, if any, who would be able to compete against a Carmena-Errejn ticket in the region of Madrid. In the end, Podemos may be forced to join forces with Errejn, whether it wants to or not. This chaos and confusion was not exactly what Errejn had hoped for, Pedro Valln, a journalist at La Vanguardia, told us. I honestly think Errejn thought his challenge was going to work and that Podemos and the United Left would join his operation to avoid greater evils, he said. But to think that Pablo Iglesias would swallow such a thing was not very realistic. If theres one thing that distinguishes Iglesias, for better or worse, its his lack of fear. A week after Errejns departure, the chaos and confusion reached a fever pitch. On January 25, Ramn Espinar, the regional leader of Podemos in the Madrid region, announced that he would abandon politics altogether, saying that the conditions dont exist to take the project of Podemos in Madrid where it needs to go. Espinar, who is closer to Iglesias than to Errejn politically, made the decision to step down, apparently, in direct response to Iglesiass handling of Errejns departure. A recent poll from eldiario.es doesnt add much clarity to the situation in the Spanish capital region: It puts Errejn and Carmenas Ms Madrid at 10.5 percent, slightly ahead of Podemos, at 9 percent. In a widely read article, Valln, the journalist, compared the situation to France, speculating that Errejns break from Podemos may turn Madrid into a test case for a Macron-style coalition between the center-left (the Socialist Party and the Errejn-Carmena tandem) and the center-right, represented by Citizens (Ciudadanos). Such an alliance would end up isolating not only the radical right (Vox, along with the Popular Party) but also Podemos and the United Left. The countrys economic powers have long pushed for such a coalition, he explained: Madrid can become a laboratory for rehearsing a centrist front against the threat of the far right, a conservative bloc against postmodern fascism. As in France, such a front would mean a return to Tony Blairstyle neoliberalism. Iglesias and his inner circle have gone one step further, suggesting that Errejns breakaway was part of a premeditated strategy from the Socialist Party establishment and economic elites, meant to defang Podemos once and for all. I dont believe in Iglesiass conspiracy theories, Noelia Adnez, a writer and radio commentator, told us. They mostly serve to discredit Errejn. She continued, It was a mistake to dramatize the situation right away and to suggest that Errejn was a traitor. True, Errejn did not go about it in the best way possible. But he has ambitions. And in a politician, thats not a bad thing. Valln similarly rejects conspiracy talk. I dont buy into conspiracies from the powers that be, he said. That said, it is clear that some political operations receive support while others are sabotaged. Albert Rivera, the leader of Citizens, has gotten a white-glove treatment ever since he appeared on stage. He explained that Errejn, for his part, was seen by the center-left establishment as a useful battering-ram against Iglesias. But today, he continued, Iglesias and his party shore up the Socialist government in parliament. So for now, its not convenient for Podemos to fall apart. But some see a silver lining. Escolar, the editor, has said that having three parties on the left might turn out to be a good thing. Against the standard analysis that says division harms the bloc that becomes divided, in this case, Im not so sure it will go this way, he said on the news program Al Rojo Vivo. He pointed to the recent Andalusian elections, where the division of the right into three parties handed the right its first governorship there since the transition to democracy in the 1970s. He also compared the 2015 and 2016 general elections, where, in the first, there were three major parties on the left and, in the second, there were only two. The first elections. He continued, Its better to have three parties that are mobilized than two parties that are not. Sebastiaan Faber and Bcquer Segun Despite the possible silver lining, the public cockfights between the two former friends and their faithful have left many by the wayside. Theyve harmed the party, Lola Snchez, a political scientist who in 2011 was among the first five Podemos candidates to be elected to the European Parliament, said in a newspaper interview. Their leadership attitudes have been very traditional, classically alpha male, top-down. I honestly thought Podemos was going to be something different. The chaos in Madrid has spread across Podemoss regional affiliates as well in the form of conflict, cliques, and infighting. In the Andalusian elections in December, the alliance of Podemos with the United Left won 16 percent, five points less than in 2015. These results were disappointing but not surprising. Since the Catalan crisis came to a head in the fall of 2017, Podemos has had a hard time navigating a political landscape dominated by the territorial question. The Podemos leadership has also committed errorsamong them, allowing political conflicts to quickly get personal and public. And despite the partys much-touted internal democracy, its members have complained about participation, which, in some cases, has been reduced to referenda on trivial matters. Last May, Podemos members were asked to decide whether Iglesias and his partner, Irene Montero, who is also the partys second-in-command, should resign over their controversial decision to buy a $700,000 family home. (They won by 68 percent.) Important issues, such as how to respond to Errejns decision to join forces with Carmena, on the other hand, have not been submitted to a vote. Still, Adnez told us, the damage of this latest split may well be limited. Spain needs a strong party to the left of the Socialists. And Podemos members have learned not to take their party leadership too seriously, she told us. For many, Iglesiass decision to call for a vote over his purchase of a home was one bridge too far. But in the end, Podemos has a clear political program with policies that have broad social support, including raising the minimum wage, more access to affordable housing, and fighting gender violence. The latest national polls seem to confirm support for those policies. The conservative Popular Party has fallen to fourth place, and left-of-center parties, overall, now command 50 percent support as opposed to 39 percent support for those on the right. I think Podemos and the United Left will have no trouble maintaining between 15 and 18 percent of the votewhich is more than the slice that the United Left used to get on its own, Adnez told us. That said, they can no longer reach for the almost 25 percent they won in 2015. That opportunitys been lost. | Podemos is Spain's second-largest party on the left. The party has been in the news recently after two of its members decided to run for other parties. The two men have since split up, and one of them is expected to join a new party, the United Left. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.thenation.com/article/spain-podemos-split/ | 0.142618 |
Why Aren't Robots More Integrated Into Our Everyday Lives? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Erik Schluntz, Cofounder & CTO at Cobalt Robotics, on Quora: The biggest cultural barrier that prevents robots from being a bigger part of our daily lives is the stereotype created by Hollywood. When most people hear the phrase security robot, the first thing they think of is Terminator or Robocop. Thats really not what were going for at allsecuritys job is to help employees feel safe and comfortable. Nevertheless, its always a hurdle in peoples minds, so we have to work extra hard to make the robots friendly and pleasant to be around. A big part of this was in our industrial designwe worked with world-class designer Yves Behar at Fuseproject to really understand how people would interact with the robot and how people would feel around it. My favorite thing to come out of the design process is that our robot is covered with fabric, not plastic, which gives it a much warmer and softer feel. We were also incredibly careful with our design of the robots body languagelittle details like how fast the robot accelerates or turns when it first starts moving, and the sounds the robot makes as it goes around a corner so it doesnt surprise anyone. Robotics companies have a lot of work to do to prove to people that robots are good guys and can be really helpful, and its just in the movies that theyre always the villains. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | Erik Schluntz: The biggest cultural barrier that prevents robots from being a bigger part of our daily lives is the stereotype created by Hollywood. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/02/07/why-arent-robots-more-integrated-into-our-everyday-lives/ | 0.257201 |
Why Aren't Robots More Integrated Into Our Everyday Lives? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Erik Schluntz, Cofounder & CTO at Cobalt Robotics, on Quora: The biggest cultural barrier that prevents robots from being a bigger part of our daily lives is the stereotype created by Hollywood. When most people hear the phrase security robot, the first thing they think of is Terminator or Robocop. Thats really not what were going for at allsecuritys job is to help employees feel safe and comfortable. Nevertheless, its always a hurdle in peoples minds, so we have to work extra hard to make the robots friendly and pleasant to be around. A big part of this was in our industrial designwe worked with world-class designer Yves Behar at Fuseproject to really understand how people would interact with the robot and how people would feel around it. My favorite thing to come out of the design process is that our robot is covered with fabric, not plastic, which gives it a much warmer and softer feel. We were also incredibly careful with our design of the robots body languagelittle details like how fast the robot accelerates or turns when it first starts moving, and the sounds the robot makes as it goes around a corner so it doesnt surprise anyone. Robotics companies have a lot of work to do to prove to people that robots are good guys and can be really helpful, and its just in the movies that theyre always the villains. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | The biggest cultural barrier that prevents robots from being a bigger part of our daily lives is the stereotype created by Hollywood. When most people hear the phrase "security robot," the first thing they think of is Terminator or Robocop. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/02/07/why-arent-robots-more-integrated-into-our-everyday-lives/ | 0.283418 |
Why Aren't Robots More Integrated Into Our Everyday Lives? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Erik Schluntz, Cofounder & CTO at Cobalt Robotics, on Quora: The biggest cultural barrier that prevents robots from being a bigger part of our daily lives is the stereotype created by Hollywood. When most people hear the phrase security robot, the first thing they think of is Terminator or Robocop. Thats really not what were going for at allsecuritys job is to help employees feel safe and comfortable. Nevertheless, its always a hurdle in peoples minds, so we have to work extra hard to make the robots friendly and pleasant to be around. A big part of this was in our industrial designwe worked with world-class designer Yves Behar at Fuseproject to really understand how people would interact with the robot and how people would feel around it. My favorite thing to come out of the design process is that our robot is covered with fabric, not plastic, which gives it a much warmer and softer feel. We were also incredibly careful with our design of the robots body languagelittle details like how fast the robot accelerates or turns when it first starts moving, and the sounds the robot makes as it goes around a corner so it doesnt surprise anyone. Robotics companies have a lot of work to do to prove to people that robots are good guys and can be really helpful, and its just in the movies that theyre always the villains. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | The biggest cultural barrier that prevents robots from being a bigger part of our daily lives is the stereotype created by Hollywood. When most people hear the phrase "security robot," the first thing they think of is Terminator or Robocop. Cobalt Robotics has worked with world-class designer Yves Behar to really understand how people would interact with the robot. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/02/07/why-arent-robots-more-integrated-into-our-everyday-lives/ | 0.378016 |
Why is Dallas Rep. Colin Allred taking a break from Congress to return home? | WASHINGTON Rep. Colin Allred is taking a break from Congress to return to Dallas. He and his wife, Alexandra Eber, are expecting the birth of their first child "very soon," the freshman congressman said in a statement Thursday. Aly and I are so thrilled to start this new chapter in our lives, he said. Family is so important and as a country we must allow for parents to spend time with their babies because providing parents the ability to stay home during this critical period leads to better outcomes for men, women and families. Allred also said his experience makes it clearer than ever that Washington needs to fund basic paid sick leave and parental leave. | Dallas Rep. Colin Allred is expecting the birth of his first child "very soon" Allred says his experience makes it "clearer than ever" that Washington needs to fund basic paid sick leave. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2019/02/07/dallas-rep-colin-allred-taking-break-congress-return-home | 0.11279 |
Why is Dallas Rep. Colin Allred taking a break from Congress to return home? | WASHINGTON Rep. Colin Allred is taking a break from Congress to return to Dallas. He and his wife, Alexandra Eber, are expecting the birth of their first child "very soon," the freshman congressman said in a statement Thursday. Aly and I are so thrilled to start this new chapter in our lives, he said. Family is so important and as a country we must allow for parents to spend time with their babies because providing parents the ability to stay home during this critical period leads to better outcomes for men, women and families. Allred also said his experience makes it clearer than ever that Washington needs to fund basic paid sick leave and parental leave. | Rep. Colin Allred is taking a break from Congress to return to Dallas. He and his wife, Alexandra Eber, are expecting the birth of their first child "very soon" Allred also said his experience makes it "clearer than ever" that Washington needs to fund basic paid sick leave and parental leave. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2019/02/07/dallas-rep-colin-allred-taking-break-congress-return-home | 0.609429 |
Where do the Suns go from here after a relatively quiet NBA trade deadline in Phoenix? | Suns forward Josh Jackson rallies his teammates during a time out in a game Jan. 8 against the Kings at Talking Stick Resort Arena. (Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Republic) Josh Jackson saw his name in trade talks going into the NBA trade deadline. No worries. I wasnt concerned, Jackson said after Thursdays practice. Had I been traded or had I not been traded, I feel like its a blessing to play in this league. I have fun doing what I love to do. Im just thankful for the opportunity to do that no matter where it is. The NBA trade deadline came and went without the Phoenix Suns making another move after acquiring Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington, who they later waived Thursday, from the Miami Heat for 10-year veteran Ryan Anderson. While it seemed as if every other team was making deals right before the deadline at 1 p.m. Phoenix time, the Suns (11-45) stayed pat and kept Jackson. Every team is trying to do whats best for them, said Jackson, the fourth overall pick in the 2017 draft who is averaging 10.0 points in his second NBA season. Seeing my name in trade talks, somebody else wants me. As long as some team in this league wants me, Im going to have a job. I felt that was a good sign. Suns forward Josh Jackson is defended by Rockets guard James Harden during the first quarter of a game Feb. 4 at Talking Stick Resort Arena. (Photo: Michael Chow/The Republic) League sources told The Republic that Jackson wasnt on the trading block despite numerous reports which said hed be an ideal player in perhaps a three-team deal that would have delivered New Orleans All-Star center Anthony Davis to Los Angeles and point guard Lonzo Ball to the Suns. That didnt materialize. Davis is still in New Orleans. Ball remains with the Lakers. And Jackson is still in Phoenix after matching his season high with 27 points against the Jazz to mark his third consecutive game with at least 25 points. One would think the Suns are going to make major offseason moves. If the Suns get the top overall pick, there will be several teams, including some playoff squads, willing to give up say a proven point guard and possibly a stretch four who can score inside to get the opportunity to draft Duke freshman phenom Zion Williamson. The Suns also still have players to evaluate the rest of the season like rookie point guards DeAnthony Melton, Elie Okobo, Kelly Oubre Jr., Jackson and Johnson to see if theyll have a future in Phoenix. Thats in the future. Right now, Phoenix is looking to end a season-high 12-game skid. The Suns might get Devin Booker back for Fridays game against the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors. Suns coach Igor Kokoskov listed him as questionable as Booker missed Wednesdays 116-88 loss at Utah with right hamstring tightness from Mondays loss to Houston. He was with the team, he was practicing, Kokoskov said. Practice was light. It wasnt a contact practice, but he felt good. As we know, he is anxious to come back and help his guys and help our team, especially tomorrow. Playing the world champs. Thats quite a challenge. He likes challenges. Kokoskov said TJ Warren (right ankle soreness) and Melton (right ankle sprain) are making progress, but are both will be out against the Warriors, and they might not return until after next weeks All-Star break. Looking at their recent additions, Johnson will be available for Fridays game. Im really excited, Johnson said. Its a new opportunity, a new challenge I get to face and hopefully I can bring some things over that Ive learned in my first five years over here. Kokoskov worked with the 6-foot-4 combo guard on a couple of offensive sets for Fridays game. Johnson said he arrived in Phoenix last night as he passed the team physical Thursday afternoon. Its going to be challenging, hard, but we know what hes going to bring, Kokoskov said. He doesnt have to know our offense. Hes going to know our defense. Bring energy and toughness and a presence on the court. FRIDAY'S GAME Golden State Warriors at Suns When: 7 p.m. Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena. TV: FSAZ. Outlook: Phoenix (11-45) has lost 12 consecutive games for the second time this season as it hasnt won since Devin Booker returned from back spasms. The Suns are coming off a 116-88 loss Wednesday at Utah in Igor Kokoskovs return to Utah, where he was an assistant before taking over in Phoenix. Golden State (38-15) has won 13 of its last 14 games and is coming off a 141-102 win over San Antonio. The Suns traded 10-year veteran Ryan Anderson to Miami for Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington, who they later waived Thursday. Klay Thompson has scored a total of 54 points in Golden States last two games, shooting 8-of-12 from 3, after missing the Warriors loss to Philadelphia (illness). Booker (right hamstring tightness) is listed as questionable as he missed Wednesdays game with the injury he sustained in Mondays loss to Houston. MORE SUNS | The NBA trade deadline came and went without the Phoenix Suns making another move. The Suns acquired Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington from the Miami Heat for 10-year veteran Ryan Anderson. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2019/02/07/nba-trade-deadline-phoenix-suns-josh-jackson/2805722002/ | 0.344855 |
Where do the Suns go from here after a relatively quiet NBA trade deadline in Phoenix? | Suns forward Josh Jackson rallies his teammates during a time out in a game Jan. 8 against the Kings at Talking Stick Resort Arena. (Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Republic) Josh Jackson saw his name in trade talks going into the NBA trade deadline. No worries. I wasnt concerned, Jackson said after Thursdays practice. Had I been traded or had I not been traded, I feel like its a blessing to play in this league. I have fun doing what I love to do. Im just thankful for the opportunity to do that no matter where it is. The NBA trade deadline came and went without the Phoenix Suns making another move after acquiring Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington, who they later waived Thursday, from the Miami Heat for 10-year veteran Ryan Anderson. While it seemed as if every other team was making deals right before the deadline at 1 p.m. Phoenix time, the Suns (11-45) stayed pat and kept Jackson. Every team is trying to do whats best for them, said Jackson, the fourth overall pick in the 2017 draft who is averaging 10.0 points in his second NBA season. Seeing my name in trade talks, somebody else wants me. As long as some team in this league wants me, Im going to have a job. I felt that was a good sign. Suns forward Josh Jackson is defended by Rockets guard James Harden during the first quarter of a game Feb. 4 at Talking Stick Resort Arena. (Photo: Michael Chow/The Republic) League sources told The Republic that Jackson wasnt on the trading block despite numerous reports which said hed be an ideal player in perhaps a three-team deal that would have delivered New Orleans All-Star center Anthony Davis to Los Angeles and point guard Lonzo Ball to the Suns. That didnt materialize. Davis is still in New Orleans. Ball remains with the Lakers. And Jackson is still in Phoenix after matching his season high with 27 points against the Jazz to mark his third consecutive game with at least 25 points. One would think the Suns are going to make major offseason moves. If the Suns get the top overall pick, there will be several teams, including some playoff squads, willing to give up say a proven point guard and possibly a stretch four who can score inside to get the opportunity to draft Duke freshman phenom Zion Williamson. The Suns also still have players to evaluate the rest of the season like rookie point guards DeAnthony Melton, Elie Okobo, Kelly Oubre Jr., Jackson and Johnson to see if theyll have a future in Phoenix. Thats in the future. Right now, Phoenix is looking to end a season-high 12-game skid. The Suns might get Devin Booker back for Fridays game against the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors. Suns coach Igor Kokoskov listed him as questionable as Booker missed Wednesdays 116-88 loss at Utah with right hamstring tightness from Mondays loss to Houston. He was with the team, he was practicing, Kokoskov said. Practice was light. It wasnt a contact practice, but he felt good. As we know, he is anxious to come back and help his guys and help our team, especially tomorrow. Playing the world champs. Thats quite a challenge. He likes challenges. Kokoskov said TJ Warren (right ankle soreness) and Melton (right ankle sprain) are making progress, but are both will be out against the Warriors, and they might not return until after next weeks All-Star break. Looking at their recent additions, Johnson will be available for Fridays game. Im really excited, Johnson said. Its a new opportunity, a new challenge I get to face and hopefully I can bring some things over that Ive learned in my first five years over here. Kokoskov worked with the 6-foot-4 combo guard on a couple of offensive sets for Fridays game. Johnson said he arrived in Phoenix last night as he passed the team physical Thursday afternoon. Its going to be challenging, hard, but we know what hes going to bring, Kokoskov said. He doesnt have to know our offense. Hes going to know our defense. Bring energy and toughness and a presence on the court. FRIDAY'S GAME Golden State Warriors at Suns When: 7 p.m. Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena. TV: FSAZ. Outlook: Phoenix (11-45) has lost 12 consecutive games for the second time this season as it hasnt won since Devin Booker returned from back spasms. The Suns are coming off a 116-88 loss Wednesday at Utah in Igor Kokoskovs return to Utah, where he was an assistant before taking over in Phoenix. Golden State (38-15) has won 13 of its last 14 games and is coming off a 141-102 win over San Antonio. The Suns traded 10-year veteran Ryan Anderson to Miami for Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington, who they later waived Thursday. Klay Thompson has scored a total of 54 points in Golden States last two games, shooting 8-of-12 from 3, after missing the Warriors loss to Philadelphia (illness). Booker (right hamstring tightness) is listed as questionable as he missed Wednesdays game with the injury he sustained in Mondays loss to Houston. MORE SUNS | The NBA trade deadline came and went without the Phoenix Suns making another move. The Suns acquired Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington from the Miami Heat for 10-year veteran Ryan Anderson. While it seemed as if every other team was making deals right before the deadline at 1 p.m. Phoenix time, the Suns stayed pat. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2019/02/07/nba-trade-deadline-phoenix-suns-josh-jackson/2805722002/ | 0.382845 |
What can TV viewers expect with Marquette women's coach Carolyn Kieger wearing a microphone during a game? | Marquette coach Carolyn Kieger talks with guard Danielle King. (Photo: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports) The eighth-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles are one of the best teams in womens college basketball. Now, for one game at least, they get to be reality television stars. MU (19-3, 10-0 Big East) plays Georgetown (11-11, 5-6) at 7 p.m. Friday at the Al McGuire Center, but this matchup will have a behind-the-scenes twist. The head coaches, the Golden Eagles Carolyn Kieger and the Hoyas James Howard, will be wearing live microphones so fans watching on TV will get a different perspective of the action. It is the fifth All-Access Game produced by Fox Sports and will be shown without commercials on FS1. That means viewers will be hearing what goes on in huddles, interactions with players and, yes, probably some terse observations directed at the referees. Itll be different, Kieger said. We got to make sure the team isnt focusing on that. Im not focusing on it. Were just taking it as another game, business as usual. Hopefully theres no distraction. Cameras will be trained on Kieger and Howard throughout the game and they will be shown in separate boxes on the TV screen next to the game action. There will be a traditional play-by-play announcer and analyst in Lisa Byington and Monica McNutt, but Fox Sports producer Steve Scheer will mostly be cutting to audio from the two coaches. "From Day 1, we've talked to our announcers about how they were going to be minimalists," Scheer said. "This is a different type of broadcast." Fox Sports is also trying something new with this game. MU assistant coach Scott Merritt will wear a camera that fits around his ear like a pair of glasses. I want you to feel like you are in the game, Scheer said. And the one place weve never had a camera is on the bench. I dont think we can cut it into the live play-by-play. We might try it, but its on the opposite side of the access. All of our cameras are on the other side and, (cutting) all of a sudden, it would be jarring. But during a free throw, we can cut to it. If Carolyn happens to be talking to an official, I can show (Merritt) looking at her. Viewers will also get the chance to go inside the teams locker rooms at halftime. The huddles are great, Scheer said. Hearing the play calls and them talking to their kids and talking to officials, it is off the charts. But when halftime hits, thats really when my ears perk up. Because I just think its so cool that we can be hearing the speech as the players are hearing it. Kieger admits that she was a bit reluctant to do this broadcast, but her concerns were eased after talking with other coaches at Big East media day before the season. I just think its good for womens basketball, Kieger said. Anything we can do to be creative. On the mens game, they have such a following regardless. And they get so many viewers on TV, they get so many fans in the stands. For our game, we want to get people to follow our team. And if this is a way to get more people to get engaged in our team, if its a way to get more people to fall in love with womens basketball, Im all for it. The MU coach hopes the broadcast will shine a brighter light on her players, who include two of the most dynamic in the Big East in senior guards Allazia Blockton and Natisha Hiedeman. I think theyll be able to see their personalities a little bit more, Kieger said. Our team, being that theyre such a veteran team, they talk to each other so well in timeouts. They hold each other accountable, its kind of neat to see. Hiedeman is not worried about people getting an intimate look at in-game talks with Kieger. Its a lot of positivity, a lot of encouragement, Hiedeman said. If theres stuff weve got to fix, shes going to let us know what we got to fix. Theres also the obvious danger in strapping microphones on fierce competitors in the heat of battle. My biggest fear, and the coaches biggest fear, is the magic four-letter word getting out, Scheer said. But were live TV, with a five-second delay. Kieger isnt worried. Should be fun, she joked. Just got to clean up my mouth a little bit. | Head coaches Carolyn Kieger and James Howard will be wearing live microphones so fans watching on TV will get a different perspective of the action. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/marquette/2019/02/07/marquette-womens-basketball-fox-sports-all-access/2795371002/ | 0.289639 |
What can TV viewers expect with Marquette women's coach Carolyn Kieger wearing a microphone during a game? | Marquette coach Carolyn Kieger talks with guard Danielle King. (Photo: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports) The eighth-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles are one of the best teams in womens college basketball. Now, for one game at least, they get to be reality television stars. MU (19-3, 10-0 Big East) plays Georgetown (11-11, 5-6) at 7 p.m. Friday at the Al McGuire Center, but this matchup will have a behind-the-scenes twist. The head coaches, the Golden Eagles Carolyn Kieger and the Hoyas James Howard, will be wearing live microphones so fans watching on TV will get a different perspective of the action. It is the fifth All-Access Game produced by Fox Sports and will be shown without commercials on FS1. That means viewers will be hearing what goes on in huddles, interactions with players and, yes, probably some terse observations directed at the referees. Itll be different, Kieger said. We got to make sure the team isnt focusing on that. Im not focusing on it. Were just taking it as another game, business as usual. Hopefully theres no distraction. Cameras will be trained on Kieger and Howard throughout the game and they will be shown in separate boxes on the TV screen next to the game action. There will be a traditional play-by-play announcer and analyst in Lisa Byington and Monica McNutt, but Fox Sports producer Steve Scheer will mostly be cutting to audio from the two coaches. "From Day 1, we've talked to our announcers about how they were going to be minimalists," Scheer said. "This is a different type of broadcast." Fox Sports is also trying something new with this game. MU assistant coach Scott Merritt will wear a camera that fits around his ear like a pair of glasses. I want you to feel like you are in the game, Scheer said. And the one place weve never had a camera is on the bench. I dont think we can cut it into the live play-by-play. We might try it, but its on the opposite side of the access. All of our cameras are on the other side and, (cutting) all of a sudden, it would be jarring. But during a free throw, we can cut to it. If Carolyn happens to be talking to an official, I can show (Merritt) looking at her. Viewers will also get the chance to go inside the teams locker rooms at halftime. The huddles are great, Scheer said. Hearing the play calls and them talking to their kids and talking to officials, it is off the charts. But when halftime hits, thats really when my ears perk up. Because I just think its so cool that we can be hearing the speech as the players are hearing it. Kieger admits that she was a bit reluctant to do this broadcast, but her concerns were eased after talking with other coaches at Big East media day before the season. I just think its good for womens basketball, Kieger said. Anything we can do to be creative. On the mens game, they have such a following regardless. And they get so many viewers on TV, they get so many fans in the stands. For our game, we want to get people to follow our team. And if this is a way to get more people to get engaged in our team, if its a way to get more people to fall in love with womens basketball, Im all for it. The MU coach hopes the broadcast will shine a brighter light on her players, who include two of the most dynamic in the Big East in senior guards Allazia Blockton and Natisha Hiedeman. I think theyll be able to see their personalities a little bit more, Kieger said. Our team, being that theyre such a veteran team, they talk to each other so well in timeouts. They hold each other accountable, its kind of neat to see. Hiedeman is not worried about people getting an intimate look at in-game talks with Kieger. Its a lot of positivity, a lot of encouragement, Hiedeman said. If theres stuff weve got to fix, shes going to let us know what we got to fix. Theres also the obvious danger in strapping microphones on fierce competitors in the heat of battle. My biggest fear, and the coaches biggest fear, is the magic four-letter word getting out, Scheer said. But were live TV, with a five-second delay. Kieger isnt worried. Should be fun, she joked. Just got to clean up my mouth a little bit. | Marquette's Carolyn Kieger and Georgetown's James Howard will be wearing live microphones. The game will be shown without commercials on Fox Sports on Friday. The microphones will be trained on the coaches throughout the game. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/marquette/2019/02/07/marquette-womens-basketball-fox-sports-all-access/2795371002/ | 0.249339 |
What can TV viewers expect with Marquette women's coach Carolyn Kieger wearing a microphone during a game? | Marquette coach Carolyn Kieger talks with guard Danielle King. (Photo: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports) The eighth-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles are one of the best teams in womens college basketball. Now, for one game at least, they get to be reality television stars. MU (19-3, 10-0 Big East) plays Georgetown (11-11, 5-6) at 7 p.m. Friday at the Al McGuire Center, but this matchup will have a behind-the-scenes twist. The head coaches, the Golden Eagles Carolyn Kieger and the Hoyas James Howard, will be wearing live microphones so fans watching on TV will get a different perspective of the action. It is the fifth All-Access Game produced by Fox Sports and will be shown without commercials on FS1. That means viewers will be hearing what goes on in huddles, interactions with players and, yes, probably some terse observations directed at the referees. Itll be different, Kieger said. We got to make sure the team isnt focusing on that. Im not focusing on it. Were just taking it as another game, business as usual. Hopefully theres no distraction. Cameras will be trained on Kieger and Howard throughout the game and they will be shown in separate boxes on the TV screen next to the game action. There will be a traditional play-by-play announcer and analyst in Lisa Byington and Monica McNutt, but Fox Sports producer Steve Scheer will mostly be cutting to audio from the two coaches. "From Day 1, we've talked to our announcers about how they were going to be minimalists," Scheer said. "This is a different type of broadcast." Fox Sports is also trying something new with this game. MU assistant coach Scott Merritt will wear a camera that fits around his ear like a pair of glasses. I want you to feel like you are in the game, Scheer said. And the one place weve never had a camera is on the bench. I dont think we can cut it into the live play-by-play. We might try it, but its on the opposite side of the access. All of our cameras are on the other side and, (cutting) all of a sudden, it would be jarring. But during a free throw, we can cut to it. If Carolyn happens to be talking to an official, I can show (Merritt) looking at her. Viewers will also get the chance to go inside the teams locker rooms at halftime. The huddles are great, Scheer said. Hearing the play calls and them talking to their kids and talking to officials, it is off the charts. But when halftime hits, thats really when my ears perk up. Because I just think its so cool that we can be hearing the speech as the players are hearing it. Kieger admits that she was a bit reluctant to do this broadcast, but her concerns were eased after talking with other coaches at Big East media day before the season. I just think its good for womens basketball, Kieger said. Anything we can do to be creative. On the mens game, they have such a following regardless. And they get so many viewers on TV, they get so many fans in the stands. For our game, we want to get people to follow our team. And if this is a way to get more people to get engaged in our team, if its a way to get more people to fall in love with womens basketball, Im all for it. The MU coach hopes the broadcast will shine a brighter light on her players, who include two of the most dynamic in the Big East in senior guards Allazia Blockton and Natisha Hiedeman. I think theyll be able to see their personalities a little bit more, Kieger said. Our team, being that theyre such a veteran team, they talk to each other so well in timeouts. They hold each other accountable, its kind of neat to see. Hiedeman is not worried about people getting an intimate look at in-game talks with Kieger. Its a lot of positivity, a lot of encouragement, Hiedeman said. If theres stuff weve got to fix, shes going to let us know what we got to fix. Theres also the obvious danger in strapping microphones on fierce competitors in the heat of battle. My biggest fear, and the coaches biggest fear, is the magic four-letter word getting out, Scheer said. But were live TV, with a five-second delay. Kieger isnt worried. Should be fun, she joked. Just got to clean up my mouth a little bit. | Marquette's Carolyn Kieger and Georgetown's James Howard will be wearing live microphones. The game will be shown without commercials on Fox Sports on Friday night. The microphones will be trained on the coaches throughout the game and shown in separate boxes on the TV screen next to the game action. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/marquette/2019/02/07/marquette-womens-basketball-fox-sports-all-access/2795371002/ | 0.384113 |
What's wrong with the Coyotes' power play and how can it be fixed? | What has been a weakness for the Coyotes all season long is starting to become even more detrimental to the teams success. The Coyotes power play has struggled for the better part of the 2018-19 season. Their 17 percent conversion rate ranked 21st out of 31 NHL teams entering play Thursday. But the Coyotes power-play issues have grown even worse lately. Rookie Conor Garland scored the teams last power-play goal on Jan. 23 in Montreal -- before the All-Star break. Since then, the Coyotes are 0 for their last 14 on the man-advantage. San Jose Sharks goaltender Martin Jones (31) blocks a shot from Arizona Coyotes center Alex Galchenyuk (17) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. (Photo: Tony Avelar, AP) Special teams is such a big part of the game, Coyotes forward Alex Galchenyuk said. Weve got to find a way to do better at it. I think we need to be more active as a unit and not waiting for the one person with the puck to make a play. All of us need to attack the net more. Were winning the battles, but we just need to attack the right way. The Coyotes power play is no longer a nagging issue. Its seriously hurting them. The Coyotes led Dallas 2-1 when they were staked to an all-you-can-score, five-minute power play late in the second period, but failed to do anything with it. The Stars quickly flipped the momentum starting the third period and scored three goals in a 71-second span to win the game. A similar disaster unfolded the following night in Nashville. The Coyotes led 1-0 in the second period and a 5-on-3 opportunity for more than 40 seconds, but failed to generate anything resembling a high-quality scoring chance. The Predators quickly gained all the momentum and blitzed for three unanswered goals to clinch the game. I thought we were the better team against San Jose and Dallas in terms of chances and zone possession, Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet said of the recent road trip. But when it comes to special teams and high-end situations, (Dallas and Nashville) made the plays and we didnt. Thats the key for us is that, when we get in those moments, we have to seize those moments. One thing to consider is the absence of Nick Schmaltz, expected to miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury. When Schmaltz was in the lineup, a stretch of just 16 games, the Coyotes were converting on the power play at 20 percent (10 goals in 50 chances). While 20 percent would only be good enough to rank 17th in the NHL entering play Thursday, Schmaltz added a different dimension to the Coyotes power play. He was extremely effective on the half-wall (the section of boards stretching from the end line to the blue line) and showed a willingness to attack the net as well as spread the puck around. Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz, left, celebrates with Jakob Chychrun after scoring in overtime, as Anaheim Ducks right wing Ondrej Kase skates past in an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018. (Photo: Chris Carlson/AP) That same dynamic has not been present lately. Players such as Galchenyuk and Clayton Keller seem to be jammed up and point men such as Oliver Ekman-Larsson arent generating enough chances from the middle. As a coach, youre looking at your options in a sense where I need Galchenyuk and I need Keller, Tocchet said. ... I dont think thats the proper way, but there needs to be a message to these guys that we need results. We dont need to score but we need momentum. Were not even getting chances on a 5-on-3 and thats upsetting to me. I want to keep rolling these guys out there, but they need to give me something. I need to see more diligence and leadership on that power play. Someone has to be willing to make a read and attack instead of deferring. Were not shooting. Everyone wants to score but nobody wants to do the dirty work. You never want that kind of power play, but thats on me. Ive got to get these guys to do it. Galchenyuk is lauded for his lethal one-timer from the slot, but its a weapon that hasnt been on display much this season. Tocchet said hed like to see Galchenyuk make better reads and get creative when other teams choose to take away his one-timers. As long as Ive coached, I cant stand the mentality of, This is my spot, Tocchet said. Its not your spot. Everybody knows where Alexander Ovechkin is going to be; thats his spot. But if you watch Ovechkin, if you take him away hell go to the net and hell go to the post. And that means (John) Carlson gets a one-timer and he scores or (Niklas) Backstrom hits somebody backdoor because everyone is looking at Ovechkin. You have to make those adjustments on the ice. Tocchet also wants to see more chances generated from the middle of the ice, a reason why rookie defenseman Kyle Capobianco could be the Coyotes next power-play experiment. Capobianco, recalled from AHL Tucson on Jan. 31, runs the Roadrunners power play and could get a look with the Coyotes man-advantage as well. I think Capo is a guy that can shoot the puck hard, Tocchet said. To me, its not the initial shot. Its the second shot because thats when the penalty killers are out of position. Ive tracked power-play goals over the past year. Most power-play goals I think its 80 percent start from something from the middle. Very rarely does it come from somewhere else. For a team already battling more adversity than it can handle the Coyotes were missing nine regulars during Wednesday's game in Nashville due to injuries there is simply no room to give away games in this manner while mired in a Western Conference playoff race. The Coyotes entered play Thursday just three points out of a wild card spot. To close that gap, they'll need to find a way to start taking advantage of their man-advantages. READ MORE: Richard Morin covers the Coyotes and Diamondbacks for azcentral sports. He can be reached at rmorin@arizonarepublic.com and by phone at 480-316-2493. Follow him on Twitter @ramorin_azc. | The Coyotes are 0 for their last 14 on the man-advantage. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nhl/coyotes/2019/02/07/whats-wrong-arizona-coyotes-power-play-and-how-can-fixed/2806155002/ | 0.152375 |
What's wrong with the Coyotes' power play and how can it be fixed? | What has been a weakness for the Coyotes all season long is starting to become even more detrimental to the teams success. The Coyotes power play has struggled for the better part of the 2018-19 season. Their 17 percent conversion rate ranked 21st out of 31 NHL teams entering play Thursday. But the Coyotes power-play issues have grown even worse lately. Rookie Conor Garland scored the teams last power-play goal on Jan. 23 in Montreal -- before the All-Star break. Since then, the Coyotes are 0 for their last 14 on the man-advantage. San Jose Sharks goaltender Martin Jones (31) blocks a shot from Arizona Coyotes center Alex Galchenyuk (17) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. (Photo: Tony Avelar, AP) Special teams is such a big part of the game, Coyotes forward Alex Galchenyuk said. Weve got to find a way to do better at it. I think we need to be more active as a unit and not waiting for the one person with the puck to make a play. All of us need to attack the net more. Were winning the battles, but we just need to attack the right way. The Coyotes power play is no longer a nagging issue. Its seriously hurting them. The Coyotes led Dallas 2-1 when they were staked to an all-you-can-score, five-minute power play late in the second period, but failed to do anything with it. The Stars quickly flipped the momentum starting the third period and scored three goals in a 71-second span to win the game. A similar disaster unfolded the following night in Nashville. The Coyotes led 1-0 in the second period and a 5-on-3 opportunity for more than 40 seconds, but failed to generate anything resembling a high-quality scoring chance. The Predators quickly gained all the momentum and blitzed for three unanswered goals to clinch the game. I thought we were the better team against San Jose and Dallas in terms of chances and zone possession, Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet said of the recent road trip. But when it comes to special teams and high-end situations, (Dallas and Nashville) made the plays and we didnt. Thats the key for us is that, when we get in those moments, we have to seize those moments. One thing to consider is the absence of Nick Schmaltz, expected to miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury. When Schmaltz was in the lineup, a stretch of just 16 games, the Coyotes were converting on the power play at 20 percent (10 goals in 50 chances). While 20 percent would only be good enough to rank 17th in the NHL entering play Thursday, Schmaltz added a different dimension to the Coyotes power play. He was extremely effective on the half-wall (the section of boards stretching from the end line to the blue line) and showed a willingness to attack the net as well as spread the puck around. Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz, left, celebrates with Jakob Chychrun after scoring in overtime, as Anaheim Ducks right wing Ondrej Kase skates past in an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018. (Photo: Chris Carlson/AP) That same dynamic has not been present lately. Players such as Galchenyuk and Clayton Keller seem to be jammed up and point men such as Oliver Ekman-Larsson arent generating enough chances from the middle. As a coach, youre looking at your options in a sense where I need Galchenyuk and I need Keller, Tocchet said. ... I dont think thats the proper way, but there needs to be a message to these guys that we need results. We dont need to score but we need momentum. Were not even getting chances on a 5-on-3 and thats upsetting to me. I want to keep rolling these guys out there, but they need to give me something. I need to see more diligence and leadership on that power play. Someone has to be willing to make a read and attack instead of deferring. Were not shooting. Everyone wants to score but nobody wants to do the dirty work. You never want that kind of power play, but thats on me. Ive got to get these guys to do it. Galchenyuk is lauded for his lethal one-timer from the slot, but its a weapon that hasnt been on display much this season. Tocchet said hed like to see Galchenyuk make better reads and get creative when other teams choose to take away his one-timers. As long as Ive coached, I cant stand the mentality of, This is my spot, Tocchet said. Its not your spot. Everybody knows where Alexander Ovechkin is going to be; thats his spot. But if you watch Ovechkin, if you take him away hell go to the net and hell go to the post. And that means (John) Carlson gets a one-timer and he scores or (Niklas) Backstrom hits somebody backdoor because everyone is looking at Ovechkin. You have to make those adjustments on the ice. Tocchet also wants to see more chances generated from the middle of the ice, a reason why rookie defenseman Kyle Capobianco could be the Coyotes next power-play experiment. Capobianco, recalled from AHL Tucson on Jan. 31, runs the Roadrunners power play and could get a look with the Coyotes man-advantage as well. I think Capo is a guy that can shoot the puck hard, Tocchet said. To me, its not the initial shot. Its the second shot because thats when the penalty killers are out of position. Ive tracked power-play goals over the past year. Most power-play goals I think its 80 percent start from something from the middle. Very rarely does it come from somewhere else. For a team already battling more adversity than it can handle the Coyotes were missing nine regulars during Wednesday's game in Nashville due to injuries there is simply no room to give away games in this manner while mired in a Western Conference playoff race. The Coyotes entered play Thursday just three points out of a wild card spot. To close that gap, they'll need to find a way to start taking advantage of their man-advantages. READ MORE: Richard Morin covers the Coyotes and Diamondbacks for azcentral sports. He can be reached at rmorin@arizonarepublic.com and by phone at 480-316-2493. Follow him on Twitter @ramorin_azc. | The Coyotes power play has struggled for the better part of the 2018-19 season. Their 17 percent conversion rate ranked 21st out of 31 NHL teams entering play Thursday. The Coyotes are 0 for their last 14 on the man-advantage. | bart | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nhl/coyotes/2019/02/07/whats-wrong-arizona-coyotes-power-play-and-how-can-fixed/2806155002/ | 0.160393 |
What's wrong with the Coyotes' power play and how can it be fixed? | What has been a weakness for the Coyotes all season long is starting to become even more detrimental to the teams success. The Coyotes power play has struggled for the better part of the 2018-19 season. Their 17 percent conversion rate ranked 21st out of 31 NHL teams entering play Thursday. But the Coyotes power-play issues have grown even worse lately. Rookie Conor Garland scored the teams last power-play goal on Jan. 23 in Montreal -- before the All-Star break. Since then, the Coyotes are 0 for their last 14 on the man-advantage. San Jose Sharks goaltender Martin Jones (31) blocks a shot from Arizona Coyotes center Alex Galchenyuk (17) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. (Photo: Tony Avelar, AP) Special teams is such a big part of the game, Coyotes forward Alex Galchenyuk said. Weve got to find a way to do better at it. I think we need to be more active as a unit and not waiting for the one person with the puck to make a play. All of us need to attack the net more. Were winning the battles, but we just need to attack the right way. The Coyotes power play is no longer a nagging issue. Its seriously hurting them. The Coyotes led Dallas 2-1 when they were staked to an all-you-can-score, five-minute power play late in the second period, but failed to do anything with it. The Stars quickly flipped the momentum starting the third period and scored three goals in a 71-second span to win the game. A similar disaster unfolded the following night in Nashville. The Coyotes led 1-0 in the second period and a 5-on-3 opportunity for more than 40 seconds, but failed to generate anything resembling a high-quality scoring chance. The Predators quickly gained all the momentum and blitzed for three unanswered goals to clinch the game. I thought we were the better team against San Jose and Dallas in terms of chances and zone possession, Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet said of the recent road trip. But when it comes to special teams and high-end situations, (Dallas and Nashville) made the plays and we didnt. Thats the key for us is that, when we get in those moments, we have to seize those moments. One thing to consider is the absence of Nick Schmaltz, expected to miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury. When Schmaltz was in the lineup, a stretch of just 16 games, the Coyotes were converting on the power play at 20 percent (10 goals in 50 chances). While 20 percent would only be good enough to rank 17th in the NHL entering play Thursday, Schmaltz added a different dimension to the Coyotes power play. He was extremely effective on the half-wall (the section of boards stretching from the end line to the blue line) and showed a willingness to attack the net as well as spread the puck around. Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz, left, celebrates with Jakob Chychrun after scoring in overtime, as Anaheim Ducks right wing Ondrej Kase skates past in an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018. (Photo: Chris Carlson/AP) That same dynamic has not been present lately. Players such as Galchenyuk and Clayton Keller seem to be jammed up and point men such as Oliver Ekman-Larsson arent generating enough chances from the middle. As a coach, youre looking at your options in a sense where I need Galchenyuk and I need Keller, Tocchet said. ... I dont think thats the proper way, but there needs to be a message to these guys that we need results. We dont need to score but we need momentum. Were not even getting chances on a 5-on-3 and thats upsetting to me. I want to keep rolling these guys out there, but they need to give me something. I need to see more diligence and leadership on that power play. Someone has to be willing to make a read and attack instead of deferring. Were not shooting. Everyone wants to score but nobody wants to do the dirty work. You never want that kind of power play, but thats on me. Ive got to get these guys to do it. Galchenyuk is lauded for his lethal one-timer from the slot, but its a weapon that hasnt been on display much this season. Tocchet said hed like to see Galchenyuk make better reads and get creative when other teams choose to take away his one-timers. As long as Ive coached, I cant stand the mentality of, This is my spot, Tocchet said. Its not your spot. Everybody knows where Alexander Ovechkin is going to be; thats his spot. But if you watch Ovechkin, if you take him away hell go to the net and hell go to the post. And that means (John) Carlson gets a one-timer and he scores or (Niklas) Backstrom hits somebody backdoor because everyone is looking at Ovechkin. You have to make those adjustments on the ice. Tocchet also wants to see more chances generated from the middle of the ice, a reason why rookie defenseman Kyle Capobianco could be the Coyotes next power-play experiment. Capobianco, recalled from AHL Tucson on Jan. 31, runs the Roadrunners power play and could get a look with the Coyotes man-advantage as well. I think Capo is a guy that can shoot the puck hard, Tocchet said. To me, its not the initial shot. Its the second shot because thats when the penalty killers are out of position. Ive tracked power-play goals over the past year. Most power-play goals I think its 80 percent start from something from the middle. Very rarely does it come from somewhere else. For a team already battling more adversity than it can handle the Coyotes were missing nine regulars during Wednesday's game in Nashville due to injuries there is simply no room to give away games in this manner while mired in a Western Conference playoff race. The Coyotes entered play Thursday just three points out of a wild card spot. To close that gap, they'll need to find a way to start taking advantage of their man-advantages. READ MORE: Richard Morin covers the Coyotes and Diamondbacks for azcentral sports. He can be reached at rmorin@arizonarepublic.com and by phone at 480-316-2493. Follow him on Twitter @ramorin_azc. | The Coyotes power play has struggled for the better part of the 2018-19 season. Their 17 percent conversion rate ranked 21st out of 31 NHL teams entering play Thursday. Since the All-Star break, the Coyotes are 0 for their last 14 on the man-advantage. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nhl/coyotes/2019/02/07/whats-wrong-arizona-coyotes-power-play-and-how-can-fixed/2806155002/ | 0.238692 |
Can the second Trump-Kim summit end the Korean War? | US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are due to meet in Vietman this month (AFP Photo/SAUL LOEB) Seoul (AFP) - The second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has raised hopes for the longest ceasefire in history to be replaced by a peace treaty. Seoul and Pyongyang remain technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice. Stephen Biegun, the US special envoy for North Korea, said last week that Trump was "ready to end this war", fuelling speculation that the formal end of the conflict may be near, with Trump and Kim meeting in Vietnam this month. But analysts say a full peace treaty poses many complications, and will need extensive negotiations. The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two neighbours technically still in a state of conflict. The signatories to the armistice included the US-led United Nations Command, which fought alongside the South's troops, as well as China and North Korea. Declaring an end to the war was one of the agreements at the first summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in last year, but little progress has been made, with the US and the North at loggerheads over Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal. In his New Year's speech, Kim called for "multi-party negotiations for replacing the current ceasefire... with a peace mechanism in close contact with the signatories to the armistice agreement". For Pyongyang, a peace treaty is vital to regime survival as it will mean "North Korea and the US are no longer enemies", said Koo Kab-woo, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. South Korea's dovish Moon -- with a slogan of creating a peninsula "free of war" -- is also a supporter. But Washington has been wary as the treaty could bring into question the justification for its military alliance with Seoul and the 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea. "The US fears abrupt changes to the regional order will impact its own interests, which won't be good as China flexes its muscles," Koh Yu-hwan, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University. A peace treaty would be welcome news for Beijing as it seeks a "reduction of the US role" on the peninsula, Koh added. The possibility is very low, given the complexity of the issue. Koo of the University of North Korean Studies says the deal would require "so many world-changing issues", from amending the constitutions of the two Koreas and re-addressing the role of the US troops. Kim Dong-yub, an analyst at the Seoul-based Institute for Far Eastern Studies, added that negotiations for such a treaty may need more than three years. The more likely scenario is for the concerned parties -- North and South Korea, the US, and China -- to declare a formal end to the war as a political statement. "This will pave the way for a peace treaty," said Go Myong-hyun, an analyst at the Seoul-based Asan Institute of Policy Studies. The South China Morning Post reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping will be in Danang -- a potential venue of the Trump-Kim summit -- for meetings with the American president. Analysts offer differing outlooks but all agree on one aspect: an end to the war will undoubtedly trigger debate about the US troops in South Korea. Chinese forces that fought alongside the North Koreans in the Korean War pulled out of the peninsula in 1956, and with an official end to the conflict, Washington may struggle to justify its military presence in the South. But a peace treaty would also place increased pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programme -- which the regime has repeatedly claimed was developed to defend against the United States. "An end-of-war declaration is verbally ending hostile relations," Koh said. "And a peace treaty will finalise it in a legally binding manner." | Can the second Trump-Kim summit end the Korean War? Analysts say a full peace treaty poses many complications. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://news.yahoo.com/second-trump-kim-summit-end-korean-war-021521751.html | 0.113395 |
Can the second Trump-Kim summit end the Korean War? | US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are due to meet in Vietman this month (AFP Photo/SAUL LOEB) Seoul (AFP) - The second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has raised hopes for the longest ceasefire in history to be replaced by a peace treaty. Seoul and Pyongyang remain technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice. Stephen Biegun, the US special envoy for North Korea, said last week that Trump was "ready to end this war", fuelling speculation that the formal end of the conflict may be near, with Trump and Kim meeting in Vietnam this month. But analysts say a full peace treaty poses many complications, and will need extensive negotiations. The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two neighbours technically still in a state of conflict. The signatories to the armistice included the US-led United Nations Command, which fought alongside the South's troops, as well as China and North Korea. Declaring an end to the war was one of the agreements at the first summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in last year, but little progress has been made, with the US and the North at loggerheads over Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal. In his New Year's speech, Kim called for "multi-party negotiations for replacing the current ceasefire... with a peace mechanism in close contact with the signatories to the armistice agreement". For Pyongyang, a peace treaty is vital to regime survival as it will mean "North Korea and the US are no longer enemies", said Koo Kab-woo, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. South Korea's dovish Moon -- with a slogan of creating a peninsula "free of war" -- is also a supporter. But Washington has been wary as the treaty could bring into question the justification for its military alliance with Seoul and the 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea. "The US fears abrupt changes to the regional order will impact its own interests, which won't be good as China flexes its muscles," Koh Yu-hwan, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University. A peace treaty would be welcome news for Beijing as it seeks a "reduction of the US role" on the peninsula, Koh added. The possibility is very low, given the complexity of the issue. Koo of the University of North Korean Studies says the deal would require "so many world-changing issues", from amending the constitutions of the two Koreas and re-addressing the role of the US troops. Kim Dong-yub, an analyst at the Seoul-based Institute for Far Eastern Studies, added that negotiations for such a treaty may need more than three years. The more likely scenario is for the concerned parties -- North and South Korea, the US, and China -- to declare a formal end to the war as a political statement. "This will pave the way for a peace treaty," said Go Myong-hyun, an analyst at the Seoul-based Asan Institute of Policy Studies. The South China Morning Post reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping will be in Danang -- a potential venue of the Trump-Kim summit -- for meetings with the American president. Analysts offer differing outlooks but all agree on one aspect: an end to the war will undoubtedly trigger debate about the US troops in South Korea. Chinese forces that fought alongside the North Koreans in the Korean War pulled out of the peninsula in 1956, and with an official end to the conflict, Washington may struggle to justify its military presence in the South. But a peace treaty would also place increased pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programme -- which the regime has repeatedly claimed was developed to defend against the United States. "An end-of-war declaration is verbally ending hostile relations," Koh said. "And a peace treaty will finalise it in a legally binding manner." | Can the second Trump-Kim summit end the Korean War? Analysts say the possibility is very low, given the complexity of the issue. The two neighbours remain technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/second-trump-kim-summit-end-korean-war-021521751.html | 0.44269 |
Can the second Trump-Kim summit end the Korean War? | US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are due to meet in Vietman this month (AFP Photo/SAUL LOEB) Seoul (AFP) - The second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has raised hopes for the longest ceasefire in history to be replaced by a peace treaty. Seoul and Pyongyang remain technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice. Stephen Biegun, the US special envoy for North Korea, said last week that Trump was "ready to end this war", fuelling speculation that the formal end of the conflict may be near, with Trump and Kim meeting in Vietnam this month. But analysts say a full peace treaty poses many complications, and will need extensive negotiations. The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two neighbours technically still in a state of conflict. The signatories to the armistice included the US-led United Nations Command, which fought alongside the South's troops, as well as China and North Korea. Declaring an end to the war was one of the agreements at the first summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in last year, but little progress has been made, with the US and the North at loggerheads over Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal. In his New Year's speech, Kim called for "multi-party negotiations for replacing the current ceasefire... with a peace mechanism in close contact with the signatories to the armistice agreement". For Pyongyang, a peace treaty is vital to regime survival as it will mean "North Korea and the US are no longer enemies", said Koo Kab-woo, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. South Korea's dovish Moon -- with a slogan of creating a peninsula "free of war" -- is also a supporter. But Washington has been wary as the treaty could bring into question the justification for its military alliance with Seoul and the 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea. "The US fears abrupt changes to the regional order will impact its own interests, which won't be good as China flexes its muscles," Koh Yu-hwan, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University. A peace treaty would be welcome news for Beijing as it seeks a "reduction of the US role" on the peninsula, Koh added. The possibility is very low, given the complexity of the issue. Koo of the University of North Korean Studies says the deal would require "so many world-changing issues", from amending the constitutions of the two Koreas and re-addressing the role of the US troops. Kim Dong-yub, an analyst at the Seoul-based Institute for Far Eastern Studies, added that negotiations for such a treaty may need more than three years. The more likely scenario is for the concerned parties -- North and South Korea, the US, and China -- to declare a formal end to the war as a political statement. "This will pave the way for a peace treaty," said Go Myong-hyun, an analyst at the Seoul-based Asan Institute of Policy Studies. The South China Morning Post reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping will be in Danang -- a potential venue of the Trump-Kim summit -- for meetings with the American president. Analysts offer differing outlooks but all agree on one aspect: an end to the war will undoubtedly trigger debate about the US troops in South Korea. Chinese forces that fought alongside the North Koreans in the Korean War pulled out of the peninsula in 1956, and with an official end to the conflict, Washington may struggle to justify its military presence in the South. But a peace treaty would also place increased pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programme -- which the regime has repeatedly claimed was developed to defend against the United States. "An end-of-war declaration is verbally ending hostile relations," Koh said. "And a peace treaty will finalise it in a legally binding manner." | Can the second Trump-Kim summit end the Korean War? Analysts say a full peace treaty poses many complications, and will need extensive negotiations. A peace treaty would be welcome news for Beijing as it seeks a "reduction of the US role" on the peninsula. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/second-trump-kim-summit-end-korean-war-021521751.html | 0.325316 |
Are Headlam Group plcs Returns On Capital Worth Investigating? | Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Today we are going to look at Headlam Group plc (LON:HEAD) to see whether it might be an attractive investment prospect. Specifically, well consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), since that will give us an insight into how efficiently the business can generate profits from the capital it requires. First, well go over how we calculate ROCE. Second, well look at its ROCE compared to similar companies. Finally, well look at how its current liabilities affect its ROCE. Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) ROCE measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. All else being equal, a better business will have a higher ROCE. Overall, it is a valuable metric that has its flaws. Analysts use this formula to calculate return on capital employed: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets Current Liabilities) Or for Headlam Group: 0.16 = UK42m (UK471m UK199m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2018.) Therefore, Headlam Group has an ROCE of 16%. ROCE is commonly used for comparing the performance of similar businesses. It appears that Headlam Groups ROCE is fairly close to the Retail Distributors industry average of 16%. Independently of how Headlam Group compares to its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms appears decent, and the company may be worthy of closer investigation. LSE:HEAD Last Perf February 8th 19 More When considering this metric, keep in mind that it is backwards looking, and not necessarily predictive. Companies in cyclical industries can be difficult to understand using ROCE, as returns typically look high during boom times, and low during busts. This is because ROCE only looks at one year, instead of considering returns across a whole cycle. Future performance is what matters, and you can see analyst predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company. Headlam Groups Current Liabilities And Their Impact On Its ROCE Short term (or current) liabilities, are things like supplier invoices, overdrafts, or tax bills that need to be paid within 12 months. Due to the way ROCE is calculated, a high level of current liabilities makes a company look as though it has less capital employed, and thus can (sometimes unfairly) boost the ROCE. To counter this, investors can check if a company has high current liabilities relative to total assets. Headlam Group has total assets of UK471m and current liabilities of UK199m. As a result, its current liabilities are equal to approximately 42% of its total assets. With this level of current liabilities, Headlam Groups ROCE is boosted somewhat. What We Can Learn From Headlam Groups ROCE Headlam Groups ROCE does look good, but the level of current liabilities also contribute to that. You might be able to find a better buy than Headlam Group. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings). | Headlam Group plc (LON:HEAD) has a Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) of 16%. | bart | 0 | https://news.yahoo.com/headlam-group-plc-returns-capital-054726448.html | 0.367106 |
Are Headlam Group plcs Returns On Capital Worth Investigating? | Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Today we are going to look at Headlam Group plc (LON:HEAD) to see whether it might be an attractive investment prospect. Specifically, well consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), since that will give us an insight into how efficiently the business can generate profits from the capital it requires. First, well go over how we calculate ROCE. Second, well look at its ROCE compared to similar companies. Finally, well look at how its current liabilities affect its ROCE. Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) ROCE measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. All else being equal, a better business will have a higher ROCE. Overall, it is a valuable metric that has its flaws. Analysts use this formula to calculate return on capital employed: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets Current Liabilities) Or for Headlam Group: 0.16 = UK42m (UK471m UK199m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2018.) Therefore, Headlam Group has an ROCE of 16%. ROCE is commonly used for comparing the performance of similar businesses. It appears that Headlam Groups ROCE is fairly close to the Retail Distributors industry average of 16%. Independently of how Headlam Group compares to its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms appears decent, and the company may be worthy of closer investigation. LSE:HEAD Last Perf February 8th 19 More When considering this metric, keep in mind that it is backwards looking, and not necessarily predictive. Companies in cyclical industries can be difficult to understand using ROCE, as returns typically look high during boom times, and low during busts. This is because ROCE only looks at one year, instead of considering returns across a whole cycle. Future performance is what matters, and you can see analyst predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company. Headlam Groups Current Liabilities And Their Impact On Its ROCE Short term (or current) liabilities, are things like supplier invoices, overdrafts, or tax bills that need to be paid within 12 months. Due to the way ROCE is calculated, a high level of current liabilities makes a company look as though it has less capital employed, and thus can (sometimes unfairly) boost the ROCE. To counter this, investors can check if a company has high current liabilities relative to total assets. Headlam Group has total assets of UK471m and current liabilities of UK199m. As a result, its current liabilities are equal to approximately 42% of its total assets. With this level of current liabilities, Headlam Groups ROCE is boosted somewhat. What We Can Learn From Headlam Groups ROCE Headlam Groups ROCE does look good, but the level of current liabilities also contribute to that. You might be able to find a better buy than Headlam Group. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings). | Headlam Group plc (LON:HEAD) has a Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) of 16%. The ROCE is considered to be the most reliable gauge of a company's profitability. | bart | 1 | https://news.yahoo.com/headlam-group-plc-returns-capital-054726448.html | 0.377048 |
Are Headlam Group plcs Returns On Capital Worth Investigating? | Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Today we are going to look at Headlam Group plc (LON:HEAD) to see whether it might be an attractive investment prospect. Specifically, well consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), since that will give us an insight into how efficiently the business can generate profits from the capital it requires. First, well go over how we calculate ROCE. Second, well look at its ROCE compared to similar companies. Finally, well look at how its current liabilities affect its ROCE. Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) ROCE measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. All else being equal, a better business will have a higher ROCE. Overall, it is a valuable metric that has its flaws. Analysts use this formula to calculate return on capital employed: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets Current Liabilities) Or for Headlam Group: 0.16 = UK42m (UK471m UK199m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2018.) Therefore, Headlam Group has an ROCE of 16%. ROCE is commonly used for comparing the performance of similar businesses. It appears that Headlam Groups ROCE is fairly close to the Retail Distributors industry average of 16%. Independently of how Headlam Group compares to its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms appears decent, and the company may be worthy of closer investigation. LSE:HEAD Last Perf February 8th 19 More When considering this metric, keep in mind that it is backwards looking, and not necessarily predictive. Companies in cyclical industries can be difficult to understand using ROCE, as returns typically look high during boom times, and low during busts. This is because ROCE only looks at one year, instead of considering returns across a whole cycle. Future performance is what matters, and you can see analyst predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company. Headlam Groups Current Liabilities And Their Impact On Its ROCE Short term (or current) liabilities, are things like supplier invoices, overdrafts, or tax bills that need to be paid within 12 months. Due to the way ROCE is calculated, a high level of current liabilities makes a company look as though it has less capital employed, and thus can (sometimes unfairly) boost the ROCE. To counter this, investors can check if a company has high current liabilities relative to total assets. Headlam Group has total assets of UK471m and current liabilities of UK199m. As a result, its current liabilities are equal to approximately 42% of its total assets. With this level of current liabilities, Headlam Groups ROCE is boosted somewhat. What We Can Learn From Headlam Groups ROCE Headlam Groups ROCE does look good, but the level of current liabilities also contribute to that. You might be able to find a better buy than Headlam Group. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings). | Headlam Group has a higher Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) than the Retail Distributors industry average. Headlam Group has total assets of UK471m and current liabilities of UK199m. Current liabilities are things like supplier invoices, overdrafts, or tax bills that need to be paid within 12 months. | pegasus | 2 | https://news.yahoo.com/headlam-group-plc-returns-capital-054726448.html | 0.428152 |
Why is it so easy to fall in love while travelling? | Amidst the nail-clipping, chair-reclining, bare-feet-on-back-of-seat horror stories we hear from 40,000 feet in the air, a survey last summer from HSBC tells a far better tale: Of 5,000 travellers from 141 countries, one in 50 lucky flyers will de-plane having met the love of their life. All of the above, perhaps. But if you dont find true love in the air, alls not lost just yet. A 2014 survey from Intrepid Travel found more than 10 per cent of Australian travellers reported falling in love proper while on holidays; casual hook-ups by singletons, on the other hand, are had by one in three, according to a separate 2011 study from Liverpool John Moores University. Still, it seems every avid traveller has a sexy story or two to tell about striking up relationships on the road. Some last forever, most do not, but vacation love of all forms has this in common: Its efficient, effortless and, thanks to biology, might be unavoidable. Story continues below advertisement The nitty-gritty business of travelling selecting a new locale, running to catch a connecting flight, navigating a different city map all flood your brain with adrenaline. While we typically view stress as bad, there is such a thing as positive stress (aka eustress," which gets far less attention than its foil, distress). Good stress includes first-date jitters, climbing a mountain, waiting for your water to break and, of course, adventure travel. Physiological arousal isnt necessarily sexual, but your brain cant necessarily tell the difference. The heart beats faster and blood flows more quickly and then, according to a study from Illinois McKendree University, higher adrenaline makes you more likely to find people more attractive. When you meet someone under conditions that are physiologically arousing, youre more likely to be attracted to them, says Dr. Arthur Aron, professor of psychology at Stony Brook University in New York. Long before excitation-transfer theory became widely accepted, Aron looked at meetings atop a fear-arousing suspension bridge, where participants reported higher levels of sexual attraction amidst conditions of higher anxiety. A 2013 study at the University of Texas found similar results when people rated others better looking after riding a roller coaster. In pop culture, the phenomenons dubbed The Bachelor Effect and, in all seriousness, is why contestants on reality dating shows are always bungee jumping and flying in helicopters. People on vacation often put themselves in novel and exciting situations, which can have the same physiological effects on your body as falling in love, explains Melissa Lem, a Vancouver-based family physician (and avid traveller). Combine this with a sense of urgency because vacations only last for so long youve got a recipe for accelerated emotional attachment. Elaisha Stokes, a New York-based foreign correspondent and globetrotter, agrees: A limited time frame intensifies things, she says, because you know from day one that the relationship is finite, so you give yourself over to it completely. Other more tangible factors are also at play. First, setting: warm breezes, dreamy sunsets, palm trees. Next, practicalities: open bars, little swimsuits, ample free time, no dishes or laundry. For women in particular, that last factor is a turn-on and a half. Womens desire is completely responsive, says University of British Columbia sex researcher Dr. Lori Brotto, citing fresh sheets, more rest and extra energy as reasons women might be feeling frisky. Theres nothing special about the walls in that Holiday Inn; its simply about elimination of all the things that dampen desire at home. Also far from mind are the politics of dating proper. You can skip the awkward first-date talk (so do you have any siblings?) in favour of a shared experience already in action. similar values?) arent important. The only thing that matters is your attraction and willingness to be open with this completely different person. While most travel crushes will eventually end and be filed away into the memory bank, a rare few are the real thing. Kris Rieger, 41, spent a week on a Mexican beach not knowing his total vacation fling was actually his wife-to-be, a single bridesmaid at a destination wedding. We spent our first night up talking until 5 a.m., he says. Vacation gives you the space to do that stuff. It took six months of post-trip emailing for the couple to acknowledge that, despite all odds, they were serious. Rieger relocated from Montreal to Toronto and five years later they got hitched. If youre lucky enough to find the right person, can navigate the transition back to the real world and dismiss the expectation that things will be as easy as they were in paradise, then you might have a chance, he says with a laugh. | More than 10 per cent of Australian travellers reported falling in love proper while on holidays. A study from Illinois McKendree University, higher adrenaline makes you more likely to find people more attractive. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/article-why-is-it-so-easy-to-fall-in-love-while-travelling/ | 0.14558 |
Why is it so easy to fall in love while travelling? | Amidst the nail-clipping, chair-reclining, bare-feet-on-back-of-seat horror stories we hear from 40,000 feet in the air, a survey last summer from HSBC tells a far better tale: Of 5,000 travellers from 141 countries, one in 50 lucky flyers will de-plane having met the love of their life. All of the above, perhaps. But if you dont find true love in the air, alls not lost just yet. A 2014 survey from Intrepid Travel found more than 10 per cent of Australian travellers reported falling in love proper while on holidays; casual hook-ups by singletons, on the other hand, are had by one in three, according to a separate 2011 study from Liverpool John Moores University. Still, it seems every avid traveller has a sexy story or two to tell about striking up relationships on the road. Some last forever, most do not, but vacation love of all forms has this in common: Its efficient, effortless and, thanks to biology, might be unavoidable. Story continues below advertisement The nitty-gritty business of travelling selecting a new locale, running to catch a connecting flight, navigating a different city map all flood your brain with adrenaline. While we typically view stress as bad, there is such a thing as positive stress (aka eustress," which gets far less attention than its foil, distress). Good stress includes first-date jitters, climbing a mountain, waiting for your water to break and, of course, adventure travel. Physiological arousal isnt necessarily sexual, but your brain cant necessarily tell the difference. The heart beats faster and blood flows more quickly and then, according to a study from Illinois McKendree University, higher adrenaline makes you more likely to find people more attractive. When you meet someone under conditions that are physiologically arousing, youre more likely to be attracted to them, says Dr. Arthur Aron, professor of psychology at Stony Brook University in New York. Long before excitation-transfer theory became widely accepted, Aron looked at meetings atop a fear-arousing suspension bridge, where participants reported higher levels of sexual attraction amidst conditions of higher anxiety. A 2013 study at the University of Texas found similar results when people rated others better looking after riding a roller coaster. In pop culture, the phenomenons dubbed The Bachelor Effect and, in all seriousness, is why contestants on reality dating shows are always bungee jumping and flying in helicopters. People on vacation often put themselves in novel and exciting situations, which can have the same physiological effects on your body as falling in love, explains Melissa Lem, a Vancouver-based family physician (and avid traveller). Combine this with a sense of urgency because vacations only last for so long youve got a recipe for accelerated emotional attachment. Elaisha Stokes, a New York-based foreign correspondent and globetrotter, agrees: A limited time frame intensifies things, she says, because you know from day one that the relationship is finite, so you give yourself over to it completely. Other more tangible factors are also at play. First, setting: warm breezes, dreamy sunsets, palm trees. Next, practicalities: open bars, little swimsuits, ample free time, no dishes or laundry. For women in particular, that last factor is a turn-on and a half. Womens desire is completely responsive, says University of British Columbia sex researcher Dr. Lori Brotto, citing fresh sheets, more rest and extra energy as reasons women might be feeling frisky. Theres nothing special about the walls in that Holiday Inn; its simply about elimination of all the things that dampen desire at home. Also far from mind are the politics of dating proper. You can skip the awkward first-date talk (so do you have any siblings?) in favour of a shared experience already in action. similar values?) arent important. The only thing that matters is your attraction and willingness to be open with this completely different person. While most travel crushes will eventually end and be filed away into the memory bank, a rare few are the real thing. Kris Rieger, 41, spent a week on a Mexican beach not knowing his total vacation fling was actually his wife-to-be, a single bridesmaid at a destination wedding. We spent our first night up talking until 5 a.m., he says. Vacation gives you the space to do that stuff. It took six months of post-trip emailing for the couple to acknowledge that, despite all odds, they were serious. Rieger relocated from Montreal to Toronto and five years later they got hitched. If youre lucky enough to find the right person, can navigate the transition back to the real world and dismiss the expectation that things will be as easy as they were in paradise, then you might have a chance, he says with a laugh. | Survey: One in 50 travellers will de-plane having met the love of their life. Why is it so easy to fall in love while travelling? A combination of adrenaline, excitement and a sense of urgency may be to blame, says one expert. The Bachelor Effect is why contestants on reality dating shows are always bungee jumping. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/article-why-is-it-so-easy-to-fall-in-love-while-travelling/ | 0.687067 |
Is the #MeToo movement killing mentorship opportunities for women? | Recently at the Davos Forum, The New York Times reported on anxieties that men expressed about mentoring women. Perhaps it's because of the continuing fallout of the #MeToo movement, which led to more than 200 prominent men losing their positions. There appears to be an emerging concern that cross-gender mentoring should be approached with caution. But this conflates the serious issue of harassment with boundary setting. Effective and impactful mentoring should be cognizant of gender identity, but not limited by it. I've been conducting research on mentoring for over a decade, and much of my work looks at cross-gender mentoring, mainly because the numbers of women in leadership roles is so low. In many cases, the only mentorship available to junior women is from men. That's why the thought of men shying away from mentoring women is so troubling, because it has severe implications for ability of women to advance in leadership. And it is particularly true for women of color, who often experience double marginalization in organizations that are male-dominated and predominantly white. Mentoring can't be done at arm's length. Mentoring, by definition, is a close relationship between a junior person and a senior person in an organization. There are types of developmental relationships that eschew the personal, such as role modeling, sponsorship and coaching. But mentoring means a connection between career development and personal development. And frankly, not everyone is suited to serve as a mentor to any junior person: the match matters, personality and interest-wise. Many organizations still have glass ceilings that prevent women from advancing to the highest levels of leadership. For men in these organizations, the responsibility to provide access to pathways of leadership is profound. It is unlikely that women leaders will emerge without the support and nurturing of supportive mentors. A major reason behind this emerging concern is something theorists term toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity is not defining men as problematic, but rather, the socially sanctioned behavior of men that validates aggression and status-climbing. The term sometimes pops up after mass shootings or domestic violence incidents, but it also manifests itself in the workplace when some men feel their everyday interactions with women are at risk of accusations of harassment so their solution is to avoid women altogether. But here is the reality: It is entirely possible to develop close, supportive relationships that entirely avoid harassment. Leaders have a responsibility to understand the ethics of organizational behavior. Opting out of engagement with women essentially embraces the idea that men are unable to control their behavior, or lack judgment about what constitutes appropriate conduct. In fact, this belief is an affront to the professionalism and obligations of male leaders. It would be inappropriate for anyone to purposely avoid a colleague out of fear of a false accusation of impropriety. Justifying this choice is the essence of a mind-set that limits the potential for mentorship across gender identities. There is a large space between supportive mentoring and harassment: sharing work projects, interpersonal networks and identifying strengths and weaknesses in a rsum should not trigger a response in male mentors to retreat. Men who mentor junior women have a responsibility to ensure their protgs are protected and treated as emerging leaders and valued members of the organization who bring impressive skills to work, and who are equals in potential and aspirations. | Sally Kohn: Men should not shy away from mentoring women because of #MeToo. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/02/08/metoo-movement-killing-mentorship-opportunities-women | 0.179759 |
Is the #MeToo movement killing mentorship opportunities for women? | Recently at the Davos Forum, The New York Times reported on anxieties that men expressed about mentoring women. Perhaps it's because of the continuing fallout of the #MeToo movement, which led to more than 200 prominent men losing their positions. There appears to be an emerging concern that cross-gender mentoring should be approached with caution. But this conflates the serious issue of harassment with boundary setting. Effective and impactful mentoring should be cognizant of gender identity, but not limited by it. I've been conducting research on mentoring for over a decade, and much of my work looks at cross-gender mentoring, mainly because the numbers of women in leadership roles is so low. In many cases, the only mentorship available to junior women is from men. That's why the thought of men shying away from mentoring women is so troubling, because it has severe implications for ability of women to advance in leadership. And it is particularly true for women of color, who often experience double marginalization in organizations that are male-dominated and predominantly white. Mentoring can't be done at arm's length. Mentoring, by definition, is a close relationship between a junior person and a senior person in an organization. There are types of developmental relationships that eschew the personal, such as role modeling, sponsorship and coaching. But mentoring means a connection between career development and personal development. And frankly, not everyone is suited to serve as a mentor to any junior person: the match matters, personality and interest-wise. Many organizations still have glass ceilings that prevent women from advancing to the highest levels of leadership. For men in these organizations, the responsibility to provide access to pathways of leadership is profound. It is unlikely that women leaders will emerge without the support and nurturing of supportive mentors. A major reason behind this emerging concern is something theorists term toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity is not defining men as problematic, but rather, the socially sanctioned behavior of men that validates aggression and status-climbing. The term sometimes pops up after mass shootings or domestic violence incidents, but it also manifests itself in the workplace when some men feel their everyday interactions with women are at risk of accusations of harassment so their solution is to avoid women altogether. But here is the reality: It is entirely possible to develop close, supportive relationships that entirely avoid harassment. Leaders have a responsibility to understand the ethics of organizational behavior. Opting out of engagement with women essentially embraces the idea that men are unable to control their behavior, or lack judgment about what constitutes appropriate conduct. In fact, this belief is an affront to the professionalism and obligations of male leaders. It would be inappropriate for anyone to purposely avoid a colleague out of fear of a false accusation of impropriety. Justifying this choice is the essence of a mind-set that limits the potential for mentorship across gender identities. There is a large space between supportive mentoring and harassment: sharing work projects, interpersonal networks and identifying strengths and weaknesses in a rsum should not trigger a response in male mentors to retreat. Men who mentor junior women have a responsibility to ensure their protgs are protected and treated as emerging leaders and valued members of the organization who bring impressive skills to work, and who are equals in potential and aspirations. | Sally Kohn: Men should not shy away from mentoring women because of #MeToo. Kohn says it's a mistake to conflate harassment with mentoring. She says men have a responsibility to provide access to pathways of leadership. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/02/08/metoo-movement-killing-mentorship-opportunities-women | 0.165506 |
Is the #MeToo movement killing mentorship opportunities for women? | Recently at the Davos Forum, The New York Times reported on anxieties that men expressed about mentoring women. Perhaps it's because of the continuing fallout of the #MeToo movement, which led to more than 200 prominent men losing their positions. There appears to be an emerging concern that cross-gender mentoring should be approached with caution. But this conflates the serious issue of harassment with boundary setting. Effective and impactful mentoring should be cognizant of gender identity, but not limited by it. I've been conducting research on mentoring for over a decade, and much of my work looks at cross-gender mentoring, mainly because the numbers of women in leadership roles is so low. In many cases, the only mentorship available to junior women is from men. That's why the thought of men shying away from mentoring women is so troubling, because it has severe implications for ability of women to advance in leadership. And it is particularly true for women of color, who often experience double marginalization in organizations that are male-dominated and predominantly white. Mentoring can't be done at arm's length. Mentoring, by definition, is a close relationship between a junior person and a senior person in an organization. There are types of developmental relationships that eschew the personal, such as role modeling, sponsorship and coaching. But mentoring means a connection between career development and personal development. And frankly, not everyone is suited to serve as a mentor to any junior person: the match matters, personality and interest-wise. Many organizations still have glass ceilings that prevent women from advancing to the highest levels of leadership. For men in these organizations, the responsibility to provide access to pathways of leadership is profound. It is unlikely that women leaders will emerge without the support and nurturing of supportive mentors. A major reason behind this emerging concern is something theorists term toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity is not defining men as problematic, but rather, the socially sanctioned behavior of men that validates aggression and status-climbing. The term sometimes pops up after mass shootings or domestic violence incidents, but it also manifests itself in the workplace when some men feel their everyday interactions with women are at risk of accusations of harassment so their solution is to avoid women altogether. But here is the reality: It is entirely possible to develop close, supportive relationships that entirely avoid harassment. Leaders have a responsibility to understand the ethics of organizational behavior. Opting out of engagement with women essentially embraces the idea that men are unable to control their behavior, or lack judgment about what constitutes appropriate conduct. In fact, this belief is an affront to the professionalism and obligations of male leaders. It would be inappropriate for anyone to purposely avoid a colleague out of fear of a false accusation of impropriety. Justifying this choice is the essence of a mind-set that limits the potential for mentorship across gender identities. There is a large space between supportive mentoring and harassment: sharing work projects, interpersonal networks and identifying strengths and weaknesses in a rsum should not trigger a response in male mentors to retreat. Men who mentor junior women have a responsibility to ensure their protgs are protected and treated as emerging leaders and valued members of the organization who bring impressive skills to work, and who are equals in potential and aspirations. | Sally Kohn: Men should not shy away from mentoring women because of #MeToo. Kohn says it's a mistake to conflate harassment with mentoring. She says men have a responsibility to provide access to pathways of leadership for their protgs. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/02/08/metoo-movement-killing-mentorship-opportunities-women | 0.16458 |
What happened to the fight against racist monuments after Charlottesville? | Though national news outlets are paying less attention, efforts to remove Confederate statues and other memorials are alive and well Shortly after the horror of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, there was extensive reporting on the snap decisions of many cities and counties to remove commemorations of the Confederacy, many of which were erected long after the conclusion of the war. Eighteen months later, the national news cycle has largely moved on. The good news that most media, aside from small local outlets, are not covering is the continuing success of grassroots activists fighting to remove statues and plaques, rename landmarks and delete dedications from state houses. One example of this progress is in Jefferson county, West Virginia, where a freshly minted state house delegate is celebrating a victory after a public fight over a plaque outside a courthouse. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Slaves were once sold on the steps of the Jefferson county courthouse and the trial for the Harpers Ferry raider John Brown was held there. Photograph: Michael S Williamson/The Washington Post/Getty Images It began in 2017, in the wake of the rally, when activists sought to have a bronze plaque commemorating Confederate soldiers which was only affixed in 1966 removed from the local courthouse. The Jefferson county native Sammi Brown was in another state doing activist work when she received the call from local activists. In the wake of Charlottesville, she says, there was heightened concern, especially from members of the community who had seen [the] civil rights [movement] and had seen segregation, and who were afraid that all that could happen again. Read more The original call to remove the plaque had come from a group of older African American women. They called and said, We need your help, said Brown, who flew home to attend a hearing about the plaque. Facebook Twitter Pinterest This plaque honoring Confederate soldiers is just feet from the entrance to the Jefferson county courthouse. Photograph: Michael S Williamson/The Washington Post/Getty Images Other attendees at the public meeting ceded their time to allow Brown to speak longer, but the county board president refused to allow her to continue, and ordered that she be forcibly removed. That meeting, which voted to keep the plaque, drew national coverage. What went less noticed was the way that the debate around the plaque influenced subsequent elections Brown made a second run for the state house and won. The plaque was removed in December after many heated debates and another commission vote. It was a victory for what Brown calls a movement that is finally being heard. As last weekends failed rally at Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta shows, white nationalists are struggling post-Charlottesville to muster any real numbers in defense of pro-Confederate monuments and are still facing serious pushback from counter-protesters. Meanwhile, despite a recent setback in Virginia, which is still refusing to pass a bill allowing local authorities to remove monuments, progress has been made, and the movement against monuments and memorials continues to grow. Texas A plaque in the state capitol erected in 1959 by the Children of the Confederacy was removed in January. The state preservation board voted to remove it at the Dallas-area representative Eric Johnsons request, which came days after Charlottesville, and are now considering what to do with it. Florida A group of representatives from Confederate organizations attempting to prevent the removal of a statue in Lakeland lost their lawsuit last week after a judge ruled that it was a matter of government speech, not free speech. The city is planning to relocate the monument from a park to a cemetery, where it will stand alongside monuments to veterans of other wars. North Carolina A statue in downtown Winston-Salem, which has been repeatedly vandalized, was scheduled to be removed on 31 January after the city council pointed to safety reasons for taking it out of the downtown area. But the Daughters of the Confederacy, who erected the statue in 1905, are engaged in legal action to keep it in place. The land it stands on is privately owned, which means the councils move would not violate state laws that prevent the removal of statues on public property. Wisconsin The college town of Madison has a 4,000lb Confederate cenotaph erected in a cemetery in 1906 commemorating the Confederate dead (even though 12,000 men from the state died fighting for the Union). In October, the city council voted to remove it after sustained pressure from activists and a continuing community debate. It plans to put the monument in a museum. Nevada Nevadas third-highest peak, named for the president of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, could be renamed. After Charlottesville, the Shoshone tribe began campaigning to return the peak to its original name, Doso Doyabi, which means white mountain. In January, the Nevada board of geographic names voted to recommend the name change to the federal government. | National media has largely moved on from the fight against racist monuments after Charlottesville. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/08/racism-confederate-statues-taken-down | 0.413136 |
What happened to the fight against racist monuments after Charlottesville? | Though national news outlets are paying less attention, efforts to remove Confederate statues and other memorials are alive and well Shortly after the horror of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, there was extensive reporting on the snap decisions of many cities and counties to remove commemorations of the Confederacy, many of which were erected long after the conclusion of the war. Eighteen months later, the national news cycle has largely moved on. The good news that most media, aside from small local outlets, are not covering is the continuing success of grassroots activists fighting to remove statues and plaques, rename landmarks and delete dedications from state houses. One example of this progress is in Jefferson county, West Virginia, where a freshly minted state house delegate is celebrating a victory after a public fight over a plaque outside a courthouse. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Slaves were once sold on the steps of the Jefferson county courthouse and the trial for the Harpers Ferry raider John Brown was held there. Photograph: Michael S Williamson/The Washington Post/Getty Images It began in 2017, in the wake of the rally, when activists sought to have a bronze plaque commemorating Confederate soldiers which was only affixed in 1966 removed from the local courthouse. The Jefferson county native Sammi Brown was in another state doing activist work when she received the call from local activists. In the wake of Charlottesville, she says, there was heightened concern, especially from members of the community who had seen [the] civil rights [movement] and had seen segregation, and who were afraid that all that could happen again. Read more The original call to remove the plaque had come from a group of older African American women. They called and said, We need your help, said Brown, who flew home to attend a hearing about the plaque. Facebook Twitter Pinterest This plaque honoring Confederate soldiers is just feet from the entrance to the Jefferson county courthouse. Photograph: Michael S Williamson/The Washington Post/Getty Images Other attendees at the public meeting ceded their time to allow Brown to speak longer, but the county board president refused to allow her to continue, and ordered that she be forcibly removed. That meeting, which voted to keep the plaque, drew national coverage. What went less noticed was the way that the debate around the plaque influenced subsequent elections Brown made a second run for the state house and won. The plaque was removed in December after many heated debates and another commission vote. It was a victory for what Brown calls a movement that is finally being heard. As last weekends failed rally at Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta shows, white nationalists are struggling post-Charlottesville to muster any real numbers in defense of pro-Confederate monuments and are still facing serious pushback from counter-protesters. Meanwhile, despite a recent setback in Virginia, which is still refusing to pass a bill allowing local authorities to remove monuments, progress has been made, and the movement against monuments and memorials continues to grow. Texas A plaque in the state capitol erected in 1959 by the Children of the Confederacy was removed in January. The state preservation board voted to remove it at the Dallas-area representative Eric Johnsons request, which came days after Charlottesville, and are now considering what to do with it. Florida A group of representatives from Confederate organizations attempting to prevent the removal of a statue in Lakeland lost their lawsuit last week after a judge ruled that it was a matter of government speech, not free speech. The city is planning to relocate the monument from a park to a cemetery, where it will stand alongside monuments to veterans of other wars. North Carolina A statue in downtown Winston-Salem, which has been repeatedly vandalized, was scheduled to be removed on 31 January after the city council pointed to safety reasons for taking it out of the downtown area. But the Daughters of the Confederacy, who erected the statue in 1905, are engaged in legal action to keep it in place. The land it stands on is privately owned, which means the councils move would not violate state laws that prevent the removal of statues on public property. Wisconsin The college town of Madison has a 4,000lb Confederate cenotaph erected in a cemetery in 1906 commemorating the Confederate dead (even though 12,000 men from the state died fighting for the Union). In October, the city council voted to remove it after sustained pressure from activists and a continuing community debate. It plans to put the monument in a museum. Nevada Nevadas third-highest peak, named for the president of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, could be renamed. After Charlottesville, the Shoshone tribe began campaigning to return the peak to its original name, Doso Doyabi, which means white mountain. In January, the Nevada board of geographic names voted to recommend the name change to the federal government. | National media has largely moved on from the fight against racist monuments after the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. But grassroots activists are still fighting to remove Confederate statues and plaques, rename landmarks and delete dedications from state houses. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/08/racism-confederate-statues-taken-down | 0.562761 |
What are the odds for Oregon State, Oregon and others to win NCAA mens basketball title? | Oregon State has a better record and a road win over Oregon, but the Ducks have lower odds to win the NCAA mens basketball championship, according to betting lines provided by BetOnline.ag. The Ducks (14-9, 5-5 Pac-12) are 150-1 to win this years tournament, while Oregon State (14-7, 6-3) is 250-1. One month ago, the Ducks were 80-1, and the Beavers werent on the board. The lowest odds among Pac-12 teams are current leader Washington, which is 50-1. A month ago, the Huskies were 150-1. Other Pac-12 teams listed are Arizona and Arizona State at 100-1, and UCLA at 150-1. The current favorite is Duke at 5-2. Tennessee and Virginia are co-second choices at 7-1, followed by Gonzaga at 8-1, Kentucky and Michigan at 10-1 and North Carolina at 12-1. Other notables are Nevada at 16-1, Kansas at 25-1 and San Francisco at 500-1. --Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian.com | @nickdaschel | Oregon State has a better record and a road win over Oregon, but the Ducks have lower odds to win the NCAA championship. The Ducks are 150-1 to win this years tournament, while Oregon State is 250-1. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/2019/02/what-are-the-odds-for-oregon-state-oregon-and-others-to-win-ncaa-mens-basketball-title.html | 0.405109 |
What are the odds for Oregon State, Oregon and others to win NCAA mens basketball title? | Oregon State has a better record and a road win over Oregon, but the Ducks have lower odds to win the NCAA mens basketball championship, according to betting lines provided by BetOnline.ag. The Ducks (14-9, 5-5 Pac-12) are 150-1 to win this years tournament, while Oregon State (14-7, 6-3) is 250-1. One month ago, the Ducks were 80-1, and the Beavers werent on the board. The lowest odds among Pac-12 teams are current leader Washington, which is 50-1. A month ago, the Huskies were 150-1. Other Pac-12 teams listed are Arizona and Arizona State at 100-1, and UCLA at 150-1. The current favorite is Duke at 5-2. Tennessee and Virginia are co-second choices at 7-1, followed by Gonzaga at 8-1, Kentucky and Michigan at 10-1 and North Carolina at 12-1. Other notables are Nevada at 16-1, Kansas at 25-1 and San Francisco at 500-1. --Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian.com | @nickdaschel | Oregon State has a better record and a road win over Oregon, but the Ducks have lower odds to win the NCAA championship. The Ducks are 150-1 to win this years tournament, while Oregon State is 250-1. The lowest odds among Pac-12 teams are current leader Washington, which is 50-1. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/2019/02/what-are-the-odds-for-oregon-state-oregon-and-others-to-win-ncaa-mens-basketball-title.html | 0.50765 |
Why has Roger Stone become a critic in NFL concussion settlement? | Roger Stone has emerged as an unlikely critic of the NFL concussion settlement over the last several weeks, and the indicted former associate of President Donald Trump has been a go-to source for a lawyer involved in litigation, according to a federal court filing obtained by USA TODAY Sports. Stop the racism and pay up! Stone wrote in part on an Instagram post Monday that featured a player card of former Seattle Seahawks defensive back Cornell Webster, who is black. Christopher Seeger, co-lead counsel for the class of retired NFL players that helped craft the settlement, wrote in a Tuesday filing with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania the same federal court that handled the settlement that Florida-based attorney Patrick Tighe "appears to be a go-to source for Roger Stone." Roger Stone, the self-described dirty trickster and a focus of the on-going Russia investigation by Robert Mueller, has been peddling conspiracy theories and trash-talk about the Settlement since January 2018, Seeger wrote. Tighe, who represents Webster and about 90 other former NFL players, denied any association with Stone in an interview with USA TODAY Sports on Thursday. "I have nothing to do with Roger Stone," Tighe said. "I have not hired Roger Stone and he's not an agent of mine." Asked why Stone has become interested in the concussion settlement and Webster's case in particular, Tighe replied, "Your guess is as good as mine." Webster suffers neurological consequences consistent with traumatic brain injury, Tighe said. Messages left with Webster by USA TODAY Sports were not returned. Webster is among the more than 20,000 retired players players covered by the concussion settlement that became final in January 2017. As of this week, more than $617 million has been approved and $425 million has been paid for claims out of 2,312 applications received by the administrator overseeing the settlement. Federal agents arrested Stone at his Florida home Jan. 25 after a federal grand jury indicted the longtime political consultant on charges related to Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Last week, he pleaded not guilty to all seven charges, which included: a count of obstruction of an official proceeding, five counts of false statements, and a count of witness tampering. American political consultant Roger Stone. (Photo: Jasen Vinlove, USA TODAY Sports) Stone has taken aim at U.S. District Judge Anita Brody, who has presided over the settlement, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and others involved in the settlement in columns and appearances on conservative-leaning websites like the Daily Caller, as well as far-right fringe sites known for peddling conspiracy theories, such as Gateway Pundit and InfoWars. "This is the biggest scandal surrounding the NFL in the wake of the biggest profits in their history. This is a scandal worthy of a presidential tweet," Stone wrote in a Daily Caller op-ed. The NFL and their co-conspirators are blatantly screwing brain injured retired NFL players, to keep the NFLs billionaire owners pockets lined, while feigning compassion, Stone wrote on Gateway Pundit last month. All with the blessing of Senior Federal Judge of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Anita Brody." Critics have voiced concerns over shortcomings in the concussion settlement, but Stone and Tighe most recently have honed in on a ruling by Brody last month that was so in-the-weeds only legal sites covered it. Brody sided with lawyers representing the former players over the NFL when it came to generally consistent criteria on how doctors determine the level of disability for each former player. Stone lawyers Grant J. Smith and Bruce S. Rogow told USA TODAY Sports they had no information on why Stone has taken an interest in the NFL concussion settlement and declined further comment. Follow A.J. Perez on Twitter. | Roger Stone has emerged as an unlikely critic of the NFL concussion settlement. The indicted former associate of President Donald Trump has been a go-to source for a lawyer involved in litigation. | bart | 1 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/02/08/roger-stone-nfl-concussions-donald-trump-russia/2794064002/ | 0.116998 |
Why has Roger Stone become a critic in NFL concussion settlement? | Roger Stone has emerged as an unlikely critic of the NFL concussion settlement over the last several weeks, and the indicted former associate of President Donald Trump has been a go-to source for a lawyer involved in litigation, according to a federal court filing obtained by USA TODAY Sports. Stop the racism and pay up! Stone wrote in part on an Instagram post Monday that featured a player card of former Seattle Seahawks defensive back Cornell Webster, who is black. Christopher Seeger, co-lead counsel for the class of retired NFL players that helped craft the settlement, wrote in a Tuesday filing with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania the same federal court that handled the settlement that Florida-based attorney Patrick Tighe "appears to be a go-to source for Roger Stone." Roger Stone, the self-described dirty trickster and a focus of the on-going Russia investigation by Robert Mueller, has been peddling conspiracy theories and trash-talk about the Settlement since January 2018, Seeger wrote. Tighe, who represents Webster and about 90 other former NFL players, denied any association with Stone in an interview with USA TODAY Sports on Thursday. "I have nothing to do with Roger Stone," Tighe said. "I have not hired Roger Stone and he's not an agent of mine." Asked why Stone has become interested in the concussion settlement and Webster's case in particular, Tighe replied, "Your guess is as good as mine." Webster suffers neurological consequences consistent with traumatic brain injury, Tighe said. Messages left with Webster by USA TODAY Sports were not returned. Webster is among the more than 20,000 retired players players covered by the concussion settlement that became final in January 2017. As of this week, more than $617 million has been approved and $425 million has been paid for claims out of 2,312 applications received by the administrator overseeing the settlement. Federal agents arrested Stone at his Florida home Jan. 25 after a federal grand jury indicted the longtime political consultant on charges related to Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Last week, he pleaded not guilty to all seven charges, which included: a count of obstruction of an official proceeding, five counts of false statements, and a count of witness tampering. American political consultant Roger Stone. (Photo: Jasen Vinlove, USA TODAY Sports) Stone has taken aim at U.S. District Judge Anita Brody, who has presided over the settlement, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and others involved in the settlement in columns and appearances on conservative-leaning websites like the Daily Caller, as well as far-right fringe sites known for peddling conspiracy theories, such as Gateway Pundit and InfoWars. "This is the biggest scandal surrounding the NFL in the wake of the biggest profits in their history. This is a scandal worthy of a presidential tweet," Stone wrote in a Daily Caller op-ed. The NFL and their co-conspirators are blatantly screwing brain injured retired NFL players, to keep the NFLs billionaire owners pockets lined, while feigning compassion, Stone wrote on Gateway Pundit last month. All with the blessing of Senior Federal Judge of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Anita Brody." Critics have voiced concerns over shortcomings in the concussion settlement, but Stone and Tighe most recently have honed in on a ruling by Brody last month that was so in-the-weeds only legal sites covered it. Brody sided with lawyers representing the former players over the NFL when it came to generally consistent criteria on how doctors determine the level of disability for each former player. Stone lawyers Grant J. Smith and Bruce S. Rogow told USA TODAY Sports they had no information on why Stone has taken an interest in the NFL concussion settlement and declined further comment. Follow A.J. Perez on Twitter. | Roger Stone has become an unlikely critic of the NFL concussion settlement. Stone has taken aim at the settlement in columns and appearances on conservative-leaning websites. A lawyer representing a former NFL player says Stone "appears to be a go-to source for Roger Stone" Stone has been indicted on charges related to Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/02/08/roger-stone-nfl-concussions-donald-trump-russia/2794064002/ | 0.18072 |
What will National Park Service do with shipwreck off NC? | Visitors to Cape Hatteras National Seashore this week have been given a concrete reminder of why the coast off North Carolina is called the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Locked in the sand off Cape Point is the haunting mast-like rigging of the trawler Big John, which mysteriously flipped over Monday and broke apart, spreading hazardous wreckage debris for a mile. Three crewman survived. The debris on the beach has been removed, but the tough-to-reach rigging remains offshore days later, looking like the foundered brigantine. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer SHARE COPY LINK A fishing ship broke apart in the Outer Banks on February 4, spreading debris for more than mile on beaches at Cape Point. Seventy volunteers showed up the next day to pick up parts of the shrimp trawler Big John. The National Park Service told the Charlotte Observer Friday that it has decided not to leave the wreckage as a curiosity piece for tourists visiting Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The remaining parts of this particular shipwreck are scheduled to be removed from the beach by (Friday) afternoon, Cape Hatteras spokesman Mike Barber told the Observer. A company out of Beaufort was hired to remove the rigging and take it away. Barber didnt say where the wreckage would end up, but the ocean off the Outer Banks is notorious for being a final resting place for more than 2,000 shipwrecks. Bulldozers were being used to haul the wreckage off, according to photos sent from the park service. In some areas, blockade runners from the Civil War and retired World War II troop transport ships can actually be seen sticking out of the water at low tide. In others cases, century-old shipwrecks are revealed when storms peal away beach sands, revealing old schooners ships buried underneath. The unusually large number of shipwrecks is due to Cape Hatters location at a spot where warm Gulf Stream waters collide with the Arctic Current, explains NCPedia.org. The result is a treacherous spot where sands constantly shift and ships can easily run aground, says the site. Included in some of the shipwrecks is treasure waiting to be found. Over the past two years, the shipwreck exploration groups Blue Water Ventures International and Endurance Exploration Group have found hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of gold coins from two wrecks off the Carolinas. SHARE COPY LINK A 2,400-square-foot home on the Outer Banks is crumbling into the ocean near the Rodanthe Pier. Video shows part of the home's support structure being torn away by the waves. Video by Chicamacomico Banks Water Rescue | The trawler Big John flipped over Monday and broke apart, spreading debris for a mile. The National Park Service has decided not to leave the wreckage as a curiosity piece for tourists visiting Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The ocean off the Outer Banks is notorious for being a final resting place for more than 2,000 shipwrecks. | bart | 2 | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/article225971815.html | 0.116337 |
How Did Motorola Solutions' Software Business Fare In Q4? | Motorola Solutions published a better than expected set of Q4 2018 results on Thursday, driven by strong land mobile radio sales in the Americas and the EMEA region as well as continued growth of the companys software business. While quarterly revenues grew by roughly 15% to $2.3 billion, adjusted earnings grew by 25% to $2.63 per share. For Q1 2019, the company has guided for year-over-year revenue growth of about 11%, with its adjusted earnings projected to come in between $1.11 to $1.16 per share. We will focus this note on the companys services and software operations, which are likely to be a key driver of its business in the long-run. Our interactive dashboard analysis on what to expect from Motorola Solutions in 2019 outlines our expectations for the company for 2019. We note that that the model has yet to be updated for the Q4 and FY18 earnings release. Services And Software Business Updates Motorola Solutions software and services sales expanded by roughly 12% to $584 million, driven by growth across its geographic markets. The backlog for the segment also rose from about $6.2 billion in Q3 to around $7.4 billion, driven primarily by multi-year services agreements in the Americas as well as the extension of the contract for the companys Airwave digital radio network in the United Kingdom. Motorola has been doubling down on command center software which is essentially an end-to-end solution that integrates intelligence and analytics with dispatch systems via a comprehensive software suite. The focus on the command center could bode well for the companys radio and video surveillance products as well, as it ties them together as a single platform, potentially improving stickiness. For instance, in January, the company acquired VaaS, a provider of AI-driven image capture and analysis technology for vehicle location, in order to expand its command center software portfolio. Services and Software adjusted operating margins have also been steadily expanding, coming in at about 28.1% of sales compared to 25.7% in the prior year, driven by a higher mix of software sales, which have better margins. The company expects the metric to increase further to about 30% for FY19. While overall Services and Software growth is expected to be in the high-single digits in the long run, the company expects to see double-digit growth in its software sales, proving accretive to the segments margins. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own | Q4 revenues grew by roughly 15% to $2.3 billion. Services and Software adjusted operating margins have also been steadily expanding, coming in at about 28.1% of sales. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/02/08/how-did-motorola-solutions-software-business-fare-in-q4/ | 0.218397 |
How Did Motorola Solutions' Software Business Fare In Q4? | Motorola Solutions published a better than expected set of Q4 2018 results on Thursday, driven by strong land mobile radio sales in the Americas and the EMEA region as well as continued growth of the companys software business. While quarterly revenues grew by roughly 15% to $2.3 billion, adjusted earnings grew by 25% to $2.63 per share. For Q1 2019, the company has guided for year-over-year revenue growth of about 11%, with its adjusted earnings projected to come in between $1.11 to $1.16 per share. We will focus this note on the companys services and software operations, which are likely to be a key driver of its business in the long-run. Our interactive dashboard analysis on what to expect from Motorola Solutions in 2019 outlines our expectations for the company for 2019. We note that that the model has yet to be updated for the Q4 and FY18 earnings release. Services And Software Business Updates Motorola Solutions software and services sales expanded by roughly 12% to $584 million, driven by growth across its geographic markets. The backlog for the segment also rose from about $6.2 billion in Q3 to around $7.4 billion, driven primarily by multi-year services agreements in the Americas as well as the extension of the contract for the companys Airwave digital radio network in the United Kingdom. Motorola has been doubling down on command center software which is essentially an end-to-end solution that integrates intelligence and analytics with dispatch systems via a comprehensive software suite. The focus on the command center could bode well for the companys radio and video surveillance products as well, as it ties them together as a single platform, potentially improving stickiness. For instance, in January, the company acquired VaaS, a provider of AI-driven image capture and analysis technology for vehicle location, in order to expand its command center software portfolio. Services and Software adjusted operating margins have also been steadily expanding, coming in at about 28.1% of sales compared to 25.7% in the prior year, driven by a higher mix of software sales, which have better margins. The company expects the metric to increase further to about 30% for FY19. While overall Services and Software growth is expected to be in the high-single digits in the long run, the company expects to see double-digit growth in its software sales, proving accretive to the segments margins. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own | Q4 revenues grew by roughly 15% to $2.3 billion, adjusted earnings grew by 25%. Services and Software adjusted operating margins have also been steadily expanding, coming in at about 28.1% of sales compared to 25.7% in the prior year. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/02/08/how-did-motorola-solutions-software-business-fare-in-q4/ | 0.282302 |
How Clear Are The Implications of Clear Air Turbulence? | Its no secret that bad weather, particularly throughout the winter season, wreaks havoc on air travel. According to a 2016 study in Physical Geography, weather was a cause or contributing factor in 35% of fatal general aviation accidents. This time of year is especially difficult as winter weather and spring-break travel coincide to create frequent and highly visible disruptions. When flights are en route to their destination, they have a possibility of encountering clear air turbulence (CAT), particularly this time of the year. By its very nature, CAT is virtually impossible to detect with onboard instruments or the naked eye, making it difficult, if not impossible, for a pilot to avoid. All turbulence, but particularly CAT, can be dangerous and expensive. During the cruise stages of flight, CAT can cause the aircraft to buffet hundreds of feet, sending items flying around the cabin, injuring passengers and crew. CAT is most prevalent during the winter months as there is a strong relationship between it and jet streams, which are fast-moving narrow air currents in the atmosphere. While the jet stream itself rarely causes significant CAT, the rapid change of wind speeds around the edges of the jet stream are a significant factor, and these wind changes are much more common during the cold winter months over North America. The cost of turbulence is estimated at more than $500 million each year in damage and delays. Since CAT occurs in cloudless environments, it is impossible to physically see and extremely difficult to detect using onboard radar equipment. Airlines are investing in systems from private weather companies that can detect CAT so pilots can plan to avoid it; but thats only the first step in avoiding CAT. These systems provide the ability to integrate high-resolution, gridded, and frequently updated turbulence potential information into flight management and planning systems. For example, Hawaiian Airlines, uses an Eddy Dissipation Rate-based (EDR) global turbulence modeling system that provides visibility across all major flight levels. Airlines are using this detailed information to plan the safest and most time and cost-efficient flight plan. By being alerted to potentially hazardous conditions, pilots can plan accordingly. That might mean flying at different altitudes or flying a different route to minimize the impact of CAT. The information also leads to better efficiency. Whether transporting passengers or packages, getting from point A to point B as quickly, safely and as efficiently as possible is the goal. The more accurate the turbulence information, the most direct and comfortable route can be chosen, ultimately making the best use of time and fuel. These new methods for detecting turbulence of any kind, especially CAT, are more important than ever before. A study from the University of Reading predicts that there could be a 149 percent increase in severe turbulence in the coming years, primarily due to stronger jet streams and the tendency for more wavy patterns to develop. Increasing wind speeds and stronger north-south temperature changes will only cause more issues for air travelers. Next time you are on a smooth flight, you can thank the rapidly-advancing weather and flight planning technology for helping your pilot avoid detected turbulence. | Clear air turbulence (CAT) is virtually impossible to detect with onboard instruments or the naked eye. Cat is most prevalent during the winter months as there is a strong relationship between it and jet streams. The cost of turbulence is estimated at more than $500 million each year in damage and delays. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimfoerster/2019/02/08/how-clear-are-the-implications-of-clear-air-turbulence/ | 0.142864 |
Does the world need crunchy Nutella? | Nutella is one of the greatest gifts the world has to offer. It is creamy, chocolate-hazelnut perfection that can be served at any time of the day. Even so, some say Nutella could still be improved -- if only there was a crunchy variety of this hazelnut-spread snack. This camp argues that if crunchy peanut butter exists, crunchy Nutella should as well. Others (likely creamy peanut butter advocates) say Nutella is perfect as it is. PERSPECTIVES Nutella is a chocolate-hazelnut spread produced by Ferrero -- the same team behind the amazing Ferrero Rocher truffles. Given its nut base, it's only logical to conclude that Ferrero should diversify its offering with a new, crunchy variety. Little pieces of hazelnuts would only improve the already-delicious treat. Imagine your favorite Nutella-vessels enhanced by the texture of crunchy, sweet hazelnuts. Your toast, crepes and ice cream would be out of this world. Ferrero is already halfway there with the Ferrero Rocher truffle, which consists of an entire hazelnut, surrounded by a chocolate-hazelnut cream, encased in a wafer orb, and then coated with milk chocolate and tiny hazelnut pieces. Nutella is perfect just the way it is. Everyone knows Nutella is mostly chocolate anyway, so there's no need to bring out the hazelnut flavor even more by adding gross little chunks into your immaculate Nutella jar. When it comes to other nut spreads, most Americans prefer smooth anyway. Unless we're talking adding bits of a chocolate bar to the jar, crunchy Nutella is a no-go. A Monday morning dream: someone waking you up to share a Nutella breakfast together! #Nutella #breakfast pic.twitter.com/z2vh96aYk4 -- Nutella (@NutellaGlobal) March 26, 2018 Crunchy Nutella is what the world needs. It could make your favorite spread slightly healthier too. Hazelnuts are full of healthy fats, nutrients, and antioxidants. A healthier Nutella variety would give you even more reason to eat it on a daily (okay, hourly) basis. Spoon University's Jeanne Paulino makes the case: Seeing rows of Nutella is a sight to behold, but the eye is drawn to things that are different and unique. Imagine the joy you'd feel as you saw the word "crunchy," slapped on a jar of Nutella. Nutella is now a staple of any kitchen. Beyond eating it for breakfast, it's also perfect for baking. There are Nutella cookies, brownies, cakes and icing. All of these incredible inventions would be ruined by crunchy bits of nuts infiltrating the system. Nutella is an amazing thing. Let's not ruin it. 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. | Nutella is a chocolate-hazelnut spread produced by Ferrero -- the same team behind the amazing Ferrero Rocher truffles. Crunchy Nutella could make your favorite spread slightly healthier too. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.nola.com/interact/2019/02/does_the_world_need_crunchy_nu.html | 0.158882 |
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