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What is Jordan Peele's 'Us' about? And how scary is it? | In "Us," Gabe (Winston Duke), Adelaide (Lupita Nyongo) and their son (Evan Alex) are about to find out. (Photo: Claudette Barius) Watching a Jordan Peele film is a uniquely unsettling experience. This is not just because Get Out, his brilliant debut, and now Us, are smart-and-scary horror movies. It is also because, after all the clues he dropped like so many breadcrumbs in Get Out, you cannot simply sit back and watch Us. You find yourself endlessly searching for hints, for tidbits, for the at-first-glance throwaway image that ultimately will unlock the secrets of the story. Its relentless and its thrilling. Which is not to say that Us is the equal of Get Out. Few films are. But Us is a strong film in its own right, a sign of Peeles confidence as a filmmaker (here he tackles class division, in a different way than he did racism in Get Out). Its also a sign that we can be confident hell make us think while making us squirm. And maybe scream a little. Madison Curry stars in "Us." (Photo: Photo Credit: Universal Pictures) Us begins in 1986, at night at a carnival on the boardwalk on the beach in Santa Cruz, California. A little girl wanders from her father, who is drinking beer and playing Whac-A-Mole. She walks almost trance-like to the beach, and winds up in a fun-house, hall-of-mirrors-type attraction. Lost inside, she sees something that will haunt her for the rest of her life (and eventually haunt the audience). Then were in the present, with the girl, Adelaide (Lupita Nyongo) grown up, married to Gabe (Winston Duke), with a daughter, Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and son Jason (Evan Alex). Theyre on the way to their summer home in Santa Cruz. (If cinematographer Mike Gioulaks overhead shot of the family driving to their vacation isnt meant to evoke the opening of Stanley Kubricks The Shining, its a happy accident.) Adelaide really doesnt want to go to the beach, but Gabe, an amiable goof, talks her into it. They meet their friends Josh and Kitty (Tim Heidecker and Elisabeth Moss) and their twin daughters, a family just a little more well-off enough to bug Gabe. A couple of unusual things happen, enough to rattle Adelaide. Peele, who wrote and produced the film, in addition to directing it, periodically flashes back to the night in 1986 that so shaped her life. In 'Us," the Wilson family encounters a group of people who look just like them: Abraham (Winston Duke, from left), Umbrae (Shahadi Wright Joseph), Pluto (Evan Alex) and Red (Lupita Nyongo). (Photo: Claudette Barius) That night, the power goes out in their vacation home (Josh and Kitty have a backup generator, Gabe notes with annoyance), and Jason comes into his parents room with alarm: There is a family standing in their driveway. Its not just any family; if youve seen the trailer, you know that its them, or their doppelgngers. The film for a time becomes an exercise in home-invasion horror something at which Peele excels. (There are nods to several horror films here, recognizable but never overwhelming Peeles unique vision.) There are many surprises to follow, and many more scares, but underlying everything is a message a warning, really pitting the haves vs. the have-nots, a class division that has broken out into full-on class warfare. The reasons for this grow a little fuzzy as Peele tries to explain things late in the game; that part of the film isnt entirely successful, though it certainly doesnt lack for ambition. The acting is fantastic playing dual roles is doubtless an actors dream. But Nyongo is particularly outstanding. Peele relies on her to carry the film, both as a kind of action hero and her own worst enemy, and if youre looking for a message there, well, you can find one. Gabe (Winston Duke) and Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) protect themselves in "Us." (Photo: Claudette Barius) Peeles visual audacity is at times breathtaking, and always serves a greater purpose. There is a beautiful overhead shot of the family walking along the beach, carrying their supplies, casting long shadows. Theres no way to know in the moment youre admiring this that it carries meaning that informs the rest of the film. Thats just terrific filmmaking. And even if Us cant match the standard Peele set with Get Out, its another reason to be excited about whatever he comes up with next. Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Twitter: @goodyk. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. 'Us,' 4 stars Director: Jordan Peele. Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss. Rating: R for violence/terror and language. Great Good Fair Bad Bomb Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/movies/billgoodykoontz/2019/03/21/jordan-peele-us-how-scary-is-it-what-its-about-movie-review/3220730002/ | Jordan Peele's "Us" is a smart-and-scary horror movie. The film is about a family who encounters a group of people who look just like them. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/movies/billgoodykoontz/2019/03/21/jordan-peele-us-how-scary-is-it-what-its-about-movie-review/3220730002/ | 0.724193 |
What is Jordan Peele's 'Us' about? And how scary is it? | In "Us," Gabe (Winston Duke), Adelaide (Lupita Nyongo) and their son (Evan Alex) are about to find out. (Photo: Claudette Barius) Watching a Jordan Peele film is a uniquely unsettling experience. This is not just because Get Out, his brilliant debut, and now Us, are smart-and-scary horror movies. It is also because, after all the clues he dropped like so many breadcrumbs in Get Out, you cannot simply sit back and watch Us. You find yourself endlessly searching for hints, for tidbits, for the at-first-glance throwaway image that ultimately will unlock the secrets of the story. Its relentless and its thrilling. Which is not to say that Us is the equal of Get Out. Few films are. But Us is a strong film in its own right, a sign of Peeles confidence as a filmmaker (here he tackles class division, in a different way than he did racism in Get Out). Its also a sign that we can be confident hell make us think while making us squirm. And maybe scream a little. Madison Curry stars in "Us." (Photo: Photo Credit: Universal Pictures) Us begins in 1986, at night at a carnival on the boardwalk on the beach in Santa Cruz, California. A little girl wanders from her father, who is drinking beer and playing Whac-A-Mole. She walks almost trance-like to the beach, and winds up in a fun-house, hall-of-mirrors-type attraction. Lost inside, she sees something that will haunt her for the rest of her life (and eventually haunt the audience). Then were in the present, with the girl, Adelaide (Lupita Nyongo) grown up, married to Gabe (Winston Duke), with a daughter, Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and son Jason (Evan Alex). Theyre on the way to their summer home in Santa Cruz. (If cinematographer Mike Gioulaks overhead shot of the family driving to their vacation isnt meant to evoke the opening of Stanley Kubricks The Shining, its a happy accident.) Adelaide really doesnt want to go to the beach, but Gabe, an amiable goof, talks her into it. They meet their friends Josh and Kitty (Tim Heidecker and Elisabeth Moss) and their twin daughters, a family just a little more well-off enough to bug Gabe. A couple of unusual things happen, enough to rattle Adelaide. Peele, who wrote and produced the film, in addition to directing it, periodically flashes back to the night in 1986 that so shaped her life. In 'Us," the Wilson family encounters a group of people who look just like them: Abraham (Winston Duke, from left), Umbrae (Shahadi Wright Joseph), Pluto (Evan Alex) and Red (Lupita Nyongo). (Photo: Claudette Barius) That night, the power goes out in their vacation home (Josh and Kitty have a backup generator, Gabe notes with annoyance), and Jason comes into his parents room with alarm: There is a family standing in their driveway. Its not just any family; if youve seen the trailer, you know that its them, or their doppelgngers. The film for a time becomes an exercise in home-invasion horror something at which Peele excels. (There are nods to several horror films here, recognizable but never overwhelming Peeles unique vision.) There are many surprises to follow, and many more scares, but underlying everything is a message a warning, really pitting the haves vs. the have-nots, a class division that has broken out into full-on class warfare. The reasons for this grow a little fuzzy as Peele tries to explain things late in the game; that part of the film isnt entirely successful, though it certainly doesnt lack for ambition. The acting is fantastic playing dual roles is doubtless an actors dream. But Nyongo is particularly outstanding. Peele relies on her to carry the film, both as a kind of action hero and her own worst enemy, and if youre looking for a message there, well, you can find one. Gabe (Winston Duke) and Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) protect themselves in "Us." (Photo: Claudette Barius) Peeles visual audacity is at times breathtaking, and always serves a greater purpose. There is a beautiful overhead shot of the family walking along the beach, carrying their supplies, casting long shadows. Theres no way to know in the moment youre admiring this that it carries meaning that informs the rest of the film. Thats just terrific filmmaking. And even if Us cant match the standard Peele set with Get Out, its another reason to be excited about whatever he comes up with next. Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Twitter: @goodyk. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. 'Us,' 4 stars Director: Jordan Peele. Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss. Rating: R for violence/terror and language. Great Good Fair Bad Bomb Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/movies/billgoodykoontz/2019/03/21/jordan-peele-us-how-scary-is-it-what-its-about-movie-review/3220730002/ | Jordan Peele's "Us" is a smart-and-scary horror movie. The film is about a family who encounters a group of people who look just like them. It's relentless, and it's thrilling, says critic Tom Charity. The movie is out now. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/movies/billgoodykoontz/2019/03/21/jordan-peele-us-how-scary-is-it-what-its-about-movie-review/3220730002/ | 0.739312 |
Can Inuit Moms Help Me Tame My 3-Year-Old's Anger? | Enlarge this image toggle caption Michaeleen Doucleff/NPR Michaeleen Doucleff/NPR Six months ago, I found myself preparing for battle. I was lying in bed at 5:30 a.m., going over in my head how to handle the next encounter with my 3-year-old daughter, Rosy. Goodness knows, I love her so much. But there's a fire in that little belly. And to be honest, I have no idea how to handle all the anger the tantrums, the screaming and, most of all, the hitting. This story is part of a series from NPR's Science desk called The Other Side of Anger. There's no question that we're in angry times. It's in our politics, our schools and our homes. Anger can be a destructive emotion, but it can also be a positive force. Join NPR in our exploration of anger and what we can learn from this powerful emotion. Read and listen to stories in the series here. When she's angry and I pick her up, she has a habit of slapping me across the face. Sometimes it really hurts. I've even started ducking like a boxer when I lift her up. At first, I reacted as my parents did, with bluster and sternness. That only backfired. All she did was arch her back and fall on the ground. Then I consulted Dr. Google and decided calm and firm was the "correct way." But this approach was like putting lipstick on a pig. Rosy could tell I was still upset and trying to control her. Slowly, a wall was rising up between Rosy and me. And I began dreading our time together. Ugh. Then back in early December, I had an opportunity of a lifetime. I traveled to the Canadian Arctic to report on a story about the Inuit and their remarkable ability to regulate anger. During the trip, I got the chance to hear advice from arguably the calmest, coolest moms in the world: Inuit moms. It was like these moms had handed me the manual on how to communicate with small children. And their advice completely shifted how I discipline. She's not 'pushing your buttons' For thousands of years, the Inuit have raised children in one of the harshest places on Earth. During that time, they've developed a suite of powerful parenting tools to teach children emotional intelligence, especially when it comes to anger. At the center of these tools is a major tenet: Never shout at small children. There was no yelling at kids [in traditional Inuit culture]," says Martha Tikivik, 83, who was born in an igloo and has six children. In fact, there's no reason for a parent to get angry at a small child, Tikivik says: "Anger has no purpose. It's not going to solve your problem. It only stops communication between the child and the mom." When a child is misbehaving or having a tantrum, the child is too upset to learn, says 89-year-old Eenoapik Sageatook, whose family was forced to settle in a town when she was a little girl. So there's no reason to scold or shout during these moments. "You have to remain calm and wait for the child to calm down," she says. "Then you can teach the child." In other words, cool your jets, Mama Doucleff. Stop blowing your fuse. Stop taking the toddler's behavior personally. And stop thinking that Rosy is "pushing your buttons," says Inuit mom and radio producer Lisa Ipeelie. "You think little kids are mad at you," she says. "That's not what's going on. They're upset about something, and you have to figure out what it is." OK. I admit that following this advice was really hard. I mean really, really hard. It took weeks of practice (and another trick I learned about anger). At first, I just stopped saying anything to Rosy when she had a tantrum or hit me. I knew that if I opened my mouth, the words would be tinged in anger. So I would just close my eyes to calm myself down and then wait for Rosy to calm down herself. Once I learned not to be angry with Rosy, I began trying to help her with her own anger by loving her. I'd ask if she needed a hug, or I'd hold her really tightly. Then after she calmed down, I took inspiration from the Inuit moms and turned discipline into fantasy and theater. Tell a story Instead of yelling or telling kids what to do, Inuit parents traditionally discipline through storytelling, says Goota Jaw, who teaches an Inuit parenting class at Nunavut Arctic College in Iqaluit, Canada. For example, she says, to get kids to stay away from the dangerous ocean, parents tell them about a sea monster that lives in the water. If you go too close to the water, the parents say, the monster will put you in his pouch, drag you down to the ocean and adopt you out to another family. There are stories to get kids to listen to adults, wear hats in the winter, not take food without asking and go to bed on time. At first, these types of stories sounded too scary for a 3-year-old. Then a few weeks after returning from the Arctic, I flipped my opinion 180 degrees. One afternoon, Rosy and I were in the kitchen, preparing dinner. I was trying to get her to close the refrigerator door. I deployed my typical strategy: adult logic followed by nagging. I explained several times how she is wasting energy. It was like I was talking to a wall. After a few minutes, I found myself in the all-too common predicament of arguing with a proto-human. I was ready to blow a fuse when my thoughts turned to Goota Jaw and the sea monster. There's a monster inside the refrigerator, and if he warms up, he's going to get bigger and bigger and come get you." Then I pointed into the refrigerator and exclaimed, "Oh my goodness. There he is!" Holy moly! You should have seen the look on Rosy's face. She closed the door lightning fast, turned around and said, "Mama, tell me more about the monster in there." Since that moment, storytelling has become a go-to parenting tool in our home. Rosy can't get enough of these stories and even asks me to make them scarier. Here are a few popular ones right now: 1. Sharing Monster: Living up in a tree outside the kitchen window, the sharing monster grows bigger and bigger when little kids aren't sharing. At some point, he could come up, snatch you and take you up in the tree. 2. Yelling Monster: He lives in the ceiling and comes down to snatch little kids who yell and are demanding. 3. Shoe Monster: She makes sure kids get their shoes on in the morning quickly or else she'll take you down into the heating vent. 4. Dress Spiders: Back in January, Rosy wore the same pink dress day and night for about five days. I couldn't get her to take it off. I tried talking logically: "Rosy, if we wash it tonight, it won't have stains on it for school tomorrow." She looked at me as if I were speaking French. Finally, I got close to her and whispered, "If the dress gets too dirty, spiders will start to grow in it." Rosy didn't say a word and slowly slipped the dress off. So nice and clean!" Rosy didn't miss a beat. "And no spiders," she emphasized. Overall, storytelling has opened up a huge communication channel between Rosy and me. I feel like I'm finally speaking her language. She couldn't care less about kilowatts of power or stains on the dress. But a monster that grows and spiders that crawl those ideas she can wrap her head around. Put on a play Storytelling has definitely decreased the yelling, nagging and blown fuses in our home. But the stories didn't stop the hitting. For that, I needed inspiration from another Inuit strategy, which anthropologist Jean Briggs studied for more than 30 years ago. In a nutshell, here's how the approach works: When a child misbehaves hits someone or has a tantrum there's no punishment. Instead, the parent waits for a calm moment and then acts out what happened during the misbehavior. Typically the performance starts with the parent tempting the child to misbehave. For example, "Why don't you hit me?" Then the child has to think: "What should I do?" If the child takes the bait and hits, the parent doesn't scold or yell but instead acts out the consequences. "Ow, that hurts!" Mom or Dad might exclaim, to show that hitting hurts. Briggs documented that the parent continues to emphasize the consequences by asking follow-up questions such as "Don't you like me?" or "Are you a baby?" The goal is to give the child a chance to practice the proper behavior at a time when the child is open to learning and not emotionally charged. Throughout the drama, the parent keeps a playful tone and a wink in the eye. With Rosy and her hitting, I definitely had not been reacting in a playful way. Just the opposite: I was stern and serious. So with a hefty dose of skepticism, I abandoned that strategy and gave this playful approach a try. Each time Rosy hit me, no matter how hard she slapped and how infuriated I was, I didn't get angry. Instead, I said in a dramatic way, "Ooo, that hurts! Goodness that hurts!" to show that hitting hurt me physically and emotionally. Then I asked her this one question, with an exaggerated sense of pain and suffering: "Don't you like me?" (To hear what I sound like, take a listen to the radio story). Immediately, this fun tone changed Rosy's behavior. The tension between us melted away, and the hitting decreased. I could see the little gears in her brain churning. "Wait! Am I hurting Mom's feelings?" she seemed to be thinking. (And I could see that Ipeelie was right. Rosy wasn't pushing my buttons. She cared about my feelings.) So I thought I'd try putting on a little drama by asking her, "Why don't you hit me?" The first few tries were rough. She would wallop me. But I stuck to the script, and slowly I could see her thinking before she struck. She started to play-hit me or stopped mid-swing. After about a month, a tiny miracle occurred. We were in the kitchen, having a snack, and I said, "Rosy, why don't you hit me?" "No," Rosy responded. Why not?" I asked. "Because I love you," she whispered. "Because you love me?" I said, in complete shock. "That's very nice." Nice and a testimony to teaching kids through stories, play and practice. | The Inuit have developed a suite of powerful parenting tools to teach children emotional intelligence. At the center of these tools is a major tenet: Never shout at small children. "You have to remain calm and wait for the child to calm down," says Inuit mom Martha Tikivik. | bart | 2 | https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/03/21/702209976/can-inuit-moms-help-me-tame-my-3-year-olds-anger?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr | 0.176787 |
Why isnt Warriors Klay Thompson an All-Defensive team lock? | Warriors guard Klay Thompson might be human, but his durability, consistency, stamina and textbook shooting form suggest otherwise. We take him for granted, Golden State assistant coach Ron Adams said recently. Every night, hes like a wind-up toy. You just wind him up and he goes. He goes offensively, and he goes defensively. Perhaps no part of Thompsons game is more overlooked by the public, at least than his defense. In addition to being one of the the greatest shooters in NBA history, he is one of the leagues premier on-ball defenders. Thompsons blend of endurance, size and makes him a trying matchup for everyone from LeBron James to Russell Westbrook. Adams, who has overseen NBA defenses for 27 years, is adamant that Thompson should be mentioned alongside Oklahoma Citys Paul George a candidate for MVP and Defensive Player of the Year as the leagues top two-way players. Warriors forward Kevin Durant said that the people who vote on that dont really know the game, and he might have a point. The rise of analytics in recent years has caused some sportswriters and broadcasters who vote for All-Defensive team to rely more on a few go-to numbers than what they see in games. Thompson doesnt fare well in the advanced stats. Through Tuesday, his defensive rating of 108.3 ranked 319th in the NBA, behind nine of his teammates. Thompsons defensive real plus-minus a stat measuring a players average impact on his teams defense by points allowed per 100 offensive possessions is minus-1.59, which ranked 92nd among 114 shooting guards. A deeper look at the numbers, however, supports the notion that he is one of the leagues best one-on-one defenders. This season, Thompson, who regularly guards the opponents top scorer, has held Washingtons Bradley Beal to 40 percent shooting, Portlands Damian Lillard to 33.3 percent and Houstons James Harden to 25 percent. In the March 13 win over the Rockets, Thompson limited Harden an MVP candidate to nine points on 23 possessions. Three nights later, in Oklahoma City, Westbrook had seven points on 2-for-16 shooting (0-for-7 from 3-point range) when defended by Thompson. Late in the second quarter, Thompson didnt jump on a Westbrook midrange pump-fake, cutting off the 2016-17 MVPs drive and blocking his shot. After Thompson grabbed the rebound, Westbrook livid over the no-call rammed into Thompson with his chest to earn his 16th technical and a one-game suspension. Asked after the game if Thompson make the All-Defensive team, Draymond Green said, One hundred percent. There arent many guards that are better than Klay defensively. Less than 48 hours later, when informed that his teammates dont understand why he hasnt already made an All-Defensive team, Thompson said, Well, that makes 15 of us. Whatever. I mean, its something Id love to definitely do before my careers over. I feel like I put the work in and have kind of proved that Im a reliable defensive presence for this five-year run that weve been on, so Id like to be rewarded. Thatd be nice. Most elite NBA players draw parallels to all-time greats, but Thompson tends to get compared to robots. Golden State general manager Bob Myers once said that Thompson is like the first Terminator, the one who doesnt say anything. In May 2017, after Thompson lost his train of thought during an interview, Deadspin.com postulated that his autopilot system had failed. A week later, Slate.com published an article investigating whether Thompson was, in fact, a robot. Such talk constitutes some of the highest praise in sports. Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson was nicknamed Megatron because of his seemingly superhuman strength and speed. Toronto forward Kawhi Leonard like Thompson, a two-way force known for his monotone interviews has been called a robot much of his NBA career. However, Thompsons defense hasnt always been characterized by machine-like precision and repetition. Thursdays game Who: Indiana (44-28) at Warriors (48-22) When: 7:30 p.m. TV/Radio: NBCSBA/95.7 Read More Like many players who came of age in the early 2000s, Thompson wanted to score like Kobe Bryant. Not until the summer of 2012, after he struggled as an NBA rookie to stop some of the leagues top guards, did Thompson decide to make defense more of a focus. Darren Erman, then the Warriors defensive guru under head coach Mark Jackson, led Thompson through 45-minute defensive boot camps every Monday through Thursday. Drills were designed to help him work on such fundamentals as sliding his feet and switching off screens. After 16 weeks of those rigorous sessions, Erman arrived at training camp and told Jackson that Thompson would be a Hall of Famer. Over the past seven seasons, Thompson has become a versatile defender. Though known for quelling high-scoring guards, he also can handle guarding big men. Thompsons penchant for on-ball defense allows Curry to play off the ball and preserve necessary energy for offense. I dont know how you quantify that, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. But to me, Klays definitely an All-Defensive-team player. Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Con_Chron | Warriors guard Klay Thompson is one of the league's premier on-ball defenders. Thompson doesn't fare well in the advanced stats, but his defensive rating of 108.3 ranked 319th in the NBA, behind nine of his teammates. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Why-isn-t-Klay-Thompson-an-All-Defensive-lock-13704578.php | 0.140617 |
How Much Do YouTubers Really Make? | The first time I realized the true potential of YouTube was when my children were very young. A few of my boys were sitting on the floor starting at the television and completely enthralled with what they saw a grown man playing with toys. I wondered what the heck was going on. After a quick Google Search, I found out the channel they were watching Ryan ToysReview was a wildly popular medium where someone, in this case Ryan, basically plays with toys so kids could watch. It was strange, I thought, but there wasnt any harm in it, either. Only a few weeks later, I learned that this wasnt just some sort of hobby. The Ryan ToysReview channel was making real money at the time, which I found out after discovering the channel had more than 11 million followers! Crazy enough, Ryan ToysReview now boasts over 18 million subscribers. It also brought in a reported income of $22 million dollars in 2018. And trust me, you would never guess it by watching one of his videos. Case in point example: This just goes to show the amazing potential YouTube has in terms of monetization, as well as the wide variety of topics you can cover. Not me. Thats for sure. Fast forward a few years and my outlook has totally changed. I started my YouTube channel Wealth Hacker in January of 2011, but it took me a long time to gain any real traction. In the meantime, I learned a ton about the various monetization methods YouTubers use as well as what it takes for the most successful content producers to grow their annual income into the millions of dollars. I also watched as several people I followed grew their online influence over the years in real time. One YouTube star who really influenced me is Emily Noel, although she actually started her channel in 2006. Emily was once a morning anchor at the ABC affiliate in Illinois where I used to live, but she started a makeup-focused YouTube channel along the way. Over time, she got to the point where she could quit her job to create makeup videos as her full-time job. Crazy enough, Emily Dihle (Emily Noel is her YouTube username) now has over 1 million YouTube subscribers as well as her own makeup line known as Emily Edit you can buy at ULTA beauty stores. But Emily and Ryan ToysReview are not the only channels making bank on YouTube today. Forbes actually outlined the highest-paid YouTube stars in 2018, but their list is really just the tip of the iceberg. Some of the most impressive (and rich!) YouTube stars you should know about include: Logan Paul Logan Paul started his YouTube channel in 2015, but it didnt take long for his channel to explode. He has over 18 million subscribers as of early 2019, and Forbes reports he had 2018 earnings of $14.5 million. Plenty of pranks that shock viewers along with random topics that arent necessarily appropriate for our readers here at Forbes. Alpha Male Alpha Male has almost 5 million subscribers to his YouTube channel, most of which show up to hear him wax poetic about male confidence, how to dress for success, and quirky topics like tattoo dos and donts. Founder Aaron Marino has been featured on Shark Tank not once but twice! While were unsure how much Alpha Male earns each year, Shark Tank investors offered him $100,000 for 10% of his product his own brand in 2016 according to GQ. PewDiePie PewDiePie is a Swedish gamer who has risen to online stardom since starting his YouTube channel in 2010. With over 90 million followers at his disposal, he earned $15.5 million playing video games online in 2018. Jeffree Star Jeffree Star is a drag queen and makeup mogul who earned $18 million via makeup videos and tutorials in 2018. The YouTube star was able to leverage a basic YouTube presence to launch Jeffree Star Cosmetics, which Forbes has estimated brings in up to $100 million in revenue per year. Jake Paul Jake Paul, who is the brother of Logan Paul, earned $21.5 million dollars in 2018. Some of his income came from the outrageous pranks and rap songs he shares on his YouTube channel, but Jake also sells merchandise on his own Fanjoy website. Obviously, the YouTube millionaires above represent the exception not the rule. Most people who start a YouTube channel will never make millions of dollars, and it may not even matter how many followers they have. The reality is, it takes a lot more than a bunch of followers to earn a ton of money and especially millions of dollars with only a YouTube channel. Tim Schmoyer of Video Creators, a YouTube channel with over 465,000 subscribers of its own, told me that he knows a YouTube star with over 2 million followers who only earns a couple hundred dollars per month. Schmoyer says most creators with large channels have a plan for how to create and deliver value, but most do not have a plan for how to capture value. They leave their monetization strategy in YouTube's hands and just hope that the money will appear as their channel grows, he said. The thing is, the amount of money a creator earns is actually based on the business plan they've wrapped around their channel not the size of their audience. It's the combination of intentionally creating, delivering, and capturing value, he said. Thats why so many of the top-earning YouTube stars have more than just a YouTube channel. The most successful YouTubers sell products or learn how to monetize their influence in other ways. Schmoyer, whose channel earns over $500,000 per year with less than one million views per month, says savvy YouTubers diversify with multiple income sources instead of just one. The main income streams YouTube stars use to build real income include: Google Adsense To become a YouTube partner and be eligible for certain monetization strategies like Google Adsense, you must have at least 1,000 subscribers, have more than 4,000 watch hours in the last 12 months, and live in a country where this program is available. Once you link Google Adsense to your YouTube account, you can get paid when someone clicks on an ad or watches your videos for at least 30 seconds. Getting someone to watch your videos for more than 30 seconds can be more difficult than it sounds and having a ton of viewers doesnt always translate into revenue, either. For those reasons, the size of a YouTube channel doesnt always dictate its Google Adsense income. And really, Adsense is one of the least likely income streams to rely on if your goal is making millions of dollars. Merchandise Sales Youll notice some of the biggest YouTube stars like Jeffree Star and Jake Paul sell their own products. This is part of the reason theyre able to earn so much. By coming up with products they can sell, they are able to leverage their online presence to build their customer base. While some YouTubers sell makeup, T-shirts, or fan gear, others take a different approach and focus on online education. For example, another famous real estate YouTuber, Graham Stephan, makes a killing selling real estate courses through his Real Estate Agent Academy. His courses start at $497 each, so that shows the potential thats out there! Sponsored Content In addition to Adsense and merchandise sales, many YouTube stars with a large following accept money for sponsored content. Typically, this income stream requires the content creator to talk about and feature a product or service in their video. Examples can include a makeup vlogger featuring a certain type of makeup in their video in exchange for payment. Another popular finance channel, Minority Mindset, shared in one of his videos how lucrative sponsored content can be. He was offered $150,000 to promote a product in crypto currency space. He didn't feel the product was worth promoting to his audience, but it definitely shows sponsorships are not to be ignored. A study from The Economist notes that influencers with at least 100,000 followers on YouTube can typically earn $12,500 for sponsored content, but those payments can escalate from there. Free Merchandise Many YouTubers also accept free merchandise they can review on their channels. These freebies dont necessarily translate into money, but they can help them save money and try new products without paying out of pocket. Peter McKinnon, a cinematographer turned YouTuber has racked up a huge following - over 3.3 million subscribers at a rapid pace. He's also mentioned on several of videos how much free product is sent his way. He typically pays for all the camera gear he chooses to review on his channel, which is one of the factors that has led to him being a trusted voice in the photography space. Even my wife, who has a substantial Instagram following, gets a ton of free stuff for our home based on her following alone things like rugs, lamps, and vacuum cleaners. Remember the days when most jobs entailed sitting in a cubicle and working for the man? Those days are long gone, and in 2019 there are an endless number of ways to earn money online. You can start a YouTube channel and learn to monetize it for sure, but you could also become an online freelance writer, blog for profit, create online courses, or become a social media manager. The YouTube stars we profiled here really do show that the possibilities are endless, but its important to remember they beat out thousands of other people to get where they are. Absolutely. Probably not. | The first time I realized the true potential of YouTube was when my children were very young. Ryan ToysReview now boasts over 18 million subscribers and brought in a reported income of $22 million dollars in 2018. Logan Paul started his YouTube channel in 2015, but it didnt take long for his channel to explode. | bart | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jrose/2019/03/21/how-much-do-youtubers-really-make/ | 0.112851 |
Are Successful Entrepreneurs Born Or Made? | The age-old question continues to arise today. This single question has rattled the minds of many thought leaders, industry authorities, professors and even entrepreneurs like myself. It appears so simple when asked, yet upon scratching the surface slightly, it becomes a far deeper equation. The nature versus nurture aspect behind entrepreneurship has caused quite a bit of buzz. There is even a rumored entrepreneur gene that some say predisposes us for success in our chosen endeavors. In a 2013 Forbes article, David K. Williams discusses the Founders Institute aptitude and personality test relating to revenue growth and market success. Maybe not, but these traits certainly dont hurt. The genetics portion of entrepreneurship has died down a bit since 2013. However, the question of whether us entrepreneurs are born or made is still up for serious debate. I think it is a bit of both heres why. Absolutely. However, it goes a bit deeper than simply being born with certain personality and aptitude traits. The ability to apply those traits the right way and in the right space is what makes an entrepreneur successful. American entrepreneur, record producer and fashion designer Pharrell Williams is exceptional at what he does in his specific entrepreneurial space, but he may be hard-pressed to develop computer technology that would have had the same success as Bill Gates, or make financial moves as brilliant as Warren Buffett. I believe that the reason Williams was able to have such success is that he applied his natural entrepreneur traits (nature) to what they were meant for (music). The same goes for Gates and Buffett. Those two probably would not have been able to establish the highly successful clothing line Billionaire Boys Club. There is also an element of passion within the entrepreneur nature argument. He was passionate about music and networked with friends, allowing him to expand at an early age. That passion burned into a tenaciousness. This allowed Williams to overcome setbacks in multiple industries, catalyzing his long-term success. This example highlights how entrepreneurs are indeed born, as long as their innate traits are applied the right way, at the right moment, and without the words give up in their entrepreneurial lexicon. Of course. We can all be made into something, as long as we apply ourselves unconditionally. If nurture did not exist within greatness, the education system would be the biggest scam of all time. Successful entrepreneurs are indeed born, and they need to apply their traits a certain way. However, no one is born with all the traits necessary to be 100% successful on their own. There is no one-man band in entrepreneurship. Along the way, every successful entrepreneur has learned new traits, making mentorship an absolute must. Every entrepreneur on the planet had some type of mentor or network of people that they could turn to for advice, learn from and bounce ideas off of. Robert Herjavec, an ABC Shark Tank shark and best-selling author, said this of his early mentor Ross Marsden: He took me to the window in our office and asked me to look at the hot dog vendor selling at the edge of our parking lot. He told me that I was acting like the vendor -- pushing product, and doing all the work to make a living. He followed that statement with, You need to be the guy supplying the dogs to all the vendors if you ever want to scale. So yes, there needs to be a bit of nurture involved with entrepreneurial success. How one gets nurtured is what makes the difference. My advice would be to actively seek mentors and build a strong network of people who have your growth in mind. If you keep company with those who have success, you are far more likely to be successful yourself. Its not because they will give you money. It is because they will share knowledge with you. That has a profound impact on any entrepreneur and is the reason why nurture is present in our daily lives. Entrepreneurship: Where Nature Meets Nurture From my experience, entrepreneurs are both born and made. The combination of these two forces is also not rare. Each day a new startup is launched, a new innovative idea is conceptualized and success of some kind is had. These newly successful entrepreneurs were born and nurtured toward their achievements. Their application of traits, passion, tenaciousness and yearning for knowledge is at the core of their success a very special place where nature meets nurture. | The question of whether us entrepreneurs are born or made is still up for serious debate. Successful entrepreneurs are indeed born, and they need to apply their traits a certain way. No one is born with all the traits necessary to be 100% successful. | bart | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2019/03/21/are-successful-entrepreneurs-born-or-made/ | 0.593871 |
Are Successful Entrepreneurs Born Or Made? | The age-old question continues to arise today. This single question has rattled the minds of many thought leaders, industry authorities, professors and even entrepreneurs like myself. It appears so simple when asked, yet upon scratching the surface slightly, it becomes a far deeper equation. The nature versus nurture aspect behind entrepreneurship has caused quite a bit of buzz. There is even a rumored entrepreneur gene that some say predisposes us for success in our chosen endeavors. In a 2013 Forbes article, David K. Williams discusses the Founders Institute aptitude and personality test relating to revenue growth and market success. Maybe not, but these traits certainly dont hurt. The genetics portion of entrepreneurship has died down a bit since 2013. However, the question of whether us entrepreneurs are born or made is still up for serious debate. I think it is a bit of both heres why. Absolutely. However, it goes a bit deeper than simply being born with certain personality and aptitude traits. The ability to apply those traits the right way and in the right space is what makes an entrepreneur successful. American entrepreneur, record producer and fashion designer Pharrell Williams is exceptional at what he does in his specific entrepreneurial space, but he may be hard-pressed to develop computer technology that would have had the same success as Bill Gates, or make financial moves as brilliant as Warren Buffett. I believe that the reason Williams was able to have such success is that he applied his natural entrepreneur traits (nature) to what they were meant for (music). The same goes for Gates and Buffett. Those two probably would not have been able to establish the highly successful clothing line Billionaire Boys Club. There is also an element of passion within the entrepreneur nature argument. He was passionate about music and networked with friends, allowing him to expand at an early age. That passion burned into a tenaciousness. This allowed Williams to overcome setbacks in multiple industries, catalyzing his long-term success. This example highlights how entrepreneurs are indeed born, as long as their innate traits are applied the right way, at the right moment, and without the words give up in their entrepreneurial lexicon. Of course. We can all be made into something, as long as we apply ourselves unconditionally. If nurture did not exist within greatness, the education system would be the biggest scam of all time. Successful entrepreneurs are indeed born, and they need to apply their traits a certain way. However, no one is born with all the traits necessary to be 100% successful on their own. There is no one-man band in entrepreneurship. Along the way, every successful entrepreneur has learned new traits, making mentorship an absolute must. Every entrepreneur on the planet had some type of mentor or network of people that they could turn to for advice, learn from and bounce ideas off of. Robert Herjavec, an ABC Shark Tank shark and best-selling author, said this of his early mentor Ross Marsden: He took me to the window in our office and asked me to look at the hot dog vendor selling at the edge of our parking lot. He told me that I was acting like the vendor -- pushing product, and doing all the work to make a living. He followed that statement with, You need to be the guy supplying the dogs to all the vendors if you ever want to scale. So yes, there needs to be a bit of nurture involved with entrepreneurial success. How one gets nurtured is what makes the difference. My advice would be to actively seek mentors and build a strong network of people who have your growth in mind. If you keep company with those who have success, you are far more likely to be successful yourself. Its not because they will give you money. It is because they will share knowledge with you. That has a profound impact on any entrepreneur and is the reason why nurture is present in our daily lives. Entrepreneurship: Where Nature Meets Nurture From my experience, entrepreneurs are both born and made. The combination of these two forces is also not rare. Each day a new startup is launched, a new innovative idea is conceptualized and success of some kind is had. These newly successful entrepreneurs were born and nurtured toward their achievements. Their application of traits, passion, tenaciousness and yearning for knowledge is at the core of their success a very special place where nature meets nurture. | The nature versus nurture aspect behind entrepreneurship has caused quite a bit of buzz. Successful entrepreneurs are indeed born, and they need to apply their traits a certain way. No one is born with all the traits necessary to be 100% successful on their own. There is no one-man band in entrepreneurship. | bart | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2019/03/21/are-successful-entrepreneurs-born-or-made/ | 0.641853 |
How Many People Work for the U.S. Federal Government? | April 15 is a day that most Americans should feel like a boss. That indelible mark on the calendarTax Dayis a reminder, after all, that youve got 2,098,913 people on your payroll, as of June. That said, you may be surprised by where exactly your employees are working: The largest share, for instance, is tasked with taking care of U.S. military veterans (with 90% of staff deployed at VA hospitals). Employment at Veterans Affairs is up 15% over the past five years. Meanwhile, other big federal departments (agriculture, health, housing, and labor) have shrunk. Same goes for the Department of Education, which is actually too small to show on the graphic above. A version of this article appears in the April 2019 issue of Fortune with the headline On the Nations Payroll. | As of June, the federal government had 2,098,913 people on its payroll. | ctrlsum | 0 | http://fortune.com/longform/government-employee-count-2019/ | 0.692194 |
How Many People Work for the U.S. Federal Government? | April 15 is a day that most Americans should feel like a boss. That indelible mark on the calendarTax Dayis a reminder, after all, that youve got 2,098,913 people on your payroll, as of June. That said, you may be surprised by where exactly your employees are working: The largest share, for instance, is tasked with taking care of U.S. military veterans (with 90% of staff deployed at VA hospitals). Employment at Veterans Affairs is up 15% over the past five years. Meanwhile, other big federal departments (agriculture, health, housing, and labor) have shrunk. Same goes for the Department of Education, which is actually too small to show on the graphic above. A version of this article appears in the April 2019 issue of Fortune with the headline On the Nations Payroll. | As of June, there were 2,098,913 people on the U.S. Federal Government's payroll. The largest share of employees are tasked with taking care of military veterans. | ctrlsum | 1 | http://fortune.com/longform/government-employee-count-2019/ | 0.765815 |
How Many People Work for the U.S. Federal Government? | April 15 is a day that most Americans should feel like a boss. That indelible mark on the calendarTax Dayis a reminder, after all, that youve got 2,098,913 people on your payroll, as of June. That said, you may be surprised by where exactly your employees are working: The largest share, for instance, is tasked with taking care of U.S. military veterans (with 90% of staff deployed at VA hospitals). Employment at Veterans Affairs is up 15% over the past five years. Meanwhile, other big federal departments (agriculture, health, housing, and labor) have shrunk. Same goes for the Department of Education, which is actually too small to show on the graphic above. A version of this article appears in the April 2019 issue of Fortune with the headline On the Nations Payroll. | As of June, there were 2,098,913 people on the U.S. Federal Government's payroll. The largest share of employees are tasked with taking care of military veterans. The Department of Education is actually too small to show on the graphic above. | ctrlsum | 2 | http://fortune.com/longform/government-employee-count-2019/ | 0.766189 |
Is J.K. Rowling hurting the Harry Potter franchise? | by Anna Bold In a new feature on the Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Blu-ray DVD, J.K. Rowling revealed the intense sexual relationship between Dumbledore and Grindelwald. Rowling has been criticized in the past for announcing diverse traits about her characters post-publication but not including these facts in the literary or movie canons. Some fans want Rowling to put her words into action, while others are satisfied learning new information about the vast fantasy world. According to The Radio Times, J.K. Rowling revealed that Gindelwald and Dumbledore had an intense and passionate relationship. During a feature on The Crimes of Grindelwald Blu-ray DVD, Rowling commented: "Their relationship was incredibly intense, says Rowling. It was passionate, and it was a love relationship. But as happens in any relationship, gay or straight or whatever label we want to put on it, one never knows really what the other person is feeling. You cant know, you can believe you know. "So Im less interested in the sexual side though I believe there is a sexual dimension to this relationship than I am in the sense of the emotions they felt for each other, which ultimately is the most fascinating thing about all human relationships. Rowling revealed Dumbledore was gay in 2007, but despite the characters appearance in the Fantastic Beasts movie series, Rowling stated Dumbledores romance would not be portrayed on screen. Fans decried the lack of LGBT representation in the Harry Potter universe, arguing that revealing these facts in interviews while not including them in the canon was hurtful. As Heather Dockray wrote in Mashable, "But LGBTQ representation still matters, even queer wizard representation, especially in films targeted to children and young adults. And it's dispiriting and predictable to see yet another writer allude to their character having a "secret homosexual life" without being willing to portray it on screen." Some questioned if Rowling excluded LGBT characters in order to pacify a homophobic audience. its performative activism that allows her to present herself as progressive while keeping her films family friendly for the bigots that would undoubtedly kick off at the presence of a gay character laura (@lauraw97_) March 17, 2019 Others defended Rowlings statement, saying she was answering a question that she was posed about her own works. As author Melissa Anelli put it in her Twitter thread: People can take it or leave it but the second you tell a creative person to stop thinking/writing/creating youre being an ass. "You can have a strong relationship with any story you want and that relationship can develop in any way you want it to: but to pretend the author doesnt also have that right is super hypocritical. Whatever external material you dont like, you can just ignore." If an author wants to stop talking about their work once its out, cool. But thats each authors choice. No author or fan should tell any author how to interact with their own work. Melissa Anelli (@melissaanelli) March 18, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, wed love to hear what you have to say. | Rowling has been criticized in the past for announcing diverse traits about her characters post-publication but not including these facts in the literary or movie canons. Fans decried the lack of LGBT representation in the Harry Potter universe, arguing that revealing these facts in interviews while not including them in the canon was hurtful. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.nola.com/tylt/2019/03/is-jk-rowling-hurting-the-harry-potter-franchise.html | 0.225229 |
What Is Spring Like on Other Planets? | The daylight is relentless and scorching. But the orientation produces a rather cool phenomenon. It lets Mercury have regions of permanent shadow near its poles that are never sunlit, and lets ice be present in those regionseven on the planet closest to the sun, says Nancy Chabot, a planetary scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Its one weird little planet, Byrne adds. Venus There is no springtime on Venus, nor any other seasonno seasons in hell! says Allan Treiman, a scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute. Its difficult to sugarcoat the environment on Venus. Surface temperatures are a sizzling 870 degrees Fahrenheit (470 degrees Celsius), hot enough to melt lead, all year round. Like Mercurys, Venuss axis isnt tilted enough to produce a noticeable difference. But the real reason the planet doesnt have any seasons is its atmosphere, which is choked with clouds. The clouds are so thick that its surface gets nearly no light or heat from the sun. Nearly all the sunlight and heat are absorbed by clouds, which then radiate heat down to the surfacethe famous greenhouse effect, Tremain says. Venus clouds circulate faster than the surface does, so all the greenhouse heat is spread around the planet, whether its day or night. Thats not all. To top everything else off, Venus day is longer than her year, says Vicki Hansen, a scientist at the Planetary Science Institute. (It takes 243 Earth days for Venus to rotate once on its axis, but 225 Earth days for the planet to loop around the sun.) So if she had spring, it would be hard to say what day it happened. Mars Marss axis is tilted slightly more than Earthsabout 25 degreeswhich means the planet experiences distinct seasons, too. In fact, like the Northern hemisphere here, the Northern hemisphere on Mars is entering spring now. The Northern hemisphere is starting to heat up; the Southern hemisphere cooling offjust like on Earth, says Don Banfield, a scientist at the Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science. Well, not just like on Earth. Orbits affect seasons, too; the Martian year is twice as long as a terrestrial year, so the seasons stretch out longer. There are seasonal trends, such as summer dust storms, but without rain and plants, they arent quite as obvious, says Banfield. Jupiter Jupiter does not have a springtime, says Cheng Li, a scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Like Mars, Jupiters axial tilt is too small to matter. Saturn Saturn does have spring: Its axial tilt is similar to that of Earth and Mars. Saturn is warm in the summer and cold in the winter, says Leigh Fletcher, a planetary scientist at the University of Leicester. The clouds and chemicals respond to these changes in sunlight. Perhaps the best example is the color of Saturns atmosphere, which shifts from blue hues in the winterrelatively clear skies with very few hazesto golden hues in summera more smoggy atmosphere with lots of hazes. | There is no springtime on Venus, nor any other season. Mars and Saturn both have distinct seasons, but Jupiter does not have a springtime. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/03/spring-winter-earth-planets/585310/?utm_source=feed | 0.160416 |
What Is Spring Like on Other Planets? | The daylight is relentless and scorching. But the orientation produces a rather cool phenomenon. It lets Mercury have regions of permanent shadow near its poles that are never sunlit, and lets ice be present in those regionseven on the planet closest to the sun, says Nancy Chabot, a planetary scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Its one weird little planet, Byrne adds. Venus There is no springtime on Venus, nor any other seasonno seasons in hell! says Allan Treiman, a scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute. Its difficult to sugarcoat the environment on Venus. Surface temperatures are a sizzling 870 degrees Fahrenheit (470 degrees Celsius), hot enough to melt lead, all year round. Like Mercurys, Venuss axis isnt tilted enough to produce a noticeable difference. But the real reason the planet doesnt have any seasons is its atmosphere, which is choked with clouds. The clouds are so thick that its surface gets nearly no light or heat from the sun. Nearly all the sunlight and heat are absorbed by clouds, which then radiate heat down to the surfacethe famous greenhouse effect, Tremain says. Venus clouds circulate faster than the surface does, so all the greenhouse heat is spread around the planet, whether its day or night. Thats not all. To top everything else off, Venus day is longer than her year, says Vicki Hansen, a scientist at the Planetary Science Institute. (It takes 243 Earth days for Venus to rotate once on its axis, but 225 Earth days for the planet to loop around the sun.) So if she had spring, it would be hard to say what day it happened. Mars Marss axis is tilted slightly more than Earthsabout 25 degreeswhich means the planet experiences distinct seasons, too. In fact, like the Northern hemisphere here, the Northern hemisphere on Mars is entering spring now. The Northern hemisphere is starting to heat up; the Southern hemisphere cooling offjust like on Earth, says Don Banfield, a scientist at the Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science. Well, not just like on Earth. Orbits affect seasons, too; the Martian year is twice as long as a terrestrial year, so the seasons stretch out longer. There are seasonal trends, such as summer dust storms, but without rain and plants, they arent quite as obvious, says Banfield. Jupiter Jupiter does not have a springtime, says Cheng Li, a scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Like Mars, Jupiters axial tilt is too small to matter. Saturn Saturn does have spring: Its axial tilt is similar to that of Earth and Mars. Saturn is warm in the summer and cold in the winter, says Leigh Fletcher, a planetary scientist at the University of Leicester. The clouds and chemicals respond to these changes in sunlight. Perhaps the best example is the color of Saturns atmosphere, which shifts from blue hues in the winterrelatively clear skies with very few hazesto golden hues in summera more smoggy atmosphere with lots of hazes. | There is no springtime on Venus, nor any other season. Mars and Saturn both have distinct seasons, but Jupiter does not have a springtime. There are seasonal trends, such as summer dust storms, but without rain and plants, they aren't quite as obvious. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/03/spring-winter-earth-planets/585310/?utm_source=feed | 0.292617 |
Will We Get To The Bottom Of The Truth On Forced Organ Removal In China? | On March 24, the UN marks the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims, a day designated to honor the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and promote the importance of the right to truth and justice. Indeed, in 2006, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded that the right to the truth about gross human rights violations and serious violations of human rights law is an inalienable and autonomous right, linked to the duty and obligation of the State to protect and guarantee human rights, to conduct effective investigations and to guarantee effective remedy and reparations. This right is closely linked with other rights and has both an individual and a societal dimension and should be considered as a non-derogable right and not be subject to limitations. Getting to the bottom of the truth is the only way that justice can be achieved. Sometimes, however, the truth may be beyond reach. The case of alleged forced organ removal in China seems to be one of such cases. Over recent years, several researchers (including lawyers and investigators) have been raising the issue of forced organ removal in China, namely, the illegal practice of removing organs from individuals who did not consent to it. Despite China arguing that there are approximately 10,000 organ transplants being conducted in China per year, all in accordance with the law, researchers suggest that this is far from the truth. Indeed, researchers indicate that the numbers of such transplants are closer to between 60,000 and 100,000 a year, significantly higher than the official Chinese estimate. Furthermore, researchers make a clear case that the vast majority of the unreported cases of organ removals are the illegal practice. This is predominately from prisoners of conscience, particularly religious minorities including Falun Gong, Tibetan Buddhists, Uighur Muslims and unregistered House Church Christians. When imprisoned, they are subjected to abuse and torture and there appears to be no possibility to redress. As researchers suggest, many of them are subjected to forced organ removal. However, it is important to emphasize that the issue is not only about organ removal without consent or without valid consent. The evidence suggests that the prisoners of conscience do not survive the forced organ removal. Hence, it may be more accurate to talk about killings by way of forced organ removal. The issue of forced organ removal from prisoners of conscience in China is gaining some attention, including at the European Parliament, in the US, Canada, the UK and many more states. However, one of the most significant challenges is the lack of a smoking gun. The victims of forced organ removal in China cannot tell their stories. The bodies are not found. There is no clear evidence to help to address the issue once and for all. In response to this challenge, the China Tribunal, an independent peoples tribunal to inquire into forced organ removal from prisoners of conscience in China, has been established to obtain evidence of such practice, classify the atrocities and recommend future actions. The China Tribunal heard from several witnesses who, despite not being the victims of forced organ removal (as the allegation is that no victims have survived the procedure), have identified important elements explaining the practice. For example, a female Falun Gong practitioner who was imprisoned and tortured for several years told the China Tribunal how medical professionals were examining Falun Gong practitioners but not any other prisoners. The woman had a heart problem what ironically appears to have saved her life. She added: In the end, every Falun Gong practitioner had been given a medical check-up and had his or her blood tested. Even those who had developed a mental disorder were not exempt. Other, non-Falun Gong practitioner prisoners didn't have to go through this. At that time I already knew that the medical check-ups were not for our health. After the exams, I discovered that some practitioners had disappeared; I didnt know where they wentI never heard from the practitioners who were transferred. I understood the reason for these medical tests after I heard about the CCP harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. Then I understood the depth of their deceit. This was not an isolated statement. Indeed, other witnesses identified similar practices of medical examinations of Falun Gong and the disappearances of them without a trace. One witness, when asked why Falun Gong would have been picked for the examinations (and possible forced organ removal), identified that Falun Gong practitioners are very healthy and healthier than others in the Chinese prisons. In response to the work of the China Tribunal, the UK Parliamentarians decided to take steps to shine more light on the issue and engage the UK Parliament and Government in debates in pursuit of the truth. On March 5, 2019, UK Parliamentarians tabled an Early Day Motion raising the issue of forced organ removal from prisoners of conscience in China and the associated religious persecution. They called upon the UK Government to take more decisive steps on the issue and engage in a dialogue with the Chinese government. On March 26, 2019, the UK Parliamentarians will debate the issue of forced live organ extraction in China in a Parliamentary debate. The work done by the China Tribunal and UK Parliamentarians may shed more light on the situation of prisoners of conscience in China and honor the memory of the victims in this way. However, the road to the truth about these gross human rights violations against prisoners of conscience in China will be long (if it will even be possible to get to the bottom of the issue). This does not mean, however, that such work should not be undertaken. On the contrary, for the dignity of the victims, in the past and in the future, we must investigate and seek truth with the ultimate goal of stopping such gross human rights violations. | March 24 marks the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims. Getting to the bottom of the truth is the only way that justice can be achieved. The case of alleged forced organ removal in China seems to be one of such cases. | bart | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewelinaochab/2019/03/21/will-we-get-to-the-bottom-of-the-truth-on-forced-organ-removal-in-china/ | 0.374246 |
Can the Project Runway Contestants Stop Freaking Out Long Enough to Handle the Latest Challenge? | Project Runway has had many out of this world challenges over the years, and now that the show is back on Bravo they're raising the stakes. In the exclusive preview below, the remaining 15 designers are shocked by the challenge presented by Karlie Kloss and Simon Huck. The designers are so spooked when they enter their redesigned workroom complete with modified models sporting A. Human designs. What is A. You've probably seen some of your favorite celebrities sporting some of the designs. "A. Human is a futuristic fashion line comprised of body modifications," Huck tells the designers. "In this world, we ask one fundamental question: If you can change your body as easily as you can change your clothing, would you?" | Project Runway is back on Bravo. Karlie Kloss and Simon Huck presented a challenge to the designers. The challenge was to create a fashion line called A. Human. The designers are shocked by the challenge. | bart | 1 | https://www.eonline.com/au/news/1025509/can-the-project-runway-contestants-stop-freaking-out-long-enough-to-handle-the-latest-challenge | 0.109749 |
Can the Project Runway Contestants Stop Freaking Out Long Enough to Handle the Latest Challenge? | Project Runway has had many out of this world challenges over the years, and now that the show is back on Bravo they're raising the stakes. In the exclusive preview below, the remaining 15 designers are shocked by the challenge presented by Karlie Kloss and Simon Huck. The designers are so spooked when they enter their redesigned workroom complete with modified models sporting A. Human designs. What is A. You've probably seen some of your favorite celebrities sporting some of the designs. "A. Human is a futuristic fashion line comprised of body modifications," Huck tells the designers. "In this world, we ask one fundamental question: If you can change your body as easily as you can change your clothing, would you?" | Project Runway is back on Bravo. Karlie Kloss and Simon Huck presented a challenge to the designers. The challenge was to create a futuristic fashion line called A. Human. The designers are shocked when they enter their redesigned workroom complete with modified models sporting the designs. | bart | 2 | https://www.eonline.com/au/news/1025509/can-the-project-runway-contestants-stop-freaking-out-long-enough-to-handle-the-latest-challenge | 0.163054 |
Can we have a new face to philanthropy? | This article is part of a series: Women in Philanthropy and Impact Investing, celebrating Womens History Month. #balanceforbetter A Google search on top philanthropists first revealed the current face to philanthropy men, mostly white, mostly old. But as Google adapts its search results depending on what I search, after I wrote two Forbes articles on women of color philanthropists, the current face to philanthropy is slightly more balanced. That is good news. campaign which seeks to change the conversation around race, gender and philanthropy. They have profiled diverse women in a series of videos with the aim of changing stereotypical perceptions of philanthropists. I think its so important to be visible about my philanthropy, says Nicole Robinson, VP of Community Impact, Greater Chicago Food Depository . In her video, she discussed the historical definition of philanthropy tied to affluence and wealth of a certain group. People of color are impacted often the greatest by the worlds problems, whether it is poverty, racism, violence or climate change, and it is only until recently that they have joined the ranks of philanthropists. But some philanthropists from diverse backgrounds have discussed their challenges of identifying with this label. A female philanthropist, who wishes to remain anonymous, interviewed for this story said, I think women tend to find it hard to introduce ourselves as philanthropists. There are a lot of baggage attached to this word, philanthropist. The baggage comes from the fact that fewer female philanthropists made the money themselves than male philanthropists. For most female philanthropists, there are personal reasons to getting the wealth which they may not want to disclose, or there is a degree of guilt attached to it. We also discussed the role of gender norms, as women tend to less comfortable with owning and making money. While these psychological barriers can be overcome by the individual themselves, the culture around philanthropy also needs to change. campaign, talks about why she is determined to lead this culture change. It's important for me to be visible in how I give back because representation matters. So, growing up and still to this day, I really don't know a lot of Mexican philanthropists. I don't see a lot of women in the way that we see men. I think of the first people I said when I said philanthropy represents Bruce Waynes parents and Bill Gates. I want to be able to recall more people who look like me. A new face to philanthropy is indeed emerging. Join the #IAmAPhilanthropist conversation on social media. | A Google search on top philanthropists first revealed the current face to philanthropy men, mostly white, mostly old. | bart | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/bonniechiu/2019/03/21/can-we-have-a-new-face-to-philanthropy/ | 0.143761 |
Can we have a new face to philanthropy? | This article is part of a series: Women in Philanthropy and Impact Investing, celebrating Womens History Month. #balanceforbetter A Google search on top philanthropists first revealed the current face to philanthropy men, mostly white, mostly old. But as Google adapts its search results depending on what I search, after I wrote two Forbes articles on women of color philanthropists, the current face to philanthropy is slightly more balanced. That is good news. campaign which seeks to change the conversation around race, gender and philanthropy. They have profiled diverse women in a series of videos with the aim of changing stereotypical perceptions of philanthropists. I think its so important to be visible about my philanthropy, says Nicole Robinson, VP of Community Impact, Greater Chicago Food Depository . In her video, she discussed the historical definition of philanthropy tied to affluence and wealth of a certain group. People of color are impacted often the greatest by the worlds problems, whether it is poverty, racism, violence or climate change, and it is only until recently that they have joined the ranks of philanthropists. But some philanthropists from diverse backgrounds have discussed their challenges of identifying with this label. A female philanthropist, who wishes to remain anonymous, interviewed for this story said, I think women tend to find it hard to introduce ourselves as philanthropists. There are a lot of baggage attached to this word, philanthropist. The baggage comes from the fact that fewer female philanthropists made the money themselves than male philanthropists. For most female philanthropists, there are personal reasons to getting the wealth which they may not want to disclose, or there is a degree of guilt attached to it. We also discussed the role of gender norms, as women tend to less comfortable with owning and making money. While these psychological barriers can be overcome by the individual themselves, the culture around philanthropy also needs to change. campaign, talks about why she is determined to lead this culture change. It's important for me to be visible in how I give back because representation matters. So, growing up and still to this day, I really don't know a lot of Mexican philanthropists. I don't see a lot of women in the way that we see men. I think of the first people I said when I said philanthropy represents Bruce Waynes parents and Bill Gates. I want to be able to recall more people who look like me. A new face to philanthropy is indeed emerging. Join the #IAmAPhilanthropist conversation on social media. | A new face to philanthropy is emerging. #balanceforbetter campaign has profiled diverse women in a series of videos with the aim of changing stereotypical perceptions of philanthropists. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/bonniechiu/2019/03/21/can-we-have-a-new-face-to-philanthropy/ | 0.659247 |
Can we have a new face to philanthropy? | This article is part of a series: Women in Philanthropy and Impact Investing, celebrating Womens History Month. #balanceforbetter A Google search on top philanthropists first revealed the current face to philanthropy men, mostly white, mostly old. But as Google adapts its search results depending on what I search, after I wrote two Forbes articles on women of color philanthropists, the current face to philanthropy is slightly more balanced. That is good news. campaign which seeks to change the conversation around race, gender and philanthropy. They have profiled diverse women in a series of videos with the aim of changing stereotypical perceptions of philanthropists. I think its so important to be visible about my philanthropy, says Nicole Robinson, VP of Community Impact, Greater Chicago Food Depository . In her video, she discussed the historical definition of philanthropy tied to affluence and wealth of a certain group. People of color are impacted often the greatest by the worlds problems, whether it is poverty, racism, violence or climate change, and it is only until recently that they have joined the ranks of philanthropists. But some philanthropists from diverse backgrounds have discussed their challenges of identifying with this label. A female philanthropist, who wishes to remain anonymous, interviewed for this story said, I think women tend to find it hard to introduce ourselves as philanthropists. There are a lot of baggage attached to this word, philanthropist. The baggage comes from the fact that fewer female philanthropists made the money themselves than male philanthropists. For most female philanthropists, there are personal reasons to getting the wealth which they may not want to disclose, or there is a degree of guilt attached to it. We also discussed the role of gender norms, as women tend to less comfortable with owning and making money. While these psychological barriers can be overcome by the individual themselves, the culture around philanthropy also needs to change. campaign, talks about why she is determined to lead this culture change. It's important for me to be visible in how I give back because representation matters. So, growing up and still to this day, I really don't know a lot of Mexican philanthropists. I don't see a lot of women in the way that we see men. I think of the first people I said when I said philanthropy represents Bruce Waynes parents and Bill Gates. I want to be able to recall more people who look like me. A new face to philanthropy is indeed emerging. Join the #IAmAPhilanthropist conversation on social media. | The #balanceforbetter campaign has profiled diverse women in a series of videos with the aim of changing stereotypical perceptions of philanthropists. A new face to philanthropy is indeed emerging, as Google adapts its search results depending on what I search, after I wrote two Forbes articles on women of color philanthropists. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/bonniechiu/2019/03/21/can-we-have-a-new-face-to-philanthropy/ | 0.524053 |
What's being done to help people affected by Cyclone Idai? | Getty Images UK charities have launched a joint appeal to help people affected by Cyclone Idai. The 'Disasters Emergency Committee' (DEC) aims to bring together 14 major charities in the UK to provide and deliver aid in places where there has been a natural disaster. This comes after Cyclone Idai caused massive damage in southern Africa that could affect hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people, according to experts. The United Nations (UN) has said that the huge storm has triggered a "massive disaster". The tropical cyclone has caused large-scale destruction and flooding to countries in the region. AFP All the reports suggest that the situation for emergency services there is extremely difficult. Although supplies have started to arrive, some communities are struggling to get help. Charities are worried about disease spreading and there is concern about getting clean drinking water for the people affected. Rescue teams have been dropping high-energy biscuits, water cleaning tablets and other supplies to people directly surrounded by water and mud. To enjoy the CBBC Newsround website at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. According to experts, at least 1.7 million people were in the direct path of the cyclone in Mozambique. Authorities say hundreds of people have died in the country because of the flooding and high winds but are warning that number could rise. This is shaping up to be one of the worst weather-related disasters ever to hit the southern hemisphere. Clare Nullis , United Nations' Weather Agency Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi has called it "a humanitarian disaster of great proportion". 3,000 people have been rescued there so far but there are still 15,000 people that still need rescuing. Another country affected by Cyclone Idai is Zimbabwe. The government there says many have died and hundreds are missing. President Emmerson Mnangagwa said that the government was conducting rescue missions and delivering food aid. Other African countries, including Malawi, have been seriously affected by the cyclone too. The UN says nearly a million people have been affected there. DEC 14 major UK charities have come together to provide and deliver aid in places where there has been natural disasters The UK government has promised to send 6 million of humanitarian relief aid to help people in Mozambique and Malawi, along with tents and shelter kits. Now, the DEC has also pledged its support. It will work closely with national organisations to deliver emergency shelter kits, food, tablets to clean water and medical help. Fundraising appeals from the DEC will be on British TV channels including the BBC on Thursday 21 March. | UK charities have launched a joint appeal to help people affected by Cyclone Idai. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47653713 | 0.245323 |
What's being done to help people affected by Cyclone Idai? | Getty Images UK charities have launched a joint appeal to help people affected by Cyclone Idai. The 'Disasters Emergency Committee' (DEC) aims to bring together 14 major charities in the UK to provide and deliver aid in places where there has been a natural disaster. This comes after Cyclone Idai caused massive damage in southern Africa that could affect hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people, according to experts. The United Nations (UN) has said that the huge storm has triggered a "massive disaster". The tropical cyclone has caused large-scale destruction and flooding to countries in the region. AFP All the reports suggest that the situation for emergency services there is extremely difficult. Although supplies have started to arrive, some communities are struggling to get help. Charities are worried about disease spreading and there is concern about getting clean drinking water for the people affected. Rescue teams have been dropping high-energy biscuits, water cleaning tablets and other supplies to people directly surrounded by water and mud. To enjoy the CBBC Newsround website at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. According to experts, at least 1.7 million people were in the direct path of the cyclone in Mozambique. Authorities say hundreds of people have died in the country because of the flooding and high winds but are warning that number could rise. This is shaping up to be one of the worst weather-related disasters ever to hit the southern hemisphere. Clare Nullis , United Nations' Weather Agency Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi has called it "a humanitarian disaster of great proportion". 3,000 people have been rescued there so far but there are still 15,000 people that still need rescuing. Another country affected by Cyclone Idai is Zimbabwe. The government there says many have died and hundreds are missing. President Emmerson Mnangagwa said that the government was conducting rescue missions and delivering food aid. Other African countries, including Malawi, have been seriously affected by the cyclone too. The UN says nearly a million people have been affected there. DEC 14 major UK charities have come together to provide and deliver aid in places where there has been natural disasters The UK government has promised to send 6 million of humanitarian relief aid to help people in Mozambique and Malawi, along with tents and shelter kits. Now, the DEC has also pledged its support. It will work closely with national organisations to deliver emergency shelter kits, food, tablets to clean water and medical help. Fundraising appeals from the DEC will be on British TV channels including the BBC on Thursday 21 March. | UK charities have launched a joint appeal to help people affected by Cyclone Idai. 14 major UK charities have come together to provide and deliver aid in places where there has been a natural disaster. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47653713 | 0.350292 |
What's being done to help people affected by Cyclone Idai? | Getty Images UK charities have launched a joint appeal to help people affected by Cyclone Idai. The 'Disasters Emergency Committee' (DEC) aims to bring together 14 major charities in the UK to provide and deliver aid in places where there has been a natural disaster. This comes after Cyclone Idai caused massive damage in southern Africa that could affect hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people, according to experts. The United Nations (UN) has said that the huge storm has triggered a "massive disaster". The tropical cyclone has caused large-scale destruction and flooding to countries in the region. AFP All the reports suggest that the situation for emergency services there is extremely difficult. Although supplies have started to arrive, some communities are struggling to get help. Charities are worried about disease spreading and there is concern about getting clean drinking water for the people affected. Rescue teams have been dropping high-energy biscuits, water cleaning tablets and other supplies to people directly surrounded by water and mud. To enjoy the CBBC Newsround website at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. According to experts, at least 1.7 million people were in the direct path of the cyclone in Mozambique. Authorities say hundreds of people have died in the country because of the flooding and high winds but are warning that number could rise. This is shaping up to be one of the worst weather-related disasters ever to hit the southern hemisphere. Clare Nullis , United Nations' Weather Agency Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi has called it "a humanitarian disaster of great proportion". 3,000 people have been rescued there so far but there are still 15,000 people that still need rescuing. Another country affected by Cyclone Idai is Zimbabwe. The government there says many have died and hundreds are missing. President Emmerson Mnangagwa said that the government was conducting rescue missions and delivering food aid. Other African countries, including Malawi, have been seriously affected by the cyclone too. The UN says nearly a million people have been affected there. DEC 14 major UK charities have come together to provide and deliver aid in places where there has been natural disasters The UK government has promised to send 6 million of humanitarian relief aid to help people in Mozambique and Malawi, along with tents and shelter kits. Now, the DEC has also pledged its support. It will work closely with national organisations to deliver emergency shelter kits, food, tablets to clean water and medical help. Fundraising appeals from the DEC will be on British TV channels including the BBC on Thursday 21 March. | UK charities have launched a joint appeal to help people affected by Cyclone Idai. 14 major UK charities have come together to provide and deliver aid in places where there has been a natural disaster. According to experts, at least 1.7 million people were in the direct path of the cyclone in Mozambique. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47653713 | 0.453143 |
Has There Ever Been a Perfect March Madness Bracket? | There has never been a verifiably perfect March Madness bracket in the history of the NCAA tournament, which might be due to the fact that the general consensus among mathemeticians puts the odds of attaining a perfect bracket at one in 9.2 quintillion. Since 2011, the big dance has had 68 teams competing in its field since 2011. Eight of those teams compete in the First Four," or play-in games that take place before the first round of the tournament. Almost all bracket pools disregard these games and only count games starting with the official first round of March Madness, when 64 teams tip off. Beginning with the first round through the championship, there are 63 games in a standard NCAA tournament bracket that an individual would have to predict correctly to make a perfect bracket. Assuming that the odds of picking each game correctly are an even 50-50like a coin flipthe number of possible bracket outcomes is 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. Given the overwhelming odds against predicting every single upset in the madness that is March basketball, it's not surprising that the feat has not been accomplished yet. | There has never been a verifiably perfect March Madness bracket in the history of the NCAA tournament. | bart | 0 | https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2019/march-madness-ncaa-tournamnet-perfect-bracket-history | 0.559563 |
Has There Ever Been a Perfect March Madness Bracket? | There has never been a verifiably perfect March Madness bracket in the history of the NCAA tournament, which might be due to the fact that the general consensus among mathemeticians puts the odds of attaining a perfect bracket at one in 9.2 quintillion. Since 2011, the big dance has had 68 teams competing in its field since 2011. Eight of those teams compete in the First Four," or play-in games that take place before the first round of the tournament. Almost all bracket pools disregard these games and only count games starting with the official first round of March Madness, when 64 teams tip off. Beginning with the first round through the championship, there are 63 games in a standard NCAA tournament bracket that an individual would have to predict correctly to make a perfect bracket. Assuming that the odds of picking each game correctly are an even 50-50like a coin flipthe number of possible bracket outcomes is 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. Given the overwhelming odds against predicting every single upset in the madness that is March basketball, it's not surprising that the feat has not been accomplished yet. | There has never been a verifiably perfect March Madness bracket in the history of the NCAA tournament. The general consensus among mathemeticians puts the odds of attaining a perfect bracket at one in 9.2 quintillion. | bart | 1 | https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2019/march-madness-ncaa-tournamnet-perfect-bracket-history | 0.665097 |
Has There Ever Been a Perfect March Madness Bracket? | There has never been a verifiably perfect March Madness bracket in the history of the NCAA tournament, which might be due to the fact that the general consensus among mathemeticians puts the odds of attaining a perfect bracket at one in 9.2 quintillion. Since 2011, the big dance has had 68 teams competing in its field since 2011. Eight of those teams compete in the First Four," or play-in games that take place before the first round of the tournament. Almost all bracket pools disregard these games and only count games starting with the official first round of March Madness, when 64 teams tip off. Beginning with the first round through the championship, there are 63 games in a standard NCAA tournament bracket that an individual would have to predict correctly to make a perfect bracket. Assuming that the odds of picking each game correctly are an even 50-50like a coin flipthe number of possible bracket outcomes is 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. Given the overwhelming odds against predicting every single upset in the madness that is March basketball, it's not surprising that the feat has not been accomplished yet. | There has never been a verifiably perfect March Madness bracket in the history of the NCAA tournament. The odds of picking each game correctly are an even 50-50like a coin flipthe number of possible bracket outcomes is 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2019/march-madness-ncaa-tournamnet-perfect-bracket-history | 0.615289 |
What Are the Odds of a Perfect March Madness Bracket? | While it is technically possible to make a perfect March Madness bracket, the odds are overwhelmingly against itno one in the history of the NCAA tournament has ever made a verifiably perfect bracket to date. The big dance has had 68 teams competing in its field since 2011. Eight of those teams compete in the First Four," or play-in games that take place before the first round of the tournament. Most bracket pools disregard these games and only count games starting with the official first round of March Madness, when 64 teams tip off. Beginning with the first round through the championship, there are 63 games in a standard NCAA tournament bracket. Assuming that the odds of picking each game correctly are an even 50-50like a coin flipthe number of possible bracket outcomes is 9,223,372,036,854,775,808, per most mathematicians, which make the odds of picking a perfect bracket and getting all 63 games correct are a staggering one in 9.2 quintillion. One quintillion is one billion billions. Back in 2015, Duke math professor Jonathan Mattingly tried to calculate the odds of picking a perfect bracket for the average basketball fan. His strategy attempted to take things like prior knowledge of teams and the preceding regular season, tournament history, and an understanding of the sport itself into account. It also considered odds like the fact that a 16-seed has only beaten a one-seed one time in history (135 out of 136 one-seeds have won their first round game). According to Mattingly, an averagely-aware fan has a far better chance of achieving bracket perfection than the 1 in 9.2 quintillion odds suggest. Mattingly's numbers say that the odds of picking all the games correctly is actually one in 2.4 trillion.DePaul mathematician Jay Bergen used a different formula to calculate the odds of picking a perfect bracket to be one in 128 billion. Despite differing calculations about what the actual odds are to create a perfect bracket, one thing is clear: it's nearly impossible. | The odds of picking a perfect March Madness bracket are one in 9.2 quintillion. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2019/march-madness-2019-ncaa-tournament-perfect-bracket-odds | 0.735956 |
What Are the Odds of a Perfect March Madness Bracket? | While it is technically possible to make a perfect March Madness bracket, the odds are overwhelmingly against itno one in the history of the NCAA tournament has ever made a verifiably perfect bracket to date. The big dance has had 68 teams competing in its field since 2011. Eight of those teams compete in the First Four," or play-in games that take place before the first round of the tournament. Most bracket pools disregard these games and only count games starting with the official first round of March Madness, when 64 teams tip off. Beginning with the first round through the championship, there are 63 games in a standard NCAA tournament bracket. Assuming that the odds of picking each game correctly are an even 50-50like a coin flipthe number of possible bracket outcomes is 9,223,372,036,854,775,808, per most mathematicians, which make the odds of picking a perfect bracket and getting all 63 games correct are a staggering one in 9.2 quintillion. One quintillion is one billion billions. Back in 2015, Duke math professor Jonathan Mattingly tried to calculate the odds of picking a perfect bracket for the average basketball fan. His strategy attempted to take things like prior knowledge of teams and the preceding regular season, tournament history, and an understanding of the sport itself into account. It also considered odds like the fact that a 16-seed has only beaten a one-seed one time in history (135 out of 136 one-seeds have won their first round game). According to Mattingly, an averagely-aware fan has a far better chance of achieving bracket perfection than the 1 in 9.2 quintillion odds suggest. Mattingly's numbers say that the odds of picking all the games correctly is actually one in 2.4 trillion.DePaul mathematician Jay Bergen used a different formula to calculate the odds of picking a perfect bracket to be one in 128 billion. Despite differing calculations about what the actual odds are to create a perfect bracket, one thing is clear: it's nearly impossible. | The odds of picking a perfect March Madness bracket are a staggering one in 9.2 quintillion. No one has ever made a perfect bracket in the history of the NCAA tournament, which has had 68 teams competing in its field since 2011. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2019/march-madness-2019-ncaa-tournament-perfect-bracket-odds | 0.737373 |
What Are the Odds of a Perfect March Madness Bracket? | While it is technically possible to make a perfect March Madness bracket, the odds are overwhelmingly against itno one in the history of the NCAA tournament has ever made a verifiably perfect bracket to date. The big dance has had 68 teams competing in its field since 2011. Eight of those teams compete in the First Four," or play-in games that take place before the first round of the tournament. Most bracket pools disregard these games and only count games starting with the official first round of March Madness, when 64 teams tip off. Beginning with the first round through the championship, there are 63 games in a standard NCAA tournament bracket. Assuming that the odds of picking each game correctly are an even 50-50like a coin flipthe number of possible bracket outcomes is 9,223,372,036,854,775,808, per most mathematicians, which make the odds of picking a perfect bracket and getting all 63 games correct are a staggering one in 9.2 quintillion. One quintillion is one billion billions. Back in 2015, Duke math professor Jonathan Mattingly tried to calculate the odds of picking a perfect bracket for the average basketball fan. His strategy attempted to take things like prior knowledge of teams and the preceding regular season, tournament history, and an understanding of the sport itself into account. It also considered odds like the fact that a 16-seed has only beaten a one-seed one time in history (135 out of 136 one-seeds have won their first round game). According to Mattingly, an averagely-aware fan has a far better chance of achieving bracket perfection than the 1 in 9.2 quintillion odds suggest. Mattingly's numbers say that the odds of picking all the games correctly is actually one in 2.4 trillion.DePaul mathematician Jay Bergen used a different formula to calculate the odds of picking a perfect bracket to be one in 128 billion. Despite differing calculations about what the actual odds are to create a perfect bracket, one thing is clear: it's nearly impossible. | No one in the history of the NCAA tournament has ever made a verifiably perfect bracket. The odds of picking a perfect bracket and getting all 63 games correct are a staggering one in 9.2 quintillion. Back in 2015, Duke math professor Jonathan Mattingly tried to calculate the odds for the average basketball fan. | bart | 2 | https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2019/march-madness-2019-ncaa-tournament-perfect-bracket-odds | 0.287168 |
What Would Happen If President Trump Were President Of A Public Company? | This is a question that has long interested me. My premise being that we've normalized and accepted certain behaviors, and tolerate things in a president of the United States that would never be tolerated in the president of a major public company. (Donald Trump, of course, never ran a public company but a privately owned family business.) For today's hypothetical purposes let's say we're not concerned here with the company's performance. It could be exceptional, poor or average. We're just concerned with the actions and behavior of the company president and its potential effects on the brand. Let's look at a few examples... without even getting into the question of possibly "cooperating" with a powerful foreign competitor... as that one feels too far afield and at this point hard to prove. So let's just stick with a few actions and situations that are widely known and documented. Lack of truthfulness. Or call it lying if you prefer. By the Washington Post's careful count, the president had made over 8,000 false or misleading claims in his first two years in office. I think not. And that's roughly 1/100 of the amount of mendacity the Washington Post has identified. Hush money payoffs to mistresses. Followed by more lack of truthfulness and multiple changed stories about what was done, or not done, in these situations. My own experience as a longtime corporate communications executive for a Fortune 500 company has taught me that boards and senior managements generally have very low tolerance for executive behavior that is publicly "bad for the brand." Thin-skinned in this area, as they should be, to put it mildly. Multiple members of his management team are convicted or in prison. Among others, using the titles loosely, his former "chief operating officer" Paul Manafort and "general counsel" Michael Cohen. Ditto to answer above. It's often felt that the most important decisions a company president makes are the choices of the people he surrounds himself with. Enough said. Publicly insulting and undermining the board of directors. OK, this isn't an exact parallel analogy I admit, but I think you'll get the idea. There's been a steady drumbeat of Twitter vitriol toward Mr. Mueller and "his band of angry Dems." Terms like "witch hunt" and "hoax" have become part of our national vocabulary (which of course is precisely the point). In all likelihood with zero tolerance. In short, compared with standards commonly used and accepted in the business world, it's interesting that we seem content to set a very low bar for the highest office in the land. By comparison to a public company president, a U.S. president gets a mulligan. I'd say you get three guesses and the first two don't count. | Donald Trump's behavior would never be tolerated in the president of a public company, says John Avlon. | bart | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2019/03/21/what-would-happen-if-president-trump-were-president-of-a-public-company/ | 0.176961 |
What Would Happen If President Trump Were President Of A Public Company? | This is a question that has long interested me. My premise being that we've normalized and accepted certain behaviors, and tolerate things in a president of the United States that would never be tolerated in the president of a major public company. (Donald Trump, of course, never ran a public company but a privately owned family business.) For today's hypothetical purposes let's say we're not concerned here with the company's performance. It could be exceptional, poor or average. We're just concerned with the actions and behavior of the company president and its potential effects on the brand. Let's look at a few examples... without even getting into the question of possibly "cooperating" with a powerful foreign competitor... as that one feels too far afield and at this point hard to prove. So let's just stick with a few actions and situations that are widely known and documented. Lack of truthfulness. Or call it lying if you prefer. By the Washington Post's careful count, the president had made over 8,000 false or misleading claims in his first two years in office. I think not. And that's roughly 1/100 of the amount of mendacity the Washington Post has identified. Hush money payoffs to mistresses. Followed by more lack of truthfulness and multiple changed stories about what was done, or not done, in these situations. My own experience as a longtime corporate communications executive for a Fortune 500 company has taught me that boards and senior managements generally have very low tolerance for executive behavior that is publicly "bad for the brand." Thin-skinned in this area, as they should be, to put it mildly. Multiple members of his management team are convicted or in prison. Among others, using the titles loosely, his former "chief operating officer" Paul Manafort and "general counsel" Michael Cohen. Ditto to answer above. It's often felt that the most important decisions a company president makes are the choices of the people he surrounds himself with. Enough said. Publicly insulting and undermining the board of directors. OK, this isn't an exact parallel analogy I admit, but I think you'll get the idea. There's been a steady drumbeat of Twitter vitriol toward Mr. Mueller and "his band of angry Dems." Terms like "witch hunt" and "hoax" have become part of our national vocabulary (which of course is precisely the point). In all likelihood with zero tolerance. In short, compared with standards commonly used and accepted in the business world, it's interesting that we seem content to set a very low bar for the highest office in the land. By comparison to a public company president, a U.S. president gets a mulligan. I'd say you get three guesses and the first two don't count. | Donald Trump's behavior would never be tolerated in the president of a public company, says John Avlon. Avlon: We seem content to set a very low bar for the highest office in the land. | bart | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2019/03/21/what-would-happen-if-president-trump-were-president-of-a-public-company/ | 0.210771 |
Is Scotland scunnered with Brexit? | Image copyright PA Let me join the chorus of congratulation which has attended the initiative by the University of Aberdeen to launch a substantial new linguistic study of vocabulary in the Scots language. Long years ago, back in the Middle Ages, I had an unofficial role in the Commons press gallery, helping baffled Hansard reporters cope with the Scots words not infrequently used by Donald Dewar and others. I provided soothing translations. I was delighted to note today that the Aberdeen endeavour is already mirrored at Holyrood. Willie Rennie of the Liberal Democrats summed up Scotland's view of Brexit by declaring that folk north of the Border were "scunnered". He could - and should - have gone much further down this welcome road. Perhaps he might have decried his rivals as fushionless. But it's a start, chums. An attempt to revisit the language of Dunbar, Henryson and Douglas; the language of Burns, Fergusson and, yes, Scott; the language of Welsh, Kelman, Leonard and Lochhead. At Holyrood, Nicola Sturgeon would undoubtedly endorse Mr Rennie's use of Scots words. She agreed with him too when he argued that Brexit had been miserably badly handled by the prime minister. Image caption Nicola Sturgeon agreed Brexit had been badly handled But at that point their paths departed. Mr Rennie did not agree with the first minister that the answer to the Westminster guddle was to opt for Scottish independence. Indeed, he was rather vocal on the subject. The last thing Scotland needed, he argued, was to add what he called the chaos of independence to the crisis of Brexit. Let us back-pedal a little. Politically, Brexit is all-consuming. The PM is in Brussels as I write, seeking an extension to the scheduled date of the UK's departure from the EU. She has been told that such an extension would be conditional on the Commons backing the existing withdrawal deal - which has twice been overwhelmingly rejected by MPs. Serious topics Despite that, the two principal opposition leaders opted to steer clear of the subject in questioning the first minister. To be clear, they chose deeply serious topics. Jackson Carlaw, for the Tories, asked about drugs deaths. Labour's Richard Leonard asked about hospital staffing. Perhaps they felt they had said all they had to say on Brexit. Perhaps they had heard what the FM had to offer on the topic. Perhaps they felt decisions on this matter rested elsewhere. For whatever reason, they steered clear. Image caption Willie Rennie argued against independence But Patrick Harvie of the Greens did not. He said Brexit argued for Scottish independence - and that the FM had promised to update her thinking on the subject. He concluded his argument with a single word: "When?" Ms Sturgeon said, having waited quite some time, it was right to give the Brexit process a further few days in the hope that clarity might emerge. Alternative path But she empathised with the frustration felt by those who, she said, witnessed the influence over Scotland and the rest of the UK currently deployed by DUP MPs and what she characterised as a cabal of right-wing Conservatives. Westminster governance, she continued, was evidently broken and it was right to give Scotland the chance to choose an alternative path. She also agreed with Patrick Harvie that it would now be sensible to dump Brexit altogether. At which point enter Willie Rennie, castigating independence. If ending a 40-year European link could cause such disruption, he argued, imagine what would ensue from ending the 300-year-old Union that is the UK. Ms Sturgeon was unimpressed. She said Willie Rennie's argument amounted to doing nothing in the face of UK-imposed Brexit chaos. His stance, she said, was that Scotland should just "grin and bear it". On with the clanjamfrie. | Willie Rennie of the Liberal Democrats summed up Scotland's view of Brexit by declaring that folk north of the Border were "scunnered" He could - and should - have gone much further down this welcome road. | bart | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-47654424 | 0.25654 |
Is Scotland scunnered with Brexit? | Image copyright PA Let me join the chorus of congratulation which has attended the initiative by the University of Aberdeen to launch a substantial new linguistic study of vocabulary in the Scots language. Long years ago, back in the Middle Ages, I had an unofficial role in the Commons press gallery, helping baffled Hansard reporters cope with the Scots words not infrequently used by Donald Dewar and others. I provided soothing translations. I was delighted to note today that the Aberdeen endeavour is already mirrored at Holyrood. Willie Rennie of the Liberal Democrats summed up Scotland's view of Brexit by declaring that folk north of the Border were "scunnered". He could - and should - have gone much further down this welcome road. Perhaps he might have decried his rivals as fushionless. But it's a start, chums. An attempt to revisit the language of Dunbar, Henryson and Douglas; the language of Burns, Fergusson and, yes, Scott; the language of Welsh, Kelman, Leonard and Lochhead. At Holyrood, Nicola Sturgeon would undoubtedly endorse Mr Rennie's use of Scots words. She agreed with him too when he argued that Brexit had been miserably badly handled by the prime minister. Image caption Nicola Sturgeon agreed Brexit had been badly handled But at that point their paths departed. Mr Rennie did not agree with the first minister that the answer to the Westminster guddle was to opt for Scottish independence. Indeed, he was rather vocal on the subject. The last thing Scotland needed, he argued, was to add what he called the chaos of independence to the crisis of Brexit. Let us back-pedal a little. Politically, Brexit is all-consuming. The PM is in Brussels as I write, seeking an extension to the scheduled date of the UK's departure from the EU. She has been told that such an extension would be conditional on the Commons backing the existing withdrawal deal - which has twice been overwhelmingly rejected by MPs. Serious topics Despite that, the two principal opposition leaders opted to steer clear of the subject in questioning the first minister. To be clear, they chose deeply serious topics. Jackson Carlaw, for the Tories, asked about drugs deaths. Labour's Richard Leonard asked about hospital staffing. Perhaps they felt they had said all they had to say on Brexit. Perhaps they had heard what the FM had to offer on the topic. Perhaps they felt decisions on this matter rested elsewhere. For whatever reason, they steered clear. Image caption Willie Rennie argued against independence But Patrick Harvie of the Greens did not. He said Brexit argued for Scottish independence - and that the FM had promised to update her thinking on the subject. He concluded his argument with a single word: "When?" Ms Sturgeon said, having waited quite some time, it was right to give the Brexit process a further few days in the hope that clarity might emerge. Alternative path But she empathised with the frustration felt by those who, she said, witnessed the influence over Scotland and the rest of the UK currently deployed by DUP MPs and what she characterised as a cabal of right-wing Conservatives. Westminster governance, she continued, was evidently broken and it was right to give Scotland the chance to choose an alternative path. She also agreed with Patrick Harvie that it would now be sensible to dump Brexit altogether. At which point enter Willie Rennie, castigating independence. If ending a 40-year European link could cause such disruption, he argued, imagine what would ensue from ending the 300-year-old Union that is the UK. Ms Sturgeon was unimpressed. She said Willie Rennie's argument amounted to doing nothing in the face of UK-imposed Brexit chaos. His stance, she said, was that Scotland should just "grin and bear it". On with the clanjamfrie. | Willie Rennie of the Liberal Democrats summed up Scotland's view of Brexit by declaring that folk north of the Border were "scunnered" He could - and should - have gone much further down this welcome road. But it's a start, chums. An attempt to revisit the language of Dunbar, Henryson and Douglas. | bart | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-47654424 | 0.306678 |
How deadly is Mount Everest? | As glaciers melt at a greater pace, there are concerns among expedition operators that bodies are becoming exposed on Mount Everest. The mountain is one of the crown jewels for climbers - but with the achievement of reaching the world's highest peak come risks. Everest deaths Records suggest there have been just over 280 deaths on the mountain. While the number of deaths has been increasing, however, the death rate - the proportion of those who climb above base camp that die - has fallen to below 1%. Deaths on Mount Everest Cumulative number of deaths on Mount Everest, 1900-2018 Since 2010, there have been 72 deaths on Everest and 7,954 climbs above base camp. Death rate on Mount Everest Ratio of deaths to climbs above base camp by decade Most of these deaths are from avalanches or falls, which partially explains the difficulty in retrieving bodies from the mountain. Acute mountain sickness, with symptoms of dizziness, vomiting and headaches, has also caused deaths. Cause of death on Mount Everest Percentage of deaths by cause, 2010-18 While the risks are clear, Alan Arnette, a professional mountaineer who counts Everest and K2 among his climbs, points out that it is significantly safer climbing Everest than elsewhere in the Himalayas. On Everest, he says, "it's basically just following a well-used route". "There is a lot more infrastructure, more tea houses, more helicopter airlifts possible," he says. "In some of the mountains in Pakistan you have to rely on an army helicopter." 'Killer Mountain' The recent deaths of two climbers in Pakistan have highlighted that danger. The British climber Tom Ballard and his Italian climbing partner Daniele Nardi died attempting to scale the Himalayan peak Nanga Parbat, known colloquially as "Killer Mountain". Tom's mother, Alison Hargreaves, had previously died climbing K2, the world's second-highest peak, also in Pakistan. Image copyright Tom Ballard Image caption British climber Tom Ballard died climbing Nanga Parbat Both Nanga Parbat and K2 are considered two of the toughest of the "eight-thousanders" - the 14 mountains higher than 8,000m (26,000ft). Statistics on successful attempts and deaths are not as readily available in Pakistan. But calculations done by Mr Arnette and other climbers show Nanga Parbat has had 339 successful ascents to the summit and 69 deaths. Deaths on mountains over 8,000m Ratio of deaths to successful summits That works out at roughly one death for every five successful ascents to the summit. K2, which is part of the neighbouring Karakoram mountain range, is even more dangerous - there have been 355 successful ascents to the summit and 82 deaths. Across the Himalayas Most Himalayan ascents are not attempted from Pakistan but from mountains with their peaks in Nepal. And statistics are more detailed in this part of the Himalayas, thanks primarily to the work of journalist Elizabeth Hawley. Her Himalayan Database is seen as the most authoritative records of climbs, successful or unsuccessful, of more than 450 peaks in the region, including Everest. Unlike records from Pakistan, the Himalayan Database collects information not just on successful ascents to the summit but also on all those who venture beyond base camps, giving a more accurate view of the danger of the mountains. And for all climbs above base camp in the region, the death rate has dropped from 3% in the 1950s to 0.9% over the past decade. For Sherpas, the Nepalese professional climbers hired to support mountaineering teams, it has declined from 1.3% to 0.8%. Likelihood of death in Himalayas % of trips above base camp resulting in death in Nepalese Himalayas by decade Since 2010, there have been 183 recorded deaths above base camp in the region, according to the Himalayan Database, and over 21,000 climbs above base camp. The statistics also shine a light on which mountain peak poses the greatest threat to climbers. Ten most deadliest peaks in Himalayas Ratio of deaths to climbs above base camp Since 2010, out of the four mountaineers to have climbed Yalung Kang, three have died. The overall number climbing these peaks is small, which does skew the figures, but ultimately reiterates the point that the mountains less well trod are potentially the most lethal. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter | There have been just over 280 deaths on Mount Everest. But the death rate has fallen to below 1%. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-47418215 | 0.318382 |
How deadly is Mount Everest? | As glaciers melt at a greater pace, there are concerns among expedition operators that bodies are becoming exposed on Mount Everest. The mountain is one of the crown jewels for climbers - but with the achievement of reaching the world's highest peak come risks. Everest deaths Records suggest there have been just over 280 deaths on the mountain. While the number of deaths has been increasing, however, the death rate - the proportion of those who climb above base camp that die - has fallen to below 1%. Deaths on Mount Everest Cumulative number of deaths on Mount Everest, 1900-2018 Since 2010, there have been 72 deaths on Everest and 7,954 climbs above base camp. Death rate on Mount Everest Ratio of deaths to climbs above base camp by decade Most of these deaths are from avalanches or falls, which partially explains the difficulty in retrieving bodies from the mountain. Acute mountain sickness, with symptoms of dizziness, vomiting and headaches, has also caused deaths. Cause of death on Mount Everest Percentage of deaths by cause, 2010-18 While the risks are clear, Alan Arnette, a professional mountaineer who counts Everest and K2 among his climbs, points out that it is significantly safer climbing Everest than elsewhere in the Himalayas. On Everest, he says, "it's basically just following a well-used route". "There is a lot more infrastructure, more tea houses, more helicopter airlifts possible," he says. "In some of the mountains in Pakistan you have to rely on an army helicopter." 'Killer Mountain' The recent deaths of two climbers in Pakistan have highlighted that danger. The British climber Tom Ballard and his Italian climbing partner Daniele Nardi died attempting to scale the Himalayan peak Nanga Parbat, known colloquially as "Killer Mountain". Tom's mother, Alison Hargreaves, had previously died climbing K2, the world's second-highest peak, also in Pakistan. Image copyright Tom Ballard Image caption British climber Tom Ballard died climbing Nanga Parbat Both Nanga Parbat and K2 are considered two of the toughest of the "eight-thousanders" - the 14 mountains higher than 8,000m (26,000ft). Statistics on successful attempts and deaths are not as readily available in Pakistan. But calculations done by Mr Arnette and other climbers show Nanga Parbat has had 339 successful ascents to the summit and 69 deaths. Deaths on mountains over 8,000m Ratio of deaths to successful summits That works out at roughly one death for every five successful ascents to the summit. K2, which is part of the neighbouring Karakoram mountain range, is even more dangerous - there have been 355 successful ascents to the summit and 82 deaths. Across the Himalayas Most Himalayan ascents are not attempted from Pakistan but from mountains with their peaks in Nepal. And statistics are more detailed in this part of the Himalayas, thanks primarily to the work of journalist Elizabeth Hawley. Her Himalayan Database is seen as the most authoritative records of climbs, successful or unsuccessful, of more than 450 peaks in the region, including Everest. Unlike records from Pakistan, the Himalayan Database collects information not just on successful ascents to the summit but also on all those who venture beyond base camps, giving a more accurate view of the danger of the mountains. And for all climbs above base camp in the region, the death rate has dropped from 3% in the 1950s to 0.9% over the past decade. For Sherpas, the Nepalese professional climbers hired to support mountaineering teams, it has declined from 1.3% to 0.8%. Likelihood of death in Himalayas % of trips above base camp resulting in death in Nepalese Himalayas by decade Since 2010, there have been 183 recorded deaths above base camp in the region, according to the Himalayan Database, and over 21,000 climbs above base camp. The statistics also shine a light on which mountain peak poses the greatest threat to climbers. Ten most deadliest peaks in Himalayas Ratio of deaths to climbs above base camp Since 2010, out of the four mountaineers to have climbed Yalung Kang, three have died. The overall number climbing these peaks is small, which does skew the figures, but ultimately reiterates the point that the mountains less well trod are potentially the most lethal. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter | There have been just over 280 deaths on Mount Everest since 1900. But the death rate has fallen to below 1%. Climbers say it is significantly safer climbing Everest than elsewhere in the Himalayas. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-47418215 | 0.322747 |
How deadly is Mount Everest? | As glaciers melt at a greater pace, there are concerns among expedition operators that bodies are becoming exposed on Mount Everest. The mountain is one of the crown jewels for climbers - but with the achievement of reaching the world's highest peak come risks. Everest deaths Records suggest there have been just over 280 deaths on the mountain. While the number of deaths has been increasing, however, the death rate - the proportion of those who climb above base camp that die - has fallen to below 1%. Deaths on Mount Everest Cumulative number of deaths on Mount Everest, 1900-2018 Since 2010, there have been 72 deaths on Everest and 7,954 climbs above base camp. Death rate on Mount Everest Ratio of deaths to climbs above base camp by decade Most of these deaths are from avalanches or falls, which partially explains the difficulty in retrieving bodies from the mountain. Acute mountain sickness, with symptoms of dizziness, vomiting and headaches, has also caused deaths. Cause of death on Mount Everest Percentage of deaths by cause, 2010-18 While the risks are clear, Alan Arnette, a professional mountaineer who counts Everest and K2 among his climbs, points out that it is significantly safer climbing Everest than elsewhere in the Himalayas. On Everest, he says, "it's basically just following a well-used route". "There is a lot more infrastructure, more tea houses, more helicopter airlifts possible," he says. "In some of the mountains in Pakistan you have to rely on an army helicopter." 'Killer Mountain' The recent deaths of two climbers in Pakistan have highlighted that danger. The British climber Tom Ballard and his Italian climbing partner Daniele Nardi died attempting to scale the Himalayan peak Nanga Parbat, known colloquially as "Killer Mountain". Tom's mother, Alison Hargreaves, had previously died climbing K2, the world's second-highest peak, also in Pakistan. Image copyright Tom Ballard Image caption British climber Tom Ballard died climbing Nanga Parbat Both Nanga Parbat and K2 are considered two of the toughest of the "eight-thousanders" - the 14 mountains higher than 8,000m (26,000ft). Statistics on successful attempts and deaths are not as readily available in Pakistan. But calculations done by Mr Arnette and other climbers show Nanga Parbat has had 339 successful ascents to the summit and 69 deaths. Deaths on mountains over 8,000m Ratio of deaths to successful summits That works out at roughly one death for every five successful ascents to the summit. K2, which is part of the neighbouring Karakoram mountain range, is even more dangerous - there have been 355 successful ascents to the summit and 82 deaths. Across the Himalayas Most Himalayan ascents are not attempted from Pakistan but from mountains with their peaks in Nepal. And statistics are more detailed in this part of the Himalayas, thanks primarily to the work of journalist Elizabeth Hawley. Her Himalayan Database is seen as the most authoritative records of climbs, successful or unsuccessful, of more than 450 peaks in the region, including Everest. Unlike records from Pakistan, the Himalayan Database collects information not just on successful ascents to the summit but also on all those who venture beyond base camps, giving a more accurate view of the danger of the mountains. And for all climbs above base camp in the region, the death rate has dropped from 3% in the 1950s to 0.9% over the past decade. For Sherpas, the Nepalese professional climbers hired to support mountaineering teams, it has declined from 1.3% to 0.8%. Likelihood of death in Himalayas % of trips above base camp resulting in death in Nepalese Himalayas by decade Since 2010, there have been 183 recorded deaths above base camp in the region, according to the Himalayan Database, and over 21,000 climbs above base camp. The statistics also shine a light on which mountain peak poses the greatest threat to climbers. Ten most deadliest peaks in Himalayas Ratio of deaths to climbs above base camp Since 2010, out of the four mountaineers to have climbed Yalung Kang, three have died. The overall number climbing these peaks is small, which does skew the figures, but ultimately reiterates the point that the mountains less well trod are potentially the most lethal. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter | There have been just over 280 deaths on Mount Everest since 1900. But the death rate has fallen to below 1%. Climbers say it is significantly safer to climb Everest than elsewhere in the Himalayas. The death rate on K2, the second-highest peak in the region, is 82%. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-47418215 | 0.340204 |
Is it time for the Vikings to trust Kyle Sloter as the backup QB? | Welcome to the Thursday edition of The Cooler, where sometimes its the next guys turn. Lets get to it: *Wednesday brought some interesting news in that former Vikings backup QB Trevor Siemian agreed to a one-year deal with the Jets. He is now the McLovin we lost. The question now for the Vikings is whether they trust Kyle Sloter enough to be QB2 behind Kirk Cousins, whether they will bring in another clear-cut backup or whether they will settle somewhere in-between. Sloter, youll recall, went undrafted in 2017 and was in camp with the Broncos before the Vikings made an aggressive bid paying him nearly triple the going rate for practice squad players to add him. He served primarily as the No. 3 QB each of the last two seasons, including a year ago firmly behind Cousins and Siemian. He had a strong preseason in 2018, completing 73.2 percent of his passes for 366 yards, four TDs and no interceptions. Our Andrew Krammer reported that the Vikings wanted Siemian back and are exploring other options, so it would seem at least like they had budgeted for another QB. For what its worth, Cousins seems pretty comfortable with Sloter. He posted a picture on Instagram of the two of them working out together last week, and Sloter commented: Name a more iconic duo. *The Timberwolves announcement that Robert Covington, Jeff Teague and Derrick Rose are all expected to miss the rest of the season sure comes at an interesting time. Maybe the team was just waiting for clarity on all three, but announcing them at the same time gives the impression that the Wolves all but eliminated from the playoff race have shifted their focus. *Ichiro retired, ending one of the best and most interesting baseball careers in recent memory. I had a chance to talk to Ichiro and Pete Rose about the pursuit of 4,256 hits a couple years back, if you have a few minutes to spare. | Former Vikings backup QB Trevor Siemian agreed to a one-year deal with the Jets. The question now for the Vikings is whether they trust Kyle Sloter enough to be QB2. | bart | 1 | http://www.startribune.com/is-it-time-for-the-vikings-to-trust-kyle-sloter-as-the-backup-qb/507470372/ | 0.204782 |
Is it time for the Vikings to trust Kyle Sloter as the backup QB? | Welcome to the Thursday edition of The Cooler, where sometimes its the next guys turn. Lets get to it: *Wednesday brought some interesting news in that former Vikings backup QB Trevor Siemian agreed to a one-year deal with the Jets. He is now the McLovin we lost. The question now for the Vikings is whether they trust Kyle Sloter enough to be QB2 behind Kirk Cousins, whether they will bring in another clear-cut backup or whether they will settle somewhere in-between. Sloter, youll recall, went undrafted in 2017 and was in camp with the Broncos before the Vikings made an aggressive bid paying him nearly triple the going rate for practice squad players to add him. He served primarily as the No. 3 QB each of the last two seasons, including a year ago firmly behind Cousins and Siemian. He had a strong preseason in 2018, completing 73.2 percent of his passes for 366 yards, four TDs and no interceptions. Our Andrew Krammer reported that the Vikings wanted Siemian back and are exploring other options, so it would seem at least like they had budgeted for another QB. For what its worth, Cousins seems pretty comfortable with Sloter. He posted a picture on Instagram of the two of them working out together last week, and Sloter commented: Name a more iconic duo. *The Timberwolves announcement that Robert Covington, Jeff Teague and Derrick Rose are all expected to miss the rest of the season sure comes at an interesting time. Maybe the team was just waiting for clarity on all three, but announcing them at the same time gives the impression that the Wolves all but eliminated from the playoff race have shifted their focus. *Ichiro retired, ending one of the best and most interesting baseball careers in recent memory. I had a chance to talk to Ichiro and Pete Rose about the pursuit of 4,256 hits a couple years back, if you have a few minutes to spare. | Former Vikings backup QB Trevor Siemian agreed to a one-year deal with the Jets. The question now for the Vikings is whether they trust Kyle Sloter enough to be QB2 behind Kirk Cousins. The Timberwolves announcement that Robert Covington, Jeff Teague and Derrick Rose are all expected to miss the rest of the season. | bart | 2 | http://www.startribune.com/is-it-time-for-the-vikings-to-trust-kyle-sloter-as-the-backup-qb/507470372/ | 0.347226 |
What states permit legal wagering on the NCAA basketball tournament and other sports? | CLEVELAND, Ohio - Wagering on team sports such as the NCAA basketball tournament still is not permitted under Ohio law, but Ohioans dont have to go far to place legal bets on their favorite games. Pennsylvania and West Virginia are among the states that have legalized sports betting since the U.S. Supreme Court in May issued a ruling opening up the possibility for any state to do so. Legal sports betting is now taking place in eight states, according to a national survey conducted by the Associated Press. The others are Delaware, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Mississippi and, of course, the nations gambling capital of Nevada. As for Ohio, Gov. DeWine predicted last week that sports gambling is on its way to Ohio, but he deferred to the legislature to determine how to proceed. DeWine said he expects tax dollars from sports wagering to begin flowing within the next two years. Senate Bill 111, sponsored by Sens. John Eklund, a Geauga County Republican, and Sean OBrien, a Bazetta Democrat, would legalize the wagers in casinos, racinos and other places with video lottery terminals. Its unknown if that approach will be endorsed by the legislature. Heres a rundown, of what is happening elsewhere: Delaware: The state determined it could move forward under existing law, and in June became the first state outside Nevada to expand gambling to individual games. Mississippi: Ahead of the Supreme Court ruling, Mississippi used a 2017 daily fantasy sports bill to remove a ban on sports betting. Legal bets began in August. New Jersey: The state brought the suit that led to the Supreme Courts ruling and began sports wagering in June. But there are penalties for wagering on sporting events involving New Jersey college teams. New Mexico: Sports betting is in place at a tribal casino. Nevada: Sports gambling goes back decades in Nevada, and especially in Las Vegas. Pennsylvania: Launched at the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course near Harrisburg in November. Sports gambling expanded to six locations by last month, including the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, with bets totaling $31.5 million statewide in February. Rhode Island: Approved legislation and began legal wagering in November. West Virginia: Sports betting was legalized in March 2018, allowing sportsbooks at all five of the states casinos, and gambling through mobile apps when in West Virginia. Mountaineer Park, about two hours southeast of Cleveland, went live in November. But the West Virginia lottery said on Wednesday that wagering remained offline at Delaware Norths Mardi Gras Casino & Resort and the Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack because of negotiations between the facilities and a third-party technology vendor. Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner . Follow casino coverage at cleveland.com/casino. | Ohio is one of eight states that have legalized sports betting. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.cleveland.com/casino/2019/03/what-states-permit-legal-wagering-on-the-ncaa-basketball-tournament-and-other-sports.html | 0.143747 |
What states permit legal wagering on the NCAA basketball tournament and other sports? | CLEVELAND, Ohio - Wagering on team sports such as the NCAA basketball tournament still is not permitted under Ohio law, but Ohioans dont have to go far to place legal bets on their favorite games. Pennsylvania and West Virginia are among the states that have legalized sports betting since the U.S. Supreme Court in May issued a ruling opening up the possibility for any state to do so. Legal sports betting is now taking place in eight states, according to a national survey conducted by the Associated Press. The others are Delaware, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Mississippi and, of course, the nations gambling capital of Nevada. As for Ohio, Gov. DeWine predicted last week that sports gambling is on its way to Ohio, but he deferred to the legislature to determine how to proceed. DeWine said he expects tax dollars from sports wagering to begin flowing within the next two years. Senate Bill 111, sponsored by Sens. John Eklund, a Geauga County Republican, and Sean OBrien, a Bazetta Democrat, would legalize the wagers in casinos, racinos and other places with video lottery terminals. Its unknown if that approach will be endorsed by the legislature. Heres a rundown, of what is happening elsewhere: Delaware: The state determined it could move forward under existing law, and in June became the first state outside Nevada to expand gambling to individual games. Mississippi: Ahead of the Supreme Court ruling, Mississippi used a 2017 daily fantasy sports bill to remove a ban on sports betting. Legal bets began in August. New Jersey: The state brought the suit that led to the Supreme Courts ruling and began sports wagering in June. But there are penalties for wagering on sporting events involving New Jersey college teams. New Mexico: Sports betting is in place at a tribal casino. Nevada: Sports gambling goes back decades in Nevada, and especially in Las Vegas. Pennsylvania: Launched at the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course near Harrisburg in November. Sports gambling expanded to six locations by last month, including the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, with bets totaling $31.5 million statewide in February. Rhode Island: Approved legislation and began legal wagering in November. West Virginia: Sports betting was legalized in March 2018, allowing sportsbooks at all five of the states casinos, and gambling through mobile apps when in West Virginia. Mountaineer Park, about two hours southeast of Cleveland, went live in November. But the West Virginia lottery said on Wednesday that wagering remained offline at Delaware Norths Mardi Gras Casino & Resort and the Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack because of negotiations between the facilities and a third-party technology vendor. Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner . Follow casino coverage at cleveland.com/casino. | Legal sports betting is now taking place in eight states. The others are Delaware, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Mississippi and, of course, Nevada. Pennsylvania and West Virginia are among the states that have legalized sports betting. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.cleveland.com/casino/2019/03/what-states-permit-legal-wagering-on-the-ncaa-basketball-tournament-and-other-sports.html | 0.319388 |
What states permit legal wagering on the NCAA basketball tournament and other sports? | CLEVELAND, Ohio - Wagering on team sports such as the NCAA basketball tournament still is not permitted under Ohio law, but Ohioans dont have to go far to place legal bets on their favorite games. Pennsylvania and West Virginia are among the states that have legalized sports betting since the U.S. Supreme Court in May issued a ruling opening up the possibility for any state to do so. Legal sports betting is now taking place in eight states, according to a national survey conducted by the Associated Press. The others are Delaware, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Mississippi and, of course, the nations gambling capital of Nevada. As for Ohio, Gov. DeWine predicted last week that sports gambling is on its way to Ohio, but he deferred to the legislature to determine how to proceed. DeWine said he expects tax dollars from sports wagering to begin flowing within the next two years. Senate Bill 111, sponsored by Sens. John Eklund, a Geauga County Republican, and Sean OBrien, a Bazetta Democrat, would legalize the wagers in casinos, racinos and other places with video lottery terminals. Its unknown if that approach will be endorsed by the legislature. Heres a rundown, of what is happening elsewhere: Delaware: The state determined it could move forward under existing law, and in June became the first state outside Nevada to expand gambling to individual games. Mississippi: Ahead of the Supreme Court ruling, Mississippi used a 2017 daily fantasy sports bill to remove a ban on sports betting. Legal bets began in August. New Jersey: The state brought the suit that led to the Supreme Courts ruling and began sports wagering in June. But there are penalties for wagering on sporting events involving New Jersey college teams. New Mexico: Sports betting is in place at a tribal casino. Nevada: Sports gambling goes back decades in Nevada, and especially in Las Vegas. Pennsylvania: Launched at the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course near Harrisburg in November. Sports gambling expanded to six locations by last month, including the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, with bets totaling $31.5 million statewide in February. Rhode Island: Approved legislation and began legal wagering in November. West Virginia: Sports betting was legalized in March 2018, allowing sportsbooks at all five of the states casinos, and gambling through mobile apps when in West Virginia. Mountaineer Park, about two hours southeast of Cleveland, went live in November. But the West Virginia lottery said on Wednesday that wagering remained offline at Delaware Norths Mardi Gras Casino & Resort and the Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack because of negotiations between the facilities and a third-party technology vendor. Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner . Follow casino coverage at cleveland.com/casino. | The U.S. Supreme Court in May issued a ruling opening up the possibility for any state to do so. Pennsylvania and West Virginia are among the states that have legalized sports betting. The others are Delaware, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Mississippi and, of course, Nevada. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.cleveland.com/casino/2019/03/what-states-permit-legal-wagering-on-the-ncaa-basketball-tournament-and-other-sports.html | 0.368289 |
How populist was Theresa May's Brexit address? | In a televised statement Theresa May appealed to the public in her latest bid to get her Brexit deal through parliament. In the speech May blamed squabbling politicians for delaying Brexit. The speech infuriated MPs who accused her of causing further division within parliament and somedrew parallels with Donald Trumps rhetoric. The Guardian has worked alongside Team Populism over months to classify how populist a leader is, as determined by their speeches. In our analysis May was classified as somewhat populist, putting her in the same category as Donald Trump, Brazils Jair Bolsonaro and Hungarys Viktor Orbn. Play Video 3:52 Brexit: May says high time MPs vote for her deal in No 10 statement - video In March 2017 I triggered the Article 50 process for the UK to exit the EU and parliament supported it overwhelmingly. Two years on, MPs have been unable to agree on a way to implement the UKs withdrawal. As a result, we will now not leave on time with a deal on 29 March. This delay is a matter of great personal regret for me. And of this I am absolutely sure: You, the public, have had enough. Youre tired of the infighting, youre tired of the political games and the arcane procedural rows, tired of MPs talking about nothing else but Brexit when you have real concerns about our childrens schools, our National Health Service, knife crime. Team Populism have identified three key elements to look out for in populist speech: people-centrism, anti-elitism, and the depiction of a moralised battle between good and evil, or a Manichean world view. Straight off, May hits on two elements of populist speech here: people-centrism and anti-elitism. She makes a direct appeal to the British public and allies herself with the frustrated masses, who are portrayed as having a singular view on the situation. May also says the difficulties with Brexit are due to an obstructive establishment, or an elite, who have thwarted progress through political games and arcane procedural rows. You want this stage of the Brexit process to be over and done with. I agree. I am on your side. It is high time we made a decision. So far, Parliament has done everything possible to avoid making a choice. Here May continues to position herself on the side of the people and characterises the Brexit debate as a battle between us and them. Although there are some elements of populist speech its not a classical text with all three aspects of populist speech, says Bruno Castanho Silva, a member of Team Populism working at the University of Cologne. The language is not as strong as her speech at the Conservative party conference in 2016 the most populist of all Mays statements we analysed. Then, she described the narrow vote to leave the EU as a decisive revolution in which millions stood up and said they were not prepared to be ignored any more. She has references to the public and there is something there that could be read as populist but the MPs are not described as this evil elite entity. However she frames the political class as dysfunctional which is a populist element but its not an elite conspiring against the people, says Castanho Silva. Some argue that I am making the wrong choice, and I should ask for a longer extension to the end of the year or beyond, to give more time for politicians to argue over the way forward. That would mean asking you to vote in European elections, nearly three years after our country decided to leave. And just how bitter and divisive would that election campaign be at a time when the country desperately needs bringing back together. To close May hits on a more conciliatory note by appealing to the public that now is the time to bring the country back together. Theres some recognition that there are other sides to this story and they have legitimate needs, says Castanho Silva. In acknowledging the opposing views on Brexit, May introduces the idea of pluralism, not a typical element of populist speech. So although the speech does have some populist attributes its not her most populist to date. Additional reporting by Sean Clarke and Paul Lewis | Theresa May appealed to the public in her latest bid to get her deal through parliament. In the speech May blamed squabbling politicians for delaying Brexit. MPs accused her of causing further division within parliament. The Guardian has worked alongside Team Populism to classify how populist a leader is. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2019/mar/21/how-populist-was-theresa-mays-brexit-address | 0.135551 |
Should black Americans get slavery reparations? | In the US, a growing number of voices are saying the answer is reparations. Reparations are a restitution for slavery - an apology and repayment to black citizens whose ancestors were forced into the slave trade. It's a policy notion that many black academics and advocates have long called for, but one that politicians have largely sidestepped or ignored. But increased activism around racial inequalities and discussions among Democratic 2020 presidential candidates have thrust the issue into the national spotlight. This week, talk of reparations made headlines after a Fox News contributor argued against the policy by saying the US actually deserves more credit for ending slavery as quickly as it did. "America came along as the first country to end it within 150 years, and we get no credit for that," Katie Pavlich said on Tuesday, adding that reparations would only "inflame racial tension even more". Skip Twitter post by @LisPower1 Fox's Pavlich complains that America gets no credit for ending slavery. "They keep blaming America for slavery, but the truth is that throughout human history slavery has existed. America came along as the first country to end it within 150 years. And we get no credit for that." pic.twitter.com/d4deB0lrbB Lis Power (@LisPower1) March 19, 2019 Report The backlash to her comments from liberals and activists was swift. Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr, responded by saying America "doesn't deserve credit for 'ending slavery'" when the ideologies are still prevalent. Skip Twitter post by @BerniceKing America doesnt deserve credit for ending slavery. What America ended (on paper) reflects an ideology and a quest for power at the expense of humanity that are still prevalent in the policies, spirit and mores of this nation. Talk of repaying African-Americans has been around since the Civil War era, when centuries of slavery officially ended. Some experts have calculated the worth of black labour during slavery as anywhere from billions to trillions of dollars. Adding in exploitative low-income work post-slavery pushes those figures even higher. Even after the technical end of the slave trade, black Americans were denied education, voting rights, and the right to own property - treated in many ways as second-class citizens. Those arguing for reparations point to these historic inequalities as reasons for current schisms between white and black Americans when it comes to income, housing, healthcare and incarceration rates. Prof Darrick Hamilton, Executive Director of Ohio State University's Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, says this history is part of America's unique problem. "From our founding fabric we have based our political and economic institutions on chattel slavery," he told the BBC. "Which makes our institutions not only pernicious but structurally entrenched [in inequalities]." A brief timeline of slavery in the US 1619 - Some of the first African slaves are purchased in Virginia by English colonists, though slaves had been used by European colonists long before 1788 - The US constitution is ratified; under it, slaves are considered by law to be three-fifths of a person 1808 - President Thomas Jefferson officially ends the African slave trade, but domestic slave trade, particularly in the southern states, begins to grow 1822 - Freed African-Americans found Liberia in West Africa as a new home for freed slaves 1860 - Abraham Lincoln becomes president of the US; the southern states secede and the Civil War begins the following year 1862 - President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation frees all slaves in the seceded states 1865 - The South loses the war; the 13th Amendment to the Constitution formally abolishes slavery 1868 - The 14th Amendment grants freed African Americans citizenship 1870 - The 15th Amendment gives African American men the right to vote; the South begins passing segregation laws Image copyright Smith Collection/Gado A case for reparations... In arguing for reparations, Prof Hamilton says the impact of slavery continues to manifest in American society. "The material consequence is vivid with the racial wealth gap. Psychologically, the consequence is [how] we treat blacks without dignity, that we dehumanise them in public spaces." From policies excluding primarily black populations - like social security once did - to pushing narratives that blame black Americans for their economic problems, Prof Hamilton says the US has structural problems that must be addressed in order to move forward. US household income by race ($) Median adjusted for inflation In 2014, journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates brought similar ideas into the national conversation with his piece The Case for Reparations. Coates detailed how housing policy and wealth gaps in particular most clearly illustrate the ways black citizens are still affected by America's past. Decades of segregation kept black families away from white areas, which had better access to education, healthcare, food and other necessities, while institutionalised discrimination hindered black Americans' economic development. "As we go further back in our history, one can see it as explicitly violent," Prof Hamilton says. "Now it might be implicitly violent." Subconscious racism in police forces, enduring bias against black Americans in the courts and financial institutions are some examples of that subtle violence, he adds. Image copyright Smith Collection/Gado Image caption Chicago's projects and segregated neighbourhoods are often pointed to as an example of racism in US housing policy ...and a case against it But support for reparations today remains largely divided along racial lines. A 2016 Marist poll found 58% of black Americans were in favour of reparations, while 81% of white Americans opposed the idea. A 2018 Data for Progress survey also found reparations to be unpopular among the general public, and especially so among white Americans. One argument against reparations echoes what Fox's Ms Pavlich said - that they would only build walls between Americans. Some contend that the reason reparations have worked elsewhere, namely Germany, which has paid billions to Holocaust survivors since the end of World War Two, is because the reparations are between nations, not within one. "For the United States to do the same for the descendants of slaves would be to imply that afterward, we will be going our separate ways, with no special obligations on either side," columnist Megan McArdle wrote for the Washington Post. "A one-time payment, and then nothing more owed...That is the only conception of reparations that could possibly be politically viable. It would also be utterly toxic, ultimately widening divisions that we're trying to shrink." Even for some black activists reparations seem an unreasonable ask. Bayard Rustin, who organised the March on Washington and was a friend of Martin Luther King Jr, called it a "ridiculous idea". "If my great-grandfather picked cotton for 50 years, then he may deserve some money, but he's dead and gone and nobody owes me anything," Mr Rustin told the New York Times in 1969. He later expanded on the views, writing that a payout would demean "the integrity of blacks" and exploit white guilt. "It is insulting to Negroes to offer them reparations for past generations for suffering, as if the balance of an irreparable past could be set straight with a handout." A monetary payout to black Americans usually comes to mind when discussing reparations in the US. And critics are quick to point out such a payment would cost the US trillions. But just throwing cash at the issue, advocates say, would not address the root of the problem. Prof Hamilton told the BBC he supports a payout mostly as a symbolic gesture. "In any case where there's an injustice, to achieve justice not only do you need the acknowledgment, you need the restitution." "We need to couple it with an economic justice bill of rights," he adds. "Simply paying the debt doesn't address the structural problems America has, with certain classes of Americans being able to extract and exploit." But acknowledgement isn't "trivial", he says - it would help refute existing narratives that dehumanise black Americans as lazy or dysfunctional. Economist William Darity has also suggested a "portfolio of reparations" that would combine payments with black-oriented policies focusing on funding black education, healthcare, and asset building as well as ensuring that public schools properly teaches the full impact of slavery. President Barack Obama never endorsed a reparations policy - nor did 2016 candidate Hillary Clinton - but next year's presidential contenders have been more outspoken, if vague. Senator Kamala Harris has said she is in favour of "some type" of reparations. In February, she told The Grio: "We have to recognise that everybody did not start out on an equal footing in this country and in particular black people have not." She has proposed the LIFT Act, which would give families earning under $100,000 annually a tax credit, benefitting "60% of black families who are in poverty". The California Democrat has also suggested policies investing in black communities through black colleges and healthcare programmes, for example. Senator Elizabeth Warren has also expressed support for reparations, calling racial injustices "a stain on America" that has "happened generation after generation" at a CNN town hall this month. "Because of housing discrimination and employment discrimination, we live in a world where the average white family has $100 [and] the average black family has about $5. It's time to start the national, full-blown conversation about reparations in this country." Mrs Warren said she is in favour of a bill currently in the House of Representatives to appoint a panel of experts to report back to Congress about what can be done to solve these issues. Senator Bernie Sanders saw some backlash during the last presidential election over rejecting the idea, but he maintains that a reparations cheque would not fix the problems. "Right now, our job is to address the crises facing the American people and our communities, and I think there are better ways to do that than just writing out a cheque,"he told ABC's The View this month. Mr Sanders said rather than supporting a payout, he is for universal programmes or anti-poverty measures that would help all underprivileged communities. Senator Cory Booker, like Mrs Harris, has proposed a "form of reparations". "Baby bonds" would create a trust fund for lower-income children that they could use for education or housing As more black families are impoverished than whites, the policy would help address race inequalities, broadly speaking Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro said the idea of reparations was something "worth" discussing. Mr Castro said he is also in favour of an expert panel that could study the issue and inform Congress how best to proceed. Author Marianne Williamson has said she supports a reparations plan. She has floated the idea of a $100bn "educational, economic and cultural fund to be disbursed over a 10 year period by a council of esteemed African American leaders". To Prof Hamilton, regardless of policy, the fact that these conversations are happening is a step forward. "The conversation in and of itself is valuable. It's opening the door to reframe our understandings of racial inequality overall." Additional reporting by Paula Hong. | Reparations are a restitution for slavery - an apology to black citizens whose ancestors were forced into the slave trade. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47643630 | 0.286454 |
Should black Americans get slavery reparations? | In the US, a growing number of voices are saying the answer is reparations. Reparations are a restitution for slavery - an apology and repayment to black citizens whose ancestors were forced into the slave trade. It's a policy notion that many black academics and advocates have long called for, but one that politicians have largely sidestepped or ignored. But increased activism around racial inequalities and discussions among Democratic 2020 presidential candidates have thrust the issue into the national spotlight. This week, talk of reparations made headlines after a Fox News contributor argued against the policy by saying the US actually deserves more credit for ending slavery as quickly as it did. "America came along as the first country to end it within 150 years, and we get no credit for that," Katie Pavlich said on Tuesday, adding that reparations would only "inflame racial tension even more". Skip Twitter post by @LisPower1 Fox's Pavlich complains that America gets no credit for ending slavery. "They keep blaming America for slavery, but the truth is that throughout human history slavery has existed. America came along as the first country to end it within 150 years. And we get no credit for that." pic.twitter.com/d4deB0lrbB Lis Power (@LisPower1) March 19, 2019 Report The backlash to her comments from liberals and activists was swift. Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr, responded by saying America "doesn't deserve credit for 'ending slavery'" when the ideologies are still prevalent. Skip Twitter post by @BerniceKing America doesnt deserve credit for ending slavery. What America ended (on paper) reflects an ideology and a quest for power at the expense of humanity that are still prevalent in the policies, spirit and mores of this nation. Talk of repaying African-Americans has been around since the Civil War era, when centuries of slavery officially ended. Some experts have calculated the worth of black labour during slavery as anywhere from billions to trillions of dollars. Adding in exploitative low-income work post-slavery pushes those figures even higher. Even after the technical end of the slave trade, black Americans were denied education, voting rights, and the right to own property - treated in many ways as second-class citizens. Those arguing for reparations point to these historic inequalities as reasons for current schisms between white and black Americans when it comes to income, housing, healthcare and incarceration rates. Prof Darrick Hamilton, Executive Director of Ohio State University's Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, says this history is part of America's unique problem. "From our founding fabric we have based our political and economic institutions on chattel slavery," he told the BBC. "Which makes our institutions not only pernicious but structurally entrenched [in inequalities]." A brief timeline of slavery in the US 1619 - Some of the first African slaves are purchased in Virginia by English colonists, though slaves had been used by European colonists long before 1788 - The US constitution is ratified; under it, slaves are considered by law to be three-fifths of a person 1808 - President Thomas Jefferson officially ends the African slave trade, but domestic slave trade, particularly in the southern states, begins to grow 1822 - Freed African-Americans found Liberia in West Africa as a new home for freed slaves 1860 - Abraham Lincoln becomes president of the US; the southern states secede and the Civil War begins the following year 1862 - President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation frees all slaves in the seceded states 1865 - The South loses the war; the 13th Amendment to the Constitution formally abolishes slavery 1868 - The 14th Amendment grants freed African Americans citizenship 1870 - The 15th Amendment gives African American men the right to vote; the South begins passing segregation laws Image copyright Smith Collection/Gado A case for reparations... In arguing for reparations, Prof Hamilton says the impact of slavery continues to manifest in American society. "The material consequence is vivid with the racial wealth gap. Psychologically, the consequence is [how] we treat blacks without dignity, that we dehumanise them in public spaces." From policies excluding primarily black populations - like social security once did - to pushing narratives that blame black Americans for their economic problems, Prof Hamilton says the US has structural problems that must be addressed in order to move forward. US household income by race ($) Median adjusted for inflation In 2014, journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates brought similar ideas into the national conversation with his piece The Case for Reparations. Coates detailed how housing policy and wealth gaps in particular most clearly illustrate the ways black citizens are still affected by America's past. Decades of segregation kept black families away from white areas, which had better access to education, healthcare, food and other necessities, while institutionalised discrimination hindered black Americans' economic development. "As we go further back in our history, one can see it as explicitly violent," Prof Hamilton says. "Now it might be implicitly violent." Subconscious racism in police forces, enduring bias against black Americans in the courts and financial institutions are some examples of that subtle violence, he adds. Image copyright Smith Collection/Gado Image caption Chicago's projects and segregated neighbourhoods are often pointed to as an example of racism in US housing policy ...and a case against it But support for reparations today remains largely divided along racial lines. A 2016 Marist poll found 58% of black Americans were in favour of reparations, while 81% of white Americans opposed the idea. A 2018 Data for Progress survey also found reparations to be unpopular among the general public, and especially so among white Americans. One argument against reparations echoes what Fox's Ms Pavlich said - that they would only build walls between Americans. Some contend that the reason reparations have worked elsewhere, namely Germany, which has paid billions to Holocaust survivors since the end of World War Two, is because the reparations are between nations, not within one. "For the United States to do the same for the descendants of slaves would be to imply that afterward, we will be going our separate ways, with no special obligations on either side," columnist Megan McArdle wrote for the Washington Post. "A one-time payment, and then nothing more owed...That is the only conception of reparations that could possibly be politically viable. It would also be utterly toxic, ultimately widening divisions that we're trying to shrink." Even for some black activists reparations seem an unreasonable ask. Bayard Rustin, who organised the March on Washington and was a friend of Martin Luther King Jr, called it a "ridiculous idea". "If my great-grandfather picked cotton for 50 years, then he may deserve some money, but he's dead and gone and nobody owes me anything," Mr Rustin told the New York Times in 1969. He later expanded on the views, writing that a payout would demean "the integrity of blacks" and exploit white guilt. "It is insulting to Negroes to offer them reparations for past generations for suffering, as if the balance of an irreparable past could be set straight with a handout." A monetary payout to black Americans usually comes to mind when discussing reparations in the US. And critics are quick to point out such a payment would cost the US trillions. But just throwing cash at the issue, advocates say, would not address the root of the problem. Prof Hamilton told the BBC he supports a payout mostly as a symbolic gesture. "In any case where there's an injustice, to achieve justice not only do you need the acknowledgment, you need the restitution." "We need to couple it with an economic justice bill of rights," he adds. "Simply paying the debt doesn't address the structural problems America has, with certain classes of Americans being able to extract and exploit." But acknowledgement isn't "trivial", he says - it would help refute existing narratives that dehumanise black Americans as lazy or dysfunctional. Economist William Darity has also suggested a "portfolio of reparations" that would combine payments with black-oriented policies focusing on funding black education, healthcare, and asset building as well as ensuring that public schools properly teaches the full impact of slavery. President Barack Obama never endorsed a reparations policy - nor did 2016 candidate Hillary Clinton - but next year's presidential contenders have been more outspoken, if vague. Senator Kamala Harris has said she is in favour of "some type" of reparations. In February, she told The Grio: "We have to recognise that everybody did not start out on an equal footing in this country and in particular black people have not." She has proposed the LIFT Act, which would give families earning under $100,000 annually a tax credit, benefitting "60% of black families who are in poverty". The California Democrat has also suggested policies investing in black communities through black colleges and healthcare programmes, for example. Senator Elizabeth Warren has also expressed support for reparations, calling racial injustices "a stain on America" that has "happened generation after generation" at a CNN town hall this month. "Because of housing discrimination and employment discrimination, we live in a world where the average white family has $100 [and] the average black family has about $5. It's time to start the national, full-blown conversation about reparations in this country." Mrs Warren said she is in favour of a bill currently in the House of Representatives to appoint a panel of experts to report back to Congress about what can be done to solve these issues. Senator Bernie Sanders saw some backlash during the last presidential election over rejecting the idea, but he maintains that a reparations cheque would not fix the problems. "Right now, our job is to address the crises facing the American people and our communities, and I think there are better ways to do that than just writing out a cheque,"he told ABC's The View this month. Mr Sanders said rather than supporting a payout, he is for universal programmes or anti-poverty measures that would help all underprivileged communities. Senator Cory Booker, like Mrs Harris, has proposed a "form of reparations". "Baby bonds" would create a trust fund for lower-income children that they could use for education or housing As more black families are impoverished than whites, the policy would help address race inequalities, broadly speaking Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro said the idea of reparations was something "worth" discussing. Mr Castro said he is also in favour of an expert panel that could study the issue and inform Congress how best to proceed. Author Marianne Williamson has said she supports a reparations plan. She has floated the idea of a $100bn "educational, economic and cultural fund to be disbursed over a 10 year period by a council of esteemed African American leaders". To Prof Hamilton, regardless of policy, the fact that these conversations are happening is a step forward. "The conversation in and of itself is valuable. It's opening the door to reframe our understandings of racial inequality overall." Additional reporting by Paula Hong. | In the US, a growing number of voices are saying the answer is reparations. Reparations are a restitution for slavery - an apology and repayment to black citizens whose ancestors were forced into the slave trade. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47643630 | 0.285945 |
Should black Americans get slavery reparations? | In the US, a growing number of voices are saying the answer is reparations. Reparations are a restitution for slavery - an apology and repayment to black citizens whose ancestors were forced into the slave trade. It's a policy notion that many black academics and advocates have long called for, but one that politicians have largely sidestepped or ignored. But increased activism around racial inequalities and discussions among Democratic 2020 presidential candidates have thrust the issue into the national spotlight. This week, talk of reparations made headlines after a Fox News contributor argued against the policy by saying the US actually deserves more credit for ending slavery as quickly as it did. "America came along as the first country to end it within 150 years, and we get no credit for that," Katie Pavlich said on Tuesday, adding that reparations would only "inflame racial tension even more". Skip Twitter post by @LisPower1 Fox's Pavlich complains that America gets no credit for ending slavery. "They keep blaming America for slavery, but the truth is that throughout human history slavery has existed. America came along as the first country to end it within 150 years. And we get no credit for that." pic.twitter.com/d4deB0lrbB Lis Power (@LisPower1) March 19, 2019 Report The backlash to her comments from liberals and activists was swift. Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr, responded by saying America "doesn't deserve credit for 'ending slavery'" when the ideologies are still prevalent. Skip Twitter post by @BerniceKing America doesnt deserve credit for ending slavery. What America ended (on paper) reflects an ideology and a quest for power at the expense of humanity that are still prevalent in the policies, spirit and mores of this nation. Talk of repaying African-Americans has been around since the Civil War era, when centuries of slavery officially ended. Some experts have calculated the worth of black labour during slavery as anywhere from billions to trillions of dollars. Adding in exploitative low-income work post-slavery pushes those figures even higher. Even after the technical end of the slave trade, black Americans were denied education, voting rights, and the right to own property - treated in many ways as second-class citizens. Those arguing for reparations point to these historic inequalities as reasons for current schisms between white and black Americans when it comes to income, housing, healthcare and incarceration rates. Prof Darrick Hamilton, Executive Director of Ohio State University's Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, says this history is part of America's unique problem. "From our founding fabric we have based our political and economic institutions on chattel slavery," he told the BBC. "Which makes our institutions not only pernicious but structurally entrenched [in inequalities]." A brief timeline of slavery in the US 1619 - Some of the first African slaves are purchased in Virginia by English colonists, though slaves had been used by European colonists long before 1788 - The US constitution is ratified; under it, slaves are considered by law to be three-fifths of a person 1808 - President Thomas Jefferson officially ends the African slave trade, but domestic slave trade, particularly in the southern states, begins to grow 1822 - Freed African-Americans found Liberia in West Africa as a new home for freed slaves 1860 - Abraham Lincoln becomes president of the US; the southern states secede and the Civil War begins the following year 1862 - President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation frees all slaves in the seceded states 1865 - The South loses the war; the 13th Amendment to the Constitution formally abolishes slavery 1868 - The 14th Amendment grants freed African Americans citizenship 1870 - The 15th Amendment gives African American men the right to vote; the South begins passing segregation laws Image copyright Smith Collection/Gado A case for reparations... In arguing for reparations, Prof Hamilton says the impact of slavery continues to manifest in American society. "The material consequence is vivid with the racial wealth gap. Psychologically, the consequence is [how] we treat blacks without dignity, that we dehumanise them in public spaces." From policies excluding primarily black populations - like social security once did - to pushing narratives that blame black Americans for their economic problems, Prof Hamilton says the US has structural problems that must be addressed in order to move forward. US household income by race ($) Median adjusted for inflation In 2014, journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates brought similar ideas into the national conversation with his piece The Case for Reparations. Coates detailed how housing policy and wealth gaps in particular most clearly illustrate the ways black citizens are still affected by America's past. Decades of segregation kept black families away from white areas, which had better access to education, healthcare, food and other necessities, while institutionalised discrimination hindered black Americans' economic development. "As we go further back in our history, one can see it as explicitly violent," Prof Hamilton says. "Now it might be implicitly violent." Subconscious racism in police forces, enduring bias against black Americans in the courts and financial institutions are some examples of that subtle violence, he adds. Image copyright Smith Collection/Gado Image caption Chicago's projects and segregated neighbourhoods are often pointed to as an example of racism in US housing policy ...and a case against it But support for reparations today remains largely divided along racial lines. A 2016 Marist poll found 58% of black Americans were in favour of reparations, while 81% of white Americans opposed the idea. A 2018 Data for Progress survey also found reparations to be unpopular among the general public, and especially so among white Americans. One argument against reparations echoes what Fox's Ms Pavlich said - that they would only build walls between Americans. Some contend that the reason reparations have worked elsewhere, namely Germany, which has paid billions to Holocaust survivors since the end of World War Two, is because the reparations are between nations, not within one. "For the United States to do the same for the descendants of slaves would be to imply that afterward, we will be going our separate ways, with no special obligations on either side," columnist Megan McArdle wrote for the Washington Post. "A one-time payment, and then nothing more owed...That is the only conception of reparations that could possibly be politically viable. It would also be utterly toxic, ultimately widening divisions that we're trying to shrink." Even for some black activists reparations seem an unreasonable ask. Bayard Rustin, who organised the March on Washington and was a friend of Martin Luther King Jr, called it a "ridiculous idea". "If my great-grandfather picked cotton for 50 years, then he may deserve some money, but he's dead and gone and nobody owes me anything," Mr Rustin told the New York Times in 1969. He later expanded on the views, writing that a payout would demean "the integrity of blacks" and exploit white guilt. "It is insulting to Negroes to offer them reparations for past generations for suffering, as if the balance of an irreparable past could be set straight with a handout." A monetary payout to black Americans usually comes to mind when discussing reparations in the US. And critics are quick to point out such a payment would cost the US trillions. But just throwing cash at the issue, advocates say, would not address the root of the problem. Prof Hamilton told the BBC he supports a payout mostly as a symbolic gesture. "In any case where there's an injustice, to achieve justice not only do you need the acknowledgment, you need the restitution." "We need to couple it with an economic justice bill of rights," he adds. "Simply paying the debt doesn't address the structural problems America has, with certain classes of Americans being able to extract and exploit." But acknowledgement isn't "trivial", he says - it would help refute existing narratives that dehumanise black Americans as lazy or dysfunctional. Economist William Darity has also suggested a "portfolio of reparations" that would combine payments with black-oriented policies focusing on funding black education, healthcare, and asset building as well as ensuring that public schools properly teaches the full impact of slavery. President Barack Obama never endorsed a reparations policy - nor did 2016 candidate Hillary Clinton - but next year's presidential contenders have been more outspoken, if vague. Senator Kamala Harris has said she is in favour of "some type" of reparations. In February, she told The Grio: "We have to recognise that everybody did not start out on an equal footing in this country and in particular black people have not." She has proposed the LIFT Act, which would give families earning under $100,000 annually a tax credit, benefitting "60% of black families who are in poverty". The California Democrat has also suggested policies investing in black communities through black colleges and healthcare programmes, for example. Senator Elizabeth Warren has also expressed support for reparations, calling racial injustices "a stain on America" that has "happened generation after generation" at a CNN town hall this month. "Because of housing discrimination and employment discrimination, we live in a world where the average white family has $100 [and] the average black family has about $5. It's time to start the national, full-blown conversation about reparations in this country." Mrs Warren said she is in favour of a bill currently in the House of Representatives to appoint a panel of experts to report back to Congress about what can be done to solve these issues. Senator Bernie Sanders saw some backlash during the last presidential election over rejecting the idea, but he maintains that a reparations cheque would not fix the problems. "Right now, our job is to address the crises facing the American people and our communities, and I think there are better ways to do that than just writing out a cheque,"he told ABC's The View this month. Mr Sanders said rather than supporting a payout, he is for universal programmes or anti-poverty measures that would help all underprivileged communities. Senator Cory Booker, like Mrs Harris, has proposed a "form of reparations". "Baby bonds" would create a trust fund for lower-income children that they could use for education or housing As more black families are impoverished than whites, the policy would help address race inequalities, broadly speaking Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro said the idea of reparations was something "worth" discussing. Mr Castro said he is also in favour of an expert panel that could study the issue and inform Congress how best to proceed. Author Marianne Williamson has said she supports a reparations plan. She has floated the idea of a $100bn "educational, economic and cultural fund to be disbursed over a 10 year period by a council of esteemed African American leaders". To Prof Hamilton, regardless of policy, the fact that these conversations are happening is a step forward. "The conversation in and of itself is valuable. It's opening the door to reframe our understandings of racial inequality overall." Additional reporting by Paula Hong. | Reparations are a restitution for slavery - an apology and repayment to black citizens whose ancestors were forced into the slave trade. A Fox News contributor argued against the policy by saying the US deserves more credit for ending slavery as quickly as it did. The backlash to her comments from liberals and activists was swift. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47643630 | 0.330383 |
When is Easter Sunday in 2019, 2020, 2021 and historically? | CLEVELAND, Ohio - Easter Sunday 2019 will be on April 21, later than in any year since 2011 and increasing the chances of warm temperatures. Easter fell on April 1 last year, when the high temperature in Cleveland was just 43 degrees and the low was 32. For those planning ahead, Easter will be on April 12 in 2020 and April 4 in 2021. The chart below shows the dates of Easter each year since 1950, and extending through 2021, with the Cleveland weather for previous Easters. Since 1950, Easter has been as early as March 23 in 2008, and as late as April 24 in 2011. Cleveland weather history: find weather details for any date since 1871 Database: Find Cleveland weather details for any date since 1871. Search by date, year, month, holiday, or special events such as Cleveland Indians home openers and Cleveland Browns home games. | Easter Sunday 2019 will be on April 21, later than in any year since 2011. | bart | 0 | https://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/2017/01/when_is_easter_in_2017_2018_20.html | 0.260384 |
When is Easter Sunday in 2019, 2020, 2021 and historically? | CLEVELAND, Ohio - Easter Sunday 2019 will be on April 21, later than in any year since 2011 and increasing the chances of warm temperatures. Easter fell on April 1 last year, when the high temperature in Cleveland was just 43 degrees and the low was 32. For those planning ahead, Easter will be on April 12 in 2020 and April 4 in 2021. The chart below shows the dates of Easter each year since 1950, and extending through 2021, with the Cleveland weather for previous Easters. Since 1950, Easter has been as early as March 23 in 2008, and as late as April 24 in 2011. Cleveland weather history: find weather details for any date since 1871 Database: Find Cleveland weather details for any date since 1871. Search by date, year, month, holiday, or special events such as Cleveland Indians home openers and Cleveland Browns home games. | Easter Sunday 2019 will be on April 21, later than in any year since 2011. Since 1950, Easter has been as early as March 23 in 2008, and as late as April 24 in 2011. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/2017/01/when_is_easter_in_2017_2018_20.html | 0.367485 |
When is Easter Sunday in 2019, 2020, 2021 and historically? | CLEVELAND, Ohio - Easter Sunday 2019 will be on April 21, later than in any year since 2011 and increasing the chances of warm temperatures. Easter fell on April 1 last year, when the high temperature in Cleveland was just 43 degrees and the low was 32. For those planning ahead, Easter will be on April 12 in 2020 and April 4 in 2021. The chart below shows the dates of Easter each year since 1950, and extending through 2021, with the Cleveland weather for previous Easters. Since 1950, Easter has been as early as March 23 in 2008, and as late as April 24 in 2011. Cleveland weather history: find weather details for any date since 1871 Database: Find Cleveland weather details for any date since 1871. Search by date, year, month, holiday, or special events such as Cleveland Indians home openers and Cleveland Browns home games. | Easter Sunday 2019 will be on April 21, later than in any year since 2011. Since 1950, Easter has been as early as March 23 in 2008, and as late as April 24 in 2011. For those planning ahead, Easter will be April 12 in 2020 and April 4 in 2021. | bart | 2 | https://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/2017/01/when_is_easter_in_2017_2018_20.html | 0.578955 |
Are modern commercial aircraft too complicated to fly? | Complexity in the cockpit, and a President raising the stakes at 35,000 feet. The investigations into two recent crashes of Boeing 737 Max 8 jets are in the early stages, but President Trump remains firmly grounded on a probable cause. Airplanes are becoming too complex to fly. Pilots are no longer needed, but rather computer scientists from MIT, the President tweeted. But most aviation experts say the Presidents theory isnt consistent with the realities of modern air travel. Some of these minor things that the computer can do for you and the computer can show you are very helpful and it can reduce the pilot's workload, said Denny Kelly, a former commercial airline pilot who now works as an air accident investigator. But the technology is a double-edged sword. When youre real busy in the cockpit and something goes wrong, you need to concentrate on the problem, not on the computer, he added. Kelly also thinks that while computers do make planes safer, todays pilots are taught to rely too much on technology. "The pilots need to know how to hand-fly the airplane, take it away from the computer and fly it by hand, in an emergency, he said. Investigators say data from the black boxes of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed earlier this month and a Lion Air plane that went down near Indonesia last October show clear similarities. Authorities are eyeing the aircrafts anti-stall system as a possible factor in both crashes. Now, the Department of Transportations Inspector General plans to audit the F.A.A.s certification of the Boeing 737 Max 8. (The F.A.A. initially said the Max 8 was still airworthy before changing course, joining dozens of other nations in implementing some form of ban.) Some experts say the Presidents diagnosis on what ails aviation could undermine the publics trust in air travel, while others insist Boeing is ultimately responsible for the crashes - and THEY need to restore public confidence sooner rather than later. They are missing out on an opportunity or a necessity to communicate with the flying publicto remind everybody that this is what we stand for," said Dennis Culloton, C.E.O. of Culloton Strategies. But that effort could be too little, too late for Boeing. Their reputation has already been sullied, Kelly said. Once these airplanes are out there and theyre performing like they should perform, I think their reputation will come back. But as it stands now, their reputation is not what it should be. Despite the backlash, Boeing is doubling down on technology. The company is moving ahead full throttle on a new aircraft center which should open in 2020, focusing on robotics and artificial intelligence. Steve Rappoport is a Newscast Producer for Fox News Radio. Follow him on Twitter @SteveRappoport. | President Trump tweeted that planes are 'too complex to fly' Some aviation experts say the President's theory isn't consistent with the realities of modern air travel. Boeing is doubling down on technology, focusing on robotics and artificial intelligence. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.foxnews.com/tech/are-modern-commercial-aircraft-too-complicated-to-fly | 0.115971 |
Are modern commercial aircraft too complicated to fly? | Complexity in the cockpit, and a President raising the stakes at 35,000 feet. The investigations into two recent crashes of Boeing 737 Max 8 jets are in the early stages, but President Trump remains firmly grounded on a probable cause. Airplanes are becoming too complex to fly. Pilots are no longer needed, but rather computer scientists from MIT, the President tweeted. But most aviation experts say the Presidents theory isnt consistent with the realities of modern air travel. Some of these minor things that the computer can do for you and the computer can show you are very helpful and it can reduce the pilot's workload, said Denny Kelly, a former commercial airline pilot who now works as an air accident investigator. But the technology is a double-edged sword. When youre real busy in the cockpit and something goes wrong, you need to concentrate on the problem, not on the computer, he added. Kelly also thinks that while computers do make planes safer, todays pilots are taught to rely too much on technology. "The pilots need to know how to hand-fly the airplane, take it away from the computer and fly it by hand, in an emergency, he said. Investigators say data from the black boxes of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed earlier this month and a Lion Air plane that went down near Indonesia last October show clear similarities. Authorities are eyeing the aircrafts anti-stall system as a possible factor in both crashes. Now, the Department of Transportations Inspector General plans to audit the F.A.A.s certification of the Boeing 737 Max 8. (The F.A.A. initially said the Max 8 was still airworthy before changing course, joining dozens of other nations in implementing some form of ban.) Some experts say the Presidents diagnosis on what ails aviation could undermine the publics trust in air travel, while others insist Boeing is ultimately responsible for the crashes - and THEY need to restore public confidence sooner rather than later. They are missing out on an opportunity or a necessity to communicate with the flying publicto remind everybody that this is what we stand for," said Dennis Culloton, C.E.O. of Culloton Strategies. But that effort could be too little, too late for Boeing. Their reputation has already been sullied, Kelly said. Once these airplanes are out there and theyre performing like they should perform, I think their reputation will come back. But as it stands now, their reputation is not what it should be. Despite the backlash, Boeing is doubling down on technology. The company is moving ahead full throttle on a new aircraft center which should open in 2020, focusing on robotics and artificial intelligence. Steve Rappoport is a Newscast Producer for Fox News Radio. Follow him on Twitter @SteveRappoport. | President Trump tweeted that planes are becoming too complex to fly. Most aviation experts say the President's theory isn't consistent with the realities of modern air travel. Investigators are eyeing the aircrafts anti-stall system as a possible factor in both crashes. | bart | 2 | https://www.foxnews.com/tech/are-modern-commercial-aircraft-too-complicated-to-fly | 0.141456 |
Can bringing young and old under one roof solve the world's housing crisis? | BRUSSELS (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Home sharing initiatives that link cash-strapped young people with elderly home owners are becoming popular with governments around the world as they seek to tackle the twin crises of homelessness and loneliness, experts said on Thursday. Home sharing, which usually involves an older person offering a spare room at low cost to a young person in exchange for help and companionship, is increasingly seen as a solution to the problem of affordability faced by many countries. Experiments in a number of countries suggest it could also alleviate loneliness among older people - a growing problem as populations age and more and more people live alone. In this city, home sharing is gaining momentum, Celine Fremault, housing minister for Brussels, told an international symposium in the Belgian capital. We want to promote a well-proven model. She said the Brussels government would support such initiatives, with projects already under way to create 350 new inter-generational homes as part of the citys public housing policies. Inter-generational home sharing among strangers likely began in the 1970s in the United States, according to Homeshare International, which hosted the World Homeshare Congress. The concept spread to Europe in the 1990s and later to Australia, and there are now a growing number of pilot projects in Asia. Baudouin Waulquez, an 86-year-old Brussels resident who took a young musician into his home, said living with someone from another generation had been an extraordinary experience. He said living with a 19-year-old had required some adjustment - including learning to share the fridge - but he was pleased he could accommodate someone who would otherwise struggle to live in the city. The match was really perfect and took off immediately, he said. OPEN TO THE WORLD Kirby Dunn, executive director of Homeshare Vermont, said the non-profit received about half its funding from state. I think smart governments look at this as a very cost-effective way to save money but they dont want to do it alone. Inter-generational home sharing has steadily gained ground in cities from London to Seoul, as property prices rise and traditional family structures change with more and more young people moving away from their families to take up jobs. Population aging is set to become one of the most significant social transformations of the twenty-first century, according to the United Nations - with the number of people aged 60 or over to more than double by 2050. Loneliness is a particular problem for older adults and research links it to dementia and premature death. In Britain, the majority of people over 75 live alone and about 200,000 older people have not had a conversation with a friend or relative in more than a month, according to government data. Annie Boisdenghien, 76, became a host in Brussels after seeing a newspaper advert for home sharing a decade ago, and has welcomed students from Ireland to Poland. My nest was empty, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Now, I am not alone, there is life in the house. Boisdenghien enjoyed attending concerts with her young flatmates, who have made her feel physically secure and happy, she said. When you live alone in a big house, you sometimes feel lonely, so to fill the vacuum you turn to other people. Her current housemate, Mattias Renaux, 21, is a communications student in Brussels and enjoys baking pastries for Boisdenghien. We do complement one another and we enjoy our lives, he said. With two-thirds of people set to live in cities by 2050, according to the United Nations, and property prices climbing, delegates said that could soon become the social norm - with advantages for both sides. I want to remain open to the world, said Boisdenghien. I dont want to stick to the old ideas. | Home sharing initiatives link cash-strapped young people with elderly home owners. Home sharing is increasingly seen as a solution to the problem of affordability faced by many countries. It could also alleviate loneliness among older people - a growing problem as populations age. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-homelessness-youth/can-bringing-young-and-old-under-one-roof-solve-the-worlds-housing-crisis-idUSKCN1R22AW | 0.176713 |
Can bringing young and old under one roof solve the world's housing crisis? | BRUSSELS (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Home sharing initiatives that link cash-strapped young people with elderly home owners are becoming popular with governments around the world as they seek to tackle the twin crises of homelessness and loneliness, experts said on Thursday. Home sharing, which usually involves an older person offering a spare room at low cost to a young person in exchange for help and companionship, is increasingly seen as a solution to the problem of affordability faced by many countries. Experiments in a number of countries suggest it could also alleviate loneliness among older people - a growing problem as populations age and more and more people live alone. In this city, home sharing is gaining momentum, Celine Fremault, housing minister for Brussels, told an international symposium in the Belgian capital. We want to promote a well-proven model. She said the Brussels government would support such initiatives, with projects already under way to create 350 new inter-generational homes as part of the citys public housing policies. Inter-generational home sharing among strangers likely began in the 1970s in the United States, according to Homeshare International, which hosted the World Homeshare Congress. The concept spread to Europe in the 1990s and later to Australia, and there are now a growing number of pilot projects in Asia. Baudouin Waulquez, an 86-year-old Brussels resident who took a young musician into his home, said living with someone from another generation had been an extraordinary experience. He said living with a 19-year-old had required some adjustment - including learning to share the fridge - but he was pleased he could accommodate someone who would otherwise struggle to live in the city. The match was really perfect and took off immediately, he said. OPEN TO THE WORLD Kirby Dunn, executive director of Homeshare Vermont, said the non-profit received about half its funding from state. I think smart governments look at this as a very cost-effective way to save money but they dont want to do it alone. Inter-generational home sharing has steadily gained ground in cities from London to Seoul, as property prices rise and traditional family structures change with more and more young people moving away from their families to take up jobs. Population aging is set to become one of the most significant social transformations of the twenty-first century, according to the United Nations - with the number of people aged 60 or over to more than double by 2050. Loneliness is a particular problem for older adults and research links it to dementia and premature death. In Britain, the majority of people over 75 live alone and about 200,000 older people have not had a conversation with a friend or relative in more than a month, according to government data. Annie Boisdenghien, 76, became a host in Brussels after seeing a newspaper advert for home sharing a decade ago, and has welcomed students from Ireland to Poland. My nest was empty, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Now, I am not alone, there is life in the house. Boisdenghien enjoyed attending concerts with her young flatmates, who have made her feel physically secure and happy, she said. When you live alone in a big house, you sometimes feel lonely, so to fill the vacuum you turn to other people. Her current housemate, Mattias Renaux, 21, is a communications student in Brussels and enjoys baking pastries for Boisdenghien. We do complement one another and we enjoy our lives, he said. With two-thirds of people set to live in cities by 2050, according to the United Nations, and property prices climbing, delegates said that could soon become the social norm - with advantages for both sides. I want to remain open to the world, said Boisdenghien. I dont want to stick to the old ideas. | Home sharing usually involves an older person offering a spare room at low cost to a young person in exchange for help and companionship. Home sharing is increasingly seen as a solution to the problem of affordability faced by many countries. Inter-generational home sharing among strangers likely began in the 1970s in the United States. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-homelessness-youth/can-bringing-young-and-old-under-one-roof-solve-the-worlds-housing-crisis-idUSKCN1R22AW | 0.217181 |
Could a slowing economy be a drag on President Trump's re-election prospects? | President Donald Trump likes to tout a strong economy - central to the image he wants to project as a successful businessman now bringing that same acumen to politics. You look at some of the economic numbers. Nobody thought we'd ever see numbers like that in our country, Trump bragged in his typical exaggerated style Wednesday at an event in Ohio. Not for a long time, not for ever. And what we're doing has been incredible. But at the same time, the Federal Reserve is sending signals that U.S. economic growth is slowing -- and could slow significantly more leading up to the 2020 presidential election, ominous signs for the presidents re-election prospects, which could swing on the electorates impression of a mixed, mushy economy. To keep impressions positive, the president keeps up a drumbeat of sometimes questionable "good news" claims, capitalizing on market trends through a trifecta of tweets to millions of followers, gaggles with reporters and speeches to supporters. Great news from @Ford! They are investing nearly $1 BILLION in Flat Rock, Michigan for auto production on top of a $1 BILLION investment last month in a facility outside of Chicago. Companies are pouring back into the United States - they want to be where the action is! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 20, 2019 Trump's relentless focus doesnt always generate headlines or water cooler talk, but its an everyday point of emphasis inside the White House. On Thursday, Trump met privately with a consortium of business leaders, including the CEOs of Home Depot and JP Morgan Chase, where he participated in a discussion to tout his business friendly agenda. The White House closed the event to reporters, but says Trump continues to spur economic growth, boost the economy, and allow companies to unleash their full potential. Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, has taken unprecednted flack from Trump for raising interest rates to curb inflation - rate increases the president claims hurt economic growth. But on Wednesday Powell said the Fed would pause planned rate increases because the U.S. economy was slowing -- and could continue to slow in part due to a prolonged Trump trade war with China. Powell said the Fed has lowered its Gross Domestic Product forecast for 2019 to 2.1 percent growth, a point below 3.1 percent GDP realized between the fourth quarters of 2017 and 2018. It is a great time for us to be patient and to watch and wait, Powell said, explaining why the Fed was not changing interest rates but simultaneously suggesting an additional level of nervousness due to slowing domestic and global growth. For 2019, the White House predicts a much higher 3.2 percent GDP for the same period, accounting for more than $200 billion in disputed growth and banking on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to speed up growth this year. Powell has declined to comment on the conflicting projections. While the presidents grasp of economic reality is often challenged, fact-checked and spun by his political adversaries as exaggerated, the president nevertheless continues boasting about the economy, which enjoys full employment, high consumer confidence and low inflation. We've created more than almost 6 million jobs since the election. And if I would have said that to the fake news during the campaign, they would've said, He exaggerates. I'm not exaggerating, but nobody would've believed that could happen, Trump said Wednesday. One area of the economy that the Fed and Trump can agree on is anxiety that the slowing global economy could have a negative impact on the U.S. economy, and in turn his candidacy for another four years in office. The world economy is not good, and frankly, if the world economy were good, that would be, in a way, good for us, Trump said. So we're fighting there. We're bucking. Europe is down, Asia is down -- a lot of places. Almost every place is down. Except the United States is up, and we're way up. Trump says the U.S. is prevailing despite external economic forces adding his own partisan flare to discredit Democrats as he shifts into campaign mode. And just think of what that would be: The world goes up; we go up with the world. The world is down, but we still go up, Trump said. Something is happening. That wouldnt happen under Barack Obama, that I can tell you. It wouldnt happen under Crooked Hillary Clinton. | A slowing economy could be a drag on President Trump's re-election prospects. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/slowing-economy-drag-president-trumps-election-prospects/story?id=61837782 | 0.287205 |
Will Cleveland Indians opening-day middle infielders be Eric Stamets, Max Moroff? | SURPRISE, Ariz. This is not what manager Terry Francona had in mind when he thought about the 2019 season opener. The possibility of not having shortstop Francisco Lindor or second baseman Jason Kipnis because of injuries would have come to him only in a nightmare. But thats what the Indians and Francona could be dealing with in the March 28 opener against the Twins at Target Field. Lindor has been sidelined since just before spring training with a strained right calf. He said Wednesday that he wanted to play in the season opener, but was going to follow the trainers instructions. Last week Kipnis was out of the lineup for four games with a tight right calf. He played Monday against San Diego, but on Wednesday night he left a split-squad game against the Giants after the first inning with more pain in the right calf after grounding out. Kipnis received an MRI on Thursday morning and the Indians were waiting for the results. Conceivably the Indians could open the season with a middle infield of Eric Stamets and Max Moroff. If that doesnt ring your bell, theres one more thing to consider. Stamets left Wednesday nights game against the Angels with a tight left hip flexor. Hes made 15 starts at shortstop this spring and was the Tribes choice to start if Lindor wasnt ready to open the season. Francona was optimistic that Stamets will be ready for the season opener. The (injury) is mild, said Francona. His strength tests out fine. We wont play him today. Well see how he tests out today. When he plays next, I dont know, but it doesnt seem like something that will linger. He wanted to keep playing Wednesday night, but I told him that doesnt make much sense. Why aggravate it? Regarding Kipnis, Francona said, "They were trying to get Kip imaged this morning, but they couldnt call until this morning. Im not sure what time that will happen. As for an impact on the middle infield, Francona answered the obvious question by saying, If (Kipnis) cant play that would impact the middle infield. Thats why the first step is to get it imaged, see whats going on in there ... rather than ask the medical people to guess because of where we are in spring training. The Indians break camp on Sunday, play exhibition games against Texas on Monday and Tuesday at Globe Life Park. Theyre off on Wednesday and open the season on March 28. Moroff, a switch-hitter, came to the Indians from Pittsburgh along with outfielder Jordan Luplow. The Indians sent Erik Gonzalez and two minor leaguers to the Pirates. The Pirates named Gonzalez their opening day shortstop on Monday. On Wednesday, infielder Ryan Flaherty opted out of his minor-league contract with the Indians and became a free agent after learning he wouldnt make the big-league squad. If Kipnis isnt ready for the opener, Flaherty will be missed. The guys who have the outs, I think sometimes they do themselves a disservice, said Francona. They kind of force your hand when youre not ready to make a decision. Youre seeing guys throughout baseball taking their outs. It makes it tougher (to pick a roster). That, of course, is a byproduct of teams bringing so many players to camp on minor-league deals to save money. It is the players only recourse. Lindor has been playing minor league games and running as fast as my leg will let me. We met with the medical staff this morning on Lindor, said Francona. The medical staff will meet with him today to go over the next week. Id prefer to let that happen first and then explain it. I just dont want to do it before weve had a chance to sit down with Frankie. Stamets has never played in the big leagues. Hes hitting .205 (16-for-43) with five RBI in 21 games this spring. Last year he played 38 games at short and 40 at second base for Class AAA Columbus while dealing with a variety of injuries. He catches everything in sight, which is good, said Francona. When youre trying to replace somebody at shortstop, you dont replace a Lindor. Theres only one of him. But its nice to know that when the ball is hit, youre out. Especially with our pitching staff. The hitting is still a work in progress. If it wasnt hed be a major league star because hes so good defensively. Moroff has made five starts at second, four at third base, five at shortstop. He went into Thursdays game against Texas hitting .250 (10-for-40) with three doubles, one homer and five RBI. He gone: The Indians optioned right-hander Adam Plutko to Class AAA Columbus on Thursday morning. Plutko, with the exception of a bad start Wednesday night against the Giants, had a strong camp. Adam is a kid who is wise beyond his years, said Francona. The last couple of years hes been up and down. Hes really been that guy who has bounced around and hes handled it. We told him if you couldnt handle it, we probably would have gotten somebody else. And he gets it. Hes a smart kid. He asked good questions. I have no doubt hell go down and do his thing and be ready when there is a need. Plutko made six trips to Cleveland from Columbus last year. He went 4-5 with a 5.28 ERA in 17 games for the Tribe. He struck out 60 and walked 23 in 76 2/3 innings. Get Tribe Insider texts in your phone from Paul Hoynes: Cut through the clutter of social media and communicate directly with the award-winning Indians reporter, just like you would with your friends. Its just $3.99 a month, which works out to about 13 cents a day. Learn more and sign up here. | Eric Stamets and Max Moroff could be the Indians' opening-day infielders. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2019/03/will-cleveland-indians-opening-day-middle-infielders-be-eric-stamets-max-moroff.html | 0.261771 |
Will Cleveland Indians opening-day middle infielders be Eric Stamets, Max Moroff? | SURPRISE, Ariz. This is not what manager Terry Francona had in mind when he thought about the 2019 season opener. The possibility of not having shortstop Francisco Lindor or second baseman Jason Kipnis because of injuries would have come to him only in a nightmare. But thats what the Indians and Francona could be dealing with in the March 28 opener against the Twins at Target Field. Lindor has been sidelined since just before spring training with a strained right calf. He said Wednesday that he wanted to play in the season opener, but was going to follow the trainers instructions. Last week Kipnis was out of the lineup for four games with a tight right calf. He played Monday against San Diego, but on Wednesday night he left a split-squad game against the Giants after the first inning with more pain in the right calf after grounding out. Kipnis received an MRI on Thursday morning and the Indians were waiting for the results. Conceivably the Indians could open the season with a middle infield of Eric Stamets and Max Moroff. If that doesnt ring your bell, theres one more thing to consider. Stamets left Wednesday nights game against the Angels with a tight left hip flexor. Hes made 15 starts at shortstop this spring and was the Tribes choice to start if Lindor wasnt ready to open the season. Francona was optimistic that Stamets will be ready for the season opener. The (injury) is mild, said Francona. His strength tests out fine. We wont play him today. Well see how he tests out today. When he plays next, I dont know, but it doesnt seem like something that will linger. He wanted to keep playing Wednesday night, but I told him that doesnt make much sense. Why aggravate it? Regarding Kipnis, Francona said, "They were trying to get Kip imaged this morning, but they couldnt call until this morning. Im not sure what time that will happen. As for an impact on the middle infield, Francona answered the obvious question by saying, If (Kipnis) cant play that would impact the middle infield. Thats why the first step is to get it imaged, see whats going on in there ... rather than ask the medical people to guess because of where we are in spring training. The Indians break camp on Sunday, play exhibition games against Texas on Monday and Tuesday at Globe Life Park. Theyre off on Wednesday and open the season on March 28. Moroff, a switch-hitter, came to the Indians from Pittsburgh along with outfielder Jordan Luplow. The Indians sent Erik Gonzalez and two minor leaguers to the Pirates. The Pirates named Gonzalez their opening day shortstop on Monday. On Wednesday, infielder Ryan Flaherty opted out of his minor-league contract with the Indians and became a free agent after learning he wouldnt make the big-league squad. If Kipnis isnt ready for the opener, Flaherty will be missed. The guys who have the outs, I think sometimes they do themselves a disservice, said Francona. They kind of force your hand when youre not ready to make a decision. Youre seeing guys throughout baseball taking their outs. It makes it tougher (to pick a roster). That, of course, is a byproduct of teams bringing so many players to camp on minor-league deals to save money. It is the players only recourse. Lindor has been playing minor league games and running as fast as my leg will let me. We met with the medical staff this morning on Lindor, said Francona. The medical staff will meet with him today to go over the next week. Id prefer to let that happen first and then explain it. I just dont want to do it before weve had a chance to sit down with Frankie. Stamets has never played in the big leagues. Hes hitting .205 (16-for-43) with five RBI in 21 games this spring. Last year he played 38 games at short and 40 at second base for Class AAA Columbus while dealing with a variety of injuries. He catches everything in sight, which is good, said Francona. When youre trying to replace somebody at shortstop, you dont replace a Lindor. Theres only one of him. But its nice to know that when the ball is hit, youre out. Especially with our pitching staff. The hitting is still a work in progress. If it wasnt hed be a major league star because hes so good defensively. Moroff has made five starts at second, four at third base, five at shortstop. He went into Thursdays game against Texas hitting .250 (10-for-40) with three doubles, one homer and five RBI. He gone: The Indians optioned right-hander Adam Plutko to Class AAA Columbus on Thursday morning. Plutko, with the exception of a bad start Wednesday night against the Giants, had a strong camp. Adam is a kid who is wise beyond his years, said Francona. The last couple of years hes been up and down. Hes really been that guy who has bounced around and hes handled it. We told him if you couldnt handle it, we probably would have gotten somebody else. And he gets it. Hes a smart kid. He asked good questions. I have no doubt hell go down and do his thing and be ready when there is a need. Plutko made six trips to Cleveland from Columbus last year. He went 4-5 with a 5.28 ERA in 17 games for the Tribe. He struck out 60 and walked 23 in 76 2/3 innings. Get Tribe Insider texts in your phone from Paul Hoynes: Cut through the clutter of social media and communicate directly with the award-winning Indians reporter, just like you would with your friends. Its just $3.99 a month, which works out to about 13 cents a day. Learn more and sign up here. | Eric Stamets and Max Moroff could be the Cleveland Indians' opening-day infielders. Manager Terry Francona says Stamets' hip injury is "mild" Jason Kipnis has been struggling with a calf injury. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2019/03/will-cleveland-indians-opening-day-middle-infielders-be-eric-stamets-max-moroff.html | 0.464287 |
Will Cleveland Indians opening-day middle infielders be Eric Stamets, Max Moroff? | SURPRISE, Ariz. This is not what manager Terry Francona had in mind when he thought about the 2019 season opener. The possibility of not having shortstop Francisco Lindor or second baseman Jason Kipnis because of injuries would have come to him only in a nightmare. But thats what the Indians and Francona could be dealing with in the March 28 opener against the Twins at Target Field. Lindor has been sidelined since just before spring training with a strained right calf. He said Wednesday that he wanted to play in the season opener, but was going to follow the trainers instructions. Last week Kipnis was out of the lineup for four games with a tight right calf. He played Monday against San Diego, but on Wednesday night he left a split-squad game against the Giants after the first inning with more pain in the right calf after grounding out. Kipnis received an MRI on Thursday morning and the Indians were waiting for the results. Conceivably the Indians could open the season with a middle infield of Eric Stamets and Max Moroff. If that doesnt ring your bell, theres one more thing to consider. Stamets left Wednesday nights game against the Angels with a tight left hip flexor. Hes made 15 starts at shortstop this spring and was the Tribes choice to start if Lindor wasnt ready to open the season. Francona was optimistic that Stamets will be ready for the season opener. The (injury) is mild, said Francona. His strength tests out fine. We wont play him today. Well see how he tests out today. When he plays next, I dont know, but it doesnt seem like something that will linger. He wanted to keep playing Wednesday night, but I told him that doesnt make much sense. Why aggravate it? Regarding Kipnis, Francona said, "They were trying to get Kip imaged this morning, but they couldnt call until this morning. Im not sure what time that will happen. As for an impact on the middle infield, Francona answered the obvious question by saying, If (Kipnis) cant play that would impact the middle infield. Thats why the first step is to get it imaged, see whats going on in there ... rather than ask the medical people to guess because of where we are in spring training. The Indians break camp on Sunday, play exhibition games against Texas on Monday and Tuesday at Globe Life Park. Theyre off on Wednesday and open the season on March 28. Moroff, a switch-hitter, came to the Indians from Pittsburgh along with outfielder Jordan Luplow. The Indians sent Erik Gonzalez and two minor leaguers to the Pirates. The Pirates named Gonzalez their opening day shortstop on Monday. On Wednesday, infielder Ryan Flaherty opted out of his minor-league contract with the Indians and became a free agent after learning he wouldnt make the big-league squad. If Kipnis isnt ready for the opener, Flaherty will be missed. The guys who have the outs, I think sometimes they do themselves a disservice, said Francona. They kind of force your hand when youre not ready to make a decision. Youre seeing guys throughout baseball taking their outs. It makes it tougher (to pick a roster). That, of course, is a byproduct of teams bringing so many players to camp on minor-league deals to save money. It is the players only recourse. Lindor has been playing minor league games and running as fast as my leg will let me. We met with the medical staff this morning on Lindor, said Francona. The medical staff will meet with him today to go over the next week. Id prefer to let that happen first and then explain it. I just dont want to do it before weve had a chance to sit down with Frankie. Stamets has never played in the big leagues. Hes hitting .205 (16-for-43) with five RBI in 21 games this spring. Last year he played 38 games at short and 40 at second base for Class AAA Columbus while dealing with a variety of injuries. He catches everything in sight, which is good, said Francona. When youre trying to replace somebody at shortstop, you dont replace a Lindor. Theres only one of him. But its nice to know that when the ball is hit, youre out. Especially with our pitching staff. The hitting is still a work in progress. If it wasnt hed be a major league star because hes so good defensively. Moroff has made five starts at second, four at third base, five at shortstop. He went into Thursdays game against Texas hitting .250 (10-for-40) with three doubles, one homer and five RBI. He gone: The Indians optioned right-hander Adam Plutko to Class AAA Columbus on Thursday morning. Plutko, with the exception of a bad start Wednesday night against the Giants, had a strong camp. Adam is a kid who is wise beyond his years, said Francona. The last couple of years hes been up and down. Hes really been that guy who has bounced around and hes handled it. We told him if you couldnt handle it, we probably would have gotten somebody else. And he gets it. Hes a smart kid. He asked good questions. I have no doubt hell go down and do his thing and be ready when there is a need. Plutko made six trips to Cleveland from Columbus last year. He went 4-5 with a 5.28 ERA in 17 games for the Tribe. He struck out 60 and walked 23 in 76 2/3 innings. Get Tribe Insider texts in your phone from Paul Hoynes: Cut through the clutter of social media and communicate directly with the award-winning Indians reporter, just like you would with your friends. Its just $3.99 a month, which works out to about 13 cents a day. Learn more and sign up here. | Eric Stamets and Max Moroff could be the Cleveland Indians' opening-day infielders. Manager Terry Francona says Stamets' hip injury is "mild" Jason Kipnis has been struggling with a calf injury this spring. The Indians open the season against the Minnesota Twins on March 28. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2019/03/will-cleveland-indians-opening-day-middle-infielders-be-eric-stamets-max-moroff.html | 0.523058 |
Who has the toughest Arizona high school football schedule in 2019? | A look at who has the toughest Arizona high school football schedule against out-of-state opponents with key dates: Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei at Peoria Centennial, Sept. 6 Peoria Centennial head coach Richard Taylor watches the clock tick down during the second half of the Ironwood Ridge vs. Peoria Centennial high school football game at Ironwood Ridge High School, 2475 W. Naranja Drive, on Sept. 14, 2018, in Oro Valley, Ariz. Centennial won 55-7. (Photo: Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star, ARIZONA DAILY STAR) Mater Dei is playing the two best Centennial teams in the nation the one from Corona, Calif., and this one in Peoria, where the Coyotes don't shy away from the nation's heavyweights. They knocked off Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas and Las Vegas Bishop Gorman at home the last two seasons. But this would take a minor miracle to pull off the upset against arguably the nation's top high school football team. This is Centennial's only out-of-state opponent for 2019, but this is by far the toughest non-region game for any team in Arizona. Jaydin Young, Jonathan Morris, Eric Haney, Dyelan Miller, get ready. Chandler at Sacramento Capital Christian, Sept. 14 The three-time defending 6A champs only have three home games but it doesn't matter to this juggernaut. The Wolves will play anybody anywhere any time. And they go out of state twice at Henderson (Nev.) Liberty (the only team to beat Scottsdale Saguaro last year) on Aug. 23 and this game that features one of the best teams in California. Capital Christian went 13-1 last season when it scored 557 points and lost its only game in the Division 3A NorCal championship game to Santa Clara Wilcox 34-30. Chandler loses its top three playmakers in QB Jacob Conover, RB DeCarlos Brooks and TE/WR Brayden Liebrock. But the next wave is ready to have the Wolves rolling. Stay in the know. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. Saguaro at San Diego Cathedral Catholic, Aug. 31 Saguaro has back-to-back out-of-state games, starting with this big one that is billed as the Honor Bowl. The following week, the six-time defending state champions travel to Las Vegas to play Faith Lutheran as part of the Polynesian Classic at Bishop Gorman. Faith Lutheran lost to Chandler last year 35-21 in the Polynesian Classic. Faith Lutheran went 8-5, playing a demanding schedule and fell short in the Nevada 4A quarterfinals to Arbor View. Cathedral Catholic was ranked No.40 in the country and No. 9 in California last season when it went 12-2, losing to Folsom 21-14 in overtime in the CIF State Division I-AA championship game. Saguaro's 2020 class might be the deepest and most talented in coach Jason Mohns' six-year run of titles, so the Sabercats should be ready. Phoenix Pinnacle at Sammamish (Wash.) Eastside Catholic, Sept. 20 Pinnacle warms up for this with road games against Gilbert Perry and Phoenix Mountain Pointe to open the season. Eastside Catholic is the team that gave Peoria Centennial its only loss (17-0) last season in the late-December GEICO Bowl at Centennial. It is on a 13-game winning streak that includes beating Seattle O'Dea 31-13 for the Washington 3A championship. And it returns top running back Sam Adams. Phoenix Desert Vista vs. Sherman Oaks (Calif.) Notre Dame, Aug. 31, at Sacramento Cathedral Catholic Desert Vista opens at home against Palm Springs (Calif.), before making this road trip. Notre Dame is a traditional power in Southern California, led by coach Kevin Mooney. Last year's team went 9-5, reaching the CIF Southern Section Division 2 semifinals, before losing to Rancho Verde out of Moreno Valley 41-38. The dynamic Grubbs brothers backs Tyson and Devon return to keep the run game revved up for Desert Vista. Brothers Tyson, left, and Devon Grubbs are a running back duo for Desert Vista High School that has led the team to a 4-0 start. (Photo: Tom Tingle/The Republic) Peoria Liberty at Henderson (Nev.) Liberty, Sept. 20 Nevada's Liberty is playing host to Chandler, then at Mililani in Hawaii, and at Corona (Calif.) Centennial to open the season, before returning home to play the Liberty Lions of Peoria. That might be the best time for the Peoria team to catch a Nevada power that beat Saguaro each of the past two seasons and lost to Bishop Gorman in last year's Nevada semifinals. Phoenix Mountain Pointe at Las Vegas Faith Lutheran, Aug. 23 This is opening week for Mountain Pointe, who then plays host to Pinnacle. Last year, Rich Wellbrock's team lost to South Jordan (Utah) Bingham 21-14 the first week of September in its big out-of-state game. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert. | Peoria Centennial, Chandler, Saguaro, Phoenix Pinnacle have tough out-of-state schedules. Mater Dei, Capital Christian and Saguar are among the teams with tough non-region games in 2019. A look at who has the toughest Arizona high school football schedule with key dates. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/03/21/who-has-toughest-arizona-high-school-football-schedule-2019/3234778002/ | 0.214239 |
Will Oregon be able to contain Wisconsin All-American Ethan Happ? | SAN JOSE, Calif. Someone needed to give Kenny Wooten and Francis Okoro an early look at what theyll be facing when Oregon takes on Wisconsin All-American center Ethan Happ. Lacking numbers for a complete scout team, the dubious honor fell on Ducks assistant coach Kevin McKenna to simulate the 6-foot-10 Happ, who leads the Badgers in nearly every statistic, including scoring (17.5 points), rebounding (10.1) and assists (4.6). Ive been doing a terrible job of imitating him because Im really old and hes young and a lot bigger than me, said McKenna, 60, who played shooting guard at Creighton and for six years in the NBA. "Were just trying to give them a look and see how he is. Hes a really unique player, versatile player. You dont see many 6-11 guys bringing the ball up the court and backing guys down. Hes a really good player. ... My goal with the scouts is to not get injured and so far, knock on wood, Ive been able to do that. Wooten will be Happs primary defender when the No. 12 seed Ducks (23-12) face the No. 5 seed Badgers (23-10) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the SAP Center on Friday (1:30 p.m., TBS). The 6-foot-9 Oregon sophomore recognizes how difficult it will be to contain Happ, who is likely the toughest individual challenge of his career. Watching the film you can tell he really knows the game, high IQ, Wooten said. "Hes been around college a very long time, hes seen every defense, all of that. Im pretty sure hes going to come out and give us a hard time. Were going to try to keep him as far away from the basket as possible, wall up and make him shoot over the top. Thats going to be our biggest thing, have him shoot over the top, dont go around, dont give him any angles. Oregons defensive mentality didnt just shift, it went into overdrive to spark 8-game win streak, NCAA Tournament berth Over the last eight games Oregon's opponents are averaging just 54.3 points, shooting 34.6 percent from the field including just 23.1 percent from three-point range. If averaged for the entire season every one of those stats would be best in the sport. Wooten, who is averaging 2.0 blocks per game, can go toe-to-toe with Happ vertically. Both he and Okoro will also have to be active horizontally to disrupt the Wisconsin center from finding open teammates on the wings. Ethan has really good footwork, Okoro said. What we got to do is wall up with him and stay with him. ... He really knows how to pass the ball. He catches it, he knows when to distribute, he knows where all his teammates are. Thats going to be a little bit of a problem for us, but I think me and my teammates, we talked about it and we know what to do. Happs 21 double-doubles are tied for fifth in the NCAA this season and only one team, Stanford, held him without an assist this season. Oregon coach Dana Altman said Happ has unbelievable instincts," particularly for a front court player. Anytime he sees a double coming or pressure, that ball is out of his hands quickly, and accurate, Altman said. "One-handed passer, he gets it quick. And for a big guy to average almost five assists a game, he is a unique talent. So I dont know how we slow him down. Better coaches than I have failed, and so were just going to have to try to contain him a little bit. Theyre a solid offensive team. They got three guys in double figures. Theyve got a number of guys that have the potential to score. And hes just a really unique player for an inside guy that just can pass the ball as quickly and as accurately as he can. Really presents a lot of problems. Oregon is focused on trying to make it hard for Happ to gain the positioning he wants. We gotta hold him, gotta make his touches hard, guard Payton Pritchard said. "We gotta force him into tough positions, and then we cant allow him to have easy assists, low kickouts. He gets the ball out fast out of the post. Oregon also presents a unique challenge to Happ, as the Ducks have four players 6-foot-9 to clog passing lanes. Happ said the Ducks length is somewhat new for the Badgers. Theres a lot of things we can do to negate that, but thats kind of what weve practiced all year long so its not long were practicing for anything new really, Happ said. I think having those guys coming to double team or closing out to our shooters affects our rhythm a little bit. Youve got to feel it out for a little bit and see whats working, whats not. | Wisconsin All-American center Ethan Happ leads the Badgers in nearly every statistic. Oregon's Kenny Wooten recognizes how difficult it will be to contain Happ. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2019/03/will-oregon-be-able-to-contain-wisconsin-all-american-ethan-happ.html | 0.19619 |
Will Oregon be able to contain Wisconsin All-American Ethan Happ? | SAN JOSE, Calif. Someone needed to give Kenny Wooten and Francis Okoro an early look at what theyll be facing when Oregon takes on Wisconsin All-American center Ethan Happ. Lacking numbers for a complete scout team, the dubious honor fell on Ducks assistant coach Kevin McKenna to simulate the 6-foot-10 Happ, who leads the Badgers in nearly every statistic, including scoring (17.5 points), rebounding (10.1) and assists (4.6). Ive been doing a terrible job of imitating him because Im really old and hes young and a lot bigger than me, said McKenna, 60, who played shooting guard at Creighton and for six years in the NBA. "Were just trying to give them a look and see how he is. Hes a really unique player, versatile player. You dont see many 6-11 guys bringing the ball up the court and backing guys down. Hes a really good player. ... My goal with the scouts is to not get injured and so far, knock on wood, Ive been able to do that. Wooten will be Happs primary defender when the No. 12 seed Ducks (23-12) face the No. 5 seed Badgers (23-10) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the SAP Center on Friday (1:30 p.m., TBS). The 6-foot-9 Oregon sophomore recognizes how difficult it will be to contain Happ, who is likely the toughest individual challenge of his career. Watching the film you can tell he really knows the game, high IQ, Wooten said. "Hes been around college a very long time, hes seen every defense, all of that. Im pretty sure hes going to come out and give us a hard time. Were going to try to keep him as far away from the basket as possible, wall up and make him shoot over the top. Thats going to be our biggest thing, have him shoot over the top, dont go around, dont give him any angles. Oregons defensive mentality didnt just shift, it went into overdrive to spark 8-game win streak, NCAA Tournament berth Over the last eight games Oregon's opponents are averaging just 54.3 points, shooting 34.6 percent from the field including just 23.1 percent from three-point range. If averaged for the entire season every one of those stats would be best in the sport. Wooten, who is averaging 2.0 blocks per game, can go toe-to-toe with Happ vertically. Both he and Okoro will also have to be active horizontally to disrupt the Wisconsin center from finding open teammates on the wings. Ethan has really good footwork, Okoro said. What we got to do is wall up with him and stay with him. ... He really knows how to pass the ball. He catches it, he knows when to distribute, he knows where all his teammates are. Thats going to be a little bit of a problem for us, but I think me and my teammates, we talked about it and we know what to do. Happs 21 double-doubles are tied for fifth in the NCAA this season and only one team, Stanford, held him without an assist this season. Oregon coach Dana Altman said Happ has unbelievable instincts," particularly for a front court player. Anytime he sees a double coming or pressure, that ball is out of his hands quickly, and accurate, Altman said. "One-handed passer, he gets it quick. And for a big guy to average almost five assists a game, he is a unique talent. So I dont know how we slow him down. Better coaches than I have failed, and so were just going to have to try to contain him a little bit. Theyre a solid offensive team. They got three guys in double figures. Theyve got a number of guys that have the potential to score. And hes just a really unique player for an inside guy that just can pass the ball as quickly and as accurately as he can. Really presents a lot of problems. Oregon is focused on trying to make it hard for Happ to gain the positioning he wants. We gotta hold him, gotta make his touches hard, guard Payton Pritchard said. "We gotta force him into tough positions, and then we cant allow him to have easy assists, low kickouts. He gets the ball out fast out of the post. Oregon also presents a unique challenge to Happ, as the Ducks have four players 6-foot-9 to clog passing lanes. Happ said the Ducks length is somewhat new for the Badgers. Theres a lot of things we can do to negate that, but thats kind of what weve practiced all year long so its not long were practicing for anything new really, Happ said. I think having those guys coming to double team or closing out to our shooters affects our rhythm a little bit. Youve got to feel it out for a little bit and see whats working, whats not. | Oregon will face Wisconsin All-American Ethan Happ in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Happ leads the Badgers in nearly every statistic, including scoring (17.5 points), rebounding (10.1) and assists (4.6) The 6-foot-9 Oregon sophomore recognizes how difficult it will be to contain Happ. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2019/03/will-oregon-be-able-to-contain-wisconsin-all-american-ethan-happ.html | 0.257518 |
What does Iowa State think of Ohio State basketballs leading scorer Kaleb Wesson? | TULSA, Okla. -- Playing in the Big 12 conference, Iowa State doesnt get many opportunities to match up against a player like Kaleb Wesson. At 6-foot-9 and 270 pounds, combined with a high skill level, Wesson provides an obvious matchup problem for a team whose length on the perimeter is its strong point. Head coach Steve Prohm stated that the closest theyve seen to what the Buckeyes bring to the table would be Baylor prior to the injury to Tristan Clark. Clark scored 16 points in the one game he played against the Cyclones this season. He was averaging 14.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game which almost exactly mirrors Wessons stat line. He also mentioned Kansas Udoka Azubuike who only played in nine games this season because of his size and strength. The physicality and the way you have to guard Wesson you have to think with that mindset, Prohm said. You cant get rode up and give angles or hell kill you. Freshman Talen Horton-Tucker compared Wesson to Kansas junior Dedric Lawson, who averaged 19.1 points and 10.3 rebounds this season. Though he doesnt have Wessons size, the two have similar skill sets as bigs that can shoot from the outside. Dedric Lawson is a lot skinnier than him, Horton-Tucker said. They both kind of play at their own pace. Theyre good. Wesson sees that the Cyclones usually play smaller lineups. He comes from a conference where every team has a post presence that can match him. Prior to conference play where very few teams had an answer for him he was averaging 16.5 points and 6.8 rebounds. Once January hit, those numbers went down to 12.9 and 6.5. This is the first time hes ever played against a Big 12 opponent. Just having to guard somebody like me, I feel like, its going to be big for them, Wesson said. Theyre a little undersized so rebounding is going to be a big emphasis for our whole team. Because the Buckeyes play through a post player, their approach is much different than what Iowa State is comfortable playing. Because of that, tempo will be an important key for both teams. On the season Iowa State averages 77.4 points per game, Ohio State 69.6. We have to make them play our style of ball, the Cyclones Marial Shayok said. I think we do that by getting stops first. As long as we play defense and get out and run I think well be fine. Get Buckeyes Insider texts in your phone from Doug Lesmerises: Cut through the clutter of social media and communicate directly with the award-winning OSU football reporter, just like you would with your friends. Its just $3.99 a month, which works out to about 13 cents a day. Learn more and sign up here. | Kaleb Wesson is a 6-foot-9, 270-pound post player for Iowa State. The Buckeyes play through a post player, their approach is different than Iowa State's. tempo will be an important key for both teams. | bart | 1 | https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2019/03/what-does-iowa-state-think-of-ohio-state-basketballs-leading-scorer-kaleb-wesson.html | 0.208538 |
What does Iowa State think of Ohio State basketballs leading scorer Kaleb Wesson? | TULSA, Okla. -- Playing in the Big 12 conference, Iowa State doesnt get many opportunities to match up against a player like Kaleb Wesson. At 6-foot-9 and 270 pounds, combined with a high skill level, Wesson provides an obvious matchup problem for a team whose length on the perimeter is its strong point. Head coach Steve Prohm stated that the closest theyve seen to what the Buckeyes bring to the table would be Baylor prior to the injury to Tristan Clark. Clark scored 16 points in the one game he played against the Cyclones this season. He was averaging 14.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game which almost exactly mirrors Wessons stat line. He also mentioned Kansas Udoka Azubuike who only played in nine games this season because of his size and strength. The physicality and the way you have to guard Wesson you have to think with that mindset, Prohm said. You cant get rode up and give angles or hell kill you. Freshman Talen Horton-Tucker compared Wesson to Kansas junior Dedric Lawson, who averaged 19.1 points and 10.3 rebounds this season. Though he doesnt have Wessons size, the two have similar skill sets as bigs that can shoot from the outside. Dedric Lawson is a lot skinnier than him, Horton-Tucker said. They both kind of play at their own pace. Theyre good. Wesson sees that the Cyclones usually play smaller lineups. He comes from a conference where every team has a post presence that can match him. Prior to conference play where very few teams had an answer for him he was averaging 16.5 points and 6.8 rebounds. Once January hit, those numbers went down to 12.9 and 6.5. This is the first time hes ever played against a Big 12 opponent. Just having to guard somebody like me, I feel like, its going to be big for them, Wesson said. Theyre a little undersized so rebounding is going to be a big emphasis for our whole team. Because the Buckeyes play through a post player, their approach is much different than what Iowa State is comfortable playing. Because of that, tempo will be an important key for both teams. On the season Iowa State averages 77.4 points per game, Ohio State 69.6. We have to make them play our style of ball, the Cyclones Marial Shayok said. I think we do that by getting stops first. As long as we play defense and get out and run I think well be fine. Get Buckeyes Insider texts in your phone from Doug Lesmerises: Cut through the clutter of social media and communicate directly with the award-winning OSU football reporter, just like you would with your friends. Its just $3.99 a month, which works out to about 13 cents a day. Learn more and sign up here. | Kaleb Wesson is a 6-foot-9, 270-pound post player for Iowa State. The Buckeyes play through a post player, their approach is different than Iowa State's. tempo will be an important key for both teams. Iowa State averages 77.4 points per game, Ohio State 69.6. | bart | 2 | https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2019/03/what-does-iowa-state-think-of-ohio-state-basketballs-leading-scorer-kaleb-wesson.html | 0.342727 |
Who is the UK's 100bn benefits bill spent on? | Image copyright Getty Images Paying benefits to people of working age is a big part of what the government does. In fact, it spends more on these benefits than it does on education or national defence and policing. They account for roughly 1 in every 8 the government spends, or about 100bn a year. This is on top of the 120bn that is spent on benefits for pensioners. A look at the size of the bill and who gets these benefits reveals big changes over time. Most people will receive benefits There are about 1.8 million households of working age who get at least 80% of their income from benefits. But there are two reasons why the system is far wider than this. First, many more households get smaller income top-ups from it. About half of all working-age households currently receive some benefits. Even excluding child benefit - which all but the highest-income families are eligible for - the figure is about one in three. Second, working-age benefits are not simply supporting an unchanging group. Most of us will draw on them at some point - for example, during periods of low income, parenthood or ill health. About three-quarters of working-age benefits are spent in one of three ways: Tax credits, mostly topping up the incomes of families with someone in paid work, but on modest earnings Housing benefit, helping low-income people meet the cost of rent Disability, incapacity and sickness benefits, for those whose health limits their ability to work or adds to the cost of living These benefits now dwarf those designed to support the unemployed, in part because of the rapid fall in unemployment. This has been accompanied by a shift in the way that we decide who gets support. The original vision for the welfare state was a largely contributory one. Those who had paid social security contributions when in work were entitled to support later on if they fell on difficult times. We have since turned increasingly to means-tested support - essentially offering financial help to people if they appear to need it, regardless of past contributions. Supporting people who are working Today, more of the poorer sections of society are in working households than in the past. Twenty years ago, most non-pensioners whose income was below the official poverty line were in a household where no-one was in paid work. Now, more than two-thirds of such people are either in work or live with someone who is. Most poorer working-age households are working % of people in poverty in working-age households who live That is the result of both good and bad news. On the one hand, unemployment is much lower than in the past. But on the other hand, for those who are in work, pay growth has been very weak. This means that work is a less reliable route out of poverty than we might have expected. After adjusting for inflation, the lowest-earning working households today earn little more than their counterparts in the mid-1990s. Tax credits in particular are being used to plug the income gap left behind by a lack of pay growth. In 1994-95, 40% of working age benefits were paid to households with at least someone in paid work. In 2016-17, this was 58%. Support for housing costs Housing benefit exists to help low-income renters pay for a home. It costs the government more than policing, overseas aid and various government departments. Three million working-age households receive 17bn per year in housing benefit, with a further 6bn going to pensioner households. Spending in this area has roughly doubled since the early 1990s, after adjusting for inflation. More stories like this In part, this is because other forms of public support for housing have fallen. For example council housing, in which rents are typically well below market levels, has been in decline. The proportion of people living in council housing has fallen from about one-third in the 1970s to less than 10%. And in recent years another large factor has been falling rates of home ownership. This has fuelled massive growth in the size of the private rented sector, where costs are higher. Real terms working-age housing benefit spending Growth in the number of people needing support for housing costs creates a dilemma for government. It faces a choice between picking up ever more of the tab for higher housing costs and allowing low income families to do so. Recently, it has moved towards the latter approach. Since 2012-13 housing benefits no longer increases each year in line with rents. Incapacity and disability benefits Another area which has been under government scrutiny is incapacity and disability benefits. Incapacity benefits are paid to people out of work if their ill health is considered a limiting factor. Disability benefits can be paid to people in or out of work if a disability adds to the cost of living. Spending on health-related benefits has risen Real change in working-age spending The government recently changed the way it assessed people's health and, as a result, had expected to be making fewer payments. It was very wrong. The numbers on these benefits have continued to grow. Spending has risen - dramatically in the case of disability benefits. Despite that, stories abound of claimants finding it difficult to get support. It used to be the case that older age was the best predictor of who would need incapacity benefits. Now it is low education levels. In other words, these benefits used to largely support people at the end of working life, before they could claim their pensions. Percentage of population on incapacity benefits By age and level of education Now they also support large numbers of people in their 20s and 30s. Many have few qualifications, increasing the challenge they face in finding well-paid work. In addition, the majority of incapacity claimants now have mental or behavioural problems as their primary health problems, rather than physical conditions. Benefits are in the midst of an overhaul. Universal credit - which brings together much of the working-age benefits system into a single payment - is being rolled out across the UK. But while there are potential advantages of a system that is simpler in this way, it has proved controversial. Among the reasons are longer waits to receive payments and the intention that universal credit would see overall payments to households reduced. For all its huge importance, though, it is perhaps easy to focus too much on universal credit. Much of the 100bn per year we spend on working-age benefits is there to tackle deep problems created by low pay, high housing costs and ill health. Those are challenges that will remain whatever happens next with universal credit. About this piece This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from an expert working for an outside organisation. Robert Joyce is deputy director at the IFS and head of the Income, Work and Welfare sector. In February he presented a talk called The Future of Benefits for the 50th anniversary of the IFS. Edited by Duncan Walker | Government spends 100bn a year on benefits for people of working age. This is more than it spends on education or national defence and policing. | bart | 0 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47623277 | 0.152206 |
Who is the UK's 100bn benefits bill spent on? | Image copyright Getty Images Paying benefits to people of working age is a big part of what the government does. In fact, it spends more on these benefits than it does on education or national defence and policing. They account for roughly 1 in every 8 the government spends, or about 100bn a year. This is on top of the 120bn that is spent on benefits for pensioners. A look at the size of the bill and who gets these benefits reveals big changes over time. Most people will receive benefits There are about 1.8 million households of working age who get at least 80% of their income from benefits. But there are two reasons why the system is far wider than this. First, many more households get smaller income top-ups from it. About half of all working-age households currently receive some benefits. Even excluding child benefit - which all but the highest-income families are eligible for - the figure is about one in three. Second, working-age benefits are not simply supporting an unchanging group. Most of us will draw on them at some point - for example, during periods of low income, parenthood or ill health. About three-quarters of working-age benefits are spent in one of three ways: Tax credits, mostly topping up the incomes of families with someone in paid work, but on modest earnings Housing benefit, helping low-income people meet the cost of rent Disability, incapacity and sickness benefits, for those whose health limits their ability to work or adds to the cost of living These benefits now dwarf those designed to support the unemployed, in part because of the rapid fall in unemployment. This has been accompanied by a shift in the way that we decide who gets support. The original vision for the welfare state was a largely contributory one. Those who had paid social security contributions when in work were entitled to support later on if they fell on difficult times. We have since turned increasingly to means-tested support - essentially offering financial help to people if they appear to need it, regardless of past contributions. Supporting people who are working Today, more of the poorer sections of society are in working households than in the past. Twenty years ago, most non-pensioners whose income was below the official poverty line were in a household where no-one was in paid work. Now, more than two-thirds of such people are either in work or live with someone who is. Most poorer working-age households are working % of people in poverty in working-age households who live That is the result of both good and bad news. On the one hand, unemployment is much lower than in the past. But on the other hand, for those who are in work, pay growth has been very weak. This means that work is a less reliable route out of poverty than we might have expected. After adjusting for inflation, the lowest-earning working households today earn little more than their counterparts in the mid-1990s. Tax credits in particular are being used to plug the income gap left behind by a lack of pay growth. In 1994-95, 40% of working age benefits were paid to households with at least someone in paid work. In 2016-17, this was 58%. Support for housing costs Housing benefit exists to help low-income renters pay for a home. It costs the government more than policing, overseas aid and various government departments. Three million working-age households receive 17bn per year in housing benefit, with a further 6bn going to pensioner households. Spending in this area has roughly doubled since the early 1990s, after adjusting for inflation. More stories like this In part, this is because other forms of public support for housing have fallen. For example council housing, in which rents are typically well below market levels, has been in decline. The proportion of people living in council housing has fallen from about one-third in the 1970s to less than 10%. And in recent years another large factor has been falling rates of home ownership. This has fuelled massive growth in the size of the private rented sector, where costs are higher. Real terms working-age housing benefit spending Growth in the number of people needing support for housing costs creates a dilemma for government. It faces a choice between picking up ever more of the tab for higher housing costs and allowing low income families to do so. Recently, it has moved towards the latter approach. Since 2012-13 housing benefits no longer increases each year in line with rents. Incapacity and disability benefits Another area which has been under government scrutiny is incapacity and disability benefits. Incapacity benefits are paid to people out of work if their ill health is considered a limiting factor. Disability benefits can be paid to people in or out of work if a disability adds to the cost of living. Spending on health-related benefits has risen Real change in working-age spending The government recently changed the way it assessed people's health and, as a result, had expected to be making fewer payments. It was very wrong. The numbers on these benefits have continued to grow. Spending has risen - dramatically in the case of disability benefits. Despite that, stories abound of claimants finding it difficult to get support. It used to be the case that older age was the best predictor of who would need incapacity benefits. Now it is low education levels. In other words, these benefits used to largely support people at the end of working life, before they could claim their pensions. Percentage of population on incapacity benefits By age and level of education Now they also support large numbers of people in their 20s and 30s. Many have few qualifications, increasing the challenge they face in finding well-paid work. In addition, the majority of incapacity claimants now have mental or behavioural problems as their primary health problems, rather than physical conditions. Benefits are in the midst of an overhaul. Universal credit - which brings together much of the working-age benefits system into a single payment - is being rolled out across the UK. But while there are potential advantages of a system that is simpler in this way, it has proved controversial. Among the reasons are longer waits to receive payments and the intention that universal credit would see overall payments to households reduced. For all its huge importance, though, it is perhaps easy to focus too much on universal credit. Much of the 100bn per year we spend on working-age benefits is there to tackle deep problems created by low pay, high housing costs and ill health. Those are challenges that will remain whatever happens next with universal credit. About this piece This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from an expert working for an outside organisation. Robert Joyce is deputy director at the IFS and head of the Income, Work and Welfare sector. In February he presented a talk called The Future of Benefits for the 50th anniversary of the IFS. Edited by Duncan Walker | Government spends 100bn a year on benefits for people of working age. This is more than it spends on education or national defence and policing. About half of all working-age households currently receive some benefits. | bart | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47623277 | 0.238726 |
Who is the UK's 100bn benefits bill spent on? | Image copyright Getty Images Paying benefits to people of working age is a big part of what the government does. In fact, it spends more on these benefits than it does on education or national defence and policing. They account for roughly 1 in every 8 the government spends, or about 100bn a year. This is on top of the 120bn that is spent on benefits for pensioners. A look at the size of the bill and who gets these benefits reveals big changes over time. Most people will receive benefits There are about 1.8 million households of working age who get at least 80% of their income from benefits. But there are two reasons why the system is far wider than this. First, many more households get smaller income top-ups from it. About half of all working-age households currently receive some benefits. Even excluding child benefit - which all but the highest-income families are eligible for - the figure is about one in three. Second, working-age benefits are not simply supporting an unchanging group. Most of us will draw on them at some point - for example, during periods of low income, parenthood or ill health. About three-quarters of working-age benefits are spent in one of three ways: Tax credits, mostly topping up the incomes of families with someone in paid work, but on modest earnings Housing benefit, helping low-income people meet the cost of rent Disability, incapacity and sickness benefits, for those whose health limits their ability to work or adds to the cost of living These benefits now dwarf those designed to support the unemployed, in part because of the rapid fall in unemployment. This has been accompanied by a shift in the way that we decide who gets support. The original vision for the welfare state was a largely contributory one. Those who had paid social security contributions when in work were entitled to support later on if they fell on difficult times. We have since turned increasingly to means-tested support - essentially offering financial help to people if they appear to need it, regardless of past contributions. Supporting people who are working Today, more of the poorer sections of society are in working households than in the past. Twenty years ago, most non-pensioners whose income was below the official poverty line were in a household where no-one was in paid work. Now, more than two-thirds of such people are either in work or live with someone who is. Most poorer working-age households are working % of people in poverty in working-age households who live That is the result of both good and bad news. On the one hand, unemployment is much lower than in the past. But on the other hand, for those who are in work, pay growth has been very weak. This means that work is a less reliable route out of poverty than we might have expected. After adjusting for inflation, the lowest-earning working households today earn little more than their counterparts in the mid-1990s. Tax credits in particular are being used to plug the income gap left behind by a lack of pay growth. In 1994-95, 40% of working age benefits were paid to households with at least someone in paid work. In 2016-17, this was 58%. Support for housing costs Housing benefit exists to help low-income renters pay for a home. It costs the government more than policing, overseas aid and various government departments. Three million working-age households receive 17bn per year in housing benefit, with a further 6bn going to pensioner households. Spending in this area has roughly doubled since the early 1990s, after adjusting for inflation. More stories like this In part, this is because other forms of public support for housing have fallen. For example council housing, in which rents are typically well below market levels, has been in decline. The proportion of people living in council housing has fallen from about one-third in the 1970s to less than 10%. And in recent years another large factor has been falling rates of home ownership. This has fuelled massive growth in the size of the private rented sector, where costs are higher. Real terms working-age housing benefit spending Growth in the number of people needing support for housing costs creates a dilemma for government. It faces a choice between picking up ever more of the tab for higher housing costs and allowing low income families to do so. Recently, it has moved towards the latter approach. Since 2012-13 housing benefits no longer increases each year in line with rents. Incapacity and disability benefits Another area which has been under government scrutiny is incapacity and disability benefits. Incapacity benefits are paid to people out of work if their ill health is considered a limiting factor. Disability benefits can be paid to people in or out of work if a disability adds to the cost of living. Spending on health-related benefits has risen Real change in working-age spending The government recently changed the way it assessed people's health and, as a result, had expected to be making fewer payments. It was very wrong. The numbers on these benefits have continued to grow. Spending has risen - dramatically in the case of disability benefits. Despite that, stories abound of claimants finding it difficult to get support. It used to be the case that older age was the best predictor of who would need incapacity benefits. Now it is low education levels. In other words, these benefits used to largely support people at the end of working life, before they could claim their pensions. Percentage of population on incapacity benefits By age and level of education Now they also support large numbers of people in their 20s and 30s. Many have few qualifications, increasing the challenge they face in finding well-paid work. In addition, the majority of incapacity claimants now have mental or behavioural problems as their primary health problems, rather than physical conditions. Benefits are in the midst of an overhaul. Universal credit - which brings together much of the working-age benefits system into a single payment - is being rolled out across the UK. But while there are potential advantages of a system that is simpler in this way, it has proved controversial. Among the reasons are longer waits to receive payments and the intention that universal credit would see overall payments to households reduced. For all its huge importance, though, it is perhaps easy to focus too much on universal credit. Much of the 100bn per year we spend on working-age benefits is there to tackle deep problems created by low pay, high housing costs and ill health. Those are challenges that will remain whatever happens next with universal credit. About this piece This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from an expert working for an outside organisation. Robert Joyce is deputy director at the IFS and head of the Income, Work and Welfare sector. In February he presented a talk called The Future of Benefits for the 50th anniversary of the IFS. Edited by Duncan Walker | Government spends 100bn a year on benefits for people of working age. This is more than it spends on education or national defence and policing. About half of all working-age households currently receive some benefits. More of the poorer sections of society are in working households than in the past. | bart | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47623277 | 0.28518 |
Does #nomakeup trend help women or is it bare-faced cheek? | LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - From the skies to the stage, women are taking a stand for equality by wiping off their make-up, sparking a bare-faced trend that won rising numbers of followers globally but also triggered vocal defenders of the benefits of cosmetics. An online #nomakeup campaign dates back about three years to when U.S. singer Alicia Keys vowed not to wear make-up anymore but it has gained momentum this year with other celebrities and industries following suit. British singer Jess Glyne made headlines in February when she took off her make-up during a Brit Awards performance while singing Thursday, a song about not wanting to wear makeup. Airlines Virgin Atlantic and Aer Lingus this month updated guidelines stating air hostesses no longer had to wear make-up. A spokeswoman from Virgin Atlantic said the move was made to reflect a change in the aviation industry, where highly coiffeured female hostesses were once nicknamed trolley dollies, and Aer Lingus said it reflected changing dress norms. University student Yim Ji-su helped spark a debate in February about daily sexism in beauty-obsessed South Korea by ditching her make-up and shaving her hair into a buzz cut. Abi Wright, founder of UK-based Inspiring Margot, a company working to build womens confidence in the workplace, said wearing make-up should be a choice, not an expectation. If, as women, were expected to wear make-up then that simply says our appearance is more important than our skills and abilities, Wright told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. It highlights yet again that our society associates a womans worth by appearance and nothing more. LAWS ON DRESS In Britain, discrimination at work over make-up or clothing is illegal under the Equality Act 2010 but this law has come under scrutiny since a 2016 campaign by Nicola Thorp who was sent home from work without pay for refusing to wear high heels. This prompted a parliamentary inquiry that led to guidance setting out how the law might apply when an employer required female staff to wear high heels, make-up, or revealing clothing. The United States has similar laws with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission stating standards can be different for men and women as long as it is generally consistent but there has not been many challenges to sex-based employee dress codes. The trend to go bare-faced has been picked up by the global cosmetics industry, which was worth at least $48.3 billion last year, according to market research group Mintel. New cosmetics companies like Glossier Inc, which was valued at over $1 billion this week, are offering products that cater to various skin tones and emphasize a natural no-make-up look. No make-up is really a symbol of being empowered and being comfortable in your own skin, not having to hide behind something, said British make-up artist Lee Pycroft. Its positive because its taking away the association that women have to look a certain way to fill a certain role, said Pycroft, who has worked with celebrities like actresses Anne Hathaway and Laura Linney and supermodel Elle Macpherson. SKIN DEEP But the bare-faced movement has divided opinion over whether this is a serious assertion of female equality or the focus on make-up as a negative for women was overblown. Ria Cooper, 25, who at 13 became the youngest transgender woman in Britain in 2007, said wearing make-up could be positive, transformative and more than skin deep. She set up a beauty salon in northern England in 2018 to support and guide other trans women with beauty tips who might not feel comfortable at traditional salons. I believe woman are beautiful without make-up, but I also believe make-up does do wonders, Cooper said in a phone interview.Make-up makes you feel beautiful and more confident. Make-up artist Pycroft said she has seen firsthand how it can change a womans demeanor, having done several make-overs for domestic abuse survivors and other vulnerable women. Having seen the way make-up can be used as a tool to help people, it can have a very positive part to it, she said. Make-up is often thought of as superficial and a bit fluffy, but it can bring about the person that weve forgotten about. It can be really empowering. | Women are taking a stand for equality by wiping off their make-up. The bare-faced trend has gained momentum this year with celebrities and industries following suit. British singer Jess Glyne made headlines in February when she took off her make-up during a Brit Awards performance. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-women-makeup-trend/does-nomakeup-trend-help-women-or-is-it-bare-faced-cheek-idUSKCN1R305X | 0.107146 |
Whos going to hit high notes besides Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez for Indians offense? | CLEVELAND, Ohio In one corner the Indians have Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez. Two switch-hitting, power-laden MVP candidates to carry the offense. In the other corner is everybody else who will swing a bat for the Indians this season. So theres Elvis I and Elvis II, but every star needs a backup singer or 10. Heres a look at what kind of notes Indians batters not named Francisco Lindor or Jose Ramirez can be expected to hit in the 2019 season. THE INFIELDERS Lets start with the infield since thats where Lindor and Ramirez will be doing their business at shortstop and third base. Old friend Carlos Santana has returned to play first base, some left field and DH. He spent last year in Philadelphia doing what he usually does playing nearly every day, not hitting for much of an average (.229), showing some pop (28 doubles, 24 homers, 86 RBI) and, shocker, walking. Santana finished second in the NL with 110 walks the most by a Phillies switch-hitter in franchise history. Look for Santanas average to go up a click or two because hes back in the AL where he knows the pitchers and ballpark. Hell be expected to hit somewhere in the middle of the lineup to fill the holes created by the departures of Michael Brantley, Edwin Encarnacion, Yonder Alonso, Melky Cabrera and Yandy Diaz. Dont be surprised if manager Terry Francona puts him in the leadoff spot now and again. * Key stat: Santana was one of two players in the big leagues last year to drive in at least 85 runs and have at least 110 walks. Bryce Harper was the other. * Fun fact: The Indians, with the return of Santana, have three of the top five home-run hitting switch-hitters in franchise history. Santana is No. 1 with 174, Lindor No.4 with 98 and Ramirez No.5 with 87. The Plain Dealer Jason Kipnis could use a consistently productive season in 2019 because it could be his last in Cleveland before he becomes a free agent. Jason Kipnis returns to second base for his eighth, and possibly last, season with the Tribe. Kipnis, bothered by a right calf and quad problem in spring training, needs to put a full season together at the plate. He rescued his 2018 season with a strong finish, but a consistent year would go a long way to helping the Tribes offense and setting himself up for his first plunge into free agency. It will be interesting to see if Francona puts Kipnis in the No.2 spot between Lindor and Ramirez to replace Brantley, who signed a two-year deal with Houston. Kipnis OPS has dropped from a career high .823 in 2015 to .704 last year. * Key stat: Kipnis hit .292 (38-for-130) with eight homers and 59 RBI with runners in scoring position last year. * Fun fact: On Sept. 1 Kipnis collected his 1,000th career hit, all with the Indians, on a walk-off grand slam against the White Sox to erase a 1-0 deficit on Sept. 19. The only other player to do that was Ron Santo of the Cubs on Sept. 25, 1968 against the Dodgers. Hanley Ramirez could hold the key to this offense. Of course, he has to make the team first. But if he can anchor the middle of the lineup from the DH spot, think of the protection he could give Lindor and the other Ramirez at the top of the order. He signed a minor league deal in late February and has just two extra base hits in six games (UPDATE). Francona, however, says Ramirez still has bat speed. * Key stat: Ramirez hit .330 (32-for-97) with three homers and 17 RBI in April last year for Boston. * Fun fact: Ramirez won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2006 playing shortstop for the Marlins. He has since outgrown the position. Max Moroff and Eric Stamets have been competing for the utility infielders spot. Stamets, with Lindor sidelined with a calf injury, has seen most of the time at short this spring. If Lindor isnt able to open the season on time, Stamets could get a chance to play there when the Indians open the season against the Twins. Moroff, acquired from Pittsburgh in November, has shown some production with the bat in the past and hes out of options. * Key stat: Stamets played just 78 games at Class AAA Columbus last year because of back, groin and biceps injuries. * Fun fact: Stamets was born in Dublin, just outside of Columbus, and grew up a fan of Tribe shortstop Omar Vizquel. * Key stat: Moroff played 17 games at second and six at shortstop last year for the Pirates. * Fun fact: Moroff went 80-for-80 in stolen bases in his high school career at Trinity Prep School in Winter Park, Fla. THE CATCHERS Roberto Perez will open the season at catcher. He replaces Yan Gomes, who was traded to the Nationals in November. Perez is well equipped to handle the defensive side of the game. He throws well, works smoothly with the pitching staff and excels at framing pitches. But hes going to have to hit a lot better than he did last year to help the offense. The good thing is Perez has hit well in spring training after hitting .333 (23-for-69) for Licey in the Dominican Republic over the winter. The Plain Dealer Roberto Perez will open the season as the Indians' starting catcher following the trade of Yan Gomes in November. (Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer) * Key stat: Perezs .168 batting average last year was the lowest in the AL among hitters with 200 or more plate appearances. * Fun fact: Perez caught all 15 games during the Indians 2016 postseason run to Game 7 of the World Series. He hit just .186, but three of his eight hits were home runs. The Indians acquired Kevin Plawecki from the Mets on Jan. 6 because they needed a catcher after trading Gomes. Plawecki will open the season in the backup role, but the former No.1 pick has shown he can swing the bat. He hit seven homers with 30 RBI in 79 games last year. In 2017 he hit .328 (81-for-247) with nine homers and 45 RBI in 64 games at Class AAA Las Vegas. If Perez struggles at the plate, Plawecki should get a chance. Francona isnt going to play Perez every day. * Key stat: Plawecki had 14 RBI in 22 games in August last year. * Fun fact: Plawecki played three years at Purdue. His wife, Tayler, played soccer at Purdue. THE OUTFIELDERS The Indians turned the outfield inside out over the winter. Brantley, Lonnie Chisenhall, Brandon Guyer, Rajai Davis and Cabrera were allowed to leave through free agency. Those five players appeared in a total of 404 games in the outfield last year. The following are the outfielders who have a chance to replace them in 2019. Leonys Martin, who almost died last year because of a bacterial infection, has had a great spring. He nailed down the center field job and spent a lot of time in the leadoff spot in place of the injured Lindor. Martin hasnt played a full season since 2016 with Seattle. If he can come close to those kind of numbers 148 games, 72 runs, 15 homers, 47 RBI and 24 steals it would be a boost to the offense. * Key stat: Martin is a lifetime .254 vs. right-handers and .234 hitters against lefties. In his last full year (2016), he hit .246 against righties and .261 against lefties. * Fun fact: Martin, a native of Cuba, became a naturalized U.S. citizen on June 25, 2018. The Plain Dealer Jake Bauers is expected to see time in left field and first base this season for the Indians. Jake Bauers made his big-league debut last year with the Rays. Hes played only 96 games in the big leagues so there is going to be some growing pains with this left-handed hitter. If Hanley Ramirez makes the club at DH, Bauers is expected to spend most of his time in left field. If Ramirez doesnt make the club, hes expected to share first and DH with Santana. In 2017 Bauers slashed .263/.357/.426 at Class AAA Durham with 31 doubles and 13 homers in 132 games. The Indians could use that kind of production this year no matter what position he plays. * Key stat: Bauers led AL rookies with 54 walks last year. * Fun fact: Bauers says his favorite thing to do away from baseball is surf. Switch-hitter Greg Allen has done everything possible to make the opening day roster. He finished last season on a roll, hitting .297 (35-for-118) over his last 43 games. This spring hes hit from day one will playing mostly left and center field. Allen still needs to improve against lefties he hit .208 (10-for-48) against them last year to give Francona an option if he wants to use him in a platoon situation. Allen brings speed to the offense as well. He stole 21 bases in 25 attempts last season. * Key stat: Allen hit .483 (14-for-29) on the first pitch last season. * Fun fact: Allen hit two homers last year a walk-off homer in the 14th inning vs. Houston on May 27 and a game-winning two-run homer against Boston on Aug. 20. Tyler Naquin came to spring training healthy for the first time since 2016. He told reporters he felt like he was 15 again after undergoing surgery on his right hip. To help the Indians this season, he has to stay on the field and produce. This spring he homered on the first pitch he saw, but the rest of the Cactus League season has not gone as smoothly. Naquin, who has an option left, is another left-handed hitter who needs to improve against lefty pitchers to get more playing time. He hit .250 (4-for-16) against lefties last year. In his career, hes hitting .283 (136-for-486) against righties and .250 (13-for-52) against lefties. * Key stat: Naquin had a career-high 11-game hitting streak from May 1 through June 17 last year. * Fun fact: Naquins favorite movie is Tombstone. Trayce Thompson has a chance to make the club as a spring-training invitee. The Indians love his athleticism and this spring hes actually hit. That has proven to be a problem for Thompson in big-league stops with the White Sox, Dodgers and As. If Thompson is going to help, its probably going to be in a bench role. That means hes going to have to find a way to be productive as a role player on offense and defense. This is his 11th professional season so he should have an understanding of his role. The Plain Dealer Tyler Naquin, who came to camp healthy for the first time since 2016, has a chance to open the season with a spot in the Indians' outfield. (Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer) * Key stat: Thompson was released by the Dodgers at the end of spring training in 2018, claimed and released by the Yankees and claimed two days later by the As on April 5. * Fun fact: Yes, Thompson is a member of the basketball-playing Thompson family. His brother, Klay, plays for Golden State. Another brother, Mychael, played for the Cavs and his father, Mychael, played in the NBA for 14 years. The Indians signed Carlos Gonzalez to a minor-league deal on Tuesday, so he wont be ready for the season opener. If he shows he can help the Indians, hell probably join them sometime in April. Hes been the Rockies starting right fielder for the last three years so thats where hell probably play for the Tribe. His numbers took a big dip outside of Coors Field. If hes going to help the Indians, hes going to have to prove hes productive at sea level. * Key stat: Baseball-reference.coms 2019 projection for Gonzalez have him producing a similar season to what he had last year -- .267, 16 homers and 64 RBI. * Fun fact: Gonzalez has to be happy that he doesnt have to face Tribe pitching for a while. Hes hitting .111 (1-for-9) against Brad Hand, .143 (1-for-7) against Trevor Bauer and .200 (1-for-5) against Corey Kluber. | Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez will carry the offense for the Indians. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2019/03/whos-going-hit-high-notes-besides-francisco-lindor-jose-ramirez-for-indians-offense.html | 0.247812 |
Whos going to hit high notes besides Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez for Indians offense? | CLEVELAND, Ohio In one corner the Indians have Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez. Two switch-hitting, power-laden MVP candidates to carry the offense. In the other corner is everybody else who will swing a bat for the Indians this season. So theres Elvis I and Elvis II, but every star needs a backup singer or 10. Heres a look at what kind of notes Indians batters not named Francisco Lindor or Jose Ramirez can be expected to hit in the 2019 season. THE INFIELDERS Lets start with the infield since thats where Lindor and Ramirez will be doing their business at shortstop and third base. Old friend Carlos Santana has returned to play first base, some left field and DH. He spent last year in Philadelphia doing what he usually does playing nearly every day, not hitting for much of an average (.229), showing some pop (28 doubles, 24 homers, 86 RBI) and, shocker, walking. Santana finished second in the NL with 110 walks the most by a Phillies switch-hitter in franchise history. Look for Santanas average to go up a click or two because hes back in the AL where he knows the pitchers and ballpark. Hell be expected to hit somewhere in the middle of the lineup to fill the holes created by the departures of Michael Brantley, Edwin Encarnacion, Yonder Alonso, Melky Cabrera and Yandy Diaz. Dont be surprised if manager Terry Francona puts him in the leadoff spot now and again. * Key stat: Santana was one of two players in the big leagues last year to drive in at least 85 runs and have at least 110 walks. Bryce Harper was the other. * Fun fact: The Indians, with the return of Santana, have three of the top five home-run hitting switch-hitters in franchise history. Santana is No. 1 with 174, Lindor No.4 with 98 and Ramirez No.5 with 87. The Plain Dealer Jason Kipnis could use a consistently productive season in 2019 because it could be his last in Cleveland before he becomes a free agent. Jason Kipnis returns to second base for his eighth, and possibly last, season with the Tribe. Kipnis, bothered by a right calf and quad problem in spring training, needs to put a full season together at the plate. He rescued his 2018 season with a strong finish, but a consistent year would go a long way to helping the Tribes offense and setting himself up for his first plunge into free agency. It will be interesting to see if Francona puts Kipnis in the No.2 spot between Lindor and Ramirez to replace Brantley, who signed a two-year deal with Houston. Kipnis OPS has dropped from a career high .823 in 2015 to .704 last year. * Key stat: Kipnis hit .292 (38-for-130) with eight homers and 59 RBI with runners in scoring position last year. * Fun fact: On Sept. 1 Kipnis collected his 1,000th career hit, all with the Indians, on a walk-off grand slam against the White Sox to erase a 1-0 deficit on Sept. 19. The only other player to do that was Ron Santo of the Cubs on Sept. 25, 1968 against the Dodgers. Hanley Ramirez could hold the key to this offense. Of course, he has to make the team first. But if he can anchor the middle of the lineup from the DH spot, think of the protection he could give Lindor and the other Ramirez at the top of the order. He signed a minor league deal in late February and has just two extra base hits in six games (UPDATE). Francona, however, says Ramirez still has bat speed. * Key stat: Ramirez hit .330 (32-for-97) with three homers and 17 RBI in April last year for Boston. * Fun fact: Ramirez won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2006 playing shortstop for the Marlins. He has since outgrown the position. Max Moroff and Eric Stamets have been competing for the utility infielders spot. Stamets, with Lindor sidelined with a calf injury, has seen most of the time at short this spring. If Lindor isnt able to open the season on time, Stamets could get a chance to play there when the Indians open the season against the Twins. Moroff, acquired from Pittsburgh in November, has shown some production with the bat in the past and hes out of options. * Key stat: Stamets played just 78 games at Class AAA Columbus last year because of back, groin and biceps injuries. * Fun fact: Stamets was born in Dublin, just outside of Columbus, and grew up a fan of Tribe shortstop Omar Vizquel. * Key stat: Moroff played 17 games at second and six at shortstop last year for the Pirates. * Fun fact: Moroff went 80-for-80 in stolen bases in his high school career at Trinity Prep School in Winter Park, Fla. THE CATCHERS Roberto Perez will open the season at catcher. He replaces Yan Gomes, who was traded to the Nationals in November. Perez is well equipped to handle the defensive side of the game. He throws well, works smoothly with the pitching staff and excels at framing pitches. But hes going to have to hit a lot better than he did last year to help the offense. The good thing is Perez has hit well in spring training after hitting .333 (23-for-69) for Licey in the Dominican Republic over the winter. The Plain Dealer Roberto Perez will open the season as the Indians' starting catcher following the trade of Yan Gomes in November. (Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer) * Key stat: Perezs .168 batting average last year was the lowest in the AL among hitters with 200 or more plate appearances. * Fun fact: Perez caught all 15 games during the Indians 2016 postseason run to Game 7 of the World Series. He hit just .186, but three of his eight hits were home runs. The Indians acquired Kevin Plawecki from the Mets on Jan. 6 because they needed a catcher after trading Gomes. Plawecki will open the season in the backup role, but the former No.1 pick has shown he can swing the bat. He hit seven homers with 30 RBI in 79 games last year. In 2017 he hit .328 (81-for-247) with nine homers and 45 RBI in 64 games at Class AAA Las Vegas. If Perez struggles at the plate, Plawecki should get a chance. Francona isnt going to play Perez every day. * Key stat: Plawecki had 14 RBI in 22 games in August last year. * Fun fact: Plawecki played three years at Purdue. His wife, Tayler, played soccer at Purdue. THE OUTFIELDERS The Indians turned the outfield inside out over the winter. Brantley, Lonnie Chisenhall, Brandon Guyer, Rajai Davis and Cabrera were allowed to leave through free agency. Those five players appeared in a total of 404 games in the outfield last year. The following are the outfielders who have a chance to replace them in 2019. Leonys Martin, who almost died last year because of a bacterial infection, has had a great spring. He nailed down the center field job and spent a lot of time in the leadoff spot in place of the injured Lindor. Martin hasnt played a full season since 2016 with Seattle. If he can come close to those kind of numbers 148 games, 72 runs, 15 homers, 47 RBI and 24 steals it would be a boost to the offense. * Key stat: Martin is a lifetime .254 vs. right-handers and .234 hitters against lefties. In his last full year (2016), he hit .246 against righties and .261 against lefties. * Fun fact: Martin, a native of Cuba, became a naturalized U.S. citizen on June 25, 2018. The Plain Dealer Jake Bauers is expected to see time in left field and first base this season for the Indians. Jake Bauers made his big-league debut last year with the Rays. Hes played only 96 games in the big leagues so there is going to be some growing pains with this left-handed hitter. If Hanley Ramirez makes the club at DH, Bauers is expected to spend most of his time in left field. If Ramirez doesnt make the club, hes expected to share first and DH with Santana. In 2017 Bauers slashed .263/.357/.426 at Class AAA Durham with 31 doubles and 13 homers in 132 games. The Indians could use that kind of production this year no matter what position he plays. * Key stat: Bauers led AL rookies with 54 walks last year. * Fun fact: Bauers says his favorite thing to do away from baseball is surf. Switch-hitter Greg Allen has done everything possible to make the opening day roster. He finished last season on a roll, hitting .297 (35-for-118) over his last 43 games. This spring hes hit from day one will playing mostly left and center field. Allen still needs to improve against lefties he hit .208 (10-for-48) against them last year to give Francona an option if he wants to use him in a platoon situation. Allen brings speed to the offense as well. He stole 21 bases in 25 attempts last season. * Key stat: Allen hit .483 (14-for-29) on the first pitch last season. * Fun fact: Allen hit two homers last year a walk-off homer in the 14th inning vs. Houston on May 27 and a game-winning two-run homer against Boston on Aug. 20. Tyler Naquin came to spring training healthy for the first time since 2016. He told reporters he felt like he was 15 again after undergoing surgery on his right hip. To help the Indians this season, he has to stay on the field and produce. This spring he homered on the first pitch he saw, but the rest of the Cactus League season has not gone as smoothly. Naquin, who has an option left, is another left-handed hitter who needs to improve against lefty pitchers to get more playing time. He hit .250 (4-for-16) against lefties last year. In his career, hes hitting .283 (136-for-486) against righties and .250 (13-for-52) against lefties. * Key stat: Naquin had a career-high 11-game hitting streak from May 1 through June 17 last year. * Fun fact: Naquins favorite movie is Tombstone. Trayce Thompson has a chance to make the club as a spring-training invitee. The Indians love his athleticism and this spring hes actually hit. That has proven to be a problem for Thompson in big-league stops with the White Sox, Dodgers and As. If Thompson is going to help, its probably going to be in a bench role. That means hes going to have to find a way to be productive as a role player on offense and defense. This is his 11th professional season so he should have an understanding of his role. The Plain Dealer Tyler Naquin, who came to camp healthy for the first time since 2016, has a chance to open the season with a spot in the Indians' outfield. (Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer) * Key stat: Thompson was released by the Dodgers at the end of spring training in 2018, claimed and released by the Yankees and claimed two days later by the As on April 5. * Fun fact: Yes, Thompson is a member of the basketball-playing Thompson family. His brother, Klay, plays for Golden State. Another brother, Mychael, played for the Cavs and his father, Mychael, played in the NBA for 14 years. The Indians signed Carlos Gonzalez to a minor-league deal on Tuesday, so he wont be ready for the season opener. If he shows he can help the Indians, hell probably join them sometime in April. Hes been the Rockies starting right fielder for the last three years so thats where hell probably play for the Tribe. His numbers took a big dip outside of Coors Field. If hes going to help the Indians, hes going to have to prove hes productive at sea level. * Key stat: Baseball-reference.coms 2019 projection for Gonzalez have him producing a similar season to what he had last year -- .267, 16 homers and 64 RBI. * Fun fact: Gonzalez has to be happy that he doesnt have to face Tribe pitching for a while. Hes hitting .111 (1-for-9) against Brad Hand, .143 (1-for-7) against Trevor Bauer and .200 (1-for-5) against Corey Kluber. | Cleveland Indians have two MVP candidates in Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez. In the other corner is everybody else who will swing a bat for the Indians this season. Old friend Carlos Santana has returned to play first base, some left field and DH. Jason Kipnis returns to second base for his eighth, and possibly last, season. | bart | 2 | https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2019/03/whos-going-hit-high-notes-besides-francisco-lindor-jose-ramirez-for-indians-offense.html | 0.350569 |
Can blockchain apps ensure a responsible mineral supply chain? | Verifying the origins of metals and minerals and ensuring the extraction of these resources are not benefiting warlords has been an ever-increasing concern of mining companies in recent years. In 2017, the US passed the Dodd-Frank Act, which in Section 1502 included a requirement for any US firm to ensure that mineral resources they procured, including tin, tantalum, gold, and tungsten, was sourced responsibly and not for the enrichment of anyone involved in armed conflict. Though the Trump administration has moved to repeal this measure, it still remains on the books and in effect. The EU has also adopted new import regulations on conflict minerals, implemented as of May 2017. The new measures will apply to all EU-based companies from January 2021, requiring them to report their supply chain due diligence obligations on sourcing of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold and ensure armed groups can no longer use these minerals as a way to finance warfare and human rights abuses. Though there has been some debate on the effectiveness of these types of regulations on stemming violent conflict in the region, companies in the mining industry have been faced with another issue: how to ensure their mineral products are responsibly sourced. Some entrepreneurs see blockchain-based systems as the way forward to ensure responsible sourcing. A new company based in Berlin is hoping to provide a solution. MineSpider, created in 2017, has adapted bitcoin technology in a way that will allow companies to be confident in their sourcing, and be able to report their supply chain due diligence to governments, without disclosing their supply chains to competitors. Theres a lot of thoughts on how to keep sensitive data private, MineSpider founder and CEO Nathan Williams said. The problem with private blockchain, if brands want to have their own private blockchain, a miner would have five different systems to use. To overcome this issue, he and his team built a layered blockchain system using Ethereum, an open-source platform which aims to replace third-party systems holding complex data on cloud networks. The platform allows developers to create apps and other programs based on blockchain technology. Williams describes MineSpider as an onion, or a Russian doll. We have two layers a data layer and an Ethereum layer. Ethereum is the blockchain immutable layer, and on that we are storing a ton of material, how much in shipments and the grade, he said. Then there is a link to a packet of data. One layer of data is data you want everyone to see. Another layer is private data that needs to be registered as unchangeable, which is only available to customers. The third layer is key we encrypt the first two layers, and then asymmetrically encrypt that with the key of your customer. Companies can then provide keys to customers and regulators, which will have encrypted access to the data. This creates a system that allows certain recipients to read sensitive data, which allows mining companies to provide receipts that theyve done their due diligence while also protecting their supply chain details. MineSpider has developed the software and is now preparing its first pilots. Williams says the firm is in negotiations with several large companies, including one sizable auto manufacturer in Germany. MineSpider is also working to develop a system which can be used by artisanal miners There is competition in this space, as other developers are using technologies similar to Ethereum such as Hyperledger, Peer Ledger, and others. Circulor, a UK-based company, has also created a system based on blockchain that allows mining companies ensure their minerals are responsibly sourced. The company has signed an agreement with the government of Rwanda and the Rwanda Mining Association, and says it is in discussions with Apple. | MineSpider is a Berlin-based company developing apps based on the blockchain. The platform allows developers to create apps and other programs based on blockchain technology. It aims to ensure a responsible mineral supply chain. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaxjacobsen/2019/03/22/can-blockchain-apps-ensure-a-responsible-mineral-supply-chain/ | 0.599072 |
Can blockchain apps ensure a responsible mineral supply chain? | Verifying the origins of metals and minerals and ensuring the extraction of these resources are not benefiting warlords has been an ever-increasing concern of mining companies in recent years. In 2017, the US passed the Dodd-Frank Act, which in Section 1502 included a requirement for any US firm to ensure that mineral resources they procured, including tin, tantalum, gold, and tungsten, was sourced responsibly and not for the enrichment of anyone involved in armed conflict. Though the Trump administration has moved to repeal this measure, it still remains on the books and in effect. The EU has also adopted new import regulations on conflict minerals, implemented as of May 2017. The new measures will apply to all EU-based companies from January 2021, requiring them to report their supply chain due diligence obligations on sourcing of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold and ensure armed groups can no longer use these minerals as a way to finance warfare and human rights abuses. Though there has been some debate on the effectiveness of these types of regulations on stemming violent conflict in the region, companies in the mining industry have been faced with another issue: how to ensure their mineral products are responsibly sourced. Some entrepreneurs see blockchain-based systems as the way forward to ensure responsible sourcing. A new company based in Berlin is hoping to provide a solution. MineSpider, created in 2017, has adapted bitcoin technology in a way that will allow companies to be confident in their sourcing, and be able to report their supply chain due diligence to governments, without disclosing their supply chains to competitors. Theres a lot of thoughts on how to keep sensitive data private, MineSpider founder and CEO Nathan Williams said. The problem with private blockchain, if brands want to have their own private blockchain, a miner would have five different systems to use. To overcome this issue, he and his team built a layered blockchain system using Ethereum, an open-source platform which aims to replace third-party systems holding complex data on cloud networks. The platform allows developers to create apps and other programs based on blockchain technology. Williams describes MineSpider as an onion, or a Russian doll. We have two layers a data layer and an Ethereum layer. Ethereum is the blockchain immutable layer, and on that we are storing a ton of material, how much in shipments and the grade, he said. Then there is a link to a packet of data. One layer of data is data you want everyone to see. Another layer is private data that needs to be registered as unchangeable, which is only available to customers. The third layer is key we encrypt the first two layers, and then asymmetrically encrypt that with the key of your customer. Companies can then provide keys to customers and regulators, which will have encrypted access to the data. This creates a system that allows certain recipients to read sensitive data, which allows mining companies to provide receipts that theyve done their due diligence while also protecting their supply chain details. MineSpider has developed the software and is now preparing its first pilots. Williams says the firm is in negotiations with several large companies, including one sizable auto manufacturer in Germany. MineSpider is also working to develop a system which can be used by artisanal miners There is competition in this space, as other developers are using technologies similar to Ethereum such as Hyperledger, Peer Ledger, and others. Circulor, a UK-based company, has also created a system based on blockchain that allows mining companies ensure their minerals are responsibly sourced. The company has signed an agreement with the government of Rwanda and the Rwanda Mining Association, and says it is in discussions with Apple. | MineSpider is a Berlin-based company that has developed an app based on the blockchain. The platform allows developers to create apps and other programs based on blockchain technology. It aims to ensure a responsible mineral supply chain by protecting sensitive data and protecting customers' access to the data. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaxjacobsen/2019/03/22/can-blockchain-apps-ensure-a-responsible-mineral-supply-chain/ | 0.644947 |
Are pilots outside the U.S. getting the training needed to fly jets, including Boeing 737 Max 8? | CLOSE Boeing CEO Dennis Mullenburg explains what his company is doing to ensure the safety of passengers after the Boeing 737 Max 8 crashes. USA TODAY The catastrophic crashes of two Boeing 737 Max 8 planes in less than five months have focused attention on what information the company shared with pilots and how much training they received on the new aircraft. Aviation experts also now question whether pilots for some foreign airlines are prepared to handle emergency situations. The accidents involving Lion Air Flight 610 off the coast of Indonesia on Oct. 29 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10 just outside the capital city of Addis Ababa killed all aboard, a total of 346 passengers and crew. The crashes are still under investigation, but the Ethiopian transport minister said there are clear similarities in the doomed planes movements, with erratic changes in speed and altitude. In both cases the pilots unsuccessfully attempted to return to the airport a few minutes after takeoff before the aircraft nosedived. While signs point to a faulty sensor linked to a new feature of the jets flight-control system as the likely source of the problem, some industry observers have also noted pilots in many other countries dont undertake nearly as extensive a training regimen as their American peers. Red alert: Reports: Boeing will add warning light to aid pilots after Ethiopian 737 Max crash Close call: Jump-seat pilot reportedly saved Boeing Max jet one day before Lion Air crash To fly for one of the scheduled U.S. airlines or their regional carriers, the Federal Aviation Administration requires an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, which calls for at least 1,000-1,500 flight hours, depending on how the training was done. And pilots hired by the major airlines typically have much more experience than that. By comparison, the roughly equivalent Multi-crew Pilot License issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which takes a different approach to training, can be earned with as little as 200 flight hours. Brent Bowen, professor of aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and former dean of its College of Aviation, said most U.S. pilots come from military or college-based programs and have four-year degrees. Thats often not the case elsewhere, he said, especially in developing countries. Some nations hire pilots basically off the street without a degree and send them to 18 months of training, then put them in the co-pilot seat of a 737, Bowen said. You can pretty much say the co-pilots at our major airlines in the U.S. have probably 10 times the amount of experience that some countries co-pilots have. A heap of debris from the wreckage of an Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft are piled at the crash site near Bishoftu, Ethiopia on March 13, 2019. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, when it crashed on March 10, 2019 by yet undetermined reason. All passengers and crew aboard died in the crash. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft has come under scrutiny after similar deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia within a few months. Several countries have banned the plane type from their airspace and many airlines have grounded their 737 Max 8 planes for safety concerns after the Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed minutes after take-off on March 10. (Photo: EPA-EFE) Ethiopian Airlines, which before this accident had a stellar safety record, said the captain of Flight 302, Yared Getachew, was an experienced pilot with more than 8,000 flight hours. However, co-pilot Ahmed Nur Mohammed had only 200 hours of flight time, according to the company. Both trained at the airlines academy. In addition, the New York Times reported Thursday that Getachew did not receive simulator training for the Max plane, even though Ethiopian Airlines was among the first carriers to acquire that teaching device, and it was operational by January. It wasnt clear whether Nur trained on a Max simulator. The airline challenged the reports accuracy and said in a statement both pilots completed the differences training recommended by Boeing before upgrading from the old 737 to the Max model, adding that the pilots were also briefed on the FAA directive following the Lion Air crash. Ethiopian did not address whether Getachew and Nur trained on a Max simulator, but noted that the machine does not replicate the problems apparently created by the new software in the Max flight-control system, known as MCAS. The time spent training on simulators is particularly critical to developing the ability to respond to emergencies, said Robert Ditchey, a former Navy pilot and co-founder of America West Airlines who used to hire and train pilots. The only way you get that kind of training what happens if your engine quits; what happens if this fails or that fails is in the simulator, Ditchey said, pointing out U.S. airlines have more and higher-quality simulators than their foreign counterparts. If they dont have simulators, they cant do it. So if youre Kazakhstan and you dont have your own simulator, you cant teach that kind of stuff. The only training you can give your pilots is normal stuff. You dont teach them engine outage, you dont teach them emergency, you dont teach them if the airplanes on fire. So foreign airlines are limited by a number of factors, one of the major factors being whats available to them. Though Ditchey lauded Ethiopian, which does have a Max simulator, he also said most developing countries lack the kind of aviation infrastructure found in the U.S., where there are plenty of flight schools and all five of the armed service branches train pilots. In fact, many foreign countries send their aspiring pilots to hone their skills here, although its expensive. Simulators cost millions of dollars, as much as smaller planes, and time on them is scarce and can run into the thousands per hour. Martin Rottler, who teaches at the Center for Aviation Studies at Ohio State University, said that experience has helped even out the airfield, so to speak, between foreign and domestic pilots. "Not every pilot in the cockpit is going to be Sully Sullenberger. Daniel Rose, pilot and lawyer, on the need for airplanes to be designed with the average aviator in mind Rottler argues that, despite the disparity in required flight hours, the training undertaken by pilots from other countries is not lesser, only different. Instead of emphasizing flight time as in done in the U.S., the ICAO model adopted in most of the world is geared toward preparing students for what a pilot for a commercial carrier might encounter. Rather than making their way through several pilot categories, Rottler said, Theyre training from Day 1 to be a professional airline pilot. ICAO overhauled its training system in 2006, at a time when demand for pilots increased significantly as the international airline industry expanded. Rottler acknowledges more study needs to be done on the results of ICAOs competency-based system, but some veteran pilots are ready to give it the thumbs-down, arguing that too much reliance on automation has eroded modern pilots flying skills, and not just the foreign ones. Inside the cockpit While the Air Line Pilots Association the worlds largest union of its kind with more than 61,000 members limited its comments for this story to expressing support for the current grounding of the Max jets, others have not been as circumspect. Albert Ricks, who flew American Airlines planes for 35 years, said he and several fellow retired pilots have been dumbfounded about the inability of the aviators on both crashes to handle the emergency. He said the cockpit of the Max and the 727 jets he used to fly are essentially the same, with two prominent wheels sitting in the middle of the center console next to the pilots knees. That trim wheel which controls the horizontal stabilizer in the tail typically moves incrementally up and down. If at any point it starts spinning, though, experienced pilots know to instinctively grab and stop it right away, Ricks said, preventing whats known as a runaway stabilizer. What we believe is that, even though the captain had all this experience, his training did not include this rapid response that is needed if that wheel should run away, Ricks said of the Ethiopian crash. One of faults that all senior pilots find with the new way of flying is that pilots now dont have that basic military training, and the airlines and the FAA seem to think its better that you fly the airplane on autopilot and flight director all the time. So typically you take off and you might get to 1,100 feet and put the autopilot on and its programmed to fly the airplane right to the destination airport. A more common source of the blame, though, has been Boeing, which reconfigured the 737 an airplane initially unveiled in 1967 by outfitting it with larger and more fuel-efficient engines. Because of their size, the engines had to be relocated, making the plane more prone to stalling. The MCAS software was designed to counter this problem, forcing the nose to automatically pitch down when the possibility of stalling was detected by the angle of attack sensors. But the MCAS uses readings from only one of two such sensors, an unusual decision in an industry that relies on redundancy for safety, and faulty readings apparently triggered the series of events that led to the Lion Air crash and possibly the Ethiopian Airlines one as well. Daniel Rose, a Navy-trailed pilot and lawyer for Kreindler & Kreindler LLP which specializes in aviation-accident litigation said aviators cant be expected to make up for a planes design flaw no matter where they came from, especially when Boeing didnt initially inform them about the MCAS. Even if you accept the fact that on average pilots in developing countries are less able to deal with an emergency for whatever reason, thats what the aircraft has to be designed for, Rose said. Boeing is selling these aircraft to every country that wants to buy them. There has to be somewhat of an understanding of what the average pilot is capable of." He added, "Not every pilot in the cockpit is going to be Sully Sullenberger. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/03/22/boeing-737-max-8-crashes-foreign-pilots-trained-emergencies/3240538002/ | Two Boeing 737 Max 8 planes crashed in less than five months. Experts question whether pilots outside the U.S. are getting the training needed. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/03/22/boeing-737-max-8-crashes-foreign-pilots-trained-emergencies/3240538002/ | 0.14684 |
Are pilots outside the U.S. getting the training needed to fly jets, including Boeing 737 Max 8? | CLOSE Boeing CEO Dennis Mullenburg explains what his company is doing to ensure the safety of passengers after the Boeing 737 Max 8 crashes. USA TODAY The catastrophic crashes of two Boeing 737 Max 8 planes in less than five months have focused attention on what information the company shared with pilots and how much training they received on the new aircraft. Aviation experts also now question whether pilots for some foreign airlines are prepared to handle emergency situations. The accidents involving Lion Air Flight 610 off the coast of Indonesia on Oct. 29 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10 just outside the capital city of Addis Ababa killed all aboard, a total of 346 passengers and crew. The crashes are still under investigation, but the Ethiopian transport minister said there are clear similarities in the doomed planes movements, with erratic changes in speed and altitude. In both cases the pilots unsuccessfully attempted to return to the airport a few minutes after takeoff before the aircraft nosedived. While signs point to a faulty sensor linked to a new feature of the jets flight-control system as the likely source of the problem, some industry observers have also noted pilots in many other countries dont undertake nearly as extensive a training regimen as their American peers. Red alert: Reports: Boeing will add warning light to aid pilots after Ethiopian 737 Max crash Close call: Jump-seat pilot reportedly saved Boeing Max jet one day before Lion Air crash To fly for one of the scheduled U.S. airlines or their regional carriers, the Federal Aviation Administration requires an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, which calls for at least 1,000-1,500 flight hours, depending on how the training was done. And pilots hired by the major airlines typically have much more experience than that. By comparison, the roughly equivalent Multi-crew Pilot License issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which takes a different approach to training, can be earned with as little as 200 flight hours. Brent Bowen, professor of aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and former dean of its College of Aviation, said most U.S. pilots come from military or college-based programs and have four-year degrees. Thats often not the case elsewhere, he said, especially in developing countries. Some nations hire pilots basically off the street without a degree and send them to 18 months of training, then put them in the co-pilot seat of a 737, Bowen said. You can pretty much say the co-pilots at our major airlines in the U.S. have probably 10 times the amount of experience that some countries co-pilots have. A heap of debris from the wreckage of an Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft are piled at the crash site near Bishoftu, Ethiopia on March 13, 2019. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, when it crashed on March 10, 2019 by yet undetermined reason. All passengers and crew aboard died in the crash. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft has come under scrutiny after similar deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia within a few months. Several countries have banned the plane type from their airspace and many airlines have grounded their 737 Max 8 planes for safety concerns after the Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed minutes after take-off on March 10. (Photo: EPA-EFE) Ethiopian Airlines, which before this accident had a stellar safety record, said the captain of Flight 302, Yared Getachew, was an experienced pilot with more than 8,000 flight hours. However, co-pilot Ahmed Nur Mohammed had only 200 hours of flight time, according to the company. Both trained at the airlines academy. In addition, the New York Times reported Thursday that Getachew did not receive simulator training for the Max plane, even though Ethiopian Airlines was among the first carriers to acquire that teaching device, and it was operational by January. It wasnt clear whether Nur trained on a Max simulator. The airline challenged the reports accuracy and said in a statement both pilots completed the differences training recommended by Boeing before upgrading from the old 737 to the Max model, adding that the pilots were also briefed on the FAA directive following the Lion Air crash. Ethiopian did not address whether Getachew and Nur trained on a Max simulator, but noted that the machine does not replicate the problems apparently created by the new software in the Max flight-control system, known as MCAS. The time spent training on simulators is particularly critical to developing the ability to respond to emergencies, said Robert Ditchey, a former Navy pilot and co-founder of America West Airlines who used to hire and train pilots. The only way you get that kind of training what happens if your engine quits; what happens if this fails or that fails is in the simulator, Ditchey said, pointing out U.S. airlines have more and higher-quality simulators than their foreign counterparts. If they dont have simulators, they cant do it. So if youre Kazakhstan and you dont have your own simulator, you cant teach that kind of stuff. The only training you can give your pilots is normal stuff. You dont teach them engine outage, you dont teach them emergency, you dont teach them if the airplanes on fire. So foreign airlines are limited by a number of factors, one of the major factors being whats available to them. Though Ditchey lauded Ethiopian, which does have a Max simulator, he also said most developing countries lack the kind of aviation infrastructure found in the U.S., where there are plenty of flight schools and all five of the armed service branches train pilots. In fact, many foreign countries send their aspiring pilots to hone their skills here, although its expensive. Simulators cost millions of dollars, as much as smaller planes, and time on them is scarce and can run into the thousands per hour. Martin Rottler, who teaches at the Center for Aviation Studies at Ohio State University, said that experience has helped even out the airfield, so to speak, between foreign and domestic pilots. "Not every pilot in the cockpit is going to be Sully Sullenberger. Daniel Rose, pilot and lawyer, on the need for airplanes to be designed with the average aviator in mind Rottler argues that, despite the disparity in required flight hours, the training undertaken by pilots from other countries is not lesser, only different. Instead of emphasizing flight time as in done in the U.S., the ICAO model adopted in most of the world is geared toward preparing students for what a pilot for a commercial carrier might encounter. Rather than making their way through several pilot categories, Rottler said, Theyre training from Day 1 to be a professional airline pilot. ICAO overhauled its training system in 2006, at a time when demand for pilots increased significantly as the international airline industry expanded. Rottler acknowledges more study needs to be done on the results of ICAOs competency-based system, but some veteran pilots are ready to give it the thumbs-down, arguing that too much reliance on automation has eroded modern pilots flying skills, and not just the foreign ones. Inside the cockpit While the Air Line Pilots Association the worlds largest union of its kind with more than 61,000 members limited its comments for this story to expressing support for the current grounding of the Max jets, others have not been as circumspect. Albert Ricks, who flew American Airlines planes for 35 years, said he and several fellow retired pilots have been dumbfounded about the inability of the aviators on both crashes to handle the emergency. He said the cockpit of the Max and the 727 jets he used to fly are essentially the same, with two prominent wheels sitting in the middle of the center console next to the pilots knees. That trim wheel which controls the horizontal stabilizer in the tail typically moves incrementally up and down. If at any point it starts spinning, though, experienced pilots know to instinctively grab and stop it right away, Ricks said, preventing whats known as a runaway stabilizer. What we believe is that, even though the captain had all this experience, his training did not include this rapid response that is needed if that wheel should run away, Ricks said of the Ethiopian crash. One of faults that all senior pilots find with the new way of flying is that pilots now dont have that basic military training, and the airlines and the FAA seem to think its better that you fly the airplane on autopilot and flight director all the time. So typically you take off and you might get to 1,100 feet and put the autopilot on and its programmed to fly the airplane right to the destination airport. A more common source of the blame, though, has been Boeing, which reconfigured the 737 an airplane initially unveiled in 1967 by outfitting it with larger and more fuel-efficient engines. Because of their size, the engines had to be relocated, making the plane more prone to stalling. The MCAS software was designed to counter this problem, forcing the nose to automatically pitch down when the possibility of stalling was detected by the angle of attack sensors. But the MCAS uses readings from only one of two such sensors, an unusual decision in an industry that relies on redundancy for safety, and faulty readings apparently triggered the series of events that led to the Lion Air crash and possibly the Ethiopian Airlines one as well. Daniel Rose, a Navy-trailed pilot and lawyer for Kreindler & Kreindler LLP which specializes in aviation-accident litigation said aviators cant be expected to make up for a planes design flaw no matter where they came from, especially when Boeing didnt initially inform them about the MCAS. Even if you accept the fact that on average pilots in developing countries are less able to deal with an emergency for whatever reason, thats what the aircraft has to be designed for, Rose said. Boeing is selling these aircraft to every country that wants to buy them. There has to be somewhat of an understanding of what the average pilot is capable of." He added, "Not every pilot in the cockpit is going to be Sully Sullenberger. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/03/22/boeing-737-max-8-crashes-foreign-pilots-trained-emergencies/3240538002/ | Two Boeing 737 Max 8 planes have crashed in less than five months. Experts question whether pilots outside the U.S. are getting the training needed to fly the jets. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/03/22/boeing-737-max-8-crashes-foreign-pilots-trained-emergencies/3240538002/ | 0.166163 |
Are pilots outside the U.S. getting the training needed to fly jets, including Boeing 737 Max 8? | CLOSE Boeing CEO Dennis Mullenburg explains what his company is doing to ensure the safety of passengers after the Boeing 737 Max 8 crashes. USA TODAY The catastrophic crashes of two Boeing 737 Max 8 planes in less than five months have focused attention on what information the company shared with pilots and how much training they received on the new aircraft. Aviation experts also now question whether pilots for some foreign airlines are prepared to handle emergency situations. The accidents involving Lion Air Flight 610 off the coast of Indonesia on Oct. 29 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10 just outside the capital city of Addis Ababa killed all aboard, a total of 346 passengers and crew. The crashes are still under investigation, but the Ethiopian transport minister said there are clear similarities in the doomed planes movements, with erratic changes in speed and altitude. In both cases the pilots unsuccessfully attempted to return to the airport a few minutes after takeoff before the aircraft nosedived. While signs point to a faulty sensor linked to a new feature of the jets flight-control system as the likely source of the problem, some industry observers have also noted pilots in many other countries dont undertake nearly as extensive a training regimen as their American peers. Red alert: Reports: Boeing will add warning light to aid pilots after Ethiopian 737 Max crash Close call: Jump-seat pilot reportedly saved Boeing Max jet one day before Lion Air crash To fly for one of the scheduled U.S. airlines or their regional carriers, the Federal Aviation Administration requires an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, which calls for at least 1,000-1,500 flight hours, depending on how the training was done. And pilots hired by the major airlines typically have much more experience than that. By comparison, the roughly equivalent Multi-crew Pilot License issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which takes a different approach to training, can be earned with as little as 200 flight hours. Brent Bowen, professor of aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and former dean of its College of Aviation, said most U.S. pilots come from military or college-based programs and have four-year degrees. Thats often not the case elsewhere, he said, especially in developing countries. Some nations hire pilots basically off the street without a degree and send them to 18 months of training, then put them in the co-pilot seat of a 737, Bowen said. You can pretty much say the co-pilots at our major airlines in the U.S. have probably 10 times the amount of experience that some countries co-pilots have. A heap of debris from the wreckage of an Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft are piled at the crash site near Bishoftu, Ethiopia on March 13, 2019. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 carrying 149 passengers and 8 crew was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, when it crashed on March 10, 2019 by yet undetermined reason. All passengers and crew aboard died in the crash. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft has come under scrutiny after similar deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia within a few months. Several countries have banned the plane type from their airspace and many airlines have grounded their 737 Max 8 planes for safety concerns after the Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed minutes after take-off on March 10. (Photo: EPA-EFE) Ethiopian Airlines, which before this accident had a stellar safety record, said the captain of Flight 302, Yared Getachew, was an experienced pilot with more than 8,000 flight hours. However, co-pilot Ahmed Nur Mohammed had only 200 hours of flight time, according to the company. Both trained at the airlines academy. In addition, the New York Times reported Thursday that Getachew did not receive simulator training for the Max plane, even though Ethiopian Airlines was among the first carriers to acquire that teaching device, and it was operational by January. It wasnt clear whether Nur trained on a Max simulator. The airline challenged the reports accuracy and said in a statement both pilots completed the differences training recommended by Boeing before upgrading from the old 737 to the Max model, adding that the pilots were also briefed on the FAA directive following the Lion Air crash. Ethiopian did not address whether Getachew and Nur trained on a Max simulator, but noted that the machine does not replicate the problems apparently created by the new software in the Max flight-control system, known as MCAS. The time spent training on simulators is particularly critical to developing the ability to respond to emergencies, said Robert Ditchey, a former Navy pilot and co-founder of America West Airlines who used to hire and train pilots. The only way you get that kind of training what happens if your engine quits; what happens if this fails or that fails is in the simulator, Ditchey said, pointing out U.S. airlines have more and higher-quality simulators than their foreign counterparts. If they dont have simulators, they cant do it. So if youre Kazakhstan and you dont have your own simulator, you cant teach that kind of stuff. The only training you can give your pilots is normal stuff. You dont teach them engine outage, you dont teach them emergency, you dont teach them if the airplanes on fire. So foreign airlines are limited by a number of factors, one of the major factors being whats available to them. Though Ditchey lauded Ethiopian, which does have a Max simulator, he also said most developing countries lack the kind of aviation infrastructure found in the U.S., where there are plenty of flight schools and all five of the armed service branches train pilots. In fact, many foreign countries send their aspiring pilots to hone their skills here, although its expensive. Simulators cost millions of dollars, as much as smaller planes, and time on them is scarce and can run into the thousands per hour. Martin Rottler, who teaches at the Center for Aviation Studies at Ohio State University, said that experience has helped even out the airfield, so to speak, between foreign and domestic pilots. "Not every pilot in the cockpit is going to be Sully Sullenberger. Daniel Rose, pilot and lawyer, on the need for airplanes to be designed with the average aviator in mind Rottler argues that, despite the disparity in required flight hours, the training undertaken by pilots from other countries is not lesser, only different. Instead of emphasizing flight time as in done in the U.S., the ICAO model adopted in most of the world is geared toward preparing students for what a pilot for a commercial carrier might encounter. Rather than making their way through several pilot categories, Rottler said, Theyre training from Day 1 to be a professional airline pilot. ICAO overhauled its training system in 2006, at a time when demand for pilots increased significantly as the international airline industry expanded. Rottler acknowledges more study needs to be done on the results of ICAOs competency-based system, but some veteran pilots are ready to give it the thumbs-down, arguing that too much reliance on automation has eroded modern pilots flying skills, and not just the foreign ones. Inside the cockpit While the Air Line Pilots Association the worlds largest union of its kind with more than 61,000 members limited its comments for this story to expressing support for the current grounding of the Max jets, others have not been as circumspect. Albert Ricks, who flew American Airlines planes for 35 years, said he and several fellow retired pilots have been dumbfounded about the inability of the aviators on both crashes to handle the emergency. He said the cockpit of the Max and the 727 jets he used to fly are essentially the same, with two prominent wheels sitting in the middle of the center console next to the pilots knees. That trim wheel which controls the horizontal stabilizer in the tail typically moves incrementally up and down. If at any point it starts spinning, though, experienced pilots know to instinctively grab and stop it right away, Ricks said, preventing whats known as a runaway stabilizer. What we believe is that, even though the captain had all this experience, his training did not include this rapid response that is needed if that wheel should run away, Ricks said of the Ethiopian crash. One of faults that all senior pilots find with the new way of flying is that pilots now dont have that basic military training, and the airlines and the FAA seem to think its better that you fly the airplane on autopilot and flight director all the time. So typically you take off and you might get to 1,100 feet and put the autopilot on and its programmed to fly the airplane right to the destination airport. A more common source of the blame, though, has been Boeing, which reconfigured the 737 an airplane initially unveiled in 1967 by outfitting it with larger and more fuel-efficient engines. Because of their size, the engines had to be relocated, making the plane more prone to stalling. The MCAS software was designed to counter this problem, forcing the nose to automatically pitch down when the possibility of stalling was detected by the angle of attack sensors. But the MCAS uses readings from only one of two such sensors, an unusual decision in an industry that relies on redundancy for safety, and faulty readings apparently triggered the series of events that led to the Lion Air crash and possibly the Ethiopian Airlines one as well. Daniel Rose, a Navy-trailed pilot and lawyer for Kreindler & Kreindler LLP which specializes in aviation-accident litigation said aviators cant be expected to make up for a planes design flaw no matter where they came from, especially when Boeing didnt initially inform them about the MCAS. Even if you accept the fact that on average pilots in developing countries are less able to deal with an emergency for whatever reason, thats what the aircraft has to be designed for, Rose said. Boeing is selling these aircraft to every country that wants to buy them. There has to be somewhat of an understanding of what the average pilot is capable of." He added, "Not every pilot in the cockpit is going to be Sully Sullenberger. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/03/22/boeing-737-max-8-crashes-foreign-pilots-trained-emergencies/3240538002/ | Two Boeing 737 Max 8 planes have crashed in less than five months. Experts question whether pilots outside the U.S. are getting the training needed to fly jets, including Boeing 737MAX 8. Some industry observers say pilots in many other countries don't undertake nearly as extensive a training regimen as their American peers. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/03/22/boeing-737-max-8-crashes-foreign-pilots-trained-emergencies/3240538002/ | 0.33585 |
Will there ever be a perfect bracket? | by Daniel Tran The most exciting time in college basketball is here and millions of NCAA basketball fans, and non-fans, have brackets filled out in the hopes of winning a little scratch from Tom in accounting. While those pools are great for bragging rights, companies are giving out millions of dollars for the perfect bracket. Most think a perfect bracket will eventually occur. Others believe it will never happen. The chances of getting the perfect bracket is one in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. As long as the odds aren't zero, it will happen. Maybe someone builds an NCAA Tournament computer that perfectly takes into account wins, losses, pressure scoring, and body hair density of each competitor to predict all the outcomes. Maybe a psychic who uses their powers, not for good, but for NCAA Tournament outcomes is born. It might take hundreds, if not thousands, of years but there will be a day when the world rejoices over a perfect bracket. last night i came home a wee bit intoxicated from my agencys big yearly meeting and filled out my bracket so i think its safe to say that the whole a perfect bracket doesnt exist thing is gonna come to an end this year Dijana Kunovac (@dijana_kunovac) March 21, 2019 Here's a list of things more likely than a perfect bracket: Getting struck by lightning twice in a row Getting killed by a falling coconut Getting killed by a shark Winning the lottery Finding your actual soulmate So... yeah... a perfect bracket is never happening. Take a deep dive into the absurd odds of a perfect bracket: 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. Fill your bracket out here: https://t.co/sfuizyhwHs pic.twitter.com/YyrQVcwyTn NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 21, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, wed love to hear what you have to say. | The chances of getting the perfect bracket is one in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. | bart | 0 | https://www.cleveland.com/tylt/2019/03/will-there-ever-be-a-perfect-bracket.html | 0.306812 |
Will there ever be a perfect bracket? | by Daniel Tran The most exciting time in college basketball is here and millions of NCAA basketball fans, and non-fans, have brackets filled out in the hopes of winning a little scratch from Tom in accounting. While those pools are great for bragging rights, companies are giving out millions of dollars for the perfect bracket. Most think a perfect bracket will eventually occur. Others believe it will never happen. The chances of getting the perfect bracket is one in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. As long as the odds aren't zero, it will happen. Maybe someone builds an NCAA Tournament computer that perfectly takes into account wins, losses, pressure scoring, and body hair density of each competitor to predict all the outcomes. Maybe a psychic who uses their powers, not for good, but for NCAA Tournament outcomes is born. It might take hundreds, if not thousands, of years but there will be a day when the world rejoices over a perfect bracket. last night i came home a wee bit intoxicated from my agencys big yearly meeting and filled out my bracket so i think its safe to say that the whole a perfect bracket doesnt exist thing is gonna come to an end this year Dijana Kunovac (@dijana_kunovac) March 21, 2019 Here's a list of things more likely than a perfect bracket: Getting struck by lightning twice in a row Getting killed by a falling coconut Getting killed by a shark Winning the lottery Finding your actual soulmate So... yeah... a perfect bracket is never happening. Take a deep dive into the absurd odds of a perfect bracket: 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. Fill your bracket out here: https://t.co/sfuizyhwHs pic.twitter.com/YyrQVcwyTn NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 21, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, wed love to hear what you have to say. | The chances of getting the perfect bracket is one in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. Most think a perfect bracket will eventually occur. Others believe it will never happen. | bart | 1 | https://www.cleveland.com/tylt/2019/03/will-there-ever-be-a-perfect-bracket.html | 0.342531 |
Will there ever be a perfect bracket? | by Daniel Tran The most exciting time in college basketball is here and millions of NCAA basketball fans, and non-fans, have brackets filled out in the hopes of winning a little scratch from Tom in accounting. While those pools are great for bragging rights, companies are giving out millions of dollars for the perfect bracket. Most think a perfect bracket will eventually occur. Others believe it will never happen. The chances of getting the perfect bracket is one in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. As long as the odds aren't zero, it will happen. Maybe someone builds an NCAA Tournament computer that perfectly takes into account wins, losses, pressure scoring, and body hair density of each competitor to predict all the outcomes. Maybe a psychic who uses their powers, not for good, but for NCAA Tournament outcomes is born. It might take hundreds, if not thousands, of years but there will be a day when the world rejoices over a perfect bracket. last night i came home a wee bit intoxicated from my agencys big yearly meeting and filled out my bracket so i think its safe to say that the whole a perfect bracket doesnt exist thing is gonna come to an end this year Dijana Kunovac (@dijana_kunovac) March 21, 2019 Here's a list of things more likely than a perfect bracket: Getting struck by lightning twice in a row Getting killed by a falling coconut Getting killed by a shark Winning the lottery Finding your actual soulmate So... yeah... a perfect bracket is never happening. Take a deep dive into the absurd odds of a perfect bracket: 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. Fill your bracket out here: https://t.co/sfuizyhwHs pic.twitter.com/YyrQVcwyTn NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 21, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, wed love to hear what you have to say. | The chances of getting the perfect bracket is one in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. Some think a perfect bracket will eventually occur, while others believe it will never happen. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.cleveland.com/tylt/2019/03/will-there-ever-be-a-perfect-bracket.html | 0.415536 |
How Will The Failure Of Biogen's Alzheimer's Drug, Aducanumab, Impact R&D? | The landscape of experimental Alzheimers disease (AD) drugs is strewn with failures, so much so that it has been referred to as an unrelenting disaster zone. Recognizing the greatly increasing number of patients with this disease, many biopharma companies have invested a lot of resources in attacking this problem, only to be turned away in late stage studies as happened to Merck with its BACE inhibitor, verubecestat, and Lilly with its beta-amyloid antibody, solanezumab. 2016 Bloomberg Finance LP Now add Biogen to the list of companies that have failed in this arena. Its drug, aducanumab, partnered with Eisai, was believed to be better in removing beta-amyloid from the brain than any agent previously tested. Many have hypothesized that beta-amyloid causes the formation of damaging clumps of debris in the brain leading to AD. Unfortunately, Biogen halted a major clinical trial with aducanumab due to a futility analysis showing that the drug doesnt work. This is a terrible result for Alzheimers patients who had hoped that this was the drug that would finally succeed in treating AD. But the demise of aducanumab is also disastrous for Biogen which had expended an enormous amount of resources into this program, likely at the expense of other opportunities. It was a risky bet and one for which Wall Street has delivered a punishing blow. Biogens stock dropped by nearly 30% shortly after announcing the disappointing aducanumab results. As John Carroll has reported, many industry analysts believe that there arent many gems in the Biogen pipeline that can make up for the loss of this potential blockbuster. In predicting Biogens next steps, perhaps there are some learnings from another such pipeline failure that of Pfizers torcetrapib. Torcetrapib was the first of a class of compounds known as CETP inhibitors, drugs that both raised HDL-cholesterol and lowered LDL-cholesterol. A CETP inhibitor had the potential to remodel a heart patients lipid profile thereby greatly reducing his risk of a heart attack or stroke. There was tremendous excitement generated in this potential breakthrough treatment, not just in Pfizer but also among cardiologists and heart patients. In fact, internal commercial analyses predicted annual sales in excess of $15 billion. However, as happened with aducanumab, on December 4th, 2006, Pfizer announced that torcetrapib failed its long-term clinical study. The drug was dead. The Wall Street reaction was swift, albeit not as dramatic as Biogens experience. Pfizer stock dropped 10% as a result of this news. Internally, the Pfizer reaction was intense. Torcetrapib was supposed to be the blockbuster that would drive growth into the next decade. Its loss created an enormous hole. Pfizer CEO Jeff Kindler responded in a couple of ways. First, he decided to right size R&D in relation to lower expected future revenues. In effect, hundreds of millions of dollars needed to be cut from R&D. Pfizers R&D budget had already undergone major portfolio adjustments and reorganizations over the previous five years due to the acquisition of Warner-Lambert Parke-Davis in 2000 followed by the acquisition of Pharmacia in 2004. Meeting the new R&D budget targets werent going to be achieved by simple cuts; rather, major research sites had to be closed and jobs had to be eliminated. Gone were R&D sites around the world including those in France, Japan and, most significantly, the iconic laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan. But budget cuts werent going to be enough for Pfizer to meet its desired goals. The company began assessing major M&A opportunities and in 2009 it acquired Wyeth for $68 billion leading to yet another round of reorganizations and portfolio reshuffling. The ripple effect of the torcetrapib demise was felt by the entire company and lasted for a number of years. Undoubtedly, there will be budget cuts. In addition, perhaps Biogen will look at its R&D portfolio and give a higher priority to those programs that have the potential to deliver revenues in the short term. There might also be a push to drop programs deemed to be very risky or where the proof-of-concept requires long, expensive clinical trials. Finally, it wouldnt be surprising to see Biogen become aggressive in their M&A activities. But make no mistake. The death of an important drug like aducanumab will have both a short and a long term effect on Biogen as a company and especially on R&D. | Biogen halted a major clinical trial with aducanumab due to a futility analysis showing that the drug doesn't work. The demise of aducanumab is also disastrous for Biogen which had expended an enormous amount of resources into this program. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnlamattina/2019/03/22/how-will-the-failure-of-biogens-alzheimers-drug-aducanumab-impact-rd/ | 0.119368 |
Are bots gaming the 'Cancel Brexit' petition? | Image copyright Getty Images Questions have been asked about whether a government petition calling for Brexit to be cancelled has been swamped by bots. Bots are automated programmes which can carry out a command thousands of times. The BBC spoke to three cyber-security experts about how likely it is that a number of the 3m signatures gathered so far are not genuine. They all agreed that the petition's email validation process would be a deterrent. Each signature requires a unique email address to which a verification link is sent before the vote can be accepted. UK-based voters must also share a valid postcode. While email addresses are easy enough to set up, doing that in real time at high volume is less straightforward. Additionally, while it is possible to buy lists of email addresses stolen in various data breaches on the black market, the owner of the list would still need to access those email accounts and retrieve the validation email before being able to vote in the name of somebody else. The email verification would be likely to deter bots said Lisa Forte, partner at the cyber-security firm Red-Goat. "Any significant political decision such as this petition is highly likely to attract bots," she told the BBC. "This particular petition is now employing email verification before signing, meaning it is much harder and therefore much less likely bots are being employed." 'A bit of a pain' Cyber-security expert Kevin Beaumont said that while it was possible that bots were involved, it would be "a bit of a pain" to build a sophisticated enough programme to cope with the email addresses. "They would have to make a bot that signs up with unique email addresses, then clicks the unique link to sign," he said. The House of Commons declined to comment on its security checks but it did say the Government Digital Service uses "a number of techniques" to identify potentially fraudulent votes and bot activity. It is not possible to use the same email address more than once to cast a vote. "I'm not sure the system itself is that sophisticated - it fell over as soon as people started voting in large numbers," said Prof Alan Woodward from Surrey University. The UK government's petition platform has crashed several times under the weight of traffic in recent days. The petition launched on 20 February, but has now gone viral. I wouldn't be at all surprised," he added. "It's a petition, it's not a vote - it's not meant to be as secure as an e-voting system." Skip Twitter post by @HoCpetitions A lot of people have been asking about numbers. Between 80,000 and 100,000 people have been simultaneously viewing the petition to revoke article 50. Nearly 2,000 signatures are being completed every minute. Petitions Committee (@HoCpetitions) March 21, 2019 Report According to the rules of the site, anyone can submit a petition. If it gets 10,000 signatures it will receive a government response, and if it gets 100,000 it will be debated in parliament. Beyond that, the numbers don't make a difference, he pointed out. Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage suggested that "Russian collusion" was behind the unprecedented traffic towards the Brexit petition. While Russia is notorious for seeking to meddle in the politics of the west, on this occasion there is a question mark over what its intentions would be, added Prof Woodward. "All the evidence is that Russia was supporting the Leave campaign," he said. "So why would they suddenly be supporting Remain?" While the petition data reveals that signatures are coming in from all over the world - including small numbers from Russia, China, Iran and one from North Korea where it is unlikely the page can be seen - the UK government said that any British resident or citizen can vote, wherever they are. It is however not difficult to disguise or hide a location on the web. In 2016, an earlier petition calling for a second EU Referendum attracted 3.6m votes, but was hijacked by bots. On a message forum, someone who claimed to have taken part said they had voted 33,000 times. In January 2017 a petition calling for the end of "mass signings by bots" was rejected by the Petitions Committee on the grounds that it was unclear what was expected of the government. | Cyber-security experts say it is unlikely that bots are involved in the petition. They say the petition's verification process is likely to deter bots. The petition has attracted more than 3m signatures so far. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-47668946 | 0.122413 |
Are bots gaming the 'Cancel Brexit' petition? | Image copyright Getty Images Questions have been asked about whether a government petition calling for Brexit to be cancelled has been swamped by bots. Bots are automated programmes which can carry out a command thousands of times. The BBC spoke to three cyber-security experts about how likely it is that a number of the 3m signatures gathered so far are not genuine. They all agreed that the petition's email validation process would be a deterrent. Each signature requires a unique email address to which a verification link is sent before the vote can be accepted. UK-based voters must also share a valid postcode. While email addresses are easy enough to set up, doing that in real time at high volume is less straightforward. Additionally, while it is possible to buy lists of email addresses stolen in various data breaches on the black market, the owner of the list would still need to access those email accounts and retrieve the validation email before being able to vote in the name of somebody else. The email verification would be likely to deter bots said Lisa Forte, partner at the cyber-security firm Red-Goat. "Any significant political decision such as this petition is highly likely to attract bots," she told the BBC. "This particular petition is now employing email verification before signing, meaning it is much harder and therefore much less likely bots are being employed." 'A bit of a pain' Cyber-security expert Kevin Beaumont said that while it was possible that bots were involved, it would be "a bit of a pain" to build a sophisticated enough programme to cope with the email addresses. "They would have to make a bot that signs up with unique email addresses, then clicks the unique link to sign," he said. The House of Commons declined to comment on its security checks but it did say the Government Digital Service uses "a number of techniques" to identify potentially fraudulent votes and bot activity. It is not possible to use the same email address more than once to cast a vote. "I'm not sure the system itself is that sophisticated - it fell over as soon as people started voting in large numbers," said Prof Alan Woodward from Surrey University. The UK government's petition platform has crashed several times under the weight of traffic in recent days. The petition launched on 20 February, but has now gone viral. I wouldn't be at all surprised," he added. "It's a petition, it's not a vote - it's not meant to be as secure as an e-voting system." Skip Twitter post by @HoCpetitions A lot of people have been asking about numbers. Between 80,000 and 100,000 people have been simultaneously viewing the petition to revoke article 50. Nearly 2,000 signatures are being completed every minute. Petitions Committee (@HoCpetitions) March 21, 2019 Report According to the rules of the site, anyone can submit a petition. If it gets 10,000 signatures it will receive a government response, and if it gets 100,000 it will be debated in parliament. Beyond that, the numbers don't make a difference, he pointed out. Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage suggested that "Russian collusion" was behind the unprecedented traffic towards the Brexit petition. While Russia is notorious for seeking to meddle in the politics of the west, on this occasion there is a question mark over what its intentions would be, added Prof Woodward. "All the evidence is that Russia was supporting the Leave campaign," he said. "So why would they suddenly be supporting Remain?" While the petition data reveals that signatures are coming in from all over the world - including small numbers from Russia, China, Iran and one from North Korea where it is unlikely the page can be seen - the UK government said that any British resident or citizen can vote, wherever they are. It is however not difficult to disguise or hide a location on the web. In 2016, an earlier petition calling for a second EU Referendum attracted 3.6m votes, but was hijacked by bots. On a message forum, someone who claimed to have taken part said they had voted 33,000 times. In January 2017 a petition calling for the end of "mass signings by bots" was rejected by the Petitions Committee on the grounds that it was unclear what was expected of the government. | Cyber-security experts say it is unlikely that bots are involved in the petition. They say the petition's verification process is likely to deter bots. The petition has attracted more than 3m signatures since it was launched on 20 February. The UK government says it uses a number of techniques to identify potentially fraudulent votes and bot activity. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-47668946 | 0.196078 |
Could California reclassify janitors, truck drivers, construction workers as employees? | As California wrestles with determining whos a gig worker and whos an employee, with big implications for benefits and taxes, researchers at UC Berkeley have delved into three industries with a high share of workers classified as independent contractors: trucking, construction and janitorial services. A new report from the UC Berkeley Labor Center examines demographics and wages, as well as employers classification practices, with an eye to the impact that changing workers status might have. Independent contractors the status most gig workers have dont get benefits and must pay their own employment taxes, among other differences. These industries that are some of the worst offenders in California (for misclassification) have a disproportionate share of workers of color, immigrants and low-wage workers, said Sarah Thomason, a research and policy associate at the Labor Center who co-authored the report. These workers are in vulnerable positions and being exploited. Contracted janitors, for instance, make a median hourly wage of $12.22, and are 80.9 percent Latino and 3.7 percent black. Almost half live in households defined as low income (below 200 percent of the federal poverty line). The report estimated that 19 percent of California janitors are independent contractors, without suggesting how many are misclassified. Among truck drivers, the median hourly wage was higher at $19.70 but drivers have high expenses, with many having to purchase a truck and pay for fuel, insurance, maintenance and repair. About 60 percent were Latino and 6 percent were black. About a fifth live in low-income households. The report quoted a National Employment Law Project report that about four-fifths of drivers at ports are classified as independent contractors, with the majority misclassified. For construction workers, median hourly pay is $14.98 with 73.2 percent being Latino and 2.3 percent black. About 40 percent live in low-income households. Many gig workers, whether in new occupations such as ride-hail driver, or traditional ones such as janitor or truck driver, could soon become employees in California after a groundbreaking state Supreme Court ruling last year. The Dynamex case implemented a simple criteria called the ABC test under which someone is an employee if a company controls what they do; if their work is linked to a companys primary business; and if they do not have an independent business performing that work. Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, is sponsoring a labor-backed bill that would codify that test. But numerous companies have lined up against it, saying it would undermine the flexibility that both they and gig workers value. A separate case based on different criteria was decided in the U.S. Supreme Court this week. The high court declined to hear an appeal by the California Trucking Association, leaving intact a decision that could result in widespread reclassification of state truck drivers as employees. If the ABC criteria becomes more widely applied, definitely misclassification would not happen as frequently, Thomason said. Gig workers lack a whole list of protections afforded employees, including minimum wage, overtime, paid breaks, family and medical leave, paid sick leave, unemployment insurance and workers compensation. Those costs would add about 41 percent on top of the cost of wages, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics studies. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid | Report: Trucking, construction and janitorial services have high share of workers classified as independent contractors. Many gig workers, whether in new occupations such as ride-hail driver, or traditional ones such as janitor or truck driver, could soon become employees in California. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Could-California-reclassify-janitors-truck-13707733.php | 0.626185 |
Where have all the Cleveland Indians gone from this winters wheeling and dealing? | GOODYEAR, Ariz. Spring training is almost over, which means its a good time to look at the Indians players who left the organization through free agency or trades over the off-season. It will just take a couple of minutes to check in on some old friends. First lets catch up with the departed free agents. The Indians watched 11 players dive into the free-agent pool after Boston won the World Series and only one of them returned Oliver Perez. Heres an update on where the other 10 landed and how theyre doing as spring training enters its final days. *Michael Brantley signed a two-year $32 million deal with Houston. Hes hitting .313 (10-for-32) with four RBI in 13 games this spring for the Astros. Brantley is scheduled to start in left field and bat cleanup behind George Springer, Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman this year. Carlos Correa will hit behind Brantley in the fifth spot. *Josh Donaldson signed a one-year $23 million deal with the Braves to be their regular third baseman. He spent the last month of last season with the Tribe, but was still recovering from calf and shoulder injuries. Donaldson is hitting .167 (2-for-12) with one homer and three RBI in six games this spring. He is said to be healthy. *Cody Allen signed a one-year deal worth $8.5 million with the Angels. Hes going to be their closer this year. In seven games this spring, he has a 3.38 ERA with 10 strikeouts, four walks and three earned runs. Allen has allowed two homers in eight innings and the opposition is hitting .226 against him. The Plain Dealer Lefty Andrew Miller signed a two-year $25 million deal with St. Louis during the winter. *Andrew Miller signed a two-year $25 million deal with the Cardinals. Hell fill the same role he did with the Indians part-time closer, setup man and full-time trouble shooter. Hes 0-1 with an 11.81 ERA in seven appearances this spring. Miller has allowed seven earned runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. Hes struck out eight and walked five. The opposition is hitting .250 against him. *Lonnie Chisenhall signed a one-year deal with the Pirates worth $2.5 million. Chisenhall has had a quiet camp. Hes hitting .200 (5-for-25) in 11 games with no homers or RBI. Hes expected to start in right field until Gregory Polanco returns from shoulder surgery in May. Chisenhalls last two seasons with the Indians were ruined by calf injuries. He had some calf tightness early in camp with the Pirates, but appears to be healthy now. *Melky Cabrera signed a minor league deal with the Pirates. Hes hitting .310 (13-for-42) with three doubles and two RBI in 15 games. Hes pushing Chisenhall to be the starting right fielder. If not, hes expected to make the club as a pinch-hitter. *Josh Tomlin signed a minor league deal with Milwaukee. He opted out of his contract with the Brewers on Wednesday and signed a minor league deal with Atlanta on Thursday. He reportedly has a chance to make the big-league roster as a long man. Tomlin made five appearances with the Brewers, including three starts. He went 2-1 with a 4.80 ERA. He struck out nine, walked two and allowed eight earned runs in 15 innings. *Rajai Davis signed a minor league deal with the Mets. Hes hitting .310 (9-for-29) with one homer and six RBI in 13 games. Hes posted a .905 OPS with 10 strikeouts. The odds do not favor him making the big-league club. *Brandon Guyer signed a minor league deal with the White Sox. He was hurt early in camp, but has been playing lately. Hes hitting .217 (5-for-23) with one homer and three RBI. His chances of making Chicagos big-league club do not look good. *Adam Rosales signed a minor league deal with the Twins. Hes put up good numbers this spring, hitting .294 (10-for-34) with three doubles, four homers and nine RBI in 15 games. But it does not appear hell make the big-league club. On the trade front the Indians made five significant moves during the off-season. Hes a quick look at how those departed players are doing. The Plain Dealer Former Indians utility infielder Erik Gonzalez has been named the Pirates' opening day shortstop for the 2019 season. *Erik Gonzalez was traded to Pittsburgh on Nov. 14 in a five-player deal. On Monday the Pirates named him their opening day shortstop. He had been the Indians utility infielder. Gonzalez is hitting .229 (8-for-35) with two doubles, one homer and three RBI in 14 games this spring. *Yandy Diaz was traded to Tampa Bay on Dec. 13 for Jake Bauers. Hell platoon at first base for the Rays and see time at third and DH. Diaz is hitting .308 (12-for-39) with two homers and nine RBI in 16 games. He has a .926 OPS. *Edwin Encarnacion was traded to Seattle for Carlos Santana on Dec. 13. Encarnacion will play first base two to three times a week and DH the rest of the time. The rebuilding Mariners are reportedly still be looking to trade him. Encarnacion is hitting .129 (4-for-31) with one RBI and 11 strikeouts. Hes played in 11 games. *Yonder Alonso was traded to the White Sox on Dec. 14 for Alex Call. Alonso has had a big spring power wise. Hes hitting .208 (10-for-48) with two doubles, five homers and 13 RBI in 17 games. Alonso will share first base and DH with Jose Abreu during the regular season. *Catcher Yan Gomes was traded to Washington on Nov. 30 for Daniel Johnson, Jefry Rodriguez and Andruw Monasterio. Gomes is putting the finishing touches on a big spring with his new team. Hes hitting .419 (13-for-31) with four homers and seven RBI. Hes posted a 1.293 OPS in 13 games. The Nationals excellent starting rotation has been complimentary of Gomes ability behind the plate. Hes expected to share playing time with Kurt Suzuki, who is also in his first year with the Nationals. Its still not clear how manager Dave Martinez will split the playing time between Gomes and Suzuki. Get Tribe Insider texts in your phone from Paul Hoynes: Cut through the clutter of social media and communicate directly with the award-winning Indians reporter, just like you would with your friends. Its just $3.99 a month, which works out to about 13 cents a day. Learn more and sign up here. | Cody Allen signed a one-year deal worth $8.5 million with the Angels. Melky Cabrera signed a minor league deal with the Pirates. Andrew Miller signed a two-year $25 million deal with St. Louis during the winter. The Indians watched 11 players dive into the free-agent pool after the World Series. | bart | 2 | https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2019/03/where-have-all-the-cleveland-indians-gone-from-this-winters-wheeling-and-dealing.html | 0.239901 |
Does Anyone Agree With France Football That Jrgen Klopp Is The 27th Best Manager Of All-Time? | Getty Anytime you try and produce a top list of any kind, you are going to generate heated discussion. France Football has done just that after publishing what it claims to be the top 50 soccer managers of all-time. To start with, a list is only as good as the criteria that guide the selection committee. France Football offered up the following - trophies won, influence on the game, personality and influence managers who followed. Here is the list that France Football dropped on the world of soccer. France Footballs greatest managers of all time. pic.twitter.com/AnALsamvZS football.london (@Football_LDN) March 19, 2019 #41 Mircea Lucescu, #42 Tomislav Ivic, #43 Stefan Kovacs, #44 Luis Aragones, #45 Frank Rijkaard, #46 Otto Rehhagel, #47 Raymond Goethals, #48 Marcelo Bielsa, #49 Antonio Conte, #50 Jean-Claude Suaudeau. The first thing that sticks out like a sore thumb is the eras. There is only one manager who exclusively managed in the pre-WW2 era and that's Arsenal and Huddersfields Herbert Chapman ranked 24. Eras are difficult to compare and France Football tore off a big chunk trying to make it an all-time list. Perhaps post WW2 might have been a better starting point, but there again Best 50 All-Time Managers After 1945 hardly rolls off the tongue. There is no place for Italys World Cup winning manager in 1934 and 1938, Vittorio Pozzo. If influence is what you are looking for, then surely Jimmy Hogan should be on that list. Hogan was largely ignored in the UK, but he influenced generations of coaches in the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Hungary, and throughout Eastern Europe. The next issue is the underrepresentation of South American coaches in the top 50. There is Argentine-born Helenio Herrera at #7, I have no problem with the selection although the ranking might be generous. There is also the great Brazilian manager Tele Santana at #34 and current Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa at #48. Santana not only delivered two great Brazilian teams to the World Cups of 1982 and 1986 but he also won back-to-back Copa Libertadores trophies and World Club Cups beating Barcelona and AC Milan. In Bielsas favor is his tactical influence, on the downside, his teams have always promised lots but rarely if ever, have they delivered. I dont believe he is worthy of a top 100 spot, let alone top 50. Here are five France Football blindspots - Csar Luis Menotti and Carlos Bianchi from Argentina, and three Brazilians, Carlos Alberto Parreira, Mario Zagallo and Luiz Felipe Scolari. Uruguayan manager Oscar Tabrez might even be worth a shout. Getty Up next are the managers in the top 50 who are there under false pretenses. Topping that list is Jrgen Klopp an absolute criminal pick at #27. Others that Im not buying are Diego Simone (#31), Rafa Benitez (#37), Antonio Conte (#45), and Frank Rijkaard (#49). My next beef is managers that may be worth a top 50 spot but who have been ranked far too high. The first would be Sir Alex Ferguson at #2. Certainly a top 5 pick, but not, in my opinion, #2. Arrigo Sacchi (#3) shouldnt have reached anything close to such lofty heights. Others who have been overvalued in my opinion are Carlo Ancelotti (#8), Miguel Muoz (14), Louis van Gaal (#18), Ottmar Hitzfeld (#19), Guus Hiddink (#29) and Arsene Wenger (#32). Time may be more kind to van Gaal, Hitzfeld, and Hiddink but at the moment they strike me as top-of-mind selections rather than picks that will stand the test of time. If there is no Matt Busby, there is no Manchester United as we know it. Brian Clough (#15) is a top tenner for sure for his incredible achievement of two European Cups at Nottingham Forest as well as English League Championships at Forest and Derby County. Bob Paisley, the first manager to win the European Cup 3 times with the same club and all within 5 seasons, gets picked 26th absolutely ridiculous. Vicente del Bosque deserves a much higher position than #33. However, the biggest injustice is Jock Stein at #34. Steins Celtic team dominated Scottish football - and got the better of England's best - at a time when it meant something. Celtic was the first team from Northern Europe to win the European Cup and every player was born within 30 miles of Parkhead. Whats more, it was Steins ethos of entertaining the fans with attacking football that put paid to the stifling, but to that point successful, defensive tactics of Helenio Herrera and his ilk that had threatened to strangle the game. | France Football has published a list of the top 50 soccer managers of all-time. Jrgen Klopp tops the list at #27. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbymcmahon/2019/03/22/does-anyone-agree-with-france-football-that-jurgen-klopp-is-the-27th-best-manager-of-all-time/ | 0.465953 |
Does Anyone Agree With France Football That Jrgen Klopp Is The 27th Best Manager Of All-Time? | Getty Anytime you try and produce a top list of any kind, you are going to generate heated discussion. France Football has done just that after publishing what it claims to be the top 50 soccer managers of all-time. To start with, a list is only as good as the criteria that guide the selection committee. France Football offered up the following - trophies won, influence on the game, personality and influence managers who followed. Here is the list that France Football dropped on the world of soccer. France Footballs greatest managers of all time. pic.twitter.com/AnALsamvZS football.london (@Football_LDN) March 19, 2019 #41 Mircea Lucescu, #42 Tomislav Ivic, #43 Stefan Kovacs, #44 Luis Aragones, #45 Frank Rijkaard, #46 Otto Rehhagel, #47 Raymond Goethals, #48 Marcelo Bielsa, #49 Antonio Conte, #50 Jean-Claude Suaudeau. The first thing that sticks out like a sore thumb is the eras. There is only one manager who exclusively managed in the pre-WW2 era and that's Arsenal and Huddersfields Herbert Chapman ranked 24. Eras are difficult to compare and France Football tore off a big chunk trying to make it an all-time list. Perhaps post WW2 might have been a better starting point, but there again Best 50 All-Time Managers After 1945 hardly rolls off the tongue. There is no place for Italys World Cup winning manager in 1934 and 1938, Vittorio Pozzo. If influence is what you are looking for, then surely Jimmy Hogan should be on that list. Hogan was largely ignored in the UK, but he influenced generations of coaches in the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Hungary, and throughout Eastern Europe. The next issue is the underrepresentation of South American coaches in the top 50. There is Argentine-born Helenio Herrera at #7, I have no problem with the selection although the ranking might be generous. There is also the great Brazilian manager Tele Santana at #34 and current Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa at #48. Santana not only delivered two great Brazilian teams to the World Cups of 1982 and 1986 but he also won back-to-back Copa Libertadores trophies and World Club Cups beating Barcelona and AC Milan. In Bielsas favor is his tactical influence, on the downside, his teams have always promised lots but rarely if ever, have they delivered. I dont believe he is worthy of a top 100 spot, let alone top 50. Here are five France Football blindspots - Csar Luis Menotti and Carlos Bianchi from Argentina, and three Brazilians, Carlos Alberto Parreira, Mario Zagallo and Luiz Felipe Scolari. Uruguayan manager Oscar Tabrez might even be worth a shout. Getty Up next are the managers in the top 50 who are there under false pretenses. Topping that list is Jrgen Klopp an absolute criminal pick at #27. Others that Im not buying are Diego Simone (#31), Rafa Benitez (#37), Antonio Conte (#45), and Frank Rijkaard (#49). My next beef is managers that may be worth a top 50 spot but who have been ranked far too high. The first would be Sir Alex Ferguson at #2. Certainly a top 5 pick, but not, in my opinion, #2. Arrigo Sacchi (#3) shouldnt have reached anything close to such lofty heights. Others who have been overvalued in my opinion are Carlo Ancelotti (#8), Miguel Muoz (14), Louis van Gaal (#18), Ottmar Hitzfeld (#19), Guus Hiddink (#29) and Arsene Wenger (#32). Time may be more kind to van Gaal, Hitzfeld, and Hiddink but at the moment they strike me as top-of-mind selections rather than picks that will stand the test of time. If there is no Matt Busby, there is no Manchester United as we know it. Brian Clough (#15) is a top tenner for sure for his incredible achievement of two European Cups at Nottingham Forest as well as English League Championships at Forest and Derby County. Bob Paisley, the first manager to win the European Cup 3 times with the same club and all within 5 seasons, gets picked 26th absolutely ridiculous. Vicente del Bosque deserves a much higher position than #33. However, the biggest injustice is Jock Stein at #34. Steins Celtic team dominated Scottish football - and got the better of England's best - at a time when it meant something. Celtic was the first team from Northern Europe to win the European Cup and every player was born within 30 miles of Parkhead. Whats more, it was Steins ethos of entertaining the fans with attacking football that put paid to the stifling, but to that point successful, defensive tactics of Helenio Herrera and his ilk that had threatened to strangle the game. | France Football has published a list of the top 50 soccer managers of all-time. Jrgen Klopp tops the list at #27, ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson at #2. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbymcmahon/2019/03/22/does-anyone-agree-with-france-football-that-jurgen-klopp-is-the-27th-best-manager-of-all-time/ | 0.469774 |
Does Anyone Agree With France Football That Jrgen Klopp Is The 27th Best Manager Of All-Time? | Getty Anytime you try and produce a top list of any kind, you are going to generate heated discussion. France Football has done just that after publishing what it claims to be the top 50 soccer managers of all-time. To start with, a list is only as good as the criteria that guide the selection committee. France Football offered up the following - trophies won, influence on the game, personality and influence managers who followed. Here is the list that France Football dropped on the world of soccer. France Footballs greatest managers of all time. pic.twitter.com/AnALsamvZS football.london (@Football_LDN) March 19, 2019 #41 Mircea Lucescu, #42 Tomislav Ivic, #43 Stefan Kovacs, #44 Luis Aragones, #45 Frank Rijkaard, #46 Otto Rehhagel, #47 Raymond Goethals, #48 Marcelo Bielsa, #49 Antonio Conte, #50 Jean-Claude Suaudeau. The first thing that sticks out like a sore thumb is the eras. There is only one manager who exclusively managed in the pre-WW2 era and that's Arsenal and Huddersfields Herbert Chapman ranked 24. Eras are difficult to compare and France Football tore off a big chunk trying to make it an all-time list. Perhaps post WW2 might have been a better starting point, but there again Best 50 All-Time Managers After 1945 hardly rolls off the tongue. There is no place for Italys World Cup winning manager in 1934 and 1938, Vittorio Pozzo. If influence is what you are looking for, then surely Jimmy Hogan should be on that list. Hogan was largely ignored in the UK, but he influenced generations of coaches in the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Hungary, and throughout Eastern Europe. The next issue is the underrepresentation of South American coaches in the top 50. There is Argentine-born Helenio Herrera at #7, I have no problem with the selection although the ranking might be generous. There is also the great Brazilian manager Tele Santana at #34 and current Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa at #48. Santana not only delivered two great Brazilian teams to the World Cups of 1982 and 1986 but he also won back-to-back Copa Libertadores trophies and World Club Cups beating Barcelona and AC Milan. In Bielsas favor is his tactical influence, on the downside, his teams have always promised lots but rarely if ever, have they delivered. I dont believe he is worthy of a top 100 spot, let alone top 50. Here are five France Football blindspots - Csar Luis Menotti and Carlos Bianchi from Argentina, and three Brazilians, Carlos Alberto Parreira, Mario Zagallo and Luiz Felipe Scolari. Uruguayan manager Oscar Tabrez might even be worth a shout. Getty Up next are the managers in the top 50 who are there under false pretenses. Topping that list is Jrgen Klopp an absolute criminal pick at #27. Others that Im not buying are Diego Simone (#31), Rafa Benitez (#37), Antonio Conte (#45), and Frank Rijkaard (#49). My next beef is managers that may be worth a top 50 spot but who have been ranked far too high. The first would be Sir Alex Ferguson at #2. Certainly a top 5 pick, but not, in my opinion, #2. Arrigo Sacchi (#3) shouldnt have reached anything close to such lofty heights. Others who have been overvalued in my opinion are Carlo Ancelotti (#8), Miguel Muoz (14), Louis van Gaal (#18), Ottmar Hitzfeld (#19), Guus Hiddink (#29) and Arsene Wenger (#32). Time may be more kind to van Gaal, Hitzfeld, and Hiddink but at the moment they strike me as top-of-mind selections rather than picks that will stand the test of time. If there is no Matt Busby, there is no Manchester United as we know it. Brian Clough (#15) is a top tenner for sure for his incredible achievement of two European Cups at Nottingham Forest as well as English League Championships at Forest and Derby County. Bob Paisley, the first manager to win the European Cup 3 times with the same club and all within 5 seasons, gets picked 26th absolutely ridiculous. Vicente del Bosque deserves a much higher position than #33. However, the biggest injustice is Jock Stein at #34. Steins Celtic team dominated Scottish football - and got the better of England's best - at a time when it meant something. Celtic was the first team from Northern Europe to win the European Cup and every player was born within 30 miles of Parkhead. Whats more, it was Steins ethos of entertaining the fans with attacking football that put paid to the stifling, but to that point successful, defensive tactics of Helenio Herrera and his ilk that had threatened to strangle the game. | France Football has published a list of the top 50 soccer managers of all-time. Jrgen Klopp tops the list at #27, ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson at #2. Click here to read the full article from Sportsmail on France Football's list of greatest managers. | ctrlsum | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbymcmahon/2019/03/22/does-anyone-agree-with-france-football-that-jurgen-klopp-is-the-27th-best-manager-of-all-time/ | 0.475516 |
Can Seattles 5th Avenue Theatre score another hit with Broadway-bound new musical Marie, Dancing Still? | In 2002, Seattles 5th Avenue Theatre scored its first Broadway hit by launching Hairspray, a zesty, warmhearted musical romp that snapped up eight Tony Awards. Marie, Dancing Still is a much-anticipated, also Broadway-bound new show debuting this month at the 5th Avenue, which has a new artistic director eager to make his mark with his first pre-Broadway pick. The creative forces behind this dance-rich period piece are well-established movers and shakers in musical theater: Susan Stroman, a five-time Tony Award-honored Broadway director-choreographer, whose credits include the blockbuster musical The Producers; and writer-lyricist Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty, collaborators whose output includes the perennially popular tuners Ragtime and Once on This Island. Ballet fans should also take note that the title character in Marie, Dancing Still about the young ballerina immortalized in a famous Edgar Degas sculpture is played by a real-life ballerina, touted New York City principal dancer Tiler Peck. All are installed in Seattle currently, revising and polishing their show at a theater nationally respected for nurturing big-deal new musicals. Wed love for the theater to continue to be a pipeline to Broadway, said Bill Berry, the new producing artistic director of the 5th Avenue. Though he was careful to add: The Broadway landscape is changing and shifting in some ways that may make it less advantageous for New York producers to choose Seattle as a launching pad. Advertising Berry should know. He spent 17 years as the 5th Avenues associate artistic director before succeeding David Armstrong (his husband and longtime creative partner) in the post of producing artistic director. Over his and Armstrongs tenure, the ornate downtown showplace and former movie palace has nurtured and unveiled 20 new musicals. Nine have made it to Broadway, and three (Hairspray, Memphis and Aladdin) became crowd-pleasing hits. (Disneys Aladdin is still playing to near-capacity on the Great White Way, five years into its run.) A few others (Shrek the Musical, The Wedding Singer) had modest Broadway runs, but spun off national tours and regional productions. If the percentage of success seems underwhelming, it is plenty impressive to theater people. They know the myriad obstacles to propelling a fresh musical to high-stakes Broadway and the dismal odds of hatching a hit. Anita Waxman, the seasoned Broadway hand who is a lead producer on Marie, Dancing Still, has backed both hits (the recent revival of Hello, Dolly! starring Bette Midler) and flops (Escape to Margaritaville ). And she considers the 5th Avenues Seattle-to-Broadway track record massive. Still, according to Berry, the rising costs of jetting in and housing a large New York-based company (more than 60 people, for Marie) for weeks may deter some producers of new musicals from a Seattle tryout. And another showplace much closer to Manhattan, New Jerseys Paper Mill Playhouse, has recently become a stiff competitor for shows en route to Broadway. Advertising Another concern: how the internet has figuratively erased the 2,800-mile distance between New York City and Seattle. This used to be a safe, private space for developing a big show, said Berry. Now patron and critic reviews, photos, even (unauthorized) videos of pre-Broadway performances are swiftly posted online these days resulting in either positive East Coast buzz, or buzzkill. But that has not dissuaded Waxman, who took on Marie, Dancing Still after its mixed but encouraging reviews for the premiere (under the initial title The Little Dancer) in a limited 2014 run at Washington, D.C.s Kennedy Center. Set in the heady ballet and art world of late 19th-century Paris, it offers an imagined dramatic account of a plucky young ballerina with the Paris Opera who becomes the model for the well-known sculpture Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, by artist and ballet-lover Degas. At the Kennedy Center, I thought it was a beautiful show, Waxman said, and unlike anything Id seen before. Reviewers suggested it needed some revamping. Washington Post critic Peter Marks, for instance, found fault with the plotting and characters in Little Dancer, writing, It feels as if [the musical] has only scratched the surface of possibility of its story. Waxman and the creators agreed that more work on the show, away from the bright lights of Times Square, was essential. And extra costs and risks notwithstanding, Bill Berry was the first person I called, Waxman recounted. I said to him, do I have a deal for you. As a backer of Bombay Dreams, a Bollywood-style musical that visited the 5th Avenue on tour over a decade ago, Waxman was introduced to this big, beautiful theater, with an incredible support system. The board of directors, Bill and [managing director] Bernie [Bernadine Griffin] have all been so helpful. Now its kind of like home in a funny sort of way. It just feels safe not from critics or the internet, but safe for something we can develop and move along to Broadway. It has taken five years for Marie, Dancing Still to ripen, and in that time Waxman says the musical has changed a lot. Its now truly a story about Degas, and the inspiration from Marie, and you see a kind of father-daughter relationship that develops between them. But more importantly you see the lives of people who are artists through and through, and what they give up when they lose their ability to do what they love to do. Berry quickly took a chance on the work. Waxman just had to say Stroman, Flaherty and Ahrens, and I said, Of course! I also believe its a very touching story, a very human story, about what we leave behind to others when we leave this world. Berry flew to New York to see a workshop of the revised version, and gave notes to the creative team about a few things I was confused by, or I thought could be better. Its a collaboration. He continues to weigh in as the show progresses. We dont just say to producers, Come and rent the 5th Avenue. We want to be part of the process. Its our responsibility to be sure our 20,000 season subscribers and our single-ticket buyers get the best show possible. One thing his theater is not responsible for is raising the entire production budget, which includes payroll for a cast of more than 20 and fees to designers, musicians and other personnel. The total tab adds up to roughly $12 million to $14 million for the Broadway mounting. And most of it is coming from commercial investors, including Waxman. Advertising But the 5th Avenue isnt getting by dirt cheap, either. Of the $6.5 million targeted for just the Seattle engagement, the theaters share is about $3 million. Thats still considerably more expensive than the production costs of every other show in the 2018-19 season. Obviously, the potential for bragging rights. Every regional theater wants to be associated with a box-office smash in New York which it can later publicize and use as subscriber and fundraising bait. Also, if a musical is a crowd-pleaser in New York, on tour and via royalties (generated by later professional and amateur productions), the 5th Avenue will get a slice of that. The percentage varies from show to show, based on numerous factors. The Kennedy Center (which commissioned the piece) will get a very small sliver of any profits, said Waxman. The 5th Avenue would accrue more that is, if its expected New York run can pay back the backers, turn a profit (the vast majority of Broadway offerings dont), and hit the road on an extensive national tour. The 5th Avenue has already raked in more than $1 million from its small piece of the Hairspray pie. But whatever the ultimate fate of Marie, Dancing Still, Berry plans to continue his theaters role in incubating musicals, if and when promising ventures come along. The recently announced 2019-20 season features two new shows with Broadway aspirations: Austens Pride (a musical version of Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice), and a revamp of Stu for Silverton, a musical tale of social tolerance, which Intiman Theatre debuted here on a much smaller scale in 2013. (Former Intiman artistic head Andrew Russell will again direct.) But Marie, Dancing Still is special for Berry: I feel personally a lot is riding on it because its the first show Ive said yes to here. He added with a laugh, Actually, I feel a mixture of things pride, responsibility. And fear. _____ Marie, Dancing Still, book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, music by Stephen Flaherty, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman. March 22-April 14; The 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave., Seattle; $29-$155 (prices subject to change); 206-625-1900, 5thavenue.org | Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre scored its first Broadway hit by launching 'Hairspray' ' Marie, Dancing Still' is a much-anticipated, also Broadway-bound new show debuting this month. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/theater/can-seattles-5th-avenue-theatre-score-another-hit-with-broadway-bound-new-musical-marie-dancing-still/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_seattle-news | 0.279578 |
Can Seattles 5th Avenue Theatre score another hit with Broadway-bound new musical Marie, Dancing Still? | In 2002, Seattles 5th Avenue Theatre scored its first Broadway hit by launching Hairspray, a zesty, warmhearted musical romp that snapped up eight Tony Awards. Marie, Dancing Still is a much-anticipated, also Broadway-bound new show debuting this month at the 5th Avenue, which has a new artistic director eager to make his mark with his first pre-Broadway pick. The creative forces behind this dance-rich period piece are well-established movers and shakers in musical theater: Susan Stroman, a five-time Tony Award-honored Broadway director-choreographer, whose credits include the blockbuster musical The Producers; and writer-lyricist Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty, collaborators whose output includes the perennially popular tuners Ragtime and Once on This Island. Ballet fans should also take note that the title character in Marie, Dancing Still about the young ballerina immortalized in a famous Edgar Degas sculpture is played by a real-life ballerina, touted New York City principal dancer Tiler Peck. All are installed in Seattle currently, revising and polishing their show at a theater nationally respected for nurturing big-deal new musicals. Wed love for the theater to continue to be a pipeline to Broadway, said Bill Berry, the new producing artistic director of the 5th Avenue. Though he was careful to add: The Broadway landscape is changing and shifting in some ways that may make it less advantageous for New York producers to choose Seattle as a launching pad. Advertising Berry should know. He spent 17 years as the 5th Avenues associate artistic director before succeeding David Armstrong (his husband and longtime creative partner) in the post of producing artistic director. Over his and Armstrongs tenure, the ornate downtown showplace and former movie palace has nurtured and unveiled 20 new musicals. Nine have made it to Broadway, and three (Hairspray, Memphis and Aladdin) became crowd-pleasing hits. (Disneys Aladdin is still playing to near-capacity on the Great White Way, five years into its run.) A few others (Shrek the Musical, The Wedding Singer) had modest Broadway runs, but spun off national tours and regional productions. If the percentage of success seems underwhelming, it is plenty impressive to theater people. They know the myriad obstacles to propelling a fresh musical to high-stakes Broadway and the dismal odds of hatching a hit. Anita Waxman, the seasoned Broadway hand who is a lead producer on Marie, Dancing Still, has backed both hits (the recent revival of Hello, Dolly! starring Bette Midler) and flops (Escape to Margaritaville ). And she considers the 5th Avenues Seattle-to-Broadway track record massive. Still, according to Berry, the rising costs of jetting in and housing a large New York-based company (more than 60 people, for Marie) for weeks may deter some producers of new musicals from a Seattle tryout. And another showplace much closer to Manhattan, New Jerseys Paper Mill Playhouse, has recently become a stiff competitor for shows en route to Broadway. Advertising Another concern: how the internet has figuratively erased the 2,800-mile distance between New York City and Seattle. This used to be a safe, private space for developing a big show, said Berry. Now patron and critic reviews, photos, even (unauthorized) videos of pre-Broadway performances are swiftly posted online these days resulting in either positive East Coast buzz, or buzzkill. But that has not dissuaded Waxman, who took on Marie, Dancing Still after its mixed but encouraging reviews for the premiere (under the initial title The Little Dancer) in a limited 2014 run at Washington, D.C.s Kennedy Center. Set in the heady ballet and art world of late 19th-century Paris, it offers an imagined dramatic account of a plucky young ballerina with the Paris Opera who becomes the model for the well-known sculpture Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, by artist and ballet-lover Degas. At the Kennedy Center, I thought it was a beautiful show, Waxman said, and unlike anything Id seen before. Reviewers suggested it needed some revamping. Washington Post critic Peter Marks, for instance, found fault with the plotting and characters in Little Dancer, writing, It feels as if [the musical] has only scratched the surface of possibility of its story. Waxman and the creators agreed that more work on the show, away from the bright lights of Times Square, was essential. And extra costs and risks notwithstanding, Bill Berry was the first person I called, Waxman recounted. I said to him, do I have a deal for you. As a backer of Bombay Dreams, a Bollywood-style musical that visited the 5th Avenue on tour over a decade ago, Waxman was introduced to this big, beautiful theater, with an incredible support system. The board of directors, Bill and [managing director] Bernie [Bernadine Griffin] have all been so helpful. Now its kind of like home in a funny sort of way. It just feels safe not from critics or the internet, but safe for something we can develop and move along to Broadway. It has taken five years for Marie, Dancing Still to ripen, and in that time Waxman says the musical has changed a lot. Its now truly a story about Degas, and the inspiration from Marie, and you see a kind of father-daughter relationship that develops between them. But more importantly you see the lives of people who are artists through and through, and what they give up when they lose their ability to do what they love to do. Berry quickly took a chance on the work. Waxman just had to say Stroman, Flaherty and Ahrens, and I said, Of course! I also believe its a very touching story, a very human story, about what we leave behind to others when we leave this world. Berry flew to New York to see a workshop of the revised version, and gave notes to the creative team about a few things I was confused by, or I thought could be better. Its a collaboration. He continues to weigh in as the show progresses. We dont just say to producers, Come and rent the 5th Avenue. We want to be part of the process. Its our responsibility to be sure our 20,000 season subscribers and our single-ticket buyers get the best show possible. One thing his theater is not responsible for is raising the entire production budget, which includes payroll for a cast of more than 20 and fees to designers, musicians and other personnel. The total tab adds up to roughly $12 million to $14 million for the Broadway mounting. And most of it is coming from commercial investors, including Waxman. Advertising But the 5th Avenue isnt getting by dirt cheap, either. Of the $6.5 million targeted for just the Seattle engagement, the theaters share is about $3 million. Thats still considerably more expensive than the production costs of every other show in the 2018-19 season. Obviously, the potential for bragging rights. Every regional theater wants to be associated with a box-office smash in New York which it can later publicize and use as subscriber and fundraising bait. Also, if a musical is a crowd-pleaser in New York, on tour and via royalties (generated by later professional and amateur productions), the 5th Avenue will get a slice of that. The percentage varies from show to show, based on numerous factors. The Kennedy Center (which commissioned the piece) will get a very small sliver of any profits, said Waxman. The 5th Avenue would accrue more that is, if its expected New York run can pay back the backers, turn a profit (the vast majority of Broadway offerings dont), and hit the road on an extensive national tour. The 5th Avenue has already raked in more than $1 million from its small piece of the Hairspray pie. But whatever the ultimate fate of Marie, Dancing Still, Berry plans to continue his theaters role in incubating musicals, if and when promising ventures come along. The recently announced 2019-20 season features two new shows with Broadway aspirations: Austens Pride (a musical version of Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice), and a revamp of Stu for Silverton, a musical tale of social tolerance, which Intiman Theatre debuted here on a much smaller scale in 2013. (Former Intiman artistic head Andrew Russell will again direct.) But Marie, Dancing Still is special for Berry: I feel personally a lot is riding on it because its the first show Ive said yes to here. He added with a laugh, Actually, I feel a mixture of things pride, responsibility. And fear. _____ Marie, Dancing Still, book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, music by Stephen Flaherty, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman. March 22-April 14; The 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave., Seattle; $29-$155 (prices subject to change); 206-625-1900, 5thavenue.org | Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre scored its first Broadway hit by launching 'Hairspray' ' Marie, Dancing Still' is a much-anticipated, also Broadway-bound new show debuting this month at the 5th Avenue. The creative forces behind this dance-rich period piece are well-established movers and shakers in musical theater. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/theater/can-seattles-5th-avenue-theatre-score-another-hit-with-broadway-bound-new-musical-marie-dancing-still/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_seattle-news | 0.356275 |
Can the Oregon Ducks continue to redefine their season in the NCAA Tournament? | SAN JOSE, Calf. Paul White and Payton Pritchard have been in the Big Dance before, just not via a such an arduous path. The Oregon redshirt-senior forward and junior point guard were each fortunate enough to be on teams that secured at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament when they were freshmen, which for White, came while he was at Georgetown. This years journey was far less certain. In fact, it was all but completely dismissed as even a possibility as far back as three months ago, when Bol Bol suffered a season-ending foot injury. The opening line epitaph for Oregons 2018-19 season was set. Kenny Wootens broken jaw, the late-game collapse to UCLA and again later to Washington, Whites sprained ankle, a horrific display at Colorado, season sweep by Oregon State and road sweep in Los Angeles were all to be further context for a season that was to be defined by what might have been. Then the calendar changed to March and the awesome power of the month that defines college basketballs changed everything. Eight straight wins, including four in four days to win the Pac-12 tournament, fueled by suffocating defense has redefined the season for Oregon (23-12), which takes on Wisconsin (23-10) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament this afternoon at the SAP Center (1:30 p.m. PT, TBS). Scouting the Wisconsin Badgers: 5 questions with a Wisconsin basketball writer Insight on the Badgers from Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal From the Final Four year (in 2017) to this year, this is two different teams but that year we knew we would be a top seed; this year we had to win to make the tournament Pritchard said. But for me personally, I think this year has been, its definitely something that Ill remember. Its very special to win four straight like that, make the tournament and the way this team came together and fought, its special. Were ready to make something happen. White described his freshman year at Georgetown in 2014-15, when the Hoyas were a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, eventually losing in the second round to Utah, as being a fly on the wall. But aside from Pritchards resurgence over the last three weeks there has been no player more responsible for Oregons success this season than White, who is averaging a career-best 10.6 points and 3.9 rebounds. (Last) weekend, even the weeks leading up to this, really changed this whole narrative of this team of how people have embraced us, White said. People were counting us out three-four weeks ago. People werent even really worried about us. We were 6-8, thought we were another team that was going to be flapping in the breeze. Compared to that Georgetown team, I think Georgetown we were very determined, it was a much older team. This team we have a lot of young guys. Its a complete 180 if you ask me from my experience. Much as been made about how Oregon made such a dramatic shift so quickly to save its season. Freshman Francis Okoros improved play was a big factor, allowing Dana Altman play a larger lineup at times. Improved health and overall team chemistry were also factors. Everybody kind of gave themself to the team, Altman said. "NCAA Tournament is not an individualized sport, we either all go or no one goes. Those guys really wanted to go. So I think every one of them gave up a little bit of what they wanted to do for what the team needed them to do. And thats so important, the chemistry, thats so important. Guys believing in each other. And that unselfishness really helped us in the growth of our team. In the 39 years Ive been lucky enough to do this, Ive never seen a team make that drastic of a change in a three- or four-week period. The 6-foot-10 Happ leads the Badgers in nearly every statistic, including scoring (17.5 points), rebounding (10.1) and assists (4.6). The 2018-19 Ducks will forever be known for their late-season surge and Pac-12 tournament title. Whether they add more distinctions, such as a Sweet 16 and beyond, is up to them starting this afternoon. Thats the power of March. | Oregon has won eight straight games after a slow start to the season. The Ducks are the No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2019/03/can-the-oregon-ducks-continue-to-redefine-their-season-in-the-ncaa-tournament.html | 0.191256 |
Can the Oregon Ducks continue to redefine their season in the NCAA Tournament? | SAN JOSE, Calf. Paul White and Payton Pritchard have been in the Big Dance before, just not via a such an arduous path. The Oregon redshirt-senior forward and junior point guard were each fortunate enough to be on teams that secured at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament when they were freshmen, which for White, came while he was at Georgetown. This years journey was far less certain. In fact, it was all but completely dismissed as even a possibility as far back as three months ago, when Bol Bol suffered a season-ending foot injury. The opening line epitaph for Oregons 2018-19 season was set. Kenny Wootens broken jaw, the late-game collapse to UCLA and again later to Washington, Whites sprained ankle, a horrific display at Colorado, season sweep by Oregon State and road sweep in Los Angeles were all to be further context for a season that was to be defined by what might have been. Then the calendar changed to March and the awesome power of the month that defines college basketballs changed everything. Eight straight wins, including four in four days to win the Pac-12 tournament, fueled by suffocating defense has redefined the season for Oregon (23-12), which takes on Wisconsin (23-10) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament this afternoon at the SAP Center (1:30 p.m. PT, TBS). Scouting the Wisconsin Badgers: 5 questions with a Wisconsin basketball writer Insight on the Badgers from Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal From the Final Four year (in 2017) to this year, this is two different teams but that year we knew we would be a top seed; this year we had to win to make the tournament Pritchard said. But for me personally, I think this year has been, its definitely something that Ill remember. Its very special to win four straight like that, make the tournament and the way this team came together and fought, its special. Were ready to make something happen. White described his freshman year at Georgetown in 2014-15, when the Hoyas were a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, eventually losing in the second round to Utah, as being a fly on the wall. But aside from Pritchards resurgence over the last three weeks there has been no player more responsible for Oregons success this season than White, who is averaging a career-best 10.6 points and 3.9 rebounds. (Last) weekend, even the weeks leading up to this, really changed this whole narrative of this team of how people have embraced us, White said. People were counting us out three-four weeks ago. People werent even really worried about us. We were 6-8, thought we were another team that was going to be flapping in the breeze. Compared to that Georgetown team, I think Georgetown we were very determined, it was a much older team. This team we have a lot of young guys. Its a complete 180 if you ask me from my experience. Much as been made about how Oregon made such a dramatic shift so quickly to save its season. Freshman Francis Okoros improved play was a big factor, allowing Dana Altman play a larger lineup at times. Improved health and overall team chemistry were also factors. Everybody kind of gave themself to the team, Altman said. "NCAA Tournament is not an individualized sport, we either all go or no one goes. Those guys really wanted to go. So I think every one of them gave up a little bit of what they wanted to do for what the team needed them to do. And thats so important, the chemistry, thats so important. Guys believing in each other. And that unselfishness really helped us in the growth of our team. In the 39 years Ive been lucky enough to do this, Ive never seen a team make that drastic of a change in a three- or four-week period. The 6-foot-10 Happ leads the Badgers in nearly every statistic, including scoring (17.5 points), rebounding (10.1) and assists (4.6). The 2018-19 Ducks will forever be known for their late-season surge and Pac-12 tournament title. Whether they add more distinctions, such as a Sweet 16 and beyond, is up to them starting this afternoon. Thats the power of March. | Oregon has won eight straight games after a slow start to the season. The Ducks are the No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin is a No. 7 seed. | ctrlsum | 1 | https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2019/03/can-the-oregon-ducks-continue-to-redefine-their-season-in-the-ncaa-tournament.html | 0.162832 |
Can the Oregon Ducks continue to redefine their season in the NCAA Tournament? | SAN JOSE, Calf. Paul White and Payton Pritchard have been in the Big Dance before, just not via a such an arduous path. The Oregon redshirt-senior forward and junior point guard were each fortunate enough to be on teams that secured at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament when they were freshmen, which for White, came while he was at Georgetown. This years journey was far less certain. In fact, it was all but completely dismissed as even a possibility as far back as three months ago, when Bol Bol suffered a season-ending foot injury. The opening line epitaph for Oregons 2018-19 season was set. Kenny Wootens broken jaw, the late-game collapse to UCLA and again later to Washington, Whites sprained ankle, a horrific display at Colorado, season sweep by Oregon State and road sweep in Los Angeles were all to be further context for a season that was to be defined by what might have been. Then the calendar changed to March and the awesome power of the month that defines college basketballs changed everything. Eight straight wins, including four in four days to win the Pac-12 tournament, fueled by suffocating defense has redefined the season for Oregon (23-12), which takes on Wisconsin (23-10) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament this afternoon at the SAP Center (1:30 p.m. PT, TBS). Scouting the Wisconsin Badgers: 5 questions with a Wisconsin basketball writer Insight on the Badgers from Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal From the Final Four year (in 2017) to this year, this is two different teams but that year we knew we would be a top seed; this year we had to win to make the tournament Pritchard said. But for me personally, I think this year has been, its definitely something that Ill remember. Its very special to win four straight like that, make the tournament and the way this team came together and fought, its special. Were ready to make something happen. White described his freshman year at Georgetown in 2014-15, when the Hoyas were a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, eventually losing in the second round to Utah, as being a fly on the wall. But aside from Pritchards resurgence over the last three weeks there has been no player more responsible for Oregons success this season than White, who is averaging a career-best 10.6 points and 3.9 rebounds. (Last) weekend, even the weeks leading up to this, really changed this whole narrative of this team of how people have embraced us, White said. People were counting us out three-four weeks ago. People werent even really worried about us. We were 6-8, thought we were another team that was going to be flapping in the breeze. Compared to that Georgetown team, I think Georgetown we were very determined, it was a much older team. This team we have a lot of young guys. Its a complete 180 if you ask me from my experience. Much as been made about how Oregon made such a dramatic shift so quickly to save its season. Freshman Francis Okoros improved play was a big factor, allowing Dana Altman play a larger lineup at times. Improved health and overall team chemistry were also factors. Everybody kind of gave themself to the team, Altman said. "NCAA Tournament is not an individualized sport, we either all go or no one goes. Those guys really wanted to go. So I think every one of them gave up a little bit of what they wanted to do for what the team needed them to do. And thats so important, the chemistry, thats so important. Guys believing in each other. And that unselfishness really helped us in the growth of our team. In the 39 years Ive been lucky enough to do this, Ive never seen a team make that drastic of a change in a three- or four-week period. The 6-foot-10 Happ leads the Badgers in nearly every statistic, including scoring (17.5 points), rebounding (10.1) and assists (4.6). The 2018-19 Ducks will forever be known for their late-season surge and Pac-12 tournament title. Whether they add more distinctions, such as a Sweet 16 and beyond, is up to them starting this afternoon. Thats the power of March. | Paul White and Payton Pritchard have been in the NCAA Tournament before. This years journey was far less certain. Eight straight wins, including four in four days to win the Pac-12 tournament, fueled by suffocating defense has redefined the season. Oregon takes on Wisconsin (23-10) in the first round. | bart | 2 | https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2019/03/can-the-oregon-ducks-continue-to-redefine-their-season-in-the-ncaa-tournament.html | 0.245623 |
Will grounding Boeings 737 Max 8 affect Clevelands resuming Icelandair flights? | CLEVELAND, Ohio Icelandair is scheduled to resume nonstop service between Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and Reykjavik, Iceland, in less than two months. There is a problem, however: The plane designated to fly the route, the Boeing 737 Max 8, has been grounded worldwide, leaving some travelers to wonder whether their flights to Europe this summer will go as scheduled. Bogi Nils Bogason, president and CEO of Icelandair, tried to put travelers at ease with a statement on the airlines website last week: In the short term, this decision will not have a material impact on the companys operations since it only affects three passenger aircraft of a total fleet of 33, which creates flexibility to respond in the coming weeks. But its looking increasingly like the Boeing planes, pulled from the skies after two devastating crashes in five months, wont be back in the air in the coming weeks. Its more likely to be months. Its not clear, although industry observers think that the carrier may be able to maintain its schedule, or at least most of it, through a series of short-term moves designed to minimize disruption. In response to several questions, U.S. spokesman for Icelandair Michael Raucheisen said: Right now we are OK, but we need to see how things progress and are resolved. A spokesperson for Cleveland Hopkins, Michele Dynia, declined to say whether the airport has been in touch with Icelandair since the grounding. We value the international service being provided by Icelandair, she said. We look forward to the commencement of service in May. The carrier is still booking tickets on the routes that use the Boeing 737 Max 8, including service between Cleveland and Reykjavik, which restarts on May 17. Air Canada, in contrast, announced this week that it had taken the Max 8 out of its schedule until at least July 1. The 737 Max 8 is a more efficient, longer version of the Boeing workhorse 737, capable of flying farther distances, including across the Atlantic Ocean. Icelandair flew a brand new Max 8 back and forth between Cleveland and Reykjavik last year. Two fatal crashes involving the plane, one in October in Indonesia on a Lion Air flight, the other an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed on March 10, led to the grounding of the aircraft across the globe. Investigators are looking at the possibility that both crashes were caused by a faulty sensor that triggered an automated anti-stall system, which ultimately caused the planes to nose dive. Boeing is working on updating both the planes software and pilot training program. The planes also will have to be recertified by the Federal Aviation Administration. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which covers Iceland, also has said it would need to certify the planes before theyre permitted to fly again in European airspace. Its hard to imagine the grounding not lasting months, said Seth Kaplan, the founding editor of Airline Weekly. He noted that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was grounded for four months in 2013, because of problems with overheating lithium ion batteries problems that did not result in any fatalities. Looking at Icelandairs summer schedule, Kaplan said a relatively high percentage of flights more than 25 percent are scheduled on Boeing Max 8s or 9s. Both versions of the 737 are included in the grounding. Before the recent grounding, Icelandair was expected to take possession of an additional six Boeing Max planes (three 8s and three 9s) this summer, according to reports. Boeing has halted delivery of the Max jets during the grounding, but it is continuing to make the airplanes. Icelandair plans to use the planes on routes to several U.S. cities this summer, including Cleveland, Kansas City, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C. Despite the heavy use planned for the Max planes, Kaplan said he thinks Icelandair may be able to make do without the aircraft short-term, if necessary. The company could substitute other aircraft into the routes by delaying planned retirements of older planes or it could rent planes. The problem for Icelandair: Other carriers will also likely be scrambling for planes if the grounding continues into the summer, which is peak travel season for many airlines. It becomes more acute when youre talking about June, said Robert Mann, an airline industry consultant based in New York. Those flights are already booked. The longer it lasts, the worse it gets. Mann believes the Max problem can be fixed relatively easily with a software update. But politics has overtaken the engineering, he said. The involvement of numerous investigatory agencies the FBI, Department of Transportation and others, in the United States and abroad will likely lengthen the time the planes are out of commission. If the carrier must cancel flights, Kaplan guesses that Icelandair would be more likely to reduce frequency to a destination say, New York City, which has two nonstop flights scheduled on some days than canceling a route altogether. Cleveland was part of a major expansion last year by Icelandair, which added four new U.S. cities to its route list. Since then, the carrier has encountered some financial troubles, cutting two of those new cities Dallas and Baltimore leaving Cleveland and Kansas City. Both Cleveland and Kansas City are seasonal routes, flying only in the summer season (although Cleveland was initially planned as a year-round route). Icelandair flew the route five times per week last summer, but has reduced its frequency to four times per week in 2019, on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Related: Cleveland Hopkins Icelandic airline experiment hits turbulence, as Wow pulls out, Icelandair cuts back | Icelandair is scheduled to resume nonstop service between Cleveland and Reykjavik. The Boeing 737 Max 8 has been grounded worldwide after two fatal crashes. Industry observers think that the carrier may be able to maintain its schedule. | bart | 1 | https://www.cleveland.com/business/2019/03/will-grounding-boeings-737-max-8-affect-clevelands-resuming-icelandair-flights.html | 0.41023 |
Will grounding Boeings 737 Max 8 affect Clevelands resuming Icelandair flights? | CLEVELAND, Ohio Icelandair is scheduled to resume nonstop service between Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and Reykjavik, Iceland, in less than two months. There is a problem, however: The plane designated to fly the route, the Boeing 737 Max 8, has been grounded worldwide, leaving some travelers to wonder whether their flights to Europe this summer will go as scheduled. Bogi Nils Bogason, president and CEO of Icelandair, tried to put travelers at ease with a statement on the airlines website last week: In the short term, this decision will not have a material impact on the companys operations since it only affects three passenger aircraft of a total fleet of 33, which creates flexibility to respond in the coming weeks. But its looking increasingly like the Boeing planes, pulled from the skies after two devastating crashes in five months, wont be back in the air in the coming weeks. Its more likely to be months. Its not clear, although industry observers think that the carrier may be able to maintain its schedule, or at least most of it, through a series of short-term moves designed to minimize disruption. In response to several questions, U.S. spokesman for Icelandair Michael Raucheisen said: Right now we are OK, but we need to see how things progress and are resolved. A spokesperson for Cleveland Hopkins, Michele Dynia, declined to say whether the airport has been in touch with Icelandair since the grounding. We value the international service being provided by Icelandair, she said. We look forward to the commencement of service in May. The carrier is still booking tickets on the routes that use the Boeing 737 Max 8, including service between Cleveland and Reykjavik, which restarts on May 17. Air Canada, in contrast, announced this week that it had taken the Max 8 out of its schedule until at least July 1. The 737 Max 8 is a more efficient, longer version of the Boeing workhorse 737, capable of flying farther distances, including across the Atlantic Ocean. Icelandair flew a brand new Max 8 back and forth between Cleveland and Reykjavik last year. Two fatal crashes involving the plane, one in October in Indonesia on a Lion Air flight, the other an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed on March 10, led to the grounding of the aircraft across the globe. Investigators are looking at the possibility that both crashes were caused by a faulty sensor that triggered an automated anti-stall system, which ultimately caused the planes to nose dive. Boeing is working on updating both the planes software and pilot training program. The planes also will have to be recertified by the Federal Aviation Administration. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which covers Iceland, also has said it would need to certify the planes before theyre permitted to fly again in European airspace. Its hard to imagine the grounding not lasting months, said Seth Kaplan, the founding editor of Airline Weekly. He noted that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was grounded for four months in 2013, because of problems with overheating lithium ion batteries problems that did not result in any fatalities. Looking at Icelandairs summer schedule, Kaplan said a relatively high percentage of flights more than 25 percent are scheduled on Boeing Max 8s or 9s. Both versions of the 737 are included in the grounding. Before the recent grounding, Icelandair was expected to take possession of an additional six Boeing Max planes (three 8s and three 9s) this summer, according to reports. Boeing has halted delivery of the Max jets during the grounding, but it is continuing to make the airplanes. Icelandair plans to use the planes on routes to several U.S. cities this summer, including Cleveland, Kansas City, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C. Despite the heavy use planned for the Max planes, Kaplan said he thinks Icelandair may be able to make do without the aircraft short-term, if necessary. The company could substitute other aircraft into the routes by delaying planned retirements of older planes or it could rent planes. The problem for Icelandair: Other carriers will also likely be scrambling for planes if the grounding continues into the summer, which is peak travel season for many airlines. It becomes more acute when youre talking about June, said Robert Mann, an airline industry consultant based in New York. Those flights are already booked. The longer it lasts, the worse it gets. Mann believes the Max problem can be fixed relatively easily with a software update. But politics has overtaken the engineering, he said. The involvement of numerous investigatory agencies the FBI, Department of Transportation and others, in the United States and abroad will likely lengthen the time the planes are out of commission. If the carrier must cancel flights, Kaplan guesses that Icelandair would be more likely to reduce frequency to a destination say, New York City, which has two nonstop flights scheduled on some days than canceling a route altogether. Cleveland was part of a major expansion last year by Icelandair, which added four new U.S. cities to its route list. Since then, the carrier has encountered some financial troubles, cutting two of those new cities Dallas and Baltimore leaving Cleveland and Kansas City. Both Cleveland and Kansas City are seasonal routes, flying only in the summer season (although Cleveland was initially planned as a year-round route). Icelandair flew the route five times per week last summer, but has reduced its frequency to four times per week in 2019, on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Related: Cleveland Hopkins Icelandic airline experiment hits turbulence, as Wow pulls out, Icelandair cuts back | Icelandair is scheduled to resume nonstop service between Cleveland and Reykjavik. The Boeing 737 Max 8 has been grounded worldwide after two fatal crashes. Industry observers think the carrier may be able to maintain its schedule. Air Canada has taken the Max 8 out of its schedule until at least July 1. | bart | 2 | https://www.cleveland.com/business/2019/03/will-grounding-boeings-737-max-8-affect-clevelands-resuming-icelandair-flights.html | 0.446702 |
Where did the idea for Minneapolis skyways come from? | Its hard to imagine downtown Minneapolis without its skyways. They have become, after all, as distinctly Minnesotan as hockey and hot dish. It turns out the skyways were not a reaction to Minnesotas frigid climate. Some attribute the skyways to Leslie Park, a Minneapolis developer who proposed them to keep businesses downtown. General Mills left downtown in 1955 for Golden Valley, and the next year, Southdale Center opened in Edina. Southdale was the first climate-controlled, enclosed shopping center in the country, said Iric Nathanson, a local historian. Park felt that Southdale was going to suck all of the economic and financial energy out of downtown Minneapolis. When Parks company developed the Northstar Center in 1959, he designed an enclosed walkway to link the building with Northwestern Bank. The link was built in 1962. As new skyscrapers developed, many included skyways. [They] spread out like an octopus, Nathanson said. It turned out to be a big hit. This skyway question is a part of Curious Minnesota, our community-driven reporting project that invites Star Tribune readers into the newsroom. To get us rolling, were answering this question from a curious staff member. And heres a twist. During our research we learned of a competing skyway origin story. Before freeways circled Minneapolis, drivers from across the state were directed through downtown, leading to congested streets and dangerous crosswalks, said Jack Byers, a former Minneapolis city planner. [City planners] envisioned a system of second-story walkways that would take pedestrians up off the sidewalk so they were not having to cross through intersections where cars were turning, Byers said. Turn the city inside out The citys early skyway designs were not the enclosed walkways that exist today, but instead had open sides. Some downtown real estate owners supported the idea of second floor walkways as a way to rent out traditionally undesirable space in their buildings. Nobody really wanted the second floor because the second floor was the worst of all worlds in that you didnt have a view and you were also very close to street noise, Byers said. The citys second oldest skyway still stands today, linking the Northstar Center and Roanoke Building. Although still operational, its age shows, said Elizabeth Gales, a local architect. It is claustrophobic, she said about the skyway. They werent sure what they were doing and thats the way they [initially] envisioned the bridges. At first, skyway bridges only linked individual buildings. It wasnt until the construction of the IDS Center in 1972 that the individual skyways transformed into the sprawling system that exists today. IDS was designed with the skyways in mind, and soon became a hub, connecting to a skyway bridge on each side of the building. There was this idea to turn the city inside out so that the public space was on the interior rather than the exterior, Byers said. In the 1970s, Minneapolis was imagined as a tiered city with a bustling city center encircled by a ring of parking ramps. The idea was dont drive all the way into downtown. Drive to the edge of downtown and leave your car [there] and walk the rest of the distance, Byers said. If the weathers nice take the sidewalks; if the weathers crummy take the skyways. Skyway styles Minneapolis was one of the first North American cities to construct a full-fledged skyway system, Nathanson said, but St. Paul was not far behind in 1967. Since the Minneapolis skyways are managed by the buildings they link (and St. Pauls are public), the two cities approach the system differently. St. Paul skyways blend into the cityscape like furniture, Gales said, but Minneapolis owners give their bridges a unique flair. Your bridge should be a gateway entrance into your building and so the style and appearance of your bridge should enhance or work with whats going on with your building, Gales said. Stained glass decorates the skyway leading into the Wells Fargo Center, reflecting the buildings history and elaborate decorations and the skylights in bridges leading into the IDS Center, match the ceiling in Crystal Court. Heres some more skyway trivia to think about the next time youre strolling downtown: The citys first skyway was demolished in the 1980s during the construction of Norwest Center. The latest skyway addition came with construction of U.S. Bank Stadium a few years ago. In 2015, a Brainerd family purchased a 280,000-pound skyway bridge and converted it into a home. Whether you view the skyways as notoriously hard to navigate or a shield from the elements, they have become a permanent downtown fixture. Theyre very interesting things, Gales said, love them or hate them. Emma Dill is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune. --- If you'd like to submit a Curious Minnesota question, fill out the form below: | Downtown Minneapolis has a network of skyways. Some attribute the skyways to a Minneapolis developer who proposed them to keep businesses downtown. | pegasus | 0 | http://www.startribune.com/where-did-the-idea-for-minneapolis-skyways-come-from/506217261/ | 0.273306 |
Where did the idea for Minneapolis skyways come from? | Its hard to imagine downtown Minneapolis without its skyways. They have become, after all, as distinctly Minnesotan as hockey and hot dish. It turns out the skyways were not a reaction to Minnesotas frigid climate. Some attribute the skyways to Leslie Park, a Minneapolis developer who proposed them to keep businesses downtown. General Mills left downtown in 1955 for Golden Valley, and the next year, Southdale Center opened in Edina. Southdale was the first climate-controlled, enclosed shopping center in the country, said Iric Nathanson, a local historian. Park felt that Southdale was going to suck all of the economic and financial energy out of downtown Minneapolis. When Parks company developed the Northstar Center in 1959, he designed an enclosed walkway to link the building with Northwestern Bank. The link was built in 1962. As new skyscrapers developed, many included skyways. [They] spread out like an octopus, Nathanson said. It turned out to be a big hit. This skyway question is a part of Curious Minnesota, our community-driven reporting project that invites Star Tribune readers into the newsroom. To get us rolling, were answering this question from a curious staff member. And heres a twist. During our research we learned of a competing skyway origin story. Before freeways circled Minneapolis, drivers from across the state were directed through downtown, leading to congested streets and dangerous crosswalks, said Jack Byers, a former Minneapolis city planner. [City planners] envisioned a system of second-story walkways that would take pedestrians up off the sidewalk so they were not having to cross through intersections where cars were turning, Byers said. Turn the city inside out The citys early skyway designs were not the enclosed walkways that exist today, but instead had open sides. Some downtown real estate owners supported the idea of second floor walkways as a way to rent out traditionally undesirable space in their buildings. Nobody really wanted the second floor because the second floor was the worst of all worlds in that you didnt have a view and you were also very close to street noise, Byers said. The citys second oldest skyway still stands today, linking the Northstar Center and Roanoke Building. Although still operational, its age shows, said Elizabeth Gales, a local architect. It is claustrophobic, she said about the skyway. They werent sure what they were doing and thats the way they [initially] envisioned the bridges. At first, skyway bridges only linked individual buildings. It wasnt until the construction of the IDS Center in 1972 that the individual skyways transformed into the sprawling system that exists today. IDS was designed with the skyways in mind, and soon became a hub, connecting to a skyway bridge on each side of the building. There was this idea to turn the city inside out so that the public space was on the interior rather than the exterior, Byers said. In the 1970s, Minneapolis was imagined as a tiered city with a bustling city center encircled by a ring of parking ramps. The idea was dont drive all the way into downtown. Drive to the edge of downtown and leave your car [there] and walk the rest of the distance, Byers said. If the weathers nice take the sidewalks; if the weathers crummy take the skyways. Skyway styles Minneapolis was one of the first North American cities to construct a full-fledged skyway system, Nathanson said, but St. Paul was not far behind in 1967. Since the Minneapolis skyways are managed by the buildings they link (and St. Pauls are public), the two cities approach the system differently. St. Paul skyways blend into the cityscape like furniture, Gales said, but Minneapolis owners give their bridges a unique flair. Your bridge should be a gateway entrance into your building and so the style and appearance of your bridge should enhance or work with whats going on with your building, Gales said. Stained glass decorates the skyway leading into the Wells Fargo Center, reflecting the buildings history and elaborate decorations and the skylights in bridges leading into the IDS Center, match the ceiling in Crystal Court. Heres some more skyway trivia to think about the next time youre strolling downtown: The citys first skyway was demolished in the 1980s during the construction of Norwest Center. The latest skyway addition came with construction of U.S. Bank Stadium a few years ago. In 2015, a Brainerd family purchased a 280,000-pound skyway bridge and converted it into a home. Whether you view the skyways as notoriously hard to navigate or a shield from the elements, they have become a permanent downtown fixture. Theyre very interesting things, Gales said, love them or hate them. Emma Dill is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune. --- If you'd like to submit a Curious Minnesota question, fill out the form below: | Some attribute the skyways to Leslie Park, a Minneapolis developer who proposed them to keep businesses downtown. The citys early skyway designs were not the enclosed walkways that exist today. | bart | 1 | http://www.startribune.com/where-did-the-idea-for-minneapolis-skyways-come-from/506217261/ | 0.306357 |
Where did the idea for Minneapolis skyways come from? | Its hard to imagine downtown Minneapolis without its skyways. They have become, after all, as distinctly Minnesotan as hockey and hot dish. It turns out the skyways were not a reaction to Minnesotas frigid climate. Some attribute the skyways to Leslie Park, a Minneapolis developer who proposed them to keep businesses downtown. General Mills left downtown in 1955 for Golden Valley, and the next year, Southdale Center opened in Edina. Southdale was the first climate-controlled, enclosed shopping center in the country, said Iric Nathanson, a local historian. Park felt that Southdale was going to suck all of the economic and financial energy out of downtown Minneapolis. When Parks company developed the Northstar Center in 1959, he designed an enclosed walkway to link the building with Northwestern Bank. The link was built in 1962. As new skyscrapers developed, many included skyways. [They] spread out like an octopus, Nathanson said. It turned out to be a big hit. This skyway question is a part of Curious Minnesota, our community-driven reporting project that invites Star Tribune readers into the newsroom. To get us rolling, were answering this question from a curious staff member. And heres a twist. During our research we learned of a competing skyway origin story. Before freeways circled Minneapolis, drivers from across the state were directed through downtown, leading to congested streets and dangerous crosswalks, said Jack Byers, a former Minneapolis city planner. [City planners] envisioned a system of second-story walkways that would take pedestrians up off the sidewalk so they were not having to cross through intersections where cars were turning, Byers said. Turn the city inside out The citys early skyway designs were not the enclosed walkways that exist today, but instead had open sides. Some downtown real estate owners supported the idea of second floor walkways as a way to rent out traditionally undesirable space in their buildings. Nobody really wanted the second floor because the second floor was the worst of all worlds in that you didnt have a view and you were also very close to street noise, Byers said. The citys second oldest skyway still stands today, linking the Northstar Center and Roanoke Building. Although still operational, its age shows, said Elizabeth Gales, a local architect. It is claustrophobic, she said about the skyway. They werent sure what they were doing and thats the way they [initially] envisioned the bridges. At first, skyway bridges only linked individual buildings. It wasnt until the construction of the IDS Center in 1972 that the individual skyways transformed into the sprawling system that exists today. IDS was designed with the skyways in mind, and soon became a hub, connecting to a skyway bridge on each side of the building. There was this idea to turn the city inside out so that the public space was on the interior rather than the exterior, Byers said. In the 1970s, Minneapolis was imagined as a tiered city with a bustling city center encircled by a ring of parking ramps. The idea was dont drive all the way into downtown. Drive to the edge of downtown and leave your car [there] and walk the rest of the distance, Byers said. If the weathers nice take the sidewalks; if the weathers crummy take the skyways. Skyway styles Minneapolis was one of the first North American cities to construct a full-fledged skyway system, Nathanson said, but St. Paul was not far behind in 1967. Since the Minneapolis skyways are managed by the buildings they link (and St. Pauls are public), the two cities approach the system differently. St. Paul skyways blend into the cityscape like furniture, Gales said, but Minneapolis owners give their bridges a unique flair. Your bridge should be a gateway entrance into your building and so the style and appearance of your bridge should enhance or work with whats going on with your building, Gales said. Stained glass decorates the skyway leading into the Wells Fargo Center, reflecting the buildings history and elaborate decorations and the skylights in bridges leading into the IDS Center, match the ceiling in Crystal Court. Heres some more skyway trivia to think about the next time youre strolling downtown: The citys first skyway was demolished in the 1980s during the construction of Norwest Center. The latest skyway addition came with construction of U.S. Bank Stadium a few years ago. In 2015, a Brainerd family purchased a 280,000-pound skyway bridge and converted it into a home. Whether you view the skyways as notoriously hard to navigate or a shield from the elements, they have become a permanent downtown fixture. Theyre very interesting things, Gales said, love them or hate them. Emma Dill is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune. --- If you'd like to submit a Curious Minnesota question, fill out the form below: | Some attribute the skyways to Leslie Park, a Minneapolis developer who proposed them to keep businesses downtown. The citys early skyway designs were not the enclosed walkways that exist today. Some downtown real estate owners supported the idea of second floor walkways as a way to rent out traditionally undesirable space in their buildings. | bart | 2 | http://www.startribune.com/where-did-the-idea-for-minneapolis-skyways-come-from/506217261/ | 0.377374 |
Can Social Retail Therapy Save the World's Brick-and-Mortar Marketplaces? | Jose Silva As the continuing decline of UK high streets promotes calls for government intervention, and the slow death of the American mall continues at pace, it seems brick-and-mortar shops cant catch a break. Indeed, research conducted by Altus Group predicts that 23,000 shops in Britain are set to close in 2019, affecting over 175,000 high-street jobs. This trend has been accelerating in recent years, as digital retail sales continue to rise at a double-digit pace, outstripping the single-digit growth of their in-store counterparts. So much of this change in consumer behaviour is often credited to better deals and greater convenience online, though retail experiences aren't and never have been just about the transaction itself. From the earliest bazaars in Persia to the sprawling post-war American mall, retail spaces have played a central role in the development of social and cultural life. As so much of our social life has been outsourced to technology, so too has our retail purchasing behaviour, with online reviews into the thousands on popular items replacing the sort of social discourse and pro-social behaviour that used to be the bread-and-butter of the marketplace. And yet, people are lonelier than ever. A 2016 study from Harvard labelled loneliness "an epidemic," and in 2018 the UK appointed its first Loneliness Minister, suggesting that alienation is on the rise as our social lives become less and less about in-person connections. A 2017 study in the Journal of Consumer Behaviour found that socially-excluded people estimated that they had more friends on Facebook than those who aren't socially excluded, suggesting that likes and views aren't always enough. That is not to say that digital connections aren't necessary or beneficial, but rather, that they are and were always meant to be an adjunct or accelerator of social interaction, not a replacement. So is it time for some social "retail therapy?" Often the brunt of jokes, the concept of retail therapy has been studied as a personal and emotional experience linked to our own hedonic impulses. But new research published this year suggests there may be more at play. Join the crowd: How social exclusion affects approach behaviour toward consumer-dense retail environments," co-authors Veronica L. Thomas and Christina Saenger discovered that people experiencing social exclusion (which constitutes roughly 1 in 5 of us) experience heightened social affiliation motivation, which makes them see crowds in retail spaces as positive, leading to greater purchase intentions. As loneliness is on the rise, re-inventing retail spaces as social spaces could help brick-and-mortar to harken back to its social bazaar ancestry. I spoke with Veronica L. Thomas to learn more about this how this particular consumer behaviour could create more positive social retail experiences. Veronica: I always find it intriguing when there is the possibility that a relatively well-founded or intuitive finding may potentially be contradicted. My co-author on this research, Christina Saenger, and I have conducted multiple studies on self-threat (social exclusion is a particular type of self-threat) and I had previously read a somewhat related article (Mourey, Olson, & Yoon, 2017) that demonstrated that individuals who were socially excluded estimated that they had more friends on Facebook than individuals who did not experience social exclusion. This knowledge made me question the long-standing assumption that crowding in retail environments is something that should be viewed negatively. (Please note that there are some studies that discuss exceptions to crowding as a negative, but many academic papers consistently find that crowding negatively affects a consumers retail experience.) Thus, I wondered if crowding may actually be viewed positively by those consumers who experience social exclusion. Veronica: In this particular study, our hypotheses stem from evolutionary social cognitive theory. This theory asserts that the human brain has adapted to manage challenges that may threaten our survival. A lack of affiliation is one of these challenges as, in the past, interdependence on others was often vital for obtaining resources, protection, and reproducing. Today, people still exhibit a strong need to belong and when a threat to belonging occurs, such as through exclusion, individuals are motivated to affiliate. We examine this affiliation motivation and its impact on consumer behavior in a variety of ways. In our first study, we demonstrate that consumers who are socially excluded show a preference for crowded retail images. We had two conditions (excluded/not excluded) and showed both groups of participants 4 sets of pictures. Each set contained two pictures of a similar retail environment, except one picture was crowded, while the other was not. Participants in the excluded condition selected a significantly higher number of crowded images. In our second study, we again had two groups of participants (excluded/not excluded) and showed both groups the same image of a crowded retail image. We then measured approach behaviors (e.g. desire to browse at the retailer, desire to spend money). We found that socially excluded participants were more likely to indicate a desire to approach the retailer than non-excluded participants. Finally, in our third study, we actually demonstrate that socially excluded participants are more motivated to affiliate (consistent with the theory above) and perceived an image as more crowded than non-excluded participants (suggesting exclusion changes our perceptions- similar to the Mourey et al. article noted above). In this study, we also replicate our findings regarding approach behaviors noted in study 2. Veronica: Since the goal of affiliation makes consumers more sensitive to cues that would signal inclusion, socially excluded individuals are positively biased toward crowding, preferring crowded retail environments (as demonstrated in our results from studies 1-3). Further, as demonstrated in study 3, socially excluded consumers also actually perceive retail spaces to be more crowded and perceive crowding positively. Since the retail space is associated with goal achievement, overcoming exclusion, the retail space becomes viewed as affectively positive. We know that when consumers view a retailer/brand more positively, they express greater purchase intentions. Karen: Is there anything retail environments can do to create "positive crowds?" Veronica: Yes! What are research really demonstrates is that retailers can appeal to consumers who may potentially feel socially excluded by encouraging crowding and providing re-affiliation opportunities. For example, certain times of the year are more likely to result in social exclusion. My colleague and I discuss in the paper how Valentines Day frequently garners attention for the focus it places on those in romantic relationships, leaving people without a significant other potentially feeling isolated. We note that retail environments that appear crowded could be more enticing for these individuals and that marketers may want to appeal to these individuals. Matthew Henry The Opportunity in Community To a certain extent, malls and high streets are beginning to do this. Even at my local Stratford Westfield Mall in London, along a single stretch of shops you'll find a communal piano, ping-pong tables, and an open space of community events. And yet, many stretches of compartmentalised shops and packed food courts don't necessarily create the sense of "positive crowding" that Thomas and Saenger speak about in their research. Retail needs an experiential overhaul, and perhaps retailer Sir John Timpson's suggestion that high-streets and malls need to diversify into real community spaces ones that include housing, medicine, grocery, and parks holds water. In light of recent research in social and consumer behaviour, our social affiliation drive isn't going anywhere, and perhaps brick-and-mortar shops need to look beyond the transactional nature of retail experience, and consider their role in creating the social retail therapy of the future. | Research predicts 23,000 shops in Britain are set to close in 2019. Re-inventing retail spaces as social spaces could help brick-and-mortar. | pegasus | 1 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/karencorreiadasilva/2019/03/22/can-social-retail-therapy-save-the-worlds-brick-and-mortar-marketplaces/ | 0.179288 |
Can Social Retail Therapy Save the World's Brick-and-Mortar Marketplaces? | Jose Silva As the continuing decline of UK high streets promotes calls for government intervention, and the slow death of the American mall continues at pace, it seems brick-and-mortar shops cant catch a break. Indeed, research conducted by Altus Group predicts that 23,000 shops in Britain are set to close in 2019, affecting over 175,000 high-street jobs. This trend has been accelerating in recent years, as digital retail sales continue to rise at a double-digit pace, outstripping the single-digit growth of their in-store counterparts. So much of this change in consumer behaviour is often credited to better deals and greater convenience online, though retail experiences aren't and never have been just about the transaction itself. From the earliest bazaars in Persia to the sprawling post-war American mall, retail spaces have played a central role in the development of social and cultural life. As so much of our social life has been outsourced to technology, so too has our retail purchasing behaviour, with online reviews into the thousands on popular items replacing the sort of social discourse and pro-social behaviour that used to be the bread-and-butter of the marketplace. And yet, people are lonelier than ever. A 2016 study from Harvard labelled loneliness "an epidemic," and in 2018 the UK appointed its first Loneliness Minister, suggesting that alienation is on the rise as our social lives become less and less about in-person connections. A 2017 study in the Journal of Consumer Behaviour found that socially-excluded people estimated that they had more friends on Facebook than those who aren't socially excluded, suggesting that likes and views aren't always enough. That is not to say that digital connections aren't necessary or beneficial, but rather, that they are and were always meant to be an adjunct or accelerator of social interaction, not a replacement. So is it time for some social "retail therapy?" Often the brunt of jokes, the concept of retail therapy has been studied as a personal and emotional experience linked to our own hedonic impulses. But new research published this year suggests there may be more at play. Join the crowd: How social exclusion affects approach behaviour toward consumer-dense retail environments," co-authors Veronica L. Thomas and Christina Saenger discovered that people experiencing social exclusion (which constitutes roughly 1 in 5 of us) experience heightened social affiliation motivation, which makes them see crowds in retail spaces as positive, leading to greater purchase intentions. As loneliness is on the rise, re-inventing retail spaces as social spaces could help brick-and-mortar to harken back to its social bazaar ancestry. I spoke with Veronica L. Thomas to learn more about this how this particular consumer behaviour could create more positive social retail experiences. Veronica: I always find it intriguing when there is the possibility that a relatively well-founded or intuitive finding may potentially be contradicted. My co-author on this research, Christina Saenger, and I have conducted multiple studies on self-threat (social exclusion is a particular type of self-threat) and I had previously read a somewhat related article (Mourey, Olson, & Yoon, 2017) that demonstrated that individuals who were socially excluded estimated that they had more friends on Facebook than individuals who did not experience social exclusion. This knowledge made me question the long-standing assumption that crowding in retail environments is something that should be viewed negatively. (Please note that there are some studies that discuss exceptions to crowding as a negative, but many academic papers consistently find that crowding negatively affects a consumers retail experience.) Thus, I wondered if crowding may actually be viewed positively by those consumers who experience social exclusion. Veronica: In this particular study, our hypotheses stem from evolutionary social cognitive theory. This theory asserts that the human brain has adapted to manage challenges that may threaten our survival. A lack of affiliation is one of these challenges as, in the past, interdependence on others was often vital for obtaining resources, protection, and reproducing. Today, people still exhibit a strong need to belong and when a threat to belonging occurs, such as through exclusion, individuals are motivated to affiliate. We examine this affiliation motivation and its impact on consumer behavior in a variety of ways. In our first study, we demonstrate that consumers who are socially excluded show a preference for crowded retail images. We had two conditions (excluded/not excluded) and showed both groups of participants 4 sets of pictures. Each set contained two pictures of a similar retail environment, except one picture was crowded, while the other was not. Participants in the excluded condition selected a significantly higher number of crowded images. In our second study, we again had two groups of participants (excluded/not excluded) and showed both groups the same image of a crowded retail image. We then measured approach behaviors (e.g. desire to browse at the retailer, desire to spend money). We found that socially excluded participants were more likely to indicate a desire to approach the retailer than non-excluded participants. Finally, in our third study, we actually demonstrate that socially excluded participants are more motivated to affiliate (consistent with the theory above) and perceived an image as more crowded than non-excluded participants (suggesting exclusion changes our perceptions- similar to the Mourey et al. article noted above). In this study, we also replicate our findings regarding approach behaviors noted in study 2. Veronica: Since the goal of affiliation makes consumers more sensitive to cues that would signal inclusion, socially excluded individuals are positively biased toward crowding, preferring crowded retail environments (as demonstrated in our results from studies 1-3). Further, as demonstrated in study 3, socially excluded consumers also actually perceive retail spaces to be more crowded and perceive crowding positively. Since the retail space is associated with goal achievement, overcoming exclusion, the retail space becomes viewed as affectively positive. We know that when consumers view a retailer/brand more positively, they express greater purchase intentions. Karen: Is there anything retail environments can do to create "positive crowds?" Veronica: Yes! What are research really demonstrates is that retailers can appeal to consumers who may potentially feel socially excluded by encouraging crowding and providing re-affiliation opportunities. For example, certain times of the year are more likely to result in social exclusion. My colleague and I discuss in the paper how Valentines Day frequently garners attention for the focus it places on those in romantic relationships, leaving people without a significant other potentially feeling isolated. We note that retail environments that appear crowded could be more enticing for these individuals and that marketers may want to appeal to these individuals. Matthew Henry The Opportunity in Community To a certain extent, malls and high streets are beginning to do this. Even at my local Stratford Westfield Mall in London, along a single stretch of shops you'll find a communal piano, ping-pong tables, and an open space of community events. And yet, many stretches of compartmentalised shops and packed food courts don't necessarily create the sense of "positive crowding" that Thomas and Saenger speak about in their research. Retail needs an experiential overhaul, and perhaps retailer Sir John Timpson's suggestion that high-streets and malls need to diversify into real community spaces ones that include housing, medicine, grocery, and parks holds water. In light of recent research in social and consumer behaviour, our social affiliation drive isn't going anywhere, and perhaps brick-and-mortar shops need to look beyond the transactional nature of retail experience, and consider their role in creating the social retail therapy of the future. | As loneliness is on the rise, re-inventing retail spaces as social spaces could help brick-and-mortar to harken back to its social bazaar ancestry. From the earliest bazaars in Persia to the sprawling post-war American mall, retail spaces have played a central role in the development of social and cultural life. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/karencorreiadasilva/2019/03/22/can-social-retail-therapy-save-the-worlds-brick-and-mortar-marketplaces/ | 0.223768 |
Do Diamondback fans even know who they got in exchange for Paul Goldschmidt? | The St. Louis Cardinals have reportedly extended their offseason acquisition, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, for five years, $130 million. And at that price, the Arizona Diamondbacks might be wondering why they gave up their face of the franchise with one year left on his existing contract. But give him up they did! After finishing just 82-80 last season, the D-backs are officially rebuilding and so they flipped the six-time All Star for a pitching prospect, two minor leaguers and a 2019 Competitive Balance Round B draft pick back in December. Paul Goldschmidt played eight seasons for the Arizona Diamondbacks before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals last December. (Getty Images) Scroll to continue with content Ad Its possible that one or more of the guys Arizona got in return will prove to be savvy acquisitions in the long run. The bundle of prospects included right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver, catcher Carson Kelly and infielder Andy Young. But Goldschmidt, who spent eight years in Arizona, is still a much, much larger presence even in his absence in D-backs spring training than any of those guys. We asked a bunch of fans, many of whom were still rocking Goldie jerseys, if they could name even one of the guys their team got in the trade and, well, just take a look at how that went. More from Yahoo Sports: | Paul Goldschmidt was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the St. Louis Cardinals in December. | ctrlsum | 0 | https://sports.yahoo.com/do-diamondback-fans-even-know-who-they-got-in-exchange-for-paul-goldschmidt-220749904.html?src=rss | 0.127323 |
Do Diamondback fans even know who they got in exchange for Paul Goldschmidt? | The St. Louis Cardinals have reportedly extended their offseason acquisition, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, for five years, $130 million. And at that price, the Arizona Diamondbacks might be wondering why they gave up their face of the franchise with one year left on his existing contract. But give him up they did! After finishing just 82-80 last season, the D-backs are officially rebuilding and so they flipped the six-time All Star for a pitching prospect, two minor leaguers and a 2019 Competitive Balance Round B draft pick back in December. Paul Goldschmidt played eight seasons for the Arizona Diamondbacks before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals last December. (Getty Images) Scroll to continue with content Ad Its possible that one or more of the guys Arizona got in return will prove to be savvy acquisitions in the long run. The bundle of prospects included right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver, catcher Carson Kelly and infielder Andy Young. But Goldschmidt, who spent eight years in Arizona, is still a much, much larger presence even in his absence in D-backs spring training than any of those guys. We asked a bunch of fans, many of whom were still rocking Goldie jerseys, if they could name even one of the guys their team got in the trade and, well, just take a look at how that went. More from Yahoo Sports: | Paul Goldschmidt played eight seasons for the Arizona Diamondbacks before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals last December. The D-backs are officially rebuilding and so they flipped the six-time All Star for a pitching prospect, two minor leaguers and a 2019 Competitive Balance Round B draft pick. | pegasus | 2 | https://sports.yahoo.com/do-diamondback-fans-even-know-who-they-got-in-exchange-for-paul-goldschmidt-220749904.html?src=rss | 0.330884 |
What is the record winter snowfall for Cleveland? Average amount? Annual totals? | CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland set a record for snow with 117.9 inches during the winter of 2004-2005. The winter of 2013-14 had the most snow since that record year, with 86.1 inches recorded by the weather service at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. There were just 32.8 inches during the winter of 2015-16. On average, since 1950, the airport about 60 inches of snow during the winter, counting late fall and early spring snows in the totals, cleveland.com found in tabulating daily weather reports. Earlier in the 1900s, the official readings were taken downtown, instead of the current location. Annual Cleveland snowfall Updated through March 21, 2019. Source: Analysis of National Weather Service Records -- Rich Exner, cleveland.com | Cleveland set a record for snow with 117.9 inches during the winter of 2004-2005. | bart | 0 | https://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/2014/03/what_is_the_record_winter_snow.html | 0.466936 |
What is the record winter snowfall for Cleveland? Average amount? Annual totals? | CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland set a record for snow with 117.9 inches during the winter of 2004-2005. The winter of 2013-14 had the most snow since that record year, with 86.1 inches recorded by the weather service at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. There were just 32.8 inches during the winter of 2015-16. On average, since 1950, the airport about 60 inches of snow during the winter, counting late fall and early spring snows in the totals, cleveland.com found in tabulating daily weather reports. Earlier in the 1900s, the official readings were taken downtown, instead of the current location. Annual Cleveland snowfall Updated through March 21, 2019. Source: Analysis of National Weather Service Records -- Rich Exner, cleveland.com | Cleveland set a record for snow with 117.9 inches during the winter of 2004-2005. The winter of 2013-14 had the most snow since that record year, with 86.1 inches. | bart | 1 | https://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/2014/03/what_is_the_record_winter_snow.html | 0.569495 |
What is the record winter snowfall for Cleveland? Average amount? Annual totals? | CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland set a record for snow with 117.9 inches during the winter of 2004-2005. The winter of 2013-14 had the most snow since that record year, with 86.1 inches recorded by the weather service at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. There were just 32.8 inches during the winter of 2015-16. On average, since 1950, the airport about 60 inches of snow during the winter, counting late fall and early spring snows in the totals, cleveland.com found in tabulating daily weather reports. Earlier in the 1900s, the official readings were taken downtown, instead of the current location. Annual Cleveland snowfall Updated through March 21, 2019. Source: Analysis of National Weather Service Records -- Rich Exner, cleveland.com | Cleveland set a record for snow with 117.9 inches during the winter of 2004-2005. The winter of 2013-14 had the most snow since that record year. There were just 32.8 inches during the winter of 2015-16. On average, since 1950, the airport about 60 inches of snow during the winter. | pegasus | 2 | https://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/2014/03/what_is_the_record_winter_snow.html | 0.666577 |
Was Wheaton Precious Metals Able To Beat Market Expectations In Q4 2018? | Wheaton Precious Metals (NYSE: WPM), one of the worlds largest precious metals streaming companies, announced its Q4 2018 results on March 20, 2019, followed by a conference call the next day. Though the fourth quarter revenue and EPS were lower on a year-on-year basis, WPM beat the consensus estimates for revenue and EPS for the quarter as well as FY 2018. The company reported revenue of $196.6 million in Q4 2018 (against market expectation of $191.7 million), 18.9% lower than the $242.5 million reported in Q4 2017. The companys earnings came in at $0.08 per share (against a consensus of $0.06 per share) in Q4 2018, much lower than $0.19 in the year-ago period. Full year revenue decreased by 5.8% to $794 million in 2018. According to Trefis analysis, the lower revenue and earnings were mainly the reflection of a decrease in silver shipments, driven by termination of the old San Dimas silver purchase agreement, coupled with the ceasing of silver production from Lagunas Norte, Veladero, and Pierina mines. Lower silver revenues were slightly offset by an increase in gold sales and addition of palladium sales as a new revenue stream for the company. In addition, here is more Materials data. Trefis Key Factors Affecting Earnings Decrease in silver production and price realization: Silver was the biggest drag on WPMs revenue growth in 2018. Revenue from silver decreased by 18.1% (y-o-y) to $343.6 million in 2018, compared to $419.3 million in 2017, mainly due to an 11.8% decline in silver shipments to 21.7 million ounces in 2018 from 24.6 million ounces in the previous year. Volume decreased as a result of the signing of the new San Dimas agreement in May 2018, under which silver production that was attributable to the company under the old agreement would now be converted to the equivalent gold volume. Additionally, silver production at the companys Lagunas Norte, Veladero, and Pierina mines ceased effective March 2018. Along with lower volume, silver prices also witnessed a decline on the back of a stronger dollar and rising interest rates in the US. Going forward, we expect silver revenue to decline marginally in 2019 and remain flat in 2020 driven by lower volumes, partially offset by strengthening of prices as observed over the last three months. Higher Gold Sales: Gold revenue increased by 4.1% to $441.2 million in 2018 from $423.9 million in 2017, driven by higher volume and better price realization. Gold shipments increased from 337.2 million ounces in 2017 to 349.2 million ounces in 2018, mainly due to additional gold attributable to WPM following the new agreement with First Majestic at San Dimas, coupled with WPMs acquisition of a new gold stream at Stillwater, and higher production at Salobo and Constancia mines. Additionally, though gold prices witnessed a lot of volatility in 2018 due to rising interest rates, prices saw some strengthening in the fourth quarter, which helped WPM increase its price realization for the year. We expect gold prices to rise further in 2019 (as the trend has been over the last three months) on the back of higher retail and institutional investment in the yellow metal, with many Central Banks buying gold as a hedge against rising economic uncertainty. Simultaneously, we expect volume to rise further over the next two years as WPM would benefit from a full year under the new San Dimas agreement, slightly offset by lower-grades at Salobo due to mine sequencing (most pronounced in the first quarter of 2019). Benefits from Palladium: Palladium is a new addition to WPMs revenue streams with the company having entered into an agreement with Sibanye-Stillwater to acquire palladium at an agreed ratio of total production at the site. Palladium added $9.2 million to the companys revenue in 2018. Palladium production is expected to increase going forward as the Company has its first full year of production from the Stillwater stream, which was acquired in July of 2018. Prices are expected to remain elevated in the near-term, in line with the recent increase. Higher Margins: Net income margin increased sharply to 53.8% in 2018 from 6.8% in 2017. However, this rise was driven by a one-time gain from the termination of the previous San Dimas silver purchase agreement, which amounts to approximately $245.7 million. This gain was partially offset by higher interest expense on the back of rising interest rates and increased amount drawn under WPMs revolving credit facility. Over the next two years, we expect margins to decline to about 32%, in the absence of any large non-recurring benefit, offset by higher volume and better price realization. We expect the declining silver production to be completely offset by rising gold output, which would be driven by the new San Dimas agreement and Stillwater acquisition. Additionally, the company has announced the expansion of its Salobo III mine, thus ramping up its total gold production. With the addition of Palladium to its portfolio, WPM is expected to reap benefits of this diversification as palladium prices have increased sharply in the last couple of months. Additionally, in June 2018, WPM entered into an agreement to acquire from Vale an amount of Cobalt at an agreed ratio of Voiseys Bay cobalt production. Though deliveries under the contract are scheduled to begin in 2021, we believe that the companys aggressive push towards diversification rather than being a traditional silver-gold miner, would help in enhancing investor confidence as the stocks risk goes down. With the Feds latest statement dimming the likelihood of any rate hikes in 2019, prices of precious metals are expected to strengthen further. Thus, rising production of gold and palladium along with a positive pricing environment, expansion projects in the pipeline, and the companys focus on diversifying its portfolio and risk-mitigation, is expected to support WPMs stock price going forward. We have a price estimate of $27 for WPMs share price, which is higher than its current market price. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | Wheaton Precious Metals reported Q4 revenue and EPS lower on a year-on-year basis. | pegasus | 0 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/03/22/was-wheaton-precious-metals-able-to-beat-market-expectations-in-q4-2018/ | 0.133133 |
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