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Do Customers Really Want To Be In Control?
|
"Customers are connected." "Customers are more informed than ever." "Customers trust each other more than brands." "Customers have the power." "Customers are in control." I'm sure that you've seen a headline somewhere across the web recently with those words or some variation of those words. It's the last sentence (maybe the last two) that really baffles me. There's been a lot of talk lately about customers having the power and being in control. First things first: a refresher. I define it as the sum of all the interactions that a customer has with an organization over the life of the relationship with that company. More importantly, it's the feelings, emotions and perceptions the customer has about those interactions. Yes. I used the word "relationship." Some people question if that's the right word to use. Well, according to Oxford Living Dictionaries, a relationship is: "The way in which two or more people or things are connected, or the state of being connected. The way in which two or more people or groups regard and behave toward each other." It's a connection. It's how we connect. It's feelings about -- and behaviors toward -- each other. It's a two-way street. I think we're safe using the word "relationship" in this context, although I do question if brands really care about their customers. The one thing we should keep in mind is that relationships are not managed, as some software platforms might have you believe, nor are they controlled. Instead, they are developed and nurtured. Imagine if your spouse or significant other controlled or managed your relationship or vice versa. I don't believe customers want to be "in control." Honestly, it's less about control and power and more about expectations and having their expectations known -- and met. It's more about brands doing the right thing. It's about customers knocking brands over the head and saying: "We're tired of being treated poorly! You ask us for feedback, you capture all this data about us, and yet, you still deliver an experience that is primitive, at best." Think about this for a moment. Great customer experiences have many attributes. They're personalized, emotional, memorable, relevant, consistent, etc. But three attributes that rise to the top and get their share of press time on an ongoing basis are: effortless, convenient and simple. Customers are smarter and more informed than ever before. And, yes, that raises their expectations. But all they want is for things to be easy. Remember, this relationship thing is a two-way street: Brands ask customers for feedback. Customers provide feedback, both solicited and unsolicited. Brands track and capture the breadcrumbs of data that customers leave as they interact with the brand. Brands must use that data, combined with the feedback customers provide, to understand customers and their expectations, then to design and deliver a better experience. Customers continue to do business with them. Customers want brands to say, "We heard you, and here's what we've done." Brands want customers to continue doing business with them. I think that's part of the problem. I think that's why this notion of "control" came about. Customers just got ticked off, and the relationship became one-sided. Brands focused on bringing customers into the fold but then didn't take care of them and nurture the relationship afterward. Companies stopped paying attention, and customers got tired of it. After all, we're all human. I know I've used the terms "brands" and "companies" here, but the bottom line is that brands and companies are run by people. People make the decisions to do business the way that they do. Be more human. Be more humane. We are all customers. We make our own lives -- and the lives of others -- more difficult. As you can tell, I have a lot more questions around that thought than I have answers at the moment. But I do think it's a fair line of questioning. Ultimately, I think a better word for what customers want is a participative role in the relationship. It's not about control, and it's not about being one-sided. Customers have needs and have jobs to be done, and companies' products and services help them fulfill those needs or achieve those jobs. Companies are in business to create and to nurture customers. They need each other. One closing thought. There is one way that customers have control: They have a choice. They can walk away. Treat them poorly, and the relationship is over.
|
There's been a lot of talk lately about customers having the power and being in control. Great customer experiences are effortless, convenient and simple.
|
pegasus
| 0 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/03/05/do-customers-really-want-to-be-in-control/
| 0.123495 |
Do Customers Really Want To Be In Control?
|
"Customers are connected." "Customers are more informed than ever." "Customers trust each other more than brands." "Customers have the power." "Customers are in control." I'm sure that you've seen a headline somewhere across the web recently with those words or some variation of those words. It's the last sentence (maybe the last two) that really baffles me. There's been a lot of talk lately about customers having the power and being in control. First things first: a refresher. I define it as the sum of all the interactions that a customer has with an organization over the life of the relationship with that company. More importantly, it's the feelings, emotions and perceptions the customer has about those interactions. Yes. I used the word "relationship." Some people question if that's the right word to use. Well, according to Oxford Living Dictionaries, a relationship is: "The way in which two or more people or things are connected, or the state of being connected. The way in which two or more people or groups regard and behave toward each other." It's a connection. It's how we connect. It's feelings about -- and behaviors toward -- each other. It's a two-way street. I think we're safe using the word "relationship" in this context, although I do question if brands really care about their customers. The one thing we should keep in mind is that relationships are not managed, as some software platforms might have you believe, nor are they controlled. Instead, they are developed and nurtured. Imagine if your spouse or significant other controlled or managed your relationship or vice versa. I don't believe customers want to be "in control." Honestly, it's less about control and power and more about expectations and having their expectations known -- and met. It's more about brands doing the right thing. It's about customers knocking brands over the head and saying: "We're tired of being treated poorly! You ask us for feedback, you capture all this data about us, and yet, you still deliver an experience that is primitive, at best." Think about this for a moment. Great customer experiences have many attributes. They're personalized, emotional, memorable, relevant, consistent, etc. But three attributes that rise to the top and get their share of press time on an ongoing basis are: effortless, convenient and simple. Customers are smarter and more informed than ever before. And, yes, that raises their expectations. But all they want is for things to be easy. Remember, this relationship thing is a two-way street: Brands ask customers for feedback. Customers provide feedback, both solicited and unsolicited. Brands track and capture the breadcrumbs of data that customers leave as they interact with the brand. Brands must use that data, combined with the feedback customers provide, to understand customers and their expectations, then to design and deliver a better experience. Customers continue to do business with them. Customers want brands to say, "We heard you, and here's what we've done." Brands want customers to continue doing business with them. I think that's part of the problem. I think that's why this notion of "control" came about. Customers just got ticked off, and the relationship became one-sided. Brands focused on bringing customers into the fold but then didn't take care of them and nurture the relationship afterward. Companies stopped paying attention, and customers got tired of it. After all, we're all human. I know I've used the terms "brands" and "companies" here, but the bottom line is that brands and companies are run by people. People make the decisions to do business the way that they do. Be more human. Be more humane. We are all customers. We make our own lives -- and the lives of others -- more difficult. As you can tell, I have a lot more questions around that thought than I have answers at the moment. But I do think it's a fair line of questioning. Ultimately, I think a better word for what customers want is a participative role in the relationship. It's not about control, and it's not about being one-sided. Customers have needs and have jobs to be done, and companies' products and services help them fulfill those needs or achieve those jobs. Companies are in business to create and to nurture customers. They need each other. One closing thought. There is one way that customers have control: They have a choice. They can walk away. Treat them poorly, and the relationship is over.
|
There's been a lot of talk lately about customers having the power and being in control. Customers are smarter and more informed than ever before, but all they want is for things to be easy.
|
bart
| 1 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/03/05/do-customers-really-want-to-be-in-control/
| 0.219089 |
Do Customers Really Want To Be In Control?
|
"Customers are connected." "Customers are more informed than ever." "Customers trust each other more than brands." "Customers have the power." "Customers are in control." I'm sure that you've seen a headline somewhere across the web recently with those words or some variation of those words. It's the last sentence (maybe the last two) that really baffles me. There's been a lot of talk lately about customers having the power and being in control. First things first: a refresher. I define it as the sum of all the interactions that a customer has with an organization over the life of the relationship with that company. More importantly, it's the feelings, emotions and perceptions the customer has about those interactions. Yes. I used the word "relationship." Some people question if that's the right word to use. Well, according to Oxford Living Dictionaries, a relationship is: "The way in which two or more people or things are connected, or the state of being connected. The way in which two or more people or groups regard and behave toward each other." It's a connection. It's how we connect. It's feelings about -- and behaviors toward -- each other. It's a two-way street. I think we're safe using the word "relationship" in this context, although I do question if brands really care about their customers. The one thing we should keep in mind is that relationships are not managed, as some software platforms might have you believe, nor are they controlled. Instead, they are developed and nurtured. Imagine if your spouse or significant other controlled or managed your relationship or vice versa. I don't believe customers want to be "in control." Honestly, it's less about control and power and more about expectations and having their expectations known -- and met. It's more about brands doing the right thing. It's about customers knocking brands over the head and saying: "We're tired of being treated poorly! You ask us for feedback, you capture all this data about us, and yet, you still deliver an experience that is primitive, at best." Think about this for a moment. Great customer experiences have many attributes. They're personalized, emotional, memorable, relevant, consistent, etc. But three attributes that rise to the top and get their share of press time on an ongoing basis are: effortless, convenient and simple. Customers are smarter and more informed than ever before. And, yes, that raises their expectations. But all they want is for things to be easy. Remember, this relationship thing is a two-way street: Brands ask customers for feedback. Customers provide feedback, both solicited and unsolicited. Brands track and capture the breadcrumbs of data that customers leave as they interact with the brand. Brands must use that data, combined with the feedback customers provide, to understand customers and their expectations, then to design and deliver a better experience. Customers continue to do business with them. Customers want brands to say, "We heard you, and here's what we've done." Brands want customers to continue doing business with them. I think that's part of the problem. I think that's why this notion of "control" came about. Customers just got ticked off, and the relationship became one-sided. Brands focused on bringing customers into the fold but then didn't take care of them and nurture the relationship afterward. Companies stopped paying attention, and customers got tired of it. After all, we're all human. I know I've used the terms "brands" and "companies" here, but the bottom line is that brands and companies are run by people. People make the decisions to do business the way that they do. Be more human. Be more humane. We are all customers. We make our own lives -- and the lives of others -- more difficult. As you can tell, I have a lot more questions around that thought than I have answers at the moment. But I do think it's a fair line of questioning. Ultimately, I think a better word for what customers want is a participative role in the relationship. It's not about control, and it's not about being one-sided. Customers have needs and have jobs to be done, and companies' products and services help them fulfill those needs or achieve those jobs. Companies are in business to create and to nurture customers. They need each other. One closing thought. There is one way that customers have control: They have a choice. They can walk away. Treat them poorly, and the relationship is over.
|
There's been a lot of talk lately about customers having the power and being in control. Great customer experiences have many attributes, but three are: effortless, convenient and simple. Remember, this relationship thing is a two-way street: Brands ask customers for feedback.
|
pegasus
| 2 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/03/05/do-customers-really-want-to-be-in-control/
| 0.138018 |
What Is A 401(k) Fiduciary And Why Does It Matter?
|
Yes. Every 401(k) plan has at least one fiduciary. Plans are legally required to have at least one fiduciary. Employers often appoint committees of officers and managers to act as the fiduciaries. A fiduciary is responsible for running the plan. The person, or group of people, who make decisions about plans and their investments are fiduciaries. They must act prudently and in the best interest of the employees. Prudence means that they have to make decisions carefully and thoughtfully. Its in the plans Summary Plan Description, or SPD. Each employee who is eligible to be in the plan should have been given a copy of the SPD. But, if you cant find it, just ask the benefits people at your company. They will give you a copy or they may point you to the plans website to get a copy. If, after reading the SPD, you have any questions about how the plan works or who the fiduciaries are, ask the benefits people at your company. Explained in a general way, it matters because those are the people who have to operate the plan properly and look out for the employees best interests. More specifically, the fiduciaries are responsible for decisions such as: Making sure that the plan investments are well-managed and reasonably priced. The officers and managers who act as fiduciaries must also monitor the investments, which means that they need to look at them periodically to make sure that they continue to be well-managed and reasonably priced. Selecting the service providers for the 401(k) plan. The most common service provider for a 401(k) plan is called a recordkeeper. The recordkeeper usually provides the plan website, educational materials, information about the investments, executes the investment transactions, maintains accounting records for participant accounts, and so on. In many ways, the recordkeeper is the heart-and-soul of the operation of the plan. So, its important that the fiduciaries hire a recordkeeper that can properly do those jobs. Also, the fiduciaries must make sure that the recordkeeper costs are reasonable. As with investments, plan fiduciaries must regularly monitor, or oversee, the recordkeeper to make sure that its services continue to be of good quality and reasonably priced. Fiduciaries have more than those two sets of duties. But, thats a good starting point. The law that governs the fiduciaries, known as ERISA, is demanding. If the fiduciaries dont act competently and knowledgeably, they can be sued for breach of their duties . . . and they sometimes are. One last question, What should you do with this information? First, if you are a company officer with responsibility for making decisions (for example, a committee member), you should ask for fiduciary training. Plan consultants, investment advisers, and ERISA attorneys commonly provide that education to committee members. Without some formal education, its difficult for plan committees to understand the full range of their responsibilities or how to satisfy those duties. If you are a participant in the plan, you should know that the plans services, investments and costs are being monitored, or reviewed, on a regular basis by the plan fiduciaries. If you think there might be a problem, contact your companys benefits staff and ask them about it. If the answers arent satisfactory, ask them to tell the committee about your concerns. Most plan committees take their jobs seriously and want the plan to work well.
|
Every 401(k) plan has at least one fiduciary. Fiduciaries must act prudently and in the best interest of the employees. The law that governs the fiduciaries, known as ERISA, is demanding.
|
ctrlsum
| 1 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/fredreish/2019/03/05/what-is-a-401k-fiduciary-and-why-does-it-matter/
| 0.177083 |
What Is A 401(k) Fiduciary And Why Does It Matter?
|
Yes. Every 401(k) plan has at least one fiduciary. Plans are legally required to have at least one fiduciary. Employers often appoint committees of officers and managers to act as the fiduciaries. A fiduciary is responsible for running the plan. The person, or group of people, who make decisions about plans and their investments are fiduciaries. They must act prudently and in the best interest of the employees. Prudence means that they have to make decisions carefully and thoughtfully. Its in the plans Summary Plan Description, or SPD. Each employee who is eligible to be in the plan should have been given a copy of the SPD. But, if you cant find it, just ask the benefits people at your company. They will give you a copy or they may point you to the plans website to get a copy. If, after reading the SPD, you have any questions about how the plan works or who the fiduciaries are, ask the benefits people at your company. Explained in a general way, it matters because those are the people who have to operate the plan properly and look out for the employees best interests. More specifically, the fiduciaries are responsible for decisions such as: Making sure that the plan investments are well-managed and reasonably priced. The officers and managers who act as fiduciaries must also monitor the investments, which means that they need to look at them periodically to make sure that they continue to be well-managed and reasonably priced. Selecting the service providers for the 401(k) plan. The most common service provider for a 401(k) plan is called a recordkeeper. The recordkeeper usually provides the plan website, educational materials, information about the investments, executes the investment transactions, maintains accounting records for participant accounts, and so on. In many ways, the recordkeeper is the heart-and-soul of the operation of the plan. So, its important that the fiduciaries hire a recordkeeper that can properly do those jobs. Also, the fiduciaries must make sure that the recordkeeper costs are reasonable. As with investments, plan fiduciaries must regularly monitor, or oversee, the recordkeeper to make sure that its services continue to be of good quality and reasonably priced. Fiduciaries have more than those two sets of duties. But, thats a good starting point. The law that governs the fiduciaries, known as ERISA, is demanding. If the fiduciaries dont act competently and knowledgeably, they can be sued for breach of their duties . . . and they sometimes are. One last question, What should you do with this information? First, if you are a company officer with responsibility for making decisions (for example, a committee member), you should ask for fiduciary training. Plan consultants, investment advisers, and ERISA attorneys commonly provide that education to committee members. Without some formal education, its difficult for plan committees to understand the full range of their responsibilities or how to satisfy those duties. If you are a participant in the plan, you should know that the plans services, investments and costs are being monitored, or reviewed, on a regular basis by the plan fiduciaries. If you think there might be a problem, contact your companys benefits staff and ask them about it. If the answers arent satisfactory, ask them to tell the committee about your concerns. Most plan committees take their jobs seriously and want the plan to work well.
|
Every 401(k) plan has at least one fiduciary. Employers often appoint committees of officers and managers to act as the fiduciaries. Fiduciaries must act prudently and in the best interest of the employees. The most common service provider for a 401(K) plan is called a recordkeeper.
|
bart
| 2 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/fredreish/2019/03/05/what-is-a-401k-fiduciary-and-why-does-it-matter/
| 0.205311 |
Is Gender Parity An Issue In Professional Hairdressing?
|
Take a look at any New York Fashion Week hairstyling coverage and the names that pop up are overwhelmingly male: Eugene for Wella, Guido for Redken, Bob Recine for Aveda, James Pecis for Oribe. Dig a little deeper and peruse top artist agency websites and most editorial hairdressing rosters read like a boys' club. Women comprise only about 26% of hair talent at the major agencies, fairing better in the world of celebrity hairdressing where representation is closer to 40%. Those numbers aren't great. Traditionally, editorial hairdressers get the prestigious magazine covers, top designer runway shows and lucrative ad campaigns. Despite much talk about the democratizing of fashion, professional hairstyling remains pretty cliquey, heavily relying on a referral system and of course, agency representation. Many of the big (male) names have been at the top for at least 20 years and they still want to work. They tend to get the big jobs. A longstanding gender bias in hiring lead assistants is also to blame. Lead assistant is a coveted role backstage and on set. The demands are physical: long hours, heavy lifting, transporting of bags both your own and for the boss and ensuring electrical power for hair tools in unusual venues. Most gladly do the grunt work as the role often leads to greater opportunities. Assistants get their big break when a key hairdresser recommends him or her for smaller editorial jobs. Most male hairdressers still feel more comfortable allotting the grunt work to fellow guys creating a cycle of sexism. Even successful female hairdressers admit to the bias. Says celebrity stylist and founder of Ouai Haircare, Jen Atkin, I realized four or five years ago that I didnt want to hire female assistants because I thought girls were emotional, and wouldn't be able to carry heavy bags around, and get dirty. I was part of the problem from the 90's! Ive since realized women can multitask like no other. They wear many hats, take on many jobs, and do it with grace and fierceness. I love watching women kick ass. And women are hustling. When once there was only Sally Hershberger and Odile Gilbert representing females in the celebrity and backstage arenas, now women are redefining what it means to be successful in the hairstyling space. They put in their time backstage, nurture their celebrity base, then use their social platforms to launch thriving businesses. Atkin, called the most influential hairdresser in the world by the NY Times, spent some time on Guido Palaus Paris team and at the Chris McMillan salon before overseeing a budding haircare empire of innovative products inspired by her 2.8 million followers. She Instagram Lives her product development meetings to ensure she stays in touch with her base. Atkins contemporary Sarah Potempa used her stints with hair legends Bob Recine and Danilo, and 10 years as a P&G consultant to launch Beachwaver Co., a hair tool company that just added a product extension set to surpass 20 million dollars in sales in the next two years according to WWD. While Kirstin Ess who co-founded her client Lauren Conrad's beauty blog The Beauty Department now has a Target collection set to reach the 100 million dollar mark. In the brick and mortar realm, intimate female-helmed studios are rising in popularity. On the West Coast we have the trio of friendly Streicher Sisters who help stars like Emily Blunt and Mandy Moore get red-carpet ready. Another former member of Guido Palaus inner circle Teddi Crandford struck out on her own offering elevated services to fashion-forward brides and it-girls. Her East Village atelier White Rose Collective is chic and intimate and yes all 8 employees are female. She attracts top talent like colorist Jenna Perry who regularly colors Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Bella Hadid. One hairdresser is a young mom who Teddi allows a flexible schedule. Its a tactic Atkin believes is key for nurturing talent. She says, I think the salon owners and the high ups at the haircare brands need to think about daycare. I see so many talented female hairdressers give up their dreams because they cant financially take care of children and keep up with a demanding salon schedule. While gender parity in the rarefied world of session styling is improving, it's still a work in progress. A fact both sexes are happy to discuss to force the progress along. When posting her first Vogue cover of Reese Witherspoon hairdresser Tara McNaughten recently noted on her Instagram account, Thank you Vogue, Zoe and Tonne. Thank you Reese Witherspoon for your incredible work in the world creating much needed change and always creating a space for women. It is not lost on me how few women hairstylists get these opportunities, so I am grateful. It's a deft way of self-promotion tinged with a gentle protest. Women are good multitaskers. It would be unfair not to acknowledge those men who are also doing their part, using their privilege to help create an ecosystem where there are natural opportunities for young female hairdressers. Many emerging hair leaders like Oribes Global Ambassador James Pecis and backstage favorite Anthony Turner are hiring female lead assistants. Pecis is incredibly supportive of his team when they strike out on their own, often announcing their graduation from lead assistant to full-fledged editorial hairdresser on his social media channels. Notes Pecis, I dont see a difference between genders when I am looking for the best hairdresser. Every person carrys their weight (and bags!) regardless of gender. I dont see any gender as a disadvantage. I choose assistants for their skill, teamwork passion and dedication. In a way, I feel I have an advantage with my team because I dont limit my options to gender. One of his ex-assistants Sara Palmer recently left James team after eight years and along with another budding editorial hairdresser founded Off Black, with the aim to offer a print outlet for work and issues she felt were under represented. Similarly, Cyndia Harvey is a successful hairdresser for magazines but also contributes to the beauty conversation as an editor of alternative publication Dazed and Confused. Notes Sarah, Previously I was told by someone in the industry that its hard for female hairstylists, youve got to be tough, for me I feel you just need to be yourself and be good at hair, nothing else should really matter.following in the footsteps of Odile Gilbert we now have girls like Holli Smith, Cyndia Harvey, Esther LanghamEvery time a girl gets signed it puts a smile on my face. I feel like we are finally getting there. Even in the last four years I feel the industry has progressed a lot and no longer are you put into a box. Every hairdresser in this article cites Odile as an inspiration. Gilbert has been an outlier backstage for 40 years racking up honors such as the Chevalier des Arts des Lettres and collaborating with heavy weights like Rodarte, Carolina Herrera and Alexander Wang. She cites tenacity being a girl you always need to fight a little bit but also humility and openness as keys to longevity in the industry. Odile makes it a point to run a backstage that feels pretty zen and inclusive, even when a backstage includes sewing in fresh flower garlands onto 32 heads of hair. She notes, I love to work with hairdressers from around the world, in this way I learn something just as much as they learn something. Keeping your eyes open feeds your creativity. In a watershed moment two years ago TRESemme, long time sponsor of NYFW tapped Odile along with digital superstar Justine Marjan for their first all-female roster to key their 10 plus shows. A good thirty years divides the two talented womens careers, yet Justine, like Odile grapples with her own gender-specific issues. Says Justine, "Backstage leads can be hard and rough and at first I was really focused on being nice, and that didn't go so well for me. I didn't feel like my message was heard. The following season , I just tried to focus more on holding people accountable. Being a boss. My team actually delivered better results, and I think that's something that doesn't come naturally for women. We want to be people pleasers. Males lead backstage a lot and that type of energy is read differently. It's read differently when it comes from a woman, so it's intimidating and hard to think about stepping into those shoes. You can handle yourself well and still speak with confidence and power and be respected and heard in a good way. Im definitely still learning and hope to do a better job each season." No doubt Justine will continue to evolve for the better, lets hope the hairdressing community, agencies, beauty and fashion brands continue to do so as well. A recommendation from her ex-boss Jen Atkin.
|
Women comprise only about 26% of hair talent at the major agencies. Despite talk of the democratizing of fashion, professional hairstyling remains pretty cliquey. A longstanding gender bias in hiring lead assistants is also to blame.
|
pegasus
| 1 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/beamcmonagle/2019/03/05/is-gender-parity-an-issue-in-professional-hairdressing/
| 0.116735 |
Is Gender Parity An Issue In Professional Hairdressing?
|
Take a look at any New York Fashion Week hairstyling coverage and the names that pop up are overwhelmingly male: Eugene for Wella, Guido for Redken, Bob Recine for Aveda, James Pecis for Oribe. Dig a little deeper and peruse top artist agency websites and most editorial hairdressing rosters read like a boys' club. Women comprise only about 26% of hair talent at the major agencies, fairing better in the world of celebrity hairdressing where representation is closer to 40%. Those numbers aren't great. Traditionally, editorial hairdressers get the prestigious magazine covers, top designer runway shows and lucrative ad campaigns. Despite much talk about the democratizing of fashion, professional hairstyling remains pretty cliquey, heavily relying on a referral system and of course, agency representation. Many of the big (male) names have been at the top for at least 20 years and they still want to work. They tend to get the big jobs. A longstanding gender bias in hiring lead assistants is also to blame. Lead assistant is a coveted role backstage and on set. The demands are physical: long hours, heavy lifting, transporting of bags both your own and for the boss and ensuring electrical power for hair tools in unusual venues. Most gladly do the grunt work as the role often leads to greater opportunities. Assistants get their big break when a key hairdresser recommends him or her for smaller editorial jobs. Most male hairdressers still feel more comfortable allotting the grunt work to fellow guys creating a cycle of sexism. Even successful female hairdressers admit to the bias. Says celebrity stylist and founder of Ouai Haircare, Jen Atkin, I realized four or five years ago that I didnt want to hire female assistants because I thought girls were emotional, and wouldn't be able to carry heavy bags around, and get dirty. I was part of the problem from the 90's! Ive since realized women can multitask like no other. They wear many hats, take on many jobs, and do it with grace and fierceness. I love watching women kick ass. And women are hustling. When once there was only Sally Hershberger and Odile Gilbert representing females in the celebrity and backstage arenas, now women are redefining what it means to be successful in the hairstyling space. They put in their time backstage, nurture their celebrity base, then use their social platforms to launch thriving businesses. Atkin, called the most influential hairdresser in the world by the NY Times, spent some time on Guido Palaus Paris team and at the Chris McMillan salon before overseeing a budding haircare empire of innovative products inspired by her 2.8 million followers. She Instagram Lives her product development meetings to ensure she stays in touch with her base. Atkins contemporary Sarah Potempa used her stints with hair legends Bob Recine and Danilo, and 10 years as a P&G consultant to launch Beachwaver Co., a hair tool company that just added a product extension set to surpass 20 million dollars in sales in the next two years according to WWD. While Kirstin Ess who co-founded her client Lauren Conrad's beauty blog The Beauty Department now has a Target collection set to reach the 100 million dollar mark. In the brick and mortar realm, intimate female-helmed studios are rising in popularity. On the West Coast we have the trio of friendly Streicher Sisters who help stars like Emily Blunt and Mandy Moore get red-carpet ready. Another former member of Guido Palaus inner circle Teddi Crandford struck out on her own offering elevated services to fashion-forward brides and it-girls. Her East Village atelier White Rose Collective is chic and intimate and yes all 8 employees are female. She attracts top talent like colorist Jenna Perry who regularly colors Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Bella Hadid. One hairdresser is a young mom who Teddi allows a flexible schedule. Its a tactic Atkin believes is key for nurturing talent. She says, I think the salon owners and the high ups at the haircare brands need to think about daycare. I see so many talented female hairdressers give up their dreams because they cant financially take care of children and keep up with a demanding salon schedule. While gender parity in the rarefied world of session styling is improving, it's still a work in progress. A fact both sexes are happy to discuss to force the progress along. When posting her first Vogue cover of Reese Witherspoon hairdresser Tara McNaughten recently noted on her Instagram account, Thank you Vogue, Zoe and Tonne. Thank you Reese Witherspoon for your incredible work in the world creating much needed change and always creating a space for women. It is not lost on me how few women hairstylists get these opportunities, so I am grateful. It's a deft way of self-promotion tinged with a gentle protest. Women are good multitaskers. It would be unfair not to acknowledge those men who are also doing their part, using their privilege to help create an ecosystem where there are natural opportunities for young female hairdressers. Many emerging hair leaders like Oribes Global Ambassador James Pecis and backstage favorite Anthony Turner are hiring female lead assistants. Pecis is incredibly supportive of his team when they strike out on their own, often announcing their graduation from lead assistant to full-fledged editorial hairdresser on his social media channels. Notes Pecis, I dont see a difference between genders when I am looking for the best hairdresser. Every person carrys their weight (and bags!) regardless of gender. I dont see any gender as a disadvantage. I choose assistants for their skill, teamwork passion and dedication. In a way, I feel I have an advantage with my team because I dont limit my options to gender. One of his ex-assistants Sara Palmer recently left James team after eight years and along with another budding editorial hairdresser founded Off Black, with the aim to offer a print outlet for work and issues she felt were under represented. Similarly, Cyndia Harvey is a successful hairdresser for magazines but also contributes to the beauty conversation as an editor of alternative publication Dazed and Confused. Notes Sarah, Previously I was told by someone in the industry that its hard for female hairstylists, youve got to be tough, for me I feel you just need to be yourself and be good at hair, nothing else should really matter.following in the footsteps of Odile Gilbert we now have girls like Holli Smith, Cyndia Harvey, Esther LanghamEvery time a girl gets signed it puts a smile on my face. I feel like we are finally getting there. Even in the last four years I feel the industry has progressed a lot and no longer are you put into a box. Every hairdresser in this article cites Odile as an inspiration. Gilbert has been an outlier backstage for 40 years racking up honors such as the Chevalier des Arts des Lettres and collaborating with heavy weights like Rodarte, Carolina Herrera and Alexander Wang. She cites tenacity being a girl you always need to fight a little bit but also humility and openness as keys to longevity in the industry. Odile makes it a point to run a backstage that feels pretty zen and inclusive, even when a backstage includes sewing in fresh flower garlands onto 32 heads of hair. She notes, I love to work with hairdressers from around the world, in this way I learn something just as much as they learn something. Keeping your eyes open feeds your creativity. In a watershed moment two years ago TRESemme, long time sponsor of NYFW tapped Odile along with digital superstar Justine Marjan for their first all-female roster to key their 10 plus shows. A good thirty years divides the two talented womens careers, yet Justine, like Odile grapples with her own gender-specific issues. Says Justine, "Backstage leads can be hard and rough and at first I was really focused on being nice, and that didn't go so well for me. I didn't feel like my message was heard. The following season , I just tried to focus more on holding people accountable. Being a boss. My team actually delivered better results, and I think that's something that doesn't come naturally for women. We want to be people pleasers. Males lead backstage a lot and that type of energy is read differently. It's read differently when it comes from a woman, so it's intimidating and hard to think about stepping into those shoes. You can handle yourself well and still speak with confidence and power and be respected and heard in a good way. Im definitely still learning and hope to do a better job each season." No doubt Justine will continue to evolve for the better, lets hope the hairdressing community, agencies, beauty and fashion brands continue to do so as well. A recommendation from her ex-boss Jen Atkin.
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Women comprise only about 26% of hair talent at the major agencies. Despite talk of the democratizing of fashion, professional hairstyling remains pretty cliquey. A longstanding gender bias in hiring lead assistants is also to blame. Women are redefining what it means to be successful in the hairstyling space.
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pegasus
| 2 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/beamcmonagle/2019/03/05/is-gender-parity-an-issue-in-professional-hairdressing/
| 0.174178 |
What's The Revenue Potential For Apple's Proposed Credit Card With Goldman?
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The Wall Street Journal reported recently that Apple and Goldman Sachs were working together to offer a new credit card. The card will apparently be tightly integrated with a native iPhone app and could lead to a broader partnership between the two companies to offer a range of financial services to iPhone users, as their core businesses slow down. In this note, we estimate the potential revenues that Apple could garner from the new service. We have created an interactive dashboard analysis on the revenue potential of the Apple-Goldman Credit Card. You can modify our key drivers to arrive at your own revenue estimates for the partnership, and see more data for Technology Companies here. Why Apple And Goldman Are Partnering To Offer A Credit Card Apple has been focusing on its services business to drive growth as shipments of its flagship iPhone have been on the decline. The financial services space appears attractive to the company, as it could leverage its base of affluent iPhone users, its tech expertise and massive software and device ecosystem to deliver financial services. As the financial industry is highly regulated, partnering with an experienced player like Goldman would be helpful. Goldman also stands to benefit from the partnership; while the investment banking behemoth launched its own online consumer bank in 2016, it doesnt have a branch network or an established brand in the retail market, and this is where Apples vast base of iPhone users could be helpful. The credit card market is highly competitive, with major banks spending heavily on advertising while offering record levels of sign-up bonuses and promotions on new cards to hook customers. However, Apple and Goldman are apparently not looking to participate in this model, focusing on tight integration between the card and the iPhone application, while offering cash back on spending (estimated at 2% for regular spending and potentially more on Apple products). Apple has a total of 900 million active iPhone users, with around 21% estimated to be in the U.S. This translates into about 190 million U.S. iPhone users. If 5% of these iPhone users sign up for the offering by 2020, it could translate into a card base of about 9.5 million. The metric could grow to about 15% of iPhone users by 2022, or about 30 million card accounts. For perspective, Loup Ventures estimated that 24% of U.S. iPhone users have used Apple Pay. Card companies make much of their money from two major sources namely interest on outstanding balances and credit card related fees such as the interchange fee charged to merchants and annual fees charged to cardholders. Estimating Fee Revenue: American Express which targets the highest-spending U.S. customers saw cardmembers spend an average of about $20,840 in 2018. However, we expect the Apple/Goldman card to start smaller, with spends starting at about $5000 per account in 2020, rising to about $10,000 by 2022. This could imply purchase volumes of $300 billion by 2020. If we assume that the average fee income as a percentage of purchase volume stands at 1% (interchange and other fees), this would translate into revenues of about $3 billion by 2022. Estimating Net Interest Revenue: While the average credit card debt for American households stands at $5,700 (across multiple cards), we assume that the average balance would be much lower for the new card, coming in at about $1,200 by 2022, considering the comparatively strong financial standing of many Apple customers. For a base of 30 million customers by 2022, this would translate into an outstanding balance of about $35 billion by 2022. Assuming a net interest margin of about 7% on this balance (roughly in line with Capital One) this would translate to net interest revenues of about $2.5 billion by 2022. Total Revenues and Apples Share: Adding up the fee and interest revenues, we estimate that total revenues of the card partnership could stand at about $1 billion in 2020, and over $5 billion by 2022. While its not clear what terms Apple have Goldman have worked out, it will likely be some kind of revenue-sharing agreement with Goldman, like Apple has with developers and digital service providers on the App Store. If we assume that Apple takes a 20% cut on these revenues, it could garner about $1.1 billion in revenues from the partnership by 2022. While this is a drop in the bucket in relation to Apples overall revenues of over $250 billion, the two companies could eventually expand into other lucrative areas, such as wealth management and potentially checking accounts operated via the iPhone. Further, it could make Apples device ecosystem even stickier, which is important given the heightened competition in the smartphone market. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own.
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We estimate the potential revenues that Apple could garner from the new service. Apple has a total of 900 million active iPhone users, with around 21% estimated to be in the U.S. We estimate that total revenues of the card partnership could stand at about $1 billion in 2020, and over $5 billion by 2022.
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pegasus
| 2 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/03/05/whats-the-revenue-potential-for-apples-proposed-credit-card-with-goldman/
| 0.109279 |
How much sleep do teenagers really need?
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This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Author: Wendy Hall, Professor, Associate Director Graduate Programs, UBC School of Nursing, University of British Columbia Parents worry about whether their teenagers are getting enough sleep. Research studies suggest that teenagers are suffering an epidemic of sleep deprivation globally one that will have long-term health impacts. The first thing to understand is that teenagers are still growing and their brains are still developing so they need more sleep than adults. They also have different sleep-wake rhythms and release melatonin (a natural hormone to prepare for sleep) later, which means evening sleepiness takes longer to occur and they have a tendency to go to bed later and to sleep later in the morning. Of course, they still have to rise early for school. Peers also influence teenagers more than they influence younger children. Increased social demands in the form of online chat, social networking and web browsing combine with greater academic pressures as children enter high school. At this age parents also tend to exert less control over teenagers bedtimes. Experts reviewed 864 papers examining relationships between childrens sleep duration and health. They suggested that those between 13 and 18 years of age should sleep eight to 10 hours per 24 hours on a regular basis to promote optimal health. Unfortunately, worldwide studies show that in 53 per cent of cases teenagers are getting less than eight hours of sleep per night on school days. A recent report indicated that only five per cent of adolescents in the United States meet recommendations for sleep, physical activity and screen time. Older adolescents were less likely than younger adolescents (14 years or less) to achieve the recommendations. Sex hormones and the stress response A lot of action takes place in teenage brains due to their developmental stage. During adolescence, there are major changes to thinking, emotions, behaviour and interpersonal relationships. Changes to brain connections contribute to improvements in thinking abilities and changes in brain signalling. Shifts in balance between brain systems create a period where teens may take increased risks or engage in more reward seeking. Teenagers react a lot to stress and their stress-response systems are maturing. Sex hormones affect the neurotransmitters in their brains and increase their reactivity to stress. When we add inadequate sleep time to the picture there can be many implications. A recent review identified increased risk for suicide, being overweight, high rates of injury, poor sustained attention and low school grades for teens sleeping less than eight hours. Sleeping nine or more hours has, on the other hand, been associated with better life satisfaction, fewer health complaints and better quality family relationships for teens. And a recent study in two high schools in the Seattle school district found that a later school start time led to an increase in teens average sleep duration, which was associated with an increase in average grades and an improvement in school attendance. Drugs, alcohol and high cholesterol Teen drivers sleeping six or less hours per night on weekdays and on weekends reported riskier driving, sensation seeking and greater drug and alcohol intake than those sleeping more than six hours. Less than six hours per night of sleep time increased the teenagers risk for multiple vehicle crashes, after taking into account exposure to driving. There is also evidence that teens who sleep for more hours and have better quality sleep have a decreased risk for high blood pressure and cholesterol, insulin resistance and larger waist circumference than teens with shorter sleep times and lower sleep quality. This is after taking into account other risk factors such as body fat, physical activity, television viewing and diet quality. Finally, a recent report has highlighted links between teens sleep time, screen time and poorer mental health. Park the electronic devices Parents can work with teens to set bedtimes. They should encourage the use of beds only for sleep and for relaxing before sleeping. Using electronic technology before bed and during the night increases the risk for shorter sleep time. Research shows that physical activity and avoiding screens before bed are both strategies to promote earlier bedtimes and protect your teenagers sleep. Parents can support screen downtime before bedtime and through the night by parking phones at a charging pad away from bedrooms. Parents can also help their teens achieve achieve the recommended eight hours or more of sleep by engaging in relaxing family activities with them in the evening. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/how-much-sleep-do-teenagers-really-need- https:
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Wendy Hall, Professor, Associate Director Graduate Programs, UBC School of Nursing, University of British Columbia. Research studies suggest that teenagers are suffering an epidemic of sleep deprivation globally. In 53 per cent of cases teenagers are getting less than eight hours of sleep per night on school days.
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bart
| 2 |
https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/how-much-sleep-do-teenagers-really-need
| 0.142627 |
Are Stem Cell Transplants A Cure For HIV?
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A second patient appears to have been cured of HIV following a stem cell transplant procedure, which replaces unhealthy, infected cells, with healthy blood cell precursors. The first successful stem cell transplant occurred in the Berlin patient, Timothy Ray Brown, in 2008 and, ten years later, he is still free of HIV. The current unidentified patient has been free of HIV for eighteen months now, a remarkable achievement, though too early to really claim as a cure. HIV treatment has been stymied because reservoirs of infected cells have remained latent, or in hiding, in the bone marrow of patients, and can later reactivate. Treatment with anti-virals can suppress the virus in a persons blood, but does not eradicate it in these reservoirs. This is why patients with HIV are thought to need life-long treatment. How susceptible an individual is to HIV infection is in part dependent on viral receptors on the surface of their own white blood cells. People with a specific mutation (called 32) on the CCR5 gene develop defective receptors, so the HIV virus cant enter the cell. The person is thus very unlikely to become infected with HIV. The latest transplant was led by Dr. Ravindra Gupta, of the University of Cambridge, UK. Both transplants relied on selecting donors who had this mutation in their genes, so were resistant to HIV. When the donors stem cells were successfully transplanted, it replaced the patients own cells, conferring this HIV-resistance. Some viruses enter by other receptors, so focusing only on CCR5 receptors may not work long-term. Stem cell transplants are typically used for patients with leukemia or specific cancers. They require extensive radiation and chemotherapy firstboth are expensive and dangerous treatments. Stem cell transplants are also curative for sickle cell disease, but are not widely used because of these issues. Both of these patients received the transplant as part of their cancer therapy, not specifically for their HIV. But donors were chosen, in part, to have this CCR5 mutation, which likely confers immunity. This new case of successful treatment of HIV with stem-cell replacement is exciting, but has the limitations of side effects, cost, and possible failure from other mechanisms.
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A second patient appears to have been cured of HIV following a stem cell transplant procedure.
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bart
| 0 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2019/03/05/are-stem-cell-transplants-a-cure-for-hiv/
| 0.163713 |
Are Stem Cell Transplants A Cure For HIV?
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A second patient appears to have been cured of HIV following a stem cell transplant procedure, which replaces unhealthy, infected cells, with healthy blood cell precursors. The first successful stem cell transplant occurred in the Berlin patient, Timothy Ray Brown, in 2008 and, ten years later, he is still free of HIV. The current unidentified patient has been free of HIV for eighteen months now, a remarkable achievement, though too early to really claim as a cure. HIV treatment has been stymied because reservoirs of infected cells have remained latent, or in hiding, in the bone marrow of patients, and can later reactivate. Treatment with anti-virals can suppress the virus in a persons blood, but does not eradicate it in these reservoirs. This is why patients with HIV are thought to need life-long treatment. How susceptible an individual is to HIV infection is in part dependent on viral receptors on the surface of their own white blood cells. People with a specific mutation (called 32) on the CCR5 gene develop defective receptors, so the HIV virus cant enter the cell. The person is thus very unlikely to become infected with HIV. The latest transplant was led by Dr. Ravindra Gupta, of the University of Cambridge, UK. Both transplants relied on selecting donors who had this mutation in their genes, so were resistant to HIV. When the donors stem cells were successfully transplanted, it replaced the patients own cells, conferring this HIV-resistance. Some viruses enter by other receptors, so focusing only on CCR5 receptors may not work long-term. Stem cell transplants are typically used for patients with leukemia or specific cancers. They require extensive radiation and chemotherapy firstboth are expensive and dangerous treatments. Stem cell transplants are also curative for sickle cell disease, but are not widely used because of these issues. Both of these patients received the transplant as part of their cancer therapy, not specifically for their HIV. But donors were chosen, in part, to have this CCR5 mutation, which likely confers immunity. This new case of successful treatment of HIV with stem-cell replacement is exciting, but has the limitations of side effects, cost, and possible failure from other mechanisms.
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A second patient appears to have been cured of HIV following a stem cell transplant procedure. Stem cell transplants are typically used for patients with leukemia or specific cancers. They require extensive radiation and chemotherapy first.
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bart
| 1 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2019/03/05/are-stem-cell-transplants-a-cure-for-hiv/
| 0.226158 |
Are Stem Cell Transplants A Cure For HIV?
|
A second patient appears to have been cured of HIV following a stem cell transplant procedure, which replaces unhealthy, infected cells, with healthy blood cell precursors. The first successful stem cell transplant occurred in the Berlin patient, Timothy Ray Brown, in 2008 and, ten years later, he is still free of HIV. The current unidentified patient has been free of HIV for eighteen months now, a remarkable achievement, though too early to really claim as a cure. HIV treatment has been stymied because reservoirs of infected cells have remained latent, or in hiding, in the bone marrow of patients, and can later reactivate. Treatment with anti-virals can suppress the virus in a persons blood, but does not eradicate it in these reservoirs. This is why patients with HIV are thought to need life-long treatment. How susceptible an individual is to HIV infection is in part dependent on viral receptors on the surface of their own white blood cells. People with a specific mutation (called 32) on the CCR5 gene develop defective receptors, so the HIV virus cant enter the cell. The person is thus very unlikely to become infected with HIV. The latest transplant was led by Dr. Ravindra Gupta, of the University of Cambridge, UK. Both transplants relied on selecting donors who had this mutation in their genes, so were resistant to HIV. When the donors stem cells were successfully transplanted, it replaced the patients own cells, conferring this HIV-resistance. Some viruses enter by other receptors, so focusing only on CCR5 receptors may not work long-term. Stem cell transplants are typically used for patients with leukemia or specific cancers. They require extensive radiation and chemotherapy firstboth are expensive and dangerous treatments. Stem cell transplants are also curative for sickle cell disease, but are not widely used because of these issues. Both of these patients received the transplant as part of their cancer therapy, not specifically for their HIV. But donors were chosen, in part, to have this CCR5 mutation, which likely confers immunity. This new case of successful treatment of HIV with stem-cell replacement is exciting, but has the limitations of side effects, cost, and possible failure from other mechanisms.
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A second patient appears to have been cured of HIV following a stem cell transplant procedure, which replaces unhealthy, infected cells with healthy blood cell precursors. The first successful transplant occurred in the Berlin patient in 2008 and, ten years later, he is still free of HIV.
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ctrlsum
| 2 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2019/03/05/are-stem-cell-transplants-a-cure-for-hiv/
| 0.214432 |
Would A Trump Executive Order On Campus Free Speech Be Constitutional?
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This past weekend, President Trump told a cheering crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference that he would soon be issuing an executive order requiring colleges and universities to support free speech if they want federal research dollars. The announcement was prompted by a viral video of a conservative activist, Hayden Williams, being physically assaulted on the UC Berkeley campus. Williams was punched while recruiting students to start a new chapter of the conservative advocacy group, Turning Point USA, but neither Williams nor his assailant are Berkeley students. It is reasonable to question whether such an order is really neededafter all assault is already illegal. Trump agrees with the NRA when they argue that we should do a better job enforcing the laws we already have rather than creating new laws, so that logic should hold here as well. Putting aside the need for the law, there is another pressing question. The answer is complicated. There are two ways to challenge the constitutionality of a new law or executive order. The first is a facial challenge. That means going to court before a new law is applied to any real-life situation. The plaintiffs would have to argue that there are no circumstances under which the order could be constitutional. Thats a tough standard. If the executive order is drafted competently and clearly and protects free speech broadly, rather than in overtly partisan terms, the courts will probably uphold it against a facial constitutional challenge. In Rust v. Sullivan, for example, the Supreme Court upheld a federal regulation that required federally funded family planning clinics to refrain from abortion counseling. In National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley, the Supreme Court upheld a decency requirement for recipients of government arts funding. In short, the Supreme Court allows the government broad latitude to fund the activities it wants to fund and to defund those who engage in activities the government doesnt want to support, even if those activities are within the scope of the first amendment. As a result, the government has far broader room to withhold funding for activities than to directly punish those activities. Nonetheless, a court might well strike down an executive order, even in a facial challenge, on other grounds. As demonstrated by his recent declaration of a national emergency in order to procure funds for his border wall, Trump is famously unwilling to bow to the will of Congress. But, in this situation, Trump will be on stronger ground if he seeks legislation from Congress rather than just issuing an executive order. The President has no independent legislative power; that belongs to Congress alone. In the cases discussed above, the courts agreed that the executive branch was reasonably interpreting the laws that were providing the funding in the first place. So, the executive was merely implementing those laws in a new, but reasonable way, rather than adding new provisions to them. Because Trumps announcement was so vague, we dont know exactly what federal funding laws he will make use of for his executive order. But, when Trump has tried to impose his own ideological preferences in the guise of enforcing the law, courts have balked. For example, his executive order pulling federal funds from sanctuary cities was struck down by an appellate federal court. The court admonished Trump that: "By its plain terms, the executive order directs the agencies of the executive branch to withhold funds appropriated by Congress in order to further the administration's policy objective of punishing cities and counties that adopt so-called 'sanctuary' policies. Similarly, a federal judge blocked the Trump administrations attempt to limit womens access to contraceptives because the new rules were not in accordance with the Affordable Care Act. So Trump cant order federal agencies to, say, pull medical research funds from Berkeley for allowing student disruption of conservative speakers, unless he could show that this is a use of the money contemplated by Congress when it passed the funding bill or at least that it furthers the goals of the Congress that passed the funding bill. Returning to the constitutional issues, there is a second way to challenge any executive orderone that is more likely to succeed than a facial challenge. There are also as applied challenges, in which the plaintiffs challenge the constitutionality of an executive order as applied to a particular situation. If Trump issues his executive order there are going to be a lot of these challenges, and universities will win a lot of them. Say a college wants to keep a conservative speaker off campus because the speaker has a record of abusive behavior towards students. (For example, the conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos once put a picture of a transgendered student up on screen during a talk and said hed like to bang the student.) If the federal government tries to pull funding for keeping such speakers off campus, it is doubtful that the courts will side with them. As applied challenges will be made, and will likely succeed when universities dont want to host holocaust deniers, creationists, and racial cranks whose claims dont meet academic standards of proof. There will be more suits when religious universities dont want to host speakers like Michael Moore who are hostile to religious beliefs. There will be more suits still if the federal agencies that enforce the executive order use vague standards or demonstrate a partisan bias in their enforcement. In sum, any executive that order Trump issues would quickly join the long queue of orders enjoined, limited, or struck down by the courts. These include his first two travel bans, the sanctuary city order mentioned above, and his executive order making it easier to fire federal employees. Campus free speech is a complex issue and, as Ive previously posted, support for free speech by college students ought to be a lot stronger than it is. But a Trump-issued executive order is unlikely to improve the situation, and it will likely result in more litigation rather than more freedom of speech.
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President Trump said he will issue an executive order requiring colleges to support free speech. Julian Zelizer: It is reasonable to question whether such an order is really needed. He says the courts will probably uphold it against a facial constitutional challenge.
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bart
| 1 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/evangerstmann/2019/03/05/would-a-trump-executive-order-on-campus-free-speech-be-constitutional/
| 0.25328 |
Would A Trump Executive Order On Campus Free Speech Be Constitutional?
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This past weekend, President Trump told a cheering crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference that he would soon be issuing an executive order requiring colleges and universities to support free speech if they want federal research dollars. The announcement was prompted by a viral video of a conservative activist, Hayden Williams, being physically assaulted on the UC Berkeley campus. Williams was punched while recruiting students to start a new chapter of the conservative advocacy group, Turning Point USA, but neither Williams nor his assailant are Berkeley students. It is reasonable to question whether such an order is really neededafter all assault is already illegal. Trump agrees with the NRA when they argue that we should do a better job enforcing the laws we already have rather than creating new laws, so that logic should hold here as well. Putting aside the need for the law, there is another pressing question. The answer is complicated. There are two ways to challenge the constitutionality of a new law or executive order. The first is a facial challenge. That means going to court before a new law is applied to any real-life situation. The plaintiffs would have to argue that there are no circumstances under which the order could be constitutional. Thats a tough standard. If the executive order is drafted competently and clearly and protects free speech broadly, rather than in overtly partisan terms, the courts will probably uphold it against a facial constitutional challenge. In Rust v. Sullivan, for example, the Supreme Court upheld a federal regulation that required federally funded family planning clinics to refrain from abortion counseling. In National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley, the Supreme Court upheld a decency requirement for recipients of government arts funding. In short, the Supreme Court allows the government broad latitude to fund the activities it wants to fund and to defund those who engage in activities the government doesnt want to support, even if those activities are within the scope of the first amendment. As a result, the government has far broader room to withhold funding for activities than to directly punish those activities. Nonetheless, a court might well strike down an executive order, even in a facial challenge, on other grounds. As demonstrated by his recent declaration of a national emergency in order to procure funds for his border wall, Trump is famously unwilling to bow to the will of Congress. But, in this situation, Trump will be on stronger ground if he seeks legislation from Congress rather than just issuing an executive order. The President has no independent legislative power; that belongs to Congress alone. In the cases discussed above, the courts agreed that the executive branch was reasonably interpreting the laws that were providing the funding in the first place. So, the executive was merely implementing those laws in a new, but reasonable way, rather than adding new provisions to them. Because Trumps announcement was so vague, we dont know exactly what federal funding laws he will make use of for his executive order. But, when Trump has tried to impose his own ideological preferences in the guise of enforcing the law, courts have balked. For example, his executive order pulling federal funds from sanctuary cities was struck down by an appellate federal court. The court admonished Trump that: "By its plain terms, the executive order directs the agencies of the executive branch to withhold funds appropriated by Congress in order to further the administration's policy objective of punishing cities and counties that adopt so-called 'sanctuary' policies. Similarly, a federal judge blocked the Trump administrations attempt to limit womens access to contraceptives because the new rules were not in accordance with the Affordable Care Act. So Trump cant order federal agencies to, say, pull medical research funds from Berkeley for allowing student disruption of conservative speakers, unless he could show that this is a use of the money contemplated by Congress when it passed the funding bill or at least that it furthers the goals of the Congress that passed the funding bill. Returning to the constitutional issues, there is a second way to challenge any executive orderone that is more likely to succeed than a facial challenge. There are also as applied challenges, in which the plaintiffs challenge the constitutionality of an executive order as applied to a particular situation. If Trump issues his executive order there are going to be a lot of these challenges, and universities will win a lot of them. Say a college wants to keep a conservative speaker off campus because the speaker has a record of abusive behavior towards students. (For example, the conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos once put a picture of a transgendered student up on screen during a talk and said hed like to bang the student.) If the federal government tries to pull funding for keeping such speakers off campus, it is doubtful that the courts will side with them. As applied challenges will be made, and will likely succeed when universities dont want to host holocaust deniers, creationists, and racial cranks whose claims dont meet academic standards of proof. There will be more suits when religious universities dont want to host speakers like Michael Moore who are hostile to religious beliefs. There will be more suits still if the federal agencies that enforce the executive order use vague standards or demonstrate a partisan bias in their enforcement. In sum, any executive that order Trump issues would quickly join the long queue of orders enjoined, limited, or struck down by the courts. These include his first two travel bans, the sanctuary city order mentioned above, and his executive order making it easier to fire federal employees. Campus free speech is a complex issue and, as Ive previously posted, support for free speech by college students ought to be a lot stronger than it is. But a Trump-issued executive order is unlikely to improve the situation, and it will likely result in more litigation rather than more freedom of speech.
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President Trump said he will issue an executive order requiring colleges to support free speech. Julian Zelizer: It is reasonable to question whether such an order is really needed. He says the courts will probably uphold it against a facial constitutional challenge. Zelizer says Trump will be on stronger ground if he seeks legislation from Congress.
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bart
| 2 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/evangerstmann/2019/03/05/would-a-trump-executive-order-on-campus-free-speech-be-constitutional/
| 0.339217 |
Who Can Spurs Target From Free Agency After Pau Gasol Buyout?
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In an eye-opening move as the March 1 waiver deadline arrived to free up players in playoff-eligible moves, the San Antonio Spurs bought out Pau Gasol. It ended a two-plus year tenure in the Alamo City, which began as LaMarcus Aldridge's frontcourt mate in 2016, only to sign a fresh three-year deal in 2017, but at an advanced age. Injuries, declining play and a transforming NBA limited the future Pro Basketball Hall of Famer's role in 2018-19. With that, the Spurs opened a roster spot for their playoff push, while sitting eighth in the Western Conference. They don't have to replace Gasol, but there are free agents to fill a role on the path to potentially face the Golden State Warriors or Denver Nuggets in the first round of the postseason. Carmelo Anthony Purely for due diligence, Carmelo Anthony remains a free agent after his disastrous 10-game run with the Houston Rockets earlier this season. There seemed to be a collision course with the Los Angeles Lakers, only for their playoff push to end and cancel that team-up between Anthony and LeBron James. The former Knicks star would add a scoring punch for San Antonio, but he's not the wing they need in the middle of the lineup that plays both ends of the court, which halts this idea. Malachi Richardson Not a flashy name but projectible, Malachi Richardson stands 6-foot-6, with a 7-foot wingspan. He failed to stick with the Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers for performance or transaction reasons, but could make for an interesting look if the Spurs want to test what the Syracuse product can do defensively and from three-point range. This might be a better name to try out in the preseason. Marcin Gortat Taking Gasol's little-used spot might not make sense for Marcin Gortat, but if vying for any spot on a competitive team is his desire, this can make sense. It offers the Spurs a bigger veteran body to join Jakob Poeltl in the center rotation likely fighting for playing time through the season's end. Greg Monroe Similar to Gortat, Greg Monroe would fill a minimal backup role off the bench for San Antonio. However, as the NBA has involved, he's struggled to stick with four teams in two seasons. Part of that attributes to the Eric Bledsoe trade in 2017-18 and a subsequent buyout to join the playoff-ready Boston Celtics, but he only played sparingly for the Toronto Raptors this year and hit free agency in early February. Shabazz Muhammed The Chinese basketball season is over, leaving plenty of former NBA players able to return domestically for the postseason push. Shabazz Muhammed fell off with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks in 2017-18, but returned for 30.2 points and 11.4 rebounds per game in the CBA. Eye-popping numbers that won't replicate in the NBA, but that should be enough to warrant interest. Muhammed can add a scoring punch for San Antonio off the bench fitting into the backcourt or smaller lineups at small forward. He's not a defensive threat, but if head coach Gregg Popovich desires more scoring off the ball, this is an unconventional but flier-worthy fit.
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The San Antonio Spurs bought out Pau Gasol on March 1. The move opens a roster spot for their playoff push, while sitting eighth in the Western Conference. The Spurs can target Carmelo Anthony, Greg Monroe, Malachi Richardson and Shabazz Muhammed.
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/robwolkenbrod/2019/03/05/who-can-spurs-target-from-free-agency-after-pau-gasol-buyout/
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Is Louisa Smith S.F.s most radical restaurant wine director?
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Most bars and restaurants that specialize in natural wine are very vocal about the fact that they specialize in natural wine. Being vocal is kind of the point. To be quiet about it would be something akin to a vegetarian restaurant failing to mention that its food is vegetarian. Yet quietness characterizes the natural wine program that Louisa Smith has been running at Lord Stanley for nearly four years. Under her guidance, Lord Stanley has become San Franciscos most avant-garde wine destination, and the only fine-dining restaurant in the city to serve natural wines exclusively. But you might not know it. Most diners come to taste the modern, vaguely British-style food, often avant-garde in its own right, of chefs Rupert and Carrie Blease. Diners are usually unaware theyre about to embark on a wholly unique wine experience, too. People come in all the time and say, Im a connoisseur of Burgundy. How have I never heard of these wines? Smith says. Instead of blue chips Meo-Camuzet and Georges de Vogue, its Julien Altaber and Vini Viti Vinci. But even if Smiths hard-line natural wine message has stayed subdued, it hasnt gone completely unnoticed. Brandon Jew, owner-chef of Mister Jius restaurant, became so enamored with Smiths wine selection over several dinners at Lord Stanley that he tapped her to design the wine list for his new drink-focused bar and restaurant, Moongate Lounge, which opened this week. Like the Moongate cocktail list, created by Mister Jius Alex Kulick and bar director Danny Louie, the wine list takes the Chinese lunar calendar as inspiration. That means, for Smith, an emphasis on wines grown according to biodynamic principles, which follows the lunar calendar. (It recommends planting crops only during certain moon phases, for example.) The initial Moongate wine list includes 11 by-the-glass selections ranging from $12 to $22, and spanning familiar flavor profiles (Laherte Freres brut nature Champagne; $20) to more challenging ones (Cantina Giardinos Paski, a skin-contact white from the Coda di Volpe grape in Campania; $16). Yes, there are name-brand varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, but these arent like the versions youll find in Napa Valley tasting rooms: This is lighter, herbal Loire Cabernet and reductive, vegetal Burgundy. The opening of Moongate Lounge marks the second Louisa Smith-designed wine list in town, which means a greater platform for her style and sensibilities. And maybe, as a consequence, a greater platform for natural wine in the upper echelons of San Francisco dining. Natural wine and fine dining have not traditionally been seen as easy bedfellows. Funky, microbial flavors in a wine can easily overpower and alter food. But Smith finds plenty of harmony against Lord Stanleys subtle, bright flavors: She pours the rich, honeysuckle-laden Riffault Les Quarterons, a dry, botrytized Sancerre, to emphasize flecks of hazelnuts in a smoky steak tartare. And she lifts an entrees earthy harmony of seared duck breast and toasted seeds with a glass of the 109 Gamay from LEgrapille, whose tart fruit flavors recall a black cherry Warheads candy. To be clear: Smith is by no means the only wine director in town serving natural wines. A handful of other spots, like Del Popolo, Tartine Manufactory and Fig & Thistle, give natural wine lovers plenty to love. Ruby Wine, a small shop in Potrero Hill, is about as hard core as natural wine gets to say nothing of the Oakland natural wine bar contingent but when it comes to restaurants, as far as I can tell, no one else in San Francisco adheres to standards as strict as Smiths. Im adamant about a few things, she says. In order to buy a wine, Smith must be sure that it came from organically or biodynamically farmed grapes; that it was made with no additives, including yeast; and that it has minimal added sulfur, or preferably none. Whereas some sommeliers might try to counter a majority-natural wine selection with a few crowd-pleasers dont alienate the buttery Chardonnay drinker, the conventional wisdom goes Smith makes no such concessions. I knew at the beginning I didnt want to make any exceptions, she says. Surely few diners especially those who seek out a restaurant like Lord Stanley that serves pristine, local produce (heirloom spinach) and whose menu names the farm where its duck breast originated would object to the idea of wines grown and made under the conditions Smith describes. But thats the thing about natural wine: To a palate that was reared on California Chardonnay or Argentina Malbec, many of these wines can taste, well, weird dirty, cloudy, not cleaned up. How we describe these wines at the table really makes a big difference, Smith says. If a customer orders a Merlot, shell preface the pour with a warning that the wine might have some residual carbon dioxide, resulting in a little fizziness, or an explanation as to why the wine is cold. Some unsulfured reds just need a chill. Wines without added sulfur, which is a preservative, are liable to take on a life of their own, behaving unpredictably. That can prove difficult for a restaurant that might otherwise keep a bottle of wine open for a day or two, to serve by the glass. We never know, Smith says. Weve always been willing to take that risk because its so important to us to stick to this ethos. This ethos took hold of Smith over a number of years. She moved to California in 2009, after a few years of working in New York as a sommelier at the fancy London Hotel and then in a European-focused wine bar and shop. Landing in Sonoma County, Smith worked as a harvest intern at Salinia Wine Co. whose owner Kevin Kelley was stirring a small, nascent movement toward natural wines in California. (She and Kelley are now a couple and have an 11-month-old baby.) Winemaking ignited a passion in her. I was working for something exciting, she says. It completely changed my outlook on what I wanted to do. In 2010, Smith took a harvest job at a winery in Australias Yarra Valley. And thats where I really learned the difference between natural and conventional. Shed been expecting a similar experience to Salinia walking through vineyards, feet treading grapes but the Yarra winery was like a construction zone. She describes her role as a lot of waiting around with a clipboard. Of course, Salinia had been far from a typical winery job. I didnt know most people didnt jump in the bins! Smith says. But that first Australian harvest was a turning point. If those two experiences represented two extreme poles of modern winemaking, foot treading versus clipboards, she knew which one she wanted to pursue. For a few more years, Smith traveled back and forth between California and Australia, continuing to work harvests at Salinia. From 2011 to 2016, she made her own wine from Mendocinos Sun Hawk Vineyard. She briefly oversaw a wine program at a restaurant in Melbourne, Australia, called Mr. Hive, where she installed an intro to natural wines page on the wine list capitalizing on energy generated by a group of Australian natural winemakers called Natural Selection Theory. By the time Rupert and Carrie Blease, Smiths longtime friends, approached her about helping them open Lord Stanley, she was ready to fully commit to natural wine. The Bleases loved the idea. Theyve put it in my hands in a really nice and generous way, Smith says. In the few years the restaurant has been open, many of Smiths favorite wines have risen rapidly in popularity. Wines like Vini Viti Vinci, a young Burgundy producer, are suddenly hard for her to get; her distributor runs out. Shes thrilled that these wines are gaining a broader audience. But she says the natural wine conversation has a long way to go. Natural wines are held to a weird standard, she says. When people bring up a bad natural wine theyve tasted, Smith wants to respond: OK, is every conventional wine good? She wishes that criticism of natural wine could move beyond a fixation with flaws which often leads drinkers to reject outright a wine that shows symptoms of volatile acidity, brettanomyces or mouse (a phenomenon that can arise in unsulfured wines, described by some as the sensation of having swallowed a dead rodent). Id rather drink a wine that had a little bit of mouse than a processed wine, Smith says. Thats an extreme viewpoint, to be sure, and shes unafraid to put provocative wines in front of her customers. And some visitors, it seems, are opting out: On a recent visit to Lord Stanley, I noticed a nearby table had brought a bottle of Silver Oak. (Corkage is $30.) Thorny issues are tangled up in these questions. Does wine have to present a stark choice between intellectual pleasure (additive-free wine!) If Smith has her way, this conversation will grow more nuanced and new projects like Moongate Lounge will, she hopes, help advance that cause. In the meantime, she knows where she stands. Esther Mobley is The Chronicles wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob
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Louisa Smith has been running Lord Stanley for nearly four years. Smith is S.F.'s most radical restaurant wine director.
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https://www.sfchronicle.com/wine/article/Is-Louisa-Smith-S-F-s-most-radical-restaurant-13664798.php
| 0.509301 |
Is Louisa Smith S.F.s most radical restaurant wine director?
|
Most bars and restaurants that specialize in natural wine are very vocal about the fact that they specialize in natural wine. Being vocal is kind of the point. To be quiet about it would be something akin to a vegetarian restaurant failing to mention that its food is vegetarian. Yet quietness characterizes the natural wine program that Louisa Smith has been running at Lord Stanley for nearly four years. Under her guidance, Lord Stanley has become San Franciscos most avant-garde wine destination, and the only fine-dining restaurant in the city to serve natural wines exclusively. But you might not know it. Most diners come to taste the modern, vaguely British-style food, often avant-garde in its own right, of chefs Rupert and Carrie Blease. Diners are usually unaware theyre about to embark on a wholly unique wine experience, too. People come in all the time and say, Im a connoisseur of Burgundy. How have I never heard of these wines? Smith says. Instead of blue chips Meo-Camuzet and Georges de Vogue, its Julien Altaber and Vini Viti Vinci. But even if Smiths hard-line natural wine message has stayed subdued, it hasnt gone completely unnoticed. Brandon Jew, owner-chef of Mister Jius restaurant, became so enamored with Smiths wine selection over several dinners at Lord Stanley that he tapped her to design the wine list for his new drink-focused bar and restaurant, Moongate Lounge, which opened this week. Like the Moongate cocktail list, created by Mister Jius Alex Kulick and bar director Danny Louie, the wine list takes the Chinese lunar calendar as inspiration. That means, for Smith, an emphasis on wines grown according to biodynamic principles, which follows the lunar calendar. (It recommends planting crops only during certain moon phases, for example.) The initial Moongate wine list includes 11 by-the-glass selections ranging from $12 to $22, and spanning familiar flavor profiles (Laherte Freres brut nature Champagne; $20) to more challenging ones (Cantina Giardinos Paski, a skin-contact white from the Coda di Volpe grape in Campania; $16). Yes, there are name-brand varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, but these arent like the versions youll find in Napa Valley tasting rooms: This is lighter, herbal Loire Cabernet and reductive, vegetal Burgundy. The opening of Moongate Lounge marks the second Louisa Smith-designed wine list in town, which means a greater platform for her style and sensibilities. And maybe, as a consequence, a greater platform for natural wine in the upper echelons of San Francisco dining. Natural wine and fine dining have not traditionally been seen as easy bedfellows. Funky, microbial flavors in a wine can easily overpower and alter food. But Smith finds plenty of harmony against Lord Stanleys subtle, bright flavors: She pours the rich, honeysuckle-laden Riffault Les Quarterons, a dry, botrytized Sancerre, to emphasize flecks of hazelnuts in a smoky steak tartare. And she lifts an entrees earthy harmony of seared duck breast and toasted seeds with a glass of the 109 Gamay from LEgrapille, whose tart fruit flavors recall a black cherry Warheads candy. To be clear: Smith is by no means the only wine director in town serving natural wines. A handful of other spots, like Del Popolo, Tartine Manufactory and Fig & Thistle, give natural wine lovers plenty to love. Ruby Wine, a small shop in Potrero Hill, is about as hard core as natural wine gets to say nothing of the Oakland natural wine bar contingent but when it comes to restaurants, as far as I can tell, no one else in San Francisco adheres to standards as strict as Smiths. Im adamant about a few things, she says. In order to buy a wine, Smith must be sure that it came from organically or biodynamically farmed grapes; that it was made with no additives, including yeast; and that it has minimal added sulfur, or preferably none. Whereas some sommeliers might try to counter a majority-natural wine selection with a few crowd-pleasers dont alienate the buttery Chardonnay drinker, the conventional wisdom goes Smith makes no such concessions. I knew at the beginning I didnt want to make any exceptions, she says. Surely few diners especially those who seek out a restaurant like Lord Stanley that serves pristine, local produce (heirloom spinach) and whose menu names the farm where its duck breast originated would object to the idea of wines grown and made under the conditions Smith describes. But thats the thing about natural wine: To a palate that was reared on California Chardonnay or Argentina Malbec, many of these wines can taste, well, weird dirty, cloudy, not cleaned up. How we describe these wines at the table really makes a big difference, Smith says. If a customer orders a Merlot, shell preface the pour with a warning that the wine might have some residual carbon dioxide, resulting in a little fizziness, or an explanation as to why the wine is cold. Some unsulfured reds just need a chill. Wines without added sulfur, which is a preservative, are liable to take on a life of their own, behaving unpredictably. That can prove difficult for a restaurant that might otherwise keep a bottle of wine open for a day or two, to serve by the glass. We never know, Smith says. Weve always been willing to take that risk because its so important to us to stick to this ethos. This ethos took hold of Smith over a number of years. She moved to California in 2009, after a few years of working in New York as a sommelier at the fancy London Hotel and then in a European-focused wine bar and shop. Landing in Sonoma County, Smith worked as a harvest intern at Salinia Wine Co. whose owner Kevin Kelley was stirring a small, nascent movement toward natural wines in California. (She and Kelley are now a couple and have an 11-month-old baby.) Winemaking ignited a passion in her. I was working for something exciting, she says. It completely changed my outlook on what I wanted to do. In 2010, Smith took a harvest job at a winery in Australias Yarra Valley. And thats where I really learned the difference between natural and conventional. Shed been expecting a similar experience to Salinia walking through vineyards, feet treading grapes but the Yarra winery was like a construction zone. She describes her role as a lot of waiting around with a clipboard. Of course, Salinia had been far from a typical winery job. I didnt know most people didnt jump in the bins! Smith says. But that first Australian harvest was a turning point. If those two experiences represented two extreme poles of modern winemaking, foot treading versus clipboards, she knew which one she wanted to pursue. For a few more years, Smith traveled back and forth between California and Australia, continuing to work harvests at Salinia. From 2011 to 2016, she made her own wine from Mendocinos Sun Hawk Vineyard. She briefly oversaw a wine program at a restaurant in Melbourne, Australia, called Mr. Hive, where she installed an intro to natural wines page on the wine list capitalizing on energy generated by a group of Australian natural winemakers called Natural Selection Theory. By the time Rupert and Carrie Blease, Smiths longtime friends, approached her about helping them open Lord Stanley, she was ready to fully commit to natural wine. The Bleases loved the idea. Theyve put it in my hands in a really nice and generous way, Smith says. In the few years the restaurant has been open, many of Smiths favorite wines have risen rapidly in popularity. Wines like Vini Viti Vinci, a young Burgundy producer, are suddenly hard for her to get; her distributor runs out. Shes thrilled that these wines are gaining a broader audience. But she says the natural wine conversation has a long way to go. Natural wines are held to a weird standard, she says. When people bring up a bad natural wine theyve tasted, Smith wants to respond: OK, is every conventional wine good? She wishes that criticism of natural wine could move beyond a fixation with flaws which often leads drinkers to reject outright a wine that shows symptoms of volatile acidity, brettanomyces or mouse (a phenomenon that can arise in unsulfured wines, described by some as the sensation of having swallowed a dead rodent). Id rather drink a wine that had a little bit of mouse than a processed wine, Smith says. Thats an extreme viewpoint, to be sure, and shes unafraid to put provocative wines in front of her customers. And some visitors, it seems, are opting out: On a recent visit to Lord Stanley, I noticed a nearby table had brought a bottle of Silver Oak. (Corkage is $30.) Thorny issues are tangled up in these questions. Does wine have to present a stark choice between intellectual pleasure (additive-free wine!) If Smith has her way, this conversation will grow more nuanced and new projects like Moongate Lounge will, she hopes, help advance that cause. In the meantime, she knows where she stands. Esther Mobley is The Chronicles wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob
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Louisa Smith has been running Lord Stanley for nearly four years. Smith is S.F.s most radical restaurant wine director. The new Moongate Lounge marks the second Smith-designed wine list.
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ctrlsum
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https://www.sfchronicle.com/wine/article/Is-Louisa-Smith-S-F-s-most-radical-restaurant-13664798.php
| 0.646409 |
Is Louisa Smith S.F.s most radical restaurant wine director?
|
Most bars and restaurants that specialize in natural wine are very vocal about the fact that they specialize in natural wine. Being vocal is kind of the point. To be quiet about it would be something akin to a vegetarian restaurant failing to mention that its food is vegetarian. Yet quietness characterizes the natural wine program that Louisa Smith has been running at Lord Stanley for nearly four years. Under her guidance, Lord Stanley has become San Franciscos most avant-garde wine destination, and the only fine-dining restaurant in the city to serve natural wines exclusively. But you might not know it. Most diners come to taste the modern, vaguely British-style food, often avant-garde in its own right, of chefs Rupert and Carrie Blease. Diners are usually unaware theyre about to embark on a wholly unique wine experience, too. People come in all the time and say, Im a connoisseur of Burgundy. How have I never heard of these wines? Smith says. Instead of blue chips Meo-Camuzet and Georges de Vogue, its Julien Altaber and Vini Viti Vinci. But even if Smiths hard-line natural wine message has stayed subdued, it hasnt gone completely unnoticed. Brandon Jew, owner-chef of Mister Jius restaurant, became so enamored with Smiths wine selection over several dinners at Lord Stanley that he tapped her to design the wine list for his new drink-focused bar and restaurant, Moongate Lounge, which opened this week. Like the Moongate cocktail list, created by Mister Jius Alex Kulick and bar director Danny Louie, the wine list takes the Chinese lunar calendar as inspiration. That means, for Smith, an emphasis on wines grown according to biodynamic principles, which follows the lunar calendar. (It recommends planting crops only during certain moon phases, for example.) The initial Moongate wine list includes 11 by-the-glass selections ranging from $12 to $22, and spanning familiar flavor profiles (Laherte Freres brut nature Champagne; $20) to more challenging ones (Cantina Giardinos Paski, a skin-contact white from the Coda di Volpe grape in Campania; $16). Yes, there are name-brand varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, but these arent like the versions youll find in Napa Valley tasting rooms: This is lighter, herbal Loire Cabernet and reductive, vegetal Burgundy. The opening of Moongate Lounge marks the second Louisa Smith-designed wine list in town, which means a greater platform for her style and sensibilities. And maybe, as a consequence, a greater platform for natural wine in the upper echelons of San Francisco dining. Natural wine and fine dining have not traditionally been seen as easy bedfellows. Funky, microbial flavors in a wine can easily overpower and alter food. But Smith finds plenty of harmony against Lord Stanleys subtle, bright flavors: She pours the rich, honeysuckle-laden Riffault Les Quarterons, a dry, botrytized Sancerre, to emphasize flecks of hazelnuts in a smoky steak tartare. And she lifts an entrees earthy harmony of seared duck breast and toasted seeds with a glass of the 109 Gamay from LEgrapille, whose tart fruit flavors recall a black cherry Warheads candy. To be clear: Smith is by no means the only wine director in town serving natural wines. A handful of other spots, like Del Popolo, Tartine Manufactory and Fig & Thistle, give natural wine lovers plenty to love. Ruby Wine, a small shop in Potrero Hill, is about as hard core as natural wine gets to say nothing of the Oakland natural wine bar contingent but when it comes to restaurants, as far as I can tell, no one else in San Francisco adheres to standards as strict as Smiths. Im adamant about a few things, she says. In order to buy a wine, Smith must be sure that it came from organically or biodynamically farmed grapes; that it was made with no additives, including yeast; and that it has minimal added sulfur, or preferably none. Whereas some sommeliers might try to counter a majority-natural wine selection with a few crowd-pleasers dont alienate the buttery Chardonnay drinker, the conventional wisdom goes Smith makes no such concessions. I knew at the beginning I didnt want to make any exceptions, she says. Surely few diners especially those who seek out a restaurant like Lord Stanley that serves pristine, local produce (heirloom spinach) and whose menu names the farm where its duck breast originated would object to the idea of wines grown and made under the conditions Smith describes. But thats the thing about natural wine: To a palate that was reared on California Chardonnay or Argentina Malbec, many of these wines can taste, well, weird dirty, cloudy, not cleaned up. How we describe these wines at the table really makes a big difference, Smith says. If a customer orders a Merlot, shell preface the pour with a warning that the wine might have some residual carbon dioxide, resulting in a little fizziness, or an explanation as to why the wine is cold. Some unsulfured reds just need a chill. Wines without added sulfur, which is a preservative, are liable to take on a life of their own, behaving unpredictably. That can prove difficult for a restaurant that might otherwise keep a bottle of wine open for a day or two, to serve by the glass. We never know, Smith says. Weve always been willing to take that risk because its so important to us to stick to this ethos. This ethos took hold of Smith over a number of years. She moved to California in 2009, after a few years of working in New York as a sommelier at the fancy London Hotel and then in a European-focused wine bar and shop. Landing in Sonoma County, Smith worked as a harvest intern at Salinia Wine Co. whose owner Kevin Kelley was stirring a small, nascent movement toward natural wines in California. (She and Kelley are now a couple and have an 11-month-old baby.) Winemaking ignited a passion in her. I was working for something exciting, she says. It completely changed my outlook on what I wanted to do. In 2010, Smith took a harvest job at a winery in Australias Yarra Valley. And thats where I really learned the difference between natural and conventional. Shed been expecting a similar experience to Salinia walking through vineyards, feet treading grapes but the Yarra winery was like a construction zone. She describes her role as a lot of waiting around with a clipboard. Of course, Salinia had been far from a typical winery job. I didnt know most people didnt jump in the bins! Smith says. But that first Australian harvest was a turning point. If those two experiences represented two extreme poles of modern winemaking, foot treading versus clipboards, she knew which one she wanted to pursue. For a few more years, Smith traveled back and forth between California and Australia, continuing to work harvests at Salinia. From 2011 to 2016, she made her own wine from Mendocinos Sun Hawk Vineyard. She briefly oversaw a wine program at a restaurant in Melbourne, Australia, called Mr. Hive, where she installed an intro to natural wines page on the wine list capitalizing on energy generated by a group of Australian natural winemakers called Natural Selection Theory. By the time Rupert and Carrie Blease, Smiths longtime friends, approached her about helping them open Lord Stanley, she was ready to fully commit to natural wine. The Bleases loved the idea. Theyve put it in my hands in a really nice and generous way, Smith says. In the few years the restaurant has been open, many of Smiths favorite wines have risen rapidly in popularity. Wines like Vini Viti Vinci, a young Burgundy producer, are suddenly hard for her to get; her distributor runs out. Shes thrilled that these wines are gaining a broader audience. But she says the natural wine conversation has a long way to go. Natural wines are held to a weird standard, she says. When people bring up a bad natural wine theyve tasted, Smith wants to respond: OK, is every conventional wine good? She wishes that criticism of natural wine could move beyond a fixation with flaws which often leads drinkers to reject outright a wine that shows symptoms of volatile acidity, brettanomyces or mouse (a phenomenon that can arise in unsulfured wines, described by some as the sensation of having swallowed a dead rodent). Id rather drink a wine that had a little bit of mouse than a processed wine, Smith says. Thats an extreme viewpoint, to be sure, and shes unafraid to put provocative wines in front of her customers. And some visitors, it seems, are opting out: On a recent visit to Lord Stanley, I noticed a nearby table had brought a bottle of Silver Oak. (Corkage is $30.) Thorny issues are tangled up in these questions. Does wine have to present a stark choice between intellectual pleasure (additive-free wine!) If Smith has her way, this conversation will grow more nuanced and new projects like Moongate Lounge will, she hopes, help advance that cause. In the meantime, she knows where she stands. Esther Mobley is The Chronicles wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob
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Louisa Smith has been running Lord Stanley for nearly four years. Smith is S.F.s most radical restaurant wine director. The new Moongate Lounge marks the second Smith-designed wine list in town. The list includes 11 by-the-glass selections ranging from $12 to $22.
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https://www.sfchronicle.com/wine/article/Is-Louisa-Smith-S-F-s-most-radical-restaurant-13664798.php
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How will Oregon Ducks defensive coordinator Andy Avalos use Kayvon Thibodeaux?
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Oregon defensive coordinator Andy Avalos joined me for a discussion about family, football and the advantages of being in the coaching box vs. on the sideline during games. Listen to the full discussion here. On how he might use five-star freshman defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux: This defensive is going to have an opportunity for guys like him -- edge guys -- to thrive. Not to let the offense single out where hes going to line up... KT and all the guys are working really hard to prepare themselves for spring ball, physically, mentally. What its like having two children age five and under at home: Oh, its like walking into coach (Aaron Felds) office. Its high energy. Its focused. Youve got to get ready to roll... when you come home youve got to be ready to rock... its a fun deal for us... Im not going to lie. Theres been a couple of times Ive had to sit in the driveway and get my mind right before I come in the door." Listen to the full interview here:
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Oregon defensive coordinator Andy Avalos joined me for a discussion about family, football and the advantages of being in the coaching box vs. on the sideline during games. On how he might use five-star freshman defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux: This defensive is going to have an opportunity for guys like him -- edge guys -- to thrive.
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https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2019/03/how-will-oregon-ducks-defensive-coordinator-andy-avalos-use-kayvon-thibodeaux.html
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Is the MAGA dustup at Perry High School about free speech or cheap grandstanding?
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CLOSE Protesters gather on Queen Creek Road March 4, 2019, across from Perry High School in Gilbert. We should not yield the high ground to a publicity seeking parent who once hosted a party for junior high school kids where the assembled revelers took the opportunity to film themselves yelling a songs racial epitaph F*** All N***az. Thats what we have in the dust-up at Perry High School over a students display of a Trump banner. The kids who brought their MAGA gear to school apparently got into a not-too-surprising argument with kids of a different political persuasion. Officials told them to put the banner away (but not to strip off their T-shirts or hats) and supposedly all went well until the school day ended, whey they brought out the flag again. Asked to leave, then ... The story goes that a school resource officer told them to leave campus or be sent to the principal. It was the end of the day. Id guess that anyone for any reason could be told to leave campus once the day is ended. Still, there was trouble. One female student involved called her mother from the principal's office, and she came to the school and got into an argument with the principal. CLOSE Watch this confrontation between Perry High School Principal Dan Serrano and the mother of a student, Jennifer Farris. Courtesy of Jennifer Farris, Arizona Republic A representative of the school district said multiple witnesses heard and saw the girl's mother walk into the office, where she "screamed, yelled and used profanity, including the 'F' word in the presence of students and staff." Ever since then weve been framing the discussion about what happened at the school on the high principles of free speech instead of the very low notions of grandstanding tinged with racist overtones, which is perhaps where the discussion should have begun. Hosting kids shouting the N-word And ended. The nice folks at 12 News have posted a video showing a bit of a January 2018 party at the home of the woman who argued with the school principal. (If it's okay with you I'd rather not give the woman the publicity she so desperately seeks by naming her) The video features San Tan Junior High School students yelling a racial slur from a song, "F*** All N***az." The Arizona Republic wrote about the incident when it occurred. Probably Im guessing the mouthy little tykes in the video wouldnt be so brave or so loud about such sentiments in many other environs in the Valley. The fact that this particular household afforded them a safe haven for their ignorant vocal display suggests a measure of agreement with or a tolerance for such expressions. The fact that a thinking adult would tolerate kids chanting the n-word troubles me. NEWSLETTERS Get the Opinions Newsletter newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Our best and latest in commentary in daily digest form. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-332-6733. Delivery: Mon-Fri Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Opinions Newsletter Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. Yes. Yes. And yes. Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com. MORE BY MONTINI: Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/03/05/perry-high-school-free-speech-grandstanding/3070023002/
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Ej Montini: The dust-up at Perry High School was about free speech.
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/03/05/perry-high-school-free-speech-grandstanding/3070023002/
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Is the MAGA dustup at Perry High School about free speech or cheap grandstanding?
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CLOSE Protesters gather on Queen Creek Road March 4, 2019, across from Perry High School in Gilbert. We should not yield the high ground to a publicity seeking parent who once hosted a party for junior high school kids where the assembled revelers took the opportunity to film themselves yelling a songs racial epitaph F*** All N***az. Thats what we have in the dust-up at Perry High School over a students display of a Trump banner. The kids who brought their MAGA gear to school apparently got into a not-too-surprising argument with kids of a different political persuasion. Officials told them to put the banner away (but not to strip off their T-shirts or hats) and supposedly all went well until the school day ended, whey they brought out the flag again. Asked to leave, then ... The story goes that a school resource officer told them to leave campus or be sent to the principal. It was the end of the day. Id guess that anyone for any reason could be told to leave campus once the day is ended. Still, there was trouble. One female student involved called her mother from the principal's office, and she came to the school and got into an argument with the principal. CLOSE Watch this confrontation between Perry High School Principal Dan Serrano and the mother of a student, Jennifer Farris. Courtesy of Jennifer Farris, Arizona Republic A representative of the school district said multiple witnesses heard and saw the girl's mother walk into the office, where she "screamed, yelled and used profanity, including the 'F' word in the presence of students and staff." Ever since then weve been framing the discussion about what happened at the school on the high principles of free speech instead of the very low notions of grandstanding tinged with racist overtones, which is perhaps where the discussion should have begun. Hosting kids shouting the N-word And ended. The nice folks at 12 News have posted a video showing a bit of a January 2018 party at the home of the woman who argued with the school principal. (If it's okay with you I'd rather not give the woman the publicity she so desperately seeks by naming her) The video features San Tan Junior High School students yelling a racial slur from a song, "F*** All N***az." The Arizona Republic wrote about the incident when it occurred. Probably Im guessing the mouthy little tykes in the video wouldnt be so brave or so loud about such sentiments in many other environs in the Valley. The fact that this particular household afforded them a safe haven for their ignorant vocal display suggests a measure of agreement with or a tolerance for such expressions. The fact that a thinking adult would tolerate kids chanting the n-word troubles me. NEWSLETTERS Get the Opinions Newsletter newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Our best and latest in commentary in daily digest form. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-332-6733. Delivery: Mon-Fri Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Opinions Newsletter Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. Yes. Yes. And yes. Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com. MORE BY MONTINI: Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/03/05/perry-high-school-free-speech-grandstanding/3070023002/
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Ej Montini: The dust-up at Perry High School over a Trump banner was about free speech. He says the mother of a student involved called her mother from the principal's office and got into an argument with the principal.
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/03/05/perry-high-school-free-speech-grandstanding/3070023002/
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Is the MAGA dustup at Perry High School about free speech or cheap grandstanding?
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CLOSE Protesters gather on Queen Creek Road March 4, 2019, across from Perry High School in Gilbert. We should not yield the high ground to a publicity seeking parent who once hosted a party for junior high school kids where the assembled revelers took the opportunity to film themselves yelling a songs racial epitaph F*** All N***az. Thats what we have in the dust-up at Perry High School over a students display of a Trump banner. The kids who brought their MAGA gear to school apparently got into a not-too-surprising argument with kids of a different political persuasion. Officials told them to put the banner away (but not to strip off their T-shirts or hats) and supposedly all went well until the school day ended, whey they brought out the flag again. Asked to leave, then ... The story goes that a school resource officer told them to leave campus or be sent to the principal. It was the end of the day. Id guess that anyone for any reason could be told to leave campus once the day is ended. Still, there was trouble. One female student involved called her mother from the principal's office, and she came to the school and got into an argument with the principal. CLOSE Watch this confrontation between Perry High School Principal Dan Serrano and the mother of a student, Jennifer Farris. Courtesy of Jennifer Farris, Arizona Republic A representative of the school district said multiple witnesses heard and saw the girl's mother walk into the office, where she "screamed, yelled and used profanity, including the 'F' word in the presence of students and staff." Ever since then weve been framing the discussion about what happened at the school on the high principles of free speech instead of the very low notions of grandstanding tinged with racist overtones, which is perhaps where the discussion should have begun. Hosting kids shouting the N-word And ended. The nice folks at 12 News have posted a video showing a bit of a January 2018 party at the home of the woman who argued with the school principal. (If it's okay with you I'd rather not give the woman the publicity she so desperately seeks by naming her) The video features San Tan Junior High School students yelling a racial slur from a song, "F*** All N***az." The Arizona Republic wrote about the incident when it occurred. Probably Im guessing the mouthy little tykes in the video wouldnt be so brave or so loud about such sentiments in many other environs in the Valley. The fact that this particular household afforded them a safe haven for their ignorant vocal display suggests a measure of agreement with or a tolerance for such expressions. The fact that a thinking adult would tolerate kids chanting the n-word troubles me. NEWSLETTERS Get the Opinions Newsletter newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Our best and latest in commentary in daily digest form. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-332-6733. Delivery: Mon-Fri Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Opinions Newsletter Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. Yes. Yes. And yes. Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com. MORE BY MONTINI: Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/03/05/perry-high-school-free-speech-grandstanding/3070023002/
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Ej Montini: The dust-up at Perry High School over a Trump banner was about free speech. He says the mother of a student involved called her mother from the principal's office. Montini says we should not yield the high ground to a publicity seeking parent who once hosted a party where the assembled revelers yelled a song's racial epitaph.
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https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/03/05/perry-high-school-free-speech-grandstanding/3070023002/
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Should the term 'racist' be redefined?
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Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption African Americans in New Orleans reflect on race relations February was Black History Month in the US, a time typically set aside to recognise African Americans and their contributions to the country. This year's commemoration ended with insults and accusations of racism on the floor of Congress, at a televised hearing broadcast into millions of homes. But that exchange, between a Democrat and Republican, was hardly an isolated incident. The month began with calls for Virginia's governor to resign after a photo emerged of him in blackface. And it ended with President Donald Trump - who himself has been accused of racism - saying Academy Award winner Spike Lee was being racist after the film director urged Americans to "do the right thing" and choose love over hate by helping to thwart Mr Trump's re-election hopes. The flood of racially-charged headlines underlined a feeling shared by many - that 400 years after the first slaves were brought to the US, Americans still struggle to have meaningful conversations about race. "We can't even have a productive conversation if people aren't open to looking in the mirror," said Ibram Kendi, director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University. "Denial is essentially the heartbeat of racism in this country and every time you are not open to what you could be doing in the moment, you are living and breathing racism itself." He says the first step to dismantling racism in the US is recognising that we can all shift between being racist and anti-racist. "When someone is charged with doing something that's racist, instead of getting upset and lashing out, they should consider the evidence." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Spike Lee never mentioned President Trump by name in his speech but it was interpreted as a message to vote him out Conversations about race typically devolve into arguments because Americans have come to view the word "racist" a permanent label and not a description of an action, says Mr Kendi. He now advocates for redefining the word "racist" as a reflection of both our beliefs and behaviours and not merely as an insult. "A racist supports, by their action or inaction, policies that reproduce racial inequality. An anti-racist supports, with their actions, policies that reduce or eliminate racial inequality," says Mr Kendi. "What you're doing and what you're saying is an expression of who you are in that moment." Much of this discussion was sparked by the argument on the floor of the House of Representatives, which began when after Rashida Tlaib, a Democratic freshman, accused the Republican veteran congressman Mark Meadows of racism and using a black woman as a "prop". Mr Meadows had asked Lynne Patton, a long-time employee of the Trump Organization, to attend the Michael Cohen hearing to refute accusations that President Trump was racist. Speaking for Ms Patton, Mr Meadows said "as the daughter of a man born in Birmingham, Alabama, there is no way she would work for a man who is racist". When Ms Tlaib said that simply having a friend or employee who's a minority does not prohibit someone from being racist, the hearing quickly dissolved into a very heated row. Social psychologist Daniel Effron, who studies morality and race, said there's a reason people often resort to the "black friend" defence when charged with racism. Mr Effron said his research shows that whenever a person is accused of racism or their moral identity is challenged, they instinctively search for any example to bolster their "non-racist credentials", which can be a low bar. "When people are motivated to find evidence that they're not prejudiced, they're more likely to think having a black friend is really strong evidence," he said. "We make a mountain of morality out of a molehill of virtue." But even people with good intentions can face criticism when it comes to discussing race in America, as the director of the Oscar-winning movie Green Book discovered. Set against the backdrop of the segregated South in the 1960s, the film follows the unlikely friendship between a black classical and jazz musician and his white chauffeur. Critics accused the film of whitewashing history and furthering the "white saviour" trope in Hollywood. Author and anti-racism activist Tim Wise said he thinks we need to reframe the way we teach race in America, shifting the emphasis away from an individual's actions and looking at the system as a whole. "When we think about the way Americans teach racism historically, it is a story about individuals who did or did not own slaves, individuals who did or did not own segregated businesses. It's a lot harder to see systems of inequality," he said, adding that this can absolve people from reflecting on their own actions. Mr Wise explores his own struggles with reconciling white privilege and racism in his autobiography White Like Me and has made a career out of navigating difficult conversations about racism. He said he thinks Americans have been conditioned to believe certain racial stereotypes and unlearning those prejudices begins with recognising they exist in the first place. Until then, he said, we will continue to have circular arguments about race without making progress toward dismantling racism. "It would be ridiculous to say, 'I don't have a racist bone in my body'... you grew up in America," he says. "It's about saying, 'Look, I'm going to be humble enough to admit my weaknesses. Not because I want you to beat me up and not because I want to beat myself up, but because I know that I'm capable of better.'"
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This year's Black History Month was marked by a series of racially-charged headlines. Experts say we need to be more open to the idea that we are all racist. But critics say the term 'racist' should be redefined as a reflection of our behaviour. The Conversation is on the issue of racism in the US and around the world.
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Did GE Let SEC In On Larry Culp's Negative Industrial Cash Flow Comment To JPMorgan Chase?
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As a GE shareholder, I have been underwhelmed by the lack of disclosure from the company. And I've been curious about why its shares have risen from their recent floor. But CEO Larry Culp's latest utterance at a JPMorgan Chase investor conference has me concerned about whether GE disclosed to the SEC market-moving information he shares with attendees. This afternoon, GE shares plunged 4.7% when it was reported that he told conference attendees "that GEs industrial free cash flow, which excludes troubled GE Capital, would be negative this year," according to the Wall Street Journal. Barron's offered a more robust description of Culp's comment. When speaking, Culp said industrial cash flow would be negative in 2019 and that free cash losses in the power unit this year would be greater than the $2.7 billion lost last year, which reflects the continuing trouble in the companys power business. JP Morgan analyst Steven Tusa made waves earlier Tuesday, when he suggested that earnings at GEs aircraft leasing (GECAS) business couldn't be sustained. When questioned at the conference, Culp said GECAS is making money. GE has failed to provide investors with financial guidance which might have shed light on just how negative it thinks that cash flow will be -- though it plans to do so on March 14, according to the Journal. Up until now, GE's opacity has been greatest with GE Capital, noted the Journal. But investors thought they knew how bad things were going to be with GE Power -- the reason for Culp's warning today of negative industrial cash flow. But now it looks like GE Power and GE Capital are both known unknowns -- we just don't know how bad they are. GE has plenty of lawyers -- but I wonder why I could not find an 8K filing with a press release filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding Culp's disclosure about the negative cash flow. After all, according to the SEC, Regulation FD provides that when an issuer discloses material nonpublic information to certain individuals or entitiesgenerally, securities market professionals, such as stock analysts, or holders of the issuer's securities who may well trade on the basis of the informationthe issuer must make public disclosure of that information. In this way, Regulation FD aims to promote the full and fair disclosure. I could not see one on the SEC's website. On March 5 I contacted Steven Winoker, GE's VP Investor Communications, and will update this post if he responds. Charles Elson, Edgar S. Woolard Jr. Chair in Corporate Governance, Professor of Finance at University of Delaware, was not worried about this. As he said in a March 5 interview, "Eventually the information he said becomes public. Given how counseled GE is, I would doubt that there was a Regulation FD violation. And that is the last of their worries given everything else they have going on. The question is did anyone trade on the news?" Somebody dumped the stock at about 1:15 today -- I just don't know who. If GE has not previously disclosed what Culp said, another prominent law professor thinks it should have. As John Coffee, Columbia University's Adolf A. Berle Professor of Law, said in a March 5 interview, That is a fair question. GE was speaking to analysts and shareholders likely to trade and Regulation FD covers both. I do not know if this was previously disclosed in substance, but (although GE will disagree predictably) I think it is material to investors if it had not been previously disclosed. If the 4.7% fall was net of the market [the Dow fell 0.5% today], it would suggest some market surprise. As for laxity, I do not know what happened. Sometimes, the lawyers are surprised as to what the [CEO] says. That seems to be true of Elon Musk.
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GE shares plunged 4.7% when it was reported that CEO Larry Culp told conference attendees "that GEs industrial free cash flow, which excludes troubled GE Capital, would be negative this year" GE has failed to provide investors with financial guidance which might have shed light on just how negative it thinks that cash flow will be.
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What's Next For The Giants After Saying Goodbye To Landon Collins?
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Thats the question on the minds of countless Giants fans who on Tuesday, the final day for NFL teams to use the franchise or transition tag on a key pending free agent, the Giants were planning to do neither for safety Landon Collins. The decision, which general manager Dave Gettleman hinted was coming at the combine last week, has seemingly rocked the fan base and, perhaps to an extent, the Giants locker room, as people attempt to make sense over why Gettleman would let a 25-year-old three-time Pro Bowl safetya player he tried to move in a trade last year only to fail to get the desired compensationwalk away for nothing in return this year. Gettleman, in trying to set up an explanation while the decision was still being evaluated last week, explained it was about tying up the $11+ million that the franchise tag would cost and how there was a potential for that money to be tied up long enough to keep the team from potentially pursuing other players who could help them. Couple that with the growing reports that the 25-year-old Collins was prepared to sit out the spring and summer until he got a long-term deal, and in the end, the cost, the potential for distraction, and, according to ESPN, an internal opinion that Collins wasnt worth the big bucks largely due to his pass coverage deficiencies led to a lot of broken blue hearts and questions about what the Giants plans are moving forward. On the surface, it appears that Gettleman is determined to removed all remaining traces of his predecessors personnel moves. With Collins expected to move on in free agency, that means the none of the 2015 draft class members will be on the roster next year, making that five out of six draft classes between 2010-2015 in which the Giants have no one remaining. (Receiver Odell Beckham Jr.s roster presence salvages the 2014 class.) The dilemma Gettleman faced with Collins, as with every free agent, came down to value, as in the player overvaluing his worth to the team (very common) while the decision maker (Gettleman) looking at things differently. With limited cap fundsand yes the Giants can find ways to create more room through cuts and restructuresa glaring need for a legitimate free safety, and a defensive draft class that is rich in linebackers and box safeties, Gettleman, in planning for the future, probably took all those factors into consideration when arriving at the decision to not pay Collins like a top-shelf safety. The decision to let Collins walk also suggests that the Giants are likely planning to pursue a free safety in free agency, a position into which they will probably pour significant financial resources. I want to thank the Giants organization for believing in me and allowing me to have 4 great years in NY. I cant express how great it was to play with my teammates and in one of the greatest cities in the world. I will forever cherish my time in the blue and white and the LANDON COLLINS (@TheHumble_21) March 5, 2019 relationships I have built in the building and in my community. Now on to the next chapter.... pic.twitter.com/nc9rhcqLKm LANDON COLLINS (@TheHumble_21) March 5, 2019 According to Spotrac, last year, the Giants spent $2 million on the free safety position, the bulk of that on Curtis Riley, a converted cornerback. The results of that bandage showedthe Giants pass defense finished 23th in the league, and Riley, who to be fair had to learn how to take new angles to the ball, ended up leading the Giants defense in missed tackles with 23. With some intriguing names on the market at free safety27-year-old Tyrann Mathieu is a name to watch for (and a player who has a prior connection with Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher)it would not be surprising if Gettleman, in reviewing his options, concuded that there was no way he could spend big money on both Collins and a free safety, while also addressing trying to address right tackle and edge rusher via free agency. There are those who believe that Gettleman sent a very bad message to the Giants locker room over his treatment of a young homegrown player voted a captain who did everything asked of him, who played through a shoulder injury until he just couldnt anymore, and who was well-liked and well-respected by the fans, the media and his teammates. Certainly, this is a valid concern, especially with the Giants having receiver Sterling Shepard up for renewal next year among others. And it was hard to miss the words of support tweeted by Collins soon-to-be ex-teammates like running back Saquon Barkley and fellow safety Michael Thomas. But lets go back to the distraction factor for a moment that Gettleman spoke about at the combine. Yes, its a business decision and players, for the most part, get that. But that scenario was one Gettleman wanted to avoid at all costs. And think back to how well this team has handled distractions the last few years. When Odell Beckham Jrs explosive ESPN interview hit the airwaves leading up to a game last year, that interview became bigger than the task at hand, which was winning the game (which the Giants did not). While it would be easy for the players to empathize with Collins had he been tagged and decided to hold out, the on-going questions about updates, about who heard from Collins, etc. had the potential to become a disruptive force in a locker room that both Shurmur and Gettleman is trying to keep from turning into a three-ring circus. It's easy to understand where this argument is coming from, but go back to what Gettleman and Shurmur both said about their hopes to replicate the Kansas City Plan. The hope is that they find their next franchise quarterback and let him learn behind Eli Manning, a two-time super Bowl MVP. Several reasons. First, dumping Mannings deal will put another $6 million of dead money into a pot that is already the fourth-highest in the NFL. Second, of those veteran quarterbacks that are projected to hit the marketRyan Tannehill, Case Keenum, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Blake Bortles to name a fewmost werent good enough to hang on to the starting job with their current teams, which is why theyre moving on from them to begin with. Then there is a matter of continuity. Yes, Mannings best days are behind him. Yes, eventually the Giants need to move on from him and yes, that has to happen sooner than later. However, Gettleman has said it before and will probably say it again before the team goes on the clock next month: A team cannot go into the draft saying you need a player at a set position because if it does, it is likely to pass up a player with a better grade or value and end up making a mistake that will haunt the franchise for years to come. The truth is that last year Manning and the Giants offense started to click in the second half of the season once the offensive line played better and the team started getting Barkley into space a little more often. No, they didnt have the wins to show for it, but the Giants offense finished averaging 23.1 points per game, just a hair under the league average of 23.3 points per game. And in the second half of the season, the Giants average points per game took a massive jump, going from 18.8 points per game to 27.4. With a team already full of holes needing repair, the last thing Gettleman probably wants to do is create another hole, especially if theres no better options out there than what he has. While Gettleman could kick Manning to the curb and plug in a rookie at that spot, everyone whose opinion matters in the franchise has made it clear thats the preference is to have Manning tutor the next franchise quarterback. The only logical answer to that question is that the Giants didnt get the value they were looking for. There were reports claiming the Giants wanted a second-round pick for Collins, which of course never materialized, so they decided to hang on to him after reportedly receiving an offer for a third-round pick from the Bucs. As it turns out, the Giants could be in line to get that third round pick they passed up on last year when they hung on to Collins. The bad news is that the pick wont help them this year and its also not guaranteed only because the Giants could end up signing another free agent who ends up cancelling out the potential third-round pick. Based on what is known about Bettchers scheme and the draft, besides pouring what limited financial resources they have into a legitimate free safety, the most likely scenario is to expect the Giants draft to have a heavy defensive flavor to it that will include at least one edge rusher, perhaps one linebacker, and an interior pass rusher. The Giants will also probably look to use the cap savings theyre expected to recoup once they move edge rusher Olivier Vernons contract off the books toward adding at least one veteran edge rusher to go along with second-year man Lorenzo Carter. A couple of names to potentially keep an eye on in that spot include ZaDarius Smith (Ravens) and Markus Golden (Arizona) . As for replacing Collins, who was at his best when playing in the box, the Giants could look at a lower cost option (Andrew Adams anyone?) or pluck a prospect from a safety class that is widely regarded as having some good prospects. But it still hurts. Of course it does, especially when it looks as though there doesnt appear to be a plan in place to replace one of the play makers the general manager claimed the defense doesnt have enough of. Collins was a wildly popular player with the fans and a genuinely good soul who was professional and, at times, wise beyond his years. He gave everything he could to the franchise, even during those times when the coaching staff put more on him than they probably should have. Eventually though, all players leave the team for one reason or another. Collins time to go elsewhere just happened to come sooner than anyone thought it would.
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Landon Collins is expected to leave the New York Giants after four seasons. The Giants are expected to pursue a free safety in free agency.
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What's Next For The Giants After Saying Goodbye To Landon Collins?
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Thats the question on the minds of countless Giants fans who on Tuesday, the final day for NFL teams to use the franchise or transition tag on a key pending free agent, the Giants were planning to do neither for safety Landon Collins. The decision, which general manager Dave Gettleman hinted was coming at the combine last week, has seemingly rocked the fan base and, perhaps to an extent, the Giants locker room, as people attempt to make sense over why Gettleman would let a 25-year-old three-time Pro Bowl safetya player he tried to move in a trade last year only to fail to get the desired compensationwalk away for nothing in return this year. Gettleman, in trying to set up an explanation while the decision was still being evaluated last week, explained it was about tying up the $11+ million that the franchise tag would cost and how there was a potential for that money to be tied up long enough to keep the team from potentially pursuing other players who could help them. Couple that with the growing reports that the 25-year-old Collins was prepared to sit out the spring and summer until he got a long-term deal, and in the end, the cost, the potential for distraction, and, according to ESPN, an internal opinion that Collins wasnt worth the big bucks largely due to his pass coverage deficiencies led to a lot of broken blue hearts and questions about what the Giants plans are moving forward. On the surface, it appears that Gettleman is determined to removed all remaining traces of his predecessors personnel moves. With Collins expected to move on in free agency, that means the none of the 2015 draft class members will be on the roster next year, making that five out of six draft classes between 2010-2015 in which the Giants have no one remaining. (Receiver Odell Beckham Jr.s roster presence salvages the 2014 class.) The dilemma Gettleman faced with Collins, as with every free agent, came down to value, as in the player overvaluing his worth to the team (very common) while the decision maker (Gettleman) looking at things differently. With limited cap fundsand yes the Giants can find ways to create more room through cuts and restructuresa glaring need for a legitimate free safety, and a defensive draft class that is rich in linebackers and box safeties, Gettleman, in planning for the future, probably took all those factors into consideration when arriving at the decision to not pay Collins like a top-shelf safety. The decision to let Collins walk also suggests that the Giants are likely planning to pursue a free safety in free agency, a position into which they will probably pour significant financial resources. I want to thank the Giants organization for believing in me and allowing me to have 4 great years in NY. I cant express how great it was to play with my teammates and in one of the greatest cities in the world. I will forever cherish my time in the blue and white and the LANDON COLLINS (@TheHumble_21) March 5, 2019 relationships I have built in the building and in my community. Now on to the next chapter.... pic.twitter.com/nc9rhcqLKm LANDON COLLINS (@TheHumble_21) March 5, 2019 According to Spotrac, last year, the Giants spent $2 million on the free safety position, the bulk of that on Curtis Riley, a converted cornerback. The results of that bandage showedthe Giants pass defense finished 23th in the league, and Riley, who to be fair had to learn how to take new angles to the ball, ended up leading the Giants defense in missed tackles with 23. With some intriguing names on the market at free safety27-year-old Tyrann Mathieu is a name to watch for (and a player who has a prior connection with Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher)it would not be surprising if Gettleman, in reviewing his options, concuded that there was no way he could spend big money on both Collins and a free safety, while also addressing trying to address right tackle and edge rusher via free agency. There are those who believe that Gettleman sent a very bad message to the Giants locker room over his treatment of a young homegrown player voted a captain who did everything asked of him, who played through a shoulder injury until he just couldnt anymore, and who was well-liked and well-respected by the fans, the media and his teammates. Certainly, this is a valid concern, especially with the Giants having receiver Sterling Shepard up for renewal next year among others. And it was hard to miss the words of support tweeted by Collins soon-to-be ex-teammates like running back Saquon Barkley and fellow safety Michael Thomas. But lets go back to the distraction factor for a moment that Gettleman spoke about at the combine. Yes, its a business decision and players, for the most part, get that. But that scenario was one Gettleman wanted to avoid at all costs. And think back to how well this team has handled distractions the last few years. When Odell Beckham Jrs explosive ESPN interview hit the airwaves leading up to a game last year, that interview became bigger than the task at hand, which was winning the game (which the Giants did not). While it would be easy for the players to empathize with Collins had he been tagged and decided to hold out, the on-going questions about updates, about who heard from Collins, etc. had the potential to become a disruptive force in a locker room that both Shurmur and Gettleman is trying to keep from turning into a three-ring circus. It's easy to understand where this argument is coming from, but go back to what Gettleman and Shurmur both said about their hopes to replicate the Kansas City Plan. The hope is that they find their next franchise quarterback and let him learn behind Eli Manning, a two-time super Bowl MVP. Several reasons. First, dumping Mannings deal will put another $6 million of dead money into a pot that is already the fourth-highest in the NFL. Second, of those veteran quarterbacks that are projected to hit the marketRyan Tannehill, Case Keenum, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Blake Bortles to name a fewmost werent good enough to hang on to the starting job with their current teams, which is why theyre moving on from them to begin with. Then there is a matter of continuity. Yes, Mannings best days are behind him. Yes, eventually the Giants need to move on from him and yes, that has to happen sooner than later. However, Gettleman has said it before and will probably say it again before the team goes on the clock next month: A team cannot go into the draft saying you need a player at a set position because if it does, it is likely to pass up a player with a better grade or value and end up making a mistake that will haunt the franchise for years to come. The truth is that last year Manning and the Giants offense started to click in the second half of the season once the offensive line played better and the team started getting Barkley into space a little more often. No, they didnt have the wins to show for it, but the Giants offense finished averaging 23.1 points per game, just a hair under the league average of 23.3 points per game. And in the second half of the season, the Giants average points per game took a massive jump, going from 18.8 points per game to 27.4. With a team already full of holes needing repair, the last thing Gettleman probably wants to do is create another hole, especially if theres no better options out there than what he has. While Gettleman could kick Manning to the curb and plug in a rookie at that spot, everyone whose opinion matters in the franchise has made it clear thats the preference is to have Manning tutor the next franchise quarterback. The only logical answer to that question is that the Giants didnt get the value they were looking for. There were reports claiming the Giants wanted a second-round pick for Collins, which of course never materialized, so they decided to hang on to him after reportedly receiving an offer for a third-round pick from the Bucs. As it turns out, the Giants could be in line to get that third round pick they passed up on last year when they hung on to Collins. The bad news is that the pick wont help them this year and its also not guaranteed only because the Giants could end up signing another free agent who ends up cancelling out the potential third-round pick. Based on what is known about Bettchers scheme and the draft, besides pouring what limited financial resources they have into a legitimate free safety, the most likely scenario is to expect the Giants draft to have a heavy defensive flavor to it that will include at least one edge rusher, perhaps one linebacker, and an interior pass rusher. The Giants will also probably look to use the cap savings theyre expected to recoup once they move edge rusher Olivier Vernons contract off the books toward adding at least one veteran edge rusher to go along with second-year man Lorenzo Carter. A couple of names to potentially keep an eye on in that spot include ZaDarius Smith (Ravens) and Markus Golden (Arizona) . As for replacing Collins, who was at his best when playing in the box, the Giants could look at a lower cost option (Andrew Adams anyone?) or pluck a prospect from a safety class that is widely regarded as having some good prospects. But it still hurts. Of course it does, especially when it looks as though there doesnt appear to be a plan in place to replace one of the play makers the general manager claimed the defense doesnt have enough of. Collins was a wildly popular player with the fans and a genuinely good soul who was professional and, at times, wise beyond his years. He gave everything he could to the franchise, even during those times when the coaching staff put more on him than they probably should have. Eventually though, all players leave the team for one reason or another. Collins time to go elsewhere just happened to come sooner than anyone thought it would.
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Landon Collins is expected to leave the New York Giants after four seasons. The Giants are expected to pursue a free safety in free agency. The decision has left many asking: What's next for the Giants after saying goodbye to Collins? The answer is likely to be a lot of money.
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Who Is Marc Rissmann in the New Game of Thrones Trailer?
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Warning: This post contains potential spoilers for Game of Thrones season 8. The new Game of Thrones trailer that dropped Tuesday is stirring up major fan speculation over whats to come in the shows final six episodes with theories about one man in particular flying. After confirming, at long last, that Jon Snow is the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, the season 7 finale of Game of Thrones also revealed that Jons real name is Aegon Targaryen. There has been a long history of Aegons on the Targaryen family tree, with the names origin stretching back 300 years to Aegon I Targaryen. Also known as Aegon the Conqueror, Aegon I was the first king to sit on the Iron Throne after conquering Westeros and unifying the Seven Kingdoms under his rule. But based on a scene in the new Game of Thrones season 8 trailer, some fans are speculating that were about to meet yet another Aegon. The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now As we know, Aegon Targaryen was also the name of Rhaegars only son with his first wife, Elia Martell. Shortly before Jons birth, that Aegon was murdered alongside his mother and sister by Gregor The Mountain Clegane during the Sack of Kings Landing. This happened near the end of Roberts Rebellion after Rhaeger himself had been killed at the Battle of the Trident. But in George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire series the books the show is based on there is a character named Young Griff who claims to be the surviving son of Rhaegar and Elia. Varys even tells Tyrion that he swapped that Aegon with a peasant baby before the capital was sacked. In the books, Young Griff was raised by a man named Jon Connington and plans to marry Daenerys so that they can rule the Seven Kingdoms together. He has also managed to recruit the mercenary company known as the Golden Company to his cause, which is the detail that has led some fans to believe that hes finally going to make an appearance in the show. At the end of season 7, Euron Greyjoy was en route to Essos to retrieve the Golden Company for Cersei. And in the season 8 trailer, we see a large fleet of Greyjoy ships carrying a group of soldiers that appears to be the Golden Company. However, the detail that caught some viewers eye was the blond man with his back facing the camera standing at the head of the army. It has been theorized that a German actor named Marc Rissmann who just so happens to be blond was cast to play the book character Harry Strickland, a commander in the Golden Company, in season 8. However, considering how much the Game of Thrones showrunners love a bait-and-switch, its not outside the realm of possibility that he may really be playing Young Griff. Whether Griff is actually Aegon Targaryen is still up for debate. Watch the full Game of Thrones season 8 trailer above. Game of Thrones returns for its eighth and final season on April 14. Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com.
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Some fans are speculating that we're about to meet yet another Aegon. The new Game of Thrones trailer shows a man with his back to the camera standing at the head of an army. It has been theorized that the man is a German actor named Marc Rissmann.
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Where Do The Major North American Sports Leagues Stand On Cannabis?
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One-time NFL golden boy Joe Montana was as much an icon for the league as you could get in the 1980s. Four Super Bowl wins, three Super Bowl MVPs, comebacks he was Tom Brady when Tom Brady was a toddler. Seemingly out of place with Montanas throwback, straight-laced image, hes now the latest former NFL player promoting cannabis. California marijuana company Caliva announced last month that Montana is part of a group that invested $75 million in the company. Scroll to continue with content Ad In addition to a handful actually in the business, dozens of former players have said their old league should let players try marijuana for pain relief as an alternative to addictive opioids. But despite more and more veterans even legendary good guy players like Montana accepting the idea of cannabis as medicine, and growing public acceptance, the league isnt quite ready. While cannabis is legal in an increasing number of states with NFL teams, its use remains officially off-limits to players. But slowly, more executives in the big professional sports leagues, including some in the NFL, are starting to contemplate a time when some form of cannabis is as much a part of the medical room inventory as tape and smelling salts. The Cannabis Capital Conference is coming back to Toronto! Click here to learn how you can join Tim Seymour, Jon Najarian, Danny Moses, Alan Brochstein and many others. Some are ahead of the curve, particularly the National Hockey League, where cannabis isnt technically banned. The NHL Alumni Association even announced this week it will work with major Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) on studying the potential effects of cannabinioids on players with head injuries. Story continues And while its not a major league, the 3-on-3 basketball league made up of former NBA players known as The BIG3, said last summer its players can use cannabidiol, or CBD. The following is a look at where the big U.S. sports leagues stand on cannabis. NFL Not A Fan Of Legalization Ending the ban on marijuana use may be an issue in talks over the next collective bargaining agreement between owners and the players union, if a NBC sports blog is correct. The current agreement ends in 2020. NBCs PFT blog by Jim Florio speculated that the NFL is hoping to offer to make changes to the current policy, which prohibits players from using cannabis, as part of its negotiations, though the suggestion wasnt sourced to anyone in NFL ownership. The league policy is that use of marijuana and synthetic cannabinoids is banned, with players subject to suspension after two positive tests. Earlier this year, former player Martellus Bennett said he believed nearly 90 percent of NFL players use marijuana, including many who use it to deal with injuries. One former player, Mike James, last year applied for a medical exemption to the rules, essentially challenging the ban, saying that he needed pot for medical reasons to be able to play. The league turned him down. NHL Takes Relaxed Approach With the NHL being the national obsession of Canada, where marijuana is now legal, perhaps its not surprising it is the most laissez-faire league on cannabis. The NHL doesnt punish players who test positive for marijuana, which it technically doesnt classify as a banned substance. Commissioner Gary Bettman told the Associated Press late last year that the league was comfortable with its current policy, as was the NHL Players Association. And, as mentioned, while several leagues say they want to know more about the effects of cannabis, the NHL is actually partnering in research. NBA Assessing The Issue Players in the NBA, like in the NFL, have estimated that huge numbers of their colleagues on the court are using marijuana off it. While the NBA prohibits its use now, commissioner Adam Silver says it's being evaluated. Silver said on Bleacher Reports Full 48 podcast in December that the league doesnt treat its players that harshly when they test positive. Theres no public disclosure of it, the first time a player tests for cannabis use, he said. The team in the first instance isnt even informed. Its a confidential program where the player talks to a drug counselor, and often thats a trigger for a player to talk to a counselor about issues theyre having in their life. The league policy: After that, however, players can face fines for second and subsequent violations. And there are random spot drug tests, including some in the off-season. MLB: More Lenient Baseball Use of marijuana and cannabinoids by Major League baseball players is prohibited. But the league only tests for it on a for-cause basis, not randomly. In a statement to Bleacher Report last year, the league said that players who test positive are provided the necessary professional resources to help them abstain, and are only subject to discipline if they continue to use it. Minor leaguers, who are not covered by MLBs collective bargaining agreement, are subject to suspensions. MLS: More Lenient Still Major League Soccer has a vague policy. It prohibits the use of illegal substances, but if players voluntarily get treatment, they may avoid any sanctions. The league prohibits use of controlled substances, but doesnt address whether marijuana is included, considering it is illegal some places and legal in others. Related Links: Football And Weed: Former NFL Players Weigh In On Why Many Are Getting Involved With CBD Companies 70 Athletes, Hedge Fund Manager Join Cannabis Not-For-Profit, Tout CBD's Benefits See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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The National Hockey League is the most laissez-faire league on cannabis.
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https://sports.yahoo.com/where-major-north-american-sports-124627319.html?src=rss
| 0.350165 |
Where Do The Major North American Sports Leagues Stand On Cannabis?
|
One-time NFL golden boy Joe Montana was as much an icon for the league as you could get in the 1980s. Four Super Bowl wins, three Super Bowl MVPs, comebacks he was Tom Brady when Tom Brady was a toddler. Seemingly out of place with Montanas throwback, straight-laced image, hes now the latest former NFL player promoting cannabis. California marijuana company Caliva announced last month that Montana is part of a group that invested $75 million in the company. Scroll to continue with content Ad In addition to a handful actually in the business, dozens of former players have said their old league should let players try marijuana for pain relief as an alternative to addictive opioids. But despite more and more veterans even legendary good guy players like Montana accepting the idea of cannabis as medicine, and growing public acceptance, the league isnt quite ready. While cannabis is legal in an increasing number of states with NFL teams, its use remains officially off-limits to players. But slowly, more executives in the big professional sports leagues, including some in the NFL, are starting to contemplate a time when some form of cannabis is as much a part of the medical room inventory as tape and smelling salts. The Cannabis Capital Conference is coming back to Toronto! Click here to learn how you can join Tim Seymour, Jon Najarian, Danny Moses, Alan Brochstein and many others. Some are ahead of the curve, particularly the National Hockey League, where cannabis isnt technically banned. The NHL Alumni Association even announced this week it will work with major Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) on studying the potential effects of cannabinioids on players with head injuries. Story continues And while its not a major league, the 3-on-3 basketball league made up of former NBA players known as The BIG3, said last summer its players can use cannabidiol, or CBD. The following is a look at where the big U.S. sports leagues stand on cannabis. NFL Not A Fan Of Legalization Ending the ban on marijuana use may be an issue in talks over the next collective bargaining agreement between owners and the players union, if a NBC sports blog is correct. The current agreement ends in 2020. NBCs PFT blog by Jim Florio speculated that the NFL is hoping to offer to make changes to the current policy, which prohibits players from using cannabis, as part of its negotiations, though the suggestion wasnt sourced to anyone in NFL ownership. The league policy is that use of marijuana and synthetic cannabinoids is banned, with players subject to suspension after two positive tests. Earlier this year, former player Martellus Bennett said he believed nearly 90 percent of NFL players use marijuana, including many who use it to deal with injuries. One former player, Mike James, last year applied for a medical exemption to the rules, essentially challenging the ban, saying that he needed pot for medical reasons to be able to play. The league turned him down. NHL Takes Relaxed Approach With the NHL being the national obsession of Canada, where marijuana is now legal, perhaps its not surprising it is the most laissez-faire league on cannabis. The NHL doesnt punish players who test positive for marijuana, which it technically doesnt classify as a banned substance. Commissioner Gary Bettman told the Associated Press late last year that the league was comfortable with its current policy, as was the NHL Players Association. And, as mentioned, while several leagues say they want to know more about the effects of cannabis, the NHL is actually partnering in research. NBA Assessing The Issue Players in the NBA, like in the NFL, have estimated that huge numbers of their colleagues on the court are using marijuana off it. While the NBA prohibits its use now, commissioner Adam Silver says it's being evaluated. Silver said on Bleacher Reports Full 48 podcast in December that the league doesnt treat its players that harshly when they test positive. Theres no public disclosure of it, the first time a player tests for cannabis use, he said. The team in the first instance isnt even informed. Its a confidential program where the player talks to a drug counselor, and often thats a trigger for a player to talk to a counselor about issues theyre having in their life. The league policy: After that, however, players can face fines for second and subsequent violations. And there are random spot drug tests, including some in the off-season. MLB: More Lenient Baseball Use of marijuana and cannabinoids by Major League baseball players is prohibited. But the league only tests for it on a for-cause basis, not randomly. In a statement to Bleacher Report last year, the league said that players who test positive are provided the necessary professional resources to help them abstain, and are only subject to discipline if they continue to use it. Minor leaguers, who are not covered by MLBs collective bargaining agreement, are subject to suspensions. MLS: More Lenient Still Major League Soccer has a vague policy. It prohibits the use of illegal substances, but if players voluntarily get treatment, they may avoid any sanctions. The league prohibits use of controlled substances, but doesnt address whether marijuana is included, considering it is illegal some places and legal in others. Related Links: Football And Weed: Former NFL Players Weigh In On Why Many Are Getting Involved With CBD Companies 70 Athletes, Hedge Fund Manager Join Cannabis Not-For-Profit, Tout CBD's Benefits See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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The National Hockey League is the most laissez-faire league on cannabis. The NFL is one of the few sports leagues that still prohibits players from using cannabis.
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ctrlsum
| 1 |
https://sports.yahoo.com/where-major-north-american-sports-124627319.html?src=rss
| 0.437695 |
Where Do The Major North American Sports Leagues Stand On Cannabis?
|
One-time NFL golden boy Joe Montana was as much an icon for the league as you could get in the 1980s. Four Super Bowl wins, three Super Bowl MVPs, comebacks he was Tom Brady when Tom Brady was a toddler. Seemingly out of place with Montanas throwback, straight-laced image, hes now the latest former NFL player promoting cannabis. California marijuana company Caliva announced last month that Montana is part of a group that invested $75 million in the company. Scroll to continue with content Ad In addition to a handful actually in the business, dozens of former players have said their old league should let players try marijuana for pain relief as an alternative to addictive opioids. But despite more and more veterans even legendary good guy players like Montana accepting the idea of cannabis as medicine, and growing public acceptance, the league isnt quite ready. While cannabis is legal in an increasing number of states with NFL teams, its use remains officially off-limits to players. But slowly, more executives in the big professional sports leagues, including some in the NFL, are starting to contemplate a time when some form of cannabis is as much a part of the medical room inventory as tape and smelling salts. The Cannabis Capital Conference is coming back to Toronto! Click here to learn how you can join Tim Seymour, Jon Najarian, Danny Moses, Alan Brochstein and many others. Some are ahead of the curve, particularly the National Hockey League, where cannabis isnt technically banned. The NHL Alumni Association even announced this week it will work with major Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) on studying the potential effects of cannabinioids on players with head injuries. Story continues And while its not a major league, the 3-on-3 basketball league made up of former NBA players known as The BIG3, said last summer its players can use cannabidiol, or CBD. The following is a look at where the big U.S. sports leagues stand on cannabis. NFL Not A Fan Of Legalization Ending the ban on marijuana use may be an issue in talks over the next collective bargaining agreement between owners and the players union, if a NBC sports blog is correct. The current agreement ends in 2020. NBCs PFT blog by Jim Florio speculated that the NFL is hoping to offer to make changes to the current policy, which prohibits players from using cannabis, as part of its negotiations, though the suggestion wasnt sourced to anyone in NFL ownership. The league policy is that use of marijuana and synthetic cannabinoids is banned, with players subject to suspension after two positive tests. Earlier this year, former player Martellus Bennett said he believed nearly 90 percent of NFL players use marijuana, including many who use it to deal with injuries. One former player, Mike James, last year applied for a medical exemption to the rules, essentially challenging the ban, saying that he needed pot for medical reasons to be able to play. The league turned him down. NHL Takes Relaxed Approach With the NHL being the national obsession of Canada, where marijuana is now legal, perhaps its not surprising it is the most laissez-faire league on cannabis. The NHL doesnt punish players who test positive for marijuana, which it technically doesnt classify as a banned substance. Commissioner Gary Bettman told the Associated Press late last year that the league was comfortable with its current policy, as was the NHL Players Association. And, as mentioned, while several leagues say they want to know more about the effects of cannabis, the NHL is actually partnering in research. NBA Assessing The Issue Players in the NBA, like in the NFL, have estimated that huge numbers of their colleagues on the court are using marijuana off it. While the NBA prohibits its use now, commissioner Adam Silver says it's being evaluated. Silver said on Bleacher Reports Full 48 podcast in December that the league doesnt treat its players that harshly when they test positive. Theres no public disclosure of it, the first time a player tests for cannabis use, he said. The team in the first instance isnt even informed. Its a confidential program where the player talks to a drug counselor, and often thats a trigger for a player to talk to a counselor about issues theyre having in their life. The league policy: After that, however, players can face fines for second and subsequent violations. And there are random spot drug tests, including some in the off-season. MLB: More Lenient Baseball Use of marijuana and cannabinoids by Major League baseball players is prohibited. But the league only tests for it on a for-cause basis, not randomly. In a statement to Bleacher Report last year, the league said that players who test positive are provided the necessary professional resources to help them abstain, and are only subject to discipline if they continue to use it. Minor leaguers, who are not covered by MLBs collective bargaining agreement, are subject to suspensions. MLS: More Lenient Still Major League Soccer has a vague policy. It prohibits the use of illegal substances, but if players voluntarily get treatment, they may avoid any sanctions. The league prohibits use of controlled substances, but doesnt address whether marijuana is included, considering it is illegal some places and legal in others. Related Links: Football And Weed: Former NFL Players Weigh In On Why Many Are Getting Involved With CBD Companies 70 Athletes, Hedge Fund Manager Join Cannabis Not-For-Profit, Tout CBD's Benefits See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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The National Hockey League is the most laissez-faire league on cannabis. The NFL is one of the few sports leagues that still prohibits players from using cannabis. Some leagues, including the NHL, say they want to know more about the effects of cannabidiol, or CBD.
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https://sports.yahoo.com/where-major-north-american-sports-124627319.html?src=rss
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When is Denvers 2019 election for mayor and council? When does voting start?
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Denvers next Election Day is Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Heres everything you need to know about the timing of the upcoming election. The city will distribute ballots during the week of April 15. Ballots can be mailed or dropped at ballot boxes. You can also vote in person at voting centers. Either way, ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on May 7. There is likely to be a second round of voting in some races. If nobody gets 50 percent or more of the vote, a runoff election for that race is scheduled and new ballots are distributed. This can happen in every race except the at-large council races. Denvers runoff election would be Tuesday, June 4, 2019. Each resident of Denver can vote in the following races: Mayor Auditor Clerk Council seat for their district Citywide, or at large, council seats. Unlike the other categories, voters may choose two candidates in this race. The candidate lists will be finalized March 13. To vote in Denver, you must be a resident of the city and 18 years or older, although you can register at age 16. You can register online until April 29 through Go Vote Colorado, at a drivers license facility or by mail. You can also register through Election Day at voter service and polling centers in Denver. There are numerous acceptable forms of ID, including student ID, passports, drivers licenses, employee identification cards and more.
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Denvers next Election Day is Tuesday, May 7, 2019. The city will distribute ballots during the week of April 15.
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pegasus
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https://www.denverpost.com/2019/03/05/denver-2019-election-mayor-council/
| 0.551477 |
When is Denvers 2019 election for mayor and council? When does voting start?
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Denvers next Election Day is Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Heres everything you need to know about the timing of the upcoming election. The city will distribute ballots during the week of April 15. Ballots can be mailed or dropped at ballot boxes. You can also vote in person at voting centers. Either way, ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on May 7. There is likely to be a second round of voting in some races. If nobody gets 50 percent or more of the vote, a runoff election for that race is scheduled and new ballots are distributed. This can happen in every race except the at-large council races. Denvers runoff election would be Tuesday, June 4, 2019. Each resident of Denver can vote in the following races: Mayor Auditor Clerk Council seat for their district Citywide, or at large, council seats. Unlike the other categories, voters may choose two candidates in this race. The candidate lists will be finalized March 13. To vote in Denver, you must be a resident of the city and 18 years or older, although you can register at age 16. You can register online until April 29 through Go Vote Colorado, at a drivers license facility or by mail. You can also register through Election Day at voter service and polling centers in Denver. There are numerous acceptable forms of ID, including student ID, passports, drivers licenses, employee identification cards and more.
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Denvers next Election Day is Tuesday, May 7, 2019. The city will distribute ballots during the week of April 15. There is likely to be a second round of voting in some races.
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pegasus
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https://www.denverpost.com/2019/03/05/denver-2019-election-mayor-council/
| 0.596379 |
When is Denvers 2019 election for mayor and council? When does voting start?
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Denvers next Election Day is Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Heres everything you need to know about the timing of the upcoming election. The city will distribute ballots during the week of April 15. Ballots can be mailed or dropped at ballot boxes. You can also vote in person at voting centers. Either way, ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on May 7. There is likely to be a second round of voting in some races. If nobody gets 50 percent or more of the vote, a runoff election for that race is scheduled and new ballots are distributed. This can happen in every race except the at-large council races. Denvers runoff election would be Tuesday, June 4, 2019. Each resident of Denver can vote in the following races: Mayor Auditor Clerk Council seat for their district Citywide, or at large, council seats. Unlike the other categories, voters may choose two candidates in this race. The candidate lists will be finalized March 13. To vote in Denver, you must be a resident of the city and 18 years or older, although you can register at age 16. You can register online until April 29 through Go Vote Colorado, at a drivers license facility or by mail. You can also register through Election Day at voter service and polling centers in Denver. There are numerous acceptable forms of ID, including student ID, passports, drivers licenses, employee identification cards and more.
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Denver's next Election Day is Tuesday, May 7, 2019. To vote in Denver, you must be a resident of the city and 18 years or older. You can register online until April 29 through Go Vote Colorado. There are numerous acceptable forms of ID, including student ID, passports and drivers licenses.
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bart
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https://www.denverpost.com/2019/03/05/denver-2019-election-mayor-council/
| 0.640931 |
What do the people of the world die from?
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Image copyright Getty Images Around the world, people are living longer. In 1950, global average life expectancy at birth was only 46. By 2015, it had shot up to over 71. In some countries, progress has not always been smooth. Disease, epidemics and unexpected events are a reminder that ever-longer lives are not a given. Meanwhile, the deaths that may preoccupy us - from terrorism, war and natural disasters - make up less than 0.5% of all deaths combined. But across the world, many are still dying too young and from preventable causes. The story of when people die is really a story of how they die, and how this has changed over time. Causes of death around the world About 56 million people in the world died in 2017. This is 10 million more than in 1990, as the global population has increased and people live longer on average. More than 70% die from non-communicable, chronic diseases. These are not passed from person to person and typically progress slowly. The biggest single killer is cardiovascular disease, which affects the heart and arteries and is responsible for every third death. This is twice the rate of cancers - the second leading cause - which account for about one in six of all deaths. Other non-contagious diseases such as diabetes, certain respiratory diseases and dementia are also near the top of the list. Preventable deaths What may be more shocking is the number of people who still die from preventable causes. About 1.6 million died from diseases related to diarrhoea in 2017, putting it in the top 10 causes of death. In some countries, it's one of the largest killers. Neonatal disorders - the death of a baby within the first 28 days - claimed 1.8 million newborns in 2017. The frequency of these deaths varies greatly from country to country. In Japan, fewer than one in 1,000 babies die in the first 28 days of life, compared with just under one in 20 in some of the world's poorest countries. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world Other preventable deaths are high up the list. Road accidents incur a high death toll in the richest and poorest countries alike, claiming 1.2 million lives in 2017. While many high-income countries have seen significant falls in road deaths in recent decades, globally the number dying on the roads has almost stayed the same. Meanwhile, almost twice as many people around the world died from suicide as from homicide - the killing of one person by another. In the UK, suicide deaths were 16 times higher; it is the leading cause of death for men aged 20-40. What types of death tell us What people die from changes over time and as their country develops. In the past, infectious diseases played a bigger part than they do today. In 1990, one in three deaths resulted from communicable and infectious diseases; by 2017 this had fallen to one in five. Children are particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases. As recently as the 19th Century, every third child in the world died before the age of five. Child mortality rates have fallen significantly since then thanks to vaccines and improvements in hygiene, nutrition, healthcare and clean water access. Child deaths in rich countries are now relatively rare, while the poorest regions today have child mortality rates similar to the UK and Sweden in the first half of the 20th Century, and are continuing to catch up. The decline in global child deaths is one of the greatest success stories of modern healthcare. The number of children dying each year has more than halved in recent decades, as we have got better at fighting contagious and infectious diseases. This has shifted death rates towards non-contagious diseases in elderly people. Many countries have growing concerns about the increasing burden on relatives and healthcare systems as people get older and have longer-term illnesses. More stories like this Unexpected events can throw this steady improvement off course. The 1980s HIV/Aids crisis is a striking example of this. The epidemic was felt across all regions of the world, but the most notable impact on life expectancy was in sub-Saharan Africa. After decades of steady improvement, life expectancy fell substantially across many countries in the region. A combination of anti-retroviral therapy, treatment and education on prevention means global deaths from Aids-related illness have halved in the last decade alone - from 2 million per year down to 1 million. Life expectancy has since began to recover in these countries, but is only now returning to pre-crisis levels. Even in the richest countries, continued progress is not a given. Life expectancy in the US has fallen slightly over the past few years, largely as a result of the opioid drug crisis. Life expectancy for new mothers has also not consistently increased. There are about 10 countries where a young woman today would be more likely to die during or shortly after childbirth than her mother was, including the US. Further to go Today's overall picture is positive: we are living longer lives while fewer people - especially children - are dying from preventable causes. But it's also true that we still have a long way to go. Further improvements in sanitation, hygiene, nutrition, vaccination and basic healthcare are all crucial to this. So too are increased safety measures and mental health provision. Understanding what people die from is crucial if we want this recent progress to continue. About this piece This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from an expert working for an outside organisation. Hannah Ritchie is an Oxford Martin fellow, and is currently working as a researcher at OurWorldinData.org. This is a joint project between Oxford Martin and non-profit organisation Global Change Data Lab, which aims to present research on how the world is changing through interactive visualisations. You can follow her on Twitter here. Edited by Eleanor Lawrie
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World's 56 million people died in 2017, 10 million more than in 1990. More than 70% die from non-communicable, chronic diseases.
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ctrlsum
| 0 |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47371078
| 0.263207 |
What do the people of the world die from?
|
Image copyright Getty Images Around the world, people are living longer. In 1950, global average life expectancy at birth was only 46. By 2015, it had shot up to over 71. In some countries, progress has not always been smooth. Disease, epidemics and unexpected events are a reminder that ever-longer lives are not a given. Meanwhile, the deaths that may preoccupy us - from terrorism, war and natural disasters - make up less than 0.5% of all deaths combined. But across the world, many are still dying too young and from preventable causes. The story of when people die is really a story of how they die, and how this has changed over time. Causes of death around the world About 56 million people in the world died in 2017. This is 10 million more than in 1990, as the global population has increased and people live longer on average. More than 70% die from non-communicable, chronic diseases. These are not passed from person to person and typically progress slowly. The biggest single killer is cardiovascular disease, which affects the heart and arteries and is responsible for every third death. This is twice the rate of cancers - the second leading cause - which account for about one in six of all deaths. Other non-contagious diseases such as diabetes, certain respiratory diseases and dementia are also near the top of the list. Preventable deaths What may be more shocking is the number of people who still die from preventable causes. About 1.6 million died from diseases related to diarrhoea in 2017, putting it in the top 10 causes of death. In some countries, it's one of the largest killers. Neonatal disorders - the death of a baby within the first 28 days - claimed 1.8 million newborns in 2017. The frequency of these deaths varies greatly from country to country. In Japan, fewer than one in 1,000 babies die in the first 28 days of life, compared with just under one in 20 in some of the world's poorest countries. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world Other preventable deaths are high up the list. Road accidents incur a high death toll in the richest and poorest countries alike, claiming 1.2 million lives in 2017. While many high-income countries have seen significant falls in road deaths in recent decades, globally the number dying on the roads has almost stayed the same. Meanwhile, almost twice as many people around the world died from suicide as from homicide - the killing of one person by another. In the UK, suicide deaths were 16 times higher; it is the leading cause of death for men aged 20-40. What types of death tell us What people die from changes over time and as their country develops. In the past, infectious diseases played a bigger part than they do today. In 1990, one in three deaths resulted from communicable and infectious diseases; by 2017 this had fallen to one in five. Children are particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases. As recently as the 19th Century, every third child in the world died before the age of five. Child mortality rates have fallen significantly since then thanks to vaccines and improvements in hygiene, nutrition, healthcare and clean water access. Child deaths in rich countries are now relatively rare, while the poorest regions today have child mortality rates similar to the UK and Sweden in the first half of the 20th Century, and are continuing to catch up. The decline in global child deaths is one of the greatest success stories of modern healthcare. The number of children dying each year has more than halved in recent decades, as we have got better at fighting contagious and infectious diseases. This has shifted death rates towards non-contagious diseases in elderly people. Many countries have growing concerns about the increasing burden on relatives and healthcare systems as people get older and have longer-term illnesses. More stories like this Unexpected events can throw this steady improvement off course. The 1980s HIV/Aids crisis is a striking example of this. The epidemic was felt across all regions of the world, but the most notable impact on life expectancy was in sub-Saharan Africa. After decades of steady improvement, life expectancy fell substantially across many countries in the region. A combination of anti-retroviral therapy, treatment and education on prevention means global deaths from Aids-related illness have halved in the last decade alone - from 2 million per year down to 1 million. Life expectancy has since began to recover in these countries, but is only now returning to pre-crisis levels. Even in the richest countries, continued progress is not a given. Life expectancy in the US has fallen slightly over the past few years, largely as a result of the opioid drug crisis. Life expectancy for new mothers has also not consistently increased. There are about 10 countries where a young woman today would be more likely to die during or shortly after childbirth than her mother was, including the US. Further to go Today's overall picture is positive: we are living longer lives while fewer people - especially children - are dying from preventable causes. But it's also true that we still have a long way to go. Further improvements in sanitation, hygiene, nutrition, vaccination and basic healthcare are all crucial to this. So too are increased safety measures and mental health provision. Understanding what people die from is crucial if we want this recent progress to continue. About this piece This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from an expert working for an outside organisation. Hannah Ritchie is an Oxford Martin fellow, and is currently working as a researcher at OurWorldinData.org. This is a joint project between Oxford Martin and non-profit organisation Global Change Data Lab, which aims to present research on how the world is changing through interactive visualisations. You can follow her on Twitter here. Edited by Eleanor Lawrie
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About 56 million people in the world died in 2017, 10 million more than in 1990. More than 70% die from non-communicable, chronic diseases. The biggest single killer is cardiovascular disease, which is responsible for every third death.
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bart
| 1 |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47371078
| 0.601958 |
What do the people of the world die from?
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Image copyright Getty Images Around the world, people are living longer. In 1950, global average life expectancy at birth was only 46. By 2015, it had shot up to over 71. In some countries, progress has not always been smooth. Disease, epidemics and unexpected events are a reminder that ever-longer lives are not a given. Meanwhile, the deaths that may preoccupy us - from terrorism, war and natural disasters - make up less than 0.5% of all deaths combined. But across the world, many are still dying too young and from preventable causes. The story of when people die is really a story of how they die, and how this has changed over time. Causes of death around the world About 56 million people in the world died in 2017. This is 10 million more than in 1990, as the global population has increased and people live longer on average. More than 70% die from non-communicable, chronic diseases. These are not passed from person to person and typically progress slowly. The biggest single killer is cardiovascular disease, which affects the heart and arteries and is responsible for every third death. This is twice the rate of cancers - the second leading cause - which account for about one in six of all deaths. Other non-contagious diseases such as diabetes, certain respiratory diseases and dementia are also near the top of the list. Preventable deaths What may be more shocking is the number of people who still die from preventable causes. About 1.6 million died from diseases related to diarrhoea in 2017, putting it in the top 10 causes of death. In some countries, it's one of the largest killers. Neonatal disorders - the death of a baby within the first 28 days - claimed 1.8 million newborns in 2017. The frequency of these deaths varies greatly from country to country. In Japan, fewer than one in 1,000 babies die in the first 28 days of life, compared with just under one in 20 in some of the world's poorest countries. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world Other preventable deaths are high up the list. Road accidents incur a high death toll in the richest and poorest countries alike, claiming 1.2 million lives in 2017. While many high-income countries have seen significant falls in road deaths in recent decades, globally the number dying on the roads has almost stayed the same. Meanwhile, almost twice as many people around the world died from suicide as from homicide - the killing of one person by another. In the UK, suicide deaths were 16 times higher; it is the leading cause of death for men aged 20-40. What types of death tell us What people die from changes over time and as their country develops. In the past, infectious diseases played a bigger part than they do today. In 1990, one in three deaths resulted from communicable and infectious diseases; by 2017 this had fallen to one in five. Children are particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases. As recently as the 19th Century, every third child in the world died before the age of five. Child mortality rates have fallen significantly since then thanks to vaccines and improvements in hygiene, nutrition, healthcare and clean water access. Child deaths in rich countries are now relatively rare, while the poorest regions today have child mortality rates similar to the UK and Sweden in the first half of the 20th Century, and are continuing to catch up. The decline in global child deaths is one of the greatest success stories of modern healthcare. The number of children dying each year has more than halved in recent decades, as we have got better at fighting contagious and infectious diseases. This has shifted death rates towards non-contagious diseases in elderly people. Many countries have growing concerns about the increasing burden on relatives and healthcare systems as people get older and have longer-term illnesses. More stories like this Unexpected events can throw this steady improvement off course. The 1980s HIV/Aids crisis is a striking example of this. The epidemic was felt across all regions of the world, but the most notable impact on life expectancy was in sub-Saharan Africa. After decades of steady improvement, life expectancy fell substantially across many countries in the region. A combination of anti-retroviral therapy, treatment and education on prevention means global deaths from Aids-related illness have halved in the last decade alone - from 2 million per year down to 1 million. Life expectancy has since began to recover in these countries, but is only now returning to pre-crisis levels. Even in the richest countries, continued progress is not a given. Life expectancy in the US has fallen slightly over the past few years, largely as a result of the opioid drug crisis. Life expectancy for new mothers has also not consistently increased. There are about 10 countries where a young woman today would be more likely to die during or shortly after childbirth than her mother was, including the US. Further to go Today's overall picture is positive: we are living longer lives while fewer people - especially children - are dying from preventable causes. But it's also true that we still have a long way to go. Further improvements in sanitation, hygiene, nutrition, vaccination and basic healthcare are all crucial to this. So too are increased safety measures and mental health provision. Understanding what people die from is crucial if we want this recent progress to continue. About this piece This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from an expert working for an outside organisation. Hannah Ritchie is an Oxford Martin fellow, and is currently working as a researcher at OurWorldinData.org. This is a joint project between Oxford Martin and non-profit organisation Global Change Data Lab, which aims to present research on how the world is changing through interactive visualisations. You can follow her on Twitter here. Edited by Eleanor Lawrie
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World's 56 million people died in 2017, 10 million more than in 1990. More than 70% die from non-communicable, chronic diseases. Suicide is the most common cause of death, followed by road accidents and diarrhoea. The number of children dying each year has more than halved in recent decades.
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ctrlsum
| 2 |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47371078
| 0.671235 |
Is Zac Efron Dating Olympic Swimmer Sarah Bro?
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Some fans are beginning to speculate that The Greatest Showman star may be dating Olympic swimmer Sarah Bro. Efron and the Danish athlete have not made any public posts about each other just yet, but there have been a few sightings and instances that feel like more than mere coincidences. Bro swam for Denmark in the 4x100 meter relay during the 2016 Olympics. On March 1, both the actor and Bro shared photos on Instagram of a night out at a Los Angeles Kings hockey game. Bro even wore a custom jersey. "Thank you @lakings for making my first hockey game something very special," she captioned a photo of herself in the locker room repping her customized gear. She noted that after just one game, she's "already a fan!" That same day, Efron posted a selfie from the game where he's covering his eyes with his team hat. The Kings played the Dallas Stars on Thursday, Feb. 28 (and lost).
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Some fans are speculating that Zac Efron may be dating Sarah Bro. Bro swam for Denmark in the 4x100 meter relay during the 2016 Olympics.
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pegasus
| 1 |
https://www.eonline.com/news/1021004/is-zac-efron-dating-olympic-swimmer-sarah-bro
| 0.157064 |
Is Zac Efron Dating Olympic Swimmer Sarah Bro?
|
Some fans are beginning to speculate that The Greatest Showman star may be dating Olympic swimmer Sarah Bro. Efron and the Danish athlete have not made any public posts about each other just yet, but there have been a few sightings and instances that feel like more than mere coincidences. Bro swam for Denmark in the 4x100 meter relay during the 2016 Olympics. On March 1, both the actor and Bro shared photos on Instagram of a night out at a Los Angeles Kings hockey game. Bro even wore a custom jersey. "Thank you @lakings for making my first hockey game something very special," she captioned a photo of herself in the locker room repping her customized gear. She noted that after just one game, she's "already a fan!" That same day, Efron posted a selfie from the game where he's covering his eyes with his team hat. The Kings played the Dallas Stars on Thursday, Feb. 28 (and lost).
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Some fans are beginning to speculate that Zac Efron may be dating Sarah Bro. Bro swam for Denmark in the 4x100 meter relay during the 2016 Olympics. On March 1, both the actor and Bro shared photos on Instagram of a night out at a Los Angeles Kings hockey game.
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pegasus
| 2 |
https://www.eonline.com/news/1021004/is-zac-efron-dating-olympic-swimmer-sarah-bro
| 0.175169 |
How much are NC teacher pay raises in Roy Cooper budget?
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Public school teachers should get a 9.1 percent raise over the next two years, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday when he unveiled highlights of the education portion of his budget proposals. Cooper said his plan would put North Carolina on pace to become the highest-paying state for teachers in the Southeast. North Carolina ranks 37th in teacher pay, and thats not good enough, Cooper said in a press release. We need to put our schools first, and that starts with paying teachers and principals better and treating them like the professionals they are. The governor does not get to make budget decisions in North Carolina, but Cooper can advise the state legislature on how to spend and he can veto the budgets they pass. Coopers announcement Tuesday comes as the legislature is in the early stages of its own budget discussions, with a plan of passing budgets for the next two fiscal years by this summer. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer On the same day Cooper unveiled his education proposals, Republican Senate leader Phil Berger issued a statement outlining past Republican efforts to raise teacher salaries. Republicans took control of the state legislature in 2011, and teacher salaries fell until 2014, when they began rising again. The average base salary for a teacher in North Carolina increased by $8,700, or nearly 20 percent, since the 2014 school year, Berger said, adding that legislative staff believe the average teacher in the 2018-19 school year is making about $53,700 including supplements from local districts. Thats after a 6.5 percent raise last year. So far, Cooper has only released the education part of his budget proposals. More details on other parts of state government will be announced Wednesday. Cooper, a Democrat, said that teachers should once more be paid extra for having a masters degree or other advanced degree which the Republican-led legislature phased out several years ago and that teachers should no longer have to pay to hire their substitute for when they take a day off work. He also called for creating new support jobs like school resource officers or nurses, which a recent report found North Carolina schools are lacking. But the biggest part of his plan is the 9.1 percent raise, which Cooper said would be spread over the next two years and wouldnt leave any teacher with less than a 3 percent raise. Thats a boost to veteran teachers, who have complained of being left out of recent raises that largely went to those with less experience. After years of declining teacher pay after the Great Recession, under first Democratic and then Republican control of the state legislature, Republican lawmakers gave North Carolina teachers a raise in the 2014-15 school year that was the largest in the country. More raises have followed since then, especially on the lower end of the pay scale for newer teachers. In an interview earlier this year about the upcoming budget debates, a Wake County teacher told the News & Observer that many of her colleagues with more experience than her have felt left out of the recent raises. I think that some of our most experienced educators feel like they have been disrespected by the more recent salary structures, Jasmine Lauer, a Pine Hollow Middle School teacher, told the N&O. Am I being valued for the knowledge that I have amassed over all these years of teaching? Other education proposals Raises werent the only topic Cooper raised in his budget proposal Tuesday. He reiterated support for a bond referendum, which would let voters in 2020 choose whether to approve $3.1 billion in construction funds for new K-12, community college and university buildings. The bond would total $3.9 billion, including $800 million for non-school expenses like water and sewer upgrades for cities around the state. A smaller, $1.9 billion education-only bond plan has backing from Republican House Speaker Tim Moore. Last week Moore took the rare step of personally sponsoring the bill, HB 241, that would put the referendum on the ballot. And in December, the News & Observer reported, Moore said the bond was needed to help the state build on historic commitments to our schools with another long-term investment in capital construction for our rapidly growing student population. On Tuesday, Cooper also called for spending: $40 million to hire more nurses, psychologists and other support staff at schools. $29 million for textbooks, supplies and more. $15 million for safety improvements. $4 million to expand the Teaching Fellows program.
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North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says public school teachers should get a 9.1 percent raise.
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bart
| 0 |
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article227148259.html
| 0.363276 |
How much are NC teacher pay raises in Roy Cooper budget?
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Public school teachers should get a 9.1 percent raise over the next two years, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday when he unveiled highlights of the education portion of his budget proposals. Cooper said his plan would put North Carolina on pace to become the highest-paying state for teachers in the Southeast. North Carolina ranks 37th in teacher pay, and thats not good enough, Cooper said in a press release. We need to put our schools first, and that starts with paying teachers and principals better and treating them like the professionals they are. The governor does not get to make budget decisions in North Carolina, but Cooper can advise the state legislature on how to spend and he can veto the budgets they pass. Coopers announcement Tuesday comes as the legislature is in the early stages of its own budget discussions, with a plan of passing budgets for the next two fiscal years by this summer. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer On the same day Cooper unveiled his education proposals, Republican Senate leader Phil Berger issued a statement outlining past Republican efforts to raise teacher salaries. Republicans took control of the state legislature in 2011, and teacher salaries fell until 2014, when they began rising again. The average base salary for a teacher in North Carolina increased by $8,700, or nearly 20 percent, since the 2014 school year, Berger said, adding that legislative staff believe the average teacher in the 2018-19 school year is making about $53,700 including supplements from local districts. Thats after a 6.5 percent raise last year. So far, Cooper has only released the education part of his budget proposals. More details on other parts of state government will be announced Wednesday. Cooper, a Democrat, said that teachers should once more be paid extra for having a masters degree or other advanced degree which the Republican-led legislature phased out several years ago and that teachers should no longer have to pay to hire their substitute for when they take a day off work. He also called for creating new support jobs like school resource officers or nurses, which a recent report found North Carolina schools are lacking. But the biggest part of his plan is the 9.1 percent raise, which Cooper said would be spread over the next two years and wouldnt leave any teacher with less than a 3 percent raise. Thats a boost to veteran teachers, who have complained of being left out of recent raises that largely went to those with less experience. After years of declining teacher pay after the Great Recession, under first Democratic and then Republican control of the state legislature, Republican lawmakers gave North Carolina teachers a raise in the 2014-15 school year that was the largest in the country. More raises have followed since then, especially on the lower end of the pay scale for newer teachers. In an interview earlier this year about the upcoming budget debates, a Wake County teacher told the News & Observer that many of her colleagues with more experience than her have felt left out of the recent raises. I think that some of our most experienced educators feel like they have been disrespected by the more recent salary structures, Jasmine Lauer, a Pine Hollow Middle School teacher, told the N&O. Am I being valued for the knowledge that I have amassed over all these years of teaching? Other education proposals Raises werent the only topic Cooper raised in his budget proposal Tuesday. He reiterated support for a bond referendum, which would let voters in 2020 choose whether to approve $3.1 billion in construction funds for new K-12, community college and university buildings. The bond would total $3.9 billion, including $800 million for non-school expenses like water and sewer upgrades for cities around the state. A smaller, $1.9 billion education-only bond plan has backing from Republican House Speaker Tim Moore. Last week Moore took the rare step of personally sponsoring the bill, HB 241, that would put the referendum on the ballot. And in December, the News & Observer reported, Moore said the bond was needed to help the state build on historic commitments to our schools with another long-term investment in capital construction for our rapidly growing student population. On Tuesday, Cooper also called for spending: $40 million to hire more nurses, psychologists and other support staff at schools. $29 million for textbooks, supplies and more. $15 million for safety improvements. $4 million to expand the Teaching Fellows program.
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North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says public school teachers should get a 9.1 percent raise. Cooper said his plan would put North Carolina on pace to become the highest-paying state for teachers in the Southeast.
|
bart
| 1 |
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article227148259.html
| 0.401236 |
How much are NC teacher pay raises in Roy Cooper budget?
|
Public school teachers should get a 9.1 percent raise over the next two years, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday when he unveiled highlights of the education portion of his budget proposals. Cooper said his plan would put North Carolina on pace to become the highest-paying state for teachers in the Southeast. North Carolina ranks 37th in teacher pay, and thats not good enough, Cooper said in a press release. We need to put our schools first, and that starts with paying teachers and principals better and treating them like the professionals they are. The governor does not get to make budget decisions in North Carolina, but Cooper can advise the state legislature on how to spend and he can veto the budgets they pass. Coopers announcement Tuesday comes as the legislature is in the early stages of its own budget discussions, with a plan of passing budgets for the next two fiscal years by this summer. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer On the same day Cooper unveiled his education proposals, Republican Senate leader Phil Berger issued a statement outlining past Republican efforts to raise teacher salaries. Republicans took control of the state legislature in 2011, and teacher salaries fell until 2014, when they began rising again. The average base salary for a teacher in North Carolina increased by $8,700, or nearly 20 percent, since the 2014 school year, Berger said, adding that legislative staff believe the average teacher in the 2018-19 school year is making about $53,700 including supplements from local districts. Thats after a 6.5 percent raise last year. So far, Cooper has only released the education part of his budget proposals. More details on other parts of state government will be announced Wednesday. Cooper, a Democrat, said that teachers should once more be paid extra for having a masters degree or other advanced degree which the Republican-led legislature phased out several years ago and that teachers should no longer have to pay to hire their substitute for when they take a day off work. He also called for creating new support jobs like school resource officers or nurses, which a recent report found North Carolina schools are lacking. But the biggest part of his plan is the 9.1 percent raise, which Cooper said would be spread over the next two years and wouldnt leave any teacher with less than a 3 percent raise. Thats a boost to veteran teachers, who have complained of being left out of recent raises that largely went to those with less experience. After years of declining teacher pay after the Great Recession, under first Democratic and then Republican control of the state legislature, Republican lawmakers gave North Carolina teachers a raise in the 2014-15 school year that was the largest in the country. More raises have followed since then, especially on the lower end of the pay scale for newer teachers. In an interview earlier this year about the upcoming budget debates, a Wake County teacher told the News & Observer that many of her colleagues with more experience than her have felt left out of the recent raises. I think that some of our most experienced educators feel like they have been disrespected by the more recent salary structures, Jasmine Lauer, a Pine Hollow Middle School teacher, told the N&O. Am I being valued for the knowledge that I have amassed over all these years of teaching? Other education proposals Raises werent the only topic Cooper raised in his budget proposal Tuesday. He reiterated support for a bond referendum, which would let voters in 2020 choose whether to approve $3.1 billion in construction funds for new K-12, community college and university buildings. The bond would total $3.9 billion, including $800 million for non-school expenses like water and sewer upgrades for cities around the state. A smaller, $1.9 billion education-only bond plan has backing from Republican House Speaker Tim Moore. Last week Moore took the rare step of personally sponsoring the bill, HB 241, that would put the referendum on the ballot. And in December, the News & Observer reported, Moore said the bond was needed to help the state build on historic commitments to our schools with another long-term investment in capital construction for our rapidly growing student population. On Tuesday, Cooper also called for spending: $40 million to hire more nurses, psychologists and other support staff at schools. $29 million for textbooks, supplies and more. $15 million for safety improvements. $4 million to expand the Teaching Fellows program.
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North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says public school teachers should get a 9.1 percent raise. Cooper said his plan would put North Carolina on pace to become the highest-paying state for teachers in the Southeast. The governor does not get to make budget decisions in North Carolina, but he can advise the state legislature.
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bart
| 2 |
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article227148259.html
| 0.455521 |
Will Giants workloads be more scrutinized under Zaidi?
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Giants fans, here comes the Dodger Way. Life in China Basin will be different this year with a former Dodgers executive in charge. If the Giants roster is used anything like last years Dodgers roster, prepare for more player moves, lineup shuffling and rests for front-line players. Obviously, its going to be up to Boch how he wants to use his bench and rotate guys in and out, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said of manager Bruce Bochy. I do feel, in general, the game is moving toward trying to keep guys at a 140-150-game workload as opposed to 150-162. I think using your bench gives your starters a chance to stay fresh, but also keeps the whole roster involved in a way that if you have an injury and a guy has to play every day, hes better equipped to do that. Take shortstop Brandon Crawford, for example. The three-time Gold Glove winner makes himself available as much as he can, even when hes not close to 100 percent. He played a team-high 151 games last year and started a team-high 141 despite a left knee that barked throughout the second half and helped cause his numbers to plummet. Many times, Bochy didnt have a choice but to play Crawford considering the shortstops spectacular defense and the teams lack of depth at the position. Crawford appreciated Bochy had enough faith to continue batting him in the middle of the lineup. Ive always been a guy with the mind-set that its my job to go out there and play shortstop every day, Crawford said. Thats always been my mentality. That may change. Yeah. It probably wouldve been a better idea. Im open to it. I havent talked to anyone about it. My mentality isnt going to change. Im going to come to the park every day expecting to play that day. Whatever helps the team the most. I would hope that would be me being on the field, but last year in the second half, it probably wasnt the right move, me going out there not feeling close to 100 percent. I wasnt helping the team as much. When Crawford didnt start, Bochy turned to Alen Hanson (12 starts), Kelby Tomlinson (seven) and Abiatal Avelino (two), none of whom is considered an everyday shortstop. In fact, theyve combined for 33 career big-league starts at the position. Now along comes Yangervis Solarte, who averaged more than 500 plate appearances the past four years in San Diego and Toronto. He was signed to a minor-league contract Feb. 18 as a utility infielder and presumably would be available to spell Crawford and also man second base and third base, his primary positions. If everybodys healthy, we do want to keep these guys fresh, keep everybody involved, said Bochy, who regularly rested catcher Buster Posey, though a nagging hip issue led to his August surgery. Thats why the bench plays such a big role in your season. Everybodys hopefully going to stay fresher and, of course, have less risk of injury. Crawford hit a spectacular .412 in May and followed with a .326 June. But shortly before the All-Star break, he began having knee issues, and it reflected in his numbers. He slipped to .200 in July, .151 in August. Stuffs bothered me in the past, Crawford said. You treat it, you get in the training room and knock it out, and it goes away after a few days or a week. This was something that stuck with me for a while. Even defensively, I wasnt getting to as many balls as I thought I should because it was kind of hurting going left to right. In late August and early September, Crawford rested the knee, playing just twice in nine days, and it paid dividends. He felt stronger in the final month. That little bit of rest, even if it was a few days here and there, seemed to help out a little bit, Crawford said. Thats why I think if I did take days off earlier, it mightve benefited me down the stretch. The Dodgers won the pennant by utilizing their entire roster and not wearing out their regulars. They used more position players (28) than any other National League team and registered the fewest complete games by position players (910). They also pinch hit more times (362) than any team. They had different lineups against righties than against lefties, and it helped that they were good enough to pull it off. It was a similar story with their pitchers. Their starters made just 56 starts on normal four-day rest, and no one threw as many as 162 innings. The Giants arent as deep, of course, but still could practice similar principles, especially with the core players another year into their 30s. I think every manager likes to have a functional bench, Zaidi said, one he can go to not just for a pinch-hit at-bat, but you like a guy you can plug in for a starting player and youre not giving up much if anything on that day. John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicles national baseball writer. Email: jshea@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnSheaHey
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Farhan Zaidi is the new Giants president of baseball operations. He says the game is moving toward a 140-150-game workload.
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https://www.sfchronicle.com/giants/article/Will-Giants-workloads-be-more-scrutinized-13665918.php
| 0.482233 |
Will Giants workloads be more scrutinized under Zaidi?
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Giants fans, here comes the Dodger Way. Life in China Basin will be different this year with a former Dodgers executive in charge. If the Giants roster is used anything like last years Dodgers roster, prepare for more player moves, lineup shuffling and rests for front-line players. Obviously, its going to be up to Boch how he wants to use his bench and rotate guys in and out, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said of manager Bruce Bochy. I do feel, in general, the game is moving toward trying to keep guys at a 140-150-game workload as opposed to 150-162. I think using your bench gives your starters a chance to stay fresh, but also keeps the whole roster involved in a way that if you have an injury and a guy has to play every day, hes better equipped to do that. Take shortstop Brandon Crawford, for example. The three-time Gold Glove winner makes himself available as much as he can, even when hes not close to 100 percent. He played a team-high 151 games last year and started a team-high 141 despite a left knee that barked throughout the second half and helped cause his numbers to plummet. Many times, Bochy didnt have a choice but to play Crawford considering the shortstops spectacular defense and the teams lack of depth at the position. Crawford appreciated Bochy had enough faith to continue batting him in the middle of the lineup. Ive always been a guy with the mind-set that its my job to go out there and play shortstop every day, Crawford said. Thats always been my mentality. That may change. Yeah. It probably wouldve been a better idea. Im open to it. I havent talked to anyone about it. My mentality isnt going to change. Im going to come to the park every day expecting to play that day. Whatever helps the team the most. I would hope that would be me being on the field, but last year in the second half, it probably wasnt the right move, me going out there not feeling close to 100 percent. I wasnt helping the team as much. When Crawford didnt start, Bochy turned to Alen Hanson (12 starts), Kelby Tomlinson (seven) and Abiatal Avelino (two), none of whom is considered an everyday shortstop. In fact, theyve combined for 33 career big-league starts at the position. Now along comes Yangervis Solarte, who averaged more than 500 plate appearances the past four years in San Diego and Toronto. He was signed to a minor-league contract Feb. 18 as a utility infielder and presumably would be available to spell Crawford and also man second base and third base, his primary positions. If everybodys healthy, we do want to keep these guys fresh, keep everybody involved, said Bochy, who regularly rested catcher Buster Posey, though a nagging hip issue led to his August surgery. Thats why the bench plays such a big role in your season. Everybodys hopefully going to stay fresher and, of course, have less risk of injury. Crawford hit a spectacular .412 in May and followed with a .326 June. But shortly before the All-Star break, he began having knee issues, and it reflected in his numbers. He slipped to .200 in July, .151 in August. Stuffs bothered me in the past, Crawford said. You treat it, you get in the training room and knock it out, and it goes away after a few days or a week. This was something that stuck with me for a while. Even defensively, I wasnt getting to as many balls as I thought I should because it was kind of hurting going left to right. In late August and early September, Crawford rested the knee, playing just twice in nine days, and it paid dividends. He felt stronger in the final month. That little bit of rest, even if it was a few days here and there, seemed to help out a little bit, Crawford said. Thats why I think if I did take days off earlier, it mightve benefited me down the stretch. The Dodgers won the pennant by utilizing their entire roster and not wearing out their regulars. They used more position players (28) than any other National League team and registered the fewest complete games by position players (910). They also pinch hit more times (362) than any team. They had different lineups against righties than against lefties, and it helped that they were good enough to pull it off. It was a similar story with their pitchers. Their starters made just 56 starts on normal four-day rest, and no one threw as many as 162 innings. The Giants arent as deep, of course, but still could practice similar principles, especially with the core players another year into their 30s. I think every manager likes to have a functional bench, Zaidi said, one he can go to not just for a pinch-hit at-bat, but you like a guy you can plug in for a starting player and youre not giving up much if anything on that day. John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicles national baseball writer. Email: jshea@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnSheaHey
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Farhan Zaidi is the new Giants president of baseball operations. He says the game is moving toward keeping players at a 140-150-game workload. Brandon Crawford says he's open to playing less if it helps the team.
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ctrlsum
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https://www.sfchronicle.com/giants/article/Will-Giants-workloads-be-more-scrutinized-13665918.php
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Will Giants workloads be more scrutinized under Zaidi?
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Giants fans, here comes the Dodger Way. Life in China Basin will be different this year with a former Dodgers executive in charge. If the Giants roster is used anything like last years Dodgers roster, prepare for more player moves, lineup shuffling and rests for front-line players. Obviously, its going to be up to Boch how he wants to use his bench and rotate guys in and out, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said of manager Bruce Bochy. I do feel, in general, the game is moving toward trying to keep guys at a 140-150-game workload as opposed to 150-162. I think using your bench gives your starters a chance to stay fresh, but also keeps the whole roster involved in a way that if you have an injury and a guy has to play every day, hes better equipped to do that. Take shortstop Brandon Crawford, for example. The three-time Gold Glove winner makes himself available as much as he can, even when hes not close to 100 percent. He played a team-high 151 games last year and started a team-high 141 despite a left knee that barked throughout the second half and helped cause his numbers to plummet. Many times, Bochy didnt have a choice but to play Crawford considering the shortstops spectacular defense and the teams lack of depth at the position. Crawford appreciated Bochy had enough faith to continue batting him in the middle of the lineup. Ive always been a guy with the mind-set that its my job to go out there and play shortstop every day, Crawford said. Thats always been my mentality. That may change. Yeah. It probably wouldve been a better idea. Im open to it. I havent talked to anyone about it. My mentality isnt going to change. Im going to come to the park every day expecting to play that day. Whatever helps the team the most. I would hope that would be me being on the field, but last year in the second half, it probably wasnt the right move, me going out there not feeling close to 100 percent. I wasnt helping the team as much. When Crawford didnt start, Bochy turned to Alen Hanson (12 starts), Kelby Tomlinson (seven) and Abiatal Avelino (two), none of whom is considered an everyday shortstop. In fact, theyve combined for 33 career big-league starts at the position. Now along comes Yangervis Solarte, who averaged more than 500 plate appearances the past four years in San Diego and Toronto. He was signed to a minor-league contract Feb. 18 as a utility infielder and presumably would be available to spell Crawford and also man second base and third base, his primary positions. If everybodys healthy, we do want to keep these guys fresh, keep everybody involved, said Bochy, who regularly rested catcher Buster Posey, though a nagging hip issue led to his August surgery. Thats why the bench plays such a big role in your season. Everybodys hopefully going to stay fresher and, of course, have less risk of injury. Crawford hit a spectacular .412 in May and followed with a .326 June. But shortly before the All-Star break, he began having knee issues, and it reflected in his numbers. He slipped to .200 in July, .151 in August. Stuffs bothered me in the past, Crawford said. You treat it, you get in the training room and knock it out, and it goes away after a few days or a week. This was something that stuck with me for a while. Even defensively, I wasnt getting to as many balls as I thought I should because it was kind of hurting going left to right. In late August and early September, Crawford rested the knee, playing just twice in nine days, and it paid dividends. He felt stronger in the final month. That little bit of rest, even if it was a few days here and there, seemed to help out a little bit, Crawford said. Thats why I think if I did take days off earlier, it mightve benefited me down the stretch. The Dodgers won the pennant by utilizing their entire roster and not wearing out their regulars. They used more position players (28) than any other National League team and registered the fewest complete games by position players (910). They also pinch hit more times (362) than any team. They had different lineups against righties than against lefties, and it helped that they were good enough to pull it off. It was a similar story with their pitchers. Their starters made just 56 starts on normal four-day rest, and no one threw as many as 162 innings. The Giants arent as deep, of course, but still could practice similar principles, especially with the core players another year into their 30s. I think every manager likes to have a functional bench, Zaidi said, one he can go to not just for a pinch-hit at-bat, but you like a guy you can plug in for a starting player and youre not giving up much if anything on that day. John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicles national baseball writer. Email: jshea@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnSheaHey
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Farhan Zaidi is the new Giants president of baseball operations. He says the game is moving toward keeping players at a 140-150-game workload. Brandon Crawford says he's open to playing more often if it helps the team. The Giants are hoping to avoid a repeat of last year's World Series disappointment.
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https://www.sfchronicle.com/giants/article/Will-Giants-workloads-be-more-scrutinized-13665918.php
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What is Makaton?
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To enjoy the CBBC Newsround website at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. Watch: Meet the 16-year-old DJ with a difference - the UK's first Makaton-friendly DJ Makaton is a language programme that uses signs and symbols to help people to communicate. It is designed to support spoken language and the signs and symbols are used with speech, in spoken order. In the UK, the signs used in Makaton are from British Sign Language (BSL), which is the language of the deaf community in Britain. The symbols are simple black and white drawings that show what words mean. They make it easier to communicate a message and can be used by people who prefer not to sign. Speech is also used alongside the signs and symbols. If someone is communicating using Makaton, you may hear them speaking out loud and see them signing at the same time. Makaton is used by CBeebies star Justin Fletcher in his show Something Special with Mr Tumble. Makaton is used by different people for different reasons, and can be used by both adults and children. Copyright is owned by The Makaton Charity Makaton also uses symbols that show what words mean - for example, this symbol meaning magician More and more young people are now using Makaton to communicate before they have learnt to speak. Research shows that young children actually want to communicate before they're able to talk, so Makaton allows young toddlers to say what they want through signs and/or symbols before they've learnt how to speak the words for what they want. It helps them to develop their communication skills by encouraging them to put words together. CBeebies - Something Special Makaton is used by CBeebies star Justin Fletcher in his show Something Special with Mr Tumble It can also be used by people who have difficulties communicating verbally or by those whose speech is perhaps unclear. This includes those with long-term speech difficulties, who may use Makaton for their whole lives. The Makaton Charity explains: "Today, over 100,000 children and adults use Makaton symbols and signs. It enables individuals to connect with other people and the world around them." The charity says: "Makaton is designed to help hearing people with learning or communication difficulties." It is different to BSL because it uses speech alongside the signs, and it also uses symbols. CBeebies - Something Special Makaton is a language programme that uses signs and symbols to help people to communicate Meanwhile, BSL is the language of the deaf community in Britain. Like with many languages, it is constantly changing and evolving, and it also has its own grammar rules and word order. It can also change depending on where in the country you are from. The order of words used in Makaton is the same word order of spoken speech, and it is the same all across the country.
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Makaton is a language programme that uses signs and symbols to help people to communicate.
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bart
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47440277
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What is Makaton?
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To enjoy the CBBC Newsround website at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. Watch: Meet the 16-year-old DJ with a difference - the UK's first Makaton-friendly DJ Makaton is a language programme that uses signs and symbols to help people to communicate. It is designed to support spoken language and the signs and symbols are used with speech, in spoken order. In the UK, the signs used in Makaton are from British Sign Language (BSL), which is the language of the deaf community in Britain. The symbols are simple black and white drawings that show what words mean. They make it easier to communicate a message and can be used by people who prefer not to sign. Speech is also used alongside the signs and symbols. If someone is communicating using Makaton, you may hear them speaking out loud and see them signing at the same time. Makaton is used by CBeebies star Justin Fletcher in his show Something Special with Mr Tumble. Makaton is used by different people for different reasons, and can be used by both adults and children. Copyright is owned by The Makaton Charity Makaton also uses symbols that show what words mean - for example, this symbol meaning magician More and more young people are now using Makaton to communicate before they have learnt to speak. Research shows that young children actually want to communicate before they're able to talk, so Makaton allows young toddlers to say what they want through signs and/or symbols before they've learnt how to speak the words for what they want. It helps them to develop their communication skills by encouraging them to put words together. CBeebies - Something Special Makaton is used by CBeebies star Justin Fletcher in his show Something Special with Mr Tumble It can also be used by people who have difficulties communicating verbally or by those whose speech is perhaps unclear. This includes those with long-term speech difficulties, who may use Makaton for their whole lives. The Makaton Charity explains: "Today, over 100,000 children and adults use Makaton symbols and signs. It enables individuals to connect with other people and the world around them." The charity says: "Makaton is designed to help hearing people with learning or communication difficulties." It is different to BSL because it uses speech alongside the signs, and it also uses symbols. CBeebies - Something Special Makaton is a language programme that uses signs and symbols to help people to communicate Meanwhile, BSL is the language of the deaf community in Britain. Like with many languages, it is constantly changing and evolving, and it also has its own grammar rules and word order. It can also change depending on where in the country you are from. The order of words used in Makaton is the same word order of spoken speech, and it is the same all across the country.
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Makaton is a language programme that uses signs and symbols to help people to communicate. It is different to British Sign Language (BSL), which is the language of the deaf community in Britain.
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ctrlsum
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47440277
| 0.60423 |
What is Makaton?
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To enjoy the CBBC Newsround website at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. Watch: Meet the 16-year-old DJ with a difference - the UK's first Makaton-friendly DJ Makaton is a language programme that uses signs and symbols to help people to communicate. It is designed to support spoken language and the signs and symbols are used with speech, in spoken order. In the UK, the signs used in Makaton are from British Sign Language (BSL), which is the language of the deaf community in Britain. The symbols are simple black and white drawings that show what words mean. They make it easier to communicate a message and can be used by people who prefer not to sign. Speech is also used alongside the signs and symbols. If someone is communicating using Makaton, you may hear them speaking out loud and see them signing at the same time. Makaton is used by CBeebies star Justin Fletcher in his show Something Special with Mr Tumble. Makaton is used by different people for different reasons, and can be used by both adults and children. Copyright is owned by The Makaton Charity Makaton also uses symbols that show what words mean - for example, this symbol meaning magician More and more young people are now using Makaton to communicate before they have learnt to speak. Research shows that young children actually want to communicate before they're able to talk, so Makaton allows young toddlers to say what they want through signs and/or symbols before they've learnt how to speak the words for what they want. It helps them to develop their communication skills by encouraging them to put words together. CBeebies - Something Special Makaton is used by CBeebies star Justin Fletcher in his show Something Special with Mr Tumble It can also be used by people who have difficulties communicating verbally or by those whose speech is perhaps unclear. This includes those with long-term speech difficulties, who may use Makaton for their whole lives. The Makaton Charity explains: "Today, over 100,000 children and adults use Makaton symbols and signs. It enables individuals to connect with other people and the world around them." The charity says: "Makaton is designed to help hearing people with learning or communication difficulties." It is different to BSL because it uses speech alongside the signs, and it also uses symbols. CBeebies - Something Special Makaton is a language programme that uses signs and symbols to help people to communicate Meanwhile, BSL is the language of the deaf community in Britain. Like with many languages, it is constantly changing and evolving, and it also has its own grammar rules and word order. It can also change depending on where in the country you are from. The order of words used in Makaton is the same word order of spoken speech, and it is the same all across the country.
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Makaton is a language programme that uses signs and symbols to help people to communicate. It is designed to support spoken language and the signs are used with speech, in spoken order. In the UK, the signs used in Makaton are from British Sign Language (BSL), which is the language of the deaf community in Britain.
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bart
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47440277
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Should World Cup champions USA panic after a disappointing SheBelieves Cup?
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The Americans looked disjointed as England stole the show over the last week. But USWNT coach Jill Ellis is still working out her best starting XI Well, that wasnt exactly what US womens national team wanted from their last tournament before the Womens World Cup. With a string of uneven performances marked by tinkering from manager Jill Ellis, the Americans finished the 2019 SheBelieves Cup behind the mighty Lionesses and with plenty of work before heading to France this summer. Its not that the Americans played badly they notched two draws and a win in the four-team friendly tournament for a second-place finish. But three months out from the World Cup, the defending champions looked disjointed and at times sputtering defensively, as if they havent quite figured out how they want to play, despite a squad brimming with world-class talent. The Americans now have just five matches left to sort things out before the Womens World Cup, and the SheBelieves Cup has left as many questions as answers. Through 2019 thus far, the Americans have won just twice, drawn twice and lost once a rough record for the No1-ranked team in the world. Of course, they dont have to be ready right now. The US finished 2018 on a 28-game unbeaten streak and would surely prefer to get some losses out of their system now rather than over the summer. Ellis and the players have emphasized that they need to peak at the right time, which is approximately three months from now. But the SheBelieves Cup demonstrated that there are no guarantees of winning, even if the US have what may be the best squad in the world. England outclass Japan to lift SheBelieves Cup for first time Read more The American attack looked strong as usual although they will surely lament some chances missed. Megan Rapinoe and Tobin Heath in particular were sensational on the wings, and Alex Morgan provided valuable off-the-ball movement up top to clear the way. The talented attack was buoyed by sophisticated combination play and a quick tempo, which has been an ongoing emphasis under Ellis. But defensively the US looked shaky, especially during the 2-2 draws with England and Japan. Thats a worry given that the US defense went 540 minutes without conceding a goal in the 2015 World Cup, which seems almost inconceivable this summer at least at the moment. In this tournament, the US conceded multiple goals in back-to-back games for the first time since 2011. Its a different backline now only veteran centerback Becky Sauerbrunn remains from the group that led the US to their 2015 World Cup but the USAs SheBelieves Cup was rife with problems. Both miscommunication and individual lapses led to England and Japan scoring. The absence of Sauerbrunn to start the first two games left a noticeable leadership vacuum and raises concerns about whether the depth on the backline is good enough. The US continues to play an attack-first style designed to score a lot of goals. The question is whether they will still be able to score more than they concede. At a time when many US fans would like to see the US focus on consistency, Ellis has been keen to try new tactical wrinkles and put players into new roles. Through much of this tournament, that meant asking creative winger Mallory Pugh to play in the central midfield with the flashy playmaking Rose Lavelle and defensive midfielder Julie Ertz. That attack-oriented midfield didnt offer enough steel or ball-winning ability, and Japan and England were able to dictate play in the center of the pitch too easily, particularly in transition. As games went along, the personnel experiments continued. Throughout the tournament, Ellis used substitutions to push Tobin Heath arguably one of the best wingers in the world into the central midfield triangle. That forced the US into losing an effective winger and adding an inferior central midfielder. Its not that Heath and Pugh arent capable of playing in different positions. Both are versatile. But their best positions are the ones they already play for the US and, this close to the World Cup, its a bit late to start grooming players into new roles. Rather, it seems reps would be better spent allowing the players to work in the position they are likely to play in France and build chemistry. Tactically, Ellis tried some different formations throughout the tournament as well, ostensibly in preparation for different game states the US may face in France. But when the US switched from a four-back to a five-back of three centerbacks with two wingbacks, the players looked unsure of their positioning and lacked structure. For all the effort, the US only ever looked comfortable in the usual 4-3-3. These experiments from Ellis may explain why the US havent always looked cohesive. In that sense, the worry about too much experimentation can be dismissed as something that will resolve itself once Ellis stops tinkering. Ultimately, Ellis has to prepare the team as she sees fit and, if she thinks more experimentation is needed right up until the World Cup starts in France, thats what will happen. The players will need to cope and adapt or else. There are some negatives to take away from the SheBelieves Cup, to be sure. But for Ellis and the US players, those negatives may be better framed as data points for things they can improve before arriving in France. With just five friendlies left before the World Cup, theres not a lot of time. But Ellis was quick to remind reporters at the SheBelieves Cup that it wasnt until this time in 2015 that Julie Ertz earned a starting spot with the US backline, and she eventually went onto play every minute of the World Cup that summer. Ive got smart players Im not worried about them being in different positions, she said. Now its about, can we fine-tune the chemistry? She is confident the Americans will be fine by the time June arrives. Injuries have forced her hand at times, but Ellis is focused on getting the squad reps together. In terms of where this team is, theyre not 15 games played in, theyre not 10 games played in, Ellis said. Some of them didnt play in the January game, so they are three games played in. That sharpness you want is going to come.
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The US women's national team finished second in the 2019 SheBelieves Cup. Jill Ellis' team looked disjointed and at times sputtering defensively. The US have just five matches left to sort things out before the Women's World Cup.
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bart
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/mar/06/uswnt-shebelieves-cup-womens-world-cup-soccer
| 0.137693 |
Should World Cup champions USA panic after a disappointing SheBelieves Cup?
|
The Americans looked disjointed as England stole the show over the last week. But USWNT coach Jill Ellis is still working out her best starting XI Well, that wasnt exactly what US womens national team wanted from their last tournament before the Womens World Cup. With a string of uneven performances marked by tinkering from manager Jill Ellis, the Americans finished the 2019 SheBelieves Cup behind the mighty Lionesses and with plenty of work before heading to France this summer. Its not that the Americans played badly they notched two draws and a win in the four-team friendly tournament for a second-place finish. But three months out from the World Cup, the defending champions looked disjointed and at times sputtering defensively, as if they havent quite figured out how they want to play, despite a squad brimming with world-class talent. The Americans now have just five matches left to sort things out before the Womens World Cup, and the SheBelieves Cup has left as many questions as answers. Through 2019 thus far, the Americans have won just twice, drawn twice and lost once a rough record for the No1-ranked team in the world. Of course, they dont have to be ready right now. The US finished 2018 on a 28-game unbeaten streak and would surely prefer to get some losses out of their system now rather than over the summer. Ellis and the players have emphasized that they need to peak at the right time, which is approximately three months from now. But the SheBelieves Cup demonstrated that there are no guarantees of winning, even if the US have what may be the best squad in the world. England outclass Japan to lift SheBelieves Cup for first time Read more The American attack looked strong as usual although they will surely lament some chances missed. Megan Rapinoe and Tobin Heath in particular were sensational on the wings, and Alex Morgan provided valuable off-the-ball movement up top to clear the way. The talented attack was buoyed by sophisticated combination play and a quick tempo, which has been an ongoing emphasis under Ellis. But defensively the US looked shaky, especially during the 2-2 draws with England and Japan. Thats a worry given that the US defense went 540 minutes without conceding a goal in the 2015 World Cup, which seems almost inconceivable this summer at least at the moment. In this tournament, the US conceded multiple goals in back-to-back games for the first time since 2011. Its a different backline now only veteran centerback Becky Sauerbrunn remains from the group that led the US to their 2015 World Cup but the USAs SheBelieves Cup was rife with problems. Both miscommunication and individual lapses led to England and Japan scoring. The absence of Sauerbrunn to start the first two games left a noticeable leadership vacuum and raises concerns about whether the depth on the backline is good enough. The US continues to play an attack-first style designed to score a lot of goals. The question is whether they will still be able to score more than they concede. At a time when many US fans would like to see the US focus on consistency, Ellis has been keen to try new tactical wrinkles and put players into new roles. Through much of this tournament, that meant asking creative winger Mallory Pugh to play in the central midfield with the flashy playmaking Rose Lavelle and defensive midfielder Julie Ertz. That attack-oriented midfield didnt offer enough steel or ball-winning ability, and Japan and England were able to dictate play in the center of the pitch too easily, particularly in transition. As games went along, the personnel experiments continued. Throughout the tournament, Ellis used substitutions to push Tobin Heath arguably one of the best wingers in the world into the central midfield triangle. That forced the US into losing an effective winger and adding an inferior central midfielder. Its not that Heath and Pugh arent capable of playing in different positions. Both are versatile. But their best positions are the ones they already play for the US and, this close to the World Cup, its a bit late to start grooming players into new roles. Rather, it seems reps would be better spent allowing the players to work in the position they are likely to play in France and build chemistry. Tactically, Ellis tried some different formations throughout the tournament as well, ostensibly in preparation for different game states the US may face in France. But when the US switched from a four-back to a five-back of three centerbacks with two wingbacks, the players looked unsure of their positioning and lacked structure. For all the effort, the US only ever looked comfortable in the usual 4-3-3. These experiments from Ellis may explain why the US havent always looked cohesive. In that sense, the worry about too much experimentation can be dismissed as something that will resolve itself once Ellis stops tinkering. Ultimately, Ellis has to prepare the team as she sees fit and, if she thinks more experimentation is needed right up until the World Cup starts in France, thats what will happen. The players will need to cope and adapt or else. There are some negatives to take away from the SheBelieves Cup, to be sure. But for Ellis and the US players, those negatives may be better framed as data points for things they can improve before arriving in France. With just five friendlies left before the World Cup, theres not a lot of time. But Ellis was quick to remind reporters at the SheBelieves Cup that it wasnt until this time in 2015 that Julie Ertz earned a starting spot with the US backline, and she eventually went onto play every minute of the World Cup that summer. Ive got smart players Im not worried about them being in different positions, she said. Now its about, can we fine-tune the chemistry? She is confident the Americans will be fine by the time June arrives. Injuries have forced her hand at times, but Ellis is focused on getting the squad reps together. In terms of where this team is, theyre not 15 games played in, theyre not 10 games played in, Ellis said. Some of them didnt play in the January game, so they are three games played in. That sharpness you want is going to come.
|
The US women's national team finished second in the 2019 SheBelieves Cup. Jill Ellis' team looked disjointed and at times sputtering defensively. The US have just five matches left to sort things out before the Womens World Cup. The Americans finished 2018 on a 28-game unbeaten streak.
|
bart
| 2 |
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/mar/06/uswnt-shebelieves-cup-womens-world-cup-soccer
| 0.161689 |
How Can We Continue Innovating On Restaurant Technologies In 2019?
|
Everything in the restaurant industry seems to be in a flurry of change customer tastes, dietary needs and preferences, and convenience-first lifestyles, not to mention the shift to digital everything. Thats much of the driving reason behind all the innovation were seeing in this industry today. In fact, I believe restaurant tech has become a major innovation leader after lagging behind other industries for years. Consider, for example, delivery. The Wall Street Journal reported (paywall) on PitchBook data showing that venture capitalists had invested $3.5 billion in food and grocery delivery services (such as Uber Eats and GrubHub) in 2018, and that was in October -- with two months still left in the year. Tiger Global recently invested $18 million in Olo, an ordering platform for more than 50,000 restaurants. And delivery is just one narrow segment of restaurant industry technology. Many say that restaurant survival rates are extremely low, and being slow to innovate may put a restaurant on its last gasp. Theres always a fast-moving competitor waiting to welcome customers. With so much at stake, and so much changing so fast, restaurateurs and the tech companies that power them are constantly asking Whats next? Having gone from operating restaurants and hotels to leading a company that invests in technology research and innovation to help restaurant brands solve challenges through the technologies below, I have an insiders perspective on the intersection of hospitality and innovation. I wanted to share a few of my predictions for the remainder of 2019 on where these technologies are heading and include some points of advice for additional, or continued, innovation by other tech innovators in the food-service space. Delivery Improvement As mentioned earlier, delivery is big. This, despite the high delivery fees reportedly charged by many third-party delivery providers. But theres more than margins on the table. Restaurants are also wrestling with food holding times and quality. Lets face it. Soggy fries just arent the same. Enter the opportunity: 2019 is an opportune year for both restaurants that manage their own deliveries, and third parties (whether tech vendors involved in the delivery ecosystem or food deliverers such as GrubHub), to refine and improve both food quality and customer experience. Fortunately, innovation abounds. One way for restaurants to innovate is to test new food products and packaging. For example, to deal with the soggy fry issue, Lamb Weston released a french fry that has a coating to help it survive the trip to your door. To help optimize delivery times, restaurants who have their own delivery system, the technology companies that help them, and third party delivery services can develop AI-powered delivery management technology that optimizes delivery routes and keeps everyone informed. Self-Serve Options Taking a cue from self-service in travel, banking, retail, and other industries, we are already seeing restaurants offer a lot more options in terms of ordering and service. Examples include self-serve kiosks in-store and in the drive-thru, and tablet-based ordering, whether its an employee busting through a line or customers ordering for themselves, table-side. Think about your experiences shopping on your favorite retail website. You can take your time and compare options. Its like that with self-order restaurant technology as well. Tech providers should look to empower guests to browse menu options, study the pictures, look up ingredients and nutritional value, rather than make a decision under pressure from a server or the lineup of customers. For the restaurant, giving guests these ordering options becomes a matter of managing change and training employees. Tech providers should take their cue from consumer technologies and insist on putting user experience design first. Simply copying what they have done for a different type of interface likely won't translate well to a new form factor. Now, it seems, were ready for interfaces that use cameras to recognize us by face. In 2018, Delta Airlines reportedly launched customer service kiosks that use facial recognition to identify passengers. Caliburger is one chain that has pushed the envelope on innovation, including by implementing facial recognition ordering kiosks. When you order at BurgerFi or Wow Bao using a self-order kiosk, youll have the option to opt-in to have the technology remember your order and associate it with your facial geometry. (Full disclosure: BurgerFi and Wow Bao kiosks are powered by technology developed by a company now owned by Xenial's parent company.) In an age of rampant identity theft and credit card fraud, consumers might be hesitant. Therefore, technology providers working on these solutions need to consider (and inform customers) how they handle personal information. An optimal approach from a security perspective is first, to capture facial geometry only (rather than an actual photo); and, second, to avoid tying the customers payment card to other personally identifying information. Tech providers should also account for ADA considerations in their kiosk development efforts, including implementing controls to help people with all kinds of disabilities interact with the ordering technology. Voice Ordering Fewer orders are being placed at the fast food counter as more are being placed through other ordering channels, such as online, mobile app, third-party delivery, and kiosks. The latest ordering option is the voice/personal assistant. Not only can Google Home or Alexa give you the weather forecast or tell you a knock-knock joke; they can also help you order your favorite dish from a nearby restaurant. Any POS or restaurant tech provider could use or build upon the Google and Amazon application programming interfaces (APIs) to implement voice ordering in kiosks, drive-thrus, and phone ordering, and these -- to my knowledge -- are all completely new concepts in the industry. Theres an opportunity for innovative restaurant tech providers and creators to incorporate these voice assistant technologies into various ordering channels. So, tech companies could work toward innovations like: The ability to place an order conversationally at a self-order kiosk Voice assistant tech helping quick-service restaurant (QSR) staff the drive-thru Using the same tech to automate phone orders You could power these, behind the scenes, by technologies like those used in Alexa or Google. The important thing, of course, is that any point of sale (POS) system developed must be able to handle voice/personal assistant-based ordering along with all the other ordering channels -- seamlessly. Every restaurant owner, manager, and brand is driven to deliver a great experience, be a loved brand, serve good food, and ensure positive economics. Fortunately, restaurant-tech innovators can continue to touch each of these areas. Clearly, we all have a lot to look forward to in 2019.
|
Restaurant tech has become a major innovation leader after lagging behind other industries for years. The restaurant industry is in a flurry of change due to customer tastes, dietary needs and preferences.
|
ctrlsum
| 1 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/03/06/how-can-we-continue-innovating-on-restaurant-technologies-in-2019/
| 0.123363 |
How Can We Continue Innovating On Restaurant Technologies In 2019?
|
Everything in the restaurant industry seems to be in a flurry of change customer tastes, dietary needs and preferences, and convenience-first lifestyles, not to mention the shift to digital everything. Thats much of the driving reason behind all the innovation were seeing in this industry today. In fact, I believe restaurant tech has become a major innovation leader after lagging behind other industries for years. Consider, for example, delivery. The Wall Street Journal reported (paywall) on PitchBook data showing that venture capitalists had invested $3.5 billion in food and grocery delivery services (such as Uber Eats and GrubHub) in 2018, and that was in October -- with two months still left in the year. Tiger Global recently invested $18 million in Olo, an ordering platform for more than 50,000 restaurants. And delivery is just one narrow segment of restaurant industry technology. Many say that restaurant survival rates are extremely low, and being slow to innovate may put a restaurant on its last gasp. Theres always a fast-moving competitor waiting to welcome customers. With so much at stake, and so much changing so fast, restaurateurs and the tech companies that power them are constantly asking Whats next? Having gone from operating restaurants and hotels to leading a company that invests in technology research and innovation to help restaurant brands solve challenges through the technologies below, I have an insiders perspective on the intersection of hospitality and innovation. I wanted to share a few of my predictions for the remainder of 2019 on where these technologies are heading and include some points of advice for additional, or continued, innovation by other tech innovators in the food-service space. Delivery Improvement As mentioned earlier, delivery is big. This, despite the high delivery fees reportedly charged by many third-party delivery providers. But theres more than margins on the table. Restaurants are also wrestling with food holding times and quality. Lets face it. Soggy fries just arent the same. Enter the opportunity: 2019 is an opportune year for both restaurants that manage their own deliveries, and third parties (whether tech vendors involved in the delivery ecosystem or food deliverers such as GrubHub), to refine and improve both food quality and customer experience. Fortunately, innovation abounds. One way for restaurants to innovate is to test new food products and packaging. For example, to deal with the soggy fry issue, Lamb Weston released a french fry that has a coating to help it survive the trip to your door. To help optimize delivery times, restaurants who have their own delivery system, the technology companies that help them, and third party delivery services can develop AI-powered delivery management technology that optimizes delivery routes and keeps everyone informed. Self-Serve Options Taking a cue from self-service in travel, banking, retail, and other industries, we are already seeing restaurants offer a lot more options in terms of ordering and service. Examples include self-serve kiosks in-store and in the drive-thru, and tablet-based ordering, whether its an employee busting through a line or customers ordering for themselves, table-side. Think about your experiences shopping on your favorite retail website. You can take your time and compare options. Its like that with self-order restaurant technology as well. Tech providers should look to empower guests to browse menu options, study the pictures, look up ingredients and nutritional value, rather than make a decision under pressure from a server or the lineup of customers. For the restaurant, giving guests these ordering options becomes a matter of managing change and training employees. Tech providers should take their cue from consumer technologies and insist on putting user experience design first. Simply copying what they have done for a different type of interface likely won't translate well to a new form factor. Now, it seems, were ready for interfaces that use cameras to recognize us by face. In 2018, Delta Airlines reportedly launched customer service kiosks that use facial recognition to identify passengers. Caliburger is one chain that has pushed the envelope on innovation, including by implementing facial recognition ordering kiosks. When you order at BurgerFi or Wow Bao using a self-order kiosk, youll have the option to opt-in to have the technology remember your order and associate it with your facial geometry. (Full disclosure: BurgerFi and Wow Bao kiosks are powered by technology developed by a company now owned by Xenial's parent company.) In an age of rampant identity theft and credit card fraud, consumers might be hesitant. Therefore, technology providers working on these solutions need to consider (and inform customers) how they handle personal information. An optimal approach from a security perspective is first, to capture facial geometry only (rather than an actual photo); and, second, to avoid tying the customers payment card to other personally identifying information. Tech providers should also account for ADA considerations in their kiosk development efforts, including implementing controls to help people with all kinds of disabilities interact with the ordering technology. Voice Ordering Fewer orders are being placed at the fast food counter as more are being placed through other ordering channels, such as online, mobile app, third-party delivery, and kiosks. The latest ordering option is the voice/personal assistant. Not only can Google Home or Alexa give you the weather forecast or tell you a knock-knock joke; they can also help you order your favorite dish from a nearby restaurant. Any POS or restaurant tech provider could use or build upon the Google and Amazon application programming interfaces (APIs) to implement voice ordering in kiosks, drive-thrus, and phone ordering, and these -- to my knowledge -- are all completely new concepts in the industry. Theres an opportunity for innovative restaurant tech providers and creators to incorporate these voice assistant technologies into various ordering channels. So, tech companies could work toward innovations like: The ability to place an order conversationally at a self-order kiosk Voice assistant tech helping quick-service restaurant (QSR) staff the drive-thru Using the same tech to automate phone orders You could power these, behind the scenes, by technologies like those used in Alexa or Google. The important thing, of course, is that any point of sale (POS) system developed must be able to handle voice/personal assistant-based ordering along with all the other ordering channels -- seamlessly. Every restaurant owner, manager, and brand is driven to deliver a great experience, be a loved brand, serve good food, and ensure positive economics. Fortunately, restaurant-tech innovators can continue to touch each of these areas. Clearly, we all have a lot to look forward to in 2019.
|
Restaurant tech has become a major innovation leader after lagging behind other industries for years. Venture capitalists had invested $3.5 billion in food and grocery delivery services in 2018. 2019 is an opportune year for both restaurants that manage their own deliveries, and third parties.
|
bart
| 2 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/03/06/how-can-we-continue-innovating-on-restaurant-technologies-in-2019/
| 0.264506 |
Can Target Continue Its Growth Momentum After Strong Q4?
|
Target's fiscal fourth quarter earnings per share and revenues beat market expectations this week. In Q4, Targets revenue came in flat at $23 billion, but the company saw a strong 5.3% increase in comparable sales. Among the components of the reported comparable sales, traffic grew a strong 4.5% year-over-year (y-o-y) and the average transaction amount increased 0.8% y-o-y. In addition, the companys digital comparable sales grew 2.4% y-o-y, while store comparable sales grew a robust 2.9% y-o-y. The fact that the company has been able to grow its store comparable sales, despite significant competitive pressure, suggests that its initiatives are resonating well with customers. In terms of the bottom line, the companys adjusted EPS grew more than 10% y-o-y during this period. The company is looking to overhaul its business model with the expansion of small-format stores, in addition to revamping its existing stores and improving supply chain management, since the beginning of 2017. Our $83 price estimate for Targets stock is almost 10% ahead of the current market price. which outlines our 2019 forecasts for the company. You can modify our forecasts to see the impact any changes would have on the companys earnings and valuation and see all Trefis Consumer Discretionary company data here. Q1 Expectations The results of Targets business transformation have started to show in the companys financials from Q1 2018 on. However, the retailers aggressive push to keep up with Amazon and Walmart, both online and in grocery, is leading to shrinking margins. In fiscal 2018, Targets gross margin was down 40 basis points, largely due to increased fulfillment costs resulting from growth in digital sales. On the cost side, selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses grew 4% y-o-y, due to an increase in compensation expenses, reflecting investments in store hours, wage rates and team member incentives. Going forward, we expect this margin pressure to continue in 2019 as well. We expect Target to continue to post an increase in its revenue growth rate in Q1. In terms of comparable sales, the retailer expects first quarter growth in the low- to mid-single digits. In addition, Target guided for Adjusted EPS of $1.32 to $1.52 in Q1, compared to a consensus estimate of $1.43. Target also expects to see a low single-digit increase in operating income. Fiscal 2019 Outlook
|
Target's fiscal fourth quarter earnings per share and revenues beat market expectations this week. In Q4, Targets revenue came in flat at $23 billion, but the company saw a strong 5.3% increase in comparable sales. The company is looking to overhaul its business model with the expansion of small-format stores.
|
bart
| 2 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/03/06/can-target-continue-its-growth-momentum-after-strong-q4/
| 0.157479 |
What Is Neuromarketing?
|
It's a question many marketers still don't know the answer to. Maybe it's because the question has several answers. Appropriately so, as it involves our ever-expanding understanding of how the brain works. In short, neuromarketing is a field that applies brain-based research to everyday advertisements and marketing messages. As the owner of an agency focused on applying marketing research and brain science to digital marketing campaigns, my goal today is to explain how the field of neuromarketing is organized, how it works and how it relates to ethical business. The Three Circles Imagine three overlapping circles in a Venn diagram. Those three circles represent the industries that make up the neuromarketing discipline: traditional marketing, brain research and medical technology. Circle #1: Traditional Marketing Inside the first circle in our Venn diagram lies the world of traditional marketing. This is the realm of David Ogilvy, Madison Avenue and (more recently) Seth Godin. This is the circle most people think of when the word "marketing" is mentioned. It's well-researched; it works, and it has become well-entrenched. Just take a quick glance at the Forbes Global 2,000. The biggest companies in the world use traditional marketing to reach more people with unique and valuable messages. Circle #2: Brain Research Our second circle contains the fields of study focusing on the brain. This primarily includes behavioral economics, social psychology and neuroscience. The names to look out for in this world are Dan Ariely, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. More recently, researchers such as Robert Cialdini and Daniel Pink have helped these fields step into the limelight. When an institution such as Duke or Cornell initiates a research study on the brain, it publishes its research somewhere like The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. Those studies are used by the medical profession and other researchers. From a marketer's point of view, however, those findings stay hidden from any form of practical application. Circle #3: Medical Technology Over the past several years, medical imaging technology has enabled us to generate detailed pictures of what goes on inside our brains. More specifically, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) have gotten so detailed that we can generate time-lapse photography of the brain's inner workings. Despite the obvious primary use of this technology in diagnosing illness and disease, a byproduct of having this visualization of our minds has given researchers a goldmine of data. Researchers are beginning to understand exactly how our minds work. With one fMRI scan, we can see blood flow to various regions of the brain responsible for things such as excitement, fear, fight or flight response, and desire. At The Center: Neuromarketing The field of neuromarketing cannot exist without all three of these circles. Traditional marketing provides the field-tested methods and much-needed intuition that drives some of the most compelling marketing we come across today. And yet, with an increasing level of institutional research and detailed brain imaging, those methods have now been put to the test. Some have been debunked, and others have been supercharged. This field has flown under the radar for years, primarily due to the lack of significant research and accurate data. Now that the third circle has begun to tell us if someone will indeed buy something when they say they will, top agencies (and by extension, top companies) have been using neuromarketing to garner more sales. As early as 2008, Campbell's Soup conducted a neuromarketing study to determine whether to update its labels. In 2014, the Shelter Pet Project conducted a study (registration required) to decide what commercial would have the deepest emotional impact on viewers. These studies are all being fueled by an arms race by large marketing conglomerates to build a war chest of neuromarketing tools that will help give clients a leg up on the competition. The Shelter Pet Project study was one of the first case studies released by Nielson's Consumer Neuroscience division, and market research powerhouse Kantar Millward Brown conducts thousands of facial coding studies every single year. And that's just the beginning. The top criticism I can offer is that neuromarketing turns statistically significant brain research into diluted applications of that same research. The short answer is this: The world is not a laboratory, and it never will be. Humanity is ever-changing and ever-evolving. There will never be a static, unmoving definition of what motivates us, what makes us happy or what makes us want to buy something. It's as pointless a venture to prove that one particular neuromarketing campaign was caused by one well-documented mental pattern as it is to debunk the neuromarketing field as pseudoscience. Following the data will only overwhelm and confuse us. Fortunately, there's an easier method of determining whether a neuromarketing campaign works: sales. If you have a profitable campaign, you have what you need. Period. In 6,000 B.C., farmers realized that if they grew one crop in a field for too long, it would stop growing well. So, they tried replacing it with a different crop, and all of a sudden, things started growing again. This was the birth of crop rotation, which evolved into what's now the fertilizer industry. What was once an intuitive, little-understood practice turned into a well-documented scientific discipline. Neuromarketing is yet another example of science following intuition. For years, marketers have developed intuitive and methodized ways to make emotional connections with people they want to sell to. It's simply taken this long to understand the science behind that intuition. With this in mind, you can decide on the ethics of using neuromarketing in business. On one hand, we are planting seeds in the same soil we've always planted in, and we now simply have a better understanding of how to grow the biggest crops. On the other hand, the stakes are higher when we move from matters of dirt to matters of the human mind. Simply put, it's now our responsibility to plant the right seeds.
|
Neuromarketing is a field that applies brain-based research to everyday advertisements and marketing messages.
|
bart
| 0 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2019/03/06/what-is-neuromarketing/
| 0.604738 |
What Is Neuromarketing?
|
It's a question many marketers still don't know the answer to. Maybe it's because the question has several answers. Appropriately so, as it involves our ever-expanding understanding of how the brain works. In short, neuromarketing is a field that applies brain-based research to everyday advertisements and marketing messages. As the owner of an agency focused on applying marketing research and brain science to digital marketing campaigns, my goal today is to explain how the field of neuromarketing is organized, how it works and how it relates to ethical business. The Three Circles Imagine three overlapping circles in a Venn diagram. Those three circles represent the industries that make up the neuromarketing discipline: traditional marketing, brain research and medical technology. Circle #1: Traditional Marketing Inside the first circle in our Venn diagram lies the world of traditional marketing. This is the realm of David Ogilvy, Madison Avenue and (more recently) Seth Godin. This is the circle most people think of when the word "marketing" is mentioned. It's well-researched; it works, and it has become well-entrenched. Just take a quick glance at the Forbes Global 2,000. The biggest companies in the world use traditional marketing to reach more people with unique and valuable messages. Circle #2: Brain Research Our second circle contains the fields of study focusing on the brain. This primarily includes behavioral economics, social psychology and neuroscience. The names to look out for in this world are Dan Ariely, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. More recently, researchers such as Robert Cialdini and Daniel Pink have helped these fields step into the limelight. When an institution such as Duke or Cornell initiates a research study on the brain, it publishes its research somewhere like The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. Those studies are used by the medical profession and other researchers. From a marketer's point of view, however, those findings stay hidden from any form of practical application. Circle #3: Medical Technology Over the past several years, medical imaging technology has enabled us to generate detailed pictures of what goes on inside our brains. More specifically, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) have gotten so detailed that we can generate time-lapse photography of the brain's inner workings. Despite the obvious primary use of this technology in diagnosing illness and disease, a byproduct of having this visualization of our minds has given researchers a goldmine of data. Researchers are beginning to understand exactly how our minds work. With one fMRI scan, we can see blood flow to various regions of the brain responsible for things such as excitement, fear, fight or flight response, and desire. At The Center: Neuromarketing The field of neuromarketing cannot exist without all three of these circles. Traditional marketing provides the field-tested methods and much-needed intuition that drives some of the most compelling marketing we come across today. And yet, with an increasing level of institutional research and detailed brain imaging, those methods have now been put to the test. Some have been debunked, and others have been supercharged. This field has flown under the radar for years, primarily due to the lack of significant research and accurate data. Now that the third circle has begun to tell us if someone will indeed buy something when they say they will, top agencies (and by extension, top companies) have been using neuromarketing to garner more sales. As early as 2008, Campbell's Soup conducted a neuromarketing study to determine whether to update its labels. In 2014, the Shelter Pet Project conducted a study (registration required) to decide what commercial would have the deepest emotional impact on viewers. These studies are all being fueled by an arms race by large marketing conglomerates to build a war chest of neuromarketing tools that will help give clients a leg up on the competition. The Shelter Pet Project study was one of the first case studies released by Nielson's Consumer Neuroscience division, and market research powerhouse Kantar Millward Brown conducts thousands of facial coding studies every single year. And that's just the beginning. The top criticism I can offer is that neuromarketing turns statistically significant brain research into diluted applications of that same research. The short answer is this: The world is not a laboratory, and it never will be. Humanity is ever-changing and ever-evolving. There will never be a static, unmoving definition of what motivates us, what makes us happy or what makes us want to buy something. It's as pointless a venture to prove that one particular neuromarketing campaign was caused by one well-documented mental pattern as it is to debunk the neuromarketing field as pseudoscience. Following the data will only overwhelm and confuse us. Fortunately, there's an easier method of determining whether a neuromarketing campaign works: sales. If you have a profitable campaign, you have what you need. Period. In 6,000 B.C., farmers realized that if they grew one crop in a field for too long, it would stop growing well. So, they tried replacing it with a different crop, and all of a sudden, things started growing again. This was the birth of crop rotation, which evolved into what's now the fertilizer industry. What was once an intuitive, little-understood practice turned into a well-documented scientific discipline. Neuromarketing is yet another example of science following intuition. For years, marketers have developed intuitive and methodized ways to make emotional connections with people they want to sell to. It's simply taken this long to understand the science behind that intuition. With this in mind, you can decide on the ethics of using neuromarketing in business. On one hand, we are planting seeds in the same soil we've always planted in, and we now simply have a better understanding of how to grow the biggest crops. On the other hand, the stakes are higher when we move from matters of dirt to matters of the human mind. Simply put, it's now our responsibility to plant the right seeds.
|
Neuromarketing is a field that applies brain-based research to everyday advertisements and marketing messages. The field is organized into three circles: traditional marketing, brain research and medical technology.
|
ctrlsum
| 1 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2019/03/06/what-is-neuromarketing/
| 0.669442 |
What Is Neuromarketing?
|
It's a question many marketers still don't know the answer to. Maybe it's because the question has several answers. Appropriately so, as it involves our ever-expanding understanding of how the brain works. In short, neuromarketing is a field that applies brain-based research to everyday advertisements and marketing messages. As the owner of an agency focused on applying marketing research and brain science to digital marketing campaigns, my goal today is to explain how the field of neuromarketing is organized, how it works and how it relates to ethical business. The Three Circles Imagine three overlapping circles in a Venn diagram. Those three circles represent the industries that make up the neuromarketing discipline: traditional marketing, brain research and medical technology. Circle #1: Traditional Marketing Inside the first circle in our Venn diagram lies the world of traditional marketing. This is the realm of David Ogilvy, Madison Avenue and (more recently) Seth Godin. This is the circle most people think of when the word "marketing" is mentioned. It's well-researched; it works, and it has become well-entrenched. Just take a quick glance at the Forbes Global 2,000. The biggest companies in the world use traditional marketing to reach more people with unique and valuable messages. Circle #2: Brain Research Our second circle contains the fields of study focusing on the brain. This primarily includes behavioral economics, social psychology and neuroscience. The names to look out for in this world are Dan Ariely, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. More recently, researchers such as Robert Cialdini and Daniel Pink have helped these fields step into the limelight. When an institution such as Duke or Cornell initiates a research study on the brain, it publishes its research somewhere like The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. Those studies are used by the medical profession and other researchers. From a marketer's point of view, however, those findings stay hidden from any form of practical application. Circle #3: Medical Technology Over the past several years, medical imaging technology has enabled us to generate detailed pictures of what goes on inside our brains. More specifically, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) have gotten so detailed that we can generate time-lapse photography of the brain's inner workings. Despite the obvious primary use of this technology in diagnosing illness and disease, a byproduct of having this visualization of our minds has given researchers a goldmine of data. Researchers are beginning to understand exactly how our minds work. With one fMRI scan, we can see blood flow to various regions of the brain responsible for things such as excitement, fear, fight or flight response, and desire. At The Center: Neuromarketing The field of neuromarketing cannot exist without all three of these circles. Traditional marketing provides the field-tested methods and much-needed intuition that drives some of the most compelling marketing we come across today. And yet, with an increasing level of institutional research and detailed brain imaging, those methods have now been put to the test. Some have been debunked, and others have been supercharged. This field has flown under the radar for years, primarily due to the lack of significant research and accurate data. Now that the third circle has begun to tell us if someone will indeed buy something when they say they will, top agencies (and by extension, top companies) have been using neuromarketing to garner more sales. As early as 2008, Campbell's Soup conducted a neuromarketing study to determine whether to update its labels. In 2014, the Shelter Pet Project conducted a study (registration required) to decide what commercial would have the deepest emotional impact on viewers. These studies are all being fueled by an arms race by large marketing conglomerates to build a war chest of neuromarketing tools that will help give clients a leg up on the competition. The Shelter Pet Project study was one of the first case studies released by Nielson's Consumer Neuroscience division, and market research powerhouse Kantar Millward Brown conducts thousands of facial coding studies every single year. And that's just the beginning. The top criticism I can offer is that neuromarketing turns statistically significant brain research into diluted applications of that same research. The short answer is this: The world is not a laboratory, and it never will be. Humanity is ever-changing and ever-evolving. There will never be a static, unmoving definition of what motivates us, what makes us happy or what makes us want to buy something. It's as pointless a venture to prove that one particular neuromarketing campaign was caused by one well-documented mental pattern as it is to debunk the neuromarketing field as pseudoscience. Following the data will only overwhelm and confuse us. Fortunately, there's an easier method of determining whether a neuromarketing campaign works: sales. If you have a profitable campaign, you have what you need. Period. In 6,000 B.C., farmers realized that if they grew one crop in a field for too long, it would stop growing well. So, they tried replacing it with a different crop, and all of a sudden, things started growing again. This was the birth of crop rotation, which evolved into what's now the fertilizer industry. What was once an intuitive, little-understood practice turned into a well-documented scientific discipline. Neuromarketing is yet another example of science following intuition. For years, marketers have developed intuitive and methodized ways to make emotional connections with people they want to sell to. It's simply taken this long to understand the science behind that intuition. With this in mind, you can decide on the ethics of using neuromarketing in business. On one hand, we are planting seeds in the same soil we've always planted in, and we now simply have a better understanding of how to grow the biggest crops. On the other hand, the stakes are higher when we move from matters of dirt to matters of the human mind. Simply put, it's now our responsibility to plant the right seeds.
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Neuromarketing is a field that applies brain-based research to everyday advertisements and marketing messages. Traditional marketing provides the field-tested methods and much-needed intuition that drives some of the most compelling marketing we come across today. Medical imaging technology has enabled us to generate detailed pictures of what goes on inside our brains.
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bart
| 2 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2019/03/06/what-is-neuromarketing/
| 0.699692 |
How Has Natural Selection Changed In The Modern Era?
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originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Israel Ramirez, Biopsychologist, on Quora: Theres no way to stop natural selection. Its is going on right now in people. This chart shows the results of a study looking at lifetime reproductive success for people in the UK, a measure of the effects of natural selection. [1] Stars show traits showing statistically reliable effects. The abbreviations are: age at first birth (AFB) educational attainment (EA) fluid intelligence score (FIS) age at menopause (AMP) height (HT) waist circumference (WC) basal metabolic rate (BMR) weight (WT) hip circumference (HC) body-mass index (BMI) waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) body-fat percentage (BFP) age at menarche (AAM), Natural selection is working in different ways for women and men. Natural selection is causing women to have a longer reproductive period: having menarche at a younger age, bearing children at a younger age, and reaching menopause later. Natural selection is causing men to become heavier/fatter. Theres a trend for that in women but it wasnt statistically reliable. Those trends have been confirmed in a study of Americans which predicts that the next generation will be on average slightly shorter and stouter, to have lower total cholesterol levels and systolic blood pressure, to have their first child earlier, and to reach menopause later [2] In this study, natural selection is leading women to become shorter but is not affecting men. Among Dutch people, it is leading to taller men but favoring average women. [3] Natural selection also causing women and men to score lower in intelligence tests and spend fewer years in school. Whats happening now might not have been true in the past and might not continue into the future. We dont have good data on natural selection in previous centuries, so its hard to be sure whether current trends also occurred in the past. Compared to people in the 19th Century, modern people are taller, heavier, and experience menarche at an earlier age but we cant say whether that has anything to do with natural selection. And we know nothing about whether current trends might continue into the future. I suspect not but theres no way to be sure. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions:
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Natural selection is working in different ways for women and men. Natural selection is causing women to have a longer reproductive period. Theres a trend for that in women but it wasnt statistically reliable. Compared to people in the 19th Century, modern people are taller, heavier and experience menarche at an earlier age.
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bart
| 2 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/03/06/how-has-natural-selection-changed-in-the-modern-era/
| 0.341128 |
How Has Machine Learning And AI Influenced Game Design?
|
originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Travis Addair, Software Engineer, on Quora: Games are more addictive today than ever, and we have machine learning to thank for a lot of that. When most people put AI and games together they tend to think bots or some other form of computer-controlled character (NPC). But the reality is that machine learning is virtually unused for such AIs. As Ive discussed in other answers [1], its just too expensive and doesnt allow for the degree of control required by the design team. However, thats not to say that machine learning is entirely absent from the game development process. In fact, its used quite extensively, just not in the game itself, but in the way we design gameplay systems. Lets call it data-driven game design. See, game companies particularly the big ones like Activision and EA employ many data scientists. They dont directly make games, rather their role is to inform the game design by understanding player behavior. Today, more and more games are moving their systems to the backend the server side where all the information about what the player does in the game and when they choose to play or not player the game can be tracked, recorded, and analyzed. That analysis can be simple like a linear model used to correlate variables but increasingly its becoming very complex. As more data is tracked in greater quantities, more data science teams are turning to machine learning models like gradient boosted trees and deep neural networks. Keeping players engaged with the games, keeping them coming back for more. This can be done at a macro level (looking at averages, or segmentations of users) or at a micro level (individuals). You could entice them to come back with custom bonus offer or in-game reward. You could customize loot drops to suit the preferences of specific users. For better or worse, thats the direction the industry is going, and we have machine learning to thank for it. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions:
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Machine learning is being used more and more in game design.
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ctrlsum
| 0 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/03/06/how-has-machine-learning-and-ai-influenced-game-design/
| 0.129289 |
How Has Machine Learning And AI Influenced Game Design?
|
originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Travis Addair, Software Engineer, on Quora: Games are more addictive today than ever, and we have machine learning to thank for a lot of that. When most people put AI and games together they tend to think bots or some other form of computer-controlled character (NPC). But the reality is that machine learning is virtually unused for such AIs. As Ive discussed in other answers [1], its just too expensive and doesnt allow for the degree of control required by the design team. However, thats not to say that machine learning is entirely absent from the game development process. In fact, its used quite extensively, just not in the game itself, but in the way we design gameplay systems. Lets call it data-driven game design. See, game companies particularly the big ones like Activision and EA employ many data scientists. They dont directly make games, rather their role is to inform the game design by understanding player behavior. Today, more and more games are moving their systems to the backend the server side where all the information about what the player does in the game and when they choose to play or not player the game can be tracked, recorded, and analyzed. That analysis can be simple like a linear model used to correlate variables but increasingly its becoming very complex. As more data is tracked in greater quantities, more data science teams are turning to machine learning models like gradient boosted trees and deep neural networks. Keeping players engaged with the games, keeping them coming back for more. This can be done at a macro level (looking at averages, or segmentations of users) or at a micro level (individuals). You could entice them to come back with custom bonus offer or in-game reward. You could customize loot drops to suit the preferences of specific users. For better or worse, thats the direction the industry is going, and we have machine learning to thank for it. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions:
|
Machine learning is virtually unused for such "AIs" It's used quite extensively, just not in the game itself, but in the way we design gameplay systems. Keeping players engaged with the games, keeping them coming back for more.
|
pegasus
| 1 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/03/06/how-has-machine-learning-and-ai-influenced-game-design/
| 0.145553 |
How Has Machine Learning And AI Influenced Game Design?
|
originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Travis Addair, Software Engineer, on Quora: Games are more addictive today than ever, and we have machine learning to thank for a lot of that. When most people put AI and games together they tend to think bots or some other form of computer-controlled character (NPC). But the reality is that machine learning is virtually unused for such AIs. As Ive discussed in other answers [1], its just too expensive and doesnt allow for the degree of control required by the design team. However, thats not to say that machine learning is entirely absent from the game development process. In fact, its used quite extensively, just not in the game itself, but in the way we design gameplay systems. Lets call it data-driven game design. See, game companies particularly the big ones like Activision and EA employ many data scientists. They dont directly make games, rather their role is to inform the game design by understanding player behavior. Today, more and more games are moving their systems to the backend the server side where all the information about what the player does in the game and when they choose to play or not player the game can be tracked, recorded, and analyzed. That analysis can be simple like a linear model used to correlate variables but increasingly its becoming very complex. As more data is tracked in greater quantities, more data science teams are turning to machine learning models like gradient boosted trees and deep neural networks. Keeping players engaged with the games, keeping them coming back for more. This can be done at a macro level (looking at averages, or segmentations of users) or at a micro level (individuals). You could entice them to come back with custom bonus offer or in-game reward. You could customize loot drops to suit the preferences of specific users. For better or worse, thats the direction the industry is going, and we have machine learning to thank for it. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions:
|
Machine learning is virtually unused for such "AIs" It's used quite extensively, just not in the game itself, but in the way we design gameplay systems. Data science teams are turning to machine learning models like gradient boosted trees and deep neural networks.
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pegasus
| 2 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/03/06/how-has-machine-learning-and-ai-influenced-game-design/
| 0.123344 |
How Can Non-Tech Companies Compete In The Digital Age?
|
originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Dennis Zdonov, Head of Studio at Glu Mobile, on Quora: Pizza Hut is deploying robotic waiters in its restaurants in Asia. Johnson & Johnson is using AI to help parents customize their childs sleepcare. Unilever is trying to use blockchain to improve its ad buying. The list of traditional companies experimenting with buzzwordy tech goes on and on. But heres the thing: adopting and then successfully implementing innovative technologies requires more than just investing in robots, AI, and blockchain. It requires a fundamental understanding of the concepts and processes that have enabled tech companies to thrive and dominate the corporate landscape of today. For most old-school companies that were founded many decades ago, this often means reworking many of their core processes and fundamental beliefs. Here are a few tech-pioneered concepts and processes which could prove particularly transformative for more traditional, less tech companies. 1: Transparent pricing In many traditional industries whether its restaurant supplies, TV advertising, or supplement manufacturing it can take potential customers weeks to get a simple price quote for their order. You have to speak to multiple different reps (often telling them the same information), navigate opaque monopolistic supply chains, get multiple quotes to understand if you are being scammed or not, among other painful, mind-numbingly tedious tasks. To say the process is inefficient would be an understatement. Compare that with how easy it is to buy an ad on Google or Facebook, in which pricing options are transparent and accessible. Its night and day. But the thing is, now that we as consumers know that a seamless process is possible, our expectations have changed. This type of seamless process is not just nice-to-have at this point. It has now become, If you dont have it, Ill find somebody else who does. Consumers want simple processes where they can get their answers easily and quickly. Companies who meet that demand will have a clear cut advantage; and those that dont well, I dont see them being around much longer, unless the government forces you to use them or subsidizes them completely (yes, Im talking about you, U.S. Postal Service). 2: Dynamic pricing This is something we all learned back in Econ 101. If the demand for your product or service is high and customers are willing to pay more for it, it doesnt make sense for you to keep your prices static. Its a matter of uncapping your customers max spend potential. Ubers surge pricing is a great example of a company optimized to do exactly that. Surge pricing has allowed Uber to redefine the scarcity economics of the personal transportation market. E-Commerce is another space that has leveraged dynamic pricing very well. Here is a 3-year price chart of a Waterpik Water Flosser on Amazon. As you can see, the prices have fluctuated constantly, and have varied as much as 250% between the minimum and maximum amounts. Some traditional players do use dynamic pricing, too, like airlines, hotels, and the MLB, but many dont, offering only one flat rate. In the end, having a static pricing model is just leaving money on the table. 3: Pay-per-use business models A great pioneer of this has been Amazon Web Services, the most successful cloud infrastructure service on the planet. As of last year, this single Amazon department had made roughly $10 billion in profit. Theres a lot that accounts for AWSs success and removing customers capex concerns entirely is one major factor. There are some companies trying this now in more traditional industries, too. For example, Travis Kalanicks new CloudKitchens is trying to do this with restaurant real estate. Metromile is doing this with car insurance (charging customers for car insurance by the mile). ZipCar, Getaround, and Turo have been doing this successfully with urban car usage, too. What these companies show is that no matter your industry, with enough thought (and tech under the hood), it is possible to ditch the middleman and revamp your bulk pricing structures for something more efficient. 4: Testing product features and demand before doing development Tuft & Needle a company now doing more than $100M in yearly revenue didnt just create a great product and start selling it on a whim. Rather, they only launched after running different product concepts to different landing pages and testing, purposefully, which concepts resulted in conversions. There is a great podcast with Tuft & Needles co-founder JT Marino that talks about this part of their pre-launch journey. Testing a bunch of fake products which look legitimate but are not actually ready for sale is a common practice for e-commerce startups. Justin Mares talks about how he validated the idea for his new bone broth startup, Kettle & Fire, in about two weeks and for under $100 in a great Sumo blog post. Its easy to run Facebook ads to a lot of different concepts and see what resonates and with whom. $500 of Facebook ads and 30 minutes of setup could literally save your company millions of dollars. However, even with all this easy pre-development testing available, many companies today still commit major R&D dollars into a product before theyre confident it will sell. 5: A/B testing branding Similarly to testing product features and demand, many tech companies also test a lot of branding and design changes at a small scale before committing to them at large. We did this a lot at Glu Mobile and Dairy Free Games when working on new game concepts. Since the timeline for developing a AAA game is often multiple years, developers will frequently test many variations of their theming, art style, icons, branding, etc. These tests are done with just mockup graphics and simulated videos. Gaming studios will then run those assets through specialized testing tools, like Splitmetrics and StoreMaven, that take the ad clicker to a simulated app store. But even outside of just gaming, this is a common practice in the tech industry to test everything before sending it out to customers. Email subject lines is the most obvious example. A more extreme example is Marissa Meyer testing 41 different shades of blue in the design process at Google. If youre just starting out with this, the Optimizely blog has a lot of ideas on design and branding elements that you can A/B test. 6: Personalization If you can promise customers a more personalized or customizable experience, theyll either pay more for your product, convert faster, or use your product longer. Over the long run, all of this leads to more revenue. A good example of personalization, again, comes from mobile gaming. If you look at the top-performing games like Clash Royale, Game of War, or Contest of Champions, many of the deals that they offer in their stores are highly personalized, and are aimed to solve an immediate need for the specific player who sees the offer. There are also countless mainstream examples of successful personalization spearheaded by consumer tech companies. Amazon, Netflix, Pandora, and Spotify have all built sophisticated personalization and recommendation algorithms to give each user just the right product, show, or song at just the right time. Where personalization is often overlooked by the non-tech crowd is in marketing and SEO. Zapier, a company that helps people automate mundane cross-app interactions, personalized thousands of landing pages to be hyper-targeted to their users search queries. As their CEO, Wade Foster, explains: We set up landing pages for every combination of app-to-app that you could possibly connect. So if youre searching for Groove and JIRA, ideally Zapier is in the results. 7: Deep analytics on everything to quantify whats working and what isnt In order to do any of the this, however to A/B test, personalize products, or offer dynamic pricing your company must run sound analytics. You have to understand what affects your users behavior. You have to be able to discern why certain products sell well, or why certain campaigns perform well, and others dont. And in order to do this effectively, you need to invest in your analytics infrastructure. Unfortunately, most companies even tech companies overlook their analytics tooling because it doesnt qualify as something that is core product. Zynga disproves that. They were, in fact, one of the companies that spearheaded effective big data analytics. Some have even said that Zynga is really a Big Data Company Disguised as a Gaming Company. Mark Pincus, Zyngas founder, bet big on data. As he explains on the Masters of Scale podcast: We were pushing it more than anybody because we went to tracking every click and analyzing it at a time that they were using Google Analytics. And we were investing so much and we had so many people on it that we kept getting called stupid, that people said, Zynga has 50 people and this company is doing the same thing with 10. Zynga has 300 people and this company is doing the same with 20 or 50 because we wanted to over-invest in knowing the data. 8: Gamification If youve bought anything on Wish recently which is on track to do over $2 billion in revenue this year youve probably seen many gamified elements in their store. You can spin the wheel for a once-a-day Deal Dash discount. You can earn reward points with each purchase. And almost everything, from an Instant Offer to your checkout process, has some countdown timer attached to it. While Wish has perhaps taken gamification elements to an extreme, many marketplaces and review platforms, like eBay, Yelp, and Airbnb, offer gamified elements to their users, too. These platforms use gamification to incentivize the types of user behaviors they want to see on their platforms. 9: Developing Compulsion Loops Up until recently, compulsion loops have been a sort of hidden concept, one that tech companies exploited stealthily. This changed when EA became a hot subject of a loot box controversy. While the full psychology of compulsion is too long for this article, one of the most popularized examples of compulsion loops are loot boxes. At their core, theyre what psychologists call skinner boxes: things that give users variable rewards for the same repeated action. While it may seem counter-intuitive, simply rewarding someone every time (and with the same reward) when they do an action is NOT the best way to have them continue doing that action. Instead, its a lot more addicting and motivating to vary up both the reward itself and the likelihood of getting that reward. This is the reason that gambling (and gaming) is more addicting and stimulating than a predictable, fixed-reward task, like a job that pays a fixed steady wage. Subscription commerce startups, like Birchbox and LootCrate, are good examples of companies built around the simple compulsion loop of variable rewards. They deliver a novel set of goods to the subscriber each month. A more old-school example of this is Pokemon cards, which effectively were a physical loot box, and a highly addicting one at that. If youre interested in exploring how to apply compulsion loops (and other gaming concepts) to real-world scenarios, I recommend taking a read through Jane McGonigals book, Reality is Broken. Final Thoughts Over time, a lot of the tech-pioneered fundamentals that Ive covered above will become the new standard across a lot of traditional industries, be it manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, or real estate. As consumers expectations shift toward easier, faster, and more personalized experiences, the companies that are able to deliver on those pillars will be the ones that survive. So, when it comes to adopting new tech, its critical that companies think through their processes, supply chains, and strategies at a more fundamental level instead of just building buzzwords on top of a rotting foundation. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions:
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Dennis Zdonov: Transparent pricing, dynamic pricing, pay-per-use business models are key to competing in the digital age. He says traditional companies need to rework many of their core processes and fundamental beliefs.
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ctrlsum
| 1 |
https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/03/06/how-can-non-tech-companies-compete-in-the-digital-age/
| 0.117909 |
How Can Non-Tech Companies Compete In The Digital Age?
|
originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Dennis Zdonov, Head of Studio at Glu Mobile, on Quora: Pizza Hut is deploying robotic waiters in its restaurants in Asia. Johnson & Johnson is using AI to help parents customize their childs sleepcare. Unilever is trying to use blockchain to improve its ad buying. The list of traditional companies experimenting with buzzwordy tech goes on and on. But heres the thing: adopting and then successfully implementing innovative technologies requires more than just investing in robots, AI, and blockchain. It requires a fundamental understanding of the concepts and processes that have enabled tech companies to thrive and dominate the corporate landscape of today. For most old-school companies that were founded many decades ago, this often means reworking many of their core processes and fundamental beliefs. Here are a few tech-pioneered concepts and processes which could prove particularly transformative for more traditional, less tech companies. 1: Transparent pricing In many traditional industries whether its restaurant supplies, TV advertising, or supplement manufacturing it can take potential customers weeks to get a simple price quote for their order. You have to speak to multiple different reps (often telling them the same information), navigate opaque monopolistic supply chains, get multiple quotes to understand if you are being scammed or not, among other painful, mind-numbingly tedious tasks. To say the process is inefficient would be an understatement. Compare that with how easy it is to buy an ad on Google or Facebook, in which pricing options are transparent and accessible. Its night and day. But the thing is, now that we as consumers know that a seamless process is possible, our expectations have changed. This type of seamless process is not just nice-to-have at this point. It has now become, If you dont have it, Ill find somebody else who does. Consumers want simple processes where they can get their answers easily and quickly. Companies who meet that demand will have a clear cut advantage; and those that dont well, I dont see them being around much longer, unless the government forces you to use them or subsidizes them completely (yes, Im talking about you, U.S. Postal Service). 2: Dynamic pricing This is something we all learned back in Econ 101. If the demand for your product or service is high and customers are willing to pay more for it, it doesnt make sense for you to keep your prices static. Its a matter of uncapping your customers max spend potential. Ubers surge pricing is a great example of a company optimized to do exactly that. Surge pricing has allowed Uber to redefine the scarcity economics of the personal transportation market. E-Commerce is another space that has leveraged dynamic pricing very well. Here is a 3-year price chart of a Waterpik Water Flosser on Amazon. As you can see, the prices have fluctuated constantly, and have varied as much as 250% between the minimum and maximum amounts. Some traditional players do use dynamic pricing, too, like airlines, hotels, and the MLB, but many dont, offering only one flat rate. In the end, having a static pricing model is just leaving money on the table. 3: Pay-per-use business models A great pioneer of this has been Amazon Web Services, the most successful cloud infrastructure service on the planet. As of last year, this single Amazon department had made roughly $10 billion in profit. Theres a lot that accounts for AWSs success and removing customers capex concerns entirely is one major factor. There are some companies trying this now in more traditional industries, too. For example, Travis Kalanicks new CloudKitchens is trying to do this with restaurant real estate. Metromile is doing this with car insurance (charging customers for car insurance by the mile). ZipCar, Getaround, and Turo have been doing this successfully with urban car usage, too. What these companies show is that no matter your industry, with enough thought (and tech under the hood), it is possible to ditch the middleman and revamp your bulk pricing structures for something more efficient. 4: Testing product features and demand before doing development Tuft & Needle a company now doing more than $100M in yearly revenue didnt just create a great product and start selling it on a whim. Rather, they only launched after running different product concepts to different landing pages and testing, purposefully, which concepts resulted in conversions. There is a great podcast with Tuft & Needles co-founder JT Marino that talks about this part of their pre-launch journey. Testing a bunch of fake products which look legitimate but are not actually ready for sale is a common practice for e-commerce startups. Justin Mares talks about how he validated the idea for his new bone broth startup, Kettle & Fire, in about two weeks and for under $100 in a great Sumo blog post. Its easy to run Facebook ads to a lot of different concepts and see what resonates and with whom. $500 of Facebook ads and 30 minutes of setup could literally save your company millions of dollars. However, even with all this easy pre-development testing available, many companies today still commit major R&D dollars into a product before theyre confident it will sell. 5: A/B testing branding Similarly to testing product features and demand, many tech companies also test a lot of branding and design changes at a small scale before committing to them at large. We did this a lot at Glu Mobile and Dairy Free Games when working on new game concepts. Since the timeline for developing a AAA game is often multiple years, developers will frequently test many variations of their theming, art style, icons, branding, etc. These tests are done with just mockup graphics and simulated videos. Gaming studios will then run those assets through specialized testing tools, like Splitmetrics and StoreMaven, that take the ad clicker to a simulated app store. But even outside of just gaming, this is a common practice in the tech industry to test everything before sending it out to customers. Email subject lines is the most obvious example. A more extreme example is Marissa Meyer testing 41 different shades of blue in the design process at Google. If youre just starting out with this, the Optimizely blog has a lot of ideas on design and branding elements that you can A/B test. 6: Personalization If you can promise customers a more personalized or customizable experience, theyll either pay more for your product, convert faster, or use your product longer. Over the long run, all of this leads to more revenue. A good example of personalization, again, comes from mobile gaming. If you look at the top-performing games like Clash Royale, Game of War, or Contest of Champions, many of the deals that they offer in their stores are highly personalized, and are aimed to solve an immediate need for the specific player who sees the offer. There are also countless mainstream examples of successful personalization spearheaded by consumer tech companies. Amazon, Netflix, Pandora, and Spotify have all built sophisticated personalization and recommendation algorithms to give each user just the right product, show, or song at just the right time. Where personalization is often overlooked by the non-tech crowd is in marketing and SEO. Zapier, a company that helps people automate mundane cross-app interactions, personalized thousands of landing pages to be hyper-targeted to their users search queries. As their CEO, Wade Foster, explains: We set up landing pages for every combination of app-to-app that you could possibly connect. So if youre searching for Groove and JIRA, ideally Zapier is in the results. 7: Deep analytics on everything to quantify whats working and what isnt In order to do any of the this, however to A/B test, personalize products, or offer dynamic pricing your company must run sound analytics. You have to understand what affects your users behavior. You have to be able to discern why certain products sell well, or why certain campaigns perform well, and others dont. And in order to do this effectively, you need to invest in your analytics infrastructure. Unfortunately, most companies even tech companies overlook their analytics tooling because it doesnt qualify as something that is core product. Zynga disproves that. They were, in fact, one of the companies that spearheaded effective big data analytics. Some have even said that Zynga is really a Big Data Company Disguised as a Gaming Company. Mark Pincus, Zyngas founder, bet big on data. As he explains on the Masters of Scale podcast: We were pushing it more than anybody because we went to tracking every click and analyzing it at a time that they were using Google Analytics. And we were investing so much and we had so many people on it that we kept getting called stupid, that people said, Zynga has 50 people and this company is doing the same thing with 10. Zynga has 300 people and this company is doing the same with 20 or 50 because we wanted to over-invest in knowing the data. 8: Gamification If youve bought anything on Wish recently which is on track to do over $2 billion in revenue this year youve probably seen many gamified elements in their store. You can spin the wheel for a once-a-day Deal Dash discount. You can earn reward points with each purchase. And almost everything, from an Instant Offer to your checkout process, has some countdown timer attached to it. While Wish has perhaps taken gamification elements to an extreme, many marketplaces and review platforms, like eBay, Yelp, and Airbnb, offer gamified elements to their users, too. These platforms use gamification to incentivize the types of user behaviors they want to see on their platforms. 9: Developing Compulsion Loops Up until recently, compulsion loops have been a sort of hidden concept, one that tech companies exploited stealthily. This changed when EA became a hot subject of a loot box controversy. While the full psychology of compulsion is too long for this article, one of the most popularized examples of compulsion loops are loot boxes. At their core, theyre what psychologists call skinner boxes: things that give users variable rewards for the same repeated action. While it may seem counter-intuitive, simply rewarding someone every time (and with the same reward) when they do an action is NOT the best way to have them continue doing that action. Instead, its a lot more addicting and motivating to vary up both the reward itself and the likelihood of getting that reward. This is the reason that gambling (and gaming) is more addicting and stimulating than a predictable, fixed-reward task, like a job that pays a fixed steady wage. Subscription commerce startups, like Birchbox and LootCrate, are good examples of companies built around the simple compulsion loop of variable rewards. They deliver a novel set of goods to the subscriber each month. A more old-school example of this is Pokemon cards, which effectively were a physical loot box, and a highly addicting one at that. If youre interested in exploring how to apply compulsion loops (and other gaming concepts) to real-world scenarios, I recommend taking a read through Jane McGonigals book, Reality is Broken. Final Thoughts Over time, a lot of the tech-pioneered fundamentals that Ive covered above will become the new standard across a lot of traditional industries, be it manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, or real estate. As consumers expectations shift toward easier, faster, and more personalized experiences, the companies that are able to deliver on those pillars will be the ones that survive. So, when it comes to adopting new tech, its critical that companies think through their processes, supply chains, and strategies at a more fundamental level instead of just building buzzwords on top of a rotting foundation. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions:
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Dennis Zdonov: Transparent pricing, dynamic pricing, pay-per-use business models are key to competing in the digital age. He says traditional companies need to rework many of their core processes and fundamental beliefs in order to compete in the Digital Age.
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ctrlsum
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/03/06/how-can-non-tech-companies-compete-in-the-digital-age/
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What if we took Lent as seriously as we do Mardi Gras?
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I wonder how different things would be in New Orleans if more people took Lent and Easter as seriously as they do Carnival season and Mardi Gras. For starters, people already would have Wednesday, Feb. 26, marked on their calendars as the first day of Lent with a big circle on next April 12 for Easter 2020. For those 40 days in between, they would enthusiastically focus not only on abstinence and fasting but also prayers and charitable works. They would not, however, become too obsessed in the penitence itself, but realize that the penitence is in preparation for celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians seek a change of heart during Lent in their relationship with God, not just good works to boast of. Sen. John Kennedy really goes for laughs this time "My name is John Kennedy," he said, "I'm a United States senator and I represent the people of Louisiana on cable news stations across this nation." For almost six weeks, they would live in wonderful anticipation of celebrating the day that changed everything. They would have friends and work colleagues constantly reminding them of the season and how much joy they would get out of participating more. The invitations would be impossible to avoid and hard to resist. They would arrange things so they could take time off from work to do some service in their community, spend time with their families and neighbors or contemplate Gods grace and mercy. They would wonder how many friends and relatives were coming from out of town to help them celebrate. They would go out in neighborhoods a day or two early to stake out the places where they and their friends would be picking up trash and pulling Mardi Gras beads from the catch basins. The mayor would have to issue a warning about people bringing their ladders ahead of time to paint and fix up houses owned by the poor and elderly. Police would shut down streets and even portions of the Pontchartrain Expressway to make sure that volunteers could get where they were needed as efficiently as possible. Sometimes the cops would get off their motorcycles and dance to entertain those waiting for the caravan to pass. Local TV stations would offer smartphone apps to help us find the best time to volunteer at homeless shelters or donate to food pantries and blood banks. NOLA.com would have reporters all over the place for Holy Week events and would go on Facebook Live to share the Good Friday and Easter sermons. People would ponder what it means to love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength and then what it means to love your neighbor as yourself. They might bookmark some Bible verses on Ash Wednesday, like Joel 2:12: Yet even now, declares the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." Or maybe a good reminder in Matthew 6:1, Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. They would focus during the time of abstinence on how Jesus has spent 40 days fasting and battling Satan in the desert to prepare for a ministry that would eventually take him to the cross to defeat sin and death. Cold and rainy weather would not keep them from participating in church gatherings, especially during Holy Week. Traffic jams would be endured just to get close enough to walk to crowds. They would do everything they could to be a part of the worship, even if the church had moved the services an hour or two earlier to escape severe weather. Think big in filling New Orleans most visible vacancy For the second year in a row, Mardi Gras parades are rolling past an empty pedestal at the Circle formerly known as Lee And on Easter, they might read from Mark 16: "And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here.'" They might repeat, "He is risen! He is risen, indeed!" They would already be thinking about, planning for and anticipating the next Lenten season. Tim Morris is a columnist on the Latitude team at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Latitude is a place to share opinions about the challenges facing Louisiana. Follow @LatitudeNOLA on Facebook and Twitter. Write to Tim at tmorris@nola.com.
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LZ Granderson: People in New Orleans take Lent and Easter as seriously as they do Mardi Gras. He says they would focus not only on abstinence and fasting but also prayers and charitable works.
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bart
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https://www.nola.com/opinions/2019/03/what-if-we-took-lent-as-seriously-as-we-do-mardi-gras.html
| 0.245376 |
What if we took Lent as seriously as we do Mardi Gras?
|
I wonder how different things would be in New Orleans if more people took Lent and Easter as seriously as they do Carnival season and Mardi Gras. For starters, people already would have Wednesday, Feb. 26, marked on their calendars as the first day of Lent with a big circle on next April 12 for Easter 2020. For those 40 days in between, they would enthusiastically focus not only on abstinence and fasting but also prayers and charitable works. They would not, however, become too obsessed in the penitence itself, but realize that the penitence is in preparation for celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians seek a change of heart during Lent in their relationship with God, not just good works to boast of. Sen. John Kennedy really goes for laughs this time "My name is John Kennedy," he said, "I'm a United States senator and I represent the people of Louisiana on cable news stations across this nation." For almost six weeks, they would live in wonderful anticipation of celebrating the day that changed everything. They would have friends and work colleagues constantly reminding them of the season and how much joy they would get out of participating more. The invitations would be impossible to avoid and hard to resist. They would arrange things so they could take time off from work to do some service in their community, spend time with their families and neighbors or contemplate Gods grace and mercy. They would wonder how many friends and relatives were coming from out of town to help them celebrate. They would go out in neighborhoods a day or two early to stake out the places where they and their friends would be picking up trash and pulling Mardi Gras beads from the catch basins. The mayor would have to issue a warning about people bringing their ladders ahead of time to paint and fix up houses owned by the poor and elderly. Police would shut down streets and even portions of the Pontchartrain Expressway to make sure that volunteers could get where they were needed as efficiently as possible. Sometimes the cops would get off their motorcycles and dance to entertain those waiting for the caravan to pass. Local TV stations would offer smartphone apps to help us find the best time to volunteer at homeless shelters or donate to food pantries and blood banks. NOLA.com would have reporters all over the place for Holy Week events and would go on Facebook Live to share the Good Friday and Easter sermons. People would ponder what it means to love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength and then what it means to love your neighbor as yourself. They might bookmark some Bible verses on Ash Wednesday, like Joel 2:12: Yet even now, declares the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." Or maybe a good reminder in Matthew 6:1, Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. They would focus during the time of abstinence on how Jesus has spent 40 days fasting and battling Satan in the desert to prepare for a ministry that would eventually take him to the cross to defeat sin and death. Cold and rainy weather would not keep them from participating in church gatherings, especially during Holy Week. Traffic jams would be endured just to get close enough to walk to crowds. They would do everything they could to be a part of the worship, even if the church had moved the services an hour or two earlier to escape severe weather. Think big in filling New Orleans most visible vacancy For the second year in a row, Mardi Gras parades are rolling past an empty pedestal at the Circle formerly known as Lee And on Easter, they might read from Mark 16: "And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here.'" They might repeat, "He is risen! He is risen, indeed!" They would already be thinking about, planning for and anticipating the next Lenten season. Tim Morris is a columnist on the Latitude team at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Latitude is a place to share opinions about the challenges facing Louisiana. Follow @LatitudeNOLA on Facebook and Twitter. Write to Tim at tmorris@nola.com.
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LZ Granderson: People in New Orleans take Lent and Easter as seriously as they do Mardi Gras. He says they would focus not only on abstinence and fasting but also prayers and charitable works. LZ: Christians seek a change of heart during Lent in their relationship with God, not just good works.
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bart
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https://www.nola.com/opinions/2019/03/what-if-we-took-lent-as-seriously-as-we-do-mardi-gras.html
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Why can't Midwest and East Coast travelers find Southwest Airlines return flights from Hawaii?
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CLOSE Southwest Airlines has started selling tickets to Hawaii with service beginning March 17. USA TODAY The questions started the second Southwest Airlines put tickets to Hawaii on sale Monday. Travelers trying to snag cheap tickets to Honolulu or Maui from cities including Baltimore, Chicago and St. Louis turned to social media and the airline's reservations center in droves to find out why they could book a flight to Hawaii but weren't finding any flights home. The problem wasn't that the flights were sold out, though many of Southwest's new nonstop flights between California and Hawaii sold out quickly thanks to fares as low as $49 each way. One traveler fired off a post on Southwest's Facebook page: "Is there a point to fly to Hawaii from St. Louis when there are NO available return flights?'' A passenger from Austin, Texas, told Southwest via Twitter that he couldn't complete his booking because there were no flights coming back. Hi, Josh. I'm sorry for that. We currently have limited return service for connecting flights from Hawaii. You can book a flight on https://t.co/qJUDbsTE7y from Hawaii to Oak or SJC, and then a flight from those places to Austin. -Katie Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) March 4, 2019 The issue is Southwest's initial, limited flight schedule from Hawaii to California doesn't get passengers into California in time to catch Southwest flights to most cities east of California. So the airline isn't selling many round-trip itineraries with connections. The exceptions are nearby cities, including Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver, Portland and Seattle. The two new daily Southwest flights from Honolulu to Oakland, for example, arrive in Oakland at 5:50 p.m. and 9 p.m. local time. The last flight from Oakland to Chicago Midway: 4:50 p.m. The last nonstop between Oakland and Chicago is even earlier: around 2:30 p.m. The last flight from Oakland to Baltimore: 2:35 p.m. The story is similar from Maui to Oakland, where the daily flights arrive at 5:20 and 8:50 p.m. Travelers trying to book a round trip Southwest flight between Baltimore and Maui on the airline's website will find daily flights to Maui for sale and a blank calendar on the way back. Travelers trying to book a flight from Honolulu to Chicago Midway run into the same issue. More:Southwest Hawaii flights: 12 things travelers need to know More: These are all of the routes U.S. airlines fly to Hawaii Southwest competitors, including Hawaiian, American and United airlines, get around this problem by including red-eye flights from Hawaii to the West Coast. The flights leave Hawaii late at night and arrive early the next morning. That leaves passengers groggy but allows connections around the country. Southwest doesn't have any red-eye flights from Hawaii or any city but hasn't ruled them out. Travelers are also likely to see increased connections to and from Hawaii as Southwest grows its Hawaii operation, which is starting slow but is expected to account for half of the airline's growth this year, according to CEO Gary Kelly. Southwest plans to offer nonstop flights between two more California cities, San Diego and Sacramento, and Hawaii. It will also beef up its schedule to and from Oakland and San Jose. And it plans to add flights to Kauai, too. "When developing these schedules, our primary focus was to offer the best possible timings for local customers (in Hawaii and California),'' Southwest said in response to questions posed on its Southwest Airlines Community message boards. "As we continue to add service to Hawaii and increase some of our technical capabilities, we will only see more cities gain connections to the state.'' Until then, travelers outside the West Coast bent on flying Southwest to and from Hawaii have to buy (or cash in frequent-flier points for) separate tickets: a one-way ticket to Hawaii, a return ticket from Hawaii to California and a ticket the next day from California back home. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2019/03/06/southwest-hawaii-flights-why-some-travelers-cant-find-return-flights/3064099002/
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Southwest Airlines started selling tickets to Hawaii on March 17. Southwest has limited return service for connecting flights from Hawaii.
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ctrlsum
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2019/03/06/southwest-hawaii-flights-why-some-travelers-cant-find-return-flights/3064099002/
| 0.102381 |
Why can't Midwest and East Coast travelers find Southwest Airlines return flights from Hawaii?
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CLOSE Southwest Airlines has started selling tickets to Hawaii with service beginning March 17. USA TODAY The questions started the second Southwest Airlines put tickets to Hawaii on sale Monday. Travelers trying to snag cheap tickets to Honolulu or Maui from cities including Baltimore, Chicago and St. Louis turned to social media and the airline's reservations center in droves to find out why they could book a flight to Hawaii but weren't finding any flights home. The problem wasn't that the flights were sold out, though many of Southwest's new nonstop flights between California and Hawaii sold out quickly thanks to fares as low as $49 each way. One traveler fired off a post on Southwest's Facebook page: "Is there a point to fly to Hawaii from St. Louis when there are NO available return flights?'' A passenger from Austin, Texas, told Southwest via Twitter that he couldn't complete his booking because there were no flights coming back. Hi, Josh. I'm sorry for that. We currently have limited return service for connecting flights from Hawaii. You can book a flight on https://t.co/qJUDbsTE7y from Hawaii to Oak or SJC, and then a flight from those places to Austin. -Katie Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) March 4, 2019 The issue is Southwest's initial, limited flight schedule from Hawaii to California doesn't get passengers into California in time to catch Southwest flights to most cities east of California. So the airline isn't selling many round-trip itineraries with connections. The exceptions are nearby cities, including Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver, Portland and Seattle. The two new daily Southwest flights from Honolulu to Oakland, for example, arrive in Oakland at 5:50 p.m. and 9 p.m. local time. The last flight from Oakland to Chicago Midway: 4:50 p.m. The last nonstop between Oakland and Chicago is even earlier: around 2:30 p.m. The last flight from Oakland to Baltimore: 2:35 p.m. The story is similar from Maui to Oakland, where the daily flights arrive at 5:20 and 8:50 p.m. Travelers trying to book a round trip Southwest flight between Baltimore and Maui on the airline's website will find daily flights to Maui for sale and a blank calendar on the way back. Travelers trying to book a flight from Honolulu to Chicago Midway run into the same issue. More:Southwest Hawaii flights: 12 things travelers need to know More: These are all of the routes U.S. airlines fly to Hawaii Southwest competitors, including Hawaiian, American and United airlines, get around this problem by including red-eye flights from Hawaii to the West Coast. The flights leave Hawaii late at night and arrive early the next morning. That leaves passengers groggy but allows connections around the country. Southwest doesn't have any red-eye flights from Hawaii or any city but hasn't ruled them out. Travelers are also likely to see increased connections to and from Hawaii as Southwest grows its Hawaii operation, which is starting slow but is expected to account for half of the airline's growth this year, according to CEO Gary Kelly. Southwest plans to offer nonstop flights between two more California cities, San Diego and Sacramento, and Hawaii. It will also beef up its schedule to and from Oakland and San Jose. And it plans to add flights to Kauai, too. "When developing these schedules, our primary focus was to offer the best possible timings for local customers (in Hawaii and California),'' Southwest said in response to questions posed on its Southwest Airlines Community message boards. "As we continue to add service to Hawaii and increase some of our technical capabilities, we will only see more cities gain connections to the state.'' Until then, travelers outside the West Coast bent on flying Southwest to and from Hawaii have to buy (or cash in frequent-flier points for) separate tickets: a one-way ticket to Hawaii, a return ticket from Hawaii to California and a ticket the next day from California back home. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2019/03/06/southwest-hawaii-flights-why-some-travelers-cant-find-return-flights/3064099002/
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Southwest Airlines started selling tickets to Hawaii on March 17. Southwest has limited return service for connecting flights from Hawaii. Southwest doesn't have any red-eye flights to or from Hawaii or any city.
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ctrlsum
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2019/03/06/southwest-hawaii-flights-why-some-travelers-cant-find-return-flights/3064099002/
| 0.166808 |
Why can't Midwest and East Coast travelers find Southwest Airlines return flights from Hawaii?
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CLOSE Southwest Airlines has started selling tickets to Hawaii with service beginning March 17. USA TODAY The questions started the second Southwest Airlines put tickets to Hawaii on sale Monday. Travelers trying to snag cheap tickets to Honolulu or Maui from cities including Baltimore, Chicago and St. Louis turned to social media and the airline's reservations center in droves to find out why they could book a flight to Hawaii but weren't finding any flights home. The problem wasn't that the flights were sold out, though many of Southwest's new nonstop flights between California and Hawaii sold out quickly thanks to fares as low as $49 each way. One traveler fired off a post on Southwest's Facebook page: "Is there a point to fly to Hawaii from St. Louis when there are NO available return flights?'' A passenger from Austin, Texas, told Southwest via Twitter that he couldn't complete his booking because there were no flights coming back. Hi, Josh. I'm sorry for that. We currently have limited return service for connecting flights from Hawaii. You can book a flight on https://t.co/qJUDbsTE7y from Hawaii to Oak or SJC, and then a flight from those places to Austin. -Katie Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) March 4, 2019 The issue is Southwest's initial, limited flight schedule from Hawaii to California doesn't get passengers into California in time to catch Southwest flights to most cities east of California. So the airline isn't selling many round-trip itineraries with connections. The exceptions are nearby cities, including Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver, Portland and Seattle. The two new daily Southwest flights from Honolulu to Oakland, for example, arrive in Oakland at 5:50 p.m. and 9 p.m. local time. The last flight from Oakland to Chicago Midway: 4:50 p.m. The last nonstop between Oakland and Chicago is even earlier: around 2:30 p.m. The last flight from Oakland to Baltimore: 2:35 p.m. The story is similar from Maui to Oakland, where the daily flights arrive at 5:20 and 8:50 p.m. Travelers trying to book a round trip Southwest flight between Baltimore and Maui on the airline's website will find daily flights to Maui for sale and a blank calendar on the way back. Travelers trying to book a flight from Honolulu to Chicago Midway run into the same issue. More:Southwest Hawaii flights: 12 things travelers need to know More: These are all of the routes U.S. airlines fly to Hawaii Southwest competitors, including Hawaiian, American and United airlines, get around this problem by including red-eye flights from Hawaii to the West Coast. The flights leave Hawaii late at night and arrive early the next morning. That leaves passengers groggy but allows connections around the country. Southwest doesn't have any red-eye flights from Hawaii or any city but hasn't ruled them out. Travelers are also likely to see increased connections to and from Hawaii as Southwest grows its Hawaii operation, which is starting slow but is expected to account for half of the airline's growth this year, according to CEO Gary Kelly. Southwest plans to offer nonstop flights between two more California cities, San Diego and Sacramento, and Hawaii. It will also beef up its schedule to and from Oakland and San Jose. And it plans to add flights to Kauai, too. "When developing these schedules, our primary focus was to offer the best possible timings for local customers (in Hawaii and California),'' Southwest said in response to questions posed on its Southwest Airlines Community message boards. "As we continue to add service to Hawaii and increase some of our technical capabilities, we will only see more cities gain connections to the state.'' Until then, travelers outside the West Coast bent on flying Southwest to and from Hawaii have to buy (or cash in frequent-flier points for) separate tickets: a one-way ticket to Hawaii, a return ticket from Hawaii to California and a ticket the next day from California back home. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2019/03/06/southwest-hawaii-flights-why-some-travelers-cant-find-return-flights/3064099002/
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Southwest Airlines started selling tickets to Hawaii on March 17. Southwest has limited return service for connecting flights from Hawaii. Southwest doesn't have any red-eye flights to or from Hawaii or any city but hasn't ruled them out. The airline plans to beef up its schedule to and from Oakland and San Jose.
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2019/03/06/southwest-hawaii-flights-why-some-travelers-cant-find-return-flights/3064099002/
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Did Halle Berry get a massive tattoo on her back?
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CLOSE Halle Berry, Gigi Hadid, Misty Copeland and others attend launch of 2019 Pirelli calendar. The Oscar-winning actress, 52, showed off some major ink in a shirtless photo posted to the social media site Tuesday. It is still unclear, however, if the tattoo is permanent or not. "Who says I'm not a mermaid," she captioned the photo of her back, wearing nothing but sparkly bottoms. The design is comprised of a vine with leaves that go up both sides of her spine. Berry isn't the only star to show off a back tattoo recently. Lady Gaga also inked her spine with an "A Star Is Born"-inspired design in February. More: Ariana Grande isn't the only one: Celebrity tattoos gone wrong Photos: Fabulous at 52: Happy Birthday Halle Berry! More: Will Smith and Halle Berry share hilarious mash-up photos of their faces Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2019/03/06/halle-berry-huge-back-tattoo-shirtless-pic-real-or-fake/3078442002/
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Halle Berry showed off a new tattoo on her back. The design is comprised of a vine with leaves that go up both sides of her spine.
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2019/03/06/halle-berry-huge-back-tattoo-shirtless-pic-real-or-fake/3078442002/
| 0.12746 |
Did Halle Berry get a massive tattoo on her back?
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CLOSE Halle Berry, Gigi Hadid, Misty Copeland and others attend launch of 2019 Pirelli calendar. The Oscar-winning actress, 52, showed off some major ink in a shirtless photo posted to the social media site Tuesday. It is still unclear, however, if the tattoo is permanent or not. "Who says I'm not a mermaid," she captioned the photo of her back, wearing nothing but sparkly bottoms. The design is comprised of a vine with leaves that go up both sides of her spine. Berry isn't the only star to show off a back tattoo recently. Lady Gaga also inked her spine with an "A Star Is Born"-inspired design in February. More: Ariana Grande isn't the only one: Celebrity tattoos gone wrong Photos: Fabulous at 52: Happy Birthday Halle Berry! More: Will Smith and Halle Berry share hilarious mash-up photos of their faces Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2019/03/06/halle-berry-huge-back-tattoo-shirtless-pic-real-or-fake/3078442002/
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Halle Berry showed off a new tattoo on her back. The design is comprised of a vine with leaves that go up both sides of her spine. Lady Gaga also showed off a back tattoo in February.
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pegasus
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2019/03/06/halle-berry-huge-back-tattoo-shirtless-pic-real-or-fake/3078442002/
| 0.172298 |
Did Halle Berry get a massive tattoo on her back?
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CLOSE Halle Berry, Gigi Hadid, Misty Copeland and others attend launch of 2019 Pirelli calendar. The Oscar-winning actress, 52, showed off some major ink in a shirtless photo posted to the social media site Tuesday. It is still unclear, however, if the tattoo is permanent or not. "Who says I'm not a mermaid," she captioned the photo of her back, wearing nothing but sparkly bottoms. The design is comprised of a vine with leaves that go up both sides of her spine. Berry isn't the only star to show off a back tattoo recently. Lady Gaga also inked her spine with an "A Star Is Born"-inspired design in February. More: Ariana Grande isn't the only one: Celebrity tattoos gone wrong Photos: Fabulous at 52: Happy Birthday Halle Berry! More: Will Smith and Halle Berry share hilarious mash-up photos of their faces Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2019/03/06/halle-berry-huge-back-tattoo-shirtless-pic-real-or-fake/3078442002/
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Halle Berry showed off a new tattoo on her back. The design is comprised of a vine with leaves that go up both sides of her spine. Lady Gaga also showed off a back tattoo in February. It is still unclear if the tattoo is permanent or not.
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pegasus
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2019/03/06/halle-berry-huge-back-tattoo-shirtless-pic-real-or-fake/3078442002/
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Can drag queens become pop stars?
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A new wave of media-savvy drag artists are trying to move beyond a queer subculture and into the charts but the mainstream may not be ready to accept them One small step for woman; one giant leap for womankind. This prologue opens NASA, the second track on Ariana Grandes latest album Thank U, Next, and its mysterious, sandpapery delivery belongs to Shangela Laquifa Wadley. If you dont recognise her voice, perhaps her face will ring a bell she played the drag club MC when Jackson Maine discovers Ally in A Star Is Born. Shangela is a drag queen, an alumnus of popular reality show RuPauls Drag Race; her co-star in that A Star is Born scene is another fellow Racer, Willam. Drag queens and popstars are becoming increasingly intimate bedfellows. In Pepsis Superbowl commercial this January, Cardi B exchanged playful tongue trills with Mont X Change, joint winner of Drag Race All Stars Season 3; its since been rumoured that Mont is set to star in a Madonna video. In 2015, Miley Cyrus marched out a host of RuPauls queens for her VMA performance; in 2011, Rihannas S&M video featured Willam and Detox Icunt, though blink and youd have missed the bondaged pair. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Shangela Laquifa Wadley at the 2019 Oscars. Photograph: Andrew H Walker/BEI/REX/Shutterstock But queens arent merely on the arms of the worlds biggest pop stars theyre making pop themselves. Not only does Drag Race host chart behemoths as its guest judges on a weekly basis (everyone from Lady Gaga to Kacey Musgraves), but competing queens have been releasing their own original tracks for years. Its become customary for contestants to drop a single the day after their elimination from the show for a lucky few, the accompanying videos can rack up impressive numbers. Go Fish by Manila Luzon was released upon her dismissal from All Stars 3 scarcely a fortnight ago at time of writing it stands at more than one million views. That drag artists are becoming pop stars in their own right is both surprising and inevitable. The art of drag has historically been bound up with the ritualistic practice of lip-syncing, where queens mouth the words to songs by well-known female artists on stage. The simulation aspect the fact that the songs were not original, but copies of those sung by cisgender women was essential. Lip-syncing was a way to parody gender, explains Dr Michael Bronski, professor of gender and sexuality studies at Harvard University. Performers would choose women singers Garland, Streisand, Aretha because they were already exaggerations of emotional states of femininity. Butler argues that gender is a simulacrum a copy of a copy that has no original. The lip-syncing was a key prism through which the drag queen, the figurehead of gay male oppositional culture, was able to refract gender and highlight its absurdities the simulation was itself the radical act. The idea of drag queen as a conventional pop star, then, immediately jars original music is divorced from drags historic function. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Trailblazer ... Sylvester. Photograph: Anthony Barboza/Getty Images In the 70s, however, someone came along who moved the goalposts. Sylvester was one of a kind, a pioneer of the musician-stroke-drag queen business model, and the first to score a crossover hit with Mighty Real, which flew into the UK Top 10 in 1978. He performed with outrageous drag troupes in the early years, but consistently, consciously bid for mainstream success. His rise through the glass ceiling inspired drag artists such as Divine to release albums through the 80s her You Think Youre a Man peaked at number 16 in the UK singles chart, with the help of wunderkind producers Stock Aitken Waterman. Then came the force that has shaped the future of drag-pop ever since: RuPaul. Facebook Twitter Pinterest RuPaul holds the baby with with Dave Grohl, left, and Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. Photograph: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc With Supermodel in 1992, RuPaul was the third queen to take a serious swipe at pop. Its No 45 US chart position might have been so-so, but MTV couldnt get enough of the draggy video. The song was not esoteric or buried in queer vernacular the lyrics referenced Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell and Kurt Cobain cited the song as one of his favourites of 1993, leading to that iconic photo of Ru holding Frances Bean Cobain backstage at the 1993 VMA awards (Shangela and Ariana, eat your heart out). Its impossible to overstate the influence that RuPaul has had on drag-pop since then. When he created the format for RuPauls Drag Race, a show that debuted in the late 00s, he built the weekly challenges around the obstacles in his own career; creating original music and appearing in videos became essential skills for the candidates to master. Hes also used the show as a vehicle to plug his own continuing music career the recent festive episode released on Netflix was panned for being an extended advert for his Christmas album. RuPauls emphasis on original songs (though an anomaly in the long tradition of drag) suddenly became par for the course in the career of a drag artist the show spawned a new generation of world-famous queens who could tour the globe and sell thousands of live tickets. As drag becomes more and more commercial, it moves further from its roots in gender parody, but as Bronski points out, this doesnt necessarily mean it is no longer a critique of gender. It uses drag in a different way, he says of original music. They are no longer hiding behind the drag a copy of a copy but rather embracing the idea of [fluid] gender. It is neither better nor worse, but profoundly different. Unlike Sylvester and RuPaul, who lunged at broad appeal, Drag Race alumni target themselves at the reality-show fandom. For many queens, the music is little more than sonic merchandise. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Monique Heart. Photograph: John Lamparski/Getty Images When contestants leave the show, they must forge their own careers by tapping into as many simultaneous revenue streams as possible live tickets, T-shirts, books and, naturally, music. Song lyrics allude to dramas that played out between personalities on Drag Race, and are built around references that only fans will recognise. The songs largely shoot for laughs and in-jokes over universalism. / Nah, I got this from Groupon is written not so much for the pop charts as the comedy charts. Indeed, thats where many of the queens original music has found success. Billboard compiled a helpful listicle of queens performance on US charts, and the comedy chart is the most common denominator. The Billboard list indicates that the bulk of queens activity is on small, niche charts where a few hundred copies is enough to get you on to the chart, says Chris Molanphy, a US chart analyst and presenter of the podcast Hit Parade. The flagship charts, ie the Hot 100 or the Billboard 200, are the ones that indicate penetration with wider audiences. Adore Delanos Till Death Do Us Party seems to be one of the only drag albums that made it on the flagship charts and still it fell off the very next week, he explains. Drag Race fans are impassioned enough to consume a queens output heavily when it first debuts typically in the first week, if it is promoted right but penetration beyond that fanbase is very limited. The queens share a small, closed network of producers and songwriters who crop up again and again on Racers albums: Mitch Ferrino produced Purse First, as well as songs for Aja and Monique Heart; Ashley Levy writes for Manila Luzon, Alaska, Adore Delano and Violet Chachki; Tomas Costanza is another name thats littered throughout queens credits. Sonically, the songs are usually straight-to-dancefloor, bass-heavy bangers that dont closely follow pops fickle trends (though they do borrow influences from EDM and trap). Queens know that the Drag Race formula get on the show, release a single, go on tour is an unfailing one-way ticket to gay stardom, and its understandable why so many queens are more than satisfied with this pathway. The burning need for daring independence that must have driven Sylvester is absent today, when just performing to the RuPaul fandom can make you a millionaire and, in the case of Bianca Del Rio, get your crowdfunded movie on Netflix. Eventually, though, Drag Race will collapse. Despite getting an upcoming fillip in the UK from new presenters Graham Norton and Alan Carr, fatigue will inevitably set in the show is already on its 11th season, not including All Stars seasons. Soon, queens may come to rely on music, not as bonus income, but as a serious vehicle for their artistry. As much as we think weve progressed, there is a lingering homophobic aversion to the sort of genderfuck that queens represent, and a significant percentage of pop consumers may not benignly embrace a drag persona the same way they did Beyoncs Sasha Fierce or Katy Perrys Kathy Beth Terry. The only moderate success of relatively unthreatening stars such as Troye Sivan and Olly Alexander suggests their image is still discomfiting to many; Ariana Grandes upcoming Manchester Pride appearance suggests we dont have enough major LGBT stars to fill headline slots. Fully fledged drag queens are likely too much of a shock to the system. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Pabllo Vittar. Photograph: PR But like Sylvester in the 70s, some of todays queens are already not content with making drag music they want to make pop. Pabllo Vittar, an independent Brazilian drag queen completely unaffiliated with the Race, has achieved a platinum-selling album in his home country, as well as collaborations with Charli XCX and Major Lazer. Aja, one former DR contestant, has stated publicly that theyre not interested in being seen as a drag musician, because they dont make the sort of music that is specifically marketed to one fanbase. I dont do parodies Im not rapping about lipgloss and lace fronts, they told Billboard. Their lyrics and references are more diverse, dealing in video games and ethnic identity potential, perhaps, for broad appeal. To doubt the potential of drag queens as legitimate forces in music would be naive. Some queens are already able to pull in big-name collaborators: Violet Chachkis Bettie was co-written by Mtley Cres Tommy Lee and Mont X Change enlisted songwriter Eritza Laues (of Michael Jackson and Macklemore fame) for Soak It Up. And lets not forget the Eurovision and Australian Idol success of Conchita Wurst and Courtney Act, respectively, who won the hearts of the public in full drag. Music is a vehicle drag queens can use to insert themselves into mainstream culture as standalone artists with marketable personalities and unique voices it just remains for mainstream consumers to start listening. Shangelas innocuous voiceover on Arianas album may, in the not too distant future, be recognised as one small step for a drag queen, but one giant leap for dragkind.
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Drag queens and popstars are becoming increasingly intimate bedfellows.
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bart
| 0 |
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/mar/06/can-drag-queens-become-pop-stars
| 0.167674 |
Can drag queens become pop stars?
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A new wave of media-savvy drag artists are trying to move beyond a queer subculture and into the charts but the mainstream may not be ready to accept them One small step for woman; one giant leap for womankind. This prologue opens NASA, the second track on Ariana Grandes latest album Thank U, Next, and its mysterious, sandpapery delivery belongs to Shangela Laquifa Wadley. If you dont recognise her voice, perhaps her face will ring a bell she played the drag club MC when Jackson Maine discovers Ally in A Star Is Born. Shangela is a drag queen, an alumnus of popular reality show RuPauls Drag Race; her co-star in that A Star is Born scene is another fellow Racer, Willam. Drag queens and popstars are becoming increasingly intimate bedfellows. In Pepsis Superbowl commercial this January, Cardi B exchanged playful tongue trills with Mont X Change, joint winner of Drag Race All Stars Season 3; its since been rumoured that Mont is set to star in a Madonna video. In 2015, Miley Cyrus marched out a host of RuPauls queens for her VMA performance; in 2011, Rihannas S&M video featured Willam and Detox Icunt, though blink and youd have missed the bondaged pair. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Shangela Laquifa Wadley at the 2019 Oscars. Photograph: Andrew H Walker/BEI/REX/Shutterstock But queens arent merely on the arms of the worlds biggest pop stars theyre making pop themselves. Not only does Drag Race host chart behemoths as its guest judges on a weekly basis (everyone from Lady Gaga to Kacey Musgraves), but competing queens have been releasing their own original tracks for years. Its become customary for contestants to drop a single the day after their elimination from the show for a lucky few, the accompanying videos can rack up impressive numbers. Go Fish by Manila Luzon was released upon her dismissal from All Stars 3 scarcely a fortnight ago at time of writing it stands at more than one million views. That drag artists are becoming pop stars in their own right is both surprising and inevitable. The art of drag has historically been bound up with the ritualistic practice of lip-syncing, where queens mouth the words to songs by well-known female artists on stage. The simulation aspect the fact that the songs were not original, but copies of those sung by cisgender women was essential. Lip-syncing was a way to parody gender, explains Dr Michael Bronski, professor of gender and sexuality studies at Harvard University. Performers would choose women singers Garland, Streisand, Aretha because they were already exaggerations of emotional states of femininity. Butler argues that gender is a simulacrum a copy of a copy that has no original. The lip-syncing was a key prism through which the drag queen, the figurehead of gay male oppositional culture, was able to refract gender and highlight its absurdities the simulation was itself the radical act. The idea of drag queen as a conventional pop star, then, immediately jars original music is divorced from drags historic function. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Trailblazer ... Sylvester. Photograph: Anthony Barboza/Getty Images In the 70s, however, someone came along who moved the goalposts. Sylvester was one of a kind, a pioneer of the musician-stroke-drag queen business model, and the first to score a crossover hit with Mighty Real, which flew into the UK Top 10 in 1978. He performed with outrageous drag troupes in the early years, but consistently, consciously bid for mainstream success. His rise through the glass ceiling inspired drag artists such as Divine to release albums through the 80s her You Think Youre a Man peaked at number 16 in the UK singles chart, with the help of wunderkind producers Stock Aitken Waterman. Then came the force that has shaped the future of drag-pop ever since: RuPaul. Facebook Twitter Pinterest RuPaul holds the baby with with Dave Grohl, left, and Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. Photograph: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc With Supermodel in 1992, RuPaul was the third queen to take a serious swipe at pop. Its No 45 US chart position might have been so-so, but MTV couldnt get enough of the draggy video. The song was not esoteric or buried in queer vernacular the lyrics referenced Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell and Kurt Cobain cited the song as one of his favourites of 1993, leading to that iconic photo of Ru holding Frances Bean Cobain backstage at the 1993 VMA awards (Shangela and Ariana, eat your heart out). Its impossible to overstate the influence that RuPaul has had on drag-pop since then. When he created the format for RuPauls Drag Race, a show that debuted in the late 00s, he built the weekly challenges around the obstacles in his own career; creating original music and appearing in videos became essential skills for the candidates to master. Hes also used the show as a vehicle to plug his own continuing music career the recent festive episode released on Netflix was panned for being an extended advert for his Christmas album. RuPauls emphasis on original songs (though an anomaly in the long tradition of drag) suddenly became par for the course in the career of a drag artist the show spawned a new generation of world-famous queens who could tour the globe and sell thousands of live tickets. As drag becomes more and more commercial, it moves further from its roots in gender parody, but as Bronski points out, this doesnt necessarily mean it is no longer a critique of gender. It uses drag in a different way, he says of original music. They are no longer hiding behind the drag a copy of a copy but rather embracing the idea of [fluid] gender. It is neither better nor worse, but profoundly different. Unlike Sylvester and RuPaul, who lunged at broad appeal, Drag Race alumni target themselves at the reality-show fandom. For many queens, the music is little more than sonic merchandise. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Monique Heart. Photograph: John Lamparski/Getty Images When contestants leave the show, they must forge their own careers by tapping into as many simultaneous revenue streams as possible live tickets, T-shirts, books and, naturally, music. Song lyrics allude to dramas that played out between personalities on Drag Race, and are built around references that only fans will recognise. The songs largely shoot for laughs and in-jokes over universalism. / Nah, I got this from Groupon is written not so much for the pop charts as the comedy charts. Indeed, thats where many of the queens original music has found success. Billboard compiled a helpful listicle of queens performance on US charts, and the comedy chart is the most common denominator. The Billboard list indicates that the bulk of queens activity is on small, niche charts where a few hundred copies is enough to get you on to the chart, says Chris Molanphy, a US chart analyst and presenter of the podcast Hit Parade. The flagship charts, ie the Hot 100 or the Billboard 200, are the ones that indicate penetration with wider audiences. Adore Delanos Till Death Do Us Party seems to be one of the only drag albums that made it on the flagship charts and still it fell off the very next week, he explains. Drag Race fans are impassioned enough to consume a queens output heavily when it first debuts typically in the first week, if it is promoted right but penetration beyond that fanbase is very limited. The queens share a small, closed network of producers and songwriters who crop up again and again on Racers albums: Mitch Ferrino produced Purse First, as well as songs for Aja and Monique Heart; Ashley Levy writes for Manila Luzon, Alaska, Adore Delano and Violet Chachki; Tomas Costanza is another name thats littered throughout queens credits. Sonically, the songs are usually straight-to-dancefloor, bass-heavy bangers that dont closely follow pops fickle trends (though they do borrow influences from EDM and trap). Queens know that the Drag Race formula get on the show, release a single, go on tour is an unfailing one-way ticket to gay stardom, and its understandable why so many queens are more than satisfied with this pathway. The burning need for daring independence that must have driven Sylvester is absent today, when just performing to the RuPaul fandom can make you a millionaire and, in the case of Bianca Del Rio, get your crowdfunded movie on Netflix. Eventually, though, Drag Race will collapse. Despite getting an upcoming fillip in the UK from new presenters Graham Norton and Alan Carr, fatigue will inevitably set in the show is already on its 11th season, not including All Stars seasons. Soon, queens may come to rely on music, not as bonus income, but as a serious vehicle for their artistry. As much as we think weve progressed, there is a lingering homophobic aversion to the sort of genderfuck that queens represent, and a significant percentage of pop consumers may not benignly embrace a drag persona the same way they did Beyoncs Sasha Fierce or Katy Perrys Kathy Beth Terry. The only moderate success of relatively unthreatening stars such as Troye Sivan and Olly Alexander suggests their image is still discomfiting to many; Ariana Grandes upcoming Manchester Pride appearance suggests we dont have enough major LGBT stars to fill headline slots. Fully fledged drag queens are likely too much of a shock to the system. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Pabllo Vittar. Photograph: PR But like Sylvester in the 70s, some of todays queens are already not content with making drag music they want to make pop. Pabllo Vittar, an independent Brazilian drag queen completely unaffiliated with the Race, has achieved a platinum-selling album in his home country, as well as collaborations with Charli XCX and Major Lazer. Aja, one former DR contestant, has stated publicly that theyre not interested in being seen as a drag musician, because they dont make the sort of music that is specifically marketed to one fanbase. I dont do parodies Im not rapping about lipgloss and lace fronts, they told Billboard. Their lyrics and references are more diverse, dealing in video games and ethnic identity potential, perhaps, for broad appeal. To doubt the potential of drag queens as legitimate forces in music would be naive. Some queens are already able to pull in big-name collaborators: Violet Chachkis Bettie was co-written by Mtley Cres Tommy Lee and Mont X Change enlisted songwriter Eritza Laues (of Michael Jackson and Macklemore fame) for Soak It Up. And lets not forget the Eurovision and Australian Idol success of Conchita Wurst and Courtney Act, respectively, who won the hearts of the public in full drag. Music is a vehicle drag queens can use to insert themselves into mainstream culture as standalone artists with marketable personalities and unique voices it just remains for mainstream consumers to start listening. Shangelas innocuous voiceover on Arianas album may, in the not too distant future, be recognised as one small step for a drag queen, but one giant leap for dragkind.
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Drag queens and popstars are becoming increasingly intimate bedfellows. In Pepsis Superbowl commercial this January, Cardi B exchanged playful tongue trills with Mont X Change, joint winner of Drag Race All Stars Season 3.
|
bart
| 1 |
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/mar/06/can-drag-queens-become-pop-stars
| 0.184132 |
Can drag queens become pop stars?
|
A new wave of media-savvy drag artists are trying to move beyond a queer subculture and into the charts but the mainstream may not be ready to accept them One small step for woman; one giant leap for womankind. This prologue opens NASA, the second track on Ariana Grandes latest album Thank U, Next, and its mysterious, sandpapery delivery belongs to Shangela Laquifa Wadley. If you dont recognise her voice, perhaps her face will ring a bell she played the drag club MC when Jackson Maine discovers Ally in A Star Is Born. Shangela is a drag queen, an alumnus of popular reality show RuPauls Drag Race; her co-star in that A Star is Born scene is another fellow Racer, Willam. Drag queens and popstars are becoming increasingly intimate bedfellows. In Pepsis Superbowl commercial this January, Cardi B exchanged playful tongue trills with Mont X Change, joint winner of Drag Race All Stars Season 3; its since been rumoured that Mont is set to star in a Madonna video. In 2015, Miley Cyrus marched out a host of RuPauls queens for her VMA performance; in 2011, Rihannas S&M video featured Willam and Detox Icunt, though blink and youd have missed the bondaged pair. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Shangela Laquifa Wadley at the 2019 Oscars. Photograph: Andrew H Walker/BEI/REX/Shutterstock But queens arent merely on the arms of the worlds biggest pop stars theyre making pop themselves. Not only does Drag Race host chart behemoths as its guest judges on a weekly basis (everyone from Lady Gaga to Kacey Musgraves), but competing queens have been releasing their own original tracks for years. Its become customary for contestants to drop a single the day after their elimination from the show for a lucky few, the accompanying videos can rack up impressive numbers. Go Fish by Manila Luzon was released upon her dismissal from All Stars 3 scarcely a fortnight ago at time of writing it stands at more than one million views. That drag artists are becoming pop stars in their own right is both surprising and inevitable. The art of drag has historically been bound up with the ritualistic practice of lip-syncing, where queens mouth the words to songs by well-known female artists on stage. The simulation aspect the fact that the songs were not original, but copies of those sung by cisgender women was essential. Lip-syncing was a way to parody gender, explains Dr Michael Bronski, professor of gender and sexuality studies at Harvard University. Performers would choose women singers Garland, Streisand, Aretha because they were already exaggerations of emotional states of femininity. Butler argues that gender is a simulacrum a copy of a copy that has no original. The lip-syncing was a key prism through which the drag queen, the figurehead of gay male oppositional culture, was able to refract gender and highlight its absurdities the simulation was itself the radical act. The idea of drag queen as a conventional pop star, then, immediately jars original music is divorced from drags historic function. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Trailblazer ... Sylvester. Photograph: Anthony Barboza/Getty Images In the 70s, however, someone came along who moved the goalposts. Sylvester was one of a kind, a pioneer of the musician-stroke-drag queen business model, and the first to score a crossover hit with Mighty Real, which flew into the UK Top 10 in 1978. He performed with outrageous drag troupes in the early years, but consistently, consciously bid for mainstream success. His rise through the glass ceiling inspired drag artists such as Divine to release albums through the 80s her You Think Youre a Man peaked at number 16 in the UK singles chart, with the help of wunderkind producers Stock Aitken Waterman. Then came the force that has shaped the future of drag-pop ever since: RuPaul. Facebook Twitter Pinterest RuPaul holds the baby with with Dave Grohl, left, and Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. Photograph: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc With Supermodel in 1992, RuPaul was the third queen to take a serious swipe at pop. Its No 45 US chart position might have been so-so, but MTV couldnt get enough of the draggy video. The song was not esoteric or buried in queer vernacular the lyrics referenced Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell and Kurt Cobain cited the song as one of his favourites of 1993, leading to that iconic photo of Ru holding Frances Bean Cobain backstage at the 1993 VMA awards (Shangela and Ariana, eat your heart out). Its impossible to overstate the influence that RuPaul has had on drag-pop since then. When he created the format for RuPauls Drag Race, a show that debuted in the late 00s, he built the weekly challenges around the obstacles in his own career; creating original music and appearing in videos became essential skills for the candidates to master. Hes also used the show as a vehicle to plug his own continuing music career the recent festive episode released on Netflix was panned for being an extended advert for his Christmas album. RuPauls emphasis on original songs (though an anomaly in the long tradition of drag) suddenly became par for the course in the career of a drag artist the show spawned a new generation of world-famous queens who could tour the globe and sell thousands of live tickets. As drag becomes more and more commercial, it moves further from its roots in gender parody, but as Bronski points out, this doesnt necessarily mean it is no longer a critique of gender. It uses drag in a different way, he says of original music. They are no longer hiding behind the drag a copy of a copy but rather embracing the idea of [fluid] gender. It is neither better nor worse, but profoundly different. Unlike Sylvester and RuPaul, who lunged at broad appeal, Drag Race alumni target themselves at the reality-show fandom. For many queens, the music is little more than sonic merchandise. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Monique Heart. Photograph: John Lamparski/Getty Images When contestants leave the show, they must forge their own careers by tapping into as many simultaneous revenue streams as possible live tickets, T-shirts, books and, naturally, music. Song lyrics allude to dramas that played out between personalities on Drag Race, and are built around references that only fans will recognise. The songs largely shoot for laughs and in-jokes over universalism. / Nah, I got this from Groupon is written not so much for the pop charts as the comedy charts. Indeed, thats where many of the queens original music has found success. Billboard compiled a helpful listicle of queens performance on US charts, and the comedy chart is the most common denominator. The Billboard list indicates that the bulk of queens activity is on small, niche charts where a few hundred copies is enough to get you on to the chart, says Chris Molanphy, a US chart analyst and presenter of the podcast Hit Parade. The flagship charts, ie the Hot 100 or the Billboard 200, are the ones that indicate penetration with wider audiences. Adore Delanos Till Death Do Us Party seems to be one of the only drag albums that made it on the flagship charts and still it fell off the very next week, he explains. Drag Race fans are impassioned enough to consume a queens output heavily when it first debuts typically in the first week, if it is promoted right but penetration beyond that fanbase is very limited. The queens share a small, closed network of producers and songwriters who crop up again and again on Racers albums: Mitch Ferrino produced Purse First, as well as songs for Aja and Monique Heart; Ashley Levy writes for Manila Luzon, Alaska, Adore Delano and Violet Chachki; Tomas Costanza is another name thats littered throughout queens credits. Sonically, the songs are usually straight-to-dancefloor, bass-heavy bangers that dont closely follow pops fickle trends (though they do borrow influences from EDM and trap). Queens know that the Drag Race formula get on the show, release a single, go on tour is an unfailing one-way ticket to gay stardom, and its understandable why so many queens are more than satisfied with this pathway. The burning need for daring independence that must have driven Sylvester is absent today, when just performing to the RuPaul fandom can make you a millionaire and, in the case of Bianca Del Rio, get your crowdfunded movie on Netflix. Eventually, though, Drag Race will collapse. Despite getting an upcoming fillip in the UK from new presenters Graham Norton and Alan Carr, fatigue will inevitably set in the show is already on its 11th season, not including All Stars seasons. Soon, queens may come to rely on music, not as bonus income, but as a serious vehicle for their artistry. As much as we think weve progressed, there is a lingering homophobic aversion to the sort of genderfuck that queens represent, and a significant percentage of pop consumers may not benignly embrace a drag persona the same way they did Beyoncs Sasha Fierce or Katy Perrys Kathy Beth Terry. The only moderate success of relatively unthreatening stars such as Troye Sivan and Olly Alexander suggests their image is still discomfiting to many; Ariana Grandes upcoming Manchester Pride appearance suggests we dont have enough major LGBT stars to fill headline slots. Fully fledged drag queens are likely too much of a shock to the system. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Pabllo Vittar. Photograph: PR But like Sylvester in the 70s, some of todays queens are already not content with making drag music they want to make pop. Pabllo Vittar, an independent Brazilian drag queen completely unaffiliated with the Race, has achieved a platinum-selling album in his home country, as well as collaborations with Charli XCX and Major Lazer. Aja, one former DR contestant, has stated publicly that theyre not interested in being seen as a drag musician, because they dont make the sort of music that is specifically marketed to one fanbase. I dont do parodies Im not rapping about lipgloss and lace fronts, they told Billboard. Their lyrics and references are more diverse, dealing in video games and ethnic identity potential, perhaps, for broad appeal. To doubt the potential of drag queens as legitimate forces in music would be naive. Some queens are already able to pull in big-name collaborators: Violet Chachkis Bettie was co-written by Mtley Cres Tommy Lee and Mont X Change enlisted songwriter Eritza Laues (of Michael Jackson and Macklemore fame) for Soak It Up. And lets not forget the Eurovision and Australian Idol success of Conchita Wurst and Courtney Act, respectively, who won the hearts of the public in full drag. Music is a vehicle drag queens can use to insert themselves into mainstream culture as standalone artists with marketable personalities and unique voices it just remains for mainstream consumers to start listening. Shangelas innocuous voiceover on Arianas album may, in the not too distant future, be recognised as one small step for a drag queen, but one giant leap for dragkind.
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A new wave of media-savvy drag artists are trying to move beyond a queer subculture. But the mainstream may not be ready to accept them as pop stars. The art of drag has historically been bound up with the ritualistic practice of lip-syncing.
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ctrlsum
| 2 |
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/mar/06/can-drag-queens-become-pop-stars
| 0.192651 |
Does Laughter Have a Place in Medicine?
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The saying laughter is the best medicine is touted in cheesy movies, cheesier Instagram posts, and maybe even by your well-intentioned friends. And while evidence-based medical options like, say, antibiotics, are obviously the best medicines, we wondered if laughter has any place at all in treating illness. Heres a serious answer. Patient laughing More Laughter has physical benefits Morton Tavel, MD, a retired physician of internal medicine and cardiology and now an author of books dispelling medical myths, says that laughter does have some measurable positives. We know that laughing has the intangible ability to make us feel better it reduces tension and helps us cope, he explains. But laughter has also shown measurable clinical effects in the body: It releases endorphins [endogenous opioids] from the brain, increasing tolerance to pain. In addition, it increases the activity of natural killer cells that strengthen the immune system, lowers levels of stress-provoking cortisol in blood, and is even known to improve vascular function. Humor can help doctors and patients connect in challenging circumstances One of the clearest benefits of laughter and humor in medicine, says Kelly Cawcutt, MD, assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, is as a way for patients and doctors to talk about tough subjects. Laughter may help us engage in talking about more difficult concepts, provide a relatable conversation, and positively enhance communication if done with the perception of shared laughter as opposed to laughing at someone, which has clearly deleterious effects, she says. Dr. Cawcutt points to a study published in December 2018 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, in which researchers found that terminal cancer patients said they used humor to approach difficult topics with their doctors, and to counter challenges they faced as part of their illness. In addition, the study found that 97 percent of oncologists said they used humor in consultations with patients, and 83 percent found it beneficial. That said, the patients and doctors in the study acknowledged that using humor could be tricky, since it is subjective. So while lightening the mood with humor can be helpful in dark times, doctors tend to tread carefully. It turns out we arent the only ones who are wondering. Dr. Tavel highlights a few different studies that have found potential benefits from treatments based around humor and laughter. In 2015, the journal Parkinsonism & Related Disorders published a study in which researchers found that taking an improv class could cause a significant improvement in the symptoms of people with Parkinsons disease. He also identifies another study, published in the Journal of Aging Research in 2010, in which one group of care home residents participated in humor therapy, while one control group did not. Researchers found that at the end of the program, participants had significant reductions in pain scores and loneliness measures, as well as significant increases in happiness and life satisfaction scores, Dr. Tavel enthuses. Theres even evidence that a good giggle can protect your heart. Researchers in Japan have found that people who said they never or almost never laugh had 1.21 times higher prevalence of heart disease compared with people who reported laughing every day, even after adjustment for confounding risk factors, Dr. Tavel says, referring to a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology in 2016. That said, the researchers acknowledged that this could be because people who are dealing with heart disease find it harder to find things to laugh about. So there is potentially research-based evidence for the benefit of humor as part of medical treatment, but Brian Cassmassi, a psychiatrist based in LA, says that its not conclusive. The results are somewhat contradictory on the significance of evidence-based studies for laughter, though they skew toward positive effects, he says. Some studies from circa 2008 did not find statistical significance to the benefits of laughter when healing mental illness and/or physical health. He adds that its only more recently since 2015 that more studies have confirmed the potential benefits of laughter, humor, and even smiling. Which means well probably see more studies about humor and health in the future (at least it gives scientists a chance to have some fun!)
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Laughter has physical benefits, as well as physical benefits. Humor can help doctors and patients connect in challenging circumstances.
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https://news.yahoo.com/does-laughter-place-medicine-132009419.html
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Does Laughter Have a Place in Medicine?
|
The saying laughter is the best medicine is touted in cheesy movies, cheesier Instagram posts, and maybe even by your well-intentioned friends. And while evidence-based medical options like, say, antibiotics, are obviously the best medicines, we wondered if laughter has any place at all in treating illness. Heres a serious answer. Patient laughing More Laughter has physical benefits Morton Tavel, MD, a retired physician of internal medicine and cardiology and now an author of books dispelling medical myths, says that laughter does have some measurable positives. We know that laughing has the intangible ability to make us feel better it reduces tension and helps us cope, he explains. But laughter has also shown measurable clinical effects in the body: It releases endorphins [endogenous opioids] from the brain, increasing tolerance to pain. In addition, it increases the activity of natural killer cells that strengthen the immune system, lowers levels of stress-provoking cortisol in blood, and is even known to improve vascular function. Humor can help doctors and patients connect in challenging circumstances One of the clearest benefits of laughter and humor in medicine, says Kelly Cawcutt, MD, assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, is as a way for patients and doctors to talk about tough subjects. Laughter may help us engage in talking about more difficult concepts, provide a relatable conversation, and positively enhance communication if done with the perception of shared laughter as opposed to laughing at someone, which has clearly deleterious effects, she says. Dr. Cawcutt points to a study published in December 2018 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, in which researchers found that terminal cancer patients said they used humor to approach difficult topics with their doctors, and to counter challenges they faced as part of their illness. In addition, the study found that 97 percent of oncologists said they used humor in consultations with patients, and 83 percent found it beneficial. That said, the patients and doctors in the study acknowledged that using humor could be tricky, since it is subjective. So while lightening the mood with humor can be helpful in dark times, doctors tend to tread carefully. It turns out we arent the only ones who are wondering. Dr. Tavel highlights a few different studies that have found potential benefits from treatments based around humor and laughter. In 2015, the journal Parkinsonism & Related Disorders published a study in which researchers found that taking an improv class could cause a significant improvement in the symptoms of people with Parkinsons disease. He also identifies another study, published in the Journal of Aging Research in 2010, in which one group of care home residents participated in humor therapy, while one control group did not. Researchers found that at the end of the program, participants had significant reductions in pain scores and loneliness measures, as well as significant increases in happiness and life satisfaction scores, Dr. Tavel enthuses. Theres even evidence that a good giggle can protect your heart. Researchers in Japan have found that people who said they never or almost never laugh had 1.21 times higher prevalence of heart disease compared with people who reported laughing every day, even after adjustment for confounding risk factors, Dr. Tavel says, referring to a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology in 2016. That said, the researchers acknowledged that this could be because people who are dealing with heart disease find it harder to find things to laugh about. So there is potentially research-based evidence for the benefit of humor as part of medical treatment, but Brian Cassmassi, a psychiatrist based in LA, says that its not conclusive. The results are somewhat contradictory on the significance of evidence-based studies for laughter, though they skew toward positive effects, he says. Some studies from circa 2008 did not find statistical significance to the benefits of laughter when healing mental illness and/or physical health. He adds that its only more recently since 2015 that more studies have confirmed the potential benefits of laughter, humor, and even smiling. Which means well probably see more studies about humor and health in the future (at least it gives scientists a chance to have some fun!)
|
The saying 'laughter is the best medicine' is touted in cheesy movies, cheesier Instagram posts, and even by your well-intentioned friends. Morton Tavel, MD, says that laughter has some measurable positives.
|
pegasus
| 1 |
https://news.yahoo.com/does-laughter-place-medicine-132009419.html
| 0.304997 |
Does Laughter Have a Place in Medicine?
|
The saying laughter is the best medicine is touted in cheesy movies, cheesier Instagram posts, and maybe even by your well-intentioned friends. And while evidence-based medical options like, say, antibiotics, are obviously the best medicines, we wondered if laughter has any place at all in treating illness. Heres a serious answer. Patient laughing More Laughter has physical benefits Morton Tavel, MD, a retired physician of internal medicine and cardiology and now an author of books dispelling medical myths, says that laughter does have some measurable positives. We know that laughing has the intangible ability to make us feel better it reduces tension and helps us cope, he explains. But laughter has also shown measurable clinical effects in the body: It releases endorphins [endogenous opioids] from the brain, increasing tolerance to pain. In addition, it increases the activity of natural killer cells that strengthen the immune system, lowers levels of stress-provoking cortisol in blood, and is even known to improve vascular function. Humor can help doctors and patients connect in challenging circumstances One of the clearest benefits of laughter and humor in medicine, says Kelly Cawcutt, MD, assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, is as a way for patients and doctors to talk about tough subjects. Laughter may help us engage in talking about more difficult concepts, provide a relatable conversation, and positively enhance communication if done with the perception of shared laughter as opposed to laughing at someone, which has clearly deleterious effects, she says. Dr. Cawcutt points to a study published in December 2018 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, in which researchers found that terminal cancer patients said they used humor to approach difficult topics with their doctors, and to counter challenges they faced as part of their illness. In addition, the study found that 97 percent of oncologists said they used humor in consultations with patients, and 83 percent found it beneficial. That said, the patients and doctors in the study acknowledged that using humor could be tricky, since it is subjective. So while lightening the mood with humor can be helpful in dark times, doctors tend to tread carefully. It turns out we arent the only ones who are wondering. Dr. Tavel highlights a few different studies that have found potential benefits from treatments based around humor and laughter. In 2015, the journal Parkinsonism & Related Disorders published a study in which researchers found that taking an improv class could cause a significant improvement in the symptoms of people with Parkinsons disease. He also identifies another study, published in the Journal of Aging Research in 2010, in which one group of care home residents participated in humor therapy, while one control group did not. Researchers found that at the end of the program, participants had significant reductions in pain scores and loneliness measures, as well as significant increases in happiness and life satisfaction scores, Dr. Tavel enthuses. Theres even evidence that a good giggle can protect your heart. Researchers in Japan have found that people who said they never or almost never laugh had 1.21 times higher prevalence of heart disease compared with people who reported laughing every day, even after adjustment for confounding risk factors, Dr. Tavel says, referring to a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology in 2016. That said, the researchers acknowledged that this could be because people who are dealing with heart disease find it harder to find things to laugh about. So there is potentially research-based evidence for the benefit of humor as part of medical treatment, but Brian Cassmassi, a psychiatrist based in LA, says that its not conclusive. The results are somewhat contradictory on the significance of evidence-based studies for laughter, though they skew toward positive effects, he says. Some studies from circa 2008 did not find statistical significance to the benefits of laughter when healing mental illness and/or physical health. He adds that its only more recently since 2015 that more studies have confirmed the potential benefits of laughter, humor, and even smiling. Which means well probably see more studies about humor and health in the future (at least it gives scientists a chance to have some fun!)
|
The saying 'laughter is the best medicine' is touted in cheesy movies, cheesier Instagram posts, and even by your well-intentioned friends. Morton Tavel, MD, says that laughter has some measurable positives. One of the clearest benefits of laughter and humor in medicine is as a way for patients and doctors to talk about tough subjects.
|
pegasus
| 2 |
https://news.yahoo.com/does-laughter-place-medicine-132009419.html
| 0.402783 |
Why Spend a Bunch When These AirPod Alternatives Are Only $25?
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From Popular Mechanics Getting a pair of AirPods is hard to justify due to the hefty price tag ($159 for the set, $70 apiece). That price only increases when you factor in the near certainty that you'll lose one of them at some point. The AiryBuds Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds are an alternative pair of true wireless earbuds that won't induce buyer's remorse. You can buy them right now for only $21.24 at the PopMech Shop by simply entering the code SEMIANNUAL at checkout. The sleek design and compact size aren't the only draws of these earbuds, though. On top of all that, they also deliver crisp audio, as well as a range of up to 32 feet, so you won't have to be tethered to your smartphone when you have these in your ears. They can be easily paired to up to two smartphones, eliminating the hassle of having to pair multiple devices repeatedly. And with the included charging case, you can listen on-the-go without worrying about running out of battery. They usually retail for $50, but you can score them for $21.24 when you enter the code SEMIANNUAL at checkout. ('You Might Also Like',)
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The AiryBuds Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds are an alternative pair of true wireless earbuds. They usually retail for $50, but you can score them for $21.24 at the PopMech Shop.
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ctrlsum
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https://news.yahoo.com/why-spend-bunch-airpod-alternatives-155600553.html
| 0.245516 |
Why Spend a Bunch When These AirPod Alternatives Are Only $25?
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From Popular Mechanics Getting a pair of AirPods is hard to justify due to the hefty price tag ($159 for the set, $70 apiece). That price only increases when you factor in the near certainty that you'll lose one of them at some point. The AiryBuds Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds are an alternative pair of true wireless earbuds that won't induce buyer's remorse. You can buy them right now for only $21.24 at the PopMech Shop by simply entering the code SEMIANNUAL at checkout. The sleek design and compact size aren't the only draws of these earbuds, though. On top of all that, they also deliver crisp audio, as well as a range of up to 32 feet, so you won't have to be tethered to your smartphone when you have these in your ears. They can be easily paired to up to two smartphones, eliminating the hassle of having to pair multiple devices repeatedly. And with the included charging case, you can listen on-the-go without worrying about running out of battery. They usually retail for $50, but you can score them for $21.24 when you enter the code SEMIANNUAL at checkout. ('You Might Also Like',)
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The AiryBuds Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds are an alternative pair of true wireless earbuds. They can be easily paired to up to two smartphones, eliminating the hassle of having to pair multiple devices repeatedly. They usually retail for $50, but you can score them for $21.24 when you enter the code SEMIANNUAL at checkout.
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bart
| 2 |
https://news.yahoo.com/why-spend-bunch-airpod-alternatives-155600553.html
| 0.224629 |
Who Is Arya Running From in the New Game of Thrones Trailer?
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Warning: This post contains potential spoilers for Game of Thrones season 8. If you somehow werent already anxious about whats to come in Game of Thrones final season, then the first few seconds of the new season 8 trailer will likely push you over the edge. The trailer opens with a clearly terrified Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) breathily heavily and gathering herself before sprinting down what looks like a corridor in Winterfell. We cant see who or what shes running from, but the preview then cuts to what seems to be an earlier shot of her holding up a dagger made of dragonglass, one of the two materials that can kill White Walkers and wights. I know death, hes got many faces, she says. I look forward to seeing this one. The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now If its safe to assume that Aryas running scenes take place during the final showdown between the living and the dead that is set to take place at Winterfell, then it seems likely that whatever enemy is chasing her is probably undead. MORE: Your Ultimate Guide to Binge-Watching Every Game of Thrones Episode However, it would be out of character for Arya, a hardened and seemingly fearless faceless assassin, to be scared of any old wight or even White Walker especially when she has a weapon that can effectively be used against them. Given that so much focus has been placed on the Winterfell crypts in Game of Thrones season 8 teasers, some fans are theorizing that the Night King will find a way to reanimate the bodies of Aryas dead family members and set them loose in Winterfell. Aryas father, Ned Stark (Sean Bean), and older brother, Robb Stark (Richard Madden), no longer have heads, so they may be kind of hard to recognize. But seeing the reanimated corpses of her mother, Catelyn Stark, (Michelle Fairley), or younger brother, Rickon Stark (Art Parkinson), seems like it could definitely put the fear of God in Arya. The reappearance of Catelyn seems like a particularly feasible option as a nod to the Lady Stoneheart storyline from George R.R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire book series that never made it into the show. However, other fans are speculating that it may have nothing to do with the Starks at all, and that the enemy in question will actually be a reanimated or still living Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen), who Arya executed on her sister Sansas (Sophie Turner) orders at the end of season 7. Or maybe Arya is just putting on an act to lure her opponent to a more advantageous location just like she did with the Waif in season 6. For now, all we can say is, run, Arya, run! Watch the full Game of Thrones season 8 trailer above. Game of Thrones returns for its eighth and final season on April 14. Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com.
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The new Game of Thrones season 8 trailer shows Arya Stark running down a corridor. We can't see who or what she's running from, but it seems likely that whatever enemy is chasing her is probably undead.
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http://time.com/5545732/arya-stark-running/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29
| 0.290766 |
Who Is Arya Running From in the New Game of Thrones Trailer?
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Warning: This post contains potential spoilers for Game of Thrones season 8. If you somehow werent already anxious about whats to come in Game of Thrones final season, then the first few seconds of the new season 8 trailer will likely push you over the edge. The trailer opens with a clearly terrified Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) breathily heavily and gathering herself before sprinting down what looks like a corridor in Winterfell. We cant see who or what shes running from, but the preview then cuts to what seems to be an earlier shot of her holding up a dagger made of dragonglass, one of the two materials that can kill White Walkers and wights. I know death, hes got many faces, she says. I look forward to seeing this one. The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now If its safe to assume that Aryas running scenes take place during the final showdown between the living and the dead that is set to take place at Winterfell, then it seems likely that whatever enemy is chasing her is probably undead. MORE: Your Ultimate Guide to Binge-Watching Every Game of Thrones Episode However, it would be out of character for Arya, a hardened and seemingly fearless faceless assassin, to be scared of any old wight or even White Walker especially when she has a weapon that can effectively be used against them. Given that so much focus has been placed on the Winterfell crypts in Game of Thrones season 8 teasers, some fans are theorizing that the Night King will find a way to reanimate the bodies of Aryas dead family members and set them loose in Winterfell. Aryas father, Ned Stark (Sean Bean), and older brother, Robb Stark (Richard Madden), no longer have heads, so they may be kind of hard to recognize. But seeing the reanimated corpses of her mother, Catelyn Stark, (Michelle Fairley), or younger brother, Rickon Stark (Art Parkinson), seems like it could definitely put the fear of God in Arya. The reappearance of Catelyn seems like a particularly feasible option as a nod to the Lady Stoneheart storyline from George R.R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire book series that never made it into the show. However, other fans are speculating that it may have nothing to do with the Starks at all, and that the enemy in question will actually be a reanimated or still living Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen), who Arya executed on her sister Sansas (Sophie Turner) orders at the end of season 7. Or maybe Arya is just putting on an act to lure her opponent to a more advantageous location just like she did with the Waif in season 6. For now, all we can say is, run, Arya, run! Watch the full Game of Thrones season 8 trailer above. Game of Thrones returns for its eighth and final season on April 14. Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com.
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The first few seconds of the new season 8 trailer will likely push you over the edge. The trailer opens with a clearly terrified Arya Stark sprinting down a corridor. It seems likely that whatever enemy is chasing her is probably undead. Game of Thrones returns for its eighth and final season on April 14.
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pegasus
| 2 |
http://time.com/5545732/arya-stark-running/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29
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Which Massachusetts college basketball teams have a shot at the NCAA Tournament?
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It might not feel like it when you step outside, but a glance at the calendar tells us its March, when college basketball takes center stage in the sports world, with the NCAA tournament beginning in the latter half of the month. Selection Sunday, when the 68 teams for the mens field will be announced, is March 17. The 64-team womens field will be revealed on March 18. With the regular season winding down, and conference tournaments under way, it seemed like the right time to take a look at which Massachusetts Division 1 programs have a shot of reaching the tournament. Men Advertisement Northeastern (20-10, 2nd in CAA): The Huskies went 14-4 in the Colonial Athletic Conference to finish one game behind Hofstra, which finished 25-6 overall and had a 19-game winning streak snapped by Northeastern at Matthews Arena on Feb. 2. The Huskies closed out the regular season with four straight wins and will need to win the conference tournament, which begins Sunday at North Charleston, S.C., to reach the NCAA tournament. Get Sports Headlines in your inbox: The most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign Up Thank you for signing up! Sign up for more newsletters here Harvard (16-9, tied for 1st in Ivy League): The Crimson have won three in a row to pull into a first-place tie with Yale (19-6 overall). Both teams are 9-3 heading into the final weekend of the regular season, with Harvard closing out at Cornell and Columbia. Only the top four teams qualify for the conference tournament, to be played March 16-17 in New Haven, Conn. The Crimson have already qualified and would need to win reach the NCAA tournament. Boston College (14-15, 10th in ACC): The Eagles have been competitive in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and came away with a 66-59 win over Louisville last week. But their 5-12 conference record likely means they would have to win five games in five days in the ACC tournament, which begins March 12 in Charlotte, N.C. Holy Cross (16-16, 10th in the Patriot League): A last place finish for the Crusaders, who went 6-12 in league play, meant they had to open the conference tournament at Lafayette. Holy Cross prevailed, and will now play at No. 2 Bucknell in the quarterfinals Thursday night. Boston University (15-17, tied for 7th in the Patriot League): After posting a conference record of 7-11 in league play, the Terriers defeated Loyola of Maryland in the first round of the Patriot League tournament. They will play at No. 1 seed Colgate in the quarterfinals Thursday night. Advertisement UMass (10-19, 13th in the A-10): The Minutemen are in the bottom of the pack in the Atlantic Conference and would have to win five games in five days to capture the A-10 tournament, which begins March 13 in Brooklyn. UMass Lowell (15-15, 5th in America East): The River Hawks find themselves in the middle of the pack and would need to win three in a row in the conference tournament, which begins Saturday. Women Robert Franklin/Associated Press Harvard head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith and senior guard Sydney Skinner close out the regular season with a pair of games at home. Northeastern (17-10, 6th in CAA): The Huskies went 7-9 in the Colonial Athletic Association, good for sixth place with two games remaining in the regular season. Should they maintain that position, they would earn a first-round bye in the conference tournament and begin play in the quarterfinals on March 14. Boston College (14-15, 12th in ACC): The Eagles went 3-13 in conference play to finish in 12th place. They ended the regular season having lost eight in a row, and open the ACC tournament in Greensboro, N.C. Wednesday against Virginia. Harvard (14-11, 3rd in Ivy League): With two games remaining, the Crimson are 7-5 in league play, and close out the season at home this weekend with games against Cornell and Columbia. If they maintain their position in the top four, they will play in the Ivy League tournament on March 16. Advertisement Boston University (15-12, tied for 3rd in Patriot League): The Terriers are 11-6 in conference play heading into Wednesdays season finale against Loyola MD. Theyve already clinched a quarterfinal home game for the conference tournament, which begins March 11. Holy Cross (17-11, 5th in the Patriot League): A 9-8 conference record has the Crusaders locked into the fifth spot heading into Wednesdays season finale against Lehigh. They will open the Patriot League tournament on the road in the quarterfinals on March 11. UMass (16-15, tied for 8th in A-10): The Minutewomen went 7-9 in the Atlantic 10, and won their conference tournament opener, 86-80, at George Mason Tuesday night. They will be at No. 2 seed Fordham on Friday in the quarterfinals. UMass Lowell (7-22, tied for last in America East): The River Hawks were 3-13 in conference play and lost a tiebreaker to not qualify for the conference tournament. Follow Andrew Mahoney on Twitter @GlobeMahoney
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Northeastern, Harvard, Boston College and UMass Lowell are among the teams that could make the NCAA Tournament.
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https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/colleges/2019/03/06/which-massachusetts-college-basketball-teams-have-shot-ncaa-tournament/0OQNXC0DfSYrYN2joeQX4J/story.html?src=rss
| 0.373631 |
Which Massachusetts college basketball teams have a shot at the NCAA Tournament?
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It might not feel like it when you step outside, but a glance at the calendar tells us its March, when college basketball takes center stage in the sports world, with the NCAA tournament beginning in the latter half of the month. Selection Sunday, when the 68 teams for the mens field will be announced, is March 17. The 64-team womens field will be revealed on March 18. With the regular season winding down, and conference tournaments under way, it seemed like the right time to take a look at which Massachusetts Division 1 programs have a shot of reaching the tournament. Men Advertisement Northeastern (20-10, 2nd in CAA): The Huskies went 14-4 in the Colonial Athletic Conference to finish one game behind Hofstra, which finished 25-6 overall and had a 19-game winning streak snapped by Northeastern at Matthews Arena on Feb. 2. The Huskies closed out the regular season with four straight wins and will need to win the conference tournament, which begins Sunday at North Charleston, S.C., to reach the NCAA tournament. Get Sports Headlines in your inbox: The most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign Up Thank you for signing up! Sign up for more newsletters here Harvard (16-9, tied for 1st in Ivy League): The Crimson have won three in a row to pull into a first-place tie with Yale (19-6 overall). Both teams are 9-3 heading into the final weekend of the regular season, with Harvard closing out at Cornell and Columbia. Only the top four teams qualify for the conference tournament, to be played March 16-17 in New Haven, Conn. The Crimson have already qualified and would need to win reach the NCAA tournament. Boston College (14-15, 10th in ACC): The Eagles have been competitive in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and came away with a 66-59 win over Louisville last week. But their 5-12 conference record likely means they would have to win five games in five days in the ACC tournament, which begins March 12 in Charlotte, N.C. Holy Cross (16-16, 10th in the Patriot League): A last place finish for the Crusaders, who went 6-12 in league play, meant they had to open the conference tournament at Lafayette. Holy Cross prevailed, and will now play at No. 2 Bucknell in the quarterfinals Thursday night. Boston University (15-17, tied for 7th in the Patriot League): After posting a conference record of 7-11 in league play, the Terriers defeated Loyola of Maryland in the first round of the Patriot League tournament. They will play at No. 1 seed Colgate in the quarterfinals Thursday night. Advertisement UMass (10-19, 13th in the A-10): The Minutemen are in the bottom of the pack in the Atlantic Conference and would have to win five games in five days to capture the A-10 tournament, which begins March 13 in Brooklyn. UMass Lowell (15-15, 5th in America East): The River Hawks find themselves in the middle of the pack and would need to win three in a row in the conference tournament, which begins Saturday. Women Robert Franklin/Associated Press Harvard head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith and senior guard Sydney Skinner close out the regular season with a pair of games at home. Northeastern (17-10, 6th in CAA): The Huskies went 7-9 in the Colonial Athletic Association, good for sixth place with two games remaining in the regular season. Should they maintain that position, they would earn a first-round bye in the conference tournament and begin play in the quarterfinals on March 14. Boston College (14-15, 12th in ACC): The Eagles went 3-13 in conference play to finish in 12th place. They ended the regular season having lost eight in a row, and open the ACC tournament in Greensboro, N.C. Wednesday against Virginia. Harvard (14-11, 3rd in Ivy League): With two games remaining, the Crimson are 7-5 in league play, and close out the season at home this weekend with games against Cornell and Columbia. If they maintain their position in the top four, they will play in the Ivy League tournament on March 16. Advertisement Boston University (15-12, tied for 3rd in Patriot League): The Terriers are 11-6 in conference play heading into Wednesdays season finale against Loyola MD. Theyve already clinched a quarterfinal home game for the conference tournament, which begins March 11. Holy Cross (17-11, 5th in the Patriot League): A 9-8 conference record has the Crusaders locked into the fifth spot heading into Wednesdays season finale against Lehigh. They will open the Patriot League tournament on the road in the quarterfinals on March 11. UMass (16-15, tied for 8th in A-10): The Minutewomen went 7-9 in the Atlantic 10, and won their conference tournament opener, 86-80, at George Mason Tuesday night. They will be at No. 2 seed Fordham on Friday in the quarterfinals. UMass Lowell (7-22, tied for last in America East): The River Hawks were 3-13 in conference play and lost a tiebreaker to not qualify for the conference tournament. Follow Andrew Mahoney on Twitter @GlobeMahoney
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The NCAA basketball tournament begins in the latter half of March. Seven Massachusetts Division 1 programs have a shot at reaching the tournament. Men: Northeastern, Harvard, Boston College, UMass, Holy Cross.
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https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/colleges/2019/03/06/which-massachusetts-college-basketball-teams-have-shot-ncaa-tournament/0OQNXC0DfSYrYN2joeQX4J/story.html?src=rss
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Which Massachusetts college basketball teams have a shot at the NCAA Tournament?
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It might not feel like it when you step outside, but a glance at the calendar tells us its March, when college basketball takes center stage in the sports world, with the NCAA tournament beginning in the latter half of the month. Selection Sunday, when the 68 teams for the mens field will be announced, is March 17. The 64-team womens field will be revealed on March 18. With the regular season winding down, and conference tournaments under way, it seemed like the right time to take a look at which Massachusetts Division 1 programs have a shot of reaching the tournament. Men Advertisement Northeastern (20-10, 2nd in CAA): The Huskies went 14-4 in the Colonial Athletic Conference to finish one game behind Hofstra, which finished 25-6 overall and had a 19-game winning streak snapped by Northeastern at Matthews Arena on Feb. 2. The Huskies closed out the regular season with four straight wins and will need to win the conference tournament, which begins Sunday at North Charleston, S.C., to reach the NCAA tournament. Get Sports Headlines in your inbox: The most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning. Sign Up Thank you for signing up! Sign up for more newsletters here Harvard (16-9, tied for 1st in Ivy League): The Crimson have won three in a row to pull into a first-place tie with Yale (19-6 overall). Both teams are 9-3 heading into the final weekend of the regular season, with Harvard closing out at Cornell and Columbia. Only the top four teams qualify for the conference tournament, to be played March 16-17 in New Haven, Conn. The Crimson have already qualified and would need to win reach the NCAA tournament. Boston College (14-15, 10th in ACC): The Eagles have been competitive in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and came away with a 66-59 win over Louisville last week. But their 5-12 conference record likely means they would have to win five games in five days in the ACC tournament, which begins March 12 in Charlotte, N.C. Holy Cross (16-16, 10th in the Patriot League): A last place finish for the Crusaders, who went 6-12 in league play, meant they had to open the conference tournament at Lafayette. Holy Cross prevailed, and will now play at No. 2 Bucknell in the quarterfinals Thursday night. Boston University (15-17, tied for 7th in the Patriot League): After posting a conference record of 7-11 in league play, the Terriers defeated Loyola of Maryland in the first round of the Patriot League tournament. They will play at No. 1 seed Colgate in the quarterfinals Thursday night. Advertisement UMass (10-19, 13th in the A-10): The Minutemen are in the bottom of the pack in the Atlantic Conference and would have to win five games in five days to capture the A-10 tournament, which begins March 13 in Brooklyn. UMass Lowell (15-15, 5th in America East): The River Hawks find themselves in the middle of the pack and would need to win three in a row in the conference tournament, which begins Saturday. Women Robert Franklin/Associated Press Harvard head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith and senior guard Sydney Skinner close out the regular season with a pair of games at home. Northeastern (17-10, 6th in CAA): The Huskies went 7-9 in the Colonial Athletic Association, good for sixth place with two games remaining in the regular season. Should they maintain that position, they would earn a first-round bye in the conference tournament and begin play in the quarterfinals on March 14. Boston College (14-15, 12th in ACC): The Eagles went 3-13 in conference play to finish in 12th place. They ended the regular season having lost eight in a row, and open the ACC tournament in Greensboro, N.C. Wednesday against Virginia. Harvard (14-11, 3rd in Ivy League): With two games remaining, the Crimson are 7-5 in league play, and close out the season at home this weekend with games against Cornell and Columbia. If they maintain their position in the top four, they will play in the Ivy League tournament on March 16. Advertisement Boston University (15-12, tied for 3rd in Patriot League): The Terriers are 11-6 in conference play heading into Wednesdays season finale against Loyola MD. Theyve already clinched a quarterfinal home game for the conference tournament, which begins March 11. Holy Cross (17-11, 5th in the Patriot League): A 9-8 conference record has the Crusaders locked into the fifth spot heading into Wednesdays season finale against Lehigh. They will open the Patriot League tournament on the road in the quarterfinals on March 11. UMass (16-15, tied for 8th in A-10): The Minutewomen went 7-9 in the Atlantic 10, and won their conference tournament opener, 86-80, at George Mason Tuesday night. They will be at No. 2 seed Fordham on Friday in the quarterfinals. UMass Lowell (7-22, tied for last in America East): The River Hawks were 3-13 in conference play and lost a tiebreaker to not qualify for the conference tournament. Follow Andrew Mahoney on Twitter @GlobeMahoney
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The NCAA basketball tournament begins in the latter half of March. Seven Massachusetts Division 1 programs have a shot at reaching the tournament. Men: Northeastern, Harvard, Boston College, UMass, Holy Cross. Women: Northeastern, Boston University, UMass, UMass Lowell.
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Why Is Cersei Drinking Wine in the Game of Thrones Trailer?
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Warning: This post contains potential spoilers for Game of Thrones season 8. When we last saw Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) in Game of Thrones season 7, she had finally managed to alienate her twin brother Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) the one person who had always been loyal to her by refusing to send the Lannister army north to fight in the war against the dead. She also announced that she was pregnant with Jaimes child, launching a good old Game of Thrones fan debate about whether or not this was true. However, in the new Game of Thrones season 8 trailer that dropped on Tuesday, Cersei is shown tearing up while drinking a glass of wine. Now, thats not to say that drinking is at all out of character for Cersei. But when Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Cersei were reunited in the season 7 finale, The Dragon and the Wolf, it seemed like part of the reason he was able to guess that she was pregnant was that she wouldnt drink the wine he poured her. If Cersei is off the wagon in season 8, it could mean that she either miscarries or was never actually pregnant at all. And if youre someone, like Cersei, who gives credence to the valonqar prophecy, it seems like that was the inevitable outcome all along. The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now In a flashback sequence in the season 5 premiere, we saw a young Cersei having her future told by a witch named Maggy the Frog (Jodhi May). Everyone wants to know their future, until they know their future, Maggy tells her. You will never wed the prince, you will wed the kingYoull be queen, for a time. Then comes another younger, more beautiful to cast you down and take all you hold dearThe king will have 20 children, and you will have threeGold will be their crowns, gold their shrouds. Almost all of these predictions have already come true. Cersei was promised to Prince Rhaegar Targaryen (Wilf Scolding) as a young girl, but ended up marrying King Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) following Roberts Rebellion. He went on to father many illegitimate children while Cerseis three kids who are all dead were a product of her incestuous relationship with Jaime. The only ambiguity is the mention of the younger, more beautiful queen, who some think was Margaery (Natalie Dormer) and others believe will turn out to be Daenerys (Emilia Clarke). MORE: Your Ultimate Guide to Binge-Watching Every Game of Thrones Episode However, in A Feast For Crows the fourth novel in George R.R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire series there is a final line of the prophecy that the show did not include: And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you. Since valonqar means little brother in High Valyrian, in the books, Cersei long assumes that Maggy the Frog was talking about Tyrion. However, as the second-born twin, Jaime is technically also her little brother. Weve hardly ever seen Cersei cry. So it seems significant that there will be a season 8 scene in which she openly weeps when her tears are supposedly a harbinger of her death. As Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg) warned Jaime about Cersei right before her death, Shes a disease. I regret my role in spreading it. You will too. Watch the full Game of Thrones season 8 trailer above. Game of Thrones returns for its eighth and final season on April 14. Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com.
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In the new Game of Thrones season 8 trailer, Cersei Lannister is shown tearing up while drinking a glass of wine. If Cersei is off the wagon in season 8, it could mean that she either miscarries or was never actually pregnant at all. In the books, a prophecy about Cersei's future has already come true.
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Will The Proposed Nevada Joint Venture With Barrick Gold Help Newmont Realize Better Value?
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On March 4, 2019, Newmont Mining Corp. (NYSE: NEM), one of the largest gold mining companies, rejected the unsolicited, hostile takeover bid from Barrick Gold (NYSE: GOLD), and in turn proposed a joint-venture with Barrick for its Nevada operations. In February 2019, Barrick Gold had offered to buy out Newmont in an $18 billion deal, translating into a value of $33.50 per share for NEM, which was much lower compared to $36.48, the level at which NEMs share had closed a day prior to the offer. As a condition, Newmont would have had to shelve its deal with Goldcorp, which is likely to complete in Q2 2019. As expected, Newmonts management has declined the offer, as Barrick has offered no premium to NEMs shareholders in fact valuing them at a discount. Newmont would have also had to shell out a cancellation fee of $650 million to Goldcorp if it decided to call off their merger. Though the synergies from Barricks deal would outweigh the $650 million, the asset quality and diversification benefits, along with incremental cash flow per share and NAV accretion that the deal with Goldcorp offers, is much more. Additionally, the only benefit that the deal with Barrick would achieve is the synergy at Nevada, as Barrick wants to mainly take advantage of Newmonts superior processing techniques and infrastructure at Nevada, but a merger would expose NEM to Barricks risky African assets, following its acquisition of Randgold Resources in January 2019, and thus reduce the overall returns to NEMs shareholders. Thus, Newmont has proposed a joint venture with Barrick Gold for their Nevada operations. We believe that such a joint venture, if it materializes, would lead to higher earnings for the investors as well as would increase the potential upside to NEMs share price, as the company would be able to reap benefits from the Goldcorp deal as well as synergies at Nevada. In addition, here is more Materials data. Key Effects of the JV Strong Revenue Growth: We believe that total revenue for Newmont would increase sharply by about 35% to $9.8 billion in 2019, from $7.3 billion in 2018, mainly driven by an increase of 36% in gold revenues. Gold shipments would likely increase to ~7.4 million ounces in 2019 from 5.5 million ounces in 2018, which marks a growth of 34.2%, driven by incremental volume from Goldcorp in Canada, Mexico, and Ghana as well as higher shipments in Nevada. The Nevada mines contribute a little over one-third of Newmonts as well as Barricks total reserves and revenues. Thus, in case of the joint venture in which NEM is proposed to hold 45% interest, it would add to the total volume of gold attributable to Newmont. Gold prices have strengthened in the last three months and we expect prices to remain elevated during the year as institutional as well as retail investment in the yellow metal has been on an upswing with rising global economic uncertainty. Copper revenues would likely rise by 3.5% in 2019, driven by organic growth in volume as well as better price realization due to robust demand growth, especially with rising sales of electric vehicles. Expected Synergies: Barrick has significant mineral reserves and resources, while Newmont offers superior processing plant and infrastructure at Nevada. In case of a JV, which could certainly equal a Nevada gold mining powerhouse, the companies would be able to reduce cost per unit by taking advantage of Barricks tier-one gold assets and Newmonts 13 processing facilities in the region. Cost applicable to sales per ounce of gold is expected to decrease to $705 in 2019 from $708 in 2018 due to the expected synergies. This would be much lower than expected CAS of $711 per ounce in 2019 in the absence of a JV. Similarly, the all-in sustaining costs per ounce of gold, which was $909 in 2018, is expected to be $925 in 2019 after a JV, much lower than $945 in a no-deal scenario. Though copper production is minimal at Nevada for both the companies, a JV would likely have a positive effect on the CAS and AISC per pound. Along with the expected synergy, increasing volume would also contribute to lower cost per unit. Profitability: Net income margin increased significantly from -1.5% in 2017 to 4.7% in 2018, due to lower tax expense following the TCJ Act, with expectations of margins remaining almost flat in 2019. However, if both the companies go ahead with their joint venture, higher revenue growth along with synergy benefits would likely lead to margins increasing to about 5% in 2019. We expect margins to continue the upward trend going forward. Stock Valuation Presently, we have a price estimate of $39 for Newmont Minings share, which is higher than its current market price. NEMs share price has maintained its upward trend over the last couple of years, whereas Barricks share has seen immense volatility, with it losing about 24% of its value in 2018. The offer made in February 2019 was the second takeover attempt by Barrick, with the last one made in 2014. Since then, NEMs stock has returned 65% to its investors, as against Barricks return of -22%. Thus, we believe that Newmonts decision of not going ahead with Barricks offer is in the best interest of its shareholders, as such a deal would have eroded the companys value. On the other hand, if the proposed joint venture goes ahead along with the Goldcorp deal, Newmont is expected to benefit immensely in the form of higher volume and revenue, better asset profile, decreasing costs, and improving profitability. In such a scenario, we have a price estimate of $44 for Newmont Minings share, which reflects a potential upside of about 28% from its current market price. This is more than double the potential upside of about 13% available to Barricks share price. As per the latest information, Barrick has invited Newmont for discussion regarding the Nevada joint venture. If the two gold giants are able to seal a deal at Nevada, it would benefit both, with Newmont taking away a major chunk and ensuring hefty returns to its investors. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own.
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Newmont Mining Corp. (NEM) rejected the unsolicited, hostile takeover bid from Barrick Gold. Newmont has proposed a joint venture with Barrick for their Nevada operations. The joint venture would lead to higher earnings for the investors as well as would increase the potential upside to NEMs share price.
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Did NH lawmakers wear pearl necklaces to mock activists testifying about gun violence?
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CLOSE Exactly eight years after former Rep. Gabby Giffords was shot, she helped introduce a gun control bill expanding background checks. USA TODAY A few Republican members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives sparked an uproar after images circulated on social media showed them sporting pearls to a hearing on gun control. But the group that gave out the necklaces deny they were meant to mock concerns about gun violence. Volunteers from Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, who came to the statehouse in Concord on Tuesday to testify about gun violence, felt the lawmakers wore the necklaces to imply they were "clutching their pearls," a metaphor often aimed at women for someone who is demonstrating feigned or exaggerated shock or outrage. The angry responses to the pearls included statements from two Democratic presidential candidates: Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Sen. Kamala Harris of California. Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts tweeted the men wore "pearls to mock @MomsDemand volunteers." Of the 13 person ERPO hearing committee, 10 of the lawmakers are men; half of them are wearing pearls to mock @MomsDemand volunteers. Meanwhile, their constituents are in tears as they testify about gun suicides and domestic gun violence in their families. #NHPoliticspic.twitter.com/eVIS73yfoR Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 5, 2019 But the state Republican party called the uproar "fake news" and said the pearls were given to the state legislators by the Womens Defense League of New Hampshire as a sign of support for gun rights. The Women's Defense League opposes gun control measures and encourages women to "empower themselves by safely and accurately learning how to use firearms." "It's absolutely fake news to claim that the representatives were mocking anyone in the chamber," said Joe Sweeney, a spokesman for the New Hampshire Republican Party. Too many guns are falling into the hands of dangerous people, threatening kids' lives and making our communities less safe. These moms are fighting to confront gun violence and protect our children. They don't deserve to be mocked. We stand with you, @momsdemand. https://t.co/qizaz7a8vi Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) March 5, 2019 Moms who want to keep their kids safe from gun violence dont deserve this. https://t.co/oQnQatlx4x Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) March 5, 2019 To mock those who have lost so much to gun violence, and who are fighting for what they believe in, is the lowest of the low. https://t.co/ZOCh1GnkXD Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) March 5, 2019 Sweeney told USA TODAY that the Women's Defense League has been giving out the pearls since 2016 to "show solidarity with their groups' position on Second Amendment issues." Kimberly Morin, president of the New Hampshire Women's Defense League, tweeted, "The PEARLS are in support of the Women's Defense League. Women who ACTUALLY PROMOTE GUN SAFETY and WOMEN'S RIGHTS." The PEARLS are in support of the Women's Defense League. Women who ACTUALLY PROMOTE GUN SAFETY and WOMEN'S RIGHTS #nhpolitics#HB687pic.twitter.com/pd0Pjd8ZqT Kimberly Morin (@Conservativeind) March 5, 2019 The lawmakers wore the pearls during a meeting of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, which was discussing proposed "red flag" legislation. The gun control measure would allow a judge to restrict access to firearms by people who are considered a threat to themselves or the public. Family members and law enforcement would be able to petition the court to issue such an order. Gun control: Gabby Giffords' activism is symbolic of the Democratic Party's shift on guns More: Supreme Court's conservatives appear poised to expand Second Amendment gun rights A photo from NHJournal, a conservative-leaning news site, showed seven of the eight Republicans on the committee, all but one of them male, sporting the pearl necklaces. State Rep. Scott Wallace also wore a pin resembling a semi-automatic rifle. "We were given the pearls by the Womens Defense League," Wallace told NHJournal. "They ask us to wear them as a sign of support. And not just the guys. Women legislators were wearing them, too." "They gave them out to a whole bunch of us," state Rep. David Welch, one of the men in the photo, told the Union Leader. Welch told the paper he agreed to wear the necklace to symbolize his opposition to the bill. "These men are supporting women and supporting women who support actual women's rights. They are the farthest thing from sexist and there was a women (sic) lawmaker wearing them, too," Morin told CNN Wednesday. But Watts' opinion that the pearl necklaces were meant to mock gun control advocates went unchanged. "These lawmakers decided to wear symbols that essentially mocked the process," she told the Union Leader. "They showed they were not coming to this hearing with an open mind, and they were making light of survivors who were testifying on the suicide of a child, or women who were survivors of domestic abuse." She told The Washington Post that "when you are a male lawmaker and you come to a hearing wearing a pearl necklace and a semiautomatic rifle pin, you sort of lose control of the narrative." The website for the Women's Defense League organization decried the proposed red flag bill as "the most destructive piece of legislation to ever be introduced to the legislature in modern history." The group claims the bill would allow the "rights of law-abiding gun owners" to "be stripped away by an angry ex-husband or wife; a psychopathic ex-roommate; a pissed off Mother-in-Law; an abusive boyfriend" and warned, "the police can file a petition on ANYONE at ANY TIME." Advocates of red flag laws say they can help prevent acts of violence, including mass shootings and suicides. State Rep. John Burt told Talking Points Memo that Watts and other anti-gun activists "need to get over themselves." "This had nothing to do with them. It is to support the Womens Defense League and the good they do to train women to protect their children," Burt said. Gun control: House passes expanded background checks as GOP tries to shift focus to immigration More: For many Americans, the Second Amendment is a defense against their own government Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2019/03/06/new-hampshire-gun-control-pearl-necklaces/3078579002/
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The pearls were given to the state legislators by the Women's Defense League of New Hampshire as a sign of support for gun rights.
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Did NH lawmakers wear pearl necklaces to mock activists testifying about gun violence?
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CLOSE Exactly eight years after former Rep. Gabby Giffords was shot, she helped introduce a gun control bill expanding background checks. USA TODAY A few Republican members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives sparked an uproar after images circulated on social media showed them sporting pearls to a hearing on gun control. But the group that gave out the necklaces deny they were meant to mock concerns about gun violence. Volunteers from Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, who came to the statehouse in Concord on Tuesday to testify about gun violence, felt the lawmakers wore the necklaces to imply they were "clutching their pearls," a metaphor often aimed at women for someone who is demonstrating feigned or exaggerated shock or outrage. The angry responses to the pearls included statements from two Democratic presidential candidates: Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Sen. Kamala Harris of California. Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts tweeted the men wore "pearls to mock @MomsDemand volunteers." Of the 13 person ERPO hearing committee, 10 of the lawmakers are men; half of them are wearing pearls to mock @MomsDemand volunteers. Meanwhile, their constituents are in tears as they testify about gun suicides and domestic gun violence in their families. #NHPoliticspic.twitter.com/eVIS73yfoR Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 5, 2019 But the state Republican party called the uproar "fake news" and said the pearls were given to the state legislators by the Womens Defense League of New Hampshire as a sign of support for gun rights. The Women's Defense League opposes gun control measures and encourages women to "empower themselves by safely and accurately learning how to use firearms." "It's absolutely fake news to claim that the representatives were mocking anyone in the chamber," said Joe Sweeney, a spokesman for the New Hampshire Republican Party. Too many guns are falling into the hands of dangerous people, threatening kids' lives and making our communities less safe. These moms are fighting to confront gun violence and protect our children. They don't deserve to be mocked. We stand with you, @momsdemand. https://t.co/qizaz7a8vi Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) March 5, 2019 Moms who want to keep their kids safe from gun violence dont deserve this. https://t.co/oQnQatlx4x Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) March 5, 2019 To mock those who have lost so much to gun violence, and who are fighting for what they believe in, is the lowest of the low. https://t.co/ZOCh1GnkXD Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) March 5, 2019 Sweeney told USA TODAY that the Women's Defense League has been giving out the pearls since 2016 to "show solidarity with their groups' position on Second Amendment issues." Kimberly Morin, president of the New Hampshire Women's Defense League, tweeted, "The PEARLS are in support of the Women's Defense League. Women who ACTUALLY PROMOTE GUN SAFETY and WOMEN'S RIGHTS." The PEARLS are in support of the Women's Defense League. Women who ACTUALLY PROMOTE GUN SAFETY and WOMEN'S RIGHTS #nhpolitics#HB687pic.twitter.com/pd0Pjd8ZqT Kimberly Morin (@Conservativeind) March 5, 2019 The lawmakers wore the pearls during a meeting of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, which was discussing proposed "red flag" legislation. The gun control measure would allow a judge to restrict access to firearms by people who are considered a threat to themselves or the public. Family members and law enforcement would be able to petition the court to issue such an order. Gun control: Gabby Giffords' activism is symbolic of the Democratic Party's shift on guns More: Supreme Court's conservatives appear poised to expand Second Amendment gun rights A photo from NHJournal, a conservative-leaning news site, showed seven of the eight Republicans on the committee, all but one of them male, sporting the pearl necklaces. State Rep. Scott Wallace also wore a pin resembling a semi-automatic rifle. "We were given the pearls by the Womens Defense League," Wallace told NHJournal. "They ask us to wear them as a sign of support. And not just the guys. Women legislators were wearing them, too." "They gave them out to a whole bunch of us," state Rep. David Welch, one of the men in the photo, told the Union Leader. Welch told the paper he agreed to wear the necklace to symbolize his opposition to the bill. "These men are supporting women and supporting women who support actual women's rights. They are the farthest thing from sexist and there was a women (sic) lawmaker wearing them, too," Morin told CNN Wednesday. But Watts' opinion that the pearl necklaces were meant to mock gun control advocates went unchanged. "These lawmakers decided to wear symbols that essentially mocked the process," she told the Union Leader. "They showed they were not coming to this hearing with an open mind, and they were making light of survivors who were testifying on the suicide of a child, or women who were survivors of domestic abuse." She told The Washington Post that "when you are a male lawmaker and you come to a hearing wearing a pearl necklace and a semiautomatic rifle pin, you sort of lose control of the narrative." The website for the Women's Defense League organization decried the proposed red flag bill as "the most destructive piece of legislation to ever be introduced to the legislature in modern history." The group claims the bill would allow the "rights of law-abiding gun owners" to "be stripped away by an angry ex-husband or wife; a psychopathic ex-roommate; a pissed off Mother-in-Law; an abusive boyfriend" and warned, "the police can file a petition on ANYONE at ANY TIME." Advocates of red flag laws say they can help prevent acts of violence, including mass shootings and suicides. State Rep. John Burt told Talking Points Memo that Watts and other anti-gun activists "need to get over themselves." "This had nothing to do with them. It is to support the Womens Defense League and the good they do to train women to protect their children," Burt said. Gun control: House passes expanded background checks as GOP tries to shift focus to immigration More: For many Americans, the Second Amendment is a defense against their own government Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2019/03/06/new-hampshire-gun-control-pearl-necklaces/3078579002/
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The pearls were given to the state legislators by the Women's Defense League of New Hampshire. Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America felt the lawmakers wore the necklaces to imply they were "clutching their pearls," a metaphor often aimed at women for demonstrating feigned or exaggerated shock or outrage.
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Who is Cognizant, the tech services company behind Facebook's latest scandal?
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As an outsourcer of technology services for a range of big American companies, Cognizant has largely remained below the radar since launching more than two decades ago. But it is suddenly being thrust into the spotlight for its work for moderating some of Facebook's most graphic and controversial content. Cognizant and Accenture are two of the many tech services providers Facebook employs to do routine work. Three years ago, that included curating the social media giant's "trending topics" feed, which has since been scrapped. Today, it involves policing Facebook content to ensure it doesn't violate the company's terms service. Cognizant staffers are paid $15 per hour, according to The Verge -- or what some fast-food restaurants around the U.S. are offering. Though it's not well-known among consumers, Cognizant has been a player in the tech outsourcing and consulting space for 25 years. Their clients are everywhere, using Cognizant for everything from call centers to IT strategy. "They're a one-stop shop of IT consulting," said David Holt, an analyst with CFRA. New Jersey HQ, but most workers in India Cognizant is big -- it has a market value of $41 billion, and as of last year had roughly 280,000 employees. Most of those are in India, where it has about 195,000 workers. The company's headquarters are in Teaneck, New Jersey, a few minutes' drive from New York. It has 32 other locations across the country, where it employs about 50,000 people, along with offices in Europe. Although it's global, Cognizant makes most of its money in the U.S. It generated $16 billion in revenue last year, three-quarters of which was in the U.S. The company started in 1994 as the tech department of Dun & Bradstreet, and went public four years later. Moderating content is a small part of its business Facebook has gotten heat for subcontracting out the emotionally challenging work of moderating the content that runs on its site, but others have hired Cognizant for similar things. Cognizant workers in Ireland have done work for Google, according to the Sunday Times, performing tasks like verifying Google Maps listings for the equivalent of $13.50 per hour. The company declined to break out the number of employees it has in content moderation, but that line of work is a small part of its business overall. Most of its work is providing IT services to large companies, including developing software, maintaining and testing applications, and creating digital infrastructure. Its clients range from 3M and Prudential Insurance to the state of Ohio. Francisco D'Souza, one of Cognizant's founders, became the company's CEO in 2007. He is set to step down from the role in April. Don Emmert / AFP/Getty Images In its earlier days, the company specialized in helping large companies outsource their data operations, but it has recently shifted more of its work to consulting as clients' tech budgets have flattened. Cognizant's top revenue line is financial services, which accounts for just over a third of its business. (The company works with 16 out of the top 20 North American financial institutions, according to a client presentation.) It also develops and supports software for the health care industry, which makes up 28 percent of its revenue, according to securities filings. Moderation risks Cognizant recognized the challenges of moderating online content as far back as 2012, publishing a white paper called "How to De-Risk the Creation and Moderation of User-Generated Content." "The huge growth and pervasiveness of [user-generated content] within companies' core online user experience poses potentially complex challenges and heightens unnecessary exposure to risk," the paper said. It also proposed several methods of moderating content, including automated screening and human moderation, which, although effective, "can be highly inefficient," it wrote. Using people to moderate a thousand six-minute videos would cost $277, the paper estimated. In response to the Verge's story, Cognizant sent CBS News a statement that said, in part: "Our goal is to ensure that we provide a variety of support options including on-site counselors, a robust wellness program and resources and wellness classes covering a range of disciplines to support the needs of every employee involved in content moderation." "We have investigated the specific workplace issues raised in a recent report, previously taken action where necessary and have steps in place to continue to address these concerns and any others raised by our employees," the statement said. Top visa sponsor Cognizant is one of the largest employers of skilled foreign workers in the U.S, according to Citizenship and Immigration Services. In 2016, it received approval for 21,000 H1-B visasnearly double the number given to the next-highest petitioner, Infosys. The average salary for those jobs was $84,300. The U.S. government's recent crackdown on visa applications has hurt Cognizant's business, it said in its latest annual report. Three white workers sued Cognizant last year, accusing the company of discriminating in favor of South Asian workers. That lawsuit it pending. It recently settled bribery charges In mid-February, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged two Cognizant executives with bribing officials in India. Without admitting wrongdoing, Cognizant paid $25 million to settle those charges. The company itself was not charged. Cognizant's then-president, Gordon Cobur, and its chief legal officer, Steven Schwartz, were accused of paying and concealing nearly $4 million in bribes in connection with building the company campus in Chennai, India. The nearly three-year-long investigation hurt Cognizant's stock, but analysts say it's unlikely to affect business going forward. "Morally or ethically, it's not really a good look, but for the financial impact--they have around $4 billion in cash, so $25 million is more or less a drop in the pond," said CFRA's Holt. He added, "It's pretty common across a multitude of companies to have those kinds of fines."
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Cognizant is an outsourcer of technology services for a range of big American companies.
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pegasus
| 0 |
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-cognizant-meet-the-it-company-behind-facebooks-latest-scandal/
| 0.3925 |
Who is Cognizant, the tech services company behind Facebook's latest scandal?
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As an outsourcer of technology services for a range of big American companies, Cognizant has largely remained below the radar since launching more than two decades ago. But it is suddenly being thrust into the spotlight for its work for moderating some of Facebook's most graphic and controversial content. Cognizant and Accenture are two of the many tech services providers Facebook employs to do routine work. Three years ago, that included curating the social media giant's "trending topics" feed, which has since been scrapped. Today, it involves policing Facebook content to ensure it doesn't violate the company's terms service. Cognizant staffers are paid $15 per hour, according to The Verge -- or what some fast-food restaurants around the U.S. are offering. Though it's not well-known among consumers, Cognizant has been a player in the tech outsourcing and consulting space for 25 years. Their clients are everywhere, using Cognizant for everything from call centers to IT strategy. "They're a one-stop shop of IT consulting," said David Holt, an analyst with CFRA. New Jersey HQ, but most workers in India Cognizant is big -- it has a market value of $41 billion, and as of last year had roughly 280,000 employees. Most of those are in India, where it has about 195,000 workers. The company's headquarters are in Teaneck, New Jersey, a few minutes' drive from New York. It has 32 other locations across the country, where it employs about 50,000 people, along with offices in Europe. Although it's global, Cognizant makes most of its money in the U.S. It generated $16 billion in revenue last year, three-quarters of which was in the U.S. The company started in 1994 as the tech department of Dun & Bradstreet, and went public four years later. Moderating content is a small part of its business Facebook has gotten heat for subcontracting out the emotionally challenging work of moderating the content that runs on its site, but others have hired Cognizant for similar things. Cognizant workers in Ireland have done work for Google, according to the Sunday Times, performing tasks like verifying Google Maps listings for the equivalent of $13.50 per hour. The company declined to break out the number of employees it has in content moderation, but that line of work is a small part of its business overall. Most of its work is providing IT services to large companies, including developing software, maintaining and testing applications, and creating digital infrastructure. Its clients range from 3M and Prudential Insurance to the state of Ohio. Francisco D'Souza, one of Cognizant's founders, became the company's CEO in 2007. He is set to step down from the role in April. Don Emmert / AFP/Getty Images In its earlier days, the company specialized in helping large companies outsource their data operations, but it has recently shifted more of its work to consulting as clients' tech budgets have flattened. Cognizant's top revenue line is financial services, which accounts for just over a third of its business. (The company works with 16 out of the top 20 North American financial institutions, according to a client presentation.) It also develops and supports software for the health care industry, which makes up 28 percent of its revenue, according to securities filings. Moderation risks Cognizant recognized the challenges of moderating online content as far back as 2012, publishing a white paper called "How to De-Risk the Creation and Moderation of User-Generated Content." "The huge growth and pervasiveness of [user-generated content] within companies' core online user experience poses potentially complex challenges and heightens unnecessary exposure to risk," the paper said. It also proposed several methods of moderating content, including automated screening and human moderation, which, although effective, "can be highly inefficient," it wrote. Using people to moderate a thousand six-minute videos would cost $277, the paper estimated. In response to the Verge's story, Cognizant sent CBS News a statement that said, in part: "Our goal is to ensure that we provide a variety of support options including on-site counselors, a robust wellness program and resources and wellness classes covering a range of disciplines to support the needs of every employee involved in content moderation." "We have investigated the specific workplace issues raised in a recent report, previously taken action where necessary and have steps in place to continue to address these concerns and any others raised by our employees," the statement said. Top visa sponsor Cognizant is one of the largest employers of skilled foreign workers in the U.S, according to Citizenship and Immigration Services. In 2016, it received approval for 21,000 H1-B visasnearly double the number given to the next-highest petitioner, Infosys. The average salary for those jobs was $84,300. The U.S. government's recent crackdown on visa applications has hurt Cognizant's business, it said in its latest annual report. Three white workers sued Cognizant last year, accusing the company of discriminating in favor of South Asian workers. That lawsuit it pending. It recently settled bribery charges In mid-February, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged two Cognizant executives with bribing officials in India. Without admitting wrongdoing, Cognizant paid $25 million to settle those charges. The company itself was not charged. Cognizant's then-president, Gordon Cobur, and its chief legal officer, Steven Schwartz, were accused of paying and concealing nearly $4 million in bribes in connection with building the company campus in Chennai, India. The nearly three-year-long investigation hurt Cognizant's stock, but analysts say it's unlikely to affect business going forward. "Morally or ethically, it's not really a good look, but for the financial impact--they have around $4 billion in cash, so $25 million is more or less a drop in the pond," said CFRA's Holt. He added, "It's pretty common across a multitude of companies to have those kinds of fines."
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Cognizant is an outsourcer of technology services for a range of big U.S. companies. The company is being thrust into the spotlight for moderating some of Facebook's most graphic and controversial content.
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ctrlsum
| 1 |
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-cognizant-meet-the-it-company-behind-facebooks-latest-scandal/
| 0.5026 |
Who is Cognizant, the tech services company behind Facebook's latest scandal?
|
As an outsourcer of technology services for a range of big American companies, Cognizant has largely remained below the radar since launching more than two decades ago. But it is suddenly being thrust into the spotlight for its work for moderating some of Facebook's most graphic and controversial content. Cognizant and Accenture are two of the many tech services providers Facebook employs to do routine work. Three years ago, that included curating the social media giant's "trending topics" feed, which has since been scrapped. Today, it involves policing Facebook content to ensure it doesn't violate the company's terms service. Cognizant staffers are paid $15 per hour, according to The Verge -- or what some fast-food restaurants around the U.S. are offering. Though it's not well-known among consumers, Cognizant has been a player in the tech outsourcing and consulting space for 25 years. Their clients are everywhere, using Cognizant for everything from call centers to IT strategy. "They're a one-stop shop of IT consulting," said David Holt, an analyst with CFRA. New Jersey HQ, but most workers in India Cognizant is big -- it has a market value of $41 billion, and as of last year had roughly 280,000 employees. Most of those are in India, where it has about 195,000 workers. The company's headquarters are in Teaneck, New Jersey, a few minutes' drive from New York. It has 32 other locations across the country, where it employs about 50,000 people, along with offices in Europe. Although it's global, Cognizant makes most of its money in the U.S. It generated $16 billion in revenue last year, three-quarters of which was in the U.S. The company started in 1994 as the tech department of Dun & Bradstreet, and went public four years later. Moderating content is a small part of its business Facebook has gotten heat for subcontracting out the emotionally challenging work of moderating the content that runs on its site, but others have hired Cognizant for similar things. Cognizant workers in Ireland have done work for Google, according to the Sunday Times, performing tasks like verifying Google Maps listings for the equivalent of $13.50 per hour. The company declined to break out the number of employees it has in content moderation, but that line of work is a small part of its business overall. Most of its work is providing IT services to large companies, including developing software, maintaining and testing applications, and creating digital infrastructure. Its clients range from 3M and Prudential Insurance to the state of Ohio. Francisco D'Souza, one of Cognizant's founders, became the company's CEO in 2007. He is set to step down from the role in April. Don Emmert / AFP/Getty Images In its earlier days, the company specialized in helping large companies outsource their data operations, but it has recently shifted more of its work to consulting as clients' tech budgets have flattened. Cognizant's top revenue line is financial services, which accounts for just over a third of its business. (The company works with 16 out of the top 20 North American financial institutions, according to a client presentation.) It also develops and supports software for the health care industry, which makes up 28 percent of its revenue, according to securities filings. Moderation risks Cognizant recognized the challenges of moderating online content as far back as 2012, publishing a white paper called "How to De-Risk the Creation and Moderation of User-Generated Content." "The huge growth and pervasiveness of [user-generated content] within companies' core online user experience poses potentially complex challenges and heightens unnecessary exposure to risk," the paper said. It also proposed several methods of moderating content, including automated screening and human moderation, which, although effective, "can be highly inefficient," it wrote. Using people to moderate a thousand six-minute videos would cost $277, the paper estimated. In response to the Verge's story, Cognizant sent CBS News a statement that said, in part: "Our goal is to ensure that we provide a variety of support options including on-site counselors, a robust wellness program and resources and wellness classes covering a range of disciplines to support the needs of every employee involved in content moderation." "We have investigated the specific workplace issues raised in a recent report, previously taken action where necessary and have steps in place to continue to address these concerns and any others raised by our employees," the statement said. Top visa sponsor Cognizant is one of the largest employers of skilled foreign workers in the U.S, according to Citizenship and Immigration Services. In 2016, it received approval for 21,000 H1-B visasnearly double the number given to the next-highest petitioner, Infosys. The average salary for those jobs was $84,300. The U.S. government's recent crackdown on visa applications has hurt Cognizant's business, it said in its latest annual report. Three white workers sued Cognizant last year, accusing the company of discriminating in favor of South Asian workers. That lawsuit it pending. It recently settled bribery charges In mid-February, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged two Cognizant executives with bribing officials in India. Without admitting wrongdoing, Cognizant paid $25 million to settle those charges. The company itself was not charged. Cognizant's then-president, Gordon Cobur, and its chief legal officer, Steven Schwartz, were accused of paying and concealing nearly $4 million in bribes in connection with building the company campus in Chennai, India. The nearly three-year-long investigation hurt Cognizant's stock, but analysts say it's unlikely to affect business going forward. "Morally or ethically, it's not really a good look, but for the financial impact--they have around $4 billion in cash, so $25 million is more or less a drop in the pond," said CFRA's Holt. He added, "It's pretty common across a multitude of companies to have those kinds of fines."
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Cognizant is an outsourcer of technology services for a range of big U.S. companies. It is being thrust into the spotlight for its work for moderating some of Facebook's most graphic and controversial content. The company started in 1994 as the tech department of Dun & Bradstreet, and went public four years later.
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bart
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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-cognizant-meet-the-it-company-behind-facebooks-latest-scandal/
| 0.603108 |
Could daylight saving time 2019 be one of the final time changes for Oregon?
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Daylight saving time starts at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 10 in 2019. Presumably, it will start at a similar time in 2020 and 2021. But if Oregon Senate Bill 320 becomes law, after we spring forward in March of 2021, we might never fall back. The bill, sponsored by several lawmakers including Senator Kim Thatcher (R), Representative Bill Post (R) and Representative John Lively (D), abolishes annual one-hour change in time from standard time to daylight saving time and maintains Oregon on daylight saving time. If the bill passes, Oregon voters will get the final say in November 2020. And if that passes, Oregonians will get a little less totally arbitrary sleep disruption twice a year. Puerto Rico, Arizona and Hawaii already dont change their clocks during the year and California, Florida and Washington all have legislation working their way through the system to create permanent daylight saving time. Stay tuned. But dont forget how you feel after losing an hour when you head to work Monday morning, if for no other reason than to have a story to tell your grandchildren about the olden days of daylight saving time. End daylight saving time now (commentary) Twice a year, for no real reason, we give ourselves what amounts to jet lag. It's time to stop this outrage.
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Daylight saving time starts at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 10 in 2019. Presumably, it will start at a similar time in 2020 and 2021. But if Oregon Senate Bill 320 becomes law, after we spring forward in March of 2021, we might never fall back.
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bart
| 2 |
https://www.oregonlive.com/trending/2019/03/could-sundays-daylight-saving-time-be-one-of-the-final-time-changes-for-oregon.html
| 0.268104 |
Did Trump just butcher Apple CEO Tim Cook's very easy name?
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President Donald Trump shakes hands with Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook during the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board's first meeting in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, March 6, 2019. 1 / 7 Back to Gallery After a Wednesday meeting of President Trump's American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, the president was called out for how he referred to the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, who was sitting right next to him. Instead of calling him Tim Cook, it was reported Trump called him "Tim Apple." This would have been far from Trump's first name blunder he called Sen. Kamala Harris "Kameela" and famously referred to the fire-decimated Butte County town of Paradise as "Pleasure." And despite the monosyllabic nature of Cook's moniker, it too appeared to trip up Trump. ALSO READ: Kamala Harris defends Ilhan Omar after backlash to Israel comments Twitter, ever eager for a White House gaffe to make memes out of, had a field day. "He just thinks everyone names their company after themselves like he did," joked one Twitter user. See more jokes in the gallery below: Twitter reacts to Trump saying "Tim Apple" when referring to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Twitter reacts to Trump saying "Tim Apple" when referring to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Watching a bit more of the president's remarks makes it less obvious. "We have so many companies coming in, people like Tim, you're expanding all over and doing things that I really wanted you to from the beginning. I used to say, 'Tim, you've gotta start doing it over here,' and you really have. I mean, you've really put a big investment in our country. We appreciate it very much, Tim Apple." POLITICAL NEWS: Democrats say no upcoming presidential debates on Fox News It's that last part people are making fun of. But if one punctuates the quote slightly differently "We appreciate it, Tim, Apple," it reads like he's thanking both the company and its CEO. Trump's signature rambling style of speaking can make it hard to tell what he means. Watch for yourself and see what you think: The American Workforce Policy Advisory Board is a 25-member group that advises the president on workforce and business issues. Other companies represented on the board include IBM, SAP and Siemens. Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at alix.martichoux@sfgate.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news.
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President Donald Trump called Apple CEO Tim Cook "Tim Apple" during a meeting of his American Workforce Policy Advisory Board.
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bart
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https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/tim-cook-apple-trump-video-said-name-wrong-13668497.php
| 0.274324 |
Did Trump just butcher Apple CEO Tim Cook's very easy name?
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President Donald Trump shakes hands with Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook during the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board's first meeting in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, March 6, 2019. 1 / 7 Back to Gallery After a Wednesday meeting of President Trump's American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, the president was called out for how he referred to the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, who was sitting right next to him. Instead of calling him Tim Cook, it was reported Trump called him "Tim Apple." This would have been far from Trump's first name blunder he called Sen. Kamala Harris "Kameela" and famously referred to the fire-decimated Butte County town of Paradise as "Pleasure." And despite the monosyllabic nature of Cook's moniker, it too appeared to trip up Trump. ALSO READ: Kamala Harris defends Ilhan Omar after backlash to Israel comments Twitter, ever eager for a White House gaffe to make memes out of, had a field day. "He just thinks everyone names their company after themselves like he did," joked one Twitter user. See more jokes in the gallery below: Twitter reacts to Trump saying "Tim Apple" when referring to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Twitter reacts to Trump saying "Tim Apple" when referring to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Watching a bit more of the president's remarks makes it less obvious. "We have so many companies coming in, people like Tim, you're expanding all over and doing things that I really wanted you to from the beginning. I used to say, 'Tim, you've gotta start doing it over here,' and you really have. I mean, you've really put a big investment in our country. We appreciate it very much, Tim Apple." POLITICAL NEWS: Democrats say no upcoming presidential debates on Fox News It's that last part people are making fun of. But if one punctuates the quote slightly differently "We appreciate it, Tim, Apple," it reads like he's thanking both the company and its CEO. Trump's signature rambling style of speaking can make it hard to tell what he means. Watch for yourself and see what you think: The American Workforce Policy Advisory Board is a 25-member group that advises the president on workforce and business issues. Other companies represented on the board include IBM, SAP and Siemens. Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at alix.martichoux@sfgate.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news.
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President Donald Trump called Apple CEO Tim Cook "Tim Apple" during a meeting of his American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. Twitter had a field day with jokes about the White House gaffe.
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bart
| 1 |
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/tim-cook-apple-trump-video-said-name-wrong-13668497.php
| 0.279357 |
Did Trump just butcher Apple CEO Tim Cook's very easy name?
|
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook during the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board's first meeting in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, March 6, 2019. 1 / 7 Back to Gallery After a Wednesday meeting of President Trump's American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, the president was called out for how he referred to the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, who was sitting right next to him. Instead of calling him Tim Cook, it was reported Trump called him "Tim Apple." This would have been far from Trump's first name blunder he called Sen. Kamala Harris "Kameela" and famously referred to the fire-decimated Butte County town of Paradise as "Pleasure." And despite the monosyllabic nature of Cook's moniker, it too appeared to trip up Trump. ALSO READ: Kamala Harris defends Ilhan Omar after backlash to Israel comments Twitter, ever eager for a White House gaffe to make memes out of, had a field day. "He just thinks everyone names their company after themselves like he did," joked one Twitter user. See more jokes in the gallery below: Twitter reacts to Trump saying "Tim Apple" when referring to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Twitter reacts to Trump saying "Tim Apple" when referring to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Watching a bit more of the president's remarks makes it less obvious. "We have so many companies coming in, people like Tim, you're expanding all over and doing things that I really wanted you to from the beginning. I used to say, 'Tim, you've gotta start doing it over here,' and you really have. I mean, you've really put a big investment in our country. We appreciate it very much, Tim Apple." POLITICAL NEWS: Democrats say no upcoming presidential debates on Fox News It's that last part people are making fun of. But if one punctuates the quote slightly differently "We appreciate it, Tim, Apple," it reads like he's thanking both the company and its CEO. Trump's signature rambling style of speaking can make it hard to tell what he means. Watch for yourself and see what you think: The American Workforce Policy Advisory Board is a 25-member group that advises the president on workforce and business issues. Other companies represented on the board include IBM, SAP and Siemens. Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at alix.martichoux@sfgate.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news.
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President Donald Trump called Apple CEO Tim Cook "Tim Apple" during a meeting of his American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. Twitter had a field day with jokes about the White House gaffe. The board advises the president on workforce and business issues. Other companies represented on the board include IBM, SAP and Siemens.
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bart
| 2 |
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/tim-cook-apple-trump-video-said-name-wrong-13668497.php
| 0.338309 |
How will the Bears approach a loaded safety free agent market?
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originally appeared on nbcsportschicago.com 2019's crop of free agent safeties has both top-end talent and plenty of depth, creating what could be a favorable market in which the Bears can operate next week. Scroll to continue with content Ad Adrian Amos will be one of those players testing free agency when players can enter negotiations with other clubs on Monday, and can officially sign contracts with teams other than their own beginning Wednesday afternoon. But he's hardly alone in a group that includes: - The New York Giants' Landon Collins, a 25-year-old former All-Pro who remains one of the better safeties in the NFL; - Earl Thomas, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks, a three-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion with 28 career interceptions and 11 forced fumbles; - Tyrann Mathieu, a 26-year-old 2015 All-Pro with the Arizona Cardinals who turned a one-year prove-it deal with the Houston Texans into what should be a multi-year contract; - LaMarcus Joyner, on whom the Los Angeles Rams used the franchise tag instead of wideout Sammy Watkins a year ago; - HaHa Clinton-Dix, whose play with the Green Bay Packers waned a bit before a midseason trade to Washington but is still only 26, has 14 career interceptions and hasn't missed a game in his five years in the NFL; - Eric Weddle, surprisingly released this week by the Baltimore Ravens, a 34-year-old with 12 years of experience but who has only missed three games since 2010 and made the Pro Bowl in all three years he was in Baltimore; - Kenny Vaccaro, a 2013 first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints (when Ryan Pace was part of that front office), who's recorded at least one sack every year of his career while totaling nine interceptions and 34 passes defended in 81 games; Story continues - Tre Boston, who took a cheap one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals last year and could provide solid play for a similarly-inexpensive price tag; - Clayton Geathers, who had a solid season to help the Indianapolis Colts reach the playoffs in 2018; - Glover Quin, a durable 10-year veteran recently released by the Detroit Lions; - And George Iloka, who only started three games for the Minnesota Vikings last year but isn't far removed from being a full-time starter for the Cincinnati Bengals. All 11 of those players, plus Amos, are among Pro Football Talk's top 100 free agents. Collins (No. 8), Thomas (No. 10), Mathieu (No. 12), Amos (No. 14) and Joyner (No. 17) are all in the top 20. This, likely, will create a buyer's market for teams - like the Bears - needing a safety. The Bears will enter free agency pleased with not only Amos' play in 2018, but his development since being a fifth-round pick in 2015. "I thought he played well," Pace said. "He played solid and the ball production increased as the season went on and I think he was comfortable in the defense. you know he's an example of a player that we drafted and developed and he's gotten better. He's a great teammate and a good Bear." The Bears, though, have a difficult balance to strike in free agency. Eddie Jackson will be due a significant payday a year from now, unless the Bears go the route of using the franchise tag on the 2018 All-Pro (even then, OverTheCap projects the franchise tag for a safety to be a little over $13 million in 2020; if it continues to increase by nearly $2 million per year, it could be around $15 million in 2021, when Jackson would be a free agent). The Bears could theoretically design Amos' deal to front-load it and give them an out for when Jackson's salary would escalate, but Amos may also be able to command more long-term security in the open market. And going that route would, of course, take up more cap space that the team may need to fill out its depth chart. If the Bears do move on from Amos, consider what Pace said when generally talking about safeties as a blueprint for a target. "Really our safeties in a lot of ways are interchangeable," Pace said. "Sometimes the days of just playing a deep free safety and then a box safety all the time, that's not always realistic. So you kind of have to have a balanced skill set for both players." It's worth noting that Jackson actually had more tackles on running plays (16) than Amos (11) in 2018, though those low totals were more the function of the Bears' front seven being so good and rarely letting a running back into the second level. Amos is generally considered more of an in-the-box strong safety as opposed to the rangy, ballhawking Jackson. The Bears, certainly, have considered plenty about Amos long prior to the week before he hits free agency. His market among free agent safeties may actually be the most fascinating to watch among the group - he doesn't have the star power of Collins, Thomas or Mathieu, but those around the game know his value. Even then, perhaps big deals for Collins and Thomas could be enough to depress the market for Amos a bit. Or perhaps there are so many teams in need of a safety that Amos' market will remain strong even if, say, Collins/Thomas/Mathieu/Joyner all get larger deals than his. Whatever the answer, Amos is not the Bears' only option in free agency. But Amos did hint in the aftermath of the Bears' brutal playoff loss that he feels there's some unfinished business in Chicago. "Being that close and feeling like you're such a great team knowing that this was a great opportunity," Amos said, "It weighs on your mind a little bit."
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The Bears will have a loaded safety free agent market next week. Adrian Amos will be one of those players testing free agency.
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ctrlsum
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https://sports.yahoo.com/bears-approach-loaded-safety-free-211820589.html?src=rss
| 0.14474 |
How will the Bears approach a loaded safety free agent market?
|
originally appeared on nbcsportschicago.com 2019's crop of free agent safeties has both top-end talent and plenty of depth, creating what could be a favorable market in which the Bears can operate next week. Scroll to continue with content Ad Adrian Amos will be one of those players testing free agency when players can enter negotiations with other clubs on Monday, and can officially sign contracts with teams other than their own beginning Wednesday afternoon. But he's hardly alone in a group that includes: - The New York Giants' Landon Collins, a 25-year-old former All-Pro who remains one of the better safeties in the NFL; - Earl Thomas, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks, a three-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion with 28 career interceptions and 11 forced fumbles; - Tyrann Mathieu, a 26-year-old 2015 All-Pro with the Arizona Cardinals who turned a one-year prove-it deal with the Houston Texans into what should be a multi-year contract; - LaMarcus Joyner, on whom the Los Angeles Rams used the franchise tag instead of wideout Sammy Watkins a year ago; - HaHa Clinton-Dix, whose play with the Green Bay Packers waned a bit before a midseason trade to Washington but is still only 26, has 14 career interceptions and hasn't missed a game in his five years in the NFL; - Eric Weddle, surprisingly released this week by the Baltimore Ravens, a 34-year-old with 12 years of experience but who has only missed three games since 2010 and made the Pro Bowl in all three years he was in Baltimore; - Kenny Vaccaro, a 2013 first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints (when Ryan Pace was part of that front office), who's recorded at least one sack every year of his career while totaling nine interceptions and 34 passes defended in 81 games; Story continues - Tre Boston, who took a cheap one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals last year and could provide solid play for a similarly-inexpensive price tag; - Clayton Geathers, who had a solid season to help the Indianapolis Colts reach the playoffs in 2018; - Glover Quin, a durable 10-year veteran recently released by the Detroit Lions; - And George Iloka, who only started three games for the Minnesota Vikings last year but isn't far removed from being a full-time starter for the Cincinnati Bengals. All 11 of those players, plus Amos, are among Pro Football Talk's top 100 free agents. Collins (No. 8), Thomas (No. 10), Mathieu (No. 12), Amos (No. 14) and Joyner (No. 17) are all in the top 20. This, likely, will create a buyer's market for teams - like the Bears - needing a safety. The Bears will enter free agency pleased with not only Amos' play in 2018, but his development since being a fifth-round pick in 2015. "I thought he played well," Pace said. "He played solid and the ball production increased as the season went on and I think he was comfortable in the defense. you know he's an example of a player that we drafted and developed and he's gotten better. He's a great teammate and a good Bear." The Bears, though, have a difficult balance to strike in free agency. Eddie Jackson will be due a significant payday a year from now, unless the Bears go the route of using the franchise tag on the 2018 All-Pro (even then, OverTheCap projects the franchise tag for a safety to be a little over $13 million in 2020; if it continues to increase by nearly $2 million per year, it could be around $15 million in 2021, when Jackson would be a free agent). The Bears could theoretically design Amos' deal to front-load it and give them an out for when Jackson's salary would escalate, but Amos may also be able to command more long-term security in the open market. And going that route would, of course, take up more cap space that the team may need to fill out its depth chart. If the Bears do move on from Amos, consider what Pace said when generally talking about safeties as a blueprint for a target. "Really our safeties in a lot of ways are interchangeable," Pace said. "Sometimes the days of just playing a deep free safety and then a box safety all the time, that's not always realistic. So you kind of have to have a balanced skill set for both players." It's worth noting that Jackson actually had more tackles on running plays (16) than Amos (11) in 2018, though those low totals were more the function of the Bears' front seven being so good and rarely letting a running back into the second level. Amos is generally considered more of an in-the-box strong safety as opposed to the rangy, ballhawking Jackson. The Bears, certainly, have considered plenty about Amos long prior to the week before he hits free agency. His market among free agent safeties may actually be the most fascinating to watch among the group - he doesn't have the star power of Collins, Thomas or Mathieu, but those around the game know his value. Even then, perhaps big deals for Collins and Thomas could be enough to depress the market for Amos a bit. Or perhaps there are so many teams in need of a safety that Amos' market will remain strong even if, say, Collins/Thomas/Mathieu/Joyner all get larger deals than his. Whatever the answer, Amos is not the Bears' only option in free agency. But Amos did hint in the aftermath of the Bears' brutal playoff loss that he feels there's some unfinished business in Chicago. "Being that close and feeling like you're such a great team knowing that this was a great opportunity," Amos said, "It weighs on your mind a little bit."
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The Bears will have a loaded safety free agent market next week. Adrian Amos will be one of those players testing free agency when players can enter negotiations with other clubs on Monday, and can officially sign contracts with teams other than their own beginning Wednesday.
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How will the Bears approach a loaded safety free agent market?
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originally appeared on nbcsportschicago.com 2019's crop of free agent safeties has both top-end talent and plenty of depth, creating what could be a favorable market in which the Bears can operate next week. Scroll to continue with content Ad Adrian Amos will be one of those players testing free agency when players can enter negotiations with other clubs on Monday, and can officially sign contracts with teams other than their own beginning Wednesday afternoon. But he's hardly alone in a group that includes: - The New York Giants' Landon Collins, a 25-year-old former All-Pro who remains one of the better safeties in the NFL; - Earl Thomas, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks, a three-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion with 28 career interceptions and 11 forced fumbles; - Tyrann Mathieu, a 26-year-old 2015 All-Pro with the Arizona Cardinals who turned a one-year prove-it deal with the Houston Texans into what should be a multi-year contract; - LaMarcus Joyner, on whom the Los Angeles Rams used the franchise tag instead of wideout Sammy Watkins a year ago; - HaHa Clinton-Dix, whose play with the Green Bay Packers waned a bit before a midseason trade to Washington but is still only 26, has 14 career interceptions and hasn't missed a game in his five years in the NFL; - Eric Weddle, surprisingly released this week by the Baltimore Ravens, a 34-year-old with 12 years of experience but who has only missed three games since 2010 and made the Pro Bowl in all three years he was in Baltimore; - Kenny Vaccaro, a 2013 first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints (when Ryan Pace was part of that front office), who's recorded at least one sack every year of his career while totaling nine interceptions and 34 passes defended in 81 games; Story continues - Tre Boston, who took a cheap one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals last year and could provide solid play for a similarly-inexpensive price tag; - Clayton Geathers, who had a solid season to help the Indianapolis Colts reach the playoffs in 2018; - Glover Quin, a durable 10-year veteran recently released by the Detroit Lions; - And George Iloka, who only started three games for the Minnesota Vikings last year but isn't far removed from being a full-time starter for the Cincinnati Bengals. All 11 of those players, plus Amos, are among Pro Football Talk's top 100 free agents. Collins (No. 8), Thomas (No. 10), Mathieu (No. 12), Amos (No. 14) and Joyner (No. 17) are all in the top 20. This, likely, will create a buyer's market for teams - like the Bears - needing a safety. The Bears will enter free agency pleased with not only Amos' play in 2018, but his development since being a fifth-round pick in 2015. "I thought he played well," Pace said. "He played solid and the ball production increased as the season went on and I think he was comfortable in the defense. you know he's an example of a player that we drafted and developed and he's gotten better. He's a great teammate and a good Bear." The Bears, though, have a difficult balance to strike in free agency. Eddie Jackson will be due a significant payday a year from now, unless the Bears go the route of using the franchise tag on the 2018 All-Pro (even then, OverTheCap projects the franchise tag for a safety to be a little over $13 million in 2020; if it continues to increase by nearly $2 million per year, it could be around $15 million in 2021, when Jackson would be a free agent). The Bears could theoretically design Amos' deal to front-load it and give them an out for when Jackson's salary would escalate, but Amos may also be able to command more long-term security in the open market. And going that route would, of course, take up more cap space that the team may need to fill out its depth chart. If the Bears do move on from Amos, consider what Pace said when generally talking about safeties as a blueprint for a target. "Really our safeties in a lot of ways are interchangeable," Pace said. "Sometimes the days of just playing a deep free safety and then a box safety all the time, that's not always realistic. So you kind of have to have a balanced skill set for both players." It's worth noting that Jackson actually had more tackles on running plays (16) than Amos (11) in 2018, though those low totals were more the function of the Bears' front seven being so good and rarely letting a running back into the second level. Amos is generally considered more of an in-the-box strong safety as opposed to the rangy, ballhawking Jackson. The Bears, certainly, have considered plenty about Amos long prior to the week before he hits free agency. His market among free agent safeties may actually be the most fascinating to watch among the group - he doesn't have the star power of Collins, Thomas or Mathieu, but those around the game know his value. Even then, perhaps big deals for Collins and Thomas could be enough to depress the market for Amos a bit. Or perhaps there are so many teams in need of a safety that Amos' market will remain strong even if, say, Collins/Thomas/Mathieu/Joyner all get larger deals than his. Whatever the answer, Amos is not the Bears' only option in free agency. But Amos did hint in the aftermath of the Bears' brutal playoff loss that he feels there's some unfinished business in Chicago. "Being that close and feeling like you're such a great team knowing that this was a great opportunity," Amos said, "It weighs on your mind a little bit."
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The Bears will have a loaded safety free agent market next week. Adrian Amos will be one of those players testing free agency when players can enter negotiations with other clubs on Monday, and can officially sign contracts with teams other than their own beginning Wednesday afternoon. The Bears have a difficult balance to strike in free agency.
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Where is the world's hardest-drinking city?
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Drinking is seen as a sign of masculinity in Kiev, says Daria Meshcheryakova. People dont understand how a grown man could be sober in the evenings or on holiday they would wonder what was wrong with them. Last year the Ukraine capitals city council voted to ban shops from selling alcohol between 11pm and 10am in an attempt to curb excessive all-night drinking. Mescheryakova, a local journalist, says generational changes may work to reduce consumption in any case. The biggest drinkers are middle-aged men, she says: Young people in Kiev, who grew up with the internet, they arent as interested in getting drunk. The former Soviet states in eastern Europe are among the worlds heaviest-drinking countries, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), which mapped the total alcohol consumption of people over the age of 15 in litres per capita across the globe. Elsewhere, countries such as South Korea, Vietnam and Portugal are curious outliers and drink more than the regions that immediately surround them. Australia, Canada and Europe all also have significant levels of drinking. But although identifying heavy-drinking countries is relatively straightforward from the available data, it is a little trickier to single out individual cities. Facebook Twitter Pinterest According to WHO data, Lithuania is the heaviest-drinking country in the EU, with its capital Vilnius an increasingly popular tourist hotspot. Photograph: Ray Tang/REX/Shutterstock Lithuania is cited as the heaviest-drinking country in the European Union based on WHO data. On average its population consumes a staggering 15 litres of pure alcohol per person per year the equivalent of 167 bottles of 12% wine. Its capital, Vilnius, is increasingly popular as a weekend tourist hotspot, and could potentially be a contender for the one of worlds hardest-drinking cities but locals arent so sure. Problem drinking is not as much of an issue in the capital, says journalist Ziville Raskauskaite. It is more [of an issue] in rural areas where people are unemployed and dont have as much to do in their free time. That opinion appears to be backed up by a study commission by the Lithuanian Business Confederation, which found that the countryside contained almost twice as many people with a drinking problem as in cities. Religious, cultural, social and economic factors all make a difference within countries. In the US, New York and LA have a higher rate of drinking than other areas, as you might expect, says Max Griswold, lead author of a recent study on global alcohol consumption since the 1980s. Areas such as Utah are much lower, because of the large Mormon population. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Men and women drink in an illegal tavern in Gugulethu, about 15km from the centre of Cape Town. Photograph: Rodger Bosch/AFP/Getty Images In Africa, a study from the University of Cape Town points to a widespread binge-drinking problem affecting one in seven adults in South Africa. The country is high up in the ranking for alcohol consumption in the continent possibly because it is home to some of its wealthiest cities. Youll find that drinking in Johannesburg or Cape Town isnt much different from in London or New York, says Munya Shumba, a Johannesburg resident who works in the financial sector. You get the same brands of whisky and beer, and the bars and pubs are full on a nice day after work. Alcohol consumption has also been a problem over the border in Namibia. In 2017 police in Windhoek, the capital, introduced breathalyser tests for pedestrians involved in motor accidents, as well as for drivers. A police spokesperson said most of the time, victims will be coming from bars and under the influence of alcohol, which makes it difficult for them to fully concentrate on the road. Ahead of the decision, a report found that between 1 January and 4 October 2016, 147 pedestrians were killed on Namibian roads and 832 were injured. In some cities, work culture has long revolved around drinking as a way of team bonding. In Seoul, home to half the population of South Korea, the preference is for shots of soju, a fermented rice spirit that is 20% alcohol. Research from Euromonitor has shown that South Koreans consume the equivalent of 13.7 shots of spirits per week twice as many as the stereotypically hard-drinking Russians, for example. Facebook Twitter Pinterest A Russian man drinks beer during a ski race requiring participants to drink the total of half a litre of vodka and five litres of beer over a 5km distance. Photograph: Maxim Marmur/AP Seoul-based companies and the government have been trying to restrain the post-work drinking culture. An outbreak of hepatitis means sharing glasses is now forbidden, and a number of big businesses have been trying to operate a 1-1-9 rule meaning post-work drinks should be kept to one round, in one location, and end by 9pm. Fashion can also change drinking habits. Vodka-loving Russia has recently seen a dip in its alcohol consumption, perhaps dovetailing with a growing craft beer scene in Moscow and St Petersburg. However, a BBC factcheck of a government ministers claim that alcohol consumption in the country had fallen dramatically found that sales of vodka are still robust. Indias booming scotch whisky market has helped drive a rise in Scottish exports of the spirit. While average alcohol consumption isnt high in India nationally, Griswold says a trend towards whisky-drinking and tasting sessions in cities such as Mumbai and Delhi is showing up in the statistics. A popular new trend in Mumbai and other large cities has been whisky tasting, especially among women aged 55 and older, says Griswold. No other country has this in their data where women start to drink more as they age but it is the case in India because of this trend. Women have become quite fond of whisky there, it seems. Facebook Twitter Pinterest A child sleeps at a shop selling whisky in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photograph: Kham/Reuters Ultimately, though, it is difficult to say definitively which is the hardest-drinking city in the world. Drinking in the Ukrainian capital tends to be highly visible and Mescheryakova describes often seeing groups of men buying cheap alcohol from shops which they then drink sitting on chairs on the pavement outside but elsewhere it can be completely private. It will always be hard to tell. While nightlife can be an important part of a citys draw (Berlin has made a concerted effort to protect its nightclubs, for example) heavy drinking can be both a symptom and a cause of social problems, affecting a citys health, resources and economy. How Britain's post-industrial cities got hooked on booze Read more The WHO analysis of alcohol and health found that globally 3 million people die every year from the harmful use of alcohol, most of them men. For the heavy-drinking men of Kiev this certainly seems to be borne out by the facts: Ukrainian male life expectancy is just 64 years. An analysis of the heaviest-drinking cities in the US also correlated with a high percentage of car accidents involving alcohol in each place, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found excessive drinking to be costly for the US economy, to the tune of $250bn. In the UK, a 2017 police report argued that 24-hour licensing had led to an increase in crime in city centres. A city governments response to their populations drinking habits means trying to keep the balance between letting people drink while protecting their safety, and it can be a difficult line to walk. Follow Guardian Cities on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to join the discussion, catch up on our best stories or sign up for our weekly newsletter
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According to WHO data, Lithuania is the heaviest-drinking country in the EU.
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Where is the world's hardest-drinking city?
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Drinking is seen as a sign of masculinity in Kiev, says Daria Meshcheryakova. People dont understand how a grown man could be sober in the evenings or on holiday they would wonder what was wrong with them. Last year the Ukraine capitals city council voted to ban shops from selling alcohol between 11pm and 10am in an attempt to curb excessive all-night drinking. Mescheryakova, a local journalist, says generational changes may work to reduce consumption in any case. The biggest drinkers are middle-aged men, she says: Young people in Kiev, who grew up with the internet, they arent as interested in getting drunk. The former Soviet states in eastern Europe are among the worlds heaviest-drinking countries, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), which mapped the total alcohol consumption of people over the age of 15 in litres per capita across the globe. Elsewhere, countries such as South Korea, Vietnam and Portugal are curious outliers and drink more than the regions that immediately surround them. Australia, Canada and Europe all also have significant levels of drinking. But although identifying heavy-drinking countries is relatively straightforward from the available data, it is a little trickier to single out individual cities. Facebook Twitter Pinterest According to WHO data, Lithuania is the heaviest-drinking country in the EU, with its capital Vilnius an increasingly popular tourist hotspot. Photograph: Ray Tang/REX/Shutterstock Lithuania is cited as the heaviest-drinking country in the European Union based on WHO data. On average its population consumes a staggering 15 litres of pure alcohol per person per year the equivalent of 167 bottles of 12% wine. Its capital, Vilnius, is increasingly popular as a weekend tourist hotspot, and could potentially be a contender for the one of worlds hardest-drinking cities but locals arent so sure. Problem drinking is not as much of an issue in the capital, says journalist Ziville Raskauskaite. It is more [of an issue] in rural areas where people are unemployed and dont have as much to do in their free time. That opinion appears to be backed up by a study commission by the Lithuanian Business Confederation, which found that the countryside contained almost twice as many people with a drinking problem as in cities. Religious, cultural, social and economic factors all make a difference within countries. In the US, New York and LA have a higher rate of drinking than other areas, as you might expect, says Max Griswold, lead author of a recent study on global alcohol consumption since the 1980s. Areas such as Utah are much lower, because of the large Mormon population. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Men and women drink in an illegal tavern in Gugulethu, about 15km from the centre of Cape Town. Photograph: Rodger Bosch/AFP/Getty Images In Africa, a study from the University of Cape Town points to a widespread binge-drinking problem affecting one in seven adults in South Africa. The country is high up in the ranking for alcohol consumption in the continent possibly because it is home to some of its wealthiest cities. Youll find that drinking in Johannesburg or Cape Town isnt much different from in London or New York, says Munya Shumba, a Johannesburg resident who works in the financial sector. You get the same brands of whisky and beer, and the bars and pubs are full on a nice day after work. Alcohol consumption has also been a problem over the border in Namibia. In 2017 police in Windhoek, the capital, introduced breathalyser tests for pedestrians involved in motor accidents, as well as for drivers. A police spokesperson said most of the time, victims will be coming from bars and under the influence of alcohol, which makes it difficult for them to fully concentrate on the road. Ahead of the decision, a report found that between 1 January and 4 October 2016, 147 pedestrians were killed on Namibian roads and 832 were injured. In some cities, work culture has long revolved around drinking as a way of team bonding. In Seoul, home to half the population of South Korea, the preference is for shots of soju, a fermented rice spirit that is 20% alcohol. Research from Euromonitor has shown that South Koreans consume the equivalent of 13.7 shots of spirits per week twice as many as the stereotypically hard-drinking Russians, for example. Facebook Twitter Pinterest A Russian man drinks beer during a ski race requiring participants to drink the total of half a litre of vodka and five litres of beer over a 5km distance. Photograph: Maxim Marmur/AP Seoul-based companies and the government have been trying to restrain the post-work drinking culture. An outbreak of hepatitis means sharing glasses is now forbidden, and a number of big businesses have been trying to operate a 1-1-9 rule meaning post-work drinks should be kept to one round, in one location, and end by 9pm. Fashion can also change drinking habits. Vodka-loving Russia has recently seen a dip in its alcohol consumption, perhaps dovetailing with a growing craft beer scene in Moscow and St Petersburg. However, a BBC factcheck of a government ministers claim that alcohol consumption in the country had fallen dramatically found that sales of vodka are still robust. Indias booming scotch whisky market has helped drive a rise in Scottish exports of the spirit. While average alcohol consumption isnt high in India nationally, Griswold says a trend towards whisky-drinking and tasting sessions in cities such as Mumbai and Delhi is showing up in the statistics. A popular new trend in Mumbai and other large cities has been whisky tasting, especially among women aged 55 and older, says Griswold. No other country has this in their data where women start to drink more as they age but it is the case in India because of this trend. Women have become quite fond of whisky there, it seems. Facebook Twitter Pinterest A child sleeps at a shop selling whisky in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photograph: Kham/Reuters Ultimately, though, it is difficult to say definitively which is the hardest-drinking city in the world. Drinking in the Ukrainian capital tends to be highly visible and Mescheryakova describes often seeing groups of men buying cheap alcohol from shops which they then drink sitting on chairs on the pavement outside but elsewhere it can be completely private. It will always be hard to tell. While nightlife can be an important part of a citys draw (Berlin has made a concerted effort to protect its nightclubs, for example) heavy drinking can be both a symptom and a cause of social problems, affecting a citys health, resources and economy. How Britain's post-industrial cities got hooked on booze Read more The WHO analysis of alcohol and health found that globally 3 million people die every year from the harmful use of alcohol, most of them men. For the heavy-drinking men of Kiev this certainly seems to be borne out by the facts: Ukrainian male life expectancy is just 64 years. An analysis of the heaviest-drinking cities in the US also correlated with a high percentage of car accidents involving alcohol in each place, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found excessive drinking to be costly for the US economy, to the tune of $250bn. In the UK, a 2017 police report argued that 24-hour licensing had led to an increase in crime in city centres. A city governments response to their populations drinking habits means trying to keep the balance between letting people drink while protecting their safety, and it can be a difficult line to walk. Follow Guardian Cities on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to join the discussion, catch up on our best stories or sign up for our weekly newsletter
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According to WHO data, Lithuania is the heaviest-drinking country in the EU. The former Soviet states in eastern Europe are among the worlds heaviest drinking countries.
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Where is the world's hardest-drinking city?
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Drinking is seen as a sign of masculinity in Kiev, says Daria Meshcheryakova. People dont understand how a grown man could be sober in the evenings or on holiday they would wonder what was wrong with them. Last year the Ukraine capitals city council voted to ban shops from selling alcohol between 11pm and 10am in an attempt to curb excessive all-night drinking. Mescheryakova, a local journalist, says generational changes may work to reduce consumption in any case. The biggest drinkers are middle-aged men, she says: Young people in Kiev, who grew up with the internet, they arent as interested in getting drunk. The former Soviet states in eastern Europe are among the worlds heaviest-drinking countries, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), which mapped the total alcohol consumption of people over the age of 15 in litres per capita across the globe. Elsewhere, countries such as South Korea, Vietnam and Portugal are curious outliers and drink more than the regions that immediately surround them. Australia, Canada and Europe all also have significant levels of drinking. But although identifying heavy-drinking countries is relatively straightforward from the available data, it is a little trickier to single out individual cities. Facebook Twitter Pinterest According to WHO data, Lithuania is the heaviest-drinking country in the EU, with its capital Vilnius an increasingly popular tourist hotspot. Photograph: Ray Tang/REX/Shutterstock Lithuania is cited as the heaviest-drinking country in the European Union based on WHO data. On average its population consumes a staggering 15 litres of pure alcohol per person per year the equivalent of 167 bottles of 12% wine. Its capital, Vilnius, is increasingly popular as a weekend tourist hotspot, and could potentially be a contender for the one of worlds hardest-drinking cities but locals arent so sure. Problem drinking is not as much of an issue in the capital, says journalist Ziville Raskauskaite. It is more [of an issue] in rural areas where people are unemployed and dont have as much to do in their free time. That opinion appears to be backed up by a study commission by the Lithuanian Business Confederation, which found that the countryside contained almost twice as many people with a drinking problem as in cities. Religious, cultural, social and economic factors all make a difference within countries. In the US, New York and LA have a higher rate of drinking than other areas, as you might expect, says Max Griswold, lead author of a recent study on global alcohol consumption since the 1980s. Areas such as Utah are much lower, because of the large Mormon population. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Men and women drink in an illegal tavern in Gugulethu, about 15km from the centre of Cape Town. Photograph: Rodger Bosch/AFP/Getty Images In Africa, a study from the University of Cape Town points to a widespread binge-drinking problem affecting one in seven adults in South Africa. The country is high up in the ranking for alcohol consumption in the continent possibly because it is home to some of its wealthiest cities. Youll find that drinking in Johannesburg or Cape Town isnt much different from in London or New York, says Munya Shumba, a Johannesburg resident who works in the financial sector. You get the same brands of whisky and beer, and the bars and pubs are full on a nice day after work. Alcohol consumption has also been a problem over the border in Namibia. In 2017 police in Windhoek, the capital, introduced breathalyser tests for pedestrians involved in motor accidents, as well as for drivers. A police spokesperson said most of the time, victims will be coming from bars and under the influence of alcohol, which makes it difficult for them to fully concentrate on the road. Ahead of the decision, a report found that between 1 January and 4 October 2016, 147 pedestrians were killed on Namibian roads and 832 were injured. In some cities, work culture has long revolved around drinking as a way of team bonding. In Seoul, home to half the population of South Korea, the preference is for shots of soju, a fermented rice spirit that is 20% alcohol. Research from Euromonitor has shown that South Koreans consume the equivalent of 13.7 shots of spirits per week twice as many as the stereotypically hard-drinking Russians, for example. Facebook Twitter Pinterest A Russian man drinks beer during a ski race requiring participants to drink the total of half a litre of vodka and five litres of beer over a 5km distance. Photograph: Maxim Marmur/AP Seoul-based companies and the government have been trying to restrain the post-work drinking culture. An outbreak of hepatitis means sharing glasses is now forbidden, and a number of big businesses have been trying to operate a 1-1-9 rule meaning post-work drinks should be kept to one round, in one location, and end by 9pm. Fashion can also change drinking habits. Vodka-loving Russia has recently seen a dip in its alcohol consumption, perhaps dovetailing with a growing craft beer scene in Moscow and St Petersburg. However, a BBC factcheck of a government ministers claim that alcohol consumption in the country had fallen dramatically found that sales of vodka are still robust. Indias booming scotch whisky market has helped drive a rise in Scottish exports of the spirit. While average alcohol consumption isnt high in India nationally, Griswold says a trend towards whisky-drinking and tasting sessions in cities such as Mumbai and Delhi is showing up in the statistics. A popular new trend in Mumbai and other large cities has been whisky tasting, especially among women aged 55 and older, says Griswold. No other country has this in their data where women start to drink more as they age but it is the case in India because of this trend. Women have become quite fond of whisky there, it seems. Facebook Twitter Pinterest A child sleeps at a shop selling whisky in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photograph: Kham/Reuters Ultimately, though, it is difficult to say definitively which is the hardest-drinking city in the world. Drinking in the Ukrainian capital tends to be highly visible and Mescheryakova describes often seeing groups of men buying cheap alcohol from shops which they then drink sitting on chairs on the pavement outside but elsewhere it can be completely private. It will always be hard to tell. While nightlife can be an important part of a citys draw (Berlin has made a concerted effort to protect its nightclubs, for example) heavy drinking can be both a symptom and a cause of social problems, affecting a citys health, resources and economy. How Britain's post-industrial cities got hooked on booze Read more The WHO analysis of alcohol and health found that globally 3 million people die every year from the harmful use of alcohol, most of them men. For the heavy-drinking men of Kiev this certainly seems to be borne out by the facts: Ukrainian male life expectancy is just 64 years. An analysis of the heaviest-drinking cities in the US also correlated with a high percentage of car accidents involving alcohol in each place, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found excessive drinking to be costly for the US economy, to the tune of $250bn. In the UK, a 2017 police report argued that 24-hour licensing had led to an increase in crime in city centres. A city governments response to their populations drinking habits means trying to keep the balance between letting people drink while protecting their safety, and it can be a difficult line to walk. Follow Guardian Cities on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to join the discussion, catch up on our best stories or sign up for our weekly newsletter
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According to WHO data, Lithuania is the heaviest-drinking country in the EU. The former Soviet states in eastern Europe are among the worlds heaviest-Drinking countries, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), which mapped total alcohol consumption of people over the age of 15 in litres per capita.
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Can Zuckerberg really make a privacy-friendly Facebook?
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) After building a social network that turned into a surveillance system, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he's shifting his company's focus to messaging services designed to serve as fortresses of privacy. Instead of just being the network that connects everyone, Facebook wants to encourage small numbers of individuals to carry on encrypted conversations that neither Facebook nor any other outsider can read. It also plans to let messages automatically disappear, a feature pioneered by its rival Snapchat that could limit the risks posed by a trail of social media posts that follow people throughout their lives. It's a major bet by Zuckerberg, who sees it as a way to push Facebook more firmly into a messaging market that's growing faster than its main social networking business. It might also help Facebook ward off government regulators, although the Facebook CEO made clear that he expects the company's messaging business to complement, not replace, its core businesses. But there are plenty of obstacles. Facebook has weathered more than two years of turbulence for repeated privacy lapses, spreading disinformation, allowing Russian agents to conduct targeted propaganda campaigns and a rising tide of hate speech and abuse. Zuckerberg submitted to two days of grilling on Capitol Hill last April. All that increases the challenge of convincing users that Facebook really means it about privacy this time. Encrypted conversations could alleviate some of those problems, but it could make others worse. Security is an "admirable goal," said Forrester Research analyst Fatemeh Khatibloo. "I'm just not sure it addresses the bigger issues Facebook is facing right now." Facebook grew into a colossus by vacuuming up peoples' information in every possible way and dissecting it to shoot targeted ads back at them. Anything that jeopardizes that machine could pose a major threat to the company's share price, which would also affect its ability to attract and retain talented engineers and other employees. In a Wednesday interview with The Associated Press, Zuckerberg predicted Facebook's emphasis on privacy will do more to help the company's business than hurt it. While most of the stock market slipped in Wednesday trading, Facebook's shares gained $1.25 to close at $172.51. The Facebook CEO has been telegraphing some of these changes to investors for the past six months, but his Wednesday blog post is the first time he has explained the idea to the more than two billion people that use Facebook's services and look at its ads. Those ads are expected to generate $67 billion in revenue this year, according to the research firm eMarketer. If everything falls into place, Facebook will also display similar advertising on the privacy-protected messaging services. Those services are also likely to offer other moneymaking features, such as a digital wallet, as Facebook attempts to build something similar to Tencent's popular WeChat service in Asia. "If you think about your life, you probably spend more time communicating privately than publicly," Zuckerberg said in his AP interview. "The overall opportunity here is a lot larger than what we have built in terms of Facebook and Instagram." That's far from proven. While Facebook has already tried to show ads in the Messenger app, it's seen only limited success, and hasn't even tested the concept in WhatsApp since it acquired that service for $22 billion in 2014. "There are some huge unknowns about how successful Facebook is going to be rolling advertising into a more private messaging environment," said eMarketer analyst Debra Aho Williamson. Some critics are convinced that Facebook has become so powerful even a threat to democracy as well as to people's privacy that it needs to be reined in by tougher regulations or even a corporate breakup. But unraveling Facebook could become more difficult if Zuckerberg can successfully stitch together the messaging services behind an encrypted wall. "I see that as the goal of this entire thing," said Blake Reid, a University of Colorado law professor who specializes in technology and policy. He said Facebook could tell antitrust authorities that WhatsApp, Instagram Direct and Facebook Messenger are tied so tightly together that it couldn't unwind them. Combining the three services also lets Facebook build more complete data profiles on all of its users. Already, businesses can already target Facebook and Instagram users with the same ads, and marketing campaigns are likely coming to WhatsApp eventually. Facebook's focus on messaging privacy raises other concerns. Messaging apps have in the past helped fake news and rumors spread fast, sometimes with deadly consequences. A report from University of Oxford researchers last year found evidence of widespread disinformation campaigns on chat applications like WhatsApp. In one particularly brutal example, the Indian government last year accused WhatsApp of fueling rumors that led to lynchings and mob violence that wounded dozens. Facebook responded by restricting the number of groups to which a message could be forwarded and labeling forwarded messages as such. On Wednesday, Zuckerberg said that Facebook needs to protect both privacy and safety as it encrypted messaging services, although he noted to an "inherent trade-off" between security and safety, simply because Facebook won't be able to read encrypted conversations. And in some cases, Facebook could allow some content to automatically disappear in a day or two, as if it were a fleeting mirage. "Some people want to store their messages forever and some people think having large collections of photos or messages is a liability as much as it is an asset," Zuckerberg told the AP. "Figuring out the balance is a really important one." ___ AP technology writers Anick Jesdanun, Tali Arbel and Mae Anderson contributed to this article from New York.
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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he's shifting his company's focus to messaging services designed to serve as fortresses of privacy. Instead of just being the network that connects everyone, Facebook wants to encourage small numbers of individuals to carry on encrypted conversations.
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https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/technology/article/Can-Zuckerberg-really-make-a-privacy-friendly-13669430.php
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