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Were Hedge Funds Right About Piling Into Peloton Interactive (PTON)?

At Insider Monkey, we pore over the filings of nearly 887 top investment firms every quarter, a process we have now completed for the latest reporting period. The data we've gathered as a result gives us access to a wealth of collective knowledge based on these firms' portfolio holdings as of December 31st. In this article, we will use that wealth of knowledge to determine whether or not Peloton Interactive, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTON) makes for a good investment right now. Hedge funds were in a bullish mood. The number of long hedge fund positions moved up by 5 recently. Peloton Interactive, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTON) was in 63 hedge funds' portfolios at the end of December. The all time high for this statistic was previously 58. This means the bullish number of hedge fund positions in this stock currently sits at its all time high. Our calculations also showed that PTON isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds (click for Q4 rankings). To most stock holders, hedge funds are viewed as unimportant, old financial tools of years past. While there are over 8000 funds in operation at the moment, We choose to focus on the masters of this club, approximately 850 funds. These money managers direct the lion's share of the smart money's total asset base, and by watching their highest performing investments, Insider Monkey has discovered numerous investment strategies that have historically exceeded Mr. Market. Insider Monkey's flagship short hedge fund strategy exceeded the S&P 500 short ETFs by around 20 percentage points per annum since its inception in March 2017. Also, our monthly newsletter's portfolio of long stock picks returned 197% since March 2017 (through March 2021) and beat the S&P 500 Index by 124 percentage points. You can download a sample issue of this newsletter on our website . COATUE MANAGEMENT Philippe Laffont of Coatue Management At Insider Monkey we leave no stone unturned when looking for the next great investment idea. For example, lithium mining is one of the fastest growing industries right now, so we are checking out stock pitches like this emerging lithium stock. We go through lists like the 10 best hydrogen fuel cell stocks to pick the next Tesla that will deliver a 10x return. Even though we recommend positions in only a tiny fraction of the companies we analyze, we check out as many stocks as we can. We read hedge fund investor letters and listen to stock pitches at hedge fund conferences. You can subscribe to our free daily newsletter on our homepage. Now we're going to take a gander at the recent hedge fund action regarding Peloton Interactive, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTON). At fourth quarter's end, a total of 63 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey were long this stock, a change of 9% from the previous quarter. Below, you can check out the change in hedge fund sentiment towards PTON over the last 22 quarters. So, let's find out which hedge funds were among the top holders of the stock and which hedge funds were making big moves. More specifically, Tiger Global Management LLC was the largest shareholder of Peloton Interactive, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTON), with a stake worth $1192.2 million reported as of the end of December. Trailing Tiger Global Management LLC was Coatue Management, which amassed a stake valued at $775.1 million. Whale Rock Capital Management, Renaissance Technologies, and D E Shaw were also very fond of the stock, becoming one of the largest hedge fund holders of the company. In terms of the portfolio weights assigned to each position Woodson Capital Management allocated the biggest weight to Peloton Interactive, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTON), around 14.57% of its 13F portfolio. Calixto Global Investors is also relatively very bullish on the stock, designating 9.86 percent of its 13F equity portfolio to PTON. As industrywide interest jumped, key hedge funds have jumped into Peloton Interactive, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTON) headfirst. Renaissance Technologies, initiated the largest position in Peloton Interactive, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTON). Renaissance Technologies had $465.2 million invested in the company at the end of the quarter. Cliff Asness's AQR Capital Management also initiated a $121.9 million position during the quarter. The other funds with new positions in the stock are Catherine D. Wood's ARK Investment Management, Amish Mehta's SQN Investors, and Jay Chen's Himension Capital. Let's also examine hedge fund activity in other stocks similar to Peloton Interactive, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTON). We will take a look at Vodafone Group Plc (NASDAQ:VOD), Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR), Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp (NASDAQ:CTSH), Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST), Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR), TAL Education Group (NYSE:TAL), and Marriott International Inc (NYSE:MAR). All of these stocks' market caps are similar to PTON's market cap. [table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position VOD,17,745457,-5 PLTR,38,1902514,7 CTSH,46,3517450,1 ROST,57,1308907,11 TWTR,78,2777387,3 TAL,29,1970456,-12 MAR,58,3421401,2 Average,46.1,2234796,1 [/table] View table here if you experience formatting issues. As you can see these stocks had an average of 46.1 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $2235 million. That figure was $5666 million in PTON's case. Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand Vodafone Group Plc (NASDAQ:VOD) is the least popular one with only 17 bullish hedge fund positions. Peloton Interactive, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTON) is not the most popular stock in this group but hedge fund interest is still above average. Our overall hedge fund sentiment score for PTON is 77.7. Stocks with higher number of hedge fund positions relative to other stocks as well as relative to their historical range receive a higher sentiment score. This is a slightly positive signal but we'd rather spend our time researching stocks that hedge funds are piling on. Our calculations showed that top 10 most popular stocks among hedge funds returned 90.7% in 2019 and 2020, and outperformed the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) by 35 percentage points. These stocks gained 13.6% in 2021 through April 30th and beat the market again by 1.6 percentage points. Unfortunately PTON wasn't nearly as popular as these 10 stocks and hedge funds that were betting on PTON were disappointed as the stock returned -35.2% since the end of December (through 4/30) and underperformed the market. If you are interested in investing in large cap stocks with huge upside potential, you should check out the top 10 most popular stocks among hedge funds as many of these stocks already outperformed the market since 2019. Get real-time email alerts: Follow Peloton Interactive Inc. (NASDAQ:PTON) Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey. Related Content

https://news.yahoo.com/were-hedge-funds-piling-peloton-213027900.html

Were Hedge Funds Right About Piling Into Zoetis Inc (ZTS)?

We know that hedge funds generate strong, risk-adjusted returns over the long run, therefore imitating the picks that they are collectively bullish on can be a profitable strategy for retail investors. With billions of dollars in assets, smart money investors have to conduct complex analyses, spend many resources and use tools that are not always available for the general crowd. This doesn't mean that they don't have occasional colossal losses; they do (like Melvin Capital's recent GameStop losses). However, it is still a good idea to keep an eye on hedge fund activity. With this in mind, as the current round of 13F filings has just ended, lets examine the smart money sentiment towards Zoetis Inc (NYSE:ZTS). Zoetis Inc (NYSE:ZTS) has seen an increase in support from the world's most elite money managers recently. Zoetis Inc (NYSE:ZTS) was in 61 hedge funds' portfolios at the end of the fourth quarter of 2020. The all time high for this statistic was previously 60. This means the bullish number of hedge fund positions in this stock currently sits at its all time high. Our calculations also showed that ZTS isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds (click for Q4 rankings). Hedge funds' reputation as shrewd investors has been tarnished in the last decade as their hedged returns couldn't keep up with the unhedged returns of the market indices. Our research has shown that hedge funds' small-cap stock picks managed to beat the market by double digits annually between 1999 and 2016, but the margin of outperformance has been declining in recent years. Nevertheless, we were still able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that outperformed the S&P 500 ETFs by 124 percentage points since March 2017 (see the details here). We were also able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that underperformed the market by 10 percentage points annually between 2006 and 2017. Interestingly the margin of underperformance of these stocks has been increasing in recent years. Investors who are long the market and short these stocks would have returned more than 27% annually between 2015 and 2017. We have been tracking and sharing the list of these stocks since February 2017 in our quarterly newsletter. Story continues William Von Mueffling - Cantillon Capital Management William Von Mueffling of Cantillon Capital Management At Insider Monkey we leave no stone unturned when looking for the next great investment idea. For example, lithium mining is one of the fastest growing industries right now, so we are checking out stock pitches like this emerging lithium stock. We go through lists like the 10 best hydrogen fuel cell stocks to pick the next Tesla that will deliver a 10x return. Even though we recommend positions in only a tiny fraction of the companies we analyze, we check out as many stocks as we can. We read hedge fund investor letters and listen to stock pitches at hedge fund conferences. You can subscribe to our free daily newsletter on our homepage. Now let's review the latest hedge fund action encompassing Zoetis Inc (NYSE:ZTS). At the end of December, a total of 61 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held long positions in this stock, a change of 5% from the previous quarter. Below, you can check out the change in hedge fund sentiment towards ZTS over the last 22 quarters. With hedgies' sentiment swirling, there exists a select group of notable hedge fund managers who were increasing their stakes significantly (or already accumulated large positions). Among these funds, Cantillon Capital Management held the most valuable stake in Zoetis Inc (NYSE:ZTS), which was worth $481.7 million at the end of the fourth quarter. On the second spot was Marshall Wace LLP which amassed $474.1 million worth of shares. Ako Capital, D E Shaw, and Intermede Investment Partners were also very fond of the stock, becoming one of the largest hedge fund holders of the company. In terms of the portfolio weights assigned to each position Intermede Investment Partners allocated the biggest weight to Zoetis Inc (NYSE:ZTS), around 5.15% of its 13F portfolio. Bristol Gate Capital Partners is also relatively very bullish on the stock, earmarking 4.22 percent of its 13F equity portfolio to ZTS. There weren't any hedge funds initiating brand new positions in the stock during the fourth quarter. Let's check out hedge fund activity in other stocks - not necessarily in the same industry as Zoetis Inc (NYSE:ZTS) but similarly valued. These stocks are Canadian National Railway Company (NYSE:CNI), Altria Group Inc (NYSE:MO), Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ:FISV), NIO Inc. (NYSE:NIO), Automatic Data Processing (NASDAQ:ADP), Cigna Corporation (NYSE:CI), and Snap Inc. (NYSE:SNAP). This group of stocks' market caps match ZTS's market cap. [table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position CNI,31,2188963,5 MO,37,1082661,-10 FISV,94,5178126,4 NIO,34,2634013,-1 ADP,48,3064769,6 CI,57,2578300,-5 SNAP,63,4610841,12 Average,52,3048239,1.6 [/table] View table here if you experience formatting issues. As you can see these stocks had an average of 52 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $3048 million. That figure was $2390 million in ZTS's case. Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ:FISV) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand Canadian National Railway Company (NYSE:CNI) is the least popular one with only 31 bullish hedge fund positions. Zoetis Inc (NYSE:ZTS) is not the most popular stock in this group but hedge fund interest is still above average. Our overall hedge fund sentiment score for ZTS is 61.8. Stocks with higher number of hedge fund positions relative to other stocks as well as relative to their historical range receive a higher sentiment score. This is a slightly positive signal but we'd rather spend our time researching stocks that hedge funds are piling on. Our calculations showed that top 10 most popular stocks among hedge funds returned 90.7% in 2019 and 2020, and outperformed the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) by 35 percentage points. These stocks gained 13.6% in 2021 through April 30th and beat the market again by 1.6 percentage points. Unfortunately ZTS wasn't nearly as popular as these 10 stocks and hedge funds that were betting on ZTS were disappointed as the stock returned 4.9% since the end of December (through 4/30) and underperformed the market. If you are interested in investing in large cap stocks with huge upside potential, you should check out the top 10 most popular stocks among hedge funds as many of these stocks already outperformed the market since 2019. Get real-time email alerts: Follow Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey. Related Content

https://news.yahoo.com/were-hedge-funds-piling-zoetis-212950369.html

Were The Smart Money Right About Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM)?

The financial regulations require hedge funds and wealthy investors that exceeded the $100 million holdings threshold to file a report that shows their positions at the end of every quarter. Even though it isn't the intention, these filings to a certain extent level the playing field for ordinary investors. The latest round of 13F filings disclosed the funds' positions on December 31st. We at Insider Monkey have made an extensive database of more than 887 of those established hedge funds and famous value investors' filings. In this article, we analyze how these elite funds and prominent investors traded Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) based on those filings. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) shareholders have witnessed an increase in support from the world's most elite money managers recently. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) was in 63 hedge funds' portfolios at the end of the fourth quarter of 2020. The all time high for this statistic is 68. Our calculations also showed that XOM isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds (click for Q4 rankings). In the financial world there are a large number of tools investors have at their disposal to grade stocks. A pair of the most under-the-radar tools are hedge fund and insider trading indicators. We have shown that, historically, those who follow the top picks of the best fund managers can outperform the broader indices by a solid amount. Insider Monkey's monthly stock picks returned 197% since March 2017 and outperformed the S&P 500 ETFs by more than 124 percentage points (see the details here). That's why we believe hedge fund sentiment is a useful indicator that investors should pay attention to. Ken Fisher FISHER ASSET MANAGEMENT Ken Fisher of Fisher Asset Management At Insider Monkey we leave no stone unturned when looking for the next great investment idea. For example, lithium mining is one of the fastest growing industries right now, so we are checking out stock pitches like this emerging lithium stock. We go through lists like the 10 best hydrogen fuel cell stocks to pick the next Tesla that will deliver a 10x return. Even though we recommend positions in only a tiny fraction of the companies we analyze, we check out as many stocks as we can. We read hedge fund investor letters and listen to stock pitches at hedge fund conferences. You can subscribe to our free daily newsletter on our homepage. Now let's check out the fresh hedge fund action encompassing Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM). Heading into the first quarter of 2021, a total of 63 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held long positions in this stock, a change of 21% from the previous quarter. The graph below displays the number of hedge funds with bullish position in XOM over the last 22 quarters. With the smart money's positions undergoing their usual ebb and flow, there exists an "upper tier" of notable hedge fund managers who were adding to their stakes considerably (or already accumulated large positions). More specifically, Adage Capital Management was the largest shareholder of Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), with a stake worth $529 million reported as of the end of December. Trailing Adage Capital Management was Fisher Asset Management, which amassed a stake valued at $320.6 million. Citadel Investment Group, D E Shaw, and Millennium Management were also very fond of the stock, becoming one of the largest hedge fund holders of the company. In terms of the portfolio weights assigned to each position Engine No. 1 LLC allocated the biggest weight to Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), around 16.31% of its 13F portfolio. SIR Capital Management is also relatively very bullish on the stock, designating 3.83 percent of its 13F equity portfolio to XOM. There weren't any hedge funds initiating brand new positions in the stock during the fourth quarter. Let's now take a look at hedge fund activity in other stocks - not necessarily in the same industry as Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) but similarly valued. We will take a look at Accenture Plc (NYSE:ACN), QUALCOMM, Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM), T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE:TMUS), Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST), BHP Group (NYSE:BHP), Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO), and Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX). This group of stocks' market caps are similar to XOM's market cap. [table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position ACN,50,2133706,4 QCOM,85,2727547,-2 TMUS,103,9117019,9 COST,61,3613961,-12 BHP,20,1099946,2 NVO,23,3161939,1 CVX,50,5390278,7 Average,56,3892057,1.3 [/table] View table here if you experience formatting issues. As you can see these stocks had an average of 56 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $3892 million. That figure was $2209 million in XOM's case. T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE:TMUS) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand BHP Group (NYSE:BHP) is the least popular one with only 20 bullish hedge fund positions. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) is not the most popular stock in this group but hedge fund interest is still above average. Our overall hedge fund sentiment score for XOM is 63.7. Stocks with higher number of hedge fund positions relative to other stocks as well as relative to their historical range receive a higher sentiment score. Our calculations showed that top 10 most popular stocks among hedge funds returned 90.7% in 2019 and 2020, and outperformed the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) by 35 percentage points. These stocks gained 13.6% in 2021 through April 30th and still beat the market by 1.6 percentage points. Hedge funds were also right about betting on XOM as the stock returned 41.2% since the end of Q4 (through 4/30) and outperformed the market. Hedge funds were rewarded for their relative bullishness. Get real-time email alerts: Follow Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM) Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey. Related Content

https://news.yahoo.com/were-smart-money-exxon-mobil-213000318.html

Which Power Five Conference Dominated the 2021 NFL Draft?

The 2021 NFL Draft has officially come to an end, and we are taking a closer look at how each conference in the Power Five preformed. Starting out with overall draft pick leaders, the SEC conference swept the 2021 NFL Draft with 65 total draft picks. Following the Southeastern Conference is the Big Ten with [44] overall, the ACC [42], the Pac-12 [28], and the Big 12 [22]. The Alabama Crimson Tide and Ohio State Buckeyes produced the most NFL Draft talent this year, both teams finishing with 10 players drafted overall. Alabama now leads the charts for producing the most first round draft picks since 2000. The Crimson Tide have now sent 41 players into the league in the first round. Following Nick Saban's stellar efforts are the Ohio State Buckeyes [35], Miami Hurricanes [32], Florida Gators [25], LSU Tigers [25], Florida State Seminoles [24] and USC Trojans [24]. Let's take a look at the Pac-12 conference solely. In the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft the Pac-12 conference had three selections total. Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell was the first player to come off the board at No. 7 overall to the Detroit Lions. USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker followed at No. 14 to the New York Jets. And Washington linebacker Joe Tryon ended the first round with the No. 32 overall selection by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Those stats are quite low when considering that the SEC conference had 12 players taken in the first round on Thursday night. It's safe to say the SEC 'won' the 2021 NFL Draft, as they produced the most talent out of any Power Five conference this year. ------- More NFL Draft News: [Jets Avoid Promising Playing-Time for New First Round Picks] [Steve Sarkisian Loses Another Player to USC] ------ Be sure to stay locked into AllTrojans all the time! Follow Claudette Montana Pattison on Twitter: @claudette_mp Follow AllTrojans on Twitter: @SI_AllTrojans Like and follow AllTrojans on Facebook For more USC news visit www.alltrojans.com

https://www.si.com/college/usc/football/which-power-five-school-dominated-the-2021-nfl-draft

What Doomed a Sprawling City Near St. Louis 1,000 Years Ago?

A thousand years ago, a city rose on the banks of the Mississippi River, near what eventually became St. Louis. Over miles of rich farms, public plazas and earthen mounds, the city known today as Cahokia was a thriving hub of immigrants, lavish feasting and religious ceremony. At its peak in the 1100s, Cahokia housed 20,000 people, greater than contemporaneous Paris. By 1350, Cahokia had largely been abandoned, and why people left the city is one of the greatest mysteries of North American archaeology. Now, some scientists are arguing that one popular explanation Cahokia had committed ecocide by destroying its environment, and thus destroyed itself can be rejected out of hand. Recent excavations at Cahokia led by Caitlin Rankin, an archaeologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, show that there is no evidence at the site of human-caused erosion or flooding in the city. Her teams research, published in the May/June issue of Geoarchaeology suggests that stories of great civilizations seemingly laid low by ecological hubris may say more about our current anxieties and assumptions than the archaeological record. In the 1990s, interpretations of archaeological research led to the proposal that the Cahokians at the height of their citys population had cut down many trees in the area. This practice, they said, led to widespread deforestation, erosion and increasingly severe and unpredictable local flooding. Rankin and her colleagues set out to discover more about how Cahokias environment changed over the course of its development, which they hoped would test whether that hypothesis was true. Excavating in Cahokias North Plaza a neighborhood in the citys central precinct they dug at the edge of two separate mounds and along the local creek, using preserved soil layers to reconstruct the landscape of 1,000 years ago. This area had the lowest elevation, and they presumed it would have endured the worst of any flooding. Advertising Those soil layers showed that while flooding had occurred early in the citys development, after the construction of the mounds, the surrounding flood plain was largely spared from major flooding until the industrial era. We do see some negative consequences of land clearance early on, Rankin said, but people deal with it somehow and keep investing their time and energy into the space. Rather than ruining the landscape, she added, Cahokians seem to have reengineered it into something more stable. That finding is in keeping with our knowledge of Cahokian agriculture, said Jane Mt. Pleasant, professor emeritus of agricultural science at Cornell University, who was not involved in the study. While Cahokians cleared some land in the uplands, Mt. Pleasant said, the amount of land used remained stable. While heavy plow techniques quickly exhausted soil and led to the clearing of forests for new farmland, hand tool-wielding Cahokians managed their rich landscape carefully. Mt. Pleasant, who is of Tuscarora ancestry, said that for most academics, there was an assumption that Indigenous peoples did everything wrong. But she said, Theres just no indication that Cahokian farmers caused any sort of environmental trauma. If anything, said John E. Kelly, an archaeologist at Washington University in St. Louis, the explanation of a Cahokia battered by denuded bluffs and flooding actually reflects how later European settlers used the areas land. In the 1860s, bluffs upstream from Cahokia were cleared for coal mining, causing enough localized flooding to bury some of the settlements sites. European deforestation created a deep overlying layer of eroded sediment, distinct from the soils of the precontact flood plain. Advertising What Caitlin has done in a very straightforward fashion is look at the evidence, and theres very little evidence to support the Western view of what native people are doing, Kelly said. Environmental factors, like drought from the Little Ice Age (1303-1860), may have played a role in the citys slow abandonment. But changes in the inhabitants politics and culture shouldnt be overlooked, Mt. Pleasant said. By the 1300s, many of the great mounds of Central Cahokia stood abandoned, and life in the city had seemingly shifted to something more decentralized. Nor did the peoples of Cahokia vanish; some eventually became the Osage Nation. Outside of natural disasters like the volcanic eruption that destroyed Pompeii, Rankin notes, the abandonment of a city tends not to happen all at once. Its more like a natural progression as people slowly ebb out of an urban environment that stops meeting their needs. It doesnt mean that something terrible happened there, Rankin said. It could be that people found other opportunities elsewhere, or decided that some other way of life was better. The view of Cahokia as a place riven by self-inflicted natural disasters speaks more to Western ideas about humanitys relationship with nature, Rankin said, one that typically casts humans as a separate blight on the landscape and a source of endless, rapacious exploitation of resources. But while that narrative resonates in a time of major deforestation, pollution and climate change, she said it was a mistake to assume that such practices were universal. Were not really thinking about how we can learn from people who had conservation strategies built into their culture and land use practices, Rankin said. We shouldnt project our own problems onto the past. Just because this is how we are, doesnt mean this is how everyone was or is.

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/what-doomed-a-sprawling-city-near-st-louis-1000-years-ago/

Which needs did 49ers miss in 2021 draft?

The 49ers went into this years draft with a pretty defined list of glaring needs. While they addressed some of those with their eight selections, they left out a few. They needed a quarterback and got one with the third overall pick. Interior offensive line help was on their list and they addressed that twice with a pair of players who figure to slot in as guards. Cornerback mightve been their most pressing need and they snagged two, they also scooped two running backs in the same draft for the first time since 1991. Safety was a peripheral need they located late in Round 5. Here are the positions they did not address in the draft: Wide receiver Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports San Francisco could use another player to compete for the third wide receiver spot behind Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. Undrafted receiver Austin Watkins Jr. is expected to sign with the 49ers, but using a pick on one would've made a lot of sense. That'll be a position battle to watch closely in camp given how unproven that group is. Defensive end (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) This year's defensive end class wasn't deep, so there just may have never been a spot where the 49ers were high enough on a player to draft him. With the signing of Samson Ebukam, Arden Key and Jordan Willis, perhaps the 49ers feel they have enough depth. This may also signal optimism about Dee Ford's outlook for the season. Don't be surprised if another free agent signing at defensive end comes down by the time camp starts. Center (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) Alex Mack's arrival in free agency made this less of an immediate need, but it's still a little bit of a surprise that they didn't add depth at this spot and a possible long-term solution. Perhaps the club feels Mack will give them a couple years and they can kick the can down the road. They may also try and develop Daniel Brunskill there while Aaron Banks takes over at right guard. Tight end Story continues (AP Photo/Butch Dill) The 49ers' pursuit of Austin Hooper last offseason and the signing of Jordan Reed made it seem like they were prioritizing a pass-catching tight end to pair with George Kittle. There were a couple strong prospects to fit that role, but they overlooked the position entirely in their eight picks. Perhaps they're no longer looking for that with a more run-focused offense coming with Trey Lance under center, but it stands to reason they could improve that group either way. 1 1

https://sports.yahoo.com/needs-did-49ers-miss-2021-024303831.html?src=rss

Do I Have to Get the COVID Vaccine in My Arm?

By now most people are familiar with how the COVID-19 vaccine is typically administered: a quick jab to the upper arm. But there is a lesser known place on the body where the vaccine has also been approved for injection: the thigh. While getting the vaccine in the thigh is rare, there are some groups of people who may want to consider it. If you fall into one of the categories below and think you would be better off getting the COVID-19 vaccine in your thigh instead of your arm, its best to discuss it first with your doctor. People with a history or risk of lymphedema in both arms. Lymphedema is a chronic and painful condition that causes swelling in parts of the body. It can develop in breast cancer patients, for example, who require surgery to remove lymph nodes from under the arm. Removal of the lymph nodes disrupts the flow of lymph, the extra fluid from tissues that would normally drain through the lymphatic system into the bloodstream, causing the fluid to back up and the breast, torso or arm to swell on the affected side. In both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech clinical vaccine trials, some participants experienced swollen lymph nodes at the armpit or the neck region two to four days following vaccination, on the same side where the shot was administered in the arm. This is a normal short-term side effect that means the body is responding to the vaccine. In the case of Moderna, the median duration of swelling was one to two days, and it lasted an average of 10 days in those receiving Pfizer-BioNTech. Advertising For patients with lymphedema or at risk for lymphedema, however, this side effect could be concerning. If someone has lymphedema in both arms or if a patient is at risk of lymphedema in both arms, then some medical institutions are recommending that their patients get the COVID-19 vaccine in the thigh as a precautionary measure. The concern is that the vaccine could either make the arms swell even more or, for those who are at risk of lymphedema, create worrisome symptoms where there were none. The immune response might also be less efficient if the shot is administered in an arm without lymph nodes or one that has impaired lymphatic drainage. The lymph vessels are responsible for draining fluid out of all of our tissues, so if your lymphatic drainage isnt good, your tissues swell from fluid and that would also mean you wouldnt carry a vaccine very efficiently from tissue to lymph node, said Marc Jenkins, director of the Center for Immunology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Patients who had lymph nodes removed from one arm may get the vaccine in the unaffected arm rather than the thigh, said Cheryl Brunelle, the associate director of the Lymphedema Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. People who have (or had) breast cancer. Swollen lymph nodes in the armpit can be a sign of breast cancer. If someone with a history of breast cancer didnt know that the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines can produce swollen lymph nodes, it could be very scary for her, thinking it may be a recurrence, Brunelle said. To alleviate potential concerns, people with a history of breast cancer can opt to get the vaccine in the thigh if they wish. Advertising People who need a mammogram within six weeks of their COVID-19 vaccine. Coronavirus vaccinations can cause enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit or near the collarbone that will show up as white blobs on mammograms and potentially be mistaken as a sign of cancer. The Society of Breast Imaging recommends trying to schedule your routine screening mammogram before your first COVID-19 vaccine dose or at least one month after your second vaccine dose. But an alternative plan would be to get the vaccine in your thigh instead. Injection in thigh would be extremely unlikely to lead to armpit nodes swelling, Dr. Constance D. Lehman, the chief of breast imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital, told The New York Times. If you prefer to get the vaccine in your arm and have already scheduled your mammogram, you can keep that appointment as well as your vaccine appointment and call your breast imaging center ahead of time to let them know about the timing of your vaccine. If you received the COVID vaccine in the arm in the last six weeks, your radiologist will expect to see lymph node swelling on the same side that you received the vaccine. This would be a normal finding unless the swelling continued for more than six weeks or there were other clinical concerns; in that case they would take more images as needed, Brunelle said. This could take a little persistence. COVID-19 vaccine sites primarily give people arm vaccinations: Its quick, efficient and theres no need to find a private room to disrobe. Because the vast majority of people will receive arm injections, some vaccination sites may not have staff who are trained to inject in the thigh. Advertising I just advise patients to call ahead, let the vaccine clinic know or the pharmacy know that theyre asking for the vaccine in the thigh, Brunelle said. I also counsel patients that if a local facility or practitioner giving the vaccine is not familiar with the thigh as an approved alternate site, the patient can share the CDC Standing Orders document that lists the thigh as an alternative site for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. In New York City, people visiting health department vaccination sites can speak with staff if they have concerns about getting the vaccine in the arm, said Michael Lanza, a health department spokesman. Experts say not to worry if you already got vaccinated on the side where you had breast cancer or if you were vaccinated in the arm that had fewer lymph nodes; what is important is that you received the vaccine. We dont want to scare women who already got vaccinated, said Dr. Alphonse Taghian, director of the Lymphedema Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. It is possible there will be no problem at all. To learn more, Taghian and Brunelle will be surveying current and former breast cancer patients about the side effects of the vaccine to better understand how many patients report swollen lymph nodes, as well as when and how long the symptom occurs. They hope to have results before the end of the year. Sponsored Taghian encourages patients with a history of cancer to contact their oncology team with questions or concerns, and to tell their doctor if they develop new signs of swelling. The COVID-19 vaccines are designed to be injected into muscle, and the muscles of the upper arm are convenient for shots and thought to be less painful than some other areas of the body. But a vaccine can be injected into other muscles, provided they are near some of the hundreds of lymph nodes that exist in the body. The upper thigh, for example, is located near multiple lymph nodes and has already been shown to generate an effective immune response after vaccination. Lymph nodes are absolutely critical for generating immune responses, said Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, a professor of immunobiology at Yale University. When a vaccine enters the arm or thigh muscle, it gets carried into a nearby lymph node, she added. There, the vaccine is taken up by special cells that teach the white blood cells, known as T cells and B cells, to either become killer cells, which seek out and destroy coronavirus-infected cells, or antibody-secreting cells. Decades ago, other vaccines were often injected into the buttocks. But scientists now understand that the layers of fat cells in our bottoms are too numerous to allow easy access to the muscles and lymph, making the immune response inefficient. In addition, vaccination in the buttocks is generally not done to avoid injury to the sciatic nerve.

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/do-i-have-to-get-the-covid-vaccine-in-my-arm/

Why wont Samsung sell us a new drawer for our fridge-freezer?

In August 2016 we purchased a Samsung fridge-freezer and it is still within its five-year warranty. We damaged the top drawer in the fridge and wanted to order a replacement. Although four of the other drawers are available on the Samsung spares website, the company has told us that the one we need is no longer available. TL, by email I would try the various companies providing spares a Google search brings up the names, of which eSpares is probably best known. People regularly sell parts on eBay from appliances that might have failed or been damaged but have elements that are perfectly good. There are currently 10 pages of Samsung fridge-freezer drawers and I would be amazed if there isnt one that will fit your product. Take into account that lots of parts will fit more than one model. The site has become a great source for people opting to repair items rather than throwing them out. It is also a great place to find boiler parts that manufacturers say they no longer stock. The hotel has confirmed several times to me that this refund was made to Booking.com, plus I have confirmation from the hotel parent company, Accor, that the refund was made. Despite this, the booking site wont refund me I have contacted it 20 times since February but nothing happens. JH, by email My gentle nudge of Booking.com did the trick and your refund has been paid. No explanation, except to say the matter was already in train although youd been told that several times, without anything happening. We welcome letters but cannot answer individually. Email us at consumer.champions@theguardian.com. Please include a daytime phone number. Submission and publication of all letters is subject to our terms and conditions

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2021/may/04/why-wont-samsung-sell-us-a-new-drawer-for-our-fridge-freezer

What will Bill and Melinda Gates divorce mean for their foundation?

Bill and Melinda Gates announced Monday that they are divorcing immediately raising questions about how their split after 27 years of marriage could affect their status as two of the worlds greatest philanthropists. The Microsoft Corp. co-founder and his wife, who operate the worlds largest private family charitable foundation, said they would continue their work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which said in a statement that the couple would remain as co-chairs and trustees. No changes to their roles or the organization are planned. They will continue to work together to shape and approve foundation strategies, advocate for the foundations issues, and set the organizations overall direction, the statement said. Still, David Callahan, editor of Inside Philanthropy, a digital publication, said there are a lot of unanswered questions here. Advertisement The couple, along with Warren Buffett, are the creators of the Giving Pledge, which requires signatories to commit to giving the majority of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes, either during their lifetimes or in their wills. The couples sprawling Seattle foundation is easily the most influential private foundation in the world, with an endowment worth nearly $50 billion. It has focused on global health and development and U.S. education issues since incorporating in 2000. However, there is a possibility that after a divorce settlement, Melinda Gates may want to create her own foundation too and give to different causes. Theres no particular reason to think that anything will change with the foundation and its work. It has a large endowment. It has a professional staff of 1,600 people. It has a set of really well-developed programs, Callahan said. And if so, what does she do in terms of forging her own path as an independent philanthropist? The possibility that Melinda Gates may want to strike out on her own will be closely watched after MacKenzie Scott, following her divorce from Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, startled the philanthropic world by donating more than $4 billion in the span of four months last year. Bezos kept three-quarters of the couples Amazon shares in the divorce, while Scott received some $36 billion in shares, making her one of the worlds richest people. She wrote in a post on Medium that she felt compelled to speed up her giving because this pandemic has been a wrecking ball in the lives of Americans already struggling. Once the worlds wealthiest person, Bill Gates is now worth an estimated $131 billion by Forbes. Thats less than Bezos, who has a net worth of about $197 billion, but still enough to rank him the worlds fourth wealthiest person. Advertisement Callahan said that Bill and Melinda Gates still have vast amounts to give and there are indications that Melinda may want to focus more on womens empowerment, which has been one focus of the couples foundation over the last five years. The Gates Foundation released an annual letter every year that was written by Bill Gates. And then a few years ago, they started writing that letter together. And so that was sort of widely seen as a sign of her kind of stepping up and wanting to play a more joint role in shaping the foundations priorities, he said. What we dont know is how much she would like to do. The couple married in 1994 in Hawaii. They met after she began working at Microsoft as a product manager in 1987. In her 2019 memoir, The Moment of Lift, Melinda Gates wrote about her childhood, life and private struggles as the wife of a public icon and as a stay-at-home mom with three kids. She won Gates heart after meeting at a work dinner, sharing a mutual love of puzzles and beating him at a math game. Advertisement As the public face of the foundations COVID-19 grants and advocacy work, Bill Gates has come under fire for being a staunch supporter of intellectual property rights for vaccine makers. While the tech icon says protecting the shots recipes will ensure incentives for research and development, critics say that mentality hampers supply in favor of drug company profits. Last year, Gates said he was stepping down from Microsofts board to focus on philanthropy. Gates was Microsofts CEO until 2000 and since then has gradually scaled back his involvement in the company he started with Paul Allen in 1975. He transitioned out of a day-to-day role in Microsoft in 2008 and served as chairman of the board until 2014. International Medical Corps, a Los Angeles nonprofit that provides emergency medical and other healthcare services around the world, has been a recipient of significant Gates Foundation funding. It has received millions over the years from the foundation, which the group said has been crucial to its mission. Advertisement Over and over, when crises erupt, the Gates Foundation steps up, providing International Medical Corps with emergency response support to communities that are hardest hit, whether its fighting Ebola in West Africa, polio in Cameroon, or cholera in Haiti, International Medical Corps CEO Nancy Aossey said in a statement. Im confident that Bill and Melinda Gates philanthropic passion and dedication will continue for a long time to come. Times wire services contributed to this report.

https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2021-05-03/bill-and-melinda-gates-say-theyre-ending-marriage?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fbusiness+%28L.A.+Times+-+Business%29

Are the coronavirus vaccines effective in people who are overweight or obese?

CLEVELAND, Ohio A recent study suggested that the Pfizer vaccine may be less effective in obese people. Our readers have questions about the coronavirus vaccine, and cleveland.com is getting answers from health care experts. These answers are from Dr. Thomas File, Chair of Infectious Diseases for Summa Health and the past president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and were supplied via email. The basic answer is, yes. While a recent study of the Pfizer vaccine study indicated the antibody levels are less in a person who is overweight or obese as compared to a person of normal weight, there is likelihood that the levels of antibody (and subsequent immunity) are still high enough to protect against COVID-19. There are ongoing studies to assess the risk of developing COVID-19 after being fully immunized. It is likely that persons with underlying conditions, such as obesity, may (develop COVID-19) after immunization, but we will need to await further data. In the original clinical trials of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, obese patients had a very high protection rate -- more than 90% -- against COVID-19, but these trials were conducted before the emergence of the newer variants. Ongoing studies to assess protection in people with underlying conditions such as obesity will be important. While the study showed a decrease of antibody levels (in obese people), it did not correlate this with the ability of the vaccine to prevent COVID-19. At present, it is unclear as to the exact level of antibody that is necessary to prevent infection and disease, but ongoing studies are evaluating whether overweight/obese persons are at any higher risk of infection after immunization. In both the Pfizer and Moderna clinical trials, there was very good protection in overweight/obese persons. Since overweight/obese persons are clearly at greater risk of serious disease associated with COVID-19, it is of extreme importance that such patients be vaccinated. Overweight/obese persons are at greater risk of many infectious diseases including COVID-19 for several reasons, which include but are not limited to: 1. excess fat cells (referred to as adipose cells) have an abnormal effect on inflammation and immune response; 2. differences of the type of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract which are associated with reduced immunity; 3. associated metabolic complications and conditions, such as diabetes. All of these can be associated with a decreased immune function and predisposition to infections such as COVID-19. I am not aware of any differences in side effects.

https://www.cleveland.com/coronavirus/2021/05/are-the-coronavirus-vaccines-effective-in-people-who-are-overweight-or-obese.html

How should we try to persuade family and friends to get the coronavirus vaccine?

CLEVELAND, Ohio With so many Americans still conflicted on whether to get a COVID-19 vaccine, its likely you know a family member or a close friend who is holding out on getting the shot. You might be tempted to badger them to book an appointment, arguing that being vaccinated significantly reduces their risk of being hospitalized or dying from COVID-19. Or you might feel like sending them a news story that supports your position, arguing theyre getting their information from the wrong source. But before you try to convince someone to get the vaccine, you may want to plan your approach. Going in with the wrong strategy could backfire and make them even more reluctant to get the shot, experts said. Lots of really well-intentioned persuasive attempts have ended up doing just the opposite of whats intended, said Dr. Rajiv Rimal, the health, behavior, and society department chair at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. There is evidence that measured, in-depth conversations can be an effective way to persuade someone to change their mind about the vaccine. Earlier this year, the Republican pollster Frank Luntz and former U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Tom Friedan led a focus group of individuals who voted for former President Donald Trump and were hesitant to get the vaccine. By the end of the two-hour session, 19 of the 20 participants said they were more likely to get the shot. Experts said the best approach to persuading someone to get the vaccine should begin with listening to the reason why theyre reluctant. You can use facts and information to help address those concerns, but you should avoid shaming them or making them feel like their concerns arent valid. Its also a good idea to leverage the relationship you have and appeal to the persons emotions, because those tactics have proven to be effective ways to change someones mind. If you want to overcome someones reluctance to get the vaccine, you might need to use every tool at your disposal, said Eileen Anderson-Fye, an associate professor who directs Case Western Reserve Universitys educational programs in bioethics and medical humanities. And it might not be a one-size-fits-all approach; one approach might be most effective depending on the person. On a particular day, one particular type of appeal might really move someone to take action, Anderson-Fye said. The vaccine rollout, like many aspects of the coronavirus pandemic, has become a highly polarized endeavor. Polls have consistently shown that Democratic voters are far more likely to sign up for an appointment than Republican voters. But experts noted that you should be careful to avoid attributing someones reluctance to politics alone, because someones hesitancy could be rooted in unanswered questions or genuine concern. Experts who spoke with cleveland.com provided some advice to help guide you through a conversation that may be complex. Consider whether youre the right messenger You should first ask yourself whether youre truly the best messenger for the conversation. Youre more likely to be persuasive if you have a strong emotional connection with someone. But it might not be effective if youre calling the aunt you only speak with on her birthday and Christmas, said Dr. Joy Gero, a psychologist who is the program director of the general adult and behavioral health ICU at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centers Western Psychiatric Hospital. If you do have a strong relationship with someone, your message could be very effective. For example, a parent might quit smoking if a child comes home from school and tells them its harmful, Gero said. Using personal connections to change health behaviors is something that can be really effective, she said. The most effective messengers tend to have two key characteristics, said Gillian SteelFisher, a senior research scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. They have technical knowledge of the subject; in the case of the vaccine, it might be a doctor or someone else who works in health care. And they have a strong relationship with the person theyre trying to persuade. When you find those two things together, thats what I think of as an effective messenger, SteelFisher said. Experts noted that if you dont feel youre the best messenger, you might encourage your relative or friend to speak with their doctor or someone else they trust for medical advice. Family members and close friends tend to have a lot of credibility with the person theyre trying to persuade, because theres a sense they have the persons best interests at heart, Rival said. Start by listening to their concerns There are many reasons someone could be hesitant or refusing to get the vaccine. They might have had a bad reaction to a flu shot or another type of vaccine, or they might have a concern about side effects. Some concerns may arise from misinformation they see on social media or hear from friends. Just have an open heart and mind to hearing what their perspective is, SteelFisher said. For some, the concerns run deeper and are more complicated. Black Americans, for example, have expressed concerns that are often rooted in health care inequities that disadvantage people of color, in addition to issues of accessibility. The reasons someone might be hesitant are many and varied, Anderson-Fye said. In most cases, there will be a concern that needs to be validated before someone can overcome it, she said. There is absolutely no way to have a conversation thats going to get anywhere until you understand the root of the hesitancy, she said. Dont just bombard them with facts You might be tempted to respond to someones hesitancy with facts, or by sending them an article which resonated with you. Experts say that wont be an effective strategy. It becomes much harder to change someones mind when they have a strong distrust of something or have given a lot of thought to the issue. Thats especially true with anything related to the pandemic, which has been highly politicized from the outset. Once you see that the data shows theres such a strong distrust, facts by themselves just arent going to work, SteelFisher said. In fact, Rival said facts alone could end up having the opposite effect. Telling someone theyre wrong and trying to aggressively disprove something they believe may cause them to become more entrenched in that position, he said. Not only has the messaging been ineffective, its actually bommeranged, because now theyre solidified even more in their existing beliefs, Rival said. Try to appeal to their emotions Instead of just using facts to try to change someones mind, experts recommend appealing to their emotions. Rival noted that the Ad Council is using the strategy in a commercial that encourages vaccinations by featuring a grandmother hugging her grandchildren: Its that emotional tug thats going to be effective, particularly for very polarized issues, he said. It might be a good idea to start from common ground. Rival suggested telling someone that you both want to protect other family members or friends. You could also tell your relative or friend about your own experience getting the vaccine and explain the reasons you chose to get it. If youre careful to avoid being judgmental or critical, that could resonate with them, Gero said. Its difficult for someone to critique my personal experience as invalid, she said. Dont insult or criticize them It might be frustrating trying to convince someone to agree with you, but you should be very careful to avoid insulting them, experts said. That will likely cause them to be defensive and dig in more. You should start the conversation from a place where you agree to disagree, Gero said. Dont shame them or tell them theyre getting information from the wrong place or news outlet. That is not going to help change hearts and minds, she said. Avoiding that, I think, is very important. Forcing someone into a decision is never a good approach in public health, Anderson-Fye said. The same personal dynamics that fail in other areas are likely to fail here as well, she said. Offer to help them get vaccinated For some people, the ease of accessing the vaccine could make all the difference. Gero recently helped lead a vaccine clinic at a store in the Pittsburgh area. One couple walked in and flat-out refused to even discuss getting the shot. But by the time they left the store, they decided to get vaccinated because they saw a cashier receive a dose. I think it was the convenience. We literally brought the vaccine to those folks, Gero said. But it was also the idea that they saw it, and they saw it wasnt scary. For your family members and friends, you could offer to help them book a vaccine appointment and drive them to the clinic. Its important to consider that they might prefer to go to a doctors office or a pharmacy, because mass vaccinations clinic can be anxiety-provoking for some people, experts said. You could also offer to help care for the person if they experience flu-like symptoms as a side effect, Anderson-Fye said. Providing the emotional support, and the physical support for what is required to get vaccinated, is a game-changer, she said. Be prepared to walk away Sometimes it just isnt the right time for someone to change their mind. You could say and do all the right things, and your relative or friend might not be ready to get vaccinated. You cant push someone too hard, so you need to be ready to accept that possibility, experts said. If you had a productive and thoughtful conversation, you might have planted the seeds that could someday result in that person choosing to get vaccinated, Gero said. If we can hold that as our goal, we may feel better about the energy were putting out, Gero said. Because its emotional for us, too. Every pandemic throughout history has involved measures and restrictions intended to protect the public, and theres always been pushback to those efforts, Anderson-Fye said. She said that everyone is likely to have someone in their life who refuses to take the vaccine. Its important to remember that its ultimately their decision, even if you strongly disagree. You cant force someone to get the shot, Anderson-Fye said. There comes a time when you have to agree to disagree, she said. Youre doing everything you can, but when were talking about adults, we cannot control everyone around us.

https://www.cleveland.com/coronavirus/2021/05/how-should-we-try-to-persuade-family-and-friends-to-get-the-coronavirus-vaccine.html

Whats driving the surge in rate-reset preferred shares?

Open this photo in gallery The prospect of rising bond interest rates combined with a bonus of several percentage points has turned rate-reset preferred shares into glamour stocks. marchmeena29/iStockPhoto / Getty Images Prices of rate-reset preferred shares, which pay dividends at a fixed rate until theyre reset every five years, have been soaring. And as interest rates rise, these shares payouts will increase as their rates reset regardless of what their issuers common stocks do on the basis of sales or profits. Rate-reset preferred shares make up three-quarters of the S&P/TSX Preferred Share Index, which has risen by 56 per cent since hitting a low on March 16, 2020. Meanwhile, the S&P/TSX Composite Index has risen by about 62 per cent in the same period. Looking ahead, investors are pushing the prices of rate-reset preferred shares even higher in anticipation of further interest rate increases. Whats driving the performance of these stocks is their architecture. Every five years, they adjust their payouts to the five-year Government of Canada bond rate plus a hefty bonus of several percentage points. That varies with each issue. Story continues below advertisement Thus, a rate-reset preferred share with a typical boost of four percentage points to the recent five-year Government of Canada bond that paid 0.94 per cent on April 26 will have a net return of 4.94 per cent. Thats the rate for five years regardless of how the issuing company does as long as it has the money to pay preferred share dividends. Those dividends have to be paid before common shareholders get their dividends. To be sure, dividends on rate-reset preferred shares are only paid when the issuing company has the cash. Yet, they get treated like common stock when it comes to taxes, and therefore have the benefit of the dividend tax credit, making them depending on the holders tax bracket a much more attractive investment than a fully taxed bond In a sense, rate-reset preferred shares are in recovery. When the Bank of Canada overnight rate, which had been at 1.75 per cent since October, 2018, fell to 0.25 per cent in March, 2020, as the COVID-19 crisis began to grip the Canadian economy, it dragged down all long-term interest rates and, in effect, rate-reset preferred shares. Now, the tables have turned. The market expects interest rates to rise, although there is disagreement about just when. Nevertheless, the prospect of rising bond interest rates plus a bonus of several percentage points has turned rate-reset preferred shares into glamour stocks. For example, Manulife Financial Corp.s 3.80 per cent Series 17, MFC-PR-M-T rate-reset preferred share traded at more than $22.50 for 2018 and much of 2019, then tumbled with falling interest rates below $12.50 in 2020. It has recently traded at $23.10 on the prospect of the rising five-year Government of Canada bond rate plus 2.30 per cent on the payout reset date of December, 2024. The bad news is that all preferred share dividends come after bondholders and other corporate obligations are paid. Moreover, preferred share issuers can call them or redeem the stocks on reset dates rather than pay higher dividends in the ensuing five years. That risk is evident in the yields of rate-reset preferred shares compared to yields of bonds and stocks. For example, BCE Inc. BCE-T common shares, recently priced at $57.87, pay an annual dividend of $3.50 to yield 6.56 per cent. For preferreds, the BCE 4.26 per cent Series AO preferred share BCE-PR-O-T was recently priced at $24.03 to yield 4.43 per cent. It resets on March 31, 2022. at the Government of Canada five-year bond rate plus 3.09 per cent. Story continues below advertisement At the time of writing, the five-year Canada bond pays 0.94 per cent, so if the BCE rate-reset preferred share were reset today, it would pay 4.03 per cent more than four times the federal bond. Meanwhile, a BCE 7.0 per cent bond was recently priced at $134.34 to yield 3.32 per cent. Clearly, yield rises with risk. But rate-reset preferred shares call price restrains how high their prices can go. In fact, Alfred Lee, portfolio manager and investment strategist at BMO Global Asset Management in Toronto, notes that 65 per cent of preferred shares are called by issuers, which then pay the usual price of $25 a share. If investors bought the share for more than the call price, they risk a loss. If not called, the shares, which are perpetual, can be outstanding for a great many years. In contrast, if investors bought a preferred share for less than $25, a call at $25 offers a capital gain. But even a small loss is mitigated by the fact that preferred dividends get the dividend tax credit, which makes them more appealing than bond payouts taxed as income. Investors have to balance the tax disadvantage, in the case of bonds, with tax-advantaged preferred share yield. But there is a catch, says Chris Kresic, head of fixed income and asset allocation for Jarislowsky Fraser Ltd in Toronto. When you buy a preferred [share], you are transferring a call option to the issuer. It can take away the upside, he says. The investor has to price the call risk. Its the difference between the current share price and the call price. Thats one potential loss. The other is that preferred shares, which are equity, tend to follow the prices of their issuers common shares. If the price of a common share goes down, the preferred share is likely to follow. Looking five years ahead, James Orlando, senior economist at Toronto-Dominion Bank, says the five-year Government of Canada bond rate could be 1.95 per cent in 2026. That would make a typical preferred with a base interest of 3 per cent pay 4.95 per cent, a fact that would be noticed by issuers who could call at the usual $25 price, depending on whether they could refinance at lower bond rate interest, which would be tax-deductible as a cost of business to the issuer. Dividends for preferred shares, like common dividends, come out of profits. They are not costs. Story continues below advertisement For rate-reset preferred share investors, the advantage of being first in line for dividends ahead of common shares needs to be balanced with the risk of the share being called.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/globe-advisor/advisor-stocks/article-whats-driving-the-surge-in-rate-reset-preferred-shares/

Does The NRL Want To Expand, Or Does It Just Want To Have More Teams?

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 30: Brandon Smith of the Storm celebrates with team mates after ... [+] scoring a try during the round eight NRL match between the Melbourne Storm and the Cronulla Sharks at AAMI Park on April 30, 2021, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) Getty Images The size of the National Rugby League (NRL) is something that never seems to be off the agenda. While I am the #NRLOutsider, its hardly an issue that Im unaware of, because its also never really off the agenda in the UK either, where we expand and contract like an accordion. The NRL, however, seems to have a slightly different problem: it expands, but it doesnt get bigger. Since Melbourne Storm joined the competition in 1998, it hasnt made any concerted effort to actually increase the footprint of the sport, and given that league supremo Peter VLandys seems principally concerned with adding another team in Brisbane, it doesnt seem likely that anything is going to change soon in that regard. VLandys confirmed in February that a second Brisbane team would be added to the competition in the very near future, and was bullish about the prospects of putting another outfit to catch the increasing population of South East Queensland. Given that there is already a huge NRL team in the Brisbane area, plus another one down the road on the Gold Coast, this doesnt seem to make much sense. The best option, looking at the existing proposals, is that the successful bid is the one from the Ipswich Jets, who could feasibly host an NRL team that doesnt tread on the Broncos, and could grow in tune with the population, which is slated to double from 200,000 to 400,000 in the next decade or so. That would take the NRL to 17 teams, and open the door for an 18th to even up the numbers. At this stage, that team might be in Perth, the South Island of New Zealand, Wellington, Adelaide, the Central Coast of New South Wales, Papua New Guinea, Fiji or somewhere else in Queensland. All is contingent on the 2022 TV deal, which could potentially fund any expansion. The frontrunners, according to some in the media, would be the Central Coast Bears, or as you might remember them, the North Sydney Bears. While that would be delightful for those of us with a passion for old suburban grounds and nice retro jerseys, Im not sure that it is the message that rugby league wants to send the world. The Central Coasts argument appears to be based on their prior success in producing players and the fast population growth in the region, which has accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic as people leave Sydney. The issue there would be two-fold: one, their juniors, such as Melbournes Nicho Hynes and Newcastle Knights Saifiti brothers, Daniel and Jacob, are already playing in the NRL for other teams, so the lack of a local options clearly isnt holding anyone back; and two, literally everyone moving from Sydney has already heard of rugby league, and probably has a team that they follow. Thats not expanding, its just having more teams. The real argument would be for trying to grow the game in a way that hasnt been attempted since the 1990s. Expansion, that is to say, real expansion, costs a lot of money and takes time and effort. Someone has to be willing to lose money in the short term to gain it back in the long or very long term. Ultimately, only a governing body is likely to take that challenge on. WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - MAY 02: Zac Cini of the Tigers is tackled during the round eight NRL match ... [+] between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Wests Tigers at WIN Stadium, on May 02, 2021, in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images) Getty Images Deepening the NRL talent pool As far as arguments against expansion go, they tend to line up around two positions. One is that the talent pool isnt deep enough, the other is that it would cost too much money for too little gain. The first is palpably nonsense: if the league expanded to 18 teams, or even 20, they could certainly source more players. I watch plenty of second grade NSW Cup and even third grade Ron Massey Cup, and when NRL players get dropped and have to play at that level, they dont suddenly start to look like superstars: if anything, the players who truly stand out are the youngsters chomping at the bit to get a change at first grade. In England, where there has been a multi-divisional system for decades, they regularly source players from lower leagues and give them a go to see if theyre good enough. Given that the Aussie dollar exchange rate with the British pound is now $1.60 (it was once close to $3), the best Super League SLGG talent would be far more incentivised to come over than they currently are. You also have two teams of Melanesians, the Kaiviti Silktails and the PNG Hunters, running around in lower grades waiting for a chance to be signed to the NRL, plus potential to add pathways from Tonga, Samoa and other Pacific nations. If anything, the problem with player development in the NRL is that there are too many players in pathways that cant find a gig at the top level, with first grade standard players stuck in second grade waiting for an opportunity. A secondary line of argument is that an expanded competition would lead to lop-sided results between the established powers and the new teams. Leaving aside that this years competition has already cleaved itself into the top five and everyone else, that is more of an issue of allocating better players around the league. Last time I checked, the salary cap is designed to do exactly that, and given a few years and proper enforcement, would. How the NRL can invite investment via expansion Lets run a thought experiment in which, instead of increasing the salary cap by $2m AUD across each team, you take that cash and put it into four new central distribution pots for new clubs to offer around the league, topped up by owners franchise fees. If you dont believe players wouldnt move to new markets, let me remind you that David Fifita turned down the Broncos to go to the Gold Coast and is currently killing it. You might not, at first, convince the top earners to move, but youd get the fourth and fifth. The Rugby League Players Association (RLPA) might object, but realistically, the NRL has never been in a stronger position to negotiate with them given the weakness of rugby union, the traditional destination for disgruntled league players, the poor financial state of the Super League and the unlikelihood, on the back of a season with a long stoppage, that they would resort to a strike. The financial benefits of an increased media footprint are obvious. If you add teams in Perth and New Zealand, you gain two extra time slots for valuable content, with the potential for a lucrative third match on a Sunday afternoon or evening. You gain new audiences, new media markets and the chance to market to new people that you dont get by, as the phrase has it, fishing where the fish are. Currently, nobody in Western Australia has any vested interest in the NRL and the ground is totally ceded to the Australian Football League (AFL) and, criminally, rugby union. In New Zealand, you have a chance to make an indent into rugby union at a time when their national game is moving further and further away from ordinary Kiwis. Of course, this is easy to say and harder to do. But Peter VLandys has shown a willingness to take on big tasks before, and is in the unusual position in rugby league of having the political power to take on a big project. He even might even have the cash, if the TV deal goes well. After that, its all about will. The NRL Outsider drops every week. To read it first, subscribe for free above by clicking in the top right-hand corner of your screen. You can also follow my work on Twitter at @MikeMeehallWood.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemeehallwood/2021/05/04/does-the-nrl-want-to-expand-or-does-it-just-want-to-have-more-teams/

What players are part of Timberwolves' core going into next season?

A polite way to describe this Timberwolves season, overall, is that it's been a lot of trial and error. They've used 14 different players in their starting lineup, and the five-player combination that's been on the floor the most at the same time the current starting five of Anthony Edwards, Josh Okogie, Jaden McDaniels, Ricky Rubio and Karl-Anthony Towns has only spent 165 minutes of court time together. All of that on-the-job chemistry creation, done for two different head coaches, has added up to a 20-45 record an improvement on the 7-29 mark at the All-Star break but still among the NBA's worst. By way of contrast: Utah's most-used five-player combination has spent almost 600 minutes on the floor together. And when those five poor souls aren't tasked with trying to beat the mighty Wolves (0-3 this season, somehow), they are pretty good (46-18 overall). So for as much as these final weeks of the season have been about establishing some continuity between Towns, D'Angelo Russell and Edwards, they are also about figuring out who among those supporting players should be part of the mix next year and beyond. Let's take a look at the 14 players who have started at least one game plus Jaylen Nowell, who has logged 714 minutes but has not made a start and put them into categories as we try to figure out how next year's roster might look. I didn't plan it this way, but I came up with five categories that had three players each. Fun! THE CORE Karl-Anthony Towns: He's still the franchise. Give him some good players around him, playing in a system in which he can flourish, and look at the recent results. Anthony Edwards: Averaging 23 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.6 steals since the All-Star break and has taken over games in dominant stretches. He's not even 20 yet. D'Angelo Russell: His insistence on taking mid-range shots is maddening, and when his shot isn't falling he can be a liability. But there's not denying that he's a clever passer, a big-time scorer and a good running mate with Towns. SUPPORTING PLAYERS WITH A DEFINITE ROLE Jaden McDaniels: The "other" rookie looks like he could carve out a really nice career as a versatile defensive stopper and capable long-distance shooter. If he becomes even more than that, we might look back on the Wolves' 2020 draft someday with a certain reverence. Josh Okogie: We know what he does well on-ball defense on the perimeter and hustle. If we stop insisting that he becomes more than that, Okogie has a role. Oh, and let's not overlook this: While he's just a 27% career shooter from three-point range, he's 40% on threes from the left corner in his career. If those specific threes, plus tips and fast break layups are the only shots he ever shoots, I'm all for it. Naz Reid: The undrafted second-year backup big man has serious offensive skill, to the point that he's averaging 21 points per 36 minutes. If he and Towns can play together something Chris Finch has tried in recent weeks he could see even more time. CONTRIBUTORS BUT TRADE CANDIDATES Ricky Rubio: He's the type of player who is better with good talent around him. Rubio looked miserable for the first two-thirds of the season, but he's at least provided value down the stretch. Whether that has merely given him more trade value as an expiring contract next season remains to be seen, particularly if the Wolves keep their 2021 draft pick and select a point guard. Malik Beasley: Best pure three-point stroke from the wing on this team in a long time, but a suspect defender even though he hustles. Juancho Hernangomez: His value to the team has gone up considerably as he's found better chemistry with the second unit and knocked down shots in recent weeks. His contract is only guaranteed for one more season after this; I like him as a bench contributor, but he could also be a trade piece. STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION Jarred Vanderbilt: An impending restricted free agent whose minutes have been all over the map from starting to not playing to now getting minutes off the bench. Jaylen Nowell: Had some big games off the bench when given the opportunity, but had cooled off (19.6% from three in his last 13 games before being knocked from the rotation with a bruised tibia). Still not sure if he has a meaningful role beyond depth on a good team. OUTSIDE LOOKING IN Jake Layman: A solid glue guy when things are going well, but he lacks a dominant skill. Ed Davis: I really thought his toughness and veteran leadership would be critical points for this year's Wolves so much so that I wrote that Davis could be the Wolves' most important new player this season. Whether he got caught up in a youth movement, didn't do enough with his early playing time, or both ... it's hard to envision Davis, a free agent, coming back next year. Jarrett Culver: He's been shut down with an injury for the season, a disappointing but merciful end to his second season. The No. 6 overall pick in 2019 has yet to find consistent traction, and it's hard to see it happening in Minnesota.

https://www.startribune.com/what-players-are-part-of-timberwolves-core-going-into-next-season/600053334/

Can California reach herd immunity before the rest of the country?

At the start of the vaccine rollout in December, experts including COVID-19 czar Dr. Anthony Fauci said the United States would see an end to the pandemic when a significant portion of the population has received a shot and the population reaches herd immunity. Now, some experts are saying the country may never reach herd immunity. A widely circulated story in the New York Times on Monday said more virulent variants and vaccine hesitancy are keeping the goal out of reach. But while many states across the country face surges and vaccine refusal, California is in a good spot with the lowest-case rate in the country and a population that mostly wants the vaccine. Hard-hit Los Angeles County reported no deaths from COVID-19 on Sunday, the first time in 410 days the county has not reported at least one fatality. Nobody knows for certain, but local experts are hopeful California is heading toward herd immunity or at least a point where transmission rates will be extremely low soon. "I think we will get there before the rest of the U.S.," said Dr. George Rutherford, a professor of epidemiology and the head of the division of infectious diseases and global epidemiology at the University of California, San Francisco. "I think the rest of the U.S will catch up to it, or get to a point where transmission will go way, way down." "There likely will be 'regional herd immunity' long before true 'herd immunity' on a national or global landscape," chimed in Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor in the UCSF Health Division of Infectious Diseases. Herd immunity is the point where a substantial percentage of the population is immune due to vaccination or prior illness. When it is achieved, the spread of disease from person to person becomes low, and the whole community becomes protected, not only those who are immune. Nobody knows for certain what the threshold is, but Fauci and many other experts have estimated for months that anywhere from 70% to 85% of the population needs to be inoculated to reach herd immunity. Chin-Hong explained that when Bay Area communities reach this threshold, many local restrictions will continue to let up and "enable us to aspire to that life we had before 2020." But while life will become more normal for vaccinated people as activities open up, he said that true herd immunity "will be elusive for several years." This is due to three things: vaccine hesitancy, the continued creation of virus variants, and most of all, the lack of current global vaccine equity. "Until most of us in all countries can be immunized, there will be too much circulating virus to enable us to party like it is 2019," said Chin-Hong, referring to the spread of the virus and variants through global travel. "Until then, it will be playing a game of catch up." While California may have experienced a steep decline in cases, hospitalizations and deaths, nearby states including Washington and Oregon are seeing surges among younger residents. Meanwhile, across the Pacific, India's healthcare systems are overwhelmed and there's a shortage of medical oxygen. The country saw its deadliest day of the pandemic yet on May 2, with 3,689 fatalities. In India, less than 2% of adults have been fully vaccinated. In the United States, vaccinations are offering hope: 44% of the population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, and more than 31% are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the San Francisco Bay Area, these numbers are even higher. In Marin County, 83% of the population age 16 and over has received at least one dose and 62% have completed a series. San Francisco has seen 72% of adults receive at least one shot, while 49% are fully vaccinated. In Santa Clara, 70% have started a vaccine series, and 43% have completed vaccination. Dr. Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine at UCSF, said she thinks California and the Bay Area could get to herd immunity sooner than "we think" and puts the herd immunity threshold at 65% to 70%. "This is because you just have to look up on the world stage to look at places that have higher vaccination rates than we have and are opening up to more mingling and see where their cases and hospitalization rates fall with increasing vaccination rates," said Gandhi, pointing to a table with data from yesterday from Israel, the UK and the United States. "At a 62% first dose vaccination rate, Israel has 74 cases today out of more than 9 million people which is a rate of less than 1 per 100,000. In California today, we have 1,512 infections, and in San Francisco we have 17 infections despite ongoing testing and opening up more. We have low rates of deaths from COVID-19 with 0 deaths recorded in L.A. County. All of this is suggestive that we will get to herd immunity with increasing vaccination rates." US Department of Health & Human Services About 30% of Americans on average are reluctant to get vaccinated, but the number is lower in California, with an estimated 10% to 15% of Golden State residents vaccine hesitant, according to data from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. Studies have shown that people who identify as Republican are less likely to get vaccinated than Democrats, and vaccine hesitancy in California is generally higher in red counties, according to the department. Rutherford is hopeful that people who refused the vaccine at first will change their minds. "As it starts to ratchet up about what you can and cant do if youre vaccinated and not vaccinated, I think that will spur people to get vaccinated," he said. "As a vaccination is required to do things such as flying and going to the office, this idea that 'I just dont think I want to' or 'I just want to wait awhile' thats going to disappear." Teenagers are another piece of the puzzle for achieving herd immunity. While transmission of the virus is low among young children who are unlikely to have access to vaccines until 2020, teenagers spread the virus like adults and vaccinating them is crucial, experts say. Vaccinations for that age group are coming soon as the Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize the Pfizer shot for those age 12 to 15 by early next week, according to The New York Times. "I think we could see something very close to herd immunity in California this summer if adolescents get vaccines," Rutherford said. "The Bay Area could see herd immunity before California."

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/2021-05-herd-immunity-California-Bay-Area-16148134.php

Did the Guardian have too much coverage of Prince Philips death?

On Saturday 10 April, the day after Prince Philip died, the Guardian newspapers front page carried a black-and-white portrait of the duke, followed by 12 more pages of news including a four-page obituary one comment piece and a leader article. It was the only national paper (other than the Financial Times) not to offer a special supplement alongside the main coverage, but for some readers it was still too much. Between the readers editors office and the letters desk, we received about 100 complaints. One reader wrote: I find it difficult to comprehend how the Guardian can devote 13 pages of its Saturday edition to the death of Prince Philip. In proclaiming a self-avowed republican editorial policy, how can you rationalise such overkill that smacks of the sort of media coverage in an authoritarian country when the head of state dies. Another who seemingly did not share the leader articles view that in Covid times other families can today see themselves, their own bereavements and their own losses and sadnesses reflected. That is one of the reasons why this death is indeed a national event for Britain told us: I felt your coverage of the recent death of Prince Philip was totally disproportionate especially in the context [of the] number of lives lost through the pandemic and the impact of that on specific communities. It smacked of one life being more important than others. Some readers expressed concern that the Duke of Edinburghs record on racially offensive comments should have weighed against the tone or volume of reporting, while a charge of sycophancy was levelled by many who complained. More than 100,000 people read the printed paper each day, and many millions read it in digital form. And it is ever the case that readers are far less inclined to make contact to register their satisfaction. A few did, however, contradict the complainants: Thank you for your front page today, wrote one. I am sure you know what I mean but in case you dont no fawning monarchy lead. Another said it was wrong to presume all readers think alike, adding: My wife and I (to coin a slightly different phrase) have been readers for 40 years at least, and thought your coverage, and particularly comment, were very appropriate. A third wrote: As I used my TV/radio off button [on 9 April] so as not to get the blanket coverage following the passing of Prince Philip, I appreciated the excellent and balanced edition of the Guardian on Saturday. Over the four days following the announcement of Prince Philips death, about 50 related articles were published across the Guardian and Observer online. In a straw poll of subscribers conducted via their weekly newsletter, the 600 or so who responded (they may be paper or digital readers from any country) were split evenly between too much or about right, with a small handful saying there was not enough coverage. Prince Philip, Britains longest-serving consort, is the seventh royal consort to die during the Guardians 200-year history but only the third after Queen Caroline (who died in 1821, shortly after being barred from her husbands coronation) and Prince Albert who was still serving alongside the reigning monarch. Times, sensibilities and newspaper formats change, so it seemed fitting in this anniversary period to delve into the archives to see how these events were handled in the past. At the time of Alberts death in 1861 the Manchester Guardian was just four broadsheet pages long, with the front page by convention given to classified advertising. The funeral of Queen Victorias husband took around half of the editorial space inside the Christmas Eve edition. In 1925, tributes to Queen Alexandra occupied nearly four of the 24 pages, while the death in 1953 of Queen Mary, described by the Guardian as the most queenly of queens, led the front page for two days, with a spread of photographs and tributes inside the 12-page paper on day one. A leader opined that the strength of the monarchy was in no small part due to the immense affection and admiration which her courage, industry and dignity won for both herself and the crown. Before Philip, we go back two decades to the death in 2002 of the Queen Mother; aged 101, she had been a widow for half a century. Much had changed in those years. A front-page commentary ran under the headline: Uncertain farewell leaves a nation divided, with a spread on pages 4 and 5 (where the BBC was reported defending its coverage from criticisms ranging from schedule changes to Peter Sissons failure to wear a black tie), and four pages of obituary. In the opinion section, Christopher Hitchens was unsparing. A leading article then offered a frank assessment of the former queens strengths and weaknesses, although the latter did not invalidate her right to national honour, but ended by saying that once the funeral was over, this country will need to consider how much longer the monarchy can properly continue to hold the place in our national life that she had done so much to sustain in defiance of the times. A long package of letters under the headline: Were not all in mourning was rounded on by some readers the next day as mean-spirited. However one might wish the future to be, Prince Philips life had been part of the national fabric for the past 75 years. I asked the editor-in-chief, Katharine Viner, how coverage of his death was decided for 2021. As with any significant figure, we had a longstanding plan. We had commissioned a small number of well-researched and well-written pieces, including an outstanding obituary, which a group of senior editors had been reviewing in the months before his death, she explained. We ran a live blog as it was the best way to capture the reaction to the announcement [and] over subsequent days we featured a range of different views on Prince Philips life and death, as well as what it meant for the future of the monarchy and the country. We knew that other newspapers would do much more on the death of Prince Philip and they did. We also knew that some Guardian readers would feel we did too much which also proved true. The death of Prince Philip was undoubtedly an important moment. We sought to strike the right balance between marking the death of a significant figure in British public life and questioning his life and legacy. It was also a chance to show how the family itself has changed over the course of his lifetime, and will need to continue to change, as the second Elizabethan era draws to a close. Answering those who believed a republican-leaning paper should rein back the reporting, Viner said: Whatever the political position of the Guardian, we understand that the royal family is part of the national conversation. What we write on them is read in great numbers and in great depth by our global Guardian audience. The fact that our editorial line has generally been questioning of the monarchy in its current form has never meant that we do not also scrutinise the way it operates or recognise its place in British life. We have probably done more than any other media organisation to properly scrutinise the royal family for example our work on the Paradise Papers, and more recently the Queens consent. Whether we got the balance right this time has been a matter of lively debate among senior editors, just as it has been among readers, and thats as it should be.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/may/04/guardian-coverage-prince-philips-death-duke-edinburgh

Can citizens police academies help repair trust between law enforcement and the public?

The 21 people present for the first night of the latest class of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office's Citizens Police Academy all had different reasons for being there. Some had always admired law enforcement and wanted an inside look into the profession. Others seated in the room at a sheriff's support services building were interested in one day pursuing a career in law enforcement themselves. One participant said he simply wanted to see what his tax dollars were funding. Whatever their reasons for attending, Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said he mainly has one reason for offering the program: transparency. "What's a better way to let the public know what we do than something like this?" Baldwin asked shortly before he would introduce himself last month at the first of what would be 13 weekly sessions. "We're a public agency, and our job is to serve the community, and we can only do that if we have a good relationship." Like most law-enforcement agencies in central Ohio, including the Columbus Division of Police, the sheriff's office has long offered periodic citizen police academies to Franklin County residents interested in learning the ins and outs of law enforcement. The programs have remained on hold at some agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a program offered by Hilliard police and a joint effort between the Gahanna Division of Police and the New Albany Police Department. Advocates of such programs say they can be vital bridge-builders between police and the communities they serve giving them a look at what law-enforcement officers are up against daily and potentially helping to reduce crime. "They (graduates) help us out in so many ways, (including) traffic control, mobile community watch and ... at special events," said Sgt. Jon Earl, spokesman for Whitehall police. "These close relationships our officers build with the community members are invaluable." Participants in citizen police academies 'overwhelmingly' white But at a time when tensions have been high between police and people angry about police shootings of Black people, questions abound about whether Blacks, young people and others who tend to be most-distrustful of law enforcement are being invited or even willing to attend such programs. Studies have shown that those communities are unlikely to participate in citizen police academies, said Dr. Chenelle Jones, a criminal justice professor at Franklin University in Columbus whose areas of expertise includes policing and race. Overwhelmingly, a majority of participants in the citizens academies are homogenous your upper-middle-class white people who participate," Jones said. "Its missing the target demographics of younger people, communities of color, who could really benefit. A 2011 study done by the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill analyzed five North Carolina and one Florida citizen police academies and found that 70% of responding participants were more than 40 years old, and 62% had earned more than $75,000 annually. Only 16% reported being non-white, and just 3% had an income under $25,000. Columbus NAACP President Nana Watson said that she and others in the organization were unaware that such police programs existed. Were not familiar with that, but we would welcome more information on it, Watson said. If we were aware of it, certainly we would encourage the community to learn more about their police department. Meanwhile, the separate April shooting deaths of two Black people at the hands of Columbus police have reignited weeks of protests demanding racial justice and police accountability further driving a wedge between law enforcement agencies and some in the communities they serve. It began when 27-year-old Miles Jackson of the Northwest Side was killed April 12 in what police called an "exchange of gunfire" with two Columbus officers and at least one St. Ann's officer inside the emergency department at Mount Carmel St. Ann's medical center in Westerville. Within hours of his death, protesters gathered nearby at the corner of South Cleveland Avenue and West Schrock Road, marching to the medical center in the first night of renewed unrest. Eight days after Jackson's death, 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant was shot and killed on the Southeast Side by Columbus police Officer Nicholas Reardon. The shooting occurred about 20 minutes before the jury's guilty verdicts on second-degree murder and two other counts were read against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd. The April 20 shooting death of Bryant who can be seen in body camera footage wielding a knife at an unidentified woman backed up against a vehicle drew national scrutiny and has resulted in prolonged marches and demonstrations across the city. Those who have led the protests say the deaths of Jackson and Bryant regardless of the circumstances have compounded feelings of grief, fear and anger in communities of color already reeling over a lengthy list of Black people killed by police. A spokesman for the Columbus Division of Police did not respond to requests from The Dispatch for comment for this story. Sheriff's office, dealing with its own deadly shooting, turns to education The sheriff's office has had its share of detractors since Franklin County Sheriff's SWAT deputy Jason Meade fatally shot 23-year-old Casey Goodson Jr. multiple times on Dec. 4. Goodson, who is Black, was attempting to enter his Northland area residence with sandwiches when the fatal encounter occurred. An official autopsy report from the Franklin County Coroner's office showed that Goodson was shot six times in his torso, with five of the bullets entering from his back. Sean Walton, who is representing Goodson's family, is calling for Meade's arrest while Franklin County Prosecutor Gary Tyack awaits the results of a federally led investigation of the shooting. Those attending the sheriff's latest citizen police academy's first class on April 8 were told they were about to embark on a three-month program that would give them a window into the various divisions, bureaus and roles of the sheriff's office from the K9 unit to the SWAT team. Participants were also told they would participate in deadly force simulators and other role-playing scenarios as part of the sessions. Sheriff Baldwin said the program has had its share of participants who entered skeptical of law enforcement. "The people who are really, really suspicious. They come in and I'd say they have a great time," Baldwin said. About a handful of those in the class were people of color, at least two of whom said they were there because they are studying criminal justice and planned to pursue a related career. Xavier Barca, a 49-year-old East Side resident, hasn't hesitated to share his concerns or raise questions during the sessions. Overall, Barca said he was been satisfied with the level of transparency and feels the presenters are willing to engage respectfully with him in difficult conversations. Last weeks class was centered around use-of-force policies, and Barca relayed his feelings about the deadly force used recently on MaKhia Bryant. Though her death came at the hands of another law enforcement agency, it was Barcas concern that the potential for implicit bias when it comes to people of color can be ingrained in any officer. I applaud good officers for doing good work, but I know there are bad officers, said Barca, who works in digital publishing. If they cannot function without bias, then they should not be officers. Although Baldwin has indicated in the past that he will await the investigation's results before taking action against Jason Meade, who is on administrative leave, he told the class on the first night that in general, that he welcomes police reform. "We should always change, we should never be stagnant," he said to the class. "We have a duty to change." Others who have gone through the program told The Dispatch they laud it for opening their eyes to the complexities involved in policing. Gary Norrod, 67, completed the Franklin County Sheriff's citizens academy in the fall as one of only five in his class because of COVID-19 protocols. As a neighborhood watch coordinator on the Northwest Side, Norrod was curious to learn more about those who patrol his neighborhood. "Just being able to see the different things going on is really important," Norrod said. "Anyone can come here and learn, and there are so many things you don't know about." Jones, the criminal justice professor, said the goal of citizens police academies is a noble one. But she wondered if law-enforcement agencies might reach a wider swath of the community if they bring the programs to individual neighborhoods by partnering with area recreational centers, churches and other organizations. The arguments have been that most police departments need to do a better job of marketing and promoting the academies to various populations within the community, Jones said. "The people who may have had negative encounters with police communities of color who dont trust the police they tend to not participate in citizen academies, and thats because they dont have the opportunity to or they dont know where theyre occurring. When asked if the Franklin County Sheriff's office has ever considered such measures, Sgt. Joe Vince of the community relations bureau said he would share the proposal with Sheriff Baldwin. "That is certainly something we could explore for a future class," Vince said in an email to The Dispatch. "A (law-enforcement) setting affords participants the experience of where and how deputies are trained. The goal is to have each participant go back to their respective neighborhoods and share their experiences." elagatta@dispatch.com @EricLagatta

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2021/05/04/can-citizens-academies-help-police-repair-trust-public/7113612002/

What is carbon offsetting and how does it work?

Carbon dioxide has the same impact on the climate no matter where it is emitted and what the source, so if a tonne of carbon dioxide can be absorbed from the atmosphere in one part of the world it should cancel out a tonne of the gas emitted in another. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air as they grow and store it, making forests one of the biggest carbon sinks. So, in theory, companies and individuals can cancel out the impact of some of their emissions by investing in projects that reduce or store carbon forest preservation and tree planting are among them, but carbon credits are also awarded for projects that reduce fossil fuels in other ways, such as windfarms, solar cookstoves, or better farming methods. Yes and no. Carbon credits should not be used as an excuse to put off the systemic reforms to our energy generation and usage that are urgently needed ultimately, we must reduce emissions drastically to prevent catastrophe and offsetting alone will never achieve that. To opponents, carbon credits and carbon trading are a distraction while we dither over the systemic reforms. To supporters, offsetting and the sale of carbon credits produce a flow of money to developing countries to help them preserve carbon sinks and develop their economies along low-carbon lines. Planting more trees is one answer, and there are plans in many countries to do so. But while deforestation continues, planting trees cannot make up for the carbon lost when standing forests are cleared and cannot replace the lost populations of wildlife, plants and other species, or the damage to people who call the forests home. The world is losing more than 7.3m hectares (18m acres) of forest every year, the equivalent of 27 football pitches every minute, which causes a vast reduction of the planets carbon sinks, as well as a staggering loss of biodiversity. Most of the worlds remaining dense tropical forests are in developing economies with tens or hundreds of millions of people living in dire poverty. They face a dilemma: allow loggers and industrial interests to cut down forests, perhaps replacing them with commercial plantations, or lose out on potential economic growth. REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) aims to provide forest owners with an alternative to logging and exploitation, by allowing them to raise money for protecting forests based on the carbon value of keeping forests standing or restoring them to health. REDD+ schemes help forest owners calculate the carbon value of their forests, according to agreed criteria, and sets out a system of rules by which carbon credits can be issued when forest owners avoid deforestation or restore damaged forests. Avoiding deforestation sounds good. REDD+ and similar schemes do not mean an end to deforestation. Areas of forest can qualify for carbon credits and be used as carbon offsets even when logging still occurs within them. In some cases, loggers take the highest value trees such as hardwoods valued for their timber and leave most of the rest standing. In others, they agree to take wood at a lower rate than the deforestation which occurs in comparable areas nearby, or the deforestation which might occur if the forest was not under protection. That is a matter of judgment. Under REDD+ and similar schemes, certification experts take account of what deforestation legal and otherwise is taking place in a given region, and forest owners can be awarded carbon credits if they agree to keep more trees standing than is average in the area. So the same people who cut down the forest get money for leaving some bits standing. Arguably yes. However, they are often right in their claims that forests would be in danger without legalised logging and carbon credit schemes forests in many parts of the world enjoy few protections, as even when they are legally off-limits to loggers, in practice governance is often poor and violations frequent. At least certification schemes require monitoring and frequent evaluation, so that companies can more easily be held to account. They could do in the jargon, that is known as carbon leakage. Carbon offsetters try to avoid that by taking the wider region into account. The whole system sounds full of holes Even enthusiasts for carbon offsetting do not claim the system is ideal. Some offsetters draw the line at avoided deforestation: the Gold Standard offsetting programme, for instance, backed by green groups including WWF, does not issue credits for avoided deforestation projects because of the concerns above. But in the absence of a global system that rewards forested nations for preserving their forests, and monitors their success in doing so, offsetting does provide a source of income and protection to some areas, and at least some form of monitoring and accountability to ensure that companies are sticking to their commitments. Carbon offsets can only ever be a sticking plaster, not a cure. To keep the worlds forests standing, at least $100bn needs to flow to heavily forested developing countries each year. Global efforts are needed to encourage nations to keep their forests standing, alongside political and public pressure on recalcitrant governments. At the postponed UN climate summit, COP26, to be held this autumn in Glasgow, governments will have to set out national plans for meeting the 2015 Paris agreement. That may be the last chance for a concerted plan to save the worlds remaining tropical forests, and the British hosts will have to prove they are up to that task.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/04/what-is-carbon-offsetting-and-how-does-it-work

What If We Could Solve Climate Change With A Change In Diet?

Plant based diet getty I for one, love a good burger. And as we enter the grilling season in North America, the demand for this staple of the backyard BBQ are on the rise. But until recently, I had never considered the environmental and sustainability impact that one burger can have. That was, until I listened in on a Climate 21 podcast with Tom Raftery, my colleague here at SAP. Tom interviews Rebekah Moses from Impossible Foods one of the companies out there offering plant-based meat. It was obvious from the discussion that theres a lot of good that plant-based diet can do for the planet not just your body. Here are some interesting factoids: The livestock industry is big weighing in at about $1 trillion. Approximately half of the ice-free land area on the planet is dedicated to animal farming 25-30% of the earths fresh water is dedicated to animal farming By one measure, animal farming is responsible for about 15-18% of overall greenhouse gas emissions But the lost carbon-capture opportunity cost is much higher somewhere around 200 gigatons of carbon (about 15 years of burning fossil fuels). The environmental cost of what I eat Let me paraphrase what Moses is saying about lost opportunity cost: if cows passing gas is your only measure of contribution to greenhouse emissions, then youre missing the bigger picture. When land is deforested in favor of livestock, the earths ability to pull carbon out of the atmosphere is diminished by a commensurate amount. Another hidden part of the equation has to do with agriculture namely that we grow a lot of food to feed the animals that feed us. About 90% of the soy protein produced in the US is going to feed livestock, say Moses. Whats more, only 3% of the protein and calories that were embodied in the plants that a cow consumes go to you at the consumer level. This, says Moses, is a very leaky unit operation. This is the part of the idea behind Impossible Foods and other plant-based meat provides. Climate optimism and the meatless supply chain Switching to a plant-based diet can reduce the methane output of cattle and help reclaim land that would be better used for capturing carbon. This combination makes Moses cautiously optimistic that plant-based meat can act as a negative emissions technology. But theres an obstacle: convincing populations that have grown up on real meat to make the switch. Moses thinks this challenge is best addressed by the private sector. No amount of lecturing about sustainability and nutrition will move the needle. We need to focus on the customer the person in the grocery store making purchasing decisions. For this person, it all comes down to quality, price, and access. Quality: When it comes to meatless meat, quality is all about taste. On this front, the industry is making constant progress. Impossible Foods and other companies in the space are constantly tinkering with recipes and processes to make the experience as close to meat as possible. Whats most important is that companies keep the focus on the consumer who, ultimately, has the last word. Price: The industry is making progress with price as well. Here, the issue is scale which is growing. In addition to the US, Impossible Foods is now selling into Canada and throughout Asia (such as Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore). Its operations have grown accordingly. The goal is to reach a scale the achieves price parity with the competition (which, Moses makes clear, is not other meatless meat companies, but those that make animal products). Access: The issue of access is closely related to scalability. As the plant based and meatless industry grows and enters new markets, expect to see options proliferate. Go to a restaurant today, and youre increasingly likely to see meatless items on the menu even at such meat-friendly establishments such as Burger King, KFC, and Subway. This summer dont be surprised if you see more and more plant-based meat burgers on the grill when you go to a barbecue. Making sustainability profitable, and profitability sustainable To succeed, all companies need digital supply chains capabilities to share data across operational silos, drive insight in real time, and increase agility as market conditions change. For companies like Impossible Foods, the fate of the planet just may depend on it. Check out the podcast here. Its well worth a listen. And check out a plant-based meat burger. Speaking from experience, I defy you to taste the difference. To learn more about how a sustainable supply chain can be good for the environment, and good for business, download the latest Oxford Economics research: The Sustainable Supply Chain Paradox: Balancing the bottom line with the green line.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2021/05/04/what-if-we-could-solve-climate-change-with-a-change-in-diet/

What will these 2021 election candidates do for Bouctouche?

Bouctouche will soon have a new mayor, but electors will get to decide who that is. Roland Fougre, who was acclaimed in the last election, is not running this time. Pauline Anne Hbert and Aldo Saulnier are each seeking the mayors seat for the small Kent County municipality. There are also four council seats available, with eight candidates vying for them: Ronald Joseph Allain, Achille Bastarache, Mariette Cormier, Hert LeBlanc, Jean-Nol LeBlanc, Michael Joseph LeBlanc, Oscar LeBlanc and Tamie Lee Maillet. Located on the coast of the Northumberland Strait, tourism is important to the local economy. Many tourists stop to grab a bite to eat at local restaurants before making their way to the Irving Eco-Centre: La Dune de Bouctouche, Le Pays de la Sagouine or the Irving Arboretum. The community was praised by Heritage Canada in September for pivoting to hold events online and in COVID-safe ways, but many events in the region were cancelled that normally flood Kent County with tourists. The Times & Transcript asked each of the candidates what they would do help the tourism industry, what they identify as the biggest issues facing the community and how they would tackle them. All candidates were contacted both by phone and by email. Some candidates could not be reached for comment by press time. Mayoral candidates: Pauline Anne Hbert: Hebert said looking ahead she would focus on encouraging more local participation at virtual events and continuing to promote the farmers market while following guidelines. She said population growth is also a priority and she would work toward finding incentives to get young people to stay or return. She believes twinning of the highway, working from home, and enlarging the town boundaries should help. She would also work on creating partnerships with investors, developers and different levels of government. Aldo Saulnier: Saulnier said he sits on the board of Le Pays de la Sangouine and knows how hard-hit the tourism sector is, but it is difficult to know what to do based on not knowing what COVID restrictions will in play. One of the biggest issues is improving the local economy and recruiting investors to invest in the community, such as building apartment buildings, will help in the long and short term, he said. Councillor candidates: Mariette Cormier: Combatting the impact of the pandemic means thinking outside the box and coming up with new ways to grow tourism in our beautiful town, said Cormier. Building resilience by anticipating disruptions and making plans to adapt to situations beyond its control can helpt the town best weather a variety of issues in the term ahead, she said. Hert LeBlanc: LeBlanc said if elected he would meet with tourism players and find different ways to organize and promote events, including seeking support from different levels of government. He would look for ways to support businesses and organizations hard-hit by the pandemic. And giving the towns administration the tools to make decisions more easily, while fairly, is a second priority issue for him. Achille Bastarache: Bastarache said we have to be innovative to attract people to their beautiful, small town full of natural wonder, restaurants and farmers market. Keeping young families living in Bouctouche so the community continues to grow is an issue he wants to tackle. He will do this by inspiring people with what the community has to offer and working hard to get the four-lane highway done. Upgrading the industrial park is also a key issue, he said. Tamie Lee Maillet: Maillet said targeting a diverse clientele in marketing the town could help tourism. She would help local businesses and tourist attractions work together to offer joint promotions. Attracting more families to live in Bouctouche, improving road and pedestrian infrastructure and ensuring it is a clean and green town are priorities. Communication and transparency along will collaboration are critical, she said. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Michael Joseph LeBlanc: Bouctouche provides an amazing example of Acadian culture, said LeBlanc. Actively supporting the Acadian Coast Tourism Association and talking to businesses about what they need would be his approach to helping the sector. LeBlanc said continuing to grow is a key issue for the community, but thinks the proximity to Moncton and improvements to the highway can help. While the community has already started to attract businesses, hed like to see more expansion in the industrial park. Encouraging people to keep supporting local is something he would focus on. Jean-Nol LeBlanc: LeBlanc said the reputation of the town is something to be proud of. He would focus on increasing meaningful, well-paying jobs in the community to enhance growth. Read more about:

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/05/04/what-will-these-2021-election-candidates-do-for-bouctouche.html

Which of the rookie first-round quarterbacks is facing the most pressure in 2021?

Just about anyone who has ever thrown a football has dreamed of becoming a first-round let alone top-15 selection in the NFL draft. Accomplishment. Opportunity. Money. Its a dream come true. Five such men lived it last week: Trevor Lawrence (1) to Jacksonville, Zach Wilson (2) to the New York Jets,Trey Lance (3) to San Francisco, Justin Fields (11) to Chicago and Mac Jones (15) to New England. As the green room hugs and introductory news conference smiles fade, what arrives are the expectations of the job (and draft slot). They are, without question, enormous; often so enormous that they can overwhelm quarterbacks who have the physical talents to succeed. In recent years alone, Dwayne Haskins, Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder, Robert Griffin III, Blake Bortles, Mitchell Trubisky, Josh Rosen, Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota and others have struggled as once-hyped top-15 picks. The days of having rookie quarterbacks watching and learning for a season or three is mostly out of style. That means at least four, and perhaps all five, of the top quarterbacks in 2021 are expected to start at some point this season, perhaps in the season opener. All of them, in a sense, but there are varying degrees and varying reasons. Trevor Lawrence was the consensus No. 1 pick in the draft, and he's going to a fishbowl NFL market with no other professional teams. Pressure's on. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Lawrence has the benefit of time. What he does in September, or even the full season, is not going to matter that much. Hes the franchise. There is no Plan B. He joins a team with a new coach, Urban Meyer, who took the job only because he knew he could draft and coach Lawrence. There will be no early hook, unless hes astoundingly bad (which seems unlikely). Payton Manning has already joked about Lawrence breaking his record for most interceptions as a rookie at 28. The implication however is that hes expected to struggle while taking over a 1-15 team. Thats the good news. The pressure comes in the future. Lawrence isnt just a highly drafted quarterback or even a No. 1 overall selection. He has been hailed as a generational talent, compared favorably to Andrew Luck, Manning and other stars. He needs to be really, really good or there will be significant disappointment. Story continues Jacksonville is a small market by NFL standards, but it is also a fishbowl. There are no other professional franchises and no other local stars to steer away media attention. The fan base (and yes, there is a fan base) is desperate to reach a Super Bowl. Already, Lawrence and his wife Marissa are like royalty in town. Its all eyes on Trevor. Zach Wilson, New York Jets Wilson, on the other hand, has plenty of places to hide. Yes, New York is the countrys biggest city and media market, but there are nine professional franchises to spread attention. Everything from more popular teams (the Yankees, the Giants) to massive celebrities (Kevin Durant, Aaron Judge) will provide some cover. At least for a little while. Once the season starts, expectations will soar. The Jets have been looking for a quarterback savior since Joe Namath, trotting out a new candidate every few years to little avail. Wilson replaces the last guy to try the competent Sam Darnold, who should be the starter in Carolina this year, allowing the chance to show the Jets what they let get away. Wilson hails from Draper, Utah, and attended BYU. Those are a long way from New York in every imaginable way. Plus, this is the Jets. New coach Robert Saleh brings impressive professionalism, but the franchise has wrecked plenty of talented QBs across the years. Trey Lance, San Francisco The 49ers traded away two first-round draft picks (plus a third) in order to move from 12th overall to third. Then they grabbed a guy from North Dakota State who essentially played one season of FCS football in 2019. Had San Francisco stayed put, it would have needed to move up only one spot (11th) to get Justin Fields or just waited and selected Mac Jones (and thus still had their 2022 and 2023 first-rounders). This was bold, to say the least. It will either go down as a stroke of genius by general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan or a disaster that will doom both of them and the current talent-laden roster. Middle ground is limited here. You bet. Lance gets to step into a Super Bowl-caliber team, but hell have to beat out Jimmy Garoppolo to get on the field. Expectations for winning are immediate. The guys who went and chose him are counting on him to deliver. This is going to be interesting. Justin Fields, Chicago Fans are understandably thrilled that the Bears drafted a guy who some scouts thought was the second-best prospect in the draft and led Ohio State to the national title game. They are also so starved for a quality quarterback, that just watching some competence at the position might placate them for a while. Thats good for Fields. That said, there are some unusual circumstances. Fields was picked by a general manager (Ryan Pace) and coach (Matt Nagy) on the hot seat so if he doesnt deliver, both could be fired. Veteran Andy Dalton is a nice early season bridge, but the circumstances suggest Fields will need to get on the field in fairly short order. Justin Fields is now tasked with helping the Bears forget six decades' worth of futille quarterback play. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) In some ways, Fields is there to atone for the 2017 draft, when Pace traded away three mid-round draft picks to move up and draft Mitchell Trubisky, famously passing on Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. That decision has haunted the Bears. Until now. The thing is, none of that was Fields fault. Hes just supposed to make everyone forget about it. Mac Jones, New England This is a nice spot to land. There will be some patience, likely more than with any other quarterback. Cam Newton is the expected starter and the Patriots view Jones as a long-term solution at quarterback. Hell be surrounded by lots of new talent and tremendous coaching. Bill Belichick wont be pressured into playing Jones before he believes Jones is ready. Fans, media, ownership none of it matters. If Jones doesnt play much as a rookie, then so be it. Neither did Tom Brady. If there is any added pressure here, it comes from Brady, who won six Super Bowls in 20 years as a starter and is now going for his second in two seasons in Tampa. Jones doesnt have to be better than Brady right now. That would be unreasonable. Yet fans view him as the next Brady. Jones could prove to be a great quarterback, of course, and never be Brady. That just comes with the territory in Foxborough. More from Yahoo Sports:

https://sports.yahoo.com/which-of-the-rookie-first-round-quarterbacks-is-facing-the-most-pressure-in-2021-230447789.html?src=rss

Is There A California Estate Tax?

AFP via Getty Images If you live in California, you likely know it is one of the highest-taxed states when it comes to income taxes; there is some good news for those worried about estate taxes. California is part of the 38 states that dont impose their own estate tax. Keep in mind; this does not necessarily mean that your inheritance will be tax-free. Keep reading for what you need to know about inheritance and estate taxes in California. The California Estate Tax Regardless of the size of the estate, the Franchise Tax Board (think the IRS for the state of California) will not levy any estate taxes on the inheritance. We are just talking at the state level; the Federal Government has its own estate tax rules. There may be other taxes due at the state level for those inheriting assets, investments, retirement accounts, or real estate. But these are not technically estate taxes. The estate tax is just what it sounds like: a tax levied on the estate when a person passed away before the estate is passed on to the heirs and beneficiaries. Sometimes the estate tax is called the death tax. At the federal level, the estate tax only applies to large estates, regardless of which state you live in. Estate taxes vary from state to state. The California Inheritance Tax and Gift Tax As I previously mentioned, there is no inheritance tax in California, regardless of net worth. This is huge for my California financial-planning clients. If you are going to receive an inheritance from someone who lived in a state other than California, talk with your fiduciary financial planner to check their estate tax laws. California does not levy a gift tax. However, the federal gift tax does still apply to residents of California. For 2021, the annual gift-tax exclusion is $15,000 per donor, per recipient. A giver can give anyone elsesuch as a relative, friend, or even a strangerup to $15,000 in assets a year, free of federal gift taxes. Federal Estate Tax You will often hear me talk about how California is a high-tax state; I am a Los Angeles Financial Planner, after all. All the same, federal tax rates are typically higher than state taxes. California tops out at 13.3% per year, whereas the top federal tax rate is currently 37%. Even though California wont ding you with the death tax, there are still estate taxes at the federal level to consider. The federal estate tax goes into effect for estates valued at $11.7 million and up, in 2021, for singles. The estate tax exemption is a whopping $23.4 million, per couple, in 2021. Paying estate taxes is quite painful for those who are fortunate to have estates large enough to get hit with the estate tax. With proper tax planning and estate planning, you could potentially pass an estate much larger than this without being subject to the federal estate tax. For estates that exceed this amount, the estate tax starts at 18% and goes up to 40%. Overall California Tax Picture If you inherit a retirement account or pension, withdrawals will be fully taxable. (There are some strategies to minimize the taxes due on inherited IRAs). California does not tax Social Security benefits, which is good; many states do. California sales tax rates range from 7.35% to 10.25%. This base rate is the highest of any state. California is quite fair when it comes to property taxes when you look beyond the sky-high housing prices in most of the state. Property taxes in California are not as burdensome, as the average rate is just 0.75% the 15th-lowest in the nation. When you add in other local taxes based as part of your property tax bill, much of California is hit with a 1.25% property tax bill. Thanks to Prop 13, this amount can only increase 2%, per year, which means many Californian homeowners are paying taxes on values much lower than their current estimated values.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidrae/2021/05/04/is-there-a-california-estate-tax/

Is George Russell The Fastest Driver On Todays Formula 1 Grid?

PORTIMAO, PORTUGAL - APRIL 29: George Russell of Great Britain and Williams talks in the Drivers ... [+] Press Conference during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Portugal at Autodromo Internacional Do Algarve on April 29, 2021 in Portimao, Portugal. (Photo by Gabriel Bouys - Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images Williams Racing driver George Russell just completed a breakthrough weekend at the Portuguese Grand Prix. In Saturdays qualifying session, he made it through to Q2 and bested his Williams teammate for the 40th time in a row. Hes undefeated in his two-plus years with Williams. Russell then missed Q3 by less than a tenth of a second to Sebastian Vettels Aston Martin. Qualifying 11th is the best performance of his F1 career and the best for a Williams car in recent memory. Meanwhile, his teammate Nicholas Latifi qualified 18th. And thats the yardstick in Formula 1, as the equipment varies so much. Its virtually impossible to get a direct measure of how fast and skilled Formula 1 drivers are. Its a bit like comparing Michael Jordan to James LeBron or Muhammad Ali to Mike Tyson. But these competitors are in the sport at the same time. Its an impossible task, yet we still try. And thats what makes F1 so interesting. To suggest that Russell is the fastest driver on the grid is not to also suggest that hes the best driver. Speed is just one factor in being a great driver, one worthy of contesting the World Championship. It also requires consistency, temperament, and an ability to perform under tremendous pressure. Being fast is certainly a prerequisite for greatness, and thats why many deem Russell a future World Champion. Indeed, there is plenty of evidence to suggest he could, in fact, be the fastest driver in 2021. PORTIMAO, PORTUGAL - APRIL 30: George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Williams Racing ... [+] FW43B Mercedes on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Portugal at Autodromo Internacional Do Algarve on April 30, 2021 in Portimao, Portugal. (Photo by Dan Istitene - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) Formula 1 via Getty Images Speed is a function of the driver being able to extract the greatest performance out of any given car. When you look at Russells performance this past weekend and the massive delta to his teammate. When you look at his performance in the Mercedes last season at the Sakhir Grand Prix, where he barely fit into Hamiltons cockpit and had just three practice sessions to get used to the car. Not to mention his dominating speed during the race itself. When you look at the qualifying deltas between Hamilton/Bottas and Verstappen/Perez. It becomes clear that Russell is certainly on the same level as Hamilton and Verstappen, who are considered the two fastest drivers. Its further arguable that hes faster than either of them and just needs the right car to prove it. Unfortunately, the Williams car could not perform in the race itself, as it cant handle the dirty air from following other cars. And what we saw at the front of the race is that Bottas lacks the speed, execution, and/or killer instincts to contend with either Hamilton or Verstappen. This is why Mercedes should make the decision to put Russell in the seat next to Hamilton sooner rather than later. Rob Reed (RR): Today is Thursday before the Portuguese Grand Prix. George Russell (GR): Today is the day we traditionally do a track walk, but I actually no longer do track walks, because I find it it's quite time consuming. We have a very busy schedule on a Thursday between all of our interviews, with the engineer meetings. Often, a track walk takes at least an hour. It's much more productive for me to sit down with my engineers over a coffee, go through all of the details. Then, I'll often just quickly jump on a bike and do a lap in 15 minutes as opposed to an hour. RR: It seems like you've been doing the track ride more than the track walk. Its more efficient and probably even a little more fun. GR: I mean, I have a little laugh when I'm overtaking all of the other drivers who are walking the track and give them a little wave as I cycle by. Yeah, it's good. 18 April 2021, Italy, Imola: Motorsport: Formula 1 World Championship, Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, ... [+] race. Valtteri Bottas from Finland of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team (r) and George Russell from Great Britain of Team Williams Racing (l) are still sitting in their destroyed cars after the accident. Both were able to get out of their cars on their own. Photo: Hasan Bratic/dpa (Photo by Hasan Bratic/picture alliance via Getty Images) dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images RR: I want ask about the crash at Imola. You had DRS wide open, massive pace in the slipstream. GR: Yeah, from my side, I was coming up behind Valtteri. First, I actually thought he had an issue, because we had so much pace advantage over him. I'd never been in a situation behind the Mercedes about to overtake them on merit. I have the DRS. I was catching him. I was doing 200 miles an hour. As I pulled out from behind Valtteri and I went to overtake him, he, in his own right, defended hard. As a consequence, I got slightly onto the damp patch, and just lost the car. The stewards deemed it as a racing incident, which I think is a fair one, because ultimately, it was very unfortunate circumstances that came together. I think on a personal side, the emotions were so high at that moment. I was in a point-scoring position. I just crashed at 200 miles an hour, which I've never done before in my life. It was scary. It was honestly scary. Going down the street sideways, in the side of the Mercedes, there's grass, some mud, carbon fiber, pieces of car going everywhere. I don't know if I'm headed towards a wall, headed towards a gravel trap, about to roll it, or anything. Your heart sinks. Afterwards, I got out of the car and I actually went against my own instincts to walk away. Because I thought I wanted to show some emotion. In the moment, that was quite a poor judgment call, because my emotions and adrenaline were so high. I wasn't proud of the way I acted, to be honest, after that incident. It wasn't myself. It wasn't to the standards I set myself and ultimately, I do want to be a role model. I do want to lead by example to the younger generation and the people who watch Formula 1. My actions post-incident were not that. RR: I think everybody appreciated your apology. I think it was well-received. Certainly publicly, it was justified. I personally have some different opinions about it. GR: No. RR: I think the big question is not whether he moved to the right or defended. He said that he defended. Was that defense unsportsman-like? Because when I was watching it live, I saw you react to something. You reacted to a move that, again, we can't necessarily see from you're on-board. It was almost like a very sudden move that you're just not supposed to make in that position. Certainly under those conditions. GR: Obviously, as a racing driver, youre biased to every situation. Even teams are biased towards their own driver. You cannot see an incident rationally sometimes. At the end of the day, I don't go into any overtaking opportunity planning to crash. I went for that opportunity, because I thought it was possible, and I thought it was a very viable overtaking opportunity. Obviously, in the blink of an eye, suddenly everything changed. RR: The other thing I don't buy is that you shouldn't have gone for the move. A younger Lewis Hamilton would have 100% gone for that move. GR: Yeah, for sure. RR: Every single day, every driver on the grid would have gone for that move. That criticism holds no water. You had such pace. You wouldn't have been fighting into the next turn. With that pace, you would have been by him if he hadn't squeezed you so hard and caused you to react in the way you did. Again, I don't think it had to happen that way and the only person who could have avoided that outcome was Valtteri. That's where I come down on it. On a less controversial note, let's actually talk about cycling. GR: Change the subject. Absolutely. GR: I do a fair amount of cycling. Firstly, for fitness. Secondly, psychologically, it just takes my mind away. I find it relaxing. I live in London. I cycle to Richmond Park, which is renowned for its cycling around there. It's just a really relaxing area with a load of animals and wildlife surrounded the park. Its really beautiful, overlooking London. Ill be on the bike twice a week. I'm not one of these guys who would go out for four to six hours at a time. Because ultimately, we race anywhere between an hour-and-a-half to two hours. We try with our cardio to do as many minutes on the bike as I would potentially do in a race. For me, any further is a bit unnecessary for my given sport. Williams driver George Russell, of Britain, pedals a bicycle as he inspects the racetrack ahead of ... [+] Sunday's Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix, at the Imola track, Italy, Thursday, April 15, 2021. I've seen guys kitted up and doing some proper laps on the track. GR: I did it in Bahrain, when I was there for I mean, we were in Bahrain for three weeks, because we had to test. We're filming in the middle. That was incredibly fun cycling around the circuit. The surface is so smooth. You don't have to worry about cars or people. You've got the place to yourself and it was perfect. Ordinarily, I wouldn't, but we have a little gym bike in our motorhome, which I would use on a Thursday. For example, today, this morning, I did 25 minutes really intense on the bike. Then I use it for my warmup as well. Just five minutes, just getting the heart rate up before the session. I'm just a bit more pumped and ready to jump in the car. GR: I think Valtteri is probably number one, I'd say. Obviously, his girlfriend is a professional cyclist. Valtteri is very good at his cardio to be fair. Hes a very fast runner, a very fast cyclist. I'd say, he's probably up there. I'd like to say top five for me. Oh, that is probably Lando. Yeah. Ill go Lando. I reckon he will be back row. I say, short distance running, I reckon Im number one. I reckon 400 to 1,500 meters is yeah, I think I've got the leg to everyone there. BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - DECEMBER 06: George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG ... [+] Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W11 leads the field during the F1 Grand Prix of Sakhir at Bahrain International Circuit on December 06, 2020 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) Getty Images RR: Coming back to Formula 1, I also wanted to touch on last years Sakhir Grand Prix. From my view, I think aside from Turkey, that was the most exciting race of the season. Obviously, it didn't turn out like you'd hoped. But as a result, the Russell stock shot up quite a bit. GR: I took a huge amount away from it. I think, the number one lesson I learned is that I've been fighting in the back of the grid for two seasons now with Williams. It's been tough at points, because I'm a winner. I want to win and I want to fight for victories. It's been tough. What I learned in the Sakhir Grand Prix is that it's not going to get any easier fighting for victories and fighting for championships, psychologically. If anything, it's going to get even harder, because I qualified second on the grid. I was 20 milliseconds off poll, which is the equivalent, literally, of a blink of an eye. I was disappointed being second. My previous best was 12 in qualifying. I've just qualified second and I was disappointed. That taught me, fighting for a victory and losing it, it's going to be even more demoralizing than coming home on P15 and doing your best, but not having the tools to show for it. Dealing with the tough moments afterwards and getting yourself back together to say, Right, I've got another race next weekend. I've got to get myself together to try and win this thing, because I can't let the disappointment dwell on me. I can't let those disappointments affect my performance next weekend. That's so important. Formula 1 is very tough. It's very unique. Its heavily dominated by your qualifying performance. If you have a good qualifying, you're often going to have a good race. A lap in qualifying is 90 seconds long. Ninety seconds can make or break your whole race weekend. Just psychologically, you've got to be in the right frame of mind to say, Right, this is the moment. Its Q3 now. Or in our position, its Q2 now. I've got to nail this, because I put all this preparation into traveling to Australia, traveling to Bahrain, traveling to Portimao, or wherever it may be. This one lap is going to give me a good weekend or a bad weekend. That's a lot of pressure. BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - DECEMBER 06: George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG ... [+] Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W11, Valtteri Bottas of Finland driving the (77) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W11 and Sergio Perez of Mexico driving the (11) Racing Point RP20 Mercedes at the first corner at the start of the race during the F1 Grand Prix of Sakhir at Bahrain International Circuit on December 06, 2020 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Tolga Bozoglu - Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images RR: It doesn't sound like you were surprised at your own performance when you were in a competitive car. GR: If you want to win a championship, you have to be the best over the course of 23 races. Not the best over one race. If you have a disappointment, you need to get that out of your mind. That was such a fantastic opportunity. I left that race fulfilled with confidence, because I haven't had the opportunity to truly prove what I can do with the tools I've had. Or would he be in the same position as me? Because nobody would ever know. I thought I was doing a good job, but you just never know if Hamilton or Verstappen jumped in, what they'd do. I think, the fact I got that opportunity in the Mercedes, it made me feel, actually, I've probably been doing quite a good job with the tools I've had. RR: I want to give you a hypothetical. Let's say you're alongside Lewis at Mercedes. The championship is decided by just five races and you get to choose the tracks for those five races. GR: Ordinarily, I'd say Silverstone, because that's my home race. Equally, it's his home race as well. I think, yeah, let's do it. Let's put Silverstone on the calendar. HungaryBudapest, I always seem to go well there. I'd say, Budapest. Monaco. Monaco is just something else. GR: Yeah. Nowhere in the world where I get more adrenaline than driving a lap around Monaco. It blows your mind. Absolutely blows your mind. The speeds we go in these cars is, yeah, exceptional. I'd add Monaco to the list. Then I'd probably say, Suzuka. Great track. Followed by Portimao. I like Portimao. Yeah, theyre my five. GR: Ill let you read into that as you wish. GR: Super excited. Incredibly excited to go to Miami. I think it's a really cool place. I've seen the track. It looks great. This will be the second race we have in the US. Theres talks to have a third. I don't know. Maybe Vegas could be awesome, or Indianapolis. I think, we all love going to Austin, going to the states. I'm really excited to have a race in Miami.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robreed/2021/05/04/is-george-russell-the-fastest-driver-on-todays-formula-1-grid/

Could Washington LB Jamin Davis Wins NFL Rookie Of The Year?

Jamin Davis has the seventh-best odds to win 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Jamin Davis is a particular favorite of the coaching staff of the Washington Football Team. He's a favorite of sorts there as well. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, the 12th overall selection in the NFL Draft - and the guy the Cowboys swear was the No. 1 defensive player on their Big Board - is the top candidate for the award, according to PointsBet. They have Parsons as a +450 proposition to win Rookie of the Year among defensive players. A few spots later - at +1400 - comes Davis, taken by the WFT with the No. 10 overall pick. Davis has the seventh-best odds here. Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn, who was taken ahead of Parsons, is at +1500 - interestingly, behind Davis. Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain, taken in the No. 9 slot, one pick behind Horn, is at +1000. Two pass-rushers have a shot, with Dolphins rookie Jaelen Phillips (taken 18th) at +850 and Colts rookie Kwity Paye (taken at 21) at +900. Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is at +1100. Cardinals linebacker Zaven Collins (taken at 16) is at +1200. And then comes Davis. It starts with being a starter, maybe on a good team, and one capable of putting up numbers. Interceptions matter. Sacks matter. And wins matter. It is too early to know how Jamin Davis will line up for the Washington Football Team, so it is too early to know what sort of numbers he will record, what sort of performance he will register, and how successful he and his new team will be. But it is not too early to bet on it. READ MORE: Grading the WFT 2021 Haul

https://www.si.com/nfl/washingtonfootball/news/could-washington-football-team-lb-jamin-davis-wins-nfl-rookie-of-the-year

What shape is Rafael Nadal in as he tackles another clay court season?

On a fine spring day in Barcelona just over a week ago, Rafael Nadal threw himself down to the earth and roared in glee at the skies above him. It was a scenario that has played out countless times over the past 16 years, particularly during this time of year. In the three hours and 38 minutes it took Nadal to overcome Stefanos Tsitsipas from match point down, he wrestled with his own serve, his nerves and with one of the most in-form players this year. His reward, his 87th title, will only be a footnote in his career when all is over. He celebrated it as one of his great victories. As Nadal has explained numerous times since, of course he would celebrate such a difficult victory so vigorously. Between a back injury in Australia this year and his decision to sit out the early pandemic events, Nadal has played few tournaments recently and his form has suffered. In Melbourne, he hit a wall after leading Tsitsipas by two sets in their quarter-final and lost in five. In Monte Carlo last month, he was dismayed as he fizzled out in the third set to Andrey Rublev. It was, however, still a notable sight. This is a time when Roger Federer and Serena Williams, both five years older, ration their energies for the tournaments that most matter in the twilight of their careers. Novak Djokovic has spent much of this year stating, understandably, that he is only really motivated by grand slam titles these days. Dominic Thiem, in the prime of his career, recently took a break after feeling burnt out from all the effort it took for him to win just one slam title. Nadals ability to be fully present in every match and every point he contests feels even more significant and special as his career endures. Still, the frequency with which Nadals mental strength is discussed can obscure many other qualities that have defined his greatness over the years. He is constantly described as the resident worker on tour, the raging bull who plays with a primitive fighting spirit and works more than almost all of his rivals. In recent years, Nadal himself has come to reject many of these characterisations. Yes, his intensity and passion are essential to his success, but those qualities would be far diminished if he did not play with the clarity of thought and composure needed to continually problem solve on the court. But almost always under good self-control, no? Rafael Nadal trains ahead of his first match at the 2021 Mutua Madrid Open. Photograph: Rodrigo Jimenez/EPA Over the years, Nadal has fashioned one of the most complete games in the sport and his vast toolbox has allowed him to beset his natural decline in foot speed and athleticism. His improved serve has been essential to his sustained success, allowing more efficiency on faster surfaces. The last two times Nadal ended his season as No 1, 2019 and 2017, he won 90% and 89% of his service games, the highest and third highest numbers of his career. During the mid-2010s, when Nadals struggles sent him out of the top five for the only time in the last 16 years, it was often his forehand that he struggled with. He compensated by taking on more responsibility with his backhand, which now, at times, can end points as viciously as his forehand. So too has he matured at the net Nadal has always been one of the most capable and talented singles players at the net, but he chose his approach shots carefully. Now he is far more daring with his netplay in the 2019 US Open final against Daniil Medvedev he executed 20 serve and volleys, winning 17, with 66 total approaches. It has taken every facet of Nadals game to remain at the top of the sport for so long. Not all of these qualities have been as easy to summon so far this year, but on Wednesday, Nadal will face Carlos Alcaraz in his first match of the Madrid Open as he continues on his road towards a possible 14th Roland Garros title and a 21st major title. Their first encounter will garner significant hype as Alcaraz, 18 on Wednesday, has flitted up the rankings and is already anointed the next flagbearer for Spanish tennis. He may have to wait some time to see how heavily it weighs.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/may/04/is-rafael-nadal-in-shape-for-another-clay-court-season

What To Expect From Zyngas Q1?

UKRAINE - 2021/02/08: In this photo illustration a Zynga logo of the U.S. social game developer ... [+] running social video game services seen on a mobile phone and a pc screen. (Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Zynga (NASDAQ: ZNGA) is scheduled to report its Q1 2021 results on Wednesday, May 5. We expect the company to likely post revenue and earnings above the consensus estimates, primarily led by continued growth in the companys key franchises Empires & Puzzles and Merge Dragons! Zynga ZNGA should see an overall pickup in demand due to higher gaming engagement levels seen over the recent quarters. We expect the company to navigate well based on these trends over the latest quarter. Furthermore, our forecast indicates that Zyngas valuation is $14 per share, which is 31% above the current market price of around $11. Our interactive dashboard analysis on Zynga Pre-Earnings has additional details. (1) Revenues expected to be slightly above the consensus estimates Trefis estimates Zyngas Q1 2021 revenues to be around $690 million, modestly above the $686 million consensus estimate. Despite the economies opening up with vaccination programs underway in multiple countries, the user engagement levels for gaming has remained on the higher side, and Zynga, in particular, has seen higher user engagement led by its recently acquired gaming portfolios, including that of Rollic, which was acquired earlier this year, and it should bolster the overall top-line growth. Zyngas Q4 2020 total bookings (includes change in deferred revenue along with total revenue) were up a solid 61% y-o-y to $699 million, primarily driven by higher user engagement levels for its top games, including Merge Dragons! Our dashboard on Zynga Revenues offers more details on the companys segments. 2) EPS likely to be slightly above the consensus estimates Zyngas Q1 2021 adjusted earnings per share is expected to be $0.10 per Trefis analysis, slightly above the consensus estimate of $0.09. The companys net loss of $53 million in Q4 2020 compares with a $3.5 million loss in the prior year quarter. However, on an adjusted basis, the company reported earnings of $85 million or $0.09 on a per share basis. For the full year 2021, we expect the adjusted EPS to be higher at $0.40 compared to $0.35 in 2020. (3) Stock price estimate 31% above the current market price Trefis Price Estimate For ZNGA Trefis Going by our Zyngas Valuation, with an EPS estimate of $0.40 and a P/E multiple of 35x in 2021, this translates into a price of $14, which is 31% above the current market price of around $11. In fact, at the current market price of $11, ZNGA stock is trading at just 27x its 2021 EPS estimate of $0.40. While the 27x figure is comparable with some of its peers including Activision Blizzard ATVI and Electronic Arts EA , we believe that Zynga deserves a higher P/E multiple given the strong revenue and earnings growth delivered over the recent past, a trend expected to continue going forward, as well. Note: P/E Multiples are based on Share Price at the end of the year and reported (or expected) Adjusted Earnings for the full year. While ZNGA stock can see higher levels, it is helpful to see how its peers stack up. Check out ATVI stock comparison with its peers to see how Activision Blizzard compares against peers on metrics that matter. You can find more such useful comparisons on Peer Comparisons. See How Its Powering New Collaboration and What-Ifs For CFOs and Finance Teams | Product, R&D, and Marketing Teams

https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2021/05/04/what-to-expect-from-zyngas-q1/

What Do Conspiracy Theories And AI Explainability Have In Common?

Machine Learning Explanations Have A Truthiness Problem dogtownmedia.com The answer: both suffer from a truthiness problem. Truthiness is a term coined by Stephen Colbert to describe the tactic of weaving facts into a false narrative. Conspiracy theories like QAnon rely on truthiness, using individual data points to reach wild and untrue conclusions like ISIS was created by the CIA or a hidden Deep State runs the U.S. government. Like it or not, human beings are highly susceptible to truthiness: research indicates that 50% of Americans believe in at least one conspiracy theory. The AI business also suffers from a truthy belief: that when black box algorithms are used to make high-stakes decisionslike who gets approved for a loan, a job interview, or even an organ transplantthe fact that we dont know HOW these algorithms reach their decisions is not a problem so long as an AI developer can explain a models reasoning. This notion is pervasive in the AI industry, but it is truthiness nonetheless. The reality is that any attempt to explain a decision made by black box algorithm is just that: an attempt. In fact, as Cynthia Rudin, director of the Prediction Analysis Lab at Duke, says, AI explanations are by definition wrong because if an explanation was totally faithful to an AI models computations, we wouldnt need an explanation in the first placethe reasons for the models decisions would be obvious. So in order to explain why a black box model made a decision, we are forced to approximatein other words, make an educated, but not exact, guess. The reason truthy beliefs are so compelling is a result of neuroscience. The human mind works constantly to make sense of a complex world. When there is a gap between our brains ability to understand a set of facts and the ground-truth reality of those facts, we create stories and mental maps using three cognitive tools, all of which result in bias: Generalization, or drawing broad conclusions based on a few experiences; Deletion, or selectively paying attention to certain facts while overlooking or omitting others, and Distortion, or misrepresenting reality by making shifts in our experience or data. Conspiracy theories exploit all three of these tools by publicizing cryptic but real photos, quotes and facts, and then layering wild and dangerous stories on top of them. AI explanations, while based on math and peer-reviewed studies, do a version of the same thing, distilling complex facts into a narrative that sounds accurate and makes people comfortable but in reality can be far from the truth. For example, the two most popular AI explanation packages, SHAP and LIME, generate explanations by making generalizations. SHAP explains individual predictions using a models average output value as a reference point. LIME divides a high-dimensional model into smaller pieces and then makes linear approximations of those tiny spaces. Another popular method, Leave-One-Co-Variate-Out, uses deletion. The developer deletes one variable, re-runs the model and then makes judgments about the importance of that variable by assessing how the models decisions changed once the variable was deleted. Permutation Feature Importance relies on distortion to measure the importance of a variable by assigning it a series of random values and then determining the model's prediction error. A variable is important if distorting its data increases the prediction error, and unimportant if distorting it left the model error unchanged. Given that AI explanations suffer from these shortcomings, its easy to see that these explanations can do harm by concealing the damage an AI model is doing. Microsoft Research illustrated this potential for harm in a 2020 study. Data scientists were given a model and told to evaluate it using common AI explanatory tools. Most of the scientists were unable to accurately describe what the models were doing even after watching a tutorial on how to generate explanations. Worse still, simply having an explanation made the scientists more confident about the model and more likely to justify its use, even when the explanation was something that should have raised suspicion. In a real-life example, a sports team used a hiring algorithm that, when explained, seemed fair to Black and female applicants because many members of both groups had been hired. But upon closer inspection, all of the female hires were white secretaries, while all of the Black hires were male athletes. So women of color, not to mention many other groups, were excluded from hiring consideration by the algorithm. The first step, according to Ian Hardy, a data scientist focused on applying AI in consumer lending, is acknowledging that there are many ways to express truths about how a black box algorithm works. Companies must be careful not to explain one aspect of a models behavior, such as accuracy, at the expense of another aspect, such as fairness. For example, if a lending model uses 400 variables and a regulator asks which ones are most important, many lenders will run an explainer like SHAP and hand over the top 200 most important variables, all of which may seem unproblematic. In this scenario, medical debt is a deciding factor in whether some people of color will get a loan. But to the average applicant, medical debt seems unimportant. Given this, does a list of the top 200 variables adequately explain how the model is operating? Second, whenever possible use a simple model rather than a black box algorithm. Cynthia Rudin advises lenders to consider whether a black box model is necessary, especially since simpler techniques often achieve the same business results as black box models. Finally, if you do use a black box algorithm, use multiple explanatory techniques and stress test your explanations. Taking these additional steps can more rigorously validate your models decision-making. Black box algorithms have an important role to play in society, and the technologies we use to explain them are crucial for safer, more trustworthy products. But we must create and interpret these explanations responsibly, which starts with acknowledging that no black box algorithm can be explained using a one-size-fits-all method that can hide harmful attributes. When it comes to explaining AI, we would be wise to follow Naval Ravikants words: Adopting explanations without challenge isnt scienceits politics.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kareemsaleh/2021/05/04/what-do-conspiracy-theories-and-ai-explainability-have-in-common/

How Should Brands Think About Their Relationship With Customers?

originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Lee Hnetinka, Founder at Darkstore and FastAF, on Quora: Consumers view brands as relationships, so its important to reciprocate those feelings. By defining a brands particular kind of relationship, companies can create greater engagement, differentiation and loyalty. With the abundance of competitive information and the content available online, todays consumers are more informed than ever, so there must be a greater emphasis placed on their experience. In addition, with direct access to customers through social media channels, use the opportunity to crowdsource and listen to what your customers want and need. With more product choices and easier access to both essential and discretionary items, expectations have shifted in the consumers favor. And, with speed, convenience, price, access, quality and value still driving the consumer online purchase journey, its easy to see that whats good for the consumer isnt always easy for the brand. The customer will remain the main focus in these relationships, so its important to figure out a way for them to be central in any brand's commerce experience. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2021/05/04/how-should-brands-think-about-their-relationship-with-customers/

What and when is Cinco de Mayo, and how is the holiday celebrated?

It's May, which means it's time for one of the United States' most misunderstood holidays. But at least there will be great food and drink to make the misunderstanding more tolerable. The name in Spanish means "May 5." This year's falls on Wednesday, while next year's will be on Thursday. Cinco de Mayo 2023 is one of the "holy grails," falling on a Friday when most people don't need to work the next day, though Leap Year Day in 2024 means that year's holiday jumps straight to Sunday. First of all, it's not Mexico's Independence Day, which is actually celebrated Sept. 16. Cinco de Mayo instead commemorates the Mexican army's victory over Napoleon III's French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Not the famous one from "Bill & Ted's Big Adventure." He had been dead about 40 years by this point. This was his nephew. (Napoleon II, Bonaparte's son, only briefly held the title of emperor and never held actual power.) Mexico had borrowed a lot of money from European countries over the preceding years, and France came to collect and wasn't willing to talk it out. Oddly or not, considering Americans' fondness for claiming other countries' holidays as a reason to drink and party Cinco de Mayo is celebrated much more in the United States than it is in Mexico. In Mexico, it's not even a federal holiday, and most of the celebratory parades and events are limited to the state of Puebla. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is usually marked with parades and celebrations of Mexican culture, culminating with the consumption of lots of Mexican food and margaritas. And as much as you think it would look "cute" or "funny," don't wear a sombrero. Before you sip, explore the cocktail's mysterious origin But most non-Mexican Americans have "no idea" about the day's history, Carlos Tortolero, president of the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, told USA TODAY Network in 2014. ', they would be clueless, and you can't blame the alcohol consumption either," Tortolero said. In the 1960s, the holiday was adopted in cities with large Hispanic populations, starting with the west coast and moving inwards over the years, as a celebration of Mexican culture. Activists also commemorated it as a metaphor for all indigenous people triumphing over arriving colonists. The holiday was then pushed into the holiday big leagues in the '80s once the marketing departments of Annheiser-Busch and Miller Brewing got behind it. Contact IndyStar digital producer Channing King at 317-444-8073 or channing.king@indystar.com. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter: @ChanningKing.

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2021/05/04/cinco-de-mayo-2021-5-de-mayo-celebration-questions-answered/4935534001/

Why is my personal loan APR different than the interest rate?

Selects editorial team works independently to review financial products and write articles we think our readers will find useful. We may receive a commission when you click on links for products from our affiliate partners. Taking out a personal loan can sometimes feel like a whirlwind. Between submitting your information for a soft pull (otherwise known as getting prequalified) and evaluating loan offers to choose the best one, it's easy to overlook the many personal loan fees that can get tacked onto the money you borrow. Just like any kind of loan or credit product, personal loans come with interest charges. And that interest is colloquially known as APR. Most consumers understand that APR and interest are two financial terms often used interchangeably, when in fact their meanings differ slightly. Ahead, Select explains and why your interest rate may be different than your overall APR. Personal loans lenders charge interest rates ranging between roughly 2.49% to upwards of 24% (and sometimes higher). The average personal loan interest rate for two-year loans is currently 9.46% according to Q1 2021 data from the Federal Reserve. Interest rates are expressed as a percentage applied to your remaining monthly balance. The rate determines how much you pay to borrow money over the lifetime of the loan. A two-year loan, for instance, gets paid back over a period of 24 monthly installments. Each month, a portion of your payment gets applied to the balance you still owe, while another percentage gets applied toward interest, or the fee you pay to borrow. Interest rates can be fixed (stay the same for the life of the loan) or variable (subject to change from month to month). At a first glance, it's easy to confuse the annual percentage rate (APR) on a personal loan with its interest rate. However, APR refers to the annual cost you pay in total, including both the interest rate and any fees associated with the loan, specifically origination fees and/or one-time administration fees. When there are no extra fees, the APR is the same as the interest rate. However, many lenders charge origination fees ranging from 2% to 10%. Such fees won't change your interest rate, but they do add on to the loan's total cost. So the advertised APR may include both interest rates and other fees. It's important to do your research ahead of time to make sure you understand exactly what your loan will cost. APR and interest comparison Here's an example of a loan with both an origination fee and monthly interest rate. If you took out a $10,000 loan that had an 8% origination fee, your lender would charge $800 up front before even giving you the money. When the money is deposited into your account, you'd only get $9,200. You'd still owe back the full $10,000, plus interest. Let's assume the interest rate is 9.46% and your repayment term is four years (48 months). According to Experian's APR calculator, the total APR would be actually be considerably higher than the interest rate, at 13.10%, because you have to factor in the origination fee. Total loan amount: $10,000 $10,000 Origination fee: $800 $800 Amount deposited to your bank account: $9,200 $9,200 Interest rate: 9.46% 9.46% APR: 13.10% 13.10% Estimated monthly payment: $248.85 $248.85 Total interest paid over life of the loan: $1,944.82 $1,944.82 Total paid (interest + fees): $2,744.82 How to get a personal loan Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staffs alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.

https://www.cnbc.com/select/why-apr-is-different-than-interest-rate-personal-loan/

Why is it so difficult to create covid-19 travel bubbles?

MANY COUNTRIES rely on tourism and business travel, but few sectors have been as badly damaged by the pandemic. In 2020, travel-industry revenues across the globe plummeted by 49% compared with 2019, to $4.7trn, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, an industry association. The sectors contribution to global GDP also halved, from 10.4% to 5.5%. Meanwhile, the number of people employed in the travel industry fell from 334m to 272m. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that many governments are desperate to find ways to get tourismboth business and leisuregoing again. One often mooted solution is travel bubbles. A trans-Tasman bubble links Australia and New Zealand, and another between Hong Kong and Singapore (their second attempt) is due to open on May 26th. Yet other efforts have not survived their first encounter with pandemic-reality. Vaccination may make things easier. Hong Kong will insist that people using it are vaccinated (although Singapore will not). Future bubbles may require travellers to show vaccine passports. The concept is straightforward. Two or more countries that have covid-19 under a degree of control allow people to travel from one to the other, with minimal restrictions. One early version, in May 2020, was among the Baltic states. At the time Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were recording few cases, at least relative to the rest of the European Union. Yet the bubble ended later that year when the virus overran them. The idea was quickly scotched. In November Singapore and Hong Kong agreed on their own bubble. They seemed a perfect match. Neither was recording more than a handful of new infections each day. Both hadat that timea single point of entry, their international airports. And both had extensive business ties. Yet the bubble collapsed even before anyone could use it, when Hong Kong entered what it described as its third wave of covid-19 (although it was generally recording fewer than 100 new cases a day). Still, the Hong Kong-Singapore template offered a good idea of the basic principles needed for travel bubbles to work. The first is that paired countries have similar, low incidences of covid-19; travellers should be at no greater risk of picking up, or spreading, an infection in their destinations than at home. The second is a trust in the others testing regime. Over the past eight months or so Hong Kong has repeatedly banned (non-bubble) flights from India after passengers presented false-negative tests before boarding. Travellers within bubbles should expect to be tested no longer than 72 hours before departure and again upon arrival at the destination airport. The third is a robust tracing system, so that it is quick to ascertain whether any new cluster is linked to local cases or imported ones. The fourth is an agreed-upon mechanism to shut bubbles down quickly should caseloads start to rise. More countries are dipping their toes in the water. Since April 1st Taiwanese have been able to visit the tiny Pacific island of Palau, for example, although they must remain in tour groups and stay at designated hotels (and, once they return, they are not allowed on public transport for five days). More significant is the trans-Tasman bubble, which began on April 19th and within which travellers do not even have to be tested before flying. Hong Kong and Singapores second attempt, meanwhile, will be a test of nerves. Politicians will be in hot water if it is perceived that they have imported new covid cases. For their part, travellers must hope that no clusters emerge while they are abroad, potentially making it troublesome to return home. Yet even before the world reaches significant levels of vaccination, more tourist-dependent countries may begin to feel that bubbles are a tempting, if risky, way to inflate their sagging economies. Dig deeper All our stories relating to the pandemic and the vaccines can be found on our coronavirus hub. You can also listen to The Jab, our new podcast on the race between injections and infections, and find trackers showing the global roll-out of vaccines, excess deaths by country and the viruss spread across Europe and America.

https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2021/05/04/why-is-it-so-difficult-to-create-covid-19-travel-bubbles

Could Washington LB Jamin Davis Win NFL Rookie Of The Year?

Jamin Davis has the seventh-best odds to win 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Jamin Davis is a particular favorite of the coaching staff of the Washington Football Team. He's a favorite of sorts there as well. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, the 12th overall selection in the NFL Draft - and the guy the Cowboys swear was the No. 1 defensive player on their Big Board - is the top candidate for the award, according to PointsBet. They have Parsons as a +450 proposition to win Rookie of the Year among defensive players. A few spots later - at +1400 - comes Davis, taken by the WFT with the No. 10 overall pick. Davis has the seventh-best odds here. Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn, who was taken ahead of Parsons, is at +1500 - interestingly, behind Davis. Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain, taken in the No. 9 slot, one pick behind Horn, is at +1000. Two pass-rushers have a shot, with Dolphins rookie Jaelen Phillips (taken 18th) at +850 and Colts rookie Kwity Paye (taken at 21) at +900. Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is at +1100. Cardinals linebacker Zaven Collins (taken at 16) is at +1200. And then comes Davis. It starts with being a starter, maybe on a good team, and one capable of putting up numbers. Interceptions matter. Sacks matter. And wins matter. It is too early to know how Jamin Davis will line up for the Washington Football Team, so it is too early to know what sort of numbers he will record, what sort of performance he will register, and how successful he and his new team will be. But it is not too early to bet on it. READ MORE: Grading the WFT 2021 Haul

https://www.si.com/nfl/washingtonfootball/news/could-washington-football-team-lb-jamin-davis-win-nfl-rookie-of-the-year

Is There A Travel Ban From India To The United States?

India is currently experiencing one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks, and an oxygen shortage is causing extra strife to those who need treatment. As a result, there is a temporary travel ban from India to the United States. NEW DELHI, INDIA - MAY 04: People receive their Covid-19 vaccines from medical workers at a ... [+] vaccination centre set up in the classroom of a government school on May 04, 2021 in New Delhi, India. India recorded more than 360,000 coronavirus cases in a day for the 12th day in a row on Monday as the total number of those infected according to Health Ministry data neared 20 million. The real figure could be up to ten times higher, many health experts say, due to a lack of widespread testing or reporting, and only patients who succumbed in hospitals being counted. A new wave of the pandemic has totally overwhelmed the country's healthcare services and has caused crematoriums to operate day and night as the number of victims continues to spiral out of control. (Photo by Rebecca Conway/Getty Images) Getty Images India Travel Ban Starts May 4, 2021 The Biden Administration issued a Presidential proclamation on April 30, 2021, mentioning a travel ban from India beginning on May 4, 2021. As of the press release, the nation of 1.3 billion people is reporting an average of 300,000 new COVID-19 cases each day. Many of the cases are from variant strain B.1.617. Two other variant strains first confirmed in the United Kingdom and South Africa are impacting India and the world as well. The CDC recommends proactive measures to prevent the potential spread of the B.1.617 variant. As a result, certain travelers will not easily enter the United States from India until the travel restrictions ease. The May 4, 2021 travel ban from India to the U.S. impacts nonimmigrants and noncitizens of the United States that have been in India for any or all of the last 14 days. These travelers must first stay in another country until their last day in India was at least 15 days before. Once these travelers qualify for entering the United States, they will take a mandatory COVID-19 diagnostic test. This test applies to all returning U.S. residents as well. Other countries are also issuing travel restrictions to discourage travel from India. Airlines are issuing refunds and rebooking options to help affected travelers return to their home country or find another travel destination. U.S. residents and qualifying non-residents are exempt from the travel restrictions. The following exemptions apply to these travelers: U.S. citizens Lawful permanent residents Noncitizen nationals Any noncitizen who is the spouse of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident A noncitizen who is the parent or legal guardian of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (the child must be unmarried and under age 21) A noncitizen who is the sibling of a U.S. citizen or permanent residents (both must be unmarried and under age 21) Any noncitizen who is the child, foster child or ward of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident Prospective adoptee seeking to enter the U.S. pursuant to the IR-4 or IH-4 visa classifications Any noncitizen traveling by request of the U.S. government for various purposes Qualified travelers can re-enter the United States directly from India. Since January 26, 2021, any person coming into the United States must obtain a negative COVID-19 test no more than three days before flying back to the U.S. This mandatory test applies to fully vaccinated travelers. Recovered COVID-19 patients can waive the mandatory test by showing documentation of a recovery from the last 90 days. After Traveling To India The CDC has different post-travel guidelines for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. Vaccinated Travelers Fully vaccinated travelers should practice these guidelines after traveling abroad: Take a viral test 3-5 days after travel (in addition to the re-entry test) Self-monitor for potential symptoms Follow state and local recommendations No self-quarantine is necessary but should isolate if they detect potential symptoms. Unvaccinated Travelers Nonvaccinated travelers should stay home and self-quarantine for 7 days but get a viral test between days 3 and 5. Travelers that don't get a post-travel test are advised to self-isolate for 10 full days after returning from a trip. Unvaccinated travelers should also avoid contact with high-risk individuals for the first 14 days. Following any state and local guidelines is essential too. The CDC currently assigns a Level 4 COVID-19 risk level to India. This is the highest risk level and indicates a "very high" risk of getting or spreading COVID-19. Going further, the CDC only recommends flying to India for essential reasons and to be fully vaccinated if flying to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19. Once arriving in India, it's recommended to practice these actions: Social distance at least 6 feet between people Wear a mask Avoid crowds Wash hands frequently India Entry Requirements While the U.S. doesn't restrict travel to India, the Indian government has several entry requirements for India. Essential Travel Only Travel for tourism and most short-term, nonessential travel is not permitted at the present moment. Traveling for essential reasons, returning residents and business travel is allowable. Mandatory Pre-Travel Test Since February 22, 2021, India requires all flyers to have a negative pre-travel test to enter the country. This requirement applies to fully vaccinated travelers too. International travelers can upload their test results to the Air Suvidha portal before arriving. Passengers can also complete a self-declaration form online to expedite the customs process. Self-Monitor For 14 Days Passengers coming from the United States can have fewer travel restrictions than other nations with a higher infection rate. For example, travelers from the UK, Brazil and South Africa must self-quarantine for the first 7 days. But U.S. travelers from the United States only have to undergo a thermal test at the airport and present a paper copy of the self-declaration form. No mandatory quarantine is necessary, but they will need to self-monitor for the first 14 days for potential symptoms. Local curfews and social distancing measures may also be active to prevent transmission. Other U.S. Travel Bans In addition to India, non-U.S. residents and qualifying permanent residents and non-citizens cannot enter the United States from these countries: China Iran European Schengen area (i.e., France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, etc.) United Kingdom Republic of Ireland Brazil South Africa Affected travelers cannot enter the United States if they have been in any of the above countries for the past 14 days. Once again, these restrictions don't apply to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and immediate family members. But it's also difficult to travel to these other high-risk countries for unessential travel due to their own local travel restrictions. Summary India is possibly the worst coronavirus hotspot to start May 2021. Many nations, including the United States, are prohibiting non-U.S. citizens and residents from flying to India until the situation improves. Hopefully, the situation can improve soon to reopen the travel corridor between two of the world's largest countries. Related Articles:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/geoffwhitmore/2021/05/04/is-there-a-travel-ban-from-india-to-the-united-states/

How does Harold Ramirez figure into Cleveland Indians CF plans?

Register for Indians Subtext to hear your Tribe questions answered exclusively on the show. Send a text to 216-208-4346 to subscribe for $3.99/mo. CLEVELAND, Ohio Harold Ramirez became the latest in a cast of characters auditioning for the Indians center field job with his two-hit performance on Monday in Kansas City. Paul Hoynes and Joe Noga look at what Ramirez brings to the role and whether or not he could stick around for a bit on Tuesdays podcast. Click here. We have an Apple podcasts channel exclusively for this podcast. Subscribe to it here. You can also subscribe on Google Play and listen on Spotify. Search Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast or download the audio here. - New Indians face masks for sale: Heres where you can buy Cleveland Indians-themed face coverings for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($14.99) and a 3-pack ($24.99). All MLB proceeds donated to charity. The week in baseball Anne Feller, wife of Cleveland Indians legend Bob Feller, dies at 91

https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2021/05/how-does-harold-ramirez-figure-into-cleveland-indians-cf-plans.html

Will the Saints Add a Veteran Free-Agent Cornerback?

New Orleans used a third round choice on Stanford star cornerback Paulson Adebo. The New Orleans Saints entered the 2021 offseason with a huge need at cornerback. They had released veteran CB Janoris Jenkins for salary cap reasons. Patrick Robinson and P.J. Williams provide depth, but have struggled against the top wideouts from other teams. Keith Washington, an undrafted rookie in 2020, has potential but is unproven. To make matters worse, Pro Bowl corner Marshon Lattimore is likely to face a league suspension for an offseason arrest involving possession of a stolen handgun. The Saints used a 3rd round draft choice on Stanford CB Paulson Adebo. While Adebo is expected to make an immediate contribution, we can expect some early inconsistencies from a rookie defensive back. New Orleans should dip into the remaining free agent pool to bolster the cornerback position. There is a surprising amount of talent still available, with several veterans waiting until after the draft to sign with a team. Here is some of the best remaining talent that New Orleans could look to add. BASHAUD BREELAND (29 - Chiefs) Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Bashaud Breeland (21) intercepts the football against Raiders receiver Tyrell Williams (16). Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports A seven-year veteran, Breeland has 14 career interceptions, including 4 picks and 17 passes broken up the last two years with Kansas City. Hes allowed just 49% completion percentage when targeted over the last two seasons for the two-time AFC champion Chiefs. Originally a 4th round choice in 2014 by the Washington Redskins, the 5'11" 195-Lb Breeland was Kansas City's top corner, typically taking on an opponents best wideout. He excels in press coverage, but has the vision of a safety when off the ball. RICHARD SHERMAN (33 - 49ERS) San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman (25). Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports Sherman is a ten-year veteran with six Pro Bowls who has 36 career interceptions, 115 passes broken up, and 3 defensive touchdowns. A 5th round choice out of Stanford by Seattle in the 2011 draft, Sherman played for New Orleans secondary coach Kris Richard for six seasons with the Seahawks. Sherman missed all but five games with injury for San Francisco last season. He was a key part of San Francisco's NFC title run in 2019, allowing 62% completion percentage and only one touchdown when targeted while intercepting 3 passes. Sherman may be on the downside of his career, but at 63 has the size, physical style of play, and veteran savvy to make an impact for a contender. GAREON CONLEY (26 - TEXANS) Houston Texans cornerback Gareon Conley (22) breaks up a pass intended for Titans receiver A.J. Brown (11) George Walker IV / Tennessean.com, Nashville Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC A teammate of Marshon Lattimore and Michael Thomas at Ohio State, Conley was the 24th overall selection in the 2017 draft by the Raiders. He had 3 interceptions for Oakland in 2018, but was traded to Houston midway through the 2019 season. Conley finally played like a top corner in seven games with the Texans, allowing less than 53% when targeted. Conley missed the 2020 season with an ankle injury, but appears to be fully recovered. He had six interceptions in his last two years of college and has the size (60 190-Lbs) and athleticism for a man coverage scheme. DRE' KIRKPATRICK (31 - CARDINALS) Arizona Cardinals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (20) intercepts a pass against the New England Patriots. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY The 12th overall pick from Alabama in the 2012 draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. Kirkpatrick had 10 interceptions in eight years with the Bengals and led Arizona with 3 interceptions last year. He gave up 66% completion percentage last season, but surrendered just 2 touchdowns and has broken up 72 passes in his career. Kirkpatrick has prototypical size at 62 190-Lbs and has the athleticism for man coverage at both outside and slot positions. Hes never been the most physical press corner, but has the size and playing style to fit the New Orleans scheme. Other Names to Watch: Darqueze Dennard (30 - Falcons) Buster Skrine (32 - Bears) Steven Nelson (28 - Steelers) Nickell Robey-Coleman (29 - Eagles) Jason McCourty (34 - Patriots) The Saints would have to move some more money around to even entertain the idea of adding another free agent. With potential contract extensions of Lattimore and OT Ryan Ramczyk still to be done and an experienced front office, that would not be a major obstacle. Stanford Cardinal cornerback Paulson Adebo (11) strips the ball from USC receiver Tyler Vaughns (21). Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY What could be a major roadblock for this team is the lack of depth at cornerback, the potential suspension of Lattimore, and the prospect of relying on a rookie 3rd round choice to guard an opponent's top wideout. While Paulson Adebo certainly has the skill set of a potential star, the New Orleans Saints need to add another cornerback if they are to continue to be a contender.

https://www.si.com/nfl/saints/editorial-opinion/will-the-saints-add-a-veteran-free-agent-cornerback

Is our sheep mentality is killing any chance of herd immunity?

The New York Times sent a reporter recently to rural Tennessee, an area where the population is predominantly white, Christian and Republican, and where the COVID-19 vaccine rate is very low. The number of Americans who say they arent going to get vaccinated has become more and more concerning to public health officials. The reporter described a scene in which a doctor a man who nearly died after contracting the coronavirus is speaking to an elderly unvaccinated patient. The man says to the doctor, How can we be sure there are no chips in the vaccine, like the things you put in your dog? We cant make microchips that small, the doctor says. Well, its like a grain of rice, says the patient. The doctor tells him, I couldnt inject a grain of rice with a needle. The man, according to the report, wont get the vaccine. There is no pill for ignorance Americas giant pharmaceutical companies, with their tremendous resources and their armies of scientists, researchers and doctors, have come up with three effective vaccines for COVID-19. It was a scientific miracle for so short a time. But there is no magic pill, no serum, no medicinal injection capable of warding off ignorance. So it is unlikely the nation will achieve herd immunity. A poll commissioned in February by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs found that as many as 44% of Republicans said they definitely or probably would not get vaccinated, as did 17% of Democrats. And there is also the problem of those who might want the vaccine but for whom access is difficult. The homeless, for example. Kavita Patel, a physician and health policy expert, said, We could be sitting here in the winter-fall with an entirely different, scary version of the pandemic. One driven by a combination of variants and people who didnt want to get vaccinated. Look who got vaccinated quietly There is an effort by some members of the Republican political elite to get their constituents vaccinated. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said recently, I can say as a Republican man, as soon as it was my turn, I took the vaccine. But the death knell to herd immunity was the skepticism brought on by too many of us taking medical advice from conspiracy kooks, anti-vaxxers, misinformed commentators, and a former reality TV personality who resided for a time in the White House. Back in January, by the way, the former president and the first lady, without a photographer present and without alerting the news media, very quietly got vaccinated. Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com. For more opinions content, please subscribe.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2021/05/04/herd-immunity-may-be-impossible-thanks-our-sheep-mentality/4939297001/

Is Josh Hawley Serious About Taking On Big Tech?

Where Hawley is most afar afield is in talking about content moderation. This is a broad, thorny issue that essentially concerns what kinds of posts a social network should allow and what kind it shouldnt. Big companies like Facebook employ thousands of third-party content moderators who help keep social networks free of the flood of gore, animal abuse, child porn, and other ghastly material that is being constantly uploaded to these platforms. At a scale of millions or billions of users, content moderation decisions carry a huge potential impact. For that and other reasons, these systems are far from perfectand reflect corporate policies that are often political in nature, privileging some types of speech over othersbut without them, most popular websites and platforms would be almost impossible to use. Its a flawed system crying out for reform, public education, and debate; its also all we have right now. Conservative commentators like Hawley have no understanding of these complexities. To them, content moderation is censorshipfull stop. Its an inhibitor of free speech and a way of coercing users into behaviors and modes of thought that Silicon Valley prefers. Its another manifestation of Big Techs progressive social agendapro-LGBT, pro-abortion, proBlack Lives Matter. Instead of quoting academics, content moderators, or anyone else with a hand in this misunderstood industry, Hawley turns to a pseudonymous Facebook whistleblower, from whom we learn, in muddled terms, about some internal Facebook tools that the company uses to manage content moderation and sometimes coordinate decisions with other companies. In Hawleys view, this is only further evidence of the perfidy of content moderation, which he depicts as a concerted censorship regime designed to promote liberal policies. (To that end, Hawley approvingly cites a widely discredited study by a man named Robert Epstein, who claimed that Google search suggestions shifted millions of votes to Hillary Clinton in 2016.) Hawley may be smarter than this, but put-on ignorance is a feature of a Republican leadership that would rather deny its elite credentials. (At one point, Hawley disparagingly refers to the founders of Google as Silicon Valley PhD students without acknowledging that they attended Stanford at the same time that he was an undergraduate there.) Fusing the false populism of Trumpism with a Republican establishment that has never seen a tax cut it doesnt like, Hawleys proposed solutions to our Big Tech problem are lacking. He says nothing about strengthening unions or raising corporate tax rates. He says little about actually breaking up companies or using the power of the Department of Justice and regulatory agencies to check tech behavior. He seems to want it both ways, aspiring to a more activist, trust-busting government while never actually promising substantive interventions, since he must maintain his congenital opposition to big government. Some of Hawleys ideas, like his proposed Do Not Track legislation to give users more ability to opt out of online surveillance, bear consideration, or at least are founded in worthwhile principles. He seems aghast at the scope of digital surveillance, though he overlooks the U.S. governments own complicity in this state of affairs. He wants a new Glass-Steagall Act for the tech sector [that] would halt techs march into every industry in America and circumscribe its dominance over American life, but he says nothing about other forms of corporate consolidation and influence. Other suggestions seem insignificant or misguided: Hawley would like to ban the infinite scrolling of the Facebook news feed and YouTubes autoplay feature, saying they enmesh users in addictive habits. Hed also like to raise the legal age to open a social media account from 13 to 16 and require that users submit an ID. Perhaps most significantly, he would like to repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Acta brief but profoundly influential law that essentially immunizes internet companies from legal liability for the content posted on their services. Hawley seems to have little idea of how to replace it (or what the consequences of not doing so might be).

https://newrepublic.com/article/162299/josh-hawley-gops-fake-war-big-tech

What is Rhode Island Independence Day?

Two months later, the other 12 colonies formally broke their ties with the crown. The State Archives vault holds the original document of the Act of Renunciation, showing sections about the king crossed out. But the actual declaring of independence didnt occur until the General Assembly ratified the Declaration of Independence in Newport on July 18, 1776. And Rhode Island was actually the last state to ratify the new American Constitution more than 14 years later, on May 29, 1790. PROVIDENCE The story goes that on May 4, 1776, Rhode Island, which already had a bit of a reputation, thanks to its radical religious dissent from the Puritans up north in Massachusetts Bay Colony, became the first colony in North America to renounce its allegiance to King George III. Advertisement Rhode Islands courageous call for independence is referenced in the Rhode Island State March, written by Thomas Clarke Brown, which served as the states song from 1946 to 1996. It goes, Heres to you, beloved Rhode Island, with your hills and ocean shore. We are proud to hail you Rhody, and your patriots of yore. First to claim your independence, great your heritage and fame. The smallest State in all the Union. We will glorify your name! In 1996, the General Assembly replaced the march with Rhode Islands It for Me. The new state song has no reference to being the first to claim independence. Rhode Island Independence Day is not a state holiday, but instead, a day of special observance. And some people question whether it should even be that. The fallacy was birthed by a Slatersville man who really, really wanted a reason to hang his state flag. His successful persuasion campaign, launched in 1884, still resonates today, Casey Nilsson wrote in Rhode Island Monthly. The backstory: All colonies were required to sign oaths of allegiance to King George III. This Act of Renunciation, signed May 4, 1776, vigorously repealed that oath but did not declare independence from the British crown. Advertisement Heres why it took so long for Rhode Island to really declare independence: Rhode Island served as the commerce center of the transatlantic slave trade in the 18th century (an issue at the heart of calls for reparations by certain city leaders and Brown University students). West Indian molasses would made used to make rum in distilleries in Rhode Island, and traded for enslaved workers. The British attempted to tighten control over the colonies trade, beginning with the Sugar Act of 1764. On June 10, 1768, British customs officials confiscated the Liberty because it had previously smuggled Madeira wine, which incited a riot on the streets of Boston. Four years later, not too far from Providence, the British customs boat Gaspee ran aground. Rhode Islanders were angered by the Britishs attempts to tax them in ways they thought were unfair. So well before any tea was tossed in the Boston Harbor, Rhode Island colonists boarded and burned the British Gaspee, wounding the ships captain. Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea told Globe Rhode Island Tuesday that compared to the Gaspee ordeal, the Boston Tea Party was a frat party gone awry. The burning of the Gaspee is really the first act of rebellion in the colonies, said Gorbea. Advertisement Both Newport and Providence ports brought in wealth and trade, making Rhode Island the only small state that could have surv ived independence of the federal union that was proposed in 1787. But the state had no desire to lose income in the form of import duties to this new, federal government. And so, Rhode Island held out until 1790 to be the last state to ratify the Constitution. Gorbea said the Act of Renunciation is her favorite document in the states archives, where you can see the thinking process of the authors, where the entire second graph is crossed out, but is still visible. It said, Whereas George The Third King of Great Britain entirely departing from the Duties and Character of a good King instead of protecting is endeavoring to destroy the good People of this Colony and of all the United Colonies by sending Fleets and Armies to America to confiscate our Property and spread Fire Sword and Desolation throughout our Country in order to compel us to submit to the most debasing and detestable Slavery. And whereas Protection and Allegiance are reciprocal, the latter being only due in Consequence of the former. Gorbea said, You can just see the debate in the page in front of you. The document speaks to you about what was going on at the time period. Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @alexagagosz.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/05/04/metro/what-is-rhode-island-independence-day/

Can Saying The N-Word Create A Hostile Work Environment?

Dictionary definition of the word Racism. This legal question arises during a long overdue reckoning about how to address systemic racial discrimination in this country. Indeed, an employee in one case, Collier v. Dallas County Hospital District, has specifically requested that the Supreme Court decide this issue. The N-word sums up . . . all the bitter years of insult and struggle in America, [is] pure anathema to African-Americans, and [is] probably the most offensive word in English. These words were spoken by Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in a case he decided years ago while still serving on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. The N-word slur is a singularly odious epithet that reminds [Black Americans] of an unshakeable otherness, an outsider status in the larger social, economic, and political dynamics of a given society. Michele Goodwin, N***** and the Construction of Citizenship, 76 Temp. L. Rev. 129, 141 (2003). Yet the different federal appellate courts are divided on whether the single use of a reprehensible racial epithet, such as the N-word, is sufficiently severe to violate Title VII. This is why it is important for the Supreme Court to address the issue head on and provide clarity for the lower courts. Background About The Collier Case The plaintiff/employee, Robert Collier, filed a petition with the Supreme Court earlier this year asking it to review a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The summary of facts below are taken from the brief filed with the Supreme Court on Colliers behalf. Collier worked for the Dallas County Hospital District (Parkland) from 2009 to 2016. During this time, he says he repeatedly complained to Parkland about racially hostile graffiti including the N-word etched into the wall of an elevator that he and other employees regularly used. Despite Colliers reporting the graffiti to human resources, he alleges that it remained in the elevator for at least six months. Collier further complained to human resources about large swastikas that were painted on the wall of a storage room, which he maintains were not removed for nearly two years. Finally, Collier asserts that he objected that white employees called him and other Black workers boy. The Fifth Circuit ruled that use of the N-word was not severe enough to create a hostile work environment in violation of Title VII, and Collier is now attempting to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court. The Legal Framework For A Hostile Work Environment Claim Concept of justice getty To prove a hostile work environment under Title VII, an employee must show they were subjected to harassment that is sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of the victims employment and create an abusive working environment. Meritor Sav. Bank, FSB v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57, 67 (1986). Later Supreme Court decisions on the severe or pervasive standard have held that mere utterance of an ... epithet which engenders offensive feelings in an employee is not enough. Harris v. Forklift Systems, Inc., 510 U.S. 17, 21 (1993). But then the Supreme Court subsequently noted that an isolated, albeit serious, incident could be severe enough to establish a hostile work environment. Faragher v. City of Boca Raton, 524 U.S. 775, 788 (1998). As a result, the Supreme Court has never clarified whether saying the N-word at work is simply a mere utterance or instead if its use can amount to a hostile work environment. A Contradictory Patchwork Of Appellate Decisions The Supreme Courts muddled approach about what actions may be sufficiently severe to create a hostile work environment has resulted in a deep split among the various federal circuit courts of appeal. In two of the thirteen federal courts of appeal, a single use of the N-word at work can establish a hostile work environment claim. But in at least five other federal courts of appeal (the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 10th Circuits), the courts routinely find that a hostile work environment cannot be proven by a single use of the N-word. US Map getty Put another way, appellate courts covering 23 states regularly rule that a jury of an employees peers is not even allowed to hear evidence about whether a single use of the N-word could constitute a hostile work environment. In theory, if an employees senior manager used the N-word in a workplace meeting but it happened only one time, then, according to the appellate courts covering almost half of this country a jury would not be permitted to decide if this amounts to a hostile work environment. All of this helps to show why the Collier appeal is an important case to watch and why Supreme Court guidance on this issue is needed.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericbachman/2021/05/04/can-saying-the-n-word-create-a-hostile-work-environment/

How Can Auditors And Audit Committees Encourage Managers To Disclose Risks To Investors?

In settings where both the audit committee is highly effective and the financial statement auditor ... [+] intends to issue a more detailed audit report, corporate managers are more likely to disclose risks to investors. getty In settings where both the audit committee is highly effective and the financial statement auditor intends to issue a more detailed audit report, corporate managers are more likely to disclose risks to investors. Importantly, more effective audit committees or more informative audit reports alone do not encourage managers to be more transparent, according to a study forthcoming in The Accounting Review. In an article titled The Effect of Auditor Reporting Choice and Audit Committee Oversight on Management Financial Disclosures researchers performed an experiment with 145 financial executives from U.S. publicly traded companies. The vast majority of the executives were chief financial officers. The article is authored by Stephen Fuller of Suffolk University, Jennifer Joe from the University of Delaware, and Benjamin Luippold of Babson College. We conducted an experiment with highly experienced executives who provided disclosure decisions based on a case. In the case, we varied the content of the auditors critical audit matter discussion regarding a subjective financial reporting issue, as well as how vigorously the audit committee conducted its oversight of financial reporting, says Fuller. In the experiment, managers only increased their public disclosures when the auditor provided a more detailed discussion of the subjective financial reporting issue in its report and the audit committee oversight was highly effective. Specifically, a highly effective audit committee was composed of financial experts who were more actively involved in discussions of accounting and disclosure issues. We also found that the improved management disclosures were quantitative in nature which would likely be valuable to investors. It surprised us that neither of the factors we studied were sufficient on their own to motivate improved disclosure, states Fuller. The study describes concerns that have been expressed over auditor reporting of critical audit matters becoming boiler-plate and being no more informative to investors than the prior pass/fail audit report. Such concerns may be valid. When the auditors reporting of the accounting issue was more boiler-plate, managers in the experiment were less apt to publicly disclose risks associated with the accounting issue. Given our findings, we encourage auditors to provide a meaningful discussion of critical audit matters in their reports and audit committees to be more diligent in performing their responsibilities. We feel that will result in investors receiving the information about company risks that they crave, says Fuller. Fuller concludes, There is a lot of research currently being performed in this area. The first wave of public company reporting with the new expanded audit report has just happened and so we will begin to see how auditors have implemented the new standard. In addition, more research is needed to fully understand how a variety of stakeholders make decisions related to critical audit matters.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/josephbrazel/2021/05/04/how-can-auditors-and-audit-committees-encourage-managers-to-disclose-risks-to-investors/

Do I Have To Agree To Joint Custody With My Ex?

Family figure and gavel on table. Family law concept getty As a family law practitioner, I am often asked by clients if they can seek sole custody of their children. The history of child custody and societal influences throughout history is revealing as to the answer. History of Child Custody: Paternal and Maternal Preferences As far back as Roman Law, children were the property of their father, who had the authority to sell them and enter them into forced labor. Mothers had absolutely no rights with respect to their children even in the event the father died. Later in English common law (the foundation of our legal system in the United States except for Louisiana which follows Roman law), fathers had absolute powers over their children with the obligation to protect, support and educate them. In divorce, fathers had a right to custody as well with mothers having very restricted access to their children after divorce[1]. The British Act of 1839 directed the courts to award custody of children under the age of 7 to mothers, and to award visiting rights to mothers of children over the age of 7, establishing the tender years doctrine, still followed in some countries today such as India. The law was the first major challenge to the paternal presumption. In the United States, during the 17th and 18th centuries we had a patriarchal legal system and thus the paternal preference was applied to custody in divorce cases. In the 19th century, while some states adopted the tender years presumption, others departed from English common law and enacted laws giving both parents equal rights of custody of their children. Historical trends including the industrial revolution, societys increased concern for child welfare and fathers seeking work outside the home with mothers remaining home as primary caretakers of children brought about a maternal preference for child custody. By the 1920s, the paternal preference in the United States was replaced by the maternal preference. This was further advanced by Freudian psychoanalytic theory which emphasized the mothers role as unique. Study of infant developmental attachment to the mother also influenced the maternal preference. This remained the presumption for child custody for many decades. Changing Societal and Legal Landscape: Rising Divorce Rates and Sex Discrimination The divorce rate began a dramatic rise in the 1960s along with simultaneous claims of sex discrimination by fathers in custody decisions and the movement towards large numbers of women entering the workforce weakened the concept of the maternal primary caretaker. The maternal presumption was abandoned by most states in the mid-1970s in favor of gender neutral laws with a focus on the childs best interest and the childs custody preferences. Joint Custody The shift to gender neutral and the childs best interest created the opening for a new custody arrangement, joint custody. It began out of fathers rights advocacy groups. In addition, in the 1970s, child development experts began focusing on the fathers contributions to the development of the child. Presently numerous organizations advocate for joint custody including Americans for Parental Equality, the National Parents Organization, Americans for Equal Shared Parenting the Children's Rights Council, Families Need Fathers, the International Council on Shared Parenting, WISCONSIN for Children and Families(WFCF), and Leading Women for Shared Parenting. Wikipedia (list of shared parenting legislation) publishes a list of states that passed legislation regarding a legal presumption of joint custody. Depending on where you live and your states legal presumption as to custody, you can seek sole custody but arguably you should be able to articulate why the child or children should not have two actively engaged parents in their lives. Drug addiction, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, physical abuse, child sexual abuse, and abandonment are all extremely valid reasons to argue against joint custody, but these are in the extreme. Families with special needs children who require one parent to devote all their energy to caring for the child are also a possible exception to a joint or shared parenting arrangement. Most Courts Favor Shared or Joint Custody: Children Having Two Actively Engaged Parents In Their Lives Many courts today favor joint legal (decision making) and physical (residential custody) when there are two fit parents. Parent coordinators are often used when parents cant civilly communicate with each other providing another pathway to joint decision making and allowing for joint legal custody. Financial agreements with two parents working out of the home or the necessity of both parents to work out of the home create more of a financial reality favoring shared custody. The COVID-19 Shared Parenting Advantage During COVID-19 many households had two parents at home with many parents still working from home, creating a shared parenting arrangement in terms of schooling, activities, childcare, mealtime, bedtime, and household routines. It is hard to seek to reverse that arrangement in divorce or separation. Societal Changes Influenced Child Custody As can be seen throughout human history, societal changes (industrial revolution, women entering the work force) and child development (maternal attachment theory, role of fathers) influenced child custody. COVID-19 may well provide the biggest push towards joint custody. [1] Kelly, J. (1994). The Determination of Child Custody. The Future of Children, 4(1), 121-142. doi:10.2307/1602481

https://www.forbes.com/sites/patriciafersch/2021/05/04/do-i-have-to-agree-to-joint-custody-with-my-ex/

How did the rest of the NFC South fare in the 2021 NFL draft?

The Atlanta Falcons 2021 NFL draft class has been praised by many in the media, but the real test will come once training camp starts. Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith may have worked together when selecting the players, but its up to Smith to make sure these players fit in his system. While youre probably familiar with all nine Falcons picks by now, lets take a trip around the NFC South to see how the Panthers, Saints and Buccaneers fared in this years draft. Carolina Panthers Luke Kuechly Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports The Panthers came into the draft needing to address their offensive line, linebackers, and defensive secondary. They used their top selection to take the first defensive player off the board. Calvin Ridley and, hopefully, Julio Jones will face off against Panthers rookie Jaycee Horn twice a year for years to come. Here is Carolina's 2021 class, which has a division-leading 11 players. Round 1: CB | Jaycee Horn, South Carolina Round 2: WR | Terrance Marshall, LSU Round 3: OT | Brady Christensen, BYU Round 3: TE | Tommy Tremble, Notre Dame Round 4: HB | Chubba Hubbard Round 5: DL | Daviyon Nixon, Iowa Round 5: CB | Keith Taylor, Washington Round 6: OG | Deonte Brown, Alabama Round 6: WR | Shi Smith, South Carolina Round 6: LS | Thomas Fletcher, Alabama Round 7: DL | Phil Hoskins, Kentucky PFF Grade: B- New Orleans Saints Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports To many, the Saints reached with their first two selections. New Orleans went into the draft with needs at cornerback, wide receiver and linebacker. Even without Drew Brees and their offseason losses, the Saints will still enter the 2021 season as one of the favorites to win the division. The last time New Orleans didn't win the division was in 2016 -- when the Falcons won it during their Super Bowl run. Here is how the Saints' draft went. Round 1: EDGE | Payton Turner, Houston Round 2: LB | Pete Werner, Ohio State Round 3: CB | Paulson Adebo, Stanford Round 4: QB | Ian Book, Notre Dame Round 6: OT | Landon Young, Kentucky Round 7: WR | Kawaan Baker, South Alabama PFF Grade: C Story continues Tampa Bay Buccaneers Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports For the first time in the free agency era, the Super Bowl-winning team was able to bring back every starter on both sides of the football. The Bucs didn't need to add much, and still landed some top talent including Washington EDGE Joe Tryon. Tampa Bay did manage to draft a potential franchise quarterback with Florida's Kyle Trask. Round 1: EDGE | Joe Tryon, Washington Round 2: QB | Kyle Trask, Florida Round 3: OL | Robert Hainsey, Notre Dame Round 4: WR | Jaelon Darden, North Texas Round 5: LB | KJ Britt, Auburn Round 7: CB | Chris Wilcox, BYU Round 7: LB | Grant Stuard, Houston PFF Grade: B- 1 1

https://sports.yahoo.com/did-rest-nfc-south-fare-200222601.html?src=rss

Who are the fastest NFL players in tracks 100m?

When DK Metcalf lines up to race the 100m against some of the U.S. best sprinters on Sunday, he will also compete against history a long line of football speedsters to excel in track (most of whom did so before entering the NFL). Heres a list of the fastest wind-legal 100m times from men who played in an NFL regular season game (statistics via World Athletics, Tilastopaja.org and Pro Football Reference): 1. Jim Hines 9.95 (1968) The 1968 Olympic 100m gold medalist was the first man to break 10 seconds with electronic timing and remains the only NFL player to do so. Hines was a sixth-round pick in the 1968 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. He joined the team after the Mexico City Games, was given the number 99 and later an unfortunate nickname for a wide receiver Oops. He played in 10 games between 1969 and 1970 for the Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. 2. Trindon Holliday 10.00 (2009) The 5-foot-5 return specialist placed second in the 2007 USATF Outdoor Championships behind Tyson Gay, but passed on a world championships spot to focus on football. He was eliminated in the 2008 Olympic Trials semifinals, was drafted in 2010 in the sixth round by the Houston Texans, then played among five teams in the regular season from 2011-14. (All-Pro Raiders wide receiver Cliff Branch ran a recorded 10.0 at the 1972 NCAA Championships, which was presumably hand timed and is not counted by World Athletics.) 3/4. Jeff Demps/Jacoby Ford 10.01 (2008/2009) Demps is the lone active sprinter on this list. His best time came at the 2008 Olympic Trials, counting as the national high school record though it came the summer after the end of his prep career. He later won a national football title at the University of Florida, was part of the 4x100m relay at the 2012 Olympics and played in two NFL games as a return specialist in 2013. Ford is better known for his days as a Raiders wide receiver (57 receptions from 2010-13), but he clocked 10.01 while a Clemson sprinter in 2009. As Jesse Squire noted, an argument can be made that Ford is the fastest man who played significantly in the NFL. Story continues 5/6. Bob Hayes/Ron Brown 10.06 (1964/1983) Hayes is the only man with an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring, achieving the former at the 1964 Tokyo Games and the latter in 1972 during a Hall of Fame wide receiving career mostly with the Dallas Cowboys. He ran 10.06 to dominate the Olympic final, which Tim Layden covered as part of this story last year. Brown ran his 10.06 in 1983, after he turned down the Cleveland Browns, who drafted him in the second round that year, to pursue the 1984 Olympics. Brown finished fourth in the 100m in Los Angeles and earned relay gold. He then went to the NFL, playing 100 games primarily as a return specialist. 7. Alvis Whitted 10.07 (1996) Sixth in the 1996 Olympic Trials 200m won by Michael Johnson in a world record (that Johnson later broke at the Atlanta Games). Whitted ran that final in lane two, sandwiched among three individual Olympic gold medalists Carl Lewis (lane one), Mike Marsh (four) and Johnson (five). Whitted returned to NC State, then played nine seasons as a wide receiver between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Raiders. 8. Darrell Green 10.08 (1983) Known as the NFLs Fastest Man for winning the leagues annual head-to-head sprint competition four times in the 1980s and 90s. Green, a Hall of Fame cornerback for Washington who never competed at the Olympics, dusted 1984 relay gold medalists Brown and Sam Graddy, 1992 Olympic bobsledder Herschel Walker, bobsledder and masters sprint champion Willie Gault and Mel Gray, the Detroit Lions ace return specialist. Green also reportedly ran a 4.09-second 40-yard dash, faster than the NFL Combine record (4.22), though Green tweeted in March that it was somewhere in the range of 4.09ish. 9. Sam Graddy 10.09 (1984) 1984 Olympic 100m silver medalist behind Lewis. Graddy played 43 games over five NFL seasons as a wide receiver. 10. Willie Gault 10.10 (1982) Gault qualified for the 1980 Olympics as part of the 4x100m relay pool, but the U.S. boycotted the Moscow Games. He then began an 11-year NFL career as a wide receiver, winning Super Bowl XX with the Chicago Bears (and helped organize the Super Bowl Shuffle, where he was the second solo singer between Walter Payton and Mike Singletary). While playing football, he wanted to bid for LA 84, but was barred over rules that kept professional athletes out of the Games. In 1988, Gault traveled to the Calgary Winter Games with the U.S. bobsled team as a non-competing alternate. Gault owns 100m masters world records for ages 45-49 (10.72), 50-54 (10.88) and 55-59 (11.30). *Half of the men on this list (plus Branch) played for the Raiders, who werent shy about drafting or signing speed. OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us! More: Olympics DK Metcalf entered in 100m at USATF Golden Games track meet on NBC Sports Kerri Walsh Jennings closer to 6th Olympics, but qualifying may come down... originally appeared on NBCSports.com

https://sports.yahoo.com/fastest-nfl-players-track-100m-200911170.html?src=rss

When Bill and Melinda Gates divorce, who gets the 66,000-square-foot mansion?

With the Bill and Melinda Gates divorce bombshell still echoing, so begins the process of divvying up the fourth-largest fortune in the world. Forbes puts the Microsoft Corp. co-founders net worth at just north of $130 billion, a massive sum that includes the worlds largest private family charitable foundation, a lucrative personal investment firm and a collection of real estate that rivals any in the country. In addition to 242,000 acres of farmland, the couple own a glut of mansions across the country that theyve been compiling for the last three decades, including homes in Washington, California, Montana and Florida. Their most impressive estate sits in Medina, a small Seattle suburb whose claim to fame is that it shelters the Microsoft co-founder as well as Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Advertisement Valued at more than $130 million, the tech-savvy mansion dubbed Xanadu 2.0 spans 66,000 square feet and racks up a yearly property tax bill of more than $1 million. The tax bill alone dwarfs Southern Californias median home price of $630,000 in March. The 66,000-square-foot mansion is valued at over $130 million and racks up a yearly tax bill of more than $1 million. (NearMap) Depending on how the divorce proceedings play out, the futuristic smart house which boasts a 60-foot swimming pool, library with secret doors and trampoline room could potentially surface for sale. According to divorce documents obtained by TMZ, the couple asked the court to divide their assets based on a separation contract and do not mention a prenuptial agreement. The document was filed in King County, Wash. a key detail because Washington, along with California, is one of nine community property states. In community property states, divorcing couples are required to equally split all assets acquired during their marriage, said Colleen Sparks, lead family law attorney at Talkov Law. Because the Gates bought all their homes after their 1994 marriage, neither can claim complete ownership of any piece of property. If Bill and Melinda cant reach a compromise to buy the other out of the Medina mansion, Sparks said, a court could force a sale of the home, bringing to market one of the most notable estates in the country. Its fairly common for separating couples to sell the homes they owned together, and theres plenty of precedent in the celebrity-filled realm of Southern California real estate. Notable pairs that put property on the market post-divorce include Katy Perry and Russell Brand, Heidi Klum and Seal, Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johannson, and Christina Aguilera and Jordan Bratman. Generally when there are this many properties involved, the owners will end up selling at least some of them. But the Medina house would likely be the last to go, Sparks said. Advertisement Ellen Griffith, a real estate agent who deals with divorcing clients, said that because every house the Gates own was purchased after their marriage, it should be a 50/50 split. But, as always, it comes to down who has the best lawyers. They can both afford the best of the best, she said. Itll be an interesting battle. Advertisement Roy Doppelt, an attorney at Doppelt & Forney in San Diego, said three complications could arise while splitting up the homes: property management, property valuation and property distribution. Both soon-to-be exes will have to look into the fair market value of each house, the capital gains tax theyd be forced to pay if they sold and the expenses that arise from maintaining the properties should they choose not to sell. The Gates divorce documents request a trial date for April 2022, but Doppelt predicts theyll pursue private mediation to stay out of the public courts. In addition to their main home in Medina, the Gates own three California homes. In 1999, they shelled out $12.5 million for 13,600-square-foot spot in the resort city of Indian Wells, records show. Advertisement They made another splash in 2014, dropping $18 million on Jenny Craigs 229-acre horse farm complete with four 30-stall barns and a three-quarter-mile dirt racing track. Their priciest purchase in California came last year when they paid $43 million for an oceanfront home in Del Mar with 120 feet of beachfront. It was the second most expensive home sale in San Diego County history.

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-05-04/bill-gates-homes-melinda-gates-net-worth-who-gets-66000-square-foot-mansion

What would it take to convince people to get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Reassuring public service announcements about the vaccine's safety and effectiveness have proliferated. But increasingly, people are realizing that it will take more than just information to sway the hesitant. In recent randomized survey experiments by the UCLA COVID-19 Health and Politics Project, two seemingly strong incentives have emerged. Roughly a third of the unvaccinated population said a cash payment would make them more likely to get a shot. This suggests that some governors may be on the right track; West Virginia's governor, Jim Justice, for example, recently announced the state would give young people $100 bonds if they got an inoculation. Similarly large increases in willingness to take vaccines emerged for those who were asked about getting a vaccine if doing so meant they wouldn't need to wear a mask or social-distance in public, compared with a group that was told it would still have to do those things. The UCLA project, which is still going on, has interviewed more than 75,000 people over the last 10 months. This collaboration between doctors and social scientists at UCLA and Harvard measures people's pandemic experiences and attitudes along political and economic dimensions, while also charting their physical and mental health and well-being. To assess the effectiveness of different messages on vaccine uptake, the project randomly assigns unvaccinated respondents to groups that see different information about the benefits of vaccination. Random assignment makes the composition of each group similar. This is important because it allows the researchers to conclude that any differences that emerge across the groups in people's intentions to get vaccinated are a result of the messages each group saw and not of other underlying attributes. Last October, one group saw messages that framed the benefits of vaccination in a self-interested way "it will protect you" while others saw messages that framed benefits in a more social manner: "It will protect you and those around you." The subtle change did little; roughly two-thirds of people in both groups said they intended to get the shots. Another experiment investigated the persuasive power of certain endorsements. Endorsers included prominent figures, like then-president Donald Trump and Dr. Anthony Fauci, but also included more personal medical sources like "your doctor." Most of the effects were small. Telling people their doctor, pharmacist or insurer believed the vaccine to be safe and effective had no discernible effect on intentions to vaccinate, though an endorsement by Fauci increased uptake likelihood by about six percentage points. Endorsements by political figures evoked strong partisan reactions, with Trump's endorsement decreasing uptake among Democrats in 2020 and increasing uptake for Republicans to a smaller degree. President Joe Biden's endorsement decreased uptake among Republicans in 2021. There were hints in 2021 that a Trump endorsement might still increase uptake among Republicans, but the effects were much smaller than when he was in office. Last month, researchers randomly assigned unvaccinated respondents to see messages about financial incentives. Some people were asked about the chances they would get a vaccine if it came with a $25 cash payment; other people were asked about receiving $50 or $100. Roughly a third of the unvaccinated population said a cash payment would make them more likely to get a shot. The benefits were largest for those in the group getting $100, which increased willingness (34% said they would get vaccinated) by six points over the $25 group. The effect was greatest for unvaccinated Democrats, 48% of whom said they would be more likely to get vaccinated if it came with a $100 payment. Some past research shows that payment for vaccines can backfire, and in the UCLA study about 15% of unvaccinated people report a decrease in willingness to vaccinate because of payments. But at this later stage of a vaccine campaign when attention has now turned to the hesitant the net benefit seems to be tilting toward payment. The incentive to stop wearing a mask and social-distancing in public also had a strong result. On average, relaxing the mask and social distancing guidelines increased vaccine uptake likelihood by 13 points. The largest gains came from Republicans, who reported an 18-point increase in willingness to get vaccinated. These results show both the difficulty of getting the remaining unvaccinated people to clinics and the promise of efforts aimed at doing so. While most messaging effects were small, monetary payments seem to motivate Democrats, and relaxing cautionary guidelines seems to work for Republicans. (The CDC recently relaxed guidelines on mask wearing outdoors for vaccinated people.) The movement toward vaccinations among the hesitant may pick up as time passes, and as people observe the consequences of vaccination among those who were first inoculated. When we asked unvaccinated people why they hadn't tried to get a shot, 38% said they were worried about the side effects, and 34% said they didn't think the vaccine was safe. Efforts at persuasion that demonstrate the continued and consistent absence of side effects for most people and the safety of inoculation may allay these fears. Still, a quarter of the unvaccinated say they just don't trust the government's motives, and 14% say COVID-19 is not a threat to them. These people will be harder to convince. Data from the project shows how eager Americans are to return to normal activities. Among people who work outside their home, 76% of the survey's respondents said they wanted to go back to doing their job the way they were doing it before the pandemic, and 66% said they thought it was safe to do so as of April. These numbers are similar regardless of vaccination status. The April survey also asked people what kinds of social activities they had done in the last two weeks. Roughly 30% reported eating at a restaurant; 17% reported attending an in-person religious gathering; and 11% met up with a group of more than 10 nonfamily members. Nearly all took place indoors. The rates of vaccination among people doing these activities largely reflect the rates in the population, which means not everyone who is out and about has gotten the vaccine. Among those dining out, 32% reported being fully vaccinated (53% reported not being vaccinated at all). The balance among people attending in-person religious gatherings was about equal 41% said they were fully vaccinated and 41% reported not being vaccinated at all. Most of the people at social functions with more than 10 nonfamily members were not fully vaccinated, though the share of vaccinated people was higher for indoor gatherings (40%) compared with outdoor functions (27%). People are venturing out into social spaces, but around them, unvaccinated people still outnumber the inoculated and rates of vaccination are slowing. Reversing this trend will take more than impassioned pleas from politicians, friends or medical professionals. Delivering real rewards beyond the vaccine's health benefits may be required.

https://www.startribune.com/what-would-it-take-to-convince-people-to-get-the-covid-19-vaccine/600053497/

What can I do in Georgia now that I am fully vaccinated?

How we interacted in December 2019 compared to our baseline now is completely different, and it has a lot to do with comfort, said Dr. Jose Vazquez, Augusta Universitys chief of infectious diseases. I call it the shifting baseline syndrome because were at a different baseline than we were before COVID. Remember, you dont reach full vaccination until at least two weeks after getting your second dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Heres a look at frequently asked questions about navigating life after vaccination. Braves employees Jamiya Brinson, left, and Kaitlynne Grize help facilitate the Atlanta Braves' free vaccination clinic at Truist Park earlier this month. CDC says its not time to stop wearing masks altogether, at least not yet, especially indoors. There are still many unvaccinated people, including children too young to get the shots, and its hard to know who is vaccinated and who is not. So experts still recommend that everyone mask up when indoors in public spaces. The CDC says to limit your indoor interactions with unvaccinated people to just one other household at a time. The visit can include children, but all should be at low risk for severe COVID-19. Its okay if both people are vaccinated because research has thus far shown the virus doesnt travel on surfaces, including hands, Vazquez says. If someone hasnt been vaccinated, you may want to refrain from shaking hands out of an abundance of caution. Fans stand socially distanced during a rendition of "God Bless America" during the seventh inning stretch of an opening day baseball game. The Braves will soon return to full capacity. Experts say based on what we know now, a fully vaccinated person going to a sporting event in Atlanta would be considered relatively safe. But Dr. Michael Eriksen, founding dean of Georgia States School of Public Health, said to remember that while the vaccines are incredible, none provide 100% protection, and there are still questions about how long immunity lasts and about how well the vaccines cover evolving mutations. So going to a game doesnt come with zero risks. It would be safest for vaccinated people to be grouped together, he said. (Note while some other sports teams, such as Los Angeles Dodgers, are grouping vaccinated fans, the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta United have not announced any plans to do this.) The Atlanta Hawks are considering having a vaccinated section for fans. Those who are unvaccinated will face a significant risk of exposure to the coronavirus based on the sheer number of people crowded together. For those who plan to go to a game, Eriksen recommends wearing a mask and practicing social distancing. With only about a third of adults in Georgia fully vaccinated, its best if kids under 16, who do not yet have access to vaccines, dont go to games. If they do go, experts said they should wear masks and maintain social distancing. Its also best for them to sit and interact with only vaccinated adults. While kids may pose more of a risk of transmitting the virus to unvaccinated people than getting seriously ill from being infected, children can get very sick from the virus. While coronavirus can spread between people via respiratory droplets, the CDC isnt aware of any evidence about the coronavirus spreading through the water in pools. Chlorine is a disinfectant, so the primary risk is going to be close contact with someone. Experts recommend using outdoor pools and being careful not to be too crowded with other people. Again, people who are unvaccinated would be at much higher risk than those who are vaccinated. Remember, dont wear cloth masks in the water: They are difficult to breathe through when wet. Do wear a mask when changing, however, and minimize the time in changing rooms, which are often crowded and not well-ventilated. Outdoor playdates are safer. Varkey encourages play dates to take place outside and says children can play together at a park or playground with minimal risk. Indoor playdates, he said, are harder, and he encourages parents to have an honest conversation about risk tolerance. What makes me more concerned is going into a packed dinner with multiple families with some vaccinated and some unvaccinated and there happens to be one mildly sick child (with the coronavirus) and it turns into a super spreader event, he said. Those who are fully vaccinated are at relatively low risk at a gym. But for the unvaccinated, gyms are one of the highest-risk settings because of the viruss ability to easily spread between those who are exercising, breathing heavily in poorly ventilated spaces. If you do go back to the gym, it is recommended that you wear a mask. Indoor dining and drinking at restaurants and bars is riskier than some other places for multiple reasons, according to the CDC: People from different households are gathering in the same space, physical distancing can be hard to maintain, and diners have to take off masks to eat and drink. Ways to lower the risk are to go with outdoor seating and avoid busy times of day or night. CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, offers this advice: If youre going to be in very close proximity to other people and there are lots of diners packed together, thats when I would try to limit the time as much as possible. Even so, vaccinated people can make it work dining indoor and be at relatively low risk. If youre fully vaccinated and can be separated from others by at least 6 feet and youre dining with somebody also fully vaccinated, Wen said, I wouldnt have a limitation to that time period. Eriksen said people should opt for dining outdoors whenever possible. Otherwise, he added, diners eating indoors should sit by an open window or under a ceiling fan. Ventilation matters, he said. He also encourages people to patronize establishments that require their workers wear masks, even if they are no longer required by the governors orders. That is fine. You dont need to shake hands, and you can conduct social distancing in your home. The CDC says if youve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms. Vazquez recommends keeping at least 3 feet of distance and wearing a face covering on buses and trains. Yes! Once grandparents are fully vaccinated, experts say they can hug unvaccinated grandkids when those children are all living in one household and are not at high risk for severe disease. Recently-updated CDC guidance states that fully vaccinated people may travel more freely within the United States. Travelers do not need to get COVID testing before or after travel and do not need to quarantine, unless required by local or state authorities. If you are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine, you should get tested three to five 3-5 after travel. You do not need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.

https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-news/what-can-i-do-in-georgia-now-that-i-am-fully-vaccinated/XD7GSD7M6RGHROBJ2KOPEB244Q/

What happens when space debris crashes on Earth?

China's Long March 5B rocket's core stage is set to make an uncontrolled reentry into Earth's atmosphere in the next few days. The 100-foot-long object is orbiting the blue marble every 90 minutes, passing north of New York and Beijing and as far south as Chile and New Zealand. CHINESE ROCKET TO MAKE UNCONTROLLED REENTRY; UNCLEAR WHERE DEBRIS WILL HIT: REPORT While the main stage released the Tianhe, or "Heavenly Harmony," module the makings of the country's first permanent space station shortly after the eight-minute mark of the mission, Gizmodo reported that the core stage stayed in space and did not perform a controlled deorbit. Although rocket manufacturers typically take precautionary measures to avoid falling rocket debris, Inverse says the Long March 5B rocket stage is built without a steering booster, stabilization system and restartable engine. Space debris hurtling back toward Earth is a fairly common occurrence. The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule had a close encounter with some orbiting junk last month, though it turned out there was no real threat. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS) says that, on average, between 200 and 400 tracked objects enter Earth's atmosphere annually. Most pieces of space debris continuously amassing since the satellite Sputnik 1 escaped Earth's gravitational pull on Oct. 4, 1957 burn up in the Earth's atmosphere on their descent. CHINESE ROCKET DEBRIS TO MAKE AN UNCONTROLLED REENTRY: WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME Of the millions of pieces of space debris estimated to be orbiting the planet, roughly 30,000 are larger than a softball and only around 1,000 are actual spacecraft, NESDIS reports. The objects are monitored by the U.S. military's Space Surveillance Network (SSN) and NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office using radar, telescopes and other space-based systems. Even the smallest debris orbits at a high velocity, which can also be harmful to satellites. National Geographic reports that most space junk is in lower Earth orbit, around 1,250 miles above the planet's surface. Space.com says that how long a piece of space debris takes to fall back to Earth depends on its altitude and that debris left in orbits below 370 miles normally fall back to Earth within a period of several years. Components that survive the fall are likely to hit bodies of water, as Earth's oceans cover 70% of the planet's surface. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Data recorded over a period of more than 50 years shows an average of one piece of debris fell back to Earth each day, though there have been no confirmed deaths or serious injuries from people being hit by space debris. However, space debris can, of course, cause some damage depending on where it lands. In 1979, NASA's almost 100-ton Skylab fell on a small Australian town, the Soviet Union's 43-ton Salyut-7 space station landed in Argentina in 1991 and in May of last year another China Long March 5B rocket released debris over Africa's Ivory Coast after spending a week in low Earth orbit.

https://www.foxnews.com/science/what-happens-when-space-debris-crashes-on-earth

Whats going on with Kevin McCarthy and Liz Cheney?

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) signaled Tuesday that he would support ousting Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney (R-Wyo. ), the most powerful Republican woman in Congress, saying rank-and-file members have doubts about her ability to do the job. Cheney was one of 10 Republicans who joined Democrats in voting to impeach former President Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. The tensions mark an increasing fight over the future of the Republican Party, including whether it will continue to tether itself to the divisive populism of Trump, who may run again in 2024, or move on. Cheney, whose father served as vice president to George W. Bush, in many ways represents the old guard of Republicans who want to move away from Trump. In February, the Republican Conference weighed removing Cheney from leadership after her impeachment vote, but no opponent came forward to challenge her. At that time, McCarthy was publicly silent on Cheney, and then backed her in a closed-door meeting about whether to remove her from the No. 3 leadership position. Advertisement Since then, Cheney hasnt held her tongue when asked by reporters about Trump. She and McCarthy have stopped appearing together at news conferences, including after Cheneys comments about Trumps 2020 election falsehoods and a proposed bipartisan commission to investigate the insurrection made headlines during an annual policy retreat in Florida last week. CNN reported that, in a closed door Republican conference meeting in Sea Island, Ga., on Monday, Cheney said that embracing Trumps false allegation that the election was stolen is a poison in the bloodstream of our democracy .... We cant whitewash what happened on Jan. 6 or perpetuate Trumps big lie. It is a threat to democracy. What he did on Jan. 6 is a line that cannot be crossed. Although McCarthy opposed the impeachment, he stated at the time that the president bears responsibility for [the Jan. 6] attack on Congress by mob rioters. The Republican leader has since walked back his post- Jan. 6 criticisms of Trump and sought to again ingratiate himself with the former president, while Cheney publicly and privately insists that Trump should play no role in the future of the party. Though exiled from social media, Trump remains popular with the GOP base and is still a major source of fundraising for the party. He and his supporters have targeted Cheney and plan to back a primary challenger against her in 2022. She is so low that her only chance would be if vast numbers of people run against her which, hopefully, wont happen, said Trump in a written statement issued Monday afternoon. They never liked her much, but I say shell never run in a Wyoming election again! On Tuesday, Trump created a place on his website to communicate directly with supporters. McCarthy on Tuesday suggested that Cheney no longer has a place on his leadership team, especially as Republicans seek to regain control of the House in 2022. I have heard from members concerned about her ability to carry out the job as conference chair, to carry out the message, McCarthy said Tuesday on Fox News Fox and Friends. We all need to be working as one if were able to win the majority. Remember, majorities are not given, they are earned. And thats about the message about going forward. Advertisement Theres no concern about how she voted on impeachment. That decision has been made, McCarthy said. Cheney spokesman Jeremy Adler said in response to the Fox News interview, This is about whether the Republican Party is going to perpetuate lies about the 2020 election and attempt to whitewash what happened on Jan 6. Liz will not do that. That is the issue. But in an exchange reportedly caught on a live mic and reviewed by Axios before the Fox and Friends interview, McCarthy had a harsher take. I think shes got real problems, McCarthy told anchor Steve Doocy off-air, according to Axios. Ive had it with ... Ive had it with her. You know, Ive lost confidence. ... Well, someone just has to bring a motion, but I assume that will probably take place, appearing to refer to a motion to remove Cheney from her leadership role. Advertisement McCarthys office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the alleged pre-tape comments. The earliest that a vote on Cheneys future could happen is when the Republican Conference next meets May 12.

https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-05-04/mccarthy-v-cheney-whats-going-on-in-the-gop-house-leadership

Could Phil Jurkovec Be A First Round Draft Pick in 2022?

Get ready folks, because this is a storyline you are going to hear about frequently between now and the end of the season. While he still has a big season at Boston College ahead of him, many are going to wonder what the future holds for quarterback Phil Jurkovec. Earlier today, The Athletic did a mock draft that many tweeted out that had Jurkovec heading into the '22 NFL Draft. The mock had the sturdy junior being drafted 15th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers, his hometown team. Jurkovec exploded on to the scene in 2020, just a half a year removed from transferring to Boston College from Notre Dame. He was electric, throwing for over 2500 yards in just ten games, while showing good decision making for a first year starter. He led multiple last minute drives, and showed a winners mentality when BC needed it most. At 6'5 and 250 pounds, he was hard to bring down, and was surprisingly agile, moving the pocket and shedding tackles to avoid pressure. His play caught the attention of many scouts and media members, drawing comparisons to Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. If he was to go to the NFL next year would be the optimal time to do it. The 2022 NFL Draft quarterback class appears to be weaker than the 2020 group that produced five first round picks. JT Daniels of Georgia, Sam Howell (UNC) Kedon Slovis (USC), Spencer Rattler (Oklahoma) and Malik Willis (Liberty) are all the front runners to go in the first round, but all have question marks and are relatively unproven. Every year there is a quarterback that comes out of nowhere and becomes the darling of the draft. In 2021 it was Zach Wilson. If Jurkovec takes that next step, and continues to improve in his decision making and his touch, he could easily join this group. He is going to have an elite offensive line in front of him, and good targets that will help him look good for scouts. All logic point to even better numbers than his already impressive 2020 numbers. Of course most Boston College fans want to see Jurkovec stay in Chestnut Hill in 2022. But things will only get tougher with four of his offensive linemen most likely leaving after the season, and the possibility of losing CJ Lewis, Kobay White, and even Zay Flowers as well. The 2022 NFL Draft may be the perfect time for Jurkovec to take the next step to the NFL. Stay tuned folks, this story is going to be one to monitor. But better yet, just enjoy the time Jurkovec is here, he could be playing on Sunday's sooner rather than later.

https://www.si.com/college/bostoncollege/football/phil-jurkovec-first-round-nfl-draft-pick-mock-2022

Can DeVonta Smith go Where no Eagles Rookie WR has Gone Before?

The Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama certainly has the pedigree required to make a strong run at breaking rookie records that have stood for decades in some cases PHILADELPHIA Jalen Reagor had a turn to carve his name into the Eagles record books as a rookie. He fell well below expectations, and, yes, missing five games due to injury and some internal dysfunction didnt help his cause. Next up to make a run at some rookie records, some of which are decades old, is DeVonta Smith. Sooner or later, marks set decades ago by first-year pass-catcher will eventually fall, and perhaps Smith is the one who will finally do it. There doesnt seem to be any downside to the Heisman Trophy-winning receiver out of the University of Alabama, except maybe his weight of 166 pounds. That hasnt been a detriment, so far, despite playing in the rugged SEC. I don't care too much about what people say about my weight, he said shortly after the Eagles traded up two spots to make him the 10th overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft on Thursday. I understand reporters have a job. Its their job to make a story. I just let them do their job. I can't get mad at them for doing their job. Inside, though, Smith does a slow burn over the whole weight thing. DeVontas been hearing hes too small for years and its definitely a sore point with him because theres really nothing he can do about it, said Christopher Walsh, who has been covering the Crimson Tide since 2004 and is the publisher of SI BamaCentral. He has great hands, runs great routes, and even last year, Jaylen Waddle was going to be the most exciting player, he was going to be the one. No, it was Smith. He kept plugging along and answering his critics. On top of that, Ill tell you flat out, hes a really nice kid, just a totally nice kid. Not a single rookie has topped 1,000-yards receiving in Eagles history. The closes anyone came, and it is still the record heading into this season, was 2008, when DeSean Jackson collected 912. The other two rookie marks Smith will try to break are for catches, which was set at 81 by tight end Keith Jackson in 1988, and touchdowns, a record established by Calvin Williams, who had nine in 1990. Jordan Matthews came close to passing each of them in 2014 when the second-round pick had 67 receptions for 872 yards and eight touchdowns. Reagor, taken with the 21st overall pick in the 2020 draft, had just 31 catches for 396 and only one touchdown, though he added another with a punt return. Odds released by www.BetOnline.ag placed the over/under number on Smiths receiving yards at 900 with his over/under TD total set at seven. Last year, Reagors odds in the days after him being drafted were 700 yards and four scores. The same betting service also set Smiths odds of winning the NFLs Offensive Rookie of the Year award at 12-1, which are the same odds that the No. 4 pick of the Falcons, Kyle Pitts, has. Of the players ahead of Smith and Pitts, only one is a non-quarterback and that is the Bengals' JaMarr Chase at 9-1. Six times in the last 11 years the award has gone to a quarterback. The last non-quarterback to win was the Giants RB Saquon Barkley in 2018 and the only three WRs who did it this century were Aquan Boldin in 2003, Percy Harvin in 2009, and Odell Beckham, Jr. in 2014. I'm glad he's on my team, said Eagles sixth-round pick JaCoby Stevens, who matched up with Smith during his time at LSU. I'm glad that I have to try to go against him in practice and thats not so much as public as the game, because he's somebody like I said in zooms when they asked me who is the hardest person I've covered in 2020 or defended in 2020, and that was DeVonta Smith hands down. Just because he can run every route. He makes every route look the same. We hear often he's a quarterback at receiver. When he's running the crossing routes at Alabama, he knows the holes and the gaps in the zone, and believe it or not, a lot of receivers don't know that. So, he knows when to sit down and when to idle his speed back to appear open for his quarterback. I'm happy that DeVonta Smith is on my team. That's one less guy that I have to worry about covering in the game in a sense in this draft class. Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.coms EagleMaven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.

https://www.si.com/nfl/eagles/news/can-devonta-smith-go-where-no-eagles-rookie-wr-has-gone-before

Who can the 49ers Look to Fill in at Slot Receiver?

Slot receiver is a missing piece to the offense of the 49ers. Kyle Shanahan explains how they can fill that need. Slot receiver is a missing piece to the offense of the 49ers. With Kendrick Bourne gone, they don't have that clear-cut player who can slide into that spot. Sure, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are capable, but the 49ers are going to want to keep them on the outside since they excel so much there. The draft seemed like the 49ers were going to address the slot position, but ultimately they decided to not take a receiver at all. "I think we have some guys on our team who have done it," said Shanahan at his post-draft presser. "I think we have guys who are about to show they can do it. Hopefully guys like Jalen (Hurd) can get healthy and have a chance to compete with these guys, so he can show he can do it." The 49ers will be looking for Jalen Hurd, Richie James Jr., and perhaps Mohammed Sanu or River Cracraft to step up there. Wide receiver has been where the 49ers have spent most of their draft capital under Shanahan. It is time they finally start letting their talent get some chances. I believe James is the best to handle it right now. He demonstrated when given a sizeable workload last season that he can produce. He simply just needs the opportunities. That way, at least, the 49ers can ease Hurd back in. The guy has had a brutal start to his NFL career, from a back injury, to then suffering a torn ACL. Let Hurd take his time, then look to slowly increase his chances. Until then, James is the ideal option there in terms of receivers on the roster. Taking the entire offense into account, Shanahan does incorporate his running backs there. Basically, he has never seen offensive players based on their position, but what they can do with their talents. Shanahan also mentioned that just because there is vacancy at slot receiver does not mean they HAVE to address it or need it to be successful. That is true with what I just pointed out. Just because they do not have an exclusive slot receiver does not mean the offense cannot be successful. The 49ers will look for their receivers to flourish and step up in the slot, but until then Shanahan can make it up with the other skill guys at his disposal.

https://www.si.com/nfl/49ers/news/who-can-the-49ers-look-to-fill-in-at-slot-receiver

Will Quebec and Canada ever reach herd immunity for COVID-19?

With the emergence of the more transmissible B.1.1.7 variant, officials estimate 80-per-cent vaccination coverage is needed for immunity. Photo by John Mahoney / Montreal Gazette Article content If Quebec and Canada can get to an 85-ish per cent vaccination rate, theres a chance we can attain a type of herd immunity that would relegate COVID-19 to the ranks of an annoying common cold, immunologists forecast. Throwing a large wrench into this prognostication, however, is the emergence of variants that are more transmissible, more adept at evading the bodys immune response, or less likely to be suppressed by vaccines designed to quell the original version of the disease. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Back to video I think it depends on whether or not variants of concern stick their noses up, said Dr. Caroline Quach-Thanh, chair of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) for the Public Health Agency of Canada. If we dont have variants of concern that are escaping immunization, I think we might be able to get there with an 85-ish per cent vaccination coverage. But to get there we also have to vaccinate teenagers and children, because theyre 20 per cent of the Canadian population. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Picking an exact percentage is problematic, Quebecs public health director Horacio Arruda said Tuesday, because it depends on how the virus will mutate, and how the cycles of the disease will play over the years. Herd immunity is related to the characteristics of the virus, he said. For measles, you need 95 per cent for getting herd immunity. But I think with a vaccine, and especially a second dose, we will be in a good condition to lower the rates and lower the impact of the disease. The provincial goal of 75 per cent coverage has been far surpassed in the 70 and over age contingent who were among the first eligible in Quebec, with an 89 per cent vaccination rate as of this week. In the 60 to 69 age range, 78 per cent of Quebecers have been vaccinated. Health Minister Christian Dub tweeted Tuesday that the 55-and-over group had just hit 75 per cent coverage. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Montreal public health director Mylne Drouin set a goal of 80 per cent vaccination in order to contend with greater transmissibility of variants that have become the predominant strains in the province, particularly the B.1.1.7 first identified in the United Kingdom. In the United States, experts are saying the goal of attaining herd immunity is unlikely in the near future, if ever, due to new variants and the fact 30 per cent of Americans are either resistant to vaccines or lack access to them. Now, the New York Times reported Monday, experts are concluding that the virus will most likely become a manageable threat that will continue to circulate in the United States for years to come, still causing hospitalizations and deaths but in much smaller numbers. In a generation or two, it could transition to be more like its cousin, the common cold, in which case children would get infected when young, and then be partially immunized against serious side-effects later in life. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content When the coronavirus first emerged, health experts predicted 60 to 70 per cent would have to be vaccinated in the U.S. to starve the pathogen of the fuel it needs to survive: unprotected humans. But with the emergence of the B.1.1.7 variant that is 60 per cent more transmissible, officials estimate 80 per cent vaccination coverage is needed. Even if large swaths hit that target, if the coverage is 95 per cent in the United States as a whole, but 70 per cent in some small town, the virus doesnt care, said Marc Lipsitch, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health told the New York Times. It will make its way around the small town. On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden announced hes shifting the nations strategy as the pace of vaccination slows and trying to get at least one dose in the arms of Americans by July 4 Independence Day. U.S. regulators may allow 12-15 year-olds to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by the end of the week. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Canada has fared well to date, with vaccination rates of close to 80 per cent, Quach-Thanh noted. The most critical goal is to attain the highest level of immunization to lessen the most severe effects of the disease. If very high rates of vaccination can be achieved in the elderly and in those with comorbid conditions (eg. 85-90 per cent) the public health impact of continued COVID-19 circulation would be reduced dramatically (i.e. reduced hospitalizations and deaths) Dr. Brian Ward, professor of infectious diseases at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, wrote in an email. Many people are thinking about and preparing for endemic COVID (that would remain forever). Whether or not the virus(es) mutate toward higher or lower virulence is currently unknown. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Many vaccines can be tweaked to contend with new variants and most companies are already working on new versions to combat them, because everyone knows its likely to come at one point, given the spread of diseases in other countries, that we will see emerge a variant that is able to escape most of the vaccines that we have, Quach-Thanh said. The best defence in the meantime is to curtail transmission as quickly as possible by getting vaccinated and keeping up physical distancing measures and masking. By stopping it, just a little bit, you then decrease the risk of variants of concern emerging, she said. Minor outbreaks that flare up can be quickly contained. But the problem is this is a planetary problem, she said. All our coronavirus-related news can always be found at montrealgazette.com/tag/coronavirus. Sign up for our email newsletter dedicated to local COVID-19 coverage at montrealgazette.com/coronavirusnews. Help support our local journalism by subscribing to the Montreal Gazette here. Share this article in your social network Latest National Stories Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Montreal Gazette Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Montreal Gazette, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. The next issue of Montreal Gazette Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Trending

https://montrealgazette.com/news/will-quebec-and-canada-ever-reach-herd-immunity-for-covid-19

Will Jimmy Garoppolo Really Help Trey Lance Take His Job?

Jimmy Garoppolo went on the radio recently and essentially said he will help develop Trey Lance so Lance can take his job. And Garoppolo laid it on thick. This is rich. Jimmy Garoppolo went on ESPN radio recently and essentially said he will help develop Trey Lance so Lance can take his job. And Garoppolo laid it on thick. You would have thought he was bearing his soul, not merely repeating the company line. First, he invoked Tom Brady. "Tom kind of showed me the ropes, Garoppolo said. "The competition between us was awesome. It really made me grow as a rookie and as a young player. So, that's kind of what me and Trey, we'll mold our relationship into that." Next, Garoppolo talked about how he shares a common background with Lance, which will help Garoppolo accelerate Lance's growth. "I try to use my own personal experiences and just what I went through, what helped me, what challenged me as a young player," Garoppolo said. "I'm going to use those tools that helped me and try to help Trey out. It's hard to come into this league; I know how it was coming from an FCS school to the NFL. It's a bit of an adjustment, the speed, whatever you want to call it, it's just different. So, whatever I can do to help him, I'll be more than happy." That's baloney. That's propaganda. That's P.R. That's what teams and players say, not how they work. And what's more, it's not how human beings work. If I were the starting quarterback, and the 49ers traded up to get Lance, I might be polite to him, but I doubt I would like him much, and I wouldn't go out of my way to help him take my job. It's just not human nature. We know what he would do. He was supposed to be Jimmy Garoppolo's "mentor" in New England. And certainly Brady mentored him -- mentored him out the door. That's what Garoppolo will try to do to Lance. Because they're professional athletes. Pay no attention to the words Garoppolo says.

https://www.si.com/nfl/49ers/news/will-49ers-qb-jimmy-garoppolo-really-help-trey-lance-take-his-job

What If Biden Doesnt Cancel Student Loans?

Heres what you need to know. Student Loans Its possible that Biden wont cancel your student loans. Despite the lobbying from progressives and the pressure to enact up to $50,000 of student loan forgiveness, Biden, ultimately, may decide not to cancel student loan debt. Most recently, Biden didnt include student loan cancellation in the latest stimulus package. This doesnt mean he doesnt want your student loans cancelled. Biden supports of $10,000 of student loan forgiveness, and since becoming president, he has cancelled $2.3 billion of student loans. However, he may not be able to enact student loan cancellation by executive order unilaterally without further congressional authorization. The answer to that question, or at least a legal opinion, will be at the center of a memorandum that U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona will deliver to the president in the coming weeks. The Education Department, under President Donald Trump, wrote in a legal memo that the president doesnt have existing unilateral authority to cancel student loans. Bidens Education Department may reach the same or a different conclusion. However, the Education Department can only recommend; Biden will be the final decisionmaker. Here are three scenarios: Option 1: Congress cancels student loans Remember: there are two main paths to student loan cancellation. If the president cannot cancel student loans, Congress would be the appropriate federal branch of government that could cancel student loan debt. Currently, progressive Democrats in Congress have rallied around a proposal from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to cancel up to $50,000 of student loans. The U.S. Department of Education says that up to $50,000 of student loan cancellation would fully cancel student loans for 36 million student loan borrowers. Importantly, this proposal is only for federal student loans and for student loan borrowers who earn up to $125,000 a year. The reality, however, is this student loan proposal wont become law. Congress wont pass any legislation that cancels up to $50,000 of student loan debt per borrower. There arent enough votes in Congress. Its also unlikely there are enough votes in Congress to cancel student loan debt of any amount. That may come as a surprise. It doesnt mean there isnt support to reform higher education or help borrowers manage student loan debt. Rather, it means, if put to a floor vote, Democrats likely wouldnt be able to secure enough votes to pass any legislation for wide-scale student loan cancellation. Congress could draft legislation that moderate Democrats and perhaps some Republicans could support. That could be a tall order, but finding more common ground on student loans will be the best bet to get student loan forgiveness. Option 2: Change the bankruptcy laws on student loans If the president or Congress doesnt cancel student loans, there are still other options to help student loan borrowers. For example, Congress could amend the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to make student loan cancellation in bankruptcy more accessible for borrowers. As a U.S. senator, Biden opposed student loan forgiveness in bankruptcy. However, as president and a presidential candidate, Biden now says student loan borrowers should be able to discharge student loans in bankruptcy. Warren, a former bankruptcy law professor at Harvard, has been a leading advocate for student loan reform, particularly on this issue. This may be one issue that Democrats and Republicans could find some common ground. Option 3: Simplify student loan repayment plans Another option is that Congress could simplify student loan repayment. This is area that is ripe for bipartisanship. Currently, there are four income-driven repayment plans: Income-Based Repayment (IBR), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE) and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR). These income-driven repayment plans base your monthly payment on your discretionary income, typically 10-20%, and allow you to get federal student loan forgiveness on your remaining balance after 20 years (undergraduate student loans) or 25 years (graduate student loans). They are especially helpful for student loan borrowers who are struggling to make student loan payments or who are unemployed. Congress could simplify student loan repayment in several ways. For example, Congress could make enrollment automatic (with an ability to opt out) so that student loan borrowers dont have to sign up proactively. Second, Congress could simplify the number of student loan repayment plans to minimize confusion. Third, Congress could consider student loan cancellation earlier than 20 years or 25 years. For example, Trump proposed student loan cancellation for undergraduate student loans after 15 years. Student loan cancellation: next steps Biden could still enact student loan cancellation, if the Education Department says he has the legal authority. That legal memo and student loan review could be delivered to the president within weeks. Importantly, any recommendation from the Education Department is simply an opinion and not legally binding. Therefore, its possible that any unilateral executive action on student loan cancellation could be challenged in court. As he has indicated, Biden wants student loan cancellation three ways. In addition to wide-scale student loan cancellation, Biden also want to reform higher education. However, there is no guarantee that Congress will act on any of his agenda. While these three options are not the only potential next steps, they represent three potential paths that Congress could navigate if Biden doesnt cancel student loans. In any event, make sure you have a student loans game plan. Here are some helpful options to consider: Student Loans: Related Reading

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2021/05/04/what-if-biden-doesnt-cancel-student-loans/

Why Is It So Difficult To Invest In Employees Mental Health?

If your employees are suffering, so will your business. It's time to embrace mental health. Unsplash/Rasvan Chisu A recent research report from Ginger showed 96% of CEOs believe their companies are doing enough for employee mental health. But get thisonly 69% of employees agreed. Whenever theres a difference of opinion that reveals a gap like this one, its worth investigating why. Certainly, finding research on the problem isnt the issue. All signs point to a crisis in addressing employees chronic pain, alcohol/opioid abuse, burnout, stress, and anxiety. Americans are not able to afford, find or access care, according to Mental Health America, which offers a detailed breakdown of statistics by race, age, and type of mental illness. Improving the state of mental health in the U.S. depends on businesses investing in their greatest asset, employees, by helping to identify risks and connect people to resources. The invisible nature of these issuesand employees resistance to sharing their personal health concernsmakes measuring them tricky. Employees who may need the help most may mask their symptoms or refuse help because they worry about keeping their job, facing stigma or being able to afford care. Others arent aware of the mental health benefits their employer offers. Still, not investing in your companys mental well being is a sign you may not be thinking long term enough. Invest From The Top Down Much of a companys performance can be attributed to how prepared the leadership team is to deal with crisis. Im defining leadership broadly. An EY study shows 80% of board members felt unprepared for a major risk event such as the pandemic. Still, theres value in connecting with employees at all levels. Understanding how a coworker feels is a critical social skill that grows communication, connection, and loyalty, enhancing individual productivity, team cohesion, and employee alignment to organizational goals, according to a 2021 Workplace Culture Report. Invest in Data As the pandemic continues to play out, your company has a rare opportunity to rethink your mental wellness strategy. Organizations need a framework to decode messy human interactions, and employees need wisdom and guidance in real-time and at scale, says Janine Yancey, founder and CEO of EmTrain. In response to the problem, EmTrain developed a global dataset to help clients benchmark workplace culture shifts. Pulse surveys worked particularly well for employers during the pandemic, which was a time of rapid, unexpected change. Employers can also use data to offer actionable feedback to managers and train them in the type of crisis management they need. There is no one size fits all strategy, other than being as kind and human as you possibly can be. Invest In Ending The Silence Pre pandemic, only 11% of U.S. adults surveyed reported symptoms of anxiety and depression, according to the journal Nature. Post-pandemic, 42% of Americans reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. Thats quite a leap, especially because self-disclosure of disability or illness has traditionally been one of the toughest issues to solve. Theres a long list of reasons why people arent getting the help they need. I suggest becoming as familiar with as many as possible. Its good to know what you dont know. The pandemic exposed a lot of inequality, bias, stigma, and lack of resources and emphasized how care needs to be customized for different people. For example, Black women are more prone to report feeling hopeless than white, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Theres also a giant gap in understanding whether mental health qualifies as a disability protected by the Americans With Disabilities Act. Many employees arent aware that mental health issues, such as severe anxiety, PTSD or post-partum depression can qualify as disabilities. Invest By Type of Intervention A Deloitte analysis of the economic payoffs of mental health interventions breaks down interventions by efficacy. Overall, the goal of the review, done in Canada, was to show not only that total payoff for various programs varies widely but that it can have a significant impact on employees general quality of lifeand thats good for business, too. To put it bluntly, leaders make choices and choices create change, said Paul Polman, chair of The Valuable 500. One CEO is not enough to impact change, he added. Find out more about how disability is your business, a core value of The Valuable 500. Start investing time, money and human kindness today.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/denisebrodey/2021/05/04/why-is-it-so-difficult-to-invest-in-employees-mental-health/

Can Washington Football Team Survive Its Deceptively Difficult Schedule?

The Washington Football Team's journey to the playoffs and a division title in 2021 is not as easy as it appears. ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Football Team will play the 21st hardest schedule in 2021, per ESPN. Remember, the NFL has a 17-game schedule now. (As a sidebar: We don't love it. It leads to bad football being extended and more wear and tear on players, regardless of shortening up the offseason and the preseason schedule.) Anyway ... The WFT, as a result of winning the NFC East, despite a 7-9 record, has to plow through a first-place gauntlet and hosts both Super Bowl teams, the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Bucs, along with road games at the Green Bay Packers and the Buffalo Bills. The strength of schedule ranking by ESPN is based on current rosters of teams, which softens the blow for the WFT theoretically ... but we're not buying it. READ MORE: Filling Needs More Important This is a brutal schedule and grind for Washington. Sure, the Giants, Cowboys and Eagles have holes and major questions but as we all know - what you are in May doesn't mean you will be that in September or December. In addition to the four 'premium' games above - Washington also has to host Seattle and New Orleans, which I guess you can look at as a break because were they road games, well, those are two really tough environments to play in. But both of those teams are still expected to be very competitive. The teams ranked below the WFT with a so-called easier strength of schedule are Arizona, Baltimore, Green Bay and Kansas City. The Cardinals play in the best division in football and the Ravens, Packers and Chiefs all won a playoff game last year so theoretically they should have a tougher road. Here's the bottom line - using any formula -- you can spit out a set of results that you want ... or maybe don't want. Here's the truth: We never know how a season is going to turn out because of a myriad of factors. If anyone thought the WFT was going to win three straight road games against Dallas, undefeated Pittsburgh and San Francisco last year -- that would have been a joke. Yet they did. This year -- maybe they'll win eight or nine games and not make the playoffs. Here's what we know. On paper, the WFT has a tough road ahead and the path to the playoffs will probably look very different in December and January than it does now.

https://www.si.com/nfl/washingtonfootball/news/can-washington-football-team-survive-its-deceptively-difficult-schedule

What will Fonterra come out with tomorrow for its capital restructure?

Fonterra share trading in halt until Friday. Photo / File Fonterra's capital restructure proposals, due to be revealed tomorrow morning, have been kept surprisingly watertight considering it has 10,000 heavily invested and involved farmer-shareholders, but it's a safe bet the main thrust will be measures to stop milk supply loss by demanding less capital from its farmers. This New Zealand's biggest company and the world's fourth largest dairy company by revenue could do by making it less costly to join and supply milk to the big farmer-owned co-operative. It's a measure new chairman Peter McBride signalled he was very keen on in a Herald interview back in December. Another safe bet is that the proposals being offered tomorrow for farmer consultation (and presumably the board will show leadership by signalling its favourite) will seek to simplify Fonterra's current complex hybrid capital structure. As a co-operative, only farmers can own shares. But public non-voting, dividend-carrying units in those shares are listed on the NZX and the ASX, and farmer-shareholders themselves can trade shares in the market. Fonterra is in a trading halt until Friday morning to give farmers and the market time to digest the proposals for change. Farmers must buy a share for every kilogram of milk solids they supply to Fonterra, unlike its growing dairy processing competition which generally doesn't require this. With those shares trading anywhere from $4-plus to $6 in their heyday, that's a very expensive proposition for a young farmer juggling land and cow costs, or any other entrant to the industry. All the while New Zealand's milk production is flatlining, Fonterra's market share of milk is eroding, while competitors like Open Country Dairy are getting bigger, attracting more milk suppliers and paying similar prices for milk - but without a dividend. McBride signalled his concern about the compulsory nature of Fonterra's capital in a Herald interview late last year after he took on the chair's job. He identified "structural issues" as needing attention. "The compulsory nature of capital, the flexibility we can offer to farmers. I'm really hot on succession planning in this industry, how we facilitate young farmers into the co-operative and onto farms. If we don't, where is the future?" Asked if the cost of buying into Fonterra was too high, he said: "Yes. But it's also about highly indebted farmers and the implications for them as well. And that's notwithstanding [the issue of] the company's performance as well in terms of its earnings per share, dividends and share value." While there's speculation today that a significant capital restructure might torpedo the Fonterra Shareholders' Fund which introduced listed units and trading in 2012 under the Trading Among Farmers (Taf) scheme, McBride in a Herald interview agreed the fund, which has its own board and administration, would be challenging to dismantle. And as Jarden investment bank senior analyst Arie Dekker has noted, farmers own a big proportion of the fund anyway. And given the fund is capped at about $500 million, Dekker questioned where the money would come from to disestablish it. Dekker will be closely reading tomorrow's announcements. In March in the Herald he said farmers had invested $8 billion over a decade in Fonterra for a disappointing return. Future capital was looking scarce, he said. It would be helpful for Fonterra's leaders to say why the business was retaining capital in overseas and mature businesses where it did not have a competitive advantage, or where categories were mature, against investment in priority areas which should provide better returns. Fonterra may be more competitive and its farmers might be happier with a smaller capital base, Dekker said. The choice was to shrink the co-operative or reduce the amount of capital invested. "It's difficult to see how they can hold on to everything and make it easier for incoming and outgoing farmers to hold less capital in the co-operative." Mechanisms already exit for farmers to enter Fonterra and get time to pay off the shares, but for existing farmers more flexibility could be offered on the share standard, Dekker said.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/what-will-fonterra-come-out-with-tomorrow-for-its-capital-restructure/CVSFDQ4QPOPEWPZJA23LQ4R5BU/

Should secondary school pupils wear masks for longer?

Reuters Secondary school students in England have to wear face masks in class if they're unable to properly follow social distancing rules Lots of secondary school students in England are currently required to wear masks in their classrooms if they're unable to properly social distance. Face coverings also have to worn in communal areas like corridors, and on school buses and other forms of public transport. Last month, education secretary Gavin Williamson announced that face masks would remain in English secondary schools until at least the 17 May when lockdown rules are further eased in line with the government's roadmap. The Department for Education (DfE) has said it plans to remove the requirement on secondary school pupils and staff to wear masks in class as part of the next stage of lifting the lockdown. Last week, schools minister Nick Gibb also said he hoped that pupils would no longer have to wear face masks in class in secondary schools and colleges in England from mid-May, depending on "the data". However, a group of scientists and unions are calling for the masks to remain in secondary schools until at least 21 June when all lockdown rules are expected to be lifted in line with the government's current plans. They say face coverings should continue to be worn by pupils and staff members to prevent negative "consequences" on the health of pupils and parents. Reuters Some unions and scientists are calling for face coverings to be worn by students in England until at least 21 June The group has written a joint letter to Mr Williamson calling for masks to stay in schools. It's said face coverings "can reduce transmission in schools" allowing children to "continue in-person education without disruption". "Evidence both in the UK and worldwide does not suggest harm of general use to either adults or children, and whilst we acknowledge that it may be more challenging to communicate while wearing masks, and accept that some children and adults may not be able to wear them, it is very clear that the benefits far outweigh any potential risks at the current time," the letter states. To enjoy the CBBC Newsround website at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. WATCH: Toby, Dinah and Austin want clear masks in all schools (subtitles available) March 2021 "We support mask wearing in schools at this time, with exemptions for children who cannot wear them. Clear face coverings may aid communication. We call on the government to provide clear masks for staff and school children, where needed, in order to aid communication and we support exemptions for children who cannot wear masks." The letter, from five unions representing teachers and support staff, as well as scientists, public health experts and parents, highlights concerns about the risks of people developing something called long Covid, which is when people suffer from the effects of the coronavirus for a long time after they've had it. However, at this moment in time, the government is still planning to lift the requirement for face masks in secondary schools later this month. "It is expected that face coverings will no longer be required in classrooms at step three of the road map, which will be no earlier than May 17," said a DfE spokeswoman. "The lifting of further restrictions at step three will follow a review of the latest data on infection and vaccination rates, and all other school safety measures, including regular asymptomatic testing, will remain in place." Let us know in the comments. Oops you can't see this activity! To enjoy Newsround at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. If you can't see this vote, try here.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/56985353

How has life changed for Manchesters poorest children in 200 years?

Two hundred years ago, the first edition of the Manchester Guardian carried shock figures that revealed the true extent of child poverty in the city. Leaked by a source identified as NH, they showed that official estimates of 8,000 children receiving free education a proxy term for poverty were wildly inaccurate. In fact, there were almost 25,000. Two centuries later, an investigation by the Guardian has found that official statistics of deprivation still mask the real numbers of poor children in Manchester. Despite being home to two billionaire football clubs and multimillion-pound apartments, in 2019 the city of the Guardians birth was still ranked as the second-most deprived local authority in England, after Blackpool. That was before the pandemic pushed thousands more families into poverty. In January 2020, when Covid-19 was still a distant problem, 31.6% of Mancunian children (28,276) were from such low-income backgrounds that they attracted the pupil premium and qualified for free school meals (FSM). A year later, that figure had risen to 37.8%, or 33,876 children, far higher than the national average, which in October had reached 19.7%. But experts working with young people in the city say that thousands more children are living on the breadline in Englands unofficial second city. A disproportionate number of the poorest children live a stones throw from the Etihad stadium, home to Manchester City, one of the richest football clubs on the planet. A short walk away from the pitch where players earn 350,000 a week is Miles Platting and Newton Heath, the most deprived ward in Manchester. The Rochdale Canal in Miles Platting and Newton Heath. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian It doesnt look like a cradle of destitution. Near the Rochdale Canal Manchesters equivalent of the M6 during the Industrial Revolution, carrying barges of locally made glass and ropes, and dyed silk there are smart new houses on sale for more than 300,000, each with off-road parking and electric charging points. Yet in the ground floor of an older tower block is Miles Platting Community Grocer, where struggling families pay 2.50 for a bag of food worth at least 12, and can pick up free sanitary towels, nappies and incontinence pads. Most of the customers are in work: Patsy OBrien, who runs the shop, always anticipates a rush in what she calls dinner lady hour, when catering staff from the nearby school call by. Further north in Newton Heath there are well-kept clusters of social housing, including the Footballers Estate, where all the streets are named after the Busby Babes, the Manchester United players who died in the 1958 Munich disaster. Locals are very proud that the club was founded in Newton Heath by the Carriage and Wagon department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot. This is not a sink area, says John Flanagan, a Labour councillor for 17 years. Here you have 320,000 houses, mixed with good social housing. The crime is that its all hidden behind closed doors. Sixty percent of the poverty here is the working poor. It doesnt pay in this society at the moment to work. Whats worse, he says, is things are going backwards. John Flanagan by the Rochdale Canal. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian Growing up in Miles Platting and Newton Heath can take a decade off a childs life life expectancy is decreasing, according to Flanagan, with the average man now living to just 71.5, compared with 81.2 in the south Manchester suburb of East Didsbury. Levels of childhood obesity are high and finding fresh food is difficult: much of the ward is classed as a food desert, which means there are few places to buy affordable fresh fruit and vegetables. One in 53 Manchester children (2,336) were homeless in 2019, according to the council. At Manchester Communication Academy in Harpurhey, the nearest high school to Miles Platting, a significant number of pupils live in temporary accommodation, according to Patsy Hodson, the executive vice-principal. The problem is hiding in plain sight, with homeless children alongside their peers in all north Manchester schools, she said. School staff often discover their situation accidentally as there is no formal communication. Many are living in extremely poor sub-standard housing with damp, disrepair and vermin infestation. Others are in B&Bs or hostels which are unsuitable for families, and others simply sofa-surf, relying on friends and family. There are 12,747 households on the Manchester waiting list for social housing, 6,981 of which are classed as having urgent housing need. The ward has the highest levels of child tooth decay in the city, according to Flanagan, and yet has one dentist, which is currently not accepting child patients or anyone entitled to free dental care. There is no gym since the leisure centre closed along with its swimming pool, a library, the police station and four youth clubs as a result of central government cuts to the local authority since 2010. A half-finished PFI regeneration project that ran out of money has not helped. Jamie Lees at a football session in Newton Heath. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian Jamie Lees, who runs Active Communities Network (ACN), a sports project for young people in Newton Heath, believes there needs to be a rethink around the definition of poverty. It can mean children going hungry like the boy who turned up ravenous for football last week. He had been excluded from school for a week and it turned out that the only place he was getting fed was at school. But its much more complicated than that, says Lees, surveying a football session at Ten Acres Lane. Appearances can deceive. Lads here, they have nice shoes, better coats than us, but they live in houses with no heating. They somehow have two-grand dogs they cant feed. Some of them drive around in nice cars with no insurance. The free school meals data only tells part of the picture, he adds: What about the mum who works three jobs but is never at home, whose son is now getting groomed by local gangs? Young footballers at an ACN session in Newton Heath. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian Three of the young men take a break from their game to talk. Newton Heath has a lot morons, says Gift Eichie, 20. Bachi Bah, 21, adds: Its not a place where you would like your kid to grow up. If youve just moved there, I guarantee you wont last a week. People will try to do something to you. His friend Abdul Bakare, 21, chips in: Its true. You see people coming in for Deliveroo on a bike and all the little kids try to rob them. Asked to list the good things about Newton Heath, Bah comes up with the shops. Weve got Morrisons, weve got Asda. They all hope their future lies elsewhere. Aaron Holleran, 25, was raised in Newton Heath, attended ACNs football sessions and is now the project coordinator. Its a difficult place to grow up, he says. But for me, theres always a choice. You can go on to to bad things, or you can be strong. Young people need better local role models, he says, rather than seeing their elders at the job centre on Oldham Road or getting roped into drugs, crime. Aaron Holleran, a project coordinator at ACN. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian Richard Marsh, the chief executive of the Youth Zone, a youth club in north Manchester, says criminal exploitation of children has worsened. We had an example the other day of a 15-year-old that got picked up with four adults in a car with firearms, he says. I think lots of elements of growing up in areas of disadvantage are traumatic experiences, says Claire Evans, the chief executive of the youth and community charity 4CT, who has worked with young people in east Manchester for more than 20 years. Six-year-olds knowing the difference between a gunshot and a firework thats what kids here are being exposed to, maybe not on a daily occurrence but it is something they are aware of. Not all of these children count in the free school meals statistics, says Evans. Its like in the Manchester Guardian article 200 years ago, saying there were more kids in poverty than officially disclosed. I just think thats exactly the way it is now. Some children dont officially exist. Marsh says a 15-year-old boy recently turned up who had never had his birth registered or been to school. This was not the child of recent immigrants. He was white, indigenous, said Marsh. Many families are in debt, from drugs or bad loans. Marsh tells a story of sending a youth worker out during the pandemic to give a child an iPad so they could do their homework. He knew something wasnt right so he hung on and within five minutes someone had come to take the iPad. A street in the ward of Miles Platting and Newton Heath. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian A lot of children are digitally poor. A report from Manchester city council during the third national lockdown in January found that there remained a significant shortfall in devices/access to wifi in some schools. At one primary school in Miles Platting and Newton Heath in January, nine months after the government promised to give laptops to all disadvantaged children, there were still 45 families with no home broadband and 80 children (13% of pupils) without devices. The council had already realised that if it distributed food vouchers only to those who qualified for free school meals, many children would go hungry during the school holidays. They broadened the criteria and received help from outside organisations, including Manchester Citys corporate social responsibility arm, City in the Community, which in March and April delivered 255 free tech bundles and 10,000 worth of food vouchers to 10 local schools, plus hundreds of laptops. Why so many parents can no longer feed their children is a huge cause for concern. Part of it appears to be the result of benefits sanctions, or people moving on to universal credit and being paid in arrears. But a significant issue is drug use, particularly the proliferation of strong marijuana, believes Evans. A clothing stall in Miles Platting and Newton Heath. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian Whole-family drug use is something that has changed over the past decade, particularly high-end weed, she says. Not weed that makes you a pleasant, jolly person, but weed that makes you wasted. This affects parents abilities to shop and to feed their children, as well as get them to school. The latter is a particular problem in Miles Platting and Newton Heath, which has no secondary school and appalling local bus services. It is probably not a coincidence that the ward has one of the highest rates of persistent school absences in the city and has the lowest proportion of children (19%) achieving a grade 5+ in English and Maths at GCSE-level, as well as the largest percentage of residents with no formal qualifications (41%) in Manchester. The local primary schools are largely judged to be good and praised for helping disadvantaged children exceed their targets. But things seem to go wrong at secondary school. The nearest schools suspend alarmingly large numbers of pupils: St Matthews Roman Catholic high school in Moston excluded more than half of its pupils (54%) at some point in 2018-19, more than triple the average in Manchester secondary schools of 17%. Derek Purnell, a former church minister and a community worker for 40 years, believes Miles Platting and Newton Heath has not received its fair share of investment. More affordable housing has been promised by the council, and a new secondary school, but there have been many broken promises, he said, calling the ward the Bermuda Triangle of Manchester. Everything that comes in, drops out. Changing the culture is hard, says Purnell. There are people here who are clever, but they have never had the opportunities or the encouragement. Theres this cultural mindset and you have to change their worldview. And she said: tell me why I should when no other member of my family has carried on?

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/may/05/guardian-200-how-has-life-changed-for-manchester-poorest-children

Which football manager has the most tattoos?

With Ryan Masons arms showing a bit of ink, I wondered: who are the most heavily tattooed football managers? writes Stuart Edwards. Masons arms have nothing on those of Jorge Sampaoli, the Argentinian coach who is currently at Marseille. Sampaoli must be in the running for the title of most inked manager, writes Graeme Hall (and many others), sporting as he does two full sleeves of very heavy, dark tattoos. Interestingly, though, theyre a very new addition: as recently as 2016, when in charge of the Chilean national team, he had nary a Celtic cross to speak of. Hes 61 now, so therefore embarked on his ink odyssey after turning 56. We thought wed missed the deadline for a midlife crisis, but Sampaoli has given us fresh hope. Michael Appleton's probably the best bet in England:https://t.co/UYpQwoJGvZ CorpusAdams (@CorpusAdams) April 28, 2021 The Lincoln City manager Michael Appletons work is also pretty impressive, but the winner is surely the former Liverpool defender Daniel Agger or at least he will be when he becomes a manager next month. Daniel Agger is due to become head coach of HB Kge in June this year, and when he does so hes presumably in with a shout, suggests Mike Coxon. Aside from the fact hes got 22 separate tattoos that cover almost all of his arms, legs and torso, hes also a qualified tattoo artist himself. Perhaps he could dole out a novel punishment for turning up late to training? Daniel Agger has signed up to take over at HB Kge at the end of the season - he will take some beating! pic.twitter.com/cLIDJne7aj Steve Hyde (@StevenJamesHyde) April 21, 2021 Daniel Agger (right) and Lars Jacobsen are unveiled as the incoming coaches of HB Kge. Photograph: Mads Claus Rasmussen/EPA Hanging around Which club has spent the longest time in the same league division, where promotion and relegation are both possible? muses Alistair Murdoch. Thanks to John Holden, who emailed a comprehensive answer. The with promotion/relegation makes this a tricky question, writes John. Obviously, people will mention Rochdales 36-year streak in the fourth tier, but they should have been relegated from the old Fourth Division twice (1978 and 1980) back before it had relegation to a lower division. Same with Scotland many teams were stuck in the lowest division, but couldnt get relegated anywhere. Once you add in relegation, teams bounce up and down quite readily in Scotland. In the post-war years, Oldham have been particularly stable: they spent 17 straight seasons in the old Second Division before promotion in 1991, and followed that up with 21 years in League One between 1997 and 2018. Forest Green spent 20 years in the Conference (and should have been relegated twice) until their promotion. Fortuna Kln spent 26 straight years in the 2. Bundesliga until 2000, with the last 19 being a non-regional league. Brescia spent 18 years in Serie B following the second world war. NK Solin also had 17 years in the Croatian second tier after independence, as did Woking in the Conference at one point. Oldham manager Joe Royle (centre) is congratulated on their promotion in 1991. Photograph: Action Images There are a few interesting active streaks. FC Winterthur have been in the second tier in Switzerland since 2000, though were lucky to avoid relegation in 2003 after a points deduction due to league expansion, and FC Wil have also been in the same league since relegation in 2004. FC Frederica (are the FCs a prerequisite?) also have an active streak in the Danish second tier stretching back to 2001, matching Austria Lustenau. Mito HollyHock have been in the J2 League consecutively since 2000, though that league didnt start relegating until 2012. The current active streaks in the UK: Morecambe have been in League Two for 14 straight years; Derby County and Nottingham Forest have been in the Championship for 13 years. And for EFL completists, League Ones current longest streak belongs to Gillingham, for whom next season will be their ninth in the division. Mind the gap With four games to go Manchester City are 63 points above Sheffield United but could end 75 points apart if City win all their remaining games and the Blades lose theirs. In Derbys terrible 2007-08 campaign, when they picked up only 11 points, they finished 76 points behind Manchester United. What is the biggest gap between top and bottom in a season? asks Chris Sloley. That Derby side hold a few unwanted records, but this isnt one of them. Last year Norwich finished bottom with 21 points, 78 fewer than Liverpool. And in the 2018-19 season, Huddersfield (16) finished a spectacular 82 points behind the champions Manchester City. Thats the biggest gap we can find. It was matched in Scotland in 2001-02, when Celtic won the title with 103 points and St Johnstone finished bottom with 21. Badge chicanery In last weeks Knowledge archive we looked at teams who had inverted the badge of their shirt. There are a few more to mention: Belgium 1990, Anderlecht 1990-92 and, best of the lot, Middlesbrough 1996-97. I feel we have to mention that Boro kit, writes Jonathan Cullen. They had a badge on their left sleeve, absolutely wild. I cant help but think this and their relegation were linked. Paul Merson models Middlesbroughs away kit during a pre-season friendly in 1997. What is the fewest points ever to separate first and last in a league? We have talked about tightly packed leagues before, a couple of years back, when Darren Beach pointed out that the Romanian third division ended with first and last (16th) divided by only 10 points in 1983-84. (Amazingly, there were just two points between second and second-to-last). The final table in Morocco showed only an eight-point difference between first and last (14th) and that was three points for a win, too. Darren also pointed out that at the end of the 1974-75 season in England, the top 10 were separated by only eight points. To answer the question though, we had to look further back to the inter-war years. First, to 1927-28, when Everton topped the First Division with 53 points and Middlesbrough finished bottom with 37 points. The same thing happened 10 years later, when Arsenal topped the First Division with 52 points, 16 ahead of bottom-placed West Brom. Even adjusted to three points for a win, the difference is 25 points (in a 22-team league), which is slimmer than anything that has passed in the real-life three points for a win world. The tightest English top flight since the switch (1981) came in 1996-97, when a comparatively massive 41 points separated Manchester United from Nottingham Forest. Roma had three players substituted due to injury in the first 37 minutes of their Europa League semi against Manchester United. Is this a record? asks Naman Shah. Gordon (@ElVaselina) May 4, 2021 Chelsea have played five matches against Real Madrid but not once at the Bernabu. What are the most matches one team has played against another without playing at their usual home ground? asks Christopher Page. Kenn Rushworth (@14Autumns) May 3, 2021 Rohan Ricketts has played in the leagues of 12 different Fifa nations in his wonderful, globetrotting career: England, USA, Hungary, Moldova, Germany, Ireland, India, Ecuador, Thailand, Hong Kong, Bangladesh and Canada. Whats the record? wonders Sam Woller. Matt Wicks (@1mattwicks1) April 29, 2021 Kilmarnock recently lost their 12th penalty shootout in a row, winces Graeme Stockton. Myles Cameron McSorley (@y2Jtwo) April 28, 2021

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/may/05/which-football-manager-has-the-most-tattoos

How do the 'big six' rate on a new fan engagement table?

Manchester United fans protest outside Old Trafford With the failure of the European Super League and the ongoing fan protests against club owners, relationships between some of the biggest Premier League clubs and their fans feel like they are at an all-time low. So it is no surprise a new league table rating how football clubs engage with supporters places those 'big six' English teams firmly in the bottom half - with the message they are "failing fans to some extent". Protests at Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal have shown the discontent among supporters with United's Supporters' Trust writing to Red Devils' co-owner Joel Glazer asking for better fan engagement. The Fan Engagement Index, external-link which rates dialogue, governance and transparency, shows how the so-called Big Six compare to England's 91 other professional clubs. Manchester City rated highest of the six at 46th, but that was still in the bottom half for the 2019-20 season. Next is Arsenal at 47th, followed by Manchester United (59th), Tottenham (62nd), Liverpool (64th) and Chelsea (78th). Only City and Arsenal improved their scores from 2018-19. The best-faring top flight teams from the 2019-20 season are Norwich (10th), Leicester (11th) and Everton (13th) with League Two Exeter City top of the table for the second year running. Liverpool owner John W Henry apologises in message to fans 'A lot of clubs not covering themselves with glory on fans' Exeter are one of eight League One and League Two clubs who make up the top 10 and are partly run by supporters' trusts or have fan representation on their boards. Reading are the highest-ranked Championship team in eighth. Salford City - part-owned by several former Manchester United players including Gary and Phil Neville, Bolton Wanderers, Sheffield Wednesday, Macclesfield Town and Swindon Town make up the bottom five clubs. Fan engagement consultant Kevin Rye, who compiled the index, said the results for the 'big six' showed they were "failing fans to some extent" but admitted "you did not need to look at the table for that" and "a lot of clubs aren't exactly covering themselves in glory". All of the 'big six', except Tottenham, have apologised or showed regret for their part in the Super League. Chelsea announced on Tuesday that three supporter advisors will attend board meetings "to ensure general supporter sentiment is considered" while Liverpool have met one of its supporters' groups to discuss changes to its structure. It all comes in advance of a government-led fan review, which will consider supporter involvement and ownership models. "Clubs have become detached from fans and despite people saying this for a long time, clubs carry on as if there isn't a problem," Rye told BBC Sport. "We have now seen a very sensible first step by Chelsea and there are models of dealing with this beyond saying that every club needs to have fan ownership. It's a culture and an attitude. "Premier League clubs that do fan engagement well are Norwich, Everton and Leicester and the reasons for that is their leadership; the people at the top and who run departments all understand what the fan is and how it is different from a customer. They make sure that attitude goes across the whole club." Exeter, who are attempting to reach the League Two play-offs this weekend, have been a supporter-owned club for 20 years, having been left in 4.5m debt by previous owners. Chairman of their supporters' trust and board member Nick Hawker says that the club is run "for the benefit of supporters and community" and "huge good will comes out of that". He says the fact supporters donate 100,000 to the running of the club each year, and almost double that over the last year, is proof of what it means to them. He also explains how there is a club trust agreement which has a list of matters where fans have the final say, including Exeter City's name, its playing colours and whether to sell the club or move stadium. With debt affecting many clubs, he says fan ownership can play a part in running clubs more responsibly and sustainably. "Listening to what fans want could solve a lot of football's problems," he tells BBC Sport. Nobody really. Most clubs in the United Kingdom were born in the late 1800s or early 1900s often through churches or working men's clubs and they are so deeply-rooted in the community. "We don't own Exeter City, it's in our safe-keeping. That's what some Premier League owners have to understand." "Clubs are specific institutions." Fan Engagement Index 2019-20 Top 20 Position Club Division Dialogue Governance Transparency Total 1 Exeter City League Two 60 80 55 195 2 Carlisle United League Two 75 65 35 175 3 Cambridge United League Two 65 65 45 175 4 Newport County League Two 50 80 40 170 5 AFC Wimbledon League One 45 65 60 170 6 Lincoln City League One 75 50 40 165 7 Doncaster Rovers Premier League 65 65 30 160 8 Reading Championship 80 15 55 150 9 Portsmouth League One 75 45 20 140 10 Norwich City Premier League 60 45 35 140 11 Leicester City Premier League 75 35 20 130 12 Grimsby Town League Two 60 65 5 130 13 Everton Premier League 65 25 30 120 14 Tranmere Rovers League One 60 45 15 120 15 Wycombe Wanderers League One 45 55 20 120 16 Accrington Stanley League One 65 30 20 115 17 Luton Town Championship 75 35 0 110 18 Bristol Rovers League One 60 30 20 110 19 Oldham Athletic League Two 45 50 15 110 20 Rochdale League One 40 35 35 110 46 Man City Premier League 35 25 15 75 47 Arsenal Premier League 25 35 15 75 59 Man Utd Premier League 15 35 15 65 62 Tottenham Premier League 30 15 15 60 60 Liverpool Premier League 25 35 0 60 78 Chelsea Premier League 20 5 15 40 NB: Where total scores are equal, dialogue is given added weight

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56988691

Who do these mysterious handprints belong to?

Reuters More than 100 black and red handprints have been discovered on the walls of a cave in Mexico - and they've been there for more than a thousand years! The markings, which are believed to have been left by children's hands, were found on the Yucatn peninsula. Archaeologists have worked out that the 137 prints are more than 1,200 years old and think they are likely connected to a coming-of-age ritual of the ancient Mayan people, left by children when they reached puberty. The time at which the handprints were made was a period at which major advances in math and art were being made in Mayan society. The cave in which they were found is located some 10 metres beneath a ceiba tree, considered sacred by the Mayan people. Archaeologist Sergio Grosjean said: "They imprinted their hands on the walls in black which symbolized death, but that didn't mean they were going to be killed, but, rather, death from a ritual perspective. "Afterwards, these children imprinted their hands in red, which was a reference to war or life." The Maya civilisation began long ago in a place called 'Mesoamerica'. This huge area is made up of Mexico and part of Central America. They were experts at reading the stars and even built their cities as a map of the sky! They were also inspired by the creatures of the forest and shared many legends about animals, plants and nature spirits. Today there are more than seven million Maya people, most of whom live in Central America and southern Mexico. Other Mayan artefacts have also been found in the cave, including a carved face and six painted sculptures, dating from between 800 and 1,000 AD. The sculptures were made at a time when the Mayan region was experiencing severe drought that may have caused people to suddenly abandon major cities that are today archaeological sites visited by tourists. Grosjean was also part of a team of archaeologists who discovered another set of Mayan cave paintings in the east of Yucatn state in 2018. That cave also has handprints on its walls.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/56992026

Can Cleveland Cavaliers find light at end of dark rebuild tunnel like Phoenix Suns finally did?

In many ways, that represents todays Cleveland Cavaliers and the Phoenix Suns of three years ago. Back then, the Suns had a new head coach (Igor Kokoskov). They ranked second last in offensive rating and No. 29 in defensive rating, finishing with the Western Conferences worst record. While seemingly stuck on the treadmill to obscurity, there were some intriguing young pieces scattered throughout the roster -- Kelly Oubre Jr. and Devin Booker both in Year 3 and Mikal Bridges as well as Deandre Ayton arriving in the draft. Despite the horrendous record, in large part because of poor coaching and a group not yet equipped to win consistently, those individuals created a sense of optimism. It was just hard to see, buried beneath a pile of losses. The following year, the Suns changed coaches, made a few roster tweaks, added another lottery pick (Cameron Johnson), some stabilizing veterans, and took a respectable step forward. Now, thanks to Chris Pauls arrival, Phoenix is a title contender. There are similarities to the 2018-19 Suns. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff in his first full season. An over-reliance on youth. A rash of injuries that played a large part in crippling Play-In hopes. An intriguing young core with an unknown ceiling. A still-developing culture. Growing pains. Maddening inconsistency. Unnecessary drama. Parts being better than the sum. No two rebuilds are the same. Sometimes cycling through coaches or general managers is the only way to finally emerge from the darkness. One teams path, based on innumerable circumstances, could be windier. Theres also no guarantee it will work. The Suns had six grueling losing seasons, starting in 2013-14, before climbing the Western Conference mountain. It was hardly a straight shot to the top. Nonetheless, theyve become a hopeful guiding light. We all know the history of the Phoenix Suns. You can ask Charles Barkley about that, Jarrett Allen said with a smile following a hard-fought 134-118 loss in OT. We know that we can come and be a team like that. We are eliminated from Play-In contention. So, we were not the best team like they were. Were building to be at that level. You can look at Collin Sexton, one of the best scorers in the league right now. Darius Garland, one of the best PGs. And then Isaac Okoro, tonight spoke for itself. Were a young team just like they were, building to where we want to be. Even though the Cavs are far from a finished product, with plenty of work ahead this summer, Tuesday night helped show the potential -- and it didnt require looking toward the other side. Okoro, the fifth pick in the 2020 draft, had a career game. His most productive since high school. He scored 32 points on 10-of-16 from the field, 3-of-4 from 3-point range and 9-of-9 from the foul line while receiving MVP chants. He also matched his career-best with six assists -- all while fighting through cramps, playing 47 minutes, defending Booker and eventually needing an IV after the game. Weve all been through it. Just trying to find your place in the NBA, trying to find a place on the team, Allen said of Okoro. And for him, I think this was a moment where he knows that he found this place. He knows he belongs. Only seven rookies have a 30-point game this season. Now Okoro, the player labeled an offensive liability throughout an erratic first year, is one of them, joining Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Maxey, Theo Maledon, Immanuel Quickley and Saddiq Bey. The 32 points are the most by a Cavaliers neophyte since Jordan McRae in 2016. Uber-talented Kevin Porter Jr., now in Houston thanks to a myriad off-the-court troubles, didnt hit that threshold. Neither did Darius Garland. Even leading scorer Collin Sexton came up a few points short. Okoro now has six straight double-figure games, looking more comfortable each night and making opponents pay for leaving him open. But when you watch him, you know the skill set and then what youre hoping is that your development plan gets him to his potential, Bickerstaff told cleveland.com. We would hope so, but dont know. A guy who can score, post and playmake and then takes the other assignment on the defensive end. The difficult part for us is we didnt get that offseason with Isaac to really start that. Youre just thrown into training camp and now its survival because youre going up against the best players in the world and now youre trying to play only where youre comfortable so you can be confident. Slowly through the year, weve added more and weve driven his development to a certain point. Isaac works his ass off every single day. Hes guarded the best players on the other team every night regardless of position and never flinched and never changed his work ethic and never asked for a way out. I will bank on that type of person. It takes time. But if theres a person who is going to get there its that type of person. Its Isaac. One of the leagues best two-way players. Guys like Butler, Bostons Jaylen Brown or even Andre Iguodala. Those are the most frequent high-end comparisons. Browns first 30-point night didnt come until Year 3 by the way. Same with Iguodala. For Butler, it was his fourth season. Okoro did it in his 60th career game, temporarily hushing his critics who often evaluate his performance by the column furthest to the right on the stat sheet: points. It bothers me because of the impact it can have on the kid, Bickerstaff said of the impatience often shown. Were trying to create environments where players can flourish and criticism of a kid who started the season at 19 years old and played one year of college basketball on a season that was cut short, without a real training camp and preseason and summer league, its way too early to pass judgment on a kid like that. Like, understand the position that hes been put in. Give him some time. It was similar with Darius. There was a lot of criticism toward Darius and given a year of work and then a full season, I think we have seen how much he has improved. I truly believe Isaac will do the same. I think its easy to criticize. But its premature to pass judgment and expect him to already be a polished or finished product playing against the best players on the planet. We have high hopes for Isaac. Hours before Okoros masterpiece, following Tuesdays shootaround, the youngster had a conversation with Bickerstaff about being more involved offensively. Bickerstaff broached the idea of putting Okoro in more pick-and-rolls. While the timing coincides with Garlands absence because of an ankle injury, and the Cavs needing to find another creator, Bickerstaff told cleveland.com the adjustment is part of a bigger-picture plan. Its the next step for him, Bickerstaff said. When we watched him in college, he had a really good knack for finding the paint and making the proper reads. I wanted to kind of give him more opportunities to break the paint and put him in situations where he could get to the basket. Tonight, he did a great job. He had one turnover late, but other than that he made the simple play over and over again. I think thats want we want to see from him. Okoro relishes that freedom too. I love that. Thats all I wanted all along, Okoro said. Just being able to play off pick-and-roll and also attack the big, I feel like Im good at that. I feel like Im an all-around player. Try to do everything to help my team win. The winning part hasnt come yet. Its started to create angst among fans, unsurprisingly casting doubt when it comes to the teams direction, especially with a lower-than-desired win total and late-season collapse. There is a lot of uncertainty in a rebuild, Bickerstaff admitted. You are putting your future in a lot of unfinished products. Thats the difficult part. But when you get the type of people that weve gotten and focus on character as well as skill, you can rest a little easier. While Kevin Love, the expected veteran anchor who isnt 100 percent, flailed away Tuesday night, scoring seven points and missing eight of his 10 shots, the offensive responsibility shifted to Clevelands kids. Okoro. Allen. Sexton. The trio helped the Cavs push Phoenix throughout, refusing to back down, and forcing the game into overtime, where the undermanned squad, playing without seven players -- Garland, Larry Nance Jr., Matthew Dellavedova, Isaiah Hartenstein, Dylan Windler, Taurean Prince and Lamar Stevens -- simply ran out of gas. Cleveland isnt on the same level as Phoenix. Its still early into this process. The Cavs dont currently have two All-Star-caliber players. The Suns do. Paul and Booker are more seasoned and know how to make teammates better. That tandem can take over when its time, with Booker calmly getting to his mid-range jumper and Paul going to his right hand before shifting into his pullup. Its obvious the Cavs youngsters must mature. But there are no shortcuts here. Booker was once in the same situation as Sexton, scoring gobs of points, only to be unfairly labeled a loser early in his career. Three years ago, technically the fourth season of a rebuild, the Suns won 19 games. Paul didnt arrive as the leadership glue until this season, when his score-first backcourt mate was heading into Year 5. The Cavs are missing that guy. Theyre aware. It was supposed to be Love. That didnt work exactly as planned. Give the Suns a lot of credit, they developed a lot of young talent, but that helped them go out and acquire veteran players as well, Bickerstaff said. I think thats when you see the jump is when your young players find out who they are and theres a blend of veterans who have been there and done that. I think thats when the success comes. Sexton, starting in Garlands usual point guard spot, scored 29 points to go with seven assists and seven rebounds. In his best season, putting up identical numbers to Booker at the same stage, Sexton became the second-youngest player in franchise history to eclipse the 4,000-point mark. Obviously, we all know hes a fantastic scorer, Allen said of Sexton. The next step for him is, and was, to lead the team. You saw that tonight. He had the ball in his hands I feel like the most tonight and he made sure we were in the right spots. He called the plays that we needed to. He led the team how he should, especially with Darius out. Allen, an ideal fit at center, had 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Those three plus Garland. Thats the future, with another piece is coming in the draft. Not everything is great in Cleveland. But the Cavs play hard, have shown a propensity for player development and have compiled a good young core. Maybe it will lead to a Suns-like turnaround. The future is bright for us and were only going to grow and continue to get better, Sexton said. As summer comes along and as long as we continue to jell, were going to continue to stay locked in, stay working out together. Just making sure we continue to grow together and hopefully be able to turn it around for sure. You could see it tonight, it was a really good game, but just not the finish that we wanted. - New Cavs face masks for sale: Heres where you can buy Cleveland Cavaliers-themed face coverings for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($14.99) and a 3-pack ($24.99). All NBA proceeds donated to charity. Pluto Searching for small victories as late-season collapse continues Loves best game not enough in short-handed loss to Miami

https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/05/can-cleveland-cavaliers-find-light-at-end-of-dark-rebuild-tunnel-like-phoenix-suns-finally-did.html

Which Clemson Tigers will be Targeted in 2022 NFL Draft?

Clemson's next crop of talented Tigers can work their way up NFL draft boards before the 2022 selection process. Clemson's 2021 NFL Draft class might go down in history as the best ever. Only time will tell but with quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne both going in the first round, it won't hurt. Combine that with Jackson Carman being the highest Clemson offensive lineman drafted in 50 years, Amari Rodgers being liked by draft analysts and Cornell Powell getting a great opportunity with the Kansas City Chiefs' high-powered offense. Here's a look at who to keep an eye on, broken down by tiers: Elite This is reseverved for first-round selections, something Clemson is familiar with. At least two former Tigers have gone in the first round in four of the last five seasons, so there's a good chance one or two will hear their names called in the first 32 picks: Sheridan Jones Sabrina Schaeffer/Staff, The Greenville News via Imagn Content Services, LLC Justyn Ross was on many mock drafters this time last year as a 2021 first-round talent, but his season was derailed when he needed surgery to repair a spinal condition. He's back at Clemson this fall and looking to make amends for his time off, and with new strong-armed QB D.J. Uiagalelei slinging the rock, Ross has a chance at putting up great numbers if he returns to form. was on many mock drafters this time last year as a 2021 first-round talent, but his season was derailed when he needed surgery to repair a spinal condition. He's back at Clemson this fall and looking to make amends for his time off, and with new strong-armed QB D.J. Uiagalelei slinging the rock, Ross has a chance at putting up great numbers if he returns to form. Sheridan Jones is a cornerback who's already popping up on NFL mock drafts, even though he's only made eight career starts. Part of that is the position. A.J. Terrell only needed one really strong season to go No. 16 overall to the Falcons last spring. But Jones also has the talent if he gets enough opportunities. It wouldn't be a shock to see him make a huge jump to impress scouts. is a cornerback who's already popping up on NFL mock drafts, even though he's only made eight career starts. Part of that is the position. A.J. Terrell only needed one really strong season to go No. 16 overall to the Falcons last spring. But Jones also has the talent if he gets enough opportunities. It wouldn't be a shock to see him make a huge jump to impress scouts. Andrew Booth is another cornerback primed for a breakout season. With Derion Kendrick gone, Booth could be the next Kendrick in terms of boosting draft stock. Booth has the athleticism to play at the next level, but he'll need to refine his skills and become a more consistent tackler to become first-round material. Moving on up This group of Tigers aren't necessarily going to be on every NFL scouts must-see sheet, but by the end of the season when pro executives are putting together draft boards, these are names who have a chance to pop and become second and third-rounders: Braden Galloway Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports Joseph Ngata and Frank Ladson are both looking at the same situation. They came to Clemson with four-star pedigree. They've been hampered by injuries, especially in 2020. Head coach Dabo Swinney loves their upside, but it's yet to manifest itself on the stat sheet. If that changes in 2021, and one or both take off in this promising passing game, the NFL will take notice of their prototypical size and speed. are both looking at the same situation. They came to Clemson with four-star pedigree. They've been hampered by injuries, especially in 2020. Head coach Dabo Swinney loves their upside, but it's yet to manifest itself on the stat sheet. If that changes in 2021, and one or both take off in this promising passing game, the NFL will take notice of their prototypical size and speed. Braden Galloway certainly looks the part of a future pro, especially considering where the game is headed at the next level with tight ends. At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, he's going to standout to NFL teams looking for the next Kyle Pitts or Travis Kelce. Galloway doesn't have the production to be compared to that duo, but with playcaller Tony Elliott taking over the tight ends, Galloway could finally be featured in a way that scouts really notice. One issue, though, is he plays a crowded position at Clemson. certainly looks the part of a future pro, especially considering where the game is headed at the next level with tight ends. At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, he's going to standout to NFL teams looking for the next Kyle Pitts or Travis Kelce. Galloway doesn't have the production to be compared to that duo, but with playcaller Tony Elliott taking over the tight ends, Galloway could finally be featured in a way that scouts really notice. One issue, though, is he plays a crowded position at Clemson. Tyler Davis has been a one-man wrecking crew since the defense tackle set foot on campus. While he doesn't fill up a stat sheet, his absence was extremely noticeable on Clemson's defense last fall as he dealt with injuries. Playing beside Bryan Bresee in 2021, a healthy Davis is going to catch plenty of eyes. The 2021 draft wasn't strong at inside D-linemen, so some teams could reach in 2022, Davis wouldn't be a bad pick. has been a one-man wrecking crew since the defense tackle set foot on campus. While he doesn't fill up a stat sheet, his absence was extremely noticeable on Clemson's defense last fall as he dealt with injuries. Playing beside Bryan Bresee in 2021, a healthy Davis is going to catch plenty of eyes. The 2021 draft wasn't strong at inside D-linemen, so some teams could reach in 2022, Davis wouldn't be a bad pick. Xavier Thomas came to Clemson with the hype of a three-and-out player. One of the top recruits in the nation, he should already be in the NFL, but health issues, being in the doghouse and underperforming have him back at Clemson for another year. There's no question he has talent, but if Thomas wants to finally cash in on that pedigree, he's got to earn it with big numbers in 2021. Radar poppers This final tier contains players who have a lot of work to do, kind of like Powell. This time last year, he didn't have numbers, but he finished as the second-most productive receiver on the team. This group, though, could show up on some NFL team's radar and land a pro contract: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports

https://www.si.com/college/clemson/football/which-clemson-tigers-will-be-targeted-in-2022-nfl-draft

Do the people in charge understand what water quality is?

We cant plan for our future: Doug Fords government wants to dump more sewage into Lake Ontario. Local residents think theres a better solution, April 30 For too long, politicians have side-stepped this made-in-Ontario crisis, bowing in complete servility to developers. Durham Regions waterfront should not be fouled by York Regions wretched bowels to the tune of 80 per cent. Development needs to be reined in and strictly controlled. The presence of black, smelly sludge along the beach at Ajax is evidence the treatment plant is overloaded and not treating wastes appropriately. Maintenance is required ASAP. The truth is development is completely out of control, and so much of Ontarios landscape and waterways have already been sacrificed. There is no planning anymore: just growth for the sake of growth, and damn the consequences. There are already 15 sewage treatment plants releasing treated wastes into Lake Simcoe, which is 41 metres deep at its deepest point. Day in, day out, year-round, this process continues. Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority chief administrative officer, Rob Baldwin, states the 16th new treatment plant, located on the Holland River, draining directly into Lake Simcoe, will improve water quality. One wonders if the word quality has any real meaning anymore when a conservation authority CAO enthuses about treated effluent as clean water.

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2021/05/05/do-the-people-in-charge-understand-what-water-quality-is.html

Where are the worlds dream winemaking destinations?

For more wine advice and reviews, recipes, restaurant news and more, sign up to receive our Good Taste newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday. Winemakers from different countries were recently asked to share where in the world theyd love to work. Not surprisingly, celebrated spots like Tuscany and Barolo in Italy and Burgundy and Bordeaux in France were ranked high on the list compiled by vinepair.com. Survey responses centred largely on European regions. Hawkes Bay and Central Otago in New Zealand and California were the few viticultural areas selected outside of France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Story continues below advertisement Canadian winemaker Ann Sperling, who makes wine at her family estate in the Okanagan and at Southbrook Vineyards in Niagara as well as overseeing an old vine malbec project in Mendoza, Argentina, set her sights on Tuscany. Not because its wildly famous and celebrities talk of their villas there, says Sperling. The talented winemaker says shes drawn to the regions mix of small vineyard plots, spread across rolling hillsides that offer different slopes and aspects, interspersed with olives and other crops. The regions widescale embrace of organic grape growing and the challenges of making top-quality sangiovese were also drawing cards for Sperling, who is one of this countrys leading experts in biodynamic winemaking. Italy was also on the radar of Dan Petroski, winemaker at Massican, a Napa winery that produces only white wines and grows Mediterranean varieties, such as tocai friulano and ribolla gialla. I have often said that my winemaking career would never be complete if I died without making nebbiolo in Barolo, Petroski says. The Californian winemaker also expressed a desired to live and work in Bordeaux, which he calls one of the worlds greatest wine capitals. The day that one of my wines makes me feel like I do when I drink Haut Brion, I will decide to leave Napa because I will have achieved everything I could here, he says. While its not surprising to hear Canadian and American winemakers single out some of the worlds finest wine regions as a dream opportunity, its interesting to note how many European winemakers continue to come to North America for the opportunity to work without any restrictions to which grape varieties they can farm or other regional winemaking constraints. E-mail your wine and spirits questions to The Globe. Look for answers to select questions to appear in the Good Taste newsletter and on The Globe and Mail website.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/article-where-are-the-worlds-dream-winemaking-destinations/

What might Scotlands election results mean for IndyRef2?

Elections for the Scottish parliament are taking place on Thursday. We examine the possible results and their implications for a future independence referendum. The most recent polls have painted a divergent picture, ranging from Savanta ComRes for the Scotsman predicting the SNP winning 59 seats, a loss of two MSPs and six short of a majority, to 68 MSPs calculated by YouGov for the Times Scotland, three beyond the 65-seat threshold for a majority. Its worth keeping in mind that the Scottish parliaments voting system was specifically set up to prevent one party winning an overall majority, in an attempt to break away from the two-party politics of Westminster and produce a more proportional parliament. The SNP did win a majority in 2011 but party strategists acknowledge this was highly unusual. If it does happen on Thursday, it is then very easy for Nicola Sturgeon to argue she has a mandate for a second independence referendum, which is pledged in her partys manifesto and which she has said she hopes to hold by the end of 2023, provided the Covid crisis has passed. Not necessarily the SNP has been governing as a minority government for the past five years, relying on the votes of Scottish Green MSPs to pass significant legislation such as the budget bill although a formal coalition might be considered to add more heft to any argument about a pro-independence mandate. The Scottish Greens, who are expected to at least double their five MSPS, have said they would be willing to have the conversation with the SNP, but would demand far tougher climate policy. They have emphasised during the campaign the ways that the party has successfully influenced the SNP such as free school meals for primary children, the eviction ban during the pandemic and public sector pay in the most recent budget. Sturgeon has stated repeatedly that she would not work with Alba, the other pro-independence party that could gain seats, led by the former first minister Alex Salmond. It remains highly likely that pro-independence parties will hold the most Holyrood seats after Thursday, which would still underpin Sturgeons calls for a new referendum. Sturgeon has said that, even if Westminster continues to refuse the Scottish parliament the requisite powers to hold a legal referendum, she plans to take the legislation through Holyrood, forcing Boris Johnson to challenge it in the courts. But while her language around waiting until after the initial Covid crisis has passed is usefully vague, Sturgeon will no doubt also be guided by recent polling, which indicates that support for independence has fallen back since the sustained majority for yes last year, while only about one-third want to see a second vote within the SNPs proposed timeframe. If Alba wins seats, Salmond could have an ongoing disruptive influence as he styles himself as the person keeping the SNP honest on independence: he has already called for the new Holyrood administration to open talks with Westminster on splitting from the UK in its early weeks. Sturgeon has warned that this risks putting off undecided voters: Pretending that any of that is an alternative or a substitute for getting the majority of people to vote for independence in a legitimate process is misleading people, she told the Guardian in a recent interview.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/may/05/what-might-scotlands-election-results-mean-for-indyref2

What did Trump post to get himself banned from Facebook and will he be reinstated?

Rioters inside the US Capitol on 6 January. Donald Trump told them: We love you, you are very special (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) When Donald Trump was banned indefinitely by Facebook in the wake of Januarys US Capitol attack it became the first social media company to meaningfully silence him. Mark Zuckerberg said his dramatic action against the then-president was essential to prevent more political violence ahead of Joe Bidens inauguration. It was the most high-profile ban in the companys history and a move that was quickly followed by other social media giants. The ban was welcomed as long overdue by critics of the president and was blasted by conservatives as the ultimate example of Big Tech political censorship. Now, four months since his last Facebook post, the one-term president may get a reprieve. The Facebook Oversight Board is expected to announce its decision at 9am eastern time on Wednesday on whether the company can continue its suspension of Mr Trump or has to let him back on the platform. The board is an independent and outside group that was created by Facebook to review the companys most complex issues. Facebook referred Mr Trumps case to the board on 21 January, and though it normally has a 90-day period to reach its decision, on 16 April it announced an extension was necessary. In Mr Trumps case, which received 9,000 public comments, the board will either allow Facebook to continue its ban, or rule that it has to allow him access again. If the board decides to overturn the ban, Facebook will have seven days to give Mr Trump access again, but the company could unlock the account on the same day as the decision. The oversight board choses a panel of five of its 20 members to judge the case, with only a simple majority required. The panel then takes its decision back to the full board, which can overrule it if a majority of members disagree with the panels decision. According to the boards bylaws, its decision on the ban, which requires a simple majority, is binding and cannot be challenged by the company. Mr Trump will also not be able to appeal the boards decision if it goes against him. Story continues The board could also make recommendations and policy suggestions about the treatment of world leaders and politicians on the platform, but they are not binding and the company is not obliged to act on them. A written version of the boards decision will be posted to its website that will include a full explanation of what was considered, how the decision was reached and the public comments. If Mr Trump is allowed to rejoin Facebook he will still be subject to the platforms rules and any decision does not preclude him from being banned again in the future. Facebooks decision to ban the twice-impeached president was the culmination of six years of struggling to deal with the controversial businessman-turned-politician. In 2015 when he was still only a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, Mr Trump posted a video calling for a ban on Muslims entering the US. Facebook refused to take it down and created the newsworthiness policy that allowed posts which broke their own guidelines to remain up because of public interest. During 2020 Mr Trump used Facebook to post a string of misleading information about Covid-19 and attacked racial justice protesters as thugs. With criticism of the companys approach to Mr Trump deepening, Facebook announced in June 2020 that it would put labels on posts that violated hate speech and other policies, even if they were from politicians such as Mr Trump. And they committed to remove any posts which incited violence or voter suppression, regardless of newsworthiness. But it was Mr Trumps response to his own supporters attacking the Capitol on 6 January, in an attempt to block the certification of Joe Bidens election victory, that finally brought about his ban. Five people, including a police officer died, in the MAGA riot, and Mr Trump eventually posted a video on Facebook and Instagram urging his supporters to leave the Capitol and go home. But infamously Mr Trump also took the opportunity to tell them: We love you, youre very special. After the video was posted, Facebook immediately suspended Mr Trump for 24 hours, and Mr Zuckerberg announced on 7 January that the ban was indefinite. We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great, he said. And two weeks later the company announced that the Oversight Board would make the final decision in the case. Many argue private companies like Facebook shouldnt be making these big decisions on their own. We agree, wrote Nick Clegg, VP of Global Affairs, in a statement at the time. Every day, Facebook makes decisions about whether content is harmful, and these decisions are made according to Community Standards we have developed over many years. It would be better if these decisions were made according to frameworks agreed by democratically accountable lawmakers. But in the absence of such laws, there are decisions that we cannot duck. Read More White House vows to ignore Trump if Facebook reinstates him Facebook board's Trump decision could have wider impacts Despite business warnings, GOP moves ahead with voting bills

https://news.yahoo.com/did-trump-post-himself-banned-211440202.html

Will P&Gs Tokyo Olympics Campaign Strike Gold Again?

The Tokyo Olympics have been long awaited by advertisers and fans alike. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ASSOCIATED PRESS P&Gs track record as an Olympic sponsor and advertiser dating back to the 2012 Vancouver Winter Games has been truly outstanding, with its Best Job and Thank You Mom campaigns ranking among the most effective big event advertising of all time. Like other Worldwide Olympic Partners, the stakes are high, with the entry fee for the sponsorship being estimated at $100 million per Olympics/ Paralympics before a single ad is paid for. Having recently extended its commitment to the Olympics, P&G clearly regards it as a major part of its marketing efforts. In conjunction with the companys unveiling Tokyo 2021 campaign, I spoke to Marc Pritchard, Procter & Gambles Chief Brand Officer, about the companys Olympic sponsorship. He describes the companys approach as follows: Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer, Procter & Gamble P&G P&G believes the Olympic Games have tremendous power to unite people through sport, and we are proud to have been part of the Olympic Movement for more than a decade. While each Olympic Games has been different, our approach has always been to celebrate the journey athletes take on the road to their Olympic dreams and the many people who support them along the way. Our P&G Olympics campaigns, along with individual brand campaigns, have consistently been a force for growth by enabling us to engage with consumers in markets around the world through inspirational advertising and in-store displays and promotions. The Overall Campaign Two films released by P&G today, Love Leads to Good and Your Goodness is Your Greatness, are focused on a call to action to lead with love via acts of good. Each will appear digitally or on television (short form) in 15 countries. The former film focuses on the role parents play in raising children to be good and then depicts later scenes depicting the choice to be a good person based on lessons we have been taught by those who love us, showing displays of good sportsmanship and kindness. The latter film is narrated from the perspective of proud parents and features athletes, including sprinter six-time gold medalist Alyson Felix, achieving athletically and also performing good acts. According to P&G, an important focus of the campaign is on athletes taking steps for good and making a positive difference in their communities. The company states that is worldwide Lead with Love campaign is designed to unite P&Gs longstanding Citizenship efforts of Community Impact, Equality & Inclusion, and Environmental Sustainability. 6 time gold medalist Allyson Felix is one of the featured athletes in the new campaign. Procter & Gamble Pritchard expresses enthusiasm for the new campaign. This new campaign.goes beyond the field of play. It is inspired by the many Olympic and Paralympic athletes who are not only achieving athletic greatness, but also stepping up to take action for good, making a positive difference in their communities. When their dreams were put on hold in 2020, we were inspired by these athletes as they moved beyond their own disappointment and stepped up to help others and serve their communities. By putting others above themselves and lending their time, talent, and resources to help those in needthese Olympic and Paralympic athletes showed us that their goodness is their greatness. They are our inspiration and are the focus in the latest chapter of our worldwide Lead with Love consumer campaign. Promoting P&Gs Individual Brands An impressive aspect of P&Gs success in past Olympics has been in promoting key brands via well thought out celebrity endorsements, including new mom and volleyball player Kerri Walsh for Pampers and swimmer Michael Phelps for Head and Shoulders. Pritchard confirms that individual brands will again be promoted by celebrity athletes: In the weeks leading up to the Tokyo Games, youll also see P&Gs Olympic campaign coming to life through our brands supporting athletes, he states, Always is helping girls stay in sports, teaming up with Olympic Gold Medalist Elena Delle Donne, Basketball; Olympic hopeful Mariah Duran, Skateboarding; Olympic Gold Medalist Laurie Hernandez, Gymnastics; Paralympian Scout Bassett, Track and Field; and girls education advocate Malala Yousafzai. Secret Deodorant is proud to continue its partnership with Olympic Gold Medalist Alex Morgan, Soccer, raising awareness for and inspiring others to take action for equal representation and equal compensation in sports. P&Gs Japanese cosmetics brand, SK-II will also be promoted, featuring famed gymnast Simone Biles, and the brand will set up a SK-II will set up a #CHANGEDESTINY fund, contributing $1 for every view garnered on each SK-II STUDIO film in support of women pursuing their destiny to create positive change. Tide, Pantene, Olay, Venus, Always, Secret will also partner with Team USA athletes to bring their unique Olympic Games brand campaigns to life, partnering with retailers to support Team USA through in-store, TV, and digital campaigns. Critiquing the Campaign As with its prior Olympic efforts, this campaign has a great deal going for it, yet there are a few caveats. With P&Gs target audience for the advertised products skewing female, the focus on women and diversity is laudable. Pritchard and P&G are strong believers in realistic portrayals of diverse groups and this comes through strongly in the films and campaign. As my own research and that of other academics has shown, realistic, non-stereotypical portrayals are much more likely be effective. P&Gs continued efforts to showcase the Paralympics are impressive and impactful. 6 time Paralympic medalist Melissa Stillwell is another spokeswoman in the new campaign Procter and Gamble It is also the case that empowerment messages focused on overcoming obstacles score well with a wide range of consumers. In addition, emotional appeals tend to well-received in big event advertising. Such appeals are especially important in the context of the Olympics, where there are so many sponsors (in addition to global partners, there are many official sponsors of national teams and individual teams within a country) and advertisers. The primary caveat for P&G is in making an effort to stay out of politically charged territory. In Your Goodness is Gracious, the company includes an image, albeit brief, of Allyson Felix at a Black Lives Matter rally. As pointed out by market research experts Ace Metrix in a report, A prior P&G campaign titled The Choice was perceived by consumers as not being empowering, but rather entering what it referred to the danger zone of being exploitive. Importantly, Ace Metrix points out that this perception was not solely driven by partly lines or an individuals support for #BLM. The issue is that consumers do not care for a negative tone (clearly not present in this film) or divisive intent for purposes of gaining attention or selling a product. While there is a legitimate policy debate to be had over police practices, rising murder rates in our cities in the face of efforts to defund the police suggest that there are no easy answers here. From my own point of view, it would not be difficult for P&G to run virtually the same campaign without wading into divisive territory. There are many unifying issues that can be focused on, something the campaign generally achieves with its diversity and equality themes. Keeping the central focus on acts of athletic prowess and personal spreading of love and kindness in an emotionally appealing and unifying way would be the most effective mechanism for achieving the campaigns goals. If they do this, the campaign should be another gold medalist.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/charlesrtaylor/2021/05/05/will-pgs-tokyo-olympics-campaign-strike-gold-again/

Do people become more religious in times of crisis?

Eds: This story was supplied by The Conversation for AP customers. The Associated Press does not guarantee the content. Danielle Tumminio Hansen, Seminary of the Southwest (THE CONVERSATION) Organized religion has been on the decline for decades in the United States. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers found that online searches for the word prayer soared to their highest level ever in over 90 countries. And a 2020 Pew Research study showed that 24% of U.S. adults stated their faith had become stronger during the pandemic. I am a theologian who studies trauma and this shift makes sense to me. I often teach that traumatic events are, at their heart, crises of meaning that cause people to question assumptions about their lives, including their spiritual beliefs. The years 2020 and 2021 certainly fit that bill: The global COVID-19 pandemic has indeed led to traumatic experiences for many people, due to the isolation, illness, fear and death that it created. Questioning beliefs People who experience traumas tend to question some of the assumptions they might have had about their faith what pastoral theologian Carrie Doehring calls embedded beliefs. These beliefs may include ideas about who God is, the purpose of life or why evil events happen to good people. So, for instance, many Christians may inherit an embedded belief from the tradition that God is all good and that evil emerges when God rightly punishes people for their sins. In other words, an all-good God would not punish someone without a reason. Christians raised with that assumption might ask what made them incur Gods wrath if they contracted COVID-19. In such an event, the embedded belief in a punishing God may become something called a negative coping strategy a coping strategy that has negative effects on a persons life. Heres what this might look like practically: If a person believes theyre being punished by God, they may feel shame or despair. If they feel God is punishing them for no reason, they may feel confusion or try to identify something that is problematic or sinful about their identity. As a result, their faith becomes something that is a source of stress or cognitive dissonance rather than a source of comfort. If that happens, then the belief is functioning as a negative coping strategy that the person needs to address. Trauma and religiosity Mental health experts like Judith Herman have known for several decades that healing from trauma involves making meaning of the traumatic event. Traumatic events are often confusing for people because they dont make much sense. In other words, traumas differ from the expectations of everyday life, and as a result, they seem to defy meaning or purpose. Spiritually, individuals may begin to recognize that some of their beliefs got challenged by the trauma. This is the time when spiritual meaning-making occurs because people start to discern which embedded beliefs still make sense and which need to be revised. During this stage of recovery, theologian and trauma expert Shelly Rambo explains that traumatized individuals may draw on prayers, personal reflections, rituals and conversations with spiritual experts such as chaplains, ministers and spiritual directors. These have been shown to function as positive coping mechanisms that help individuals feel more grounded in the aftermath of a trauma. Over time, these resources help individuals develop more intentional beliefs, meaning consciously chosen beliefs that take their suffering into account. These might include reasons why the suffering occurred and what its significance is for the overall meaning of the persons life. Doehring refers to these as deliberative, or consciously chosen, beliefs. Individuals have a sense of commitment to these beliefs because they make sense in light of the trauma. So in the hypothetical case of someone who believes God is punishing them for contracting COVID-19, that feeling of shame and despair may result from a failure to understand why God would treat them that way. These negative feelings would then function as negative coping mechanisms that prevent healing, as psychologist Kenneth Pargament and his colleagues have observed about similar situations where people felt God was punishing them. The person might then try to alleviate their distress by questioning the assumption that God punishes people with illness, thereby starting a kind of spiritual quest or reassessment of beliefs. They may even start to think differently about God being a punishing deity. The shift between what the person assumed about God and this new, consciously chosen belief, is an example of the shift between embedded and deliberative beliefs. Trauma and atheism Some people may argue that suffering logically ought to turn people into atheists. After all, the horror of something like the COVID-19 pandemic could easily make someone question how it would be possible for any deity to allow such horrors. It would make far more sense to reason that creation is random, chaotic and determined only by some combination of the forces of nature and human decisions. The agnostic philosopher Bertrand Russell crafted such a proposal when he argued that Christians should accompany him to a childrens hospital unit because they would inevitably stop believing in God once they saw such profound suffering. [Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend. Sign up for our weekly newsletter.] The way humans experience suffering spiritually, however, may not necessarily lead to atheism or agnosticism. Indeed, research from experts who study the intersection of psychology and religion including psychologists of religion and pastoral theologians has found that events that could be labeled as traumatic do not necessarily destroy faith. Indeed, they can also strengthen it because faith-based beliefs and practices can help individuals make sense of their lifes story. In other words, trauma challenges so many assumptions about who we are, what our purpose is and how to make sense of a traumatic event. Faith-based beliefs and practices offer meaningful resources to help navigate those questions. This is why spiritual beliefs and practices across various religions can often lead to faith strengthening rather than weakening, following a trauma. So even though people may have had limited access to buildings like churches or synagogues during the pandemic, they still had access to spiritual resources that can help them navigate traumatic events. This may explain data showing that some individuals are stating their faith is stronger than it was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. The Conversation is wholly responsible for the content.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/article/Do-people-become-more-religious-in-times-of-16152933.php

Are Christians In China Next In Line For Re-Education?

In April 2021, Radio Free Asia reported that authorities in China are detaining Christians in secretive, mobile transformation facilities to make them renounce their faith. According to that report, A member of a Christian house church in the southwestern province of Sichuan... said he was held in a facility run by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s United Front Work Department, working in tandem with the state security police, for 10 months after a raid on his church in 2018. It was a mobile facility, that could just set up in some basement somewhere. It was staffed by people from several different government departments. The Chinese national flag flies in front of St Joseph's Church, also known as Wangfujing Catholic ... [+] Church, in Beijing on October 22, 2020, the day a secretive 2018 agreement between Beijing and the Vatican was renewed for another two years. (Photo credit: GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The man explained that he was held in a windowless room for nearly 10 months, during which time he was beaten, verbally abused and mentally tortured by staff, eventually resorting to self-harm by throwing himself against a wall. He added that They use really underhand methods. They threaten, insult and intimidate you. These methods appear to be similar to the treatment described by Uyghurs held in concentration camps in Xinjiang, treatment that Beijing continues to strongly dispute. While the allegations are yet to be investigated, they add to the ever-growing evidence of the deteriorating treatment of religious groups in China. Recent reports suggested that Uyghurs have been subjected to killings, torture and abuse, rape and sexual violence, forced labor, forced abortions, forced sterilizations and much more. Other reports suggests that Falun Gong practitioners are subjected to forced organ harvesting. Christians are subject to various methods of discrimination and persecution in China. Christians often complain of the closures of churches, bans on the sale of bibles online, the removal of crosses and the arrest of priests and worshipers. Reports also suggest there are plans to contextualize the Bible to make it more culturally acceptable and for Christian preaching to be adapted to include the core values of socialism. On January 13, 2021, Open Doors, an international NGO advocating on behalf of persecuted Christians, released their annual World Watch List which assesses 50 countries where Christians face the most severe types of persecution. According to their assessment, China has entered the top 20 for the first time in a decade, due to ongoing and increasing surveillance and censorship of Christians and other religious minorities. As they reported, the policy of Sinicizing the church has been implemented nationwide, as the [CCP] limits whatever it perceives as a threat to its rule and ideology. Thousands of churches have been damaged or closed. In some parts of China, children under the age of 18 arent allowed to attend churchpart of the countrys efforts to stunt future growth. While China is ranked 17th, as a place where Christians are subjected to high levels of persecution, the situation of all religious groups in China is dire and has been deteriorating in recent years. In May 2021, news outlets reported that Chinese authorities have been removing Bible Apps and Christian WeChat public accounts as new highly restrictive administrative measures on religious staff went into effect Saturday. Reportedly, Bibles in hard copy are no longer available for sale online either. Furthermore, as the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) identified in its 2021 report: Despite the Vatican-China agreement on Bishop appointments, Chinese authorities continued to harass, detain, and torture underground Catholic bishopssuch as Cui Tai and Huang Jintongwho refuse to join the state-backed Catholic association. They also harassed, detained, arrested, and imprisoned members of Protestant house churches who refuse to join the state-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement. They further added that The government also continued to demolish both Catholic and Protestant church buildings and crosses under its sinicization of religion campaign. Considering the current trends of persecution of religious groups in China, it is expected that China will soon be toping the Open Doors charts and competing with North Korea as the worst place to live as a Christian. The same applies to other religious groups. Further restrictions of the right to freedom of religion or belief, in all shapes and forms, are expected.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewelinaochab/2021/05/05/are-christians-in-china-next-in-line-for-re-education/

What will Vice President Kamala Harris do in Providence?

Happy Wednesday and welcome to Rhode Map, your daily guide to everything happening in the Ocean State. Im Dan McGowan and rather than gift cards, I think Governor McKee should just buy everyone margaritas today. Follow me on Twitter @DanMcGowan or send tips to Dan.McGowan@globe.com . If you have friends or relatives who would like their own free copy of this daily briefing about Rhode Island, tell them they can sign up here . ICYMI: Rhode Island was up to 148,929 confirmed coronavirus cases on Tuesday, after adding 181 new cases. The most-recent overall daily test-positive rate was 2.4 percent, and the first-time positive rate was 14.4 percent. The state announced three new deaths, bringing the total to 2,681. There were 129 people in the hospital, and 398,281 residents were fully vaccinated. Advertisement Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Rhode Island today, joining US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo for two private events before traveling back to Washington, D.C. around 5 p.m. As with previous presidential and vice presidential visits, you can expect minor traffic delays especially downtown. We still dont have exact locations for Harris visit, but Ill be in the motorcade telling bad jokes and trying to convince anyone who will listen that Rhode Island has the best restaurants in the country. Heres a quick breakdown of what we know about Harris trip today, via the White House. At 10:05 a.m., Vice President Harris will depart from Joint Base Andrews for T.F. Green International Airport (imagine how confused everyone will be when they realize theyre in Warwick and not Providence). At 1 p.m., the vice president is expected to participate in an event featuring small businesses that focus on social impact. At 2:05 p.m., the vice president and Raimondo will hold a women-led small business roundtable. At 4:55 p.m. the vice president will depart from Rhode Island. We also know that the vice president is expected to do several interviews with members of the local media and shell presumably meet Governor Dan McKee somewhere along the way. I talked to Twin River and here are the odds on a few other things Harris might do today. Read Rhode Map: 2/1 Eat some form of seafood: 3/1 Cake from Greggs: 5/1 Have a Dels: 7/1 Walk across the pedestrian bridge: 12/1 Compare Providence pizza to New Haven pizza: 15/1 Name Raimondo her future running mate: 100/1 THE GLOBE IN RHODE ISLAND My latest column: With President Joe Biden seeking to offer free community college across the country, Vice President Harris would be wise to learn about the best and worst parts of the Rhode Island Promise plan during her trip today. Read more. Advertisement Rhode Islands House leadership has unveiled a revamped 20-year deal with IGT and Ballys Corporation to command most of Rhode Islands gambling industry the states third largest source of revenue. Read more. Governor Dan McKee said Tuesday that his administration plans to distribute $25 gift cards to between 50,000 and 100,000 Rhode Islanders in the coming weeks, part of an attempt to urge residents to shop local heading into the summer. Read more. After the pandemic exposed the stark realities of short-staffing at nursing homes, the Rhode Island House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation Tuesday that will set minimum staffing standards and quality care for the first time. Read more. Rhode Islands congressional delegation is urging local restaurant owners to apply for the newly opened Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Read more. Subscribe to BostonGlobe.com MORE ON BOSTONGLOBE.COM Politics: My colleague James Pindell explains the sudden rift between House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy and US Representative Liz Cheney. Read more. Social media: Facebooks quasi-independent Oversight Board will announce its ruling on former president Donald Trumps suspension from the worlds largest social network today. Read more. Crime: While under investigation by the FBI in 2018, then-mayor Jasiel F. Correia II of Fall River showed up at the home of a close friend and urged him to convince a marijuana vendor who was trying to open a dispensary in the city to donate $100,000 to his legal defense fund, according to court testimony Tuesday. Read more. Advertisement Travel: International travel remains low at Logan International Airport. Read more. WHATS ON TAP TODAY Each day, Rhode Map offers a cheat sheet breaking down whats happening in Rhode Island. E-mail us at RInews@globe.com. BIRTHDAYS: Rhode Map readers, if you want a friend or family member to be recognized on Friday, send me an e-mail with their first and last name, and their age. If you want a shout out on the new Globe Rhode Island Facebook page, send along their Facebook handle as well. The Brown University Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America is hosting a virtual event at noon that will focus on the future of policing in America. Your subscription is what makes it possible. Weve got a great offer here. Dan McGowan can be reached at dan.mcgowan@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @danmcgowan.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/05/05/metro/what-will-vice-president-kamala-harris-do-providence/

What Does Proactive Engagement Actually Look Like?

Mike Murchison is CEO of Ada, a no-code, AI-powered platform that is transforming how businesses around the world provide customer service. getty In my last article, I laid out the reasons companies that listen to their customers and respond will win in the post-Covid-19 economy. Investing in retaining customers and learning from them makes sense. However, the question that comes up time and again in conversations with our clients is: "How do I have more valuable interactions with my customers?" Well, the first step is to engage them proactively. First, A Definition Many companies worry about adding another task to already stressed support teams, but proactive customer engagement is not necessarily new. If you've ever used an FAQ or knowledge base or instructional video, you understand what proactive engagement meansthe company anticipated your issue and addressed it proactively. The problem with many existing engagement technologies is that they're hard to scale, and customers generally want to engage on their time, on their terms and in their favorite channels. However, new automation software can solve this. Companies can now let customers engage with them on their own terms. Many businesses make the mistake of thinking that "annoy" is the equivalent of "engage" and blast their customers with information they don't need and certainly don't want. With automation, the businesses that win will conform to their customers' needs, not the other way around, as is commonplace today. Essentially, you're anticipating needs and giving the right customers the right content at the right time across all stages of the customer journey, including acquisition, activation and retention. This is what we mean by "proactive engagement." Now, The Numbers The way people buy things has changed, and proactive engagement can help you keep up. According to a Gartner, Inc. survey of more than 6,000 customers, "only 13% of respondents report any type of proactive customer service. However, that same research shows that proactive customer service results in a full percentage point increase in the net promoter score, customer satisfaction score, customer effort score and value enhancement score." Another survey from Nuance found that "85% of consumers are interested in receiving proactive notifications. And an astounding 90% of consumers say they are more likely to do business with a company that sends them reminders." Clearly, we want to hear more from the brands we love. Finally, Where To Begin When businesses are starting out on this journey of customer engagement, they are looking for ways to drive leads and nurture prospects. Once you have the customer interested in your product or solution, you want them to take specific actions and interact with the product. After that, you want to keep them. Many of us keep going back to businesses we love, and great brands know how to nurture you, keep you interested and keep you coming back. Proactive engagement allows businesses to offer personalized support, recognize return customers and prevent churn, but it also requires preparation on the back end. In order to be proactive, you first have to go through an efficiency exercise and build capacity for your team because if you build it, they will come. You have to prepare your teams and your business for an eventual increase in customer interaction by making sure that low-value inquiries can be handled easily and efficiently and that you're ready to handle the influx of high-value inquiries. There are a number of technological solutions out there, such as live chat that, allow businesses to support customers on the digital channels they crave today, but there are limitations. Any technology that relies on human-first approaches to customer engagement means long wait times and restricted availability. Also, many vendors operate on a subscription model that is license-based, meaning that it can be difficult and expensive for businesses to scale up. When looking at solutions, you want to avoid tools that serve only a portion of the customer experience. Look for vendors that position automation as the front line of support and engagement, allowing those low-value inquiries to be entirely self-serve and automated while higher-value ones are seamlessly handed off to a live agentwith full conversational context to assist. You want tools that allow you to provide a unified, consistent experience across all stages of the customer journey. A Competitive Differentiator By 2025, Gartner predicts that proactive customer engagement interactions will outnumber reactive customer engagement interactions. Targeting prospects and customers at specific points in the buying cycle can lead to more valuable customer conversations, more leads, increased conversion rates and increased revenue. This should be top of mind for any CX leader hoping to stay competitive. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/05/05/what-does-proactive-engagement-actually-look-like/

What's not to like about the NBA's new play-in plan?

Right off the bat, I am quite glad to be done with west coast games while trying to live on Eastern time. This 1:30-2 a.m. filing nonsense just doesnt work very well. Ive done parts of west coast trips even when we stopped travelling full time a couple of years ago and, man, its so much easier on the body when youre in same time zone the team is. Anyway, we wont have to deal with it any more this season and hopefully next season things are back to normal and that this is the final middle of the night file that Ill have to send. - Ive come entirely around to thinking this play-in thing is not only good for this aberration of a shortened NBA season but I wouldnt have a problem with them keeping it even when they get back to 82 games next season. Thats a big move, Im not generally a fan of somewhat radical change to something thats worked for years and years but there is no denying the pluses that its brought. Perhaps the biggest is that there are far, far fewer games at this point of the regular season that mean absolutely nothing and allow teams to rest multiple players or simply not be overly concerned about competing or winning or losing. With so many teams chasing at least a longshot chance at the playoffs, lots more games matter a lot and that keeps interest up around the league. There is nothing at all wrong with that. And thats not just for the teams in, say, 10th, 11th and 12th. In a weird way, its lessened the number of playoff teams because only six in each conference are guaranteed a spot, which adds to the number of important games. In past years, at this point in a season, a team in sixth or seventh or even eighth might not take every game entirely seriously and get key players some rest. After all, theyd already be in the playoffs and that would be enough to let them perhaps coast to the finish line. Now, a team in seventh or sixth or maybe even eighth have every incentive to play hard with basically full rosters right until the end because the incentive to avoid one-and-done play-in games is real. And teams in 11th and 12th, who normally might have actively been looking to lose now have every reason to win because the chance to make the playoffs may not seem like a huge thing to some of you but it puts money in the players pockets do not discount that as a factor and gives management a chance to see how their teams handle de facto pressure with a chance to play at least one, maybe two and perhaps at least six big games hanging in the balance. We asked Nick about it before last nights game and he was a bit ambivalent but ended up on my side. I think it's kept a lot of teams going and fighting, he said. I think it's interesting to talk about who's going to be in it, both the top and the bottom, the 7-8 and the 10-11. I think both of that keeps a lot of teams interested and fighting in the middle. But let's see how it plays out once the thing plays out. I do not see anything wrong with any of it, to tell you the truth. So keep it forever, I say; players who whine about it now and franchises that say they dont like it now will come around, I am sure. And I know there are fans of teams that are on the periphery now who are excited about chase far more than theyd be excited about figuring out lottery odds. - We seem to have hit a beginning-of-the-week slump in the loading up of Ye Olde Mailbag and you can rectify that situation by clicking on askdoug@thestar.ca today and coming up with a question. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Anything goes and youll have the answers graciously provided here sometime Sunday morning. Itll be fun to be part of it, it always is. - This thing that the New York Rangers did yesterday might be one of the best and boldest things a North American pro sports franchise has done in quite some time. I think you all know my interest in and knowledge of the pucks isnt the deepest in the world but even a dope like me knows who this Tom Wilson guy and I know that only because of the many nefarious plays and recidivist attacks hes been involved in. The funny thing is that what the Rangers did, while admirable and somewhat unprecedented, is probably going to wind up costing the organization a substantial fine, a fine that will certainly be exponentially larger than the one Wilson got. - Still with the pucks, I dont know exactly what year it was but I ended up covering an Ottawa Senators-Philadelphia Flyer elimination game one year it might have been 2001 as part of Raptors-Sixers doubleheader and when I woke up on the morning of May 5, having filed by Sens knock off Flyers item (it was brilliant hockey writing, it really was) I saw this headline. Still chuckle after all these years. Stinko De Flyo. - -

https://www.thestar.com/sports/doug_smiths_sports_blog/2021/05/05/what-s-not-to-like-about-the-nba-s-new-play-in-plan-.html

Is the talent gap between Michigan football and Ohio State football actually that big?

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In the last five years of the NFL Draft, 43 Ohio State players have been selected compared to 36 Michigan players. The Buckeyes and Wolverines are clearly the top two teams in the conference in those raw numbers. Thats a big two. The raw numbers dont really tell the story here. But after diving into the numbers more, I think two things are true: 1. The NFL Draft reflects why Ohio State dominates the Big Ten. The elite talent gap is is acknowledged by the pros. But thats obvious. 2. Michigan, based on NFL Draft numbers, isnt that close to Ohio State in top-tier talent. But the numbers show that Michigan, based on talent, should be the second-best program in the Big Ten. And its not. We talked all about that on the Wednesday Buckeye Talk, but Ill also lay out the numbers here. You can then listen for a further discussion of them. If youve never listened to Buckeye Talk, try it now. And subscribe to Buckeye Talk on any of these podcast platforms or wherever you listen to podcasts. Buckeye Talk on iTunes Buckeye Talk on Spotify Buckeye Talk on Google Play Here is the breakdown of total draft picks the last five years compared to conference record the last five years. Michigan has 12 more draft picks than Penn State and 17 more draft picks than Wisconsin but a worse record than both of them. Team NFL Draft Picks last 5 years Rank Big Ten record last 5 years Rank Ohio State 43 1 38-3 1 Michigan 36 2 28-14 4 Penn State 24 3 32-13 2 Iowa 20 4 27-17 6 Wisconsin 19 5 31-16 3 Minnesota 9 T6 20-23 7 Maryland 9 T6 11-30 12 Michigan State 7 T8 19-24 T8 Northwestern 7 T8 27-16 5 Purdue 6 T10 15-27 11 Indiana 6 T10 19-24 T8 Nebraska 5 12 18-26 10 Illinois 4 T13 10-34 13 Rutgers 4 T13 6-39 14 But the bigger point here, another obvious one, is that not all draft picks are the same. I labeled NFL Draft picks in four tiers. Tier 1: The top 15 picks in the draft. Not all first-rounders are created equal, and this is the cutoff I drew for potential franchise changers. Tier 2: From Pick 16 through the end of the second round. Very good players expected to be major, and early, NFL contributors. Tier 3: Rounds 3 and 4. Almost certain to make NFL teams and help in some way. Tier 4: Rounds 5 through 7. Getting more into wild card territory where less is expected. May not be in the league for long. Of course there are exceptions in every group. But the purpose isnt to evaluate what kind of NFL players these Big Ten picks become, but how they are viewed coming out of college based on their talent, traits and production. In the last five years, there have been 15 Tier 1 players from the Big Ten -- eight from Ohio State and seven from every other team combined. Tier 1 players Ohio State (8): QB Justin Fields, DE Chase Young, CB Jeff Okudah, DE Nick Bosa, QB Dwayne Haskins, CB Denzel Ward, CB Marshon Lattimore, S Malik Hooker. Michigan (2): LB Devin Bush, DE Rashan Gary. Penn State (2): LB Micah Parsons, RB Saquon Barkley. Iowa (2): OT Tristan Wirfs, TE T.J. Hockenson. Northwestern (1): OT Rashawn Slater. In Tier 2, Ohio State also has the most players with 10, while Penn State has six and Michigan five. But in Tier 3, Michigan catches up. The Buckeyes have 15, the Wolverines 14 and no other school has more than seven. And in Tier 4, Michigan wins. Its the Wolverines 15, Wisconsin 11, and Ohio State and Penn State with 10. To help evaluate this further, I assigned points to each Tier. I gave a Tier 1 pick 10 points, a Tier 2 pick eight points, a Tier 3 pick six points and a Tier 4 pick three points. Given that breakdown, here is the full draft point total for every Big Ten program over the last five years. Team Tier 1 Points Tier 2 points Tier 3 points Tier 4 points Total Ohio State 80 80 90 30 280 Michigan 20 40 84 45 189 Penn State 20 48 36 30 134 Iowa 20 32 42 21 113 Wisconsin 0 24 30 33 87 Michigan State 0 8 30 3 41 Minnesota 0 16 6 18 40 Maryland 0 16 6 18 40 Northwestern 10 8 0 15 33 Purdue 0 8 12 9 29 Indiana 0 0 18 9 27 Illinois 0 0 12 6 18 Rutgers 0 8 0 9 17 Nebraska 0 0 0 15 15 That reflects a bigger gap between Ohio State and Michigan -- 280 points to 189 points -- than the 43 to 36 gap in the number of picks. Michigan produces a lot of very solid, productive football players. But it has lacked the top-end talent of Ohio State, especially at premium positions. Id say quarterback, edge rusher, cornerback and receiver are the four positions that most change games, and seven of Ohio States eight Tier 1 players were at those positions. It might sound odd, but Michigan may only be a couple Tier 1 players at premium positions away from competing with Ohio State. The Wolverines can compete in the middle of the roster, but not at the top end. But if players like 5-star quarterback recruit J.J. McCarthy in the Class of 2021 and 5-star cornerback recruit Will Johnson in the Class of 2022 hit in a big way, they could lift the core that Michigan should already have in place. But for now, the talent gap is wide, because its the elite players who dominate games and change programs. Imagine the Buckeyes without Fields and Young. Until the Wolverines get their own versions of players like that, the gap will be wider than a 43 to 36 draft pick edge over the last five years would indicate. - Fields Bears jersey: Ohio State football fans can purchase Justin Fields new Chicago Bears jersey here. Its available in white, blue and orange and in mens, womens and youth sizes. Theres also a cheaper T-shirt option. Kye Stokes commits to OSU; 2022 3-star expected to play safety NFL 2022 mock: Rattler, Howell, Stingley Jr. potential top picks Browns select OSUs defensive tackle Tommy Togiai at 132 Togiai and the Browns both bet on upside

https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2021/05/is-the-talent-gap-between-michigan-football-and-ohio-state-football-actually-that-big.html

Did the Panthers get the best value with their picks in the 2021 NFL draft?

Nobody knows how any college prospect is going to work out in the NFL. For every Peyton Manning theres a Ryan Leaf and theres no telling which is which until they actually get onto the field. So, time will tell whether or not the Panthers got a good haul in this years draft. For what its worth, the early reviews for their picks are splendid. Some analysts have even said that they did the best work of any team in the league. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranked his top 150 prospects with a simple point-value and Carolina came out on top. Fun exercise- took my top 150 players & assigned point values. My number 1 player is worth 150 points. My 150th player is worth 1 point. (H/T @NFLResearch) Heres the result pic.twitter.com/ua4GKIRaCG Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) May 4, 2021 UCLAs Director of Player Personnel also has them ranked No. 1. I thought six NFL teams had fantastic drafts, acquiring top talents while addressing key needs and upgrading their overall roster. In order: 1. Carolina Panthers 2. Denver Broncos 3. Cleveland Browns 4. Washington Football Team 5. New England Patriots 6. Los Angeles Chargers Ethan Young (@EthanYoungFB) May 1, 2021 Former Cowboys executive Gil Brandt says the Panthers got two of the top value picks in the draft in sixth-round selections Deonte Brown and Daviyon Nixon. Based on my Hot 100 draft board and where players got picked, here are the picks I would consider the best value: G Trey Smith, KC (+152) G Deonte Brown, CAR (+131) OT Stone Forsythe, SEA (+115) DT Daviyon Nixon, CAR (+83) CB Shaun Wade, BAL (+80) LB Garret Wallow, HOU (+73) 1/2 Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) May 4, 2021 In ESPNs post-draft podcast, Mel Kiper and Todd McShay also raved about what the Panthers did. Story continues Like we said at the top, this is all speculative at this point. Everything we know about the draft though indicates that this current front office knows what theyre doing. These individual prospects might not pan out, but as long as Scott Fitterer and Matt Rhule are committed to a philosophy of trading down for more picks and using them on the best athletes available it will bode well for this teams future. Related

https://sports.yahoo.com/did-panthers-best-value-picks-133008701.html?src=rss

Is Kyle Hamilton A Top 10 NFL Draft Pick?

We are just days removed from the 2021 NFL Draft, but draft analysts are already focused on the 2022 Draft, and Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton is a popular name already. A recent mock draft from The Athletic's Dane Brugler projected Hamilton to be a Top 10 pick in next year's draft. In fact, he has the New York Giants picking Hamilton with the 8th overall pick in his first way-too-early mock draft for 2022. "A long, explosive safety, Hamilton is a unique athlete for his size with the competitive mentality to match. Though he has the physical skill set to be a top pick, his mental development has also been apparent during his first two seasons in South Bend." - Brugler Hamilton was a first-team All-American by the Football Writer's Association and Phil Steele, and the American Football Coaches Association, the Walter Camp Foundation and The Athletic had him as a second-team All-American. He returns as one of the best defensive backs in the country. Hamilton improved as an alley run defender as a sophomore, and his impact in the pass game was outstanding. If he can remain healthy and continue making strides as a player he could certainly develop into a legitimate Top 10 NFL Draft pick, which is rare for a safety. Brugler had some intriguing projections in his first mock draft. He had Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec going to the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 15th overall pick of the first round. Jurkovec, of course, transferred away from Notre Dame following the 2019 season, and he passed for 2,558 yards and accounted for 20 touchdowns in 10 games this past season, his first as a starter. There were five players in Brugler's mock draft that will be opponents of Notre Dame this season. North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell (No. 2, Detroit Lions), USC defensive end Drake Jackson (No. 7, Las Vegas Raiders), Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner (No. 17, Los Angeles Chargers) and defensive end Myjai Sanders (No. 26, Cleveland Browns) and Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis (No. 19, Philadelphia Eagles) all face Notre Dame in 2021. Related Content Notre Dame 2021 Draft Class Was Among The Best In College Football Notre Dame To The NFL: Defensive Line Is On An Impressive Run Notre Dame Continues Producing Premium Offensive Line Draft Picks Notre Dame Leads The Way For Day Two Draft Picks Miami Dolphins Draft Notre Dame OL Liam Eichenberg Cleveland Browns Draft Notre Dame Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah San Francisco 49ers Draft Notre Dame OL Aaron Banks Carolina Panthers Draft Notre Dame Tight End Tommy Tremble Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft Notre Dame OL Robert Hainsey New Orleans Saints Draft Notre Dame Quarterback Ian Book Baltimore Ravens Draft Notre Dame Defensive End Daelin Hayes Atlanta Falcons Draft Notre Dame Defensive End Adetokunbo Ogundeji To comment below be sure to sign up for a FREE Disqus account, which you can get HERE. Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content, our premium message board and gets you a FREE subscription to Sports Illustrated! Click on the link below for more BECOME A MEMBER Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time! Join the Irish Breakdown community! Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel Follow me on Twitter: @CoachD178 Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook Sign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter

https://www.si.com/college/notredame/football/notre-dame-football-kyle-hamilton-top-10-nfl-draft-pick

Should patents on covid-19 vaccines be suspended?

Every person who falls ill or dies today of covid-19 might have been spared had they received just one of the millions of doses that have been available since last December. But their scarcity means that people, notably in poor countries, must waitand suffer. Some countries argue that doing this requires waiving the intellectual-property (IP) rights of drug firms, and have petitioned the World Trade Organisation. Writing in our By Invitation section, three academicsMariana Mazzucato, Jayati Ghosh and Els Torreeleargue against patents, so that more firms can make vaccines. The crisis will not end, they write, unless we have the courage to embrace new solutions for knowledge sharing and co-operation to meet our moment in historyand to affirm our humanity. Yet Michelle McMurry-Heath, the boss of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, a trade association, makes a case for maintaining intellectual property. The speed with which covid-19 vaccines were developed will go down as one of science's greatest achievements. We need to vaunt, not devalue, the intellectual-property system that made it possible, she writes. The question of what to do is a controversial one. As our Free exchange columnist recently put it: Even though IP protections are not a big constraint on vaccine production today, the experience of covid-19 suggests that a re-examination of IP rights in the context of health emergencies is overdue.

https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2021/05/05/should-patents-on-covid-19-vaccines-be-suspended

Do Investment Managers Care About Their Proxy Votes?

While many investment managers these days profess an enthusiasm for putting their money into companies that hew to up-to-date precepts regarding environmental, social, and governance matters, these are not necessarily a priority for those whose money they invest. However, inertia sometimes results them implicitly making decisions that belie the wishes of their investors. A new study put out by the Manhattan Institute and authored by Paul Rose, a law professor at the Ohio State University, examined the reliance of investment managers on proxy advisors following a rule recently issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission intended to rein in their influence. Rose found that investment advisers appear to be reluctant to change their behavior to comport with the law. Since investment managers typically own shares in hundreds of different companies and must vote each proxy, this task is somewhat cumbersome, so they slough it off to a proxy advisory firm. Two firmsISS and Glass-Lewiseffectively control this market, giving them an outsized impact over shareholder votes even though they own no shares. The SEC began to examine the role of proxy advisors after business groups expressed concern that some investment managers completely turn over the task of proxy voting to these firms without taking steps to discern whether these firms are voting in the best interest of their clients, which they suggest may be a breach of fiduciary duty. If a proxy advisor voted the shares of an investment manager in a way that served to reduce the profits (and long-term value) of a company it owned, the people whose money is being managed would be worse off. Some refer to the practice of turning over proxies entirely to a third party as robo-voting. Last year the SEC issued a rule requiring more disclosure from proxy advisors and provided additional guidance to investment managers intended to curtail the practice of allowing proxy advisors to vote the proxies for an investment manager without consulting them. Roses study looked at how the SECs ruleswhich do not fully take effect until the 2022 proxy seasonimpacted robo-voting, and he found only a modest move away from the practice: Six percent fewer financial institutions appeared to robo-vote, and these institutions hold about 3.6 percent of the assets held by institutions in this population. The total number of robo-voted resolutions fell slightly as well. The fact that relatively few investment management firms felt compelled to expeditiously adopt the guidance recommendations suggests that there is a degree of ambivalence on their part to such a change. This may be due partly to the fact that many investment institutions have come to embrace ESG investing and now market a number of fee-generating ESG portfolios, but it may simply result from the fact that paying little attention to proxy votes is cheap and the path of least resistance, even if it shortchanges the people whose money it is. Even though the SECs rulemaking actions on proxy advisors occurred under the leadership of the prior administration, incoming SEC Chairman Gary Gensler should consider the studys implications. Asking investment managers to be more vigilant about their fiduciary responsibilities when it comes to voting their proxies is not inconsistent with the SECs ongoing efforts with regard to ESG investing. The SEC is now reacting to pressure from large asset managers and groups that represent large numbers of investment managers to do more to standardize ESG disclosures so that it is easier for investors to discern that firms offering such products are indeed putting their savings in worthy companies. However, it is not clear that reasonable peopleeven those who are allied in a particular causewill be able to come up with a rubric that clearly identifies worthy companies: The nature of the issues in question change over time and each industry may need its own criteria. This reality is the basis for the SECs current principles-based disclosure regime. People who want to put their money in ESG investments should be allowedeven encouragedto do so, and the SEC should strive to make it easy to do so, but it should not deceive investors into believing that there is an easy method to discern the relative effectiveness of various fundsor that there ever will be. Similarly, investors who do not choose to put their money into ESG funds should not have their ESG issues implicitly made a priority by the actions of proxy advisors.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ikebrannon/2021/05/05/do-investment-managers-care-about-their-proxy-votes/

Is The Hardtech Industry Dying?

Smart industry robot arms for digital factory production technology showing automation manufacturing ... [+] process of the Industry 4.0 or 4th industrial revolution and IOT software to control operation . originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Haomiao Huang, Investor at Kleiner Perkins, on Quora: Short answer: no. Long answer: noooooo. More serious answer: I think we are actually seeing a renaissance in hardtech, driven by three big macro trends. The first is the success of companies like Tesla and SpaceX - which has shown investors, markets, and founders that theres a path to success by tackling big leaps in technology in previously stodgy industries. The second is the rise of AI. Theres a lot of hype, but its indisputable that the impacts of AI will be huge. Many repetitive tasks that humans used to do will be taken over by robots. Entire new business models and industries will arise. Scientific areas like biology and chemistry that had previously been very difficult to model and work with using software will be opened to more digital innovation. And all of that AI technology will need new families of chips to run on. Finally, there is the looming catastrophe of climate change. Technology and regulatory changes have to go hand in hand if we are to avoid massive increases in global temperature. And the technology innovation here cant just be incremental and it cant only be digital- it has to be 10x or better and has to affect the physical world. It has to be hardtech, in other words. All of these trends are pulling capital and, more importantly, talent into not just aerospace and automotive but also industries like construction, waste management, logistics and manufacturing. Theyre riding a wave of hardcore technology innovation in areas like robotics, computer vision, chemical processes, and more. The best founders in the world arent just dreaming of founding internet startups anymore - and the investors are following them. Were going to see a *lot* more great hardtech startups over the next decade. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2021/05/05/is-the-hardtech-industry-dying/

Could the Freedom Riders make a difference against todays racism?

About this series Sixty years ago Tuesday, the first Freedom Riders departed on their journey through the South to challenge segregated buses, bus terminals, lunch counters and other facilities associated with interstate travel. These activists would be confronted, often violently, by police and mobs of white citizens, drawing international attention to social inequity in what became a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. This year, the USA TODAY Network is examining the legacy of these trailblazers and how it informs our current moment. It began in May. Blood on the soles of sneakers. Burning vehicles, arrests, calls for political change and cries for justice for those who had died while society looked the other way. Two lines formed facing each other: one armed with riot gear, the other with signs. Charles Person remembers the first time he met racism. He was a child, and his innocence meant that it didnt at first look scary. It was exciting. Beautiful lights in the backdrop of a pitch-black country night. Show caption Hide caption Charles Person one of the original 13 Freedom Riders poses for a photo on his front porch at his home in Atlanta, on Thursday, April... Charles Person one of the original 13 Freedom Riders poses for a photo on his front porch at his home in Atlanta, on Thursday, April 29, 2021. "Well there's amazement, because of the progress we've made and some disappointment because there's some areas that we have gone backwards instead of forward," said Person on looking back on the Freedom Riders 60 years ago, "but I'm optimistic that as Americans we have a way of rebounding, and we always find a way to work together like during a hurricane or a tornado then the next day we go back to our own ways, but maybe one day will be able to work together every day that's what I look forward to." Joshua L. Jones, Athens Banner-Herald USA TODAY NETWORK Joshua L. Jones, Athens Banner-Herald USA TODAY NETWORK He was in the backseat of the car, returning home from a visit with relatives when the riveting sight caught his eye through the window. In the front seat, Persons father was shaking. I didnt really understand it, but I knew it frightened my father, Person said. I had never seen my father afraid before. Just ahead: the Ku Klux Klan, moving in ghostly rows, flaming crosses and torches floating in the darkness. Persons father pulled into a Black neighborhood nearby. They silently watched the caravan pass. As a teen, Person would again find himself looking over the shoulder of the driver as a racist mob passed his vehicle. This time it would be in a Trailways bus where he and other Freedom Riders white and Black, already bloodied from defending themselves against KKK members inside the bus heard the pneumatic brakes squeal as the bus turned into the station in Birmingham, Alabama. He remembers the noise, the chants of hate, as he stepped off the bus. Barbara Lee, of Staunton, shows off her signs during Saturday's "March for Our Lives" event in Staunton. By Brad Zinn/The News Leader That sound carries across time. Retired activist Barbara Lee listened to the same sentiment on her TV in 2017. The Unite the Right Rally was happening less than an hours drive from her home in Staunton, Virginia. Blood and soil! You will not replace us! protesters shouted, waving Confederate and Nazi flags, their faces lighted by torches. The same glow Person had watched in awe from his car 60 years ago. Protests look different today, though. Many of the protests in the summer of 2020 were organized on social media, out in public. These protests raged against a systemic racism that threatens Black lives and seems to mock the political ground gained since the 1960s. The racism seems inescapable, hard to target. A far cry from the time of the Freedom Riders, when the enemy had a location that could be targeted and when protests could be planned, trained for and then aimed straight at the source. Some people dont think youll make it out of Alabama The Freedom Riders mission was to venture into the South using public transport to conduct a test. The highest court in the country had drawn the line in two decisions. The first ruling, in 1947, was Morgan v. Virginia, which deemed segregation on buses unconstitutional. The 1960 ruling of Boynton v. Virginia went further to specify that segregation on interstate transportation services, including bus terminals, was unconstitutional as well. The rulings had little impact on the South. Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina were not just ignoring the fact that segregation was now illegal. They continued to enforce racial discrimination. Thats when the Congress of Racial Equality, a Black civil rights group, knew that something needed to change and got the wheels turning. The Freedom Riders began in 1961 with 13 members. Seven were Black. Six were white. Among them were a former stockbroker, a retired civil rights activist, a college professor, a former Navy commander, a folk singer as well as students who studied in places as far away from the humid South as Arizona. Person, born in 1942 and raised in Atlanta, studied at Morehouse College and ended up getting involved in the civil rights movement in the city. Freedom Riders Charles Person, right, and James Peck on the bus in 1961, with James Farmer, the head of CORE, in the background. Johnson Publishing Company CORE was looking for advocates with nonviolent backgrounds. Person was chosen. Training for civil rights movements didnt happen behind a desk. It was violent, demeaning and meant to push members to their absolute limit, without letting them raise a finger to defend themselves. Training meant getting burned by cigarettes, being shoved to the floor, getting spit on and having food thrown at you. It was anything and everything CORE could think of that the riders could face and the drills could simulate. Not all the training prepared them for what happened, Person said. Person said that aside from almost getting arrested for shining his shoes, the first part of the ride, which began in from Washington, D.C., went smoothly. It wasnt until the Freedom Riders arrived in Atlanta and met with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. that there seemed to be an indication of violence ahead. During a dinner meeting with the riders, King warned them: "Some people dont think youll make it out of Alabama." The next day, they gathered to leave Atlanta. According to Person, the Freedom Riders would always use two buses to travel to prevent crowds from easily following people and tracking their movements. One was a Greyhound bus and the other a Trailways bus. Person happened to be on the Trailways, the second bus that left for Alabama in the morning. Copy text Copy this quote's text The quote has been copied Facebook Reddit Share this article on Reddit Email Email this story Share Share this story Charles Person, one of the original 13 Freedom Riders We were thinking, 'Our friends were on that bus.' We had no way of knowing how bad they may have been injured. Quote icon Both were expected to pass through Anderson, Alabama, but when the Trailways bus pulled up to the station a few hours behind the Greyhound, the entire facility was shut down. The bus driver got off and spoke to a police officer standing guard, who informed the riders that the Greyhound bus that had come before them was set on fire, and passengers had been rushed to the hospital. We were thinking, 'Our friends were on that bus,' Person said. We had no way of knowing how bad they may have been injured. The Greyhounds tires had been slashed at the station. A crowd broke the bus windows and threw in a firebomb as the vehicle headed onto the highway. The crowd held the bus door shut so passengers would not be able to escape. Soon, Person and his group of Freedom Riders would face their own nightmare. After hearing the news of the Greyhound going up in flames, Persons bus driver put his foot down. He was not going to move until Black passengers moved to the back of the bus, Person said. The Freedom Riders didnt budge. Person and his riders had company. Eight Klansmen were on the bus as well, he said, and did not take kindly to passengers' refusal to move. The men began to physically shove and drag the Black Freedom Riders to the back of the bus. Chaos ensued when the white Freedom Riders stood up for the Black riders. Punches were thrown; ribs were stomped. Before he knew it, Person was slipping in pools of blood running across the bus floor. After hours of taunting and jeers from the Klansmen who had forced them to the back of the bus, the Trailways arrived at the Birmingham Bus Station. A mob of people was there to meet them, armed with sticks, pipes, knives and guns. Some of Persons group went down immediately in the outbreak of violence, but Person managed to get away. He crossed the highway to another bus, his head ringing from the blows and the shouts, blood pouring from his scalp into his eyes. Top: Freedom Riders exit bus firebombed in Anniston, Alabama, by Ku Klux Klan-led mob on May 14, 1961. The riders were challenging segregations laws in the South. | Bottom: Arrested Freedom Riders in the back of a police van after their arrival at the Greyhound station in Birmingham, Alabama in May, 1961. Top: Freedom Riders exit bus firebombed in Anniston, Alabama, by Ku Klux Klan-led mob on May 14, 1961. The riders were challenging segregations laws in the South. | Bottom: Arrested Freedom Riders in the back of a police van after their arrival at the Greyhound station in Birmingham, Alabama in May, 1961. Left: Freedom Riders exit bus firebombed in Anniston, Alabama, by Ku Klux Klan-led mob on May 14, 1961. The riders were challenging segregations laws in the South. | Right: Arrested Freedom Riders in the back of a police van after their arrival at the Greyhound station in Birmingham, Alabama, in May 1961. pbs.org | Alabama Department of Archives and History Person still feels his injury to this day. After the attack in Birmingham, the wound on his head grew to the size of a fist, and he was afraid that he might have a knife or ice pick fragment stuck in his skull. Thirty-five years later, he had the knot in his head removed once an MRI confirmed that there was nothing lodged inside. After the attack, he met with the rest of the battered Freedom Riders, who all voted to continue with the movement. After the incidents in Alabama, more demonstrators began to join them. First, they had to get to New Orleans. Person and other Freedom Riders were planning to ride the bus but no drivers in Birmingham would take them. Their only option was to fly back. They were able to get their tickets and arrived at the terminal, but problems began before the plane took off. There was a bomb threat, Person said. He and other Freedom Riders were able to finally get out of Birmingham on a plane with the help of a representative from the Kennedy administration. At 18, Person was the youngest Freedom Rider and was recorded to have been one of the most savagely beaten in the Birmingham Bus Station riot. The Birmingham attacks were just the beginning of the bloodshed. Hundreds of other Freedom Riders would go on to brave the South white and Black riders, men and women. The mob that tried to kill her Looking back, Carol Ruth Silver said it doesnt seem a coincidence she was recruited to become a Freedom Rider while she was on a bus. She was heading home from work. There were passengers sitting on both sides of her. Silvers plans to go to law school took a detour when she heard an ad on the bus radio. A deep voice came through the radio and said, We need you to become a Freedom Rider and continue the Freedom Rides, Silver said. A look at the Freedom Rides across the South. See the photos Part of her upbringing centered on individual responsibility to the community, she said. Silver had graduated from the University of Chicago in 1960 before moving to New York and working for the United Nations for a year. Within a week of hearing the advertisement on the bus, Silver had made arrangements with CORE and had a ticket booked to Atlanta. Copy text Copy this quote's text The quote has been copied Tweet Facebook Email Email this story Share Share this story Carol Ruth Silver, a Freedom Rider I had fear. And if you don't have fear in that kind of situation, you're not fully aware. It was a dangerous situation. Quote icon The Freedom Riders set a path to travel from there to Nashville. Before Silver could step on the bus, though, she and the other Freedom Riders had to do something most 22-year-olds wouldnt have to consider. She had to write her will. I had fear. And if you don't have fear in that kind of situation, you're not fully aware, Silver said. It was a dangerous situation. The riders made it through Tennessee and crossed into Mississippi with a police force tailing the bus. They pulled into the Jackson bus station where a mob of Klansmen was waiting. The six riders managed to get off the bus and tested the segregation put into place at the station. The Black Freedom Riders went into the whites-only arrival terminal, and the white Freedom Riders went into the Blacks-only terminal. In the end, all six were arrested and stuffed into the same police car, singing songs on the way to the police station. Silver ended up spending about 40 days in a Mississippi jail. Blood, sweat and fears The two Supreme Court cases that paved the way for the Freedom Riders started in Virginia. Diverse communities there are still seeing the resonance of racism today. Chanda McGuffin heard about the Freedom Riders movement first when she was 14 years old, taking an English course at the University of Virginia. They rode buses down to the South to desegregate the South, but the entire country is segregated, and its legally segregated, said McGuffin, the co-founder of RISE, an empowerment organization based in Waynesboro, Virginia. So to redo the Freedom Riders movement, it wouldnt happen because you have issues of the lack of equality and equity across the country. Wed have every single state. Barbara Lee can point to the biggest threat to racial justice today on a map and it's the political hotbed of Georgia, she said. Barbara Lee has experienced segregation in her hometown. She thinks that the U.S. has a long way to go when it comes to voting rights. Ayano Nagaishi If Lee had to revive the Freedom Riders movement today, she said she would target Atlanta, due to the turmoil around voting rights. If you're not voting, what is your purpose? Lee said. Don't just wait till the presidential election. ... The only voice you're going to have is at the ballot box. Person and Silver both have seen nonviolent protest practices trickle down into todays advocacy culture. Person said modern protests still need to improve in order to reach their full potential. For him, the Freedom Riders movement was about the simplicity of facing racism in the flesh and challenging laws that were written on paper but not respected by people or authorities. He said even small actions they made in the Freedom Riders movement, like public announcements of specific actions and dress codes, helped organize the effort better and unite it against any opposition. Connection with the media is beneficial to advocacy groups as well, Person said. If a group has a unanimous sense of leadership and it can be conveyed to the public, that may bolster the cause. Police reform and law enforcement changes would be a top priority for Person if he was to join the movement today. He noted that persistence is required. Person stressed that it was important to appreciate what can be done in the future for change, one mile at a time just like a very American mission on a highway bus. Follow reporter Ayano Nagaishi on Twitter: @yanonaga98 Vaccine rollout: States prepare for long grind as demand for COVID-19 vaccinations in US slows Inmates sent home during COVID-19 got jobs, started school: Now, they face possible return to prison

https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/nation/2021/05/05/freedom-riders-how-impact-blm-george-floyd-protests-60-years/4937970001/

When will the 2021 NFL schedule be released?

Now that the NFL draft is behind us we can officially start the countdown for the most exciting season yet. The 2021 NFL schedule will be released next Wednesday, May 12 at 8:00 p.m. ET. The season is expected to kick off on Thursday, September 9, and the last regular-season games will be played on Sunday, January 9. The season will conclude with Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 13, 2022. In March, the NFL announced that the 2021 season will be the debut of an enhanced playing structure featuring a 17-game schedule. The matchups will be AFC East vs. NFC East, AFC North vs. NFC West, AFC South vs. NFC South, and AFC West vs. NFC North. Every team will play 17 games with one bye week, hosting 10 gameseither nine regular-season games and one preseason game or eight regular-season games and two preseason games. Additionally, the change in schedule includes a change to the process of setting international games. Each team will be required to play internationally at least once every eight years. Be sure to follow ProFootballTalk to find out the official 2021 NFL schedule with playing dates and times, as well as post-season news and updates. originally appeared on NBCSports.com

https://sports.yahoo.com/2021-nfl-schedule-released-155729785.html?src=rss

Has Oregon States chase for a 2021 starting quarterback expanded to four, adding freshman Sam Vidlak?

Sam Vidlak gave up the second half of his senior year at Hidden Valley High, graduating early to get a jump on a career playing quarterback at Oregon State. Its not an unusual path for quarterbacks today. Given the mental, physical and time demands of the position, many college-bound quarterbacks graduate early to join their new school in time for spring practice. By all accounts, this spring has been successful for the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Vidlak. He has wowed with his arm and mobility. Its a crowded field already, led by junior Tristan Gebbia, the 2020 starter who is recovering from hamstring surgery. Theres sophomore Chance Nolan, who started the final three games when Gebbia went to the sideline, and second-year freshman Ben Gulbranson also in the mix. Offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren didnt say yes, but he didnt say no, either. Frankly, its premature. Vidlak spent most of the spring learning the plays, while his quarterback teammates already that part down. When Vidlak scrimmaged, it was often with the third team, and occasionally, the second unit. He did a lot of good things. I think hes learning the system, learning the concepts that we have, Lindgren said. Heres why Lindgren doesnt say no to the possibility of Vidlak getting involved in the starting chase. Hes going to have an offseason here and this summer to get himself stronger and a little bit quicker, Lindgren said. Then during fall camp, Ill be able to answer that question Ill have a better feel for where hes at physically, and his grasp of the system if we put him in there a little bit more with the first and second groups. --Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian.com | @nickdaschel

https://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/2021/05/has-oregon-states-chase-for-a-2021-starting-quarterback-expanded-to-four-adding-freshman-sam-vidlak.html

Did questioning his daughters world history course make David Flynn unfit to coach football?

In a federal lawsuit filed against three Dedham school administrators, Flynn claims his termination was punishment for objecting to the course material and therefore violated his First Amendment rights. This was a straightforward retaliation claim, where someone complained about an issue in their school and they were fired for it, Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, a conservative group representing Flynn in court, told me. David Flynn was a popular Dedham High School football coach with a winning record and the father of a Dedham seventh-grader when he raised concerns about his daughters world history curriculum. A few months later, his contract was not renewed and he lost his coaching job. Advertisement Flynn and his wife were questioning a course that was called World Geography and Ancient History, but, according to the complaint, it focused instead on race, gender, and discrimination issues and was taught by a teacher who was allegedly using an avatar of herself wearing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt. The controversy opens a local front in the ongoing culture war waged in public schools across the country over critical race theory, an academic framework that analyzes how racism is woven into American institutions and life. The school system denies thats what happened. But, according to a letter cited in the lawsuit, which was publicly released at the time of Flynns termination and signed by the three defendants, Dedham parents and football players were told that Flynn expressed significant philosophical differences with the direction, goals, and values of the school district. Due to these differences, we felt it best to seek different leadership for the program at this time. The letter didnt specify what values were at issue. Advertisement Dedham school officials didnt respond to an e-mail seeking comment. Brian E. Lewis, the lawyer representing the three defendants Dedham Superintendent Michael J. Welch, Dedham High School principal Jim Forrest, and athletic director Stephen Traister e-mailed a copy of the answer filed in response to the suit. In it, the defendants deny the allegations but say that even if true, there was a superseding state interest in making the decision at issue in the complaint. I guess the outcome might turn on which persona emerges as the primary one coach or parent, said Silverglate. So far, theres no evidence Flynn imposed his politics on the locker room. What he did was build a successful football program. The year before he was hired, the team had a 1-10 season. Since 2017, the team has compiled an overall 19-14 record. As a coach, Flynn seemed to be well-liked and respected. According to the complaint, he invited a female student to join the JV football team and welcomed a student with special needs to serve as team manager. As a parent, he didnt like what his daughter was being taught and complained about it. Unhappy with the response, he transferred his two children out of Dedham Public Schools and communicated his displeasure to several school committee members and to parents of other students. Advertisement Flynns cause has been taken up by the Massachusetts Republican Party chairman, Jim Lyons, who at the time of Flynns dismissal, denounced it as an example of the far-lefts moral enforcement authority. Lyons also appears in a video produced by Judicial Watch in which he calls the case cancel culture on steroids. Words like that only divide us. They dont help us figure out how to teach critical thinking about race, gender, and class in a way that brings us together and lets Flynn coach football in Dedham. Joan Vennochi can be reached at joan.vennochi@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @joan_vennochi.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/05/05/opinion/did-questioning-his-daughters-world-history-course-make-david-flynn-unfit-coach-football/

What would be the most favorable first-round matchup for the Bruins?

Heres how the three potential opponents have played since the April 12 trade deadline, while the Bruins have swashbuckled along at 10-2-1 (.808): On the whole, their vastly improved offense and boost in confidence the last three weeks have made for a promising look headed into the playoffs, no matter whether they face the Penguins, Capitals, or Islanders. Theres a lot to like about the Bruins right now, despite the frayed ending of their 4-3 overtime loss Tuesday night in New Jersey. Based on the numbers, the easy answer is the Islanders, but dont be so sure. In other words, dont be sleeping on Semyon Varlamov. Advertisement The Islanders, 5-2-0 vs. Boston in the regular season, will be at the Garden Monday night. True, they have a devil of a time scoring, and theyve seen zero sizzle from smart deadline acquisitions Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac (combined 2-35 in 25 games). But they have a stout, stubborn, and dependable defensive unit, and in net they have Varlamov, who leads the league with seven shutouts and looks like the favorite to win the Vezina Trophy. With the East to wrap up play in less than a week, the Islanders looks like softies at the moment. Not buying it here. They have a Cup-winning coach in Barry Trotz, who knows successful playoff hockey is constructed around defense, and also knows he has this seasons most dependable goaltender headed into the tournament. Yep. And thats just what theyll try to do. The Bruins, and anyone else, will be challenged to grind away with the Fish Sticks. Their big, proven top-six D-men will lock the slot, and Varlamov (11-7 in last years playoffs) can take care of what little seeps through. We know that will be the formula. It will take patience and power down low to beat them. The post-deadline Bruins have enough of that to get the job done. Advertisement The Penguins, nearly as hot as the Bruins since the trade deadline, got a big boost over the weekend with the return of Evgeny Malkin after a three-week absence. He started right up with 0-33 in two games vs. the Flyers. Always a good thing to drop another world-class center into the equation with the postseason about to start. Even with Malkin missing for a spell, the Penguins have wrung 159 points out of their top three point producers (Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel, and Kris Letang). As of Wednesday morning, that was 5 points better than the Bruins big three of Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, and Patrice Bergeron. So they have requisite pop, along with some depth added up front with the interesting April addition of Jeff Carter from the Kings. The Penguins picked up Jeff Carter (center) at the trade deadline. Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press What the Penguins cant do is lock down the back end, not to the degree the Bruins can, and certainly not to the Islanders standard. Then theres their inexperience in net. To wit: Tristan Jarry has all of one game of postseason experience, and former UNH Wildcat Casey DeSmith has none. Its rarely a good idea to launch a Cup bid with that kind of inexperience in net, unless youre the 1971 Canadiens with 23-year-old Ken Dryden (six games NHL experience) folded in with nine other guys, including fellow goalie Rogie Vachon, who would join you one day in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Bruins fans of a certain age often overlook the greatness the Habs brought to the ice that spring. Advertisement The Penguins lost five of their eight matchups with the Bruins this season and were outscored, 21-19. Despite their impressive play over the last three weeks, and the addition of Carter, they dont look like a serious threat to the Bruins in a first-round matchup. The Capitals will play host to the Bruins Tuesday in the season closer for both clubs. Of the three teams they could face, the Bruins have been best against Washington (4-1-2). The low point of 2021 for the Bruins was an 8-1 shellacking the Capitals put on them April 11, and within 24 hours, general manager Don Sweeney added Taylor Hall, Mike Reilly, and Curtis Lazar. The two clubs met a week later and the Bruins returned the favor, 6-3, with a pair of goals each by David Krejci, Bergeron, and Marchand. No. 1 gun Alex Ovechkin recently missed four games with a lower-body injury, returned Monday night, and exited after one shift. If hes out, the Capitals can fahgettaboutit. If hes hobbled, still big trouble. The Great Ovie is 35 years old, but hes still the difference between the Capitals winning or losing in the postseason (roll tape here of him holding the Big Mug high in a fountain in June 2018). Advertisement When healthy, Alex Ovechkin (left) is a force on the ice. That goes ditto for D.C. Neither Ilya Samsonov nor Vitek Vanecek has logged a minute of playoff experience. If the playoffs began based on the Wednesday morning standings, using points percentage rather than points, the Bruins, slotted third, would open a best-of-seven series at No. 2. Pittsburgh. If successful, Round 2 would bring them the winner of Capitals (1) vs. Islanders (4). From here, that looks like an ideal setup; let the Capitals go into the Trotz auger. At the end of the day, I just want to get out of our division, said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy the other day in New Jersey. Its a tough division. Its tough to pick a team that can separate itself from the others on paper; theyre all solid teams. And right now, the Bruins look like the strongest of the bunch. Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at kevin.dupont@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeKPD.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/05/05/sports/what-would-be-most-favorable-first-round-matchup-bruins/

Could Georgia Techs Moses Wright really go undrafted?

Georgia Tech forward Moses Wright (5) dunks the ball against Syracuse in the second half Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, at Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta. Tech won 84-77. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com) Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC Which sounds nuts. The best player in the ACC is by a definition one heck of a ballplayer. But NBAdraft.net doesnt list him among its full 60-man mock draft. ESPN ranks him 87th among its top 100 players. (Techs Jose Alvarado, also a senior, is 92nd.) It isnt that scouts have missed Wright: He played four seasons in the highest-profile conference. Theyve seen him; they just havent been impressed. That hes 22 is part of the reason. NBA folks tend to believe that if youre not in the league by the time youre 20, theres something wrong with you. Pastner believes Wright will get drafted. He said several teams have expressed interest. He believes Wright will fare well in pre-draft convocations. Pastner cites the case of Josh Okogie, who wasnt high on any board when he declared for the 2018 draft after his sophomore season. He went 20th overall to Minnesota. Im not a scout, but Ive talked to enough of them over these many years that I have some idea what they like. The issue with Wright is that hes a tweener. At 6-foot-9, he could play small forward, but an NBA wing must make 3-pointers Wright made 26 over 111 collegiate games and guard other wings. Pro teams want their power forwards to be able to play on the perimeter and stretch the floor. Wright is at his best when working as an old-fashioned back-to-the-basket center, and hes not big enough to qualify as an NBA 5. This isnt to say Wright cant play in the NBA. Udonis Haslem, whos of similar size, went undrafted out of Florida. After a season in France, he landed with the Miami Heat and spent 17 seasons there, helping win three NBA titles. The overseas option is available to Wright. So is the G League. Very soon, somebody will be paying him to play basketball unless he decides to return to Tech for another season. Seniors Jordan Usher and Bubba Parham already have opted to stay. Junior Michael Devoe has made himself draft-available but is keeping his options open. Alvarado is a senior, but hes also no lock to be drafted. If Tech somehow manages to return an ACC championship team intact, it will be among the nations top five come November. Thats not apt to happen. Returning to Tech means returning to college, which means taking college classes. Wright has spent four years doing that; hell graduate in May. He wants to play pro ball, and theres nothing he can prove to scouts as a fifth-year man they havent already seen. (Hed be 23 when the 2022 draft arrives, and thats ancient.) Oh, and theres this: This also being the year of the free transfer, Wright could at least in theory return to college without returning to Tech. Hed be the most accomplished player in the brief history of the portal. Again, though: not apt to happen. Before Tech folks work themselves into a high dudgeon over their players never getting any credit, be advised that this isnt some anti-Jacket conspiracy. Luka Garza of Iowa was a two-time Big Ten player of the year and the 2021 national player of the year. NBAdraft.net doesnt include him in its latest mock, either.

https://www.ajc.com/sports/mark-bradley-blog/could-techs-moses-wright-really-go-undrafted/WS7ZT5AIFBD6DCTJ3QRGZJZNJI/

Can the Cleveland Indians keep relying on late-inning rallies to produce wins?

Register for Indians Subtext to hear your Tribe questions answered exclusively on the show. Send a text to 216-208-4346 to subscribe for $3.99/mo. CLEVELAND, Ohio The Indians have won back-to-back games against the Royals with basically the same formula: tie the score by the sixth inning and rely on your offense to produce late for a win. Paul Hoynes and Joe Noga break it down on Wednesdays podcast. Click here. We have an Apple podcasts channel exclusively for this podcast. Subscribe to it here. You can also subscribe on Google Play and listen on Spotify. Search Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast or download the audio here. - New Indians face masks for sale: Heres where you can buy Cleveland Indians-themed face coverings for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($14.99) and a 3-pack ($24.99). All MLB proceeds donated to charity. How Zach Plesac got back on track vs. White Sox An 85% vaccination rate and 4 other things Indians minor leaguers return to play in 2021 after pandemic shutdown

https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2021/05/can-the-cleveland-indians-keep-relying-on-late-inning-rallies-to-produce-wins.html

Would DeMarvin Leal, Zion Nelson make sense for Giants in 2022?

Now that the 2021 NFL draft has concluded, its time to focus on the 2022 NFL draft. Were not kidding. Draft Wires Luke Easterling has published his way too-early 2022 mock draft, which we briefly touched on earlier this week. The Giants, remember, have two first round picks next year, so heres who he sees the Giants selecting. In Easterlings mock draft, the Giants have the seventh overall pick and the Chicago Bears pick, which is No. 11. With the seventh pick, the Giants take Texas A&M defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal. The 6-foot-4, 291 pound junior is expected to be a top 10 pick next April. He is considered a hybrid players can line up at any any position on the defensive line. He has an unbelievably competitive nature. When hes on the field, I dont ever see him loaf for one second, Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher said of Leal last October. I dont care what drill it is, what were doing or how we do it. Those kinds of guys change cultures of an organization because theyre great players, and theyre highly recruited players who play like they have no ability with their effort and toughness. With the 11th pick, the Giants select Miami offensive tackle Zion Nelson, a 6-foot-5, 315 pound underclassman. Nelson played left tackle last season as a sophomore but will need this season in college to sure up his fundamentals. Hes just a freak of nature. Zions an incredibly gifted football player, center Corey Gaynor said. Hes got long arms. Think hes big and strong, and I think hes very twitchy. Hes everything you want out of a left tackle. A lot can happen between now and the 2022 NFL draft, but odds are the Giants will still need a quality offensive lineman by then. They also love their versatile defensive linemen, so both Leal and Nelson are worth watching this coming college season. List

https://sports.yahoo.com/demarvin-leal-zion-nelson-sense-160048299.html?src=rss

Why is Tim Hortons expanding into cold coffee when they havent figured out how to make hot coffee yet?

Just when you think the pandemic cant crush your soul anymore, Tim Hortons releases a new drink. Its 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday. And I am staring at two plastic glasses filled with elixirs a shade of untreated wastewater. They are topped with tiny ice cubes that look desperate to escape. I cant blame them. But I want to be fair. So before we get to the taste test my tongue just threatened to sue me lets start with the official marketing. Me neither. Thats because people do not associate thirst-quenching with paint: Mmmm, that looks like a delicious glass of cobalt blue with hints of manganese! But for some reason, acrylic meets watercolour is what Tim Hortons leaned on this week in a Twitter ad to herald the arrival of its new Cold Brew and Vanilla Cream Cold Brew. Its as if Ikea promoted a new sofa with, Its like when glutes meet thumbtacks. And now my belly is churning with a vile commingling of Cold Brew. And now I have some questions for Tim Hortons. If I had to pick between Tims and putting a straw in my eaves, its no contest. The last time I trashed this iconic chain, I felt bad. Despite all the rotten things I wrote, they were a good sport. They invited me to visit their Innovation Caf, an offer I declined, mostly because I had no interest in getting my stomach pumped. They seemed genuinely hurt and baffled as to why I might describe their coffee as tasting like hot water filtered through packing peanuts and left to percolate in a carafe of soot. I felt bad! But after choking down these new abominations, now I feel jittery and queasy and hurt and baffled that such swill might be foisted upon my beloved compatriots. Cold Brew somehow manages to taste like nothing and everything that is wrong with this world. Im sorry, Timmies! I entered this taste test in good faith. Should the heavy metal aftertaste of any drink make your tonsils feel Mr. On the upside, Tim Hortons could wrangle an endorsement from the Canadian Dental Association this month. After every sip, I bolted for the bathroom to brush my teeth and exfoliate my tongue with an old loofah sponge. The tag line on the Twitter ad is, Fun to try. Fun to describe. Right. Its like a game of charades that ends with projectile vomiting. Also, I dont know if the execs in headquarters had much fun reading some of the comments that followed, including it was gross, I dont wanna spend money on vanilla paint water, this tasted like dirt, not to cause drama but this coffee sucked, tastes like fukn s-t looks nothing like advertised, this is disgusting lol, if you like water, youll like it, it tastes like underpaid workers, looks like diabetes and it tastes like ass. I wouldnt go that far. And when I sought a second, third and fourth opinion from my wife and twin daughters, the results were mixed. My wife liked the regular Cold Brew, but not the Vanilla Bean. One teen took a sip of both and declared, I like them! The other covered her mouth to keep from spitting it out. Me, I dont get why Timmies keeps introducing new products when its core competency is crumbling like a stale apple fritter chucked out the window at the drive-thru. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... I know the Cult of Timmies remains strong in this great land and lots of people will disagree today. Fine. Disagree. Maybe you will try the new Cold Brew and conclude it is bold and delightful. Or maybe you will soon regret not having an airsick bag in your lap. Maybe that first gulp will hit the back of your throat and you will long for a scrumptious chaser of cadmium or chromium. Maybe you will question the very existence of God. I have no idea. But when Tim Horton learned to skate, he did not start by going backwards. And thats exactly what the restaurant chain he co-founded is now doing. It is going backwards, one revolting sip at a time. Read more about:

https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/opinion/2021/05/05/why-is-tim-hortons-expanding-into-cold-coffee-when-they-havent-figured-out-how-to-make-hot-coffee-yet.html

How will Warren Buffetts successor take Berkshire Hathaway into the future?

Our podcast on markets, the economy and business. NOW THAT the worlds most celebrated investor has named a successor, the conglomerate he created must face some hard truths. Also, as companies wrestle with thorny issues from climate change to voting rights, economist Dambisa Moyo argues corporate boards need a makeover. And, the pandemic has coaxed millions of older people onlinenow companies are racing to keep up with the silver surfers. Rachana Shanbhogue hosts. Runtime: 25 min Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | Stitcher | TuneIn For full access to print, digital and audio editions, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/podcastoffer

https://www.economist.com/podcasts/2021/05/05/how-will-warren-buffetts-successor-take-berkshire-hathaway-into-the-future

Can employers require their staff to be vaccinated?

NO COUNTRY HAS made covid-19 inoculation mandatory for its citizens. But some industries have embraced the idea for their staff and even customers. In January Saga Cruises, a British cruise-line company, said that it would welcome only guests who were fully vaccinated. Hornblower Group, an American operator, implemented a similar policy, adding that crew and staff on land would also have to be inoculated. Some health-care companies have done the same. Houston Methodist Hospital, in Texas, has told its 26,000 employees to get fully vaccinated by June 7th or lose their jobs. And care-home operators in Britain have set similar deadlines. But the rules around whether employers can oblige staff to be inoculated are unclear and contested. In America, guidance issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal agency, suggests that, because of the danger posed by covid-19, unvaccinated employees pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others in the workplace. Thus, employers have the right to require vaccinations. There are some caveats, though. People with certain medical conditions, those with religious objections and, in some states, pregnant women are exempt. And lawmakers (most of them Republican) in dozens of states have put forward bills to stop employers making inoculation obligatory, although few are likely to become law. Compulsory vaccination is already being tested in the courts. In February a worker at the Doa Ana County Detention Centre in Las Cruces, New Mexico, filed a lawsuit against the county after being told that, to keep his job, he must get the vaccine. Part of his claim centres on the fact that covid-19 vaccines have so far been authorised only for emergency use, rather than gaining full regulatory approval. Elsewhere the situation is less clear. British employers cannot force their employees to be vaccinated or dismiss them if they refuse. However, they do have a duty of care to their staff and must ensure that the workplace is safe. It may be reasonable in some circumstances for an employer to request proof of vaccination if it is deemed essential for an employee to perform their job, for example if they need to travel abroad or administer health care. (This already applies to some health workers whose employers require them to have the Hepatitis B vaccine.) It may also be within the employers rights to take disciplinary action if they fail to comply. So far there have been no legal cases in Britain putting that to the test. If such a case were to arise the judge would have to weigh the rights of the person against the instructions of the employer. Other European countries are struggling with similar conflicts. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, a body of legislators which is supposed to act as a guardian of the continents democratic freedoms (although it has little real power), passed a non-binding motion in January that member states should ensure that no one is discriminated against for not having been vaccinated, due to possible health risks or not wanting to be vaccinated. But on March 31st the Italian government approved emergency legislation making vaccination obligatory for health-care workers, including pharmacy staff. Those who refuse may be reassigned to other jobs, demoted or even suspended with no salary for up to a year. But even where it is legal to require vaccination, critics worry that mandates risk undermining trust between workers and employers, and that exemptions will prompt claims of unfairness from staff members not granted them or potentially put at risk. So carrots will matter as well as sticks. Whether offering training to make staff aware of the benefits of inoculation, or giving employees paid time off to get a shot, wise employers will try to nudge people towards vaccination rather than simply shove them. Dig deeper All our stories relating to the pandemic and the vaccines can be found on our coronavirus hub. You can also listen to The Jab, our new podcast on the race between injections and infections, and find trackers showing the global roll-out of vaccines, excess deaths by country and the viruss spread across Europe and America.

https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2021/05/05/can-employers-require-their-staff-to-be-vaccinated

Should menthol cigarettes be banned?

The 360 shows you diverse perspectives on the days top stories and debates. Whats happening The Food and Drug Administration announced last week that it would begin the process of banning menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. The move comes after years of public pressure and legal challenges from anti-smoking groups aimed at compelling the FDA to follow through on its own recommendation that menthol cigarettes be banned. Menthol is a substance that can be derived from mint plants or created synthetically. It was first added to cigarettes in the 1920s, when manufacturers learned that in addition to its flavoring, menthol creates a cooling sensation in the throat that can mask the harshness of smoke. All cigarettes cause cancer, but health experts believe this cooling effect makes menthols especially problematic because it can make it easier for young people to take up smoking and harder for smokers to quit. The FDA estimates that there are more than 18 million menthol smokers in the U.S. The flavor has been especially popular among Black Americans. Roughly 85 percent of Black smokers prefer menthols, compared to 30 percent of white smokers, thanks in large part to decades of aggressive marketing campaigns from cigarette companies promoting the product in Black communities. In 2009, Congress prohibited the sale of all flavored cigarettes except menthol. Four years later, the FDA recommended banning menthol as well, but efforts to implement that have so far been bogged down by political pressure and legal fights. Why theres debate Supporters say banning menthols would be a major step toward reducing the number of cigarette-related deaths in the U.S. They argue that removing a more palatable version of cigarettes from the market would both prevent young people from taking up the habit and compel many longtime smokers to quit. Banning menthols is also seen as a racial justice issue. Advocates say a ban would be a step toward reversing decades of damage caused by predatory marketing to Black communities. For generations, the tobacco industry has intentionally targeted Black and other communities with marketing of menthol cigarettes, resulting in tobacco-related death and disease as well as health disparities, Harold Wimmer, president of the American Lung Association, wrote in a statement. Story continues Opponents fear that banning menthols would do little to reduce demand for cigarettes and would likely give rise to a potentially dangerous black market outside the reach of regulators. Others say it would be discriminatory to single out a product preferred by Black people. There are also worries that enforcement of the ban would create more opportunities for police to target Black people, which would ultimately run counter to the racial justice goals of anti-smoking groups. Whats next Despite the FDAs announcement, menthols wont be disappearing from store shelves anytime soon. Before a ban can be put in place, the proposal must be drafted in detail, opened for public review and finally approved by the White House. Legal challenges from cigarette manufacturers, which experts say are likely, could delay implementation of the ban even further. Perspectives Supporters Banning menthols will save Black lives Menthol was lumped just in with the other evidences of systemic racism and health injustices that African-American communities have suffered so long. And so to have a victory of this magnitude, where the FDA comes out and says, yes, black lives do matter, yes, we do care about health for black communities, that was very important for us and very moving for us. Delmonte Jefferson, executive director of the Center for Black Health & Equity, to PBS NewsHour A ban would help reverse racial health inequities Ending the sale of menthol and all flavored tobacco products is one step we should take to immediately address the health crisis of racism. ... Lets support Black lives and Black lungs by clearing the market of deadly menthol and flavored tobacco products. LaTrisha Vetaw and Zeke McKinney, Minneapolis Star Tribune Without menthols, fewer people will smoke Menthol as a tobacco additive is a problem because its a gimmick that works. It numbs the throat and makes tobacco smoke less harsh. Menthol thus makes it easier for kids to start smoking and harder for adults to quit. Michael Schwalbe, News & Observer A menthol ban is long overdue The FDA, which has come under attack for dithering on tobacco issues, deserves praise for evaluating the evidence and, albeit belatedly, taking this significant step forward. Mark A. Gottlieb and Richard Daynard, Boston Globe Concerns about a ban fueling discriminatory policing can be addressed It would indeed be troubling if law enforcement used a ban on menthol cigarettes as a pretext to target communities of color further, but that is a separate issue better dealt with by criminal justice reform at the state and local level. ... The bigger injustice is allowing tobacco companies to continue to push their deadly product on communities of color. Editorial, Los Angeles Times Opponents Outright bans dont work Prohibition is a close-your-eyes and bury-your-head-in-the-sand approach to drug policy. Those who support blanket prohibitions of popular substances are wishing on a star that somehow the substance will magically disappear. Did alcohol and marijuana magically disappear during their prohibitions? Art Way, Minn Post Illegal menthol sales would lead to a spike in crime Menthol cigarettes are still the preference of many adults who choose to smoke. Banning that product will just push sales out of the stores and create a lucrative illicit market. Rich Marianos, CT Mirror Banning menthols is a step too far We should continue to help people quit smoking with education and therapy programs. We should urge smokers to switch to comparatively safer products, like e-cigarettes. And we should discourage and shun the habit. But lets stop short of making the sellers of menthol cigarettes and by extension, users pariahs for their practicing their vice. Jack Shafer, Politico A menthol ban would discriminate against Black people It can be tough nowadays to keep up with what is racist and what is not, but Ill happily admit that I didnt have ban something black people like because they like it too much on my Anti-Racist Bingo card. Charles C.W. Cooke, National Review People should have the right to make their own decisions about smoking [Anti-smoking] discourse portrays smokers, particularly black smokers, as passive victims of predatory tobacco companies lacking agency of their own. Send your suggestions to the360@yahoonews.com. Read more 360s Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Getty Images

https://news.yahoo.com/should-menthol-cigarettes-be-banned-184805916.html

Will the GOP rank and file remain silent as Republicans purge principled leaders?

George W. Bush, Mitt Romney, John McCain, Liz Cheney: Four Republican household names and former party leaders who couldnt get nominated as dogcatcher in todays GOP. Former President Bush characterized todays Republican Party as isolationist, protectionist and, to a certain extent, nativist, a polite way of saying racist. Sen. Romney, the 2012 party nominee for president, was recently booed at a state GOP gathering in his home state of Utah as a result of his impeachment vote. Cindy McCain, widow of the late Sen. John McCain, the 2008 party nominee, was accused of leftist sympathies and censured for being critical of former President Donald Trump. And U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, is in the process of being stripped of her leadership position for chastising Trump for his role in fomenting the Jan. 6 insurrection. These principled Republicans are being frozen out of the party for not backing The Big Lie about the 2020 election. This lurch towards authoritarianism is threatening to destroy this once-grand old party and, if left unchecked, could destroy our republic. John Pardee, Oberlin

https://www.cleveland.com/letters/2021/05/will-the-gop-rank-and-file-remain-silent-as-republicans-purge-principled-leaders.html

How Does Former Gators DB Marco Wilson Fit Into Revamped Cardinals Defense?

Mediocrity: A characteristic of the 2020 Arizona Cardinals. After acquiring one of the NFLs top wide receivers in DeAndre Hopkins from the Houston Texans last offseason, the Cardinals were slated to bring an innovative and exciting offense to the forefront of football behind second-year signal-caller Kyler Murray and head coach Kliff Kingsbury. However, ranking 14th in points scored and 12th in points allowed, Arizona sat as a middle of the pack team, dropping five of their last seven contests to miss the playoffs via tiebreaker. After a disappointing end to the season, the Cardinals have had a noticeable emphasis on adding more impact players to both the offensive and defensive sides of the football. Making noise with the additions of James Conner and A.J. Green offensively, as well as J.J. Watt and Malcolm Butler defensively, the Cardinals drastically improved their star power from last season to next. However, as new faces have walked in the door, old faces have walked out, namely in the form of veteran defensive back Patrick Peterson. As a result, a need for a committee to replace the unique talent has been created, something Arizona understood going into day three of the NFL draft. Targeting Florida cornerback Marco Wilson in the fourth round of the draft, Arizona looms to utilize his athleticism to maintain a high level of play in the secondary. With an unorthodox story of draft success, Wilsons move from college to the NFL is one that contains loads of the unknown. Starting at Florida as a true freshman, Wilson would burst onto the scene in Gainesville as another addition to the long list of lockdown corners the Gators produced in the 2010s. Making a name for himself with 34 total tackles and 10 pass breakups as a freshman, Wilson would enter year two with high expectations for his future, slated as a future first-rounder. However, tearing the ACL in his left knee against Kentucky in 2018, a major setback to his progression would occur. Struggling to fight back from his second ACL tear tearing his right knee during his junior year of high school Wilson could not return to his previous form in the remainder of his career at Florida. Undergoing his most difficult year at UF in 2020 finding himself out of position at a high frequency and playing in his own head Wilson bounced back with a stellar pro day performance to catapult his stock into the fourth round of the NFL draft. Being selected by the Cardinals, Wilson sees an opportunity in the secondary alongside talented veterans, allowing him to make mistakes early on and learn from the experienced lineup the roster withholds. Slated to operate beside Butler, Robert Alford and Budda Baker, Wilson is set to enter a unique situation immediately upon his entry to the professional level, likely to see early time on the outside of the Arizona defense in moderation. Looking back to Wilsons early days as a Gator, the Fort Lauderdale native has showcased an impeccable athletic profile, displaying a chiseled frame with desirable speed for an outside corner. Playing with that elite athleticism, Wilson brings a high potential for playmaking ability to Arizona, something they will be missing in the absence of Peterson. Unlikely to see the success of Peterson, Wilsons athletic attributes alone pit him as a vital piece to Petersons replacement in Glendale. Leaving a sour taste in the mouths of Gators fans, Wilsons move to the NFL brings new life to each party. Containing the battle-tested nature and foundational skillset to provide youthful energy to Vance Joseph's defense, the former American Heritage prospect projects higher than many may think. While the days of throwing shoes leave a black mark on his career at Florida, the former freshman standout looks to overcome his shortcomings in blue and orange as a special teams player and an early rotational piece on the outside of the Cardinals secondary.

https://www.si.com/college/florida/football/florida-gators-nfl-draft-marco-wilson-fit-arizona-cardinals-defense

Was Mac Jones that great at Alabama, or just a product of the talent around him?

Jones set an NCAA record with a 77.4 completion percentage, and became the first Alabama quarterback to reach 4,500 passing yards. The Patriots drafted him 15th overall, the first time Bill Belichick has taken a quarterback in the first round. His throws are right on the money deep balls with the perfect distance and trajectory, slant passes with pinpoint placement, crossing routes thrown right in stride. Patriots first-round pick Mac Jones looks every bit the franchise quarterback on his game tape from Alabama. The guy checks every box for what the Patriots are looking for, said former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. The Crimson Tide had a record five players from the same offense chosen in the first round last week. Previous Alabama quarterbacks Greg McElroy, A.J. McCarron, and Tua Tagovailoa all thrived in college but struggled in the pros, though Tua still has plenty of time to develop. You watch the tape, Jones was not under duress very often, said Greg Cosell, the Xs-and-Os guru at NFL Films and ESPN NFL Matchup. He will be polarizing in some draft rooms. Some will see Jones as a highly schemed and highly programmed ball-distributor QB without any special physical traits. Thats not to say Cosell is down on Jones its just the opposite, in fact. He is enamored with Joness accuracy, the way he sees the field, and the way he can manipulate safeties with his eyes. But theres no denying that Jones, who started only one full year, played with the best of everything at Alabama. Advertisement The best playmakers receivers Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith both went in the top 10 in the draft, and running back Najee Harris went 24th. Surrounded by greatness Mac Jones had three offensive playmakers on the field in 2020 who were drafted in the first round. Player 2020 stats Draft pick Team WR Jaylen Waddle 591 receiving yards, 28 receptions, 21.1 yds/rush, 4 TDs Rd. 1, No. 6 Dolphins WR DeVonta Smith 1856 receiving yards, 117 receptions, 15.9 yds/rush, 23 receiving TDs Rd. 1, No. 10 Eagles RB Najee Harris 1466 rushing yds, 251 attempts, 5.8 yds/rush, 26 rush TDs Rd. 1, No. 24 Steelers SOURCE : Sports-Reference.com The best protection left tackle Alex Leatherwood went in the first round, and center Landon Dickerson in the second. And the best coaching a legendary defensive coach in Nick Saban and a longtime NFL offensive coordinator in Steve Sarkisian. Jones is an especially challenging evaluation because he played in a near-perfect situation in Tuscaloosa with an elite offensive line, running game, pass-catchers and play-calling, which makes it tough to evaluate him independent of his surroundings, wrote The Athletics Dane Brugler. Wasnt routinely moved from his spot while playing behind the best offensive line in college football. Belichick wrote in a scouting guide in 1991 that his preferred attributes for a quarterback were: accurate rather than a guy with a cannon; emphasis on our game will be on decision, timing, accuracy; cant be sloppy, fundamentally unsound guy. That reads like Jones to a T. His arm strength is most often described as good, not great, but he throws an excellent deep ball. His accuracy and ability to process the field are outstanding. Jones is not a runner and doesnt have a great body type, but he has shown the ability to slide and shuffle in the pocket and find throwing lanes. He took just 13 sacks last year, with 402 pass attempts. Advertisement I like guys that get rid of the ball fast, said former Jets and Dolphins GM Mike Tannenbaum. He has really good mechanics in his delivery. And very, very accurate like, really good, pinpoint accuracy, where he allows his receivers to be productive after the catch. But watch Joness 90-yard touchdown pass in the Georgia game; the cornerback fell down at midfield. Watch Joness 59-yard touchdown pass against Auburn; it was just a quick slant, with Smith doing the rest. Those are just two of many examples of Jones taking advantage of busted coverage. Jones didnt face much adversity, either. The Tide trailed once at halftime all season, and only two of their 13 games were within one score entering the fourth quarter (average score: 39-14). Joness receivers wont be nearly as wide open in the NFL. He wont have as many clean pockets and well-defined throwing lanes. And hell be in a competitive game almost every week. The protection in particular is a big factor, Cosell said. When a quarterback is comfortable in the pocket, he can play the position to his maximum. Those are generalities, of course, and its not as if Jones played against a bunch of stiffs in the SEC. There is a great All-22 breakdown of Jones scanning through his reads and making the right decisions. His highlight tape shows him delivering a perfect crossing route to Waddle for a touchdown while getting crushed by a Missouri blitzer, demonstrating pinpoint accuracy on a back-shoulder throw for a touchdown against Georgia; and hitting John Metchie perfectly in stride on a 78-yard deep-ball touchdown. Advertisement One AFC scout said Jones deserves a lot of credit for Alabamas explosive offense. Mac benefited by having all of that talent around him, the scout said. But his greatest strength is the mental side and playing within himself to eliminate his mistakes. For a guy like Mac, who does not have the athleticism and arm strength as other QBs in the class, it is all about being accurate, making good decisions, and putting his teammates in the position to succeed. Weis disputed the idea that Jones was just a product of the talent around him. Mac Jones, Weis said. The question is not who youre playing with, its what you do with who youre playing with. Jones may have had the best surroundings in college football, but most evaluators believe he showed enough on his own for the Patriots to be confident in his ability to grow into a franchise quarterback. There were a lot of well-schemed, predetermined, primary-read throws in Alabamas pass game, Cosell said. It wont be that easy in the NFL. But I will say this: He was a very accurate thrower. He didnt make receivers work for the ball. Hes a precise ball-placement guy, and thats a great starting point. Advertisement Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @BenVolin.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/05/05/sports/was-mac-jones-that-great-alabama-or-just-product-talent-around-him/

Who is Elise Stefanik, the congresswoman Trump and Scalise want to replace Liz Cheney in GOP leadership?

WASHINGTON After holding the position as the third-ranking House Republican for nearly three years, it is becoming clearer Rep. Liz Cheney's leadership role may be at risk as prominent Republicans line up against her for criticizing former President Donald Trump. The person emerging as a potential replacement for the Wyoming Republican is Rep. Elise Stefanik, a New York Republican who in the last years of the Trump administration emerged as a loyal and vocal defender of the 45th president. Stefanik, 36, now has the backing of the second most powerful House Republican, Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., and Trump. Meanwhile, Cheney is under mounting criticism and scorn from Republicans over her statements regarding the former president. On Monday, she called his election fraud claim a "big lie." Though an attempt to remove Cheney from her leadership post failed in February after she voted to impeach Trump, her recent comments on Trump's election fraud claims have led to a fresh wave of criticism. More:Trump, No. 2 House Republican Steve Scalise throw support behind Elise Stefanik for Liz Cheney's leadership post In February, GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., defended the Wyoming congresswoman but now says the conference is losing confidence in her. "I have heard from members concerned about her ability to carry out the job as conference chair, to carry out the message," he told Fox News on Tuesday. "We all need to be working as one if we're able to win the majority." Trump issued a statement Wednesday through his Save America PAC in which he slammed Cheney as a "warmongering fool who has no business in Republican Party Leadership," and threw his support behind Stefanik. "We want leaders who believe in the Make America Great Again movement, and prioritize the values of America First," the former president said. He continued, "Stefanik is a far superior choice, and she has my COMPLETE and TOTAL Endorsement for GOP Conference Chair. Elise is a tough and smart communicator!" Here's what you need to know about the Stefanik: One of the youngest lawmakers elected Stefanik, when she was elected in 2014 at age 30, was then the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. That title has since gone to fellow New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who was elected during the 2018 midterms. Stefanik wrote a USA TODAY op-ed in 2019 with advice for both Ocasio-Cortez and former Rep. Abby Finkenauer, the one-term Iowa Democrat who turned 30 a week before she was sworn in in 2019. She told them to "understand that along with this record is the responsibility to encourage younger women to seek office and have the courage to step into the arena." More:I was the youngest woman in Congress. Here's my advice to those who have taken my place If Stefanik is successful in replacing Cheney, she would be the first millennial and one of the few women to hold the position. Harvard, Bush White House, Romney campaign Prior to being a member of Congress, Stefanik attended Harvard University before joining the George W. Bush administration as an aide. In 2012, she advised then-vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan, and prepped him for his debate against then-Vice President Joe Biden before deciding to run to join the former House speaker in Congress. Rose to Republican fame during first Trump impeachment During Trump's first impeachment trial in 2020, Stefanik was named one of the members of Trump's impeachment defense team after her viral role in the House's proceedings. Their unofficial role was to do media appearances and work on messaging behind the scenes to counter the House manager's case against the president to the public. Trump called Stefanik a new Republican star as she defended him against Democrats. The House impeached Trump, but the Senate acquitted him on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress related to his dealings with Ukraine. Objected to electors in 2020 election After a pro-Trump mobbed stormed the Capitol in January on the day a joint session of Congress met to count the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Trump lost to Biden, Stefanik signed objections to electors in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, but only Pennsylvania was among those brought to a vote. More:The members of Congress who objected to Joe Biden's Electoral College win amid Capitol riot "Tens of millions of Americans are concerned that the 2020 election featured unconstitutional overreach by unelected state officials and judges ignoring state election laws," Stefanik said on the House floor. Cheney disapproved of objecting to the election results, and said it "set exceptionally dangerous precedent." Ranks as one of the most bipartisan and didn't always vocally support Trump Despite her vocal support for Trump, Stefanik consistently ranks as one of the most bipartisan lawmakers, is more moderate when it comes to legislation, and wasn't always as outspoken in her support for the 45th president. For the 116th Congress, which ran from 2019 to 2020, according to the Bipartisan Index from the nonpartisan public policy think tank The Lugar Center, Stefanik was ranked as the 13th most bipartisan member of Congress. The year prior, she landed at number 14. Policy-wise, Stefanik is more moderate than some of her GOP House colleagues and voted with Trump less than Cheney did. According to FiveThirtyEight, Cheney voted with Trump 92.9% of the time, while Stefanik voted with him 77.7% of the time. For example, Stefanik opposed Trump's 2017 tax cut and has supported giving legal status to undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children. In 2016, she kept her distance from then-candidate Trump, saying she endorsed the Republican "party's nominee" without mentioning Trump's name. She went from not attending the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland to speaking at the party's 2020 virtual convention. During her speech this past summer, she railed against Democrats in her support for Trump, saying the "American people were not swayed by these partisan attacks. Our support for President Trump is stronger than ever before."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/05/05/elise-stefanik-congresswoman-trump-wants-replace-liz-cheney/4958039001/

Why Is India Running Out Of Oxygen?

Enlarge this image toggle caption Sajjad Hussain/AFP via Getty Images Sajjad Hussain/AFP via Getty Images MUMBAI, India Sanchi Gupta was running around, trying to get her hands on an oxygen cylinder even an empty one. Her mother was one of 140 COVID-19 patients in Saroj Hospital, one of the best-equipped hospitals in India's capital, New Delhi. She was on a ventilator in intensive care. Then the hospital told Gupta and other families that its oxygen supply had run out. So they had to go out and find oxygen cylinders to bring to the hospital to keep their loved ones alive. "We are not getting full cylinders, so we are trying to find empty cylinders, because we can still get those filled," Gupta explained to local media outside the hospital last month. "We're in contact with NGOs [in the hope that they have tanks that can fill cylinders], everybody! We're using every kind of pressure, every contact. We are desperate." Enlarge this image toggle caption Amal KS/Hindustan Times/Getty Images Amal KS/Hindustan Times/Getty Images She pleaded for answers from strangers on the sidewalk outside the hospital. Why don't we have oxygen?" Gupta cried. Why is this happening?" In India, procuring oxygen is a task that normally doesn't fall to patients' families. But with the country confirming more than 300,000 coronavirus cases a day for the past two weeks, medical supply chains have broken. In addition to oxygen shortages, there are shortages of hospital beds, antiviral drugs, coronavirus test kits virtually all the tools any country needs to fight a pandemic. It's a consequence, experts say, of decades of neglect and lack of spending on public health in a country of nearly 1.4 billion people one that is now hit by the biggest coronavirus wave in the world. "It is disheartening. We are not a rich country. There has always been an inadequate health budget," says Dr. Vineeta Bal, an immunologist at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Pune. Bal notes that India invests less on public health just above 1% of its gross domestic product than most of its peers. Brazil spends more than 9% of its GDP on health; in the United States, the figure is nearly 18%. Enlarge this image toggle caption Stringer/Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images Stringer/Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images "One percent of GDP is a pathetic state of affairs," Bal says. "It's nothing!" At Saroj Hospital, local government officials eventually got a giant tanker to deliver oxygen, replenishing stocks for Gupta's mother and other patients. In the end, they didn't have to rely on the small cylinders that families were able to scrounge up. Other hospitals have not been as fortunate. Hospital SOS: "Kindly help us in procuring [oxygen]" On Tuesday, as many as 24 patients died after the Chamarajanagar district hospital in the southern state of Karnataka allegedly ran out of oxygen. On Saturday, 12 COVID-19 patients died at Delhi's Batra Hospital after an oxygen delivery was delayed by just 90 minutes. Several more such incidents have been reported across the country. And it's not just COVID-19 patients. A children's hospital near the capital put out an SOS notice Saturday, warning that it was running out of oxygen and that six babies in critical care might suffer "severe consequences." "Kindly help us in procuring [oxygen cylinders] for the sake of the babies and mankind," a news release from the hospital said, which was shared on social media. The notice was addressed "to whom it may concern." The Allahabad High Court in northern India on Tuesday declared that hospital deaths from oxygen shortages amount to "genocide." In India, courts frequently work in a suo moto capacity (the term means "on its own"), investigating issues of public concern without the need for a lawsuit to first be filed. In this case, the Allahabad High Court began investigating oxygen shortages because of viral videos showing such shortages in its jurisdiction. Enlarge this image toggle caption Rebecca Conway/Getty Images Rebecca Conway/Getty Images "This wave [of infections] happened so fast! So it was very difficult to manage all the things. People at home also bought [oxygen] cylinders and started using them," says S.D. Mishra, who oversees COVID-19 oxygen supply at the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization, a government agency that regulates the transport of oxygen and hazardous substances. "So because of this panic situation, there was a sudden increase in demand in oxygen supply." "We actually have excess production and storage [of oxygen] in eastern India and other areas, but Delhi is having problems," Mishra told NPR by phone from his agency's headquarters in Nagpur, in central India. These shortages have been happening even as the U.S. and many other countries pour aid into India. That includes empty cylinders and oxygen concentrators machines that extract oxygen from the air and concentrate it for medical use. Enlarge this image toggle caption Getty Images Getty Images On April 28, the U.S. dispatched to the Indian capital its first shipment, which included more than 400 oxygen cylinders and 960,000 rapid-testing kits. Since then, at least four more shipments from the U.S., carrying more than 200,000 vials of the antiviral drug remdesivir and additional oxygen support, have arrived in Delhi and Mumbai. Countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, France, Uzbekistan, Thailand and many others, are sending ventilators, liquid oxygen and oxygen concentrators. Much of that aid has become mired in customs queues. State officials told Indian media that some of it began to be dispatched on Monday night more than a week, in some cases, since it had arrived. During that time, COVID-19 patients were dying of shortages in hospitals only a few miles from these stockpiles. Late Wednesday local time, the Indian government issued a news release saying a "streamlined and systematic mechanism for allocation" of foreign aid supplies had been implemented. "Cargo clearance and deliveries are facilitated without delay," the release stated. All donations received by May 4 have already been allocated to recipient states or institutions, and a "substantial part of it stands delivered," it added. "The challenge now is to transport the oxygen" The Indian government says it has ramped up oxygen production. It has banned the use of oxygen for industries, with a few exceptions for the military, for example and is diverting most of it for medical use. But the problem has been getting the oxygen to medical facilities. Enlarge this image toggle caption Manjunath Kiran/AFP via Getty Images Manjunath Kiran/AFP via Getty Images "The challenge now is to transport the oxygen," Piyush Goyal, a spokesperson for the Home Affairs Ministry, said in a news conference on April 26. Liquid medical oxygen is flammable and in most cases can't be flown. It has to move by road, rail or sea freight. "The demand for tankers [that can be filled with oxygen] has gone up, and we do not have enough tankers available," said Goyal. Mishra, the oxygen supply official, says lots of oxygen-tanker drivers got sick with COVID-19 right at the moment when oxygen demand skyrocketed. Officials had to arrange replacement drivers, and it took time. In some parts of the capital, oxygen demand is up as much as 700%. According to the Delhi government, hospitals are asking for close to 1,000 metric tons of liquid oxygen per day on average, but only 40% of that is being supplied. Most of India's oxygen-generating plants are in the country's east or south. But demand right now is mostly in the north. That means 18-hour trips by tanker truck. India's Air Force has been airlifting empty tankers back to the factories to cut travel time. It has also been picking up extra containers from abroad. On Tuesday night, an Indian Navy ship arrived in Kuwait to pick up donations of liquid oxygen and other supplies. Indian Railways has run at least 27 special trains delivering more than 1,500 metric tons of liquid oxygen to several states. Two such "Oxygen Express" trains pulled into Delhi on Wednesday, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal (no relation to the Home Affairs Ministry spokesperson) announced on Twitter. This week, the government announced that two new oxygen plants would be quickly constructed inside two big Delhi hospitals. They're expected to begin supplying oxygen by Wednesday evening. "Crucial lessons ... were simply not learned" Mad scrambles for oxygen at so many hospitals underscore one of the biggest problems: how bureaucracy has slowed things down. The Indian government has taken over oxygen distribution but still does not have the systems in place to deliver. Dr. Sumit Ray, the critical care chief at Delhi's Holy Family Hospital, has experienced that firsthand. "There are patients dying who come in ambulances, searching from hospital to hospital, and they are brought in dead because they did not find oxygen or the oxygen in the ambulance ran out," he tells NPR. His 275-bed hospital was instructed by the government to handle only COVID-19 patients. It has since expanded to 390 beds by squeezing two or three beds into rooms that were previously for one. Corridors have been sealed off and lined with beds, oxygen cylinders and monitors. In the intensive care unit, stretchers have been placed in between permanent beds. The hospital has run out of ventilators, so technicians have repurposed anesthesia machines from operating rooms to help COVID-19 patients breathe, Ray says. Enlarge this image toggle caption Rebecca Conway/Getty Images Rebecca Conway/Getty Images On April 23, Holy Family Hospital came within 30 minutes of running out of oxygen. Ray describes a mad scramble to hook up patients two to a cylinder and to triage who could be saved. He put in frantic calls to local government officials. "It's not that they were not trying to help, but they themselves didn't know how to go about it. The systems were not in place," Ray recalls. "All the logistics of large-enough tankers moving fast enough, and also coordinating! Because the demand has gone up. So you have to coordinate much more on who gets how much." Local governments are relatively new to this. Most Indian hospitals used to procure their own oxygen directly from suppliers. But in March 2020, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi put India under the world's biggest coronavirus lockdown, the government got involved in regulating essential medical supplies, including oxygen. Hospitals now have to send refill requests to their state government, which in turn asks the central government. The process is overseen by a committee called the Empowered Group 2, a government-appointed body. Last year, Ray says his hospital was asking for refills once a week. Now he says it's using "10 to 12 times as much oxygen" which means he's calling for refills more than once a day. The requests to the government quickly pile up. On April 23, an oxygen tanker eventually pulled up to replenish Ray's hospital, when he had just 30 minutes' supply left. Disaster was averted. And tankers have since been arriving on time, he says. But the close call that his hospital experienced last month says something about India's pandemic preparedness more than a year after the pandemic began. Experts say the country did not use its time wisely, when its coronavirus caseload dropped to record lows in early 2021. "There was a sense of complacency, and many crucial lessons that we could and should have learned what we needed to do to strengthen the health system to prepare for a second wave were simply not learned," says Yamini Aiyar, president of the Centre for Policy Research, a Delhi think tank. "Perhaps no one could have predicted how virulent this surge is." "But our complete lack of preparedness has brought this already-broken system to its knees," she says.

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/05/05/989461528/why-is-india-running-out-of-oxygen

Where will New Zealand stand in rising tensions between China and other allies?

New Zealand could eventually come under real pressure to pick a side between China and its more traditional allies. Photo / File New Zealand could eventually come under real pressure to pick a side between China and its more traditional allies. Photo / File By Jane Patterson of RNZ Rising tensions between Australia and China have raised the question of where New Zealand would stand if things escalate further. Close transtasman friend and ally Australia is taking a more aggressive stance against China - with South China Sea and Taiwan potential flashpoints. And recent statements from its defence minister about a possible conflict with China have caused some alarm - a prospect that could put New Zealand under real pressure - to pick a side. After a year of heavy trade strikes against Australian exports, diplomatic outbursts and increasing military activity in the region, new Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton told the ABC conflict with with China over Taiwan "should not be discounted". New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta said she could not comment on "prospective thinking about what may or may not happen", adding New Zealand "values" the important relationship with Australia. It did "make for an uncomfortable situation" to have Australia and China at loggerheads and "where you see your neighbours being treated in such a punitive way", she said. Australia was in a different position to New Zealand and "obviously see things in a certain way, because they have neighbours and are in a part of the region where they feel several things more acutely and we will remain closely connected in the way that we share our view of what's happening in our region", Mahuta said. Tensions between China and its neighbours have been rising in the disputed South China Sea. "New Zealand is very aware that we are a small country in the Pacific," Mahuta said. "And we are also aware that the nature of our relationships, both bilateral and multilateral, require us to be nimble, respectful, consistent and predictable in the way that we treat our nearest neighbours, but also those who we have bilateral relationships with, no matter whether they are big or small relationships." Leading defence analyst Paul Buchanan said storm clouds were gathering and armed conflict was now a "distinct possibility". "Maybe not directly between the Australians and the Chinese, unless there's a miscalculation involving a Australian warship, doing freedom of navigation exercises in the South China Sea," Buchanan said. "But more than likely, as part of a dispute that gets out of control and Australia, as part of a coalition of countries, probably led by the United States, that is duty bound to respond, so for example, Taiwan." Defence analyst Paul Buchanan. Photo / Supplied If such a conflict erupted, that would leave New Zealand "between a rock and hard place" because it would be asked to join that coalition, Buchanan said. That would require some "hard decisions ... that have been in the making for well over a decade when we decided to throw most of our trade ships into the Chinese market". "Now we're in on the horns of a dilemma and a bit of a quandary should our security partners ask us to join them in the common defence of a country suffering from Chinese aggression," he said.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/where-will-new-zealand-stand-in-rising-tensions-between-china-and-other-allies/47NAXEFPZGOXDZPOEBCM572HJI/

Do triple doubles matter?

Rappers rap about them, players have gone to great lengths to achieve them, and Russell Westbrook is about to become the king of them. Russell Westbrook is about to become the all-time leader in the much-rapped-about stat. Clint Capela cannot forget the excitement of his first triple double. Granted it took place among the couch-cushioned confines of the Hawks centers old apartment, and his opponents were the computer-controlled Hornets facing the Capela-controlled Thunder in NBA 2K14. But still, Capela, then a teenager coming up in Frances top pro league, found himself giddy when he reached double digits in three major stat categories as a digitized Russell Westbrook. He even hit up a friend to share the big news. Its not like I got them in real life, Capela says. It was definitely off my radar, because it was too hard to reach. Almost beyond a dream. Fantasy met reality on Jan. 22, in the Hawks 11698 win at Minnesota. Outta my dreams and into my box score. Capela realized he stood a solid chance after the first quarter, peeking at a scoreboard and seeing he had already swatted four shots to go along with six points and eight rebounds. Thats when I was like, Ooo, maybe I have a chance, he says.I know double double is what I do, he says. Im not doing this every night. The pursuit intensified as the 6 10 Capela tallied his eighth block just after halftime, and cheers from the Atlanta bench echoed throughout a fanless Target Center. My teammates were hyping me up, Capela says. They were all like, Go get it, boy! Almost there! Im like, Chill out, I dont want to get too excited and miss it. At last, Capela lassoed that elusive third round number, rejecting layups on back-to-back possessions midway through the fourth quarter. I got subbed out right after, Capela says. Everyone was screaming, Hell yeah! Final line: 13 points, 19 boards and 10 blocks, the teams first triple double since Dikembe Mutombo in 2000. The celebration carried into the locker room, where Capela was doused in water. Calls and texts flooded his phone. His highlights made national news in his native Switzerland. He would take home a game-used Spalding as a souvenir, along with a bottle of pinot noirfrom coach Lloyd Piercethat he doesnt plan to save. Im gonna drink it, Capela says. Ive gotta get other triple doubles. Red Hot Chili Peppers Magic Johnson, 1989 Three is a magic number, but the triple double is a Magic number, first appearing in newsprint in 1980 to describe the latest star attraction in L.A., where Showtime-era Lakers fans could scarf down double-double cheeseburgers at a local In-N-Out and watch Magic Johnson gobble up triple-double stats inside the Forum. The exact origins of this sports verbiage remain a mystery, but credit is generally given to two men, both flacks inspired by Johnsons all-around statistical might. The first is Harvey Pollack, the 76ers publicist who won a lifetime achievement award from the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002, the same year Johnson was inducted. I walked up to Magic and said, You know, without me you wouldnt even be here today, Pollack, who died in 2015, told the Associated Press. He says, What do you mean? I said, Who do you think coined the name triple double and made you famous for doing it? The other is Bruce Jolesch, the Lakers p.r. director in the early 1980s. I cant sit here and tell you that I came up with it out of thin air, but it wasnt being used when I started using it, Jolesch says. I can take credit for bringing it into the current lexicon of NBA jargon, and thats because of Magic. Jolesch first cited the concept on Oct. 12, 1980, on page 4 of his typewritten game notes before the home opener, mistakenly labelling it a triple-triple but correcting it by the next game. (He still has a copy, stored in a three-ring binder at his Dallas home. I probably should send these to the Hall of Fame, he says.) His usage undoubtedly helped it catch on. In late October 1980, using the sort of geezer phrasing that might accompany a new dance craze, the Los Angeles Times reported that Johnson did the triple-double seven times last year. Since blocks and steals began being tracked in 197374, nearly 98 per cent of NBA triple doubles have been reached in points, rebounds and assists. Some will argue that is the only way to attain one. If you have a triple double that doesnt include one of those three, Boston Globe writer Bob Ryan says, thats a contrivance that I dont acknowledge. Triple doubles became commonplace in his copy, Ryan says, because I was covering Larry. That would be Bird, who once declined coach K.C. Joness offer to chase a quadruple double in a February 1985 blowout, instead sitting for the entire fourth quarter with 30 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists and nine steals. He basically said, Nah, Ive done enough damage, Ryan says. Birds brag showed that a triple double can be marked by a flex, figurative or literal, as it was in March 2011 when JaVale McGee earned a technical foul for doing a chin-up on the rim after a dunk cinched his first (and only) triple double . . . with his Wizards trailing by 18. But a triple double can also invoke embarrassment. That is maybe the worst thing Ive done in my career, then Blazers swingman Nicolas Batum said in November 2013, having just completed a triple double on a half-court, buzzer-beating heave while up seven against the Spurs. In this way triple doubles are versatile, not unlike Dallas guard Luka Doni, the 22-year-old Slovenian army knife who averages nearly one in every five games (18.2 per cent), the second-highest rate in NBA history behind Westbrook (19.0 per cent). They can spotlight longevity (oldest player: Karl Malone, 40, November 2003); trumpet an arrival (youngest: LaMelo Ball, 19, earlier this season); or simply function as bar trivia. Bzzt. Draymond Green, February 2017: 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 steals and four points. No matter how they are achieved, though, triple doubles attract the spotlight. A former Vancouver Grizzlies scorekeeper recounted to Deadspin in 2009 how he was once instructed to ensure that Hakeem Olajuwon, then visiting with the Rockets, got a triple double because that would increase the chances of the media-starved Canadian markets making ESPN. In his career Olajuwon earned 13 others, including one of four NBA quadruple doubles. It makes you feel accomplished, he says, to do something that was very rare. Not so much anymore. Five triple doubles on March 13 marked a new single-day highonly to be surpassed by a sextuple of them less than a week later. All told, NBA scorekeepers had logged 129 through Monday, two more than the record set two years ago. Roughly one in every four of those (32) are courtesy of Westbrook, now summoning gaudy stat lines with the Wizards, whose 178 career triple doubles trail only Oscar Robertsons 181. I dont want to go into a game thinking about getting a triple double, says Westbrook. But it definitely gives me insight that I was active, I was moving around, trying to make the right plays. It gives me some shorthand: Something went right today. Sabrina Ionescu was perplexed. One moment the Oregon freshman point guard had been enjoying the aftermath of a blowout win over San Jose State in November 2016. The next, coach Kelly Graves had entered the locker room and, like a spy operative passing intel on a park bench, dropped a piece of paper in her lap. I was like, Why did he just hand me this stat sheet? Ionescu recalls. I didnt want to look at it in front of the team, because I was nervous it was something theyd ask me about. Then I looked when I got to the bus and went, Oh, I guess this is why. Because I got a triple double! Growing up in Walnut Creek, Calif., Ionescu had little familiarity with the concept. I got a bunch in high school and had no idea, because it wasnt really like my coach was telling me, she says. He was just demanding I do more in every single category. But triple doubles became part of her identity on campus with the Ducks. Id be at 12-10-9, and the crowd is just waiting, waiting, waiting, Ionescu says. If I didnt get a rebound, or my teammate got one, everyone would sigh and start yelling, Youve gotta get one more! Before the Liberty selected her first in the 2020 WNBA draft, Ionescu put up an eye-popping 26 triple doubles, shattering the NCAA career record of 12, held by point guard Kyle Collinsworth of BYU. Collinsworth, who broke the mark of six (Drexels Michael Anderson and LSUs Shaquille ONeal) in November 2015, now plays in Japan, where his reputation preceded him. After the first one I got here, Collinsworth says, I was doing an interview in front of a crowd, and they announced me as Kyle, whos known for getting tons of triple doubles. Triple doubles can do more than form a legacy; they can also honour the legacy of a life lost. Nets guard Bruce Browns first triple double came on Dec. 6, 2016, hours after the then Miami freshman learned about the death of his beloved uncle, Edward Dillard. I couldnt stop thinking, My uncle had to be there that night, Brown says now. I didnt care much about a triple double until that happened. When Westbrook joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only NBA players with a 20-20-20 game, in April 2019, the guard dedicated his performance to a recently slain friend, rapper and fellow South Los Angeles native Nipsey Hussle. It was a tough couple days for me, just hearing the news, figuring out how to channel my energy towards the game, how to pay tribute to him, to the neighbourhood, to our people back in L.A., Westbrook says. And the rest is history. The first triple double in NBA history is attributed to Andy Phillip of the 1950 Philadelphia Warriors. Houston Comets legend Sheryl Swoopes led the way for the WNBA, in 1999. After that, my thought became, Now you have a lot to live up to, because this cant be the only one that you get, says Swoopes, who sure enough later recorded what still stands as the Ws only post-season triple double. The only player in either league to debut with one is Robertson (1960), and just three have ended their careers on such a high note: Wilbur Holland of the Bulls (1979), Ben Uzoh (2012) and Dwyane Wade (2019). While Wades statistical swan song with the Heat capped a first-ballot Hall of Fame career, Uzohs came as he was playing on an end-of-season contract with the Raptors and living temporarily at Torontos Le Germain Hotel. There the 6 3 guard would jot down his goals on a hotel notepad, separating them into columns labelled thoughts, feelings and actions. Under the final heading Uzoh put triple double, penning into existence the 12-11-12 line he logged in an otherwise meaningless April game against the Nets. Uzoh, 33, who is training to represent Nigeria in the Olympics, reflects on his last game with pride. After the buzzer Nets All-Star Deron Williams, a former teammate, found him on the court and gushed, Man, Uz, I dont even have one of those! Uzohs mother later laminated the sheet of hotel stationery for him. Its cool because the culture surrounding it has grown, he says. People tag me in stuff all the time because theyll talk about it on ESPN. Thats very, very rewarding. Perhaps this explains why some players are so gung-ho about getting a triple double in the first place. Which brings us to the Ballad of Wrong Way Ricky. Based outside of Houston, the Ricky Davis Foundation is primarily focused on tackling food insecurity, teaming with celebrities like Rick Ross and 2 Chainz to help feed underserved communities. Its eponymous founder oversees logistics on the ground but also hits the road each summer for a circuit of basketball camps, where the kids tend to know little about his NBA past, but the parents always ask the same thing. Its just right off the bat, like, Man, what were you thinking? Davis says. I tell them, I was gonna get that triple double, no matter what. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... The infamous incident: On March 16, 2003, the 6 6 Davis caught an inbounds pass near his own basket and, instead of simply running out the clock on a Cavaliers win over the Jazz, laid the ball off his own backboard in an attempt to grab his 10th rebound. He didnt get credit, but Davis, who had a 12-year NBA career, doesnt regret his actions. Wrong Way Ricky, thats my name now, he says. It was a bad, boneheaded play. But if thats what sticks in their mind, Id rather something stick than nothing. And everyone associates me with the triple double. Besides, many other stat hunters can relate. There was Magic guard Anthony Bowie, who called a timeout with 2.7 seconds left against the Pistons in March 1996, for no reason other than he was one assist shy. After his coach, Brian Hill, handed Bowie a clipboard and stormed off in protest, Bowie designed a play for Joe Wolf to heave a half-court inbounds pass to him; Bowie would then tap the ball to David Vaughn for a layup. Pistons coach Doug Collins ordered his team to stand by and let it happen. I can see both sides of the coin, says Wolf. From [Collinss] angle, it disrespected the game. But if I put on my players hat, I look at AB and say, This was once-in-a-lifetime right here. Hawks guard Bob Sura had already notched back-to-back triple doubles in April 2004 when, like Davis, he intentionally blew a layup at the buzzer. (I actually did it at the right basket, he says.) Alas, commissioner David Stern rescinded Suras 10th rebound because he hadnt attempted a legitimate shot. I dont think it wouldve done any harm to leave it, Sura laments. I shouldve just said that the ball slipped out of my hand. Countless other triple doubles have slipped away. Johnson, third on the all-time list with 138, finished 46 games with 10-plus points, 10-plus assists and nine boards; LeBron James, the only player besides Westbrook with triple doubles against all 30 teams, has 13 times suffered the agony of 10-plus points, nine rebounds and nine assists. In February 2017, three years before he finally got one, Blazers guard Damian Lillard was sitting on 34-11-9 against the Pistons with about four minutes left, when he found an open Jusuf Nurki under the rim and watched the big man blow a layup. I was like, maybe its just not meant to be tonight, Lillard says. Triple doubles may be an individual stat, but it takes a group effort, as when Kentuckys Derek Willis purposelyand perfectlybricked a free throw against Ole Miss in 2016 so teammate Isaiah Briscoe could grab the rebound and wrap up the third triple double in school history. Other times the help comes from the sidelines: The game after his gaffe, Sura and the Hawks visited Boston, where a pair of scorekeepers came up to him during warm-ups and told him, Just to let you know, we wouldve had that triple double for you long before the fourth quarter. Lil Wayne (feat. Lil Twist) Ball Hard, 2020 The torch was passed alongside a statue and some words of wisdom. In April 2017 Robertson travelled to Oklahoma City to present Westbrook with the Dr. James Naismith Achievement Sculpture for having just broken his single-season triple doubles record of 41. The pair also talked for about an hour before the game. I told him he was great, Robertson says, and that its a big load off another players shoulder when they can rely on you to do all these things. But then they expect you to do it all the time. In his 14 pro seasons Robertsons 181 triple doubles accounted for 32.3 per cent of the NBA totaland he received recognition for none of them. I didnt hear of triple doubles until I was out of the game, he says. When the Big O watches the league today, however, he sees triple-double machines galore. Like LeBron: When things are right, hes gonna get a triple double every single night. And Giannis Antetokounmpo: A freak of nature. Im shocked he doesnt lead the league in triple doubles. But none are more efficient than Westbrook, who in 201617 joined Robertson as the only players to average one over a full season and then repeated the feat in 1718 and 1819: Hes a triple double king himself, says Robertson. Many factors helped kindle the current explosion. Robertson points out assist criteria was stingier in his day: The pass had to lead to a layup. Maybe one dribble. Others cite evolutions in the modern game. Less isolation, more ball movement, more shooting early in the shot clock, which leads to more assists, says Pistons centre Mason Plumlee, whose two triple doubles (both this season) give him more than Julius Erving (one) and Moses Malone (none) combined. In one sense, nothing whatsoever. A triple double doesnt provide any real insight into an NBA players performance, even if nearly 75 per cent of them have come in winning efforts. Its benchmarks are arbitrary, no more useful than another catchily named cluster of random totals. (Sample club: the Triple Bumble, featuring just three playersTed McClain, Allen Iverson, Dennis Smith Jr. with nine-plus turnovers, six fouls and less than 30 per cent shooting from the field.) Look, its goofy, Plumlee says. You probably did a good job if you got nine. Triple doubles aggregate, but they also aggravate. Earlier this year, when asked by a Reddit user whether there were any stats he found overutilized, ESPN NBA analyst Kirk Goldsberry typed, TRIPLE DOUBLES. They should be banned from the lexicon. Indeed the term can be an overused crutch for broadcast crews and beat writers looking to summarize a players big night. Still, Goldsberry concedes that at least the triple double teaches people about the basic stats of the game, so Im not against it in that regard. And other cynics see value as well. I never thought about it when it was happening; I didnt think that much about it when people started making such a big deal about it and I dont think much about it now, Robertson says. But if fans want to honour players for getting triple doubles, then I think thats wonderful. Ice Cube It Was a Good Day, 1992 OShea Jackson was raised in South Central L.A., right on the Inglewood border, at a house with a backyard court that he and his older brother dubbed the Forum. He was a Lakers diehard, listening and learning as play-by-play man Chick Hearn educated viewers on Magics all-around prowess. So this is where I started to become . . . I wouldnt say obsessed, thats the wrong word, says the rapper known as Ice Cube. But this is where triple doubles got on my radar and became part of my everyday sports talk. Make of the stat what you will, but its cultural impact is undeniable. There is a Triple Double IPA brewed in Portland; a Triple Double Crunchwrap sold at Taco Bell; and a racehorse named Triple Double, who won seven of 29 starts from 2010 to 16. Two years ago, In-N-Out settled an infringement lawsuit with Smashburger concerning the latters Triple Doublehot beef over hot beef, if you will. Triple Double Oreos have been discontinued but endure in spirit thanks to Triple Double Management Inc., registered in California to Earleatha (Cookie) Johnson, Magics wife. Its the Holy Grail of basketball stats, says Kyle Hewlett Jr., co-owner of Triple Double Juice in East Orange, N.J., where employees wear zebra-striped referee shirts, fruit smoothies are served in Spud (16 oz.) and Shaq (20 oz.) sizes, and a mini-museum of hoops memorabilia sits behind the register, featuring a glass-encased basketball autographed by Robertson as Mr. Triple Double. Aside from Magic, its possible that no individual has influenced the spread of the term more than the now 51-year-old Ice Cube, who rhymed trouble with double on the seventh track of his 1992 album, The Predator, and never looked back. I think we both did what we could to popularize the phrase, he says. More people probably talk to me about that line than probably any other Ive had, besides F- the police and Straight outta Compton, crazy motherf- named Ice Cube. People say, Man, come on, stop lying, Cube, who was taking stats during a pickup game? If you a real baller, you take stats in your head. Given his love for the gamelong before he founded the BIG3 league, his crew would kill time between recording sessions at Glendales Echo Sound by playing pickup on a hoop behind the studioIce Cube is a fitting ambassador for one of its most famous terms. He loves its numerical simplicity. If you scored 98 points, its cool, he says. Goddamn, that milestone, that round number. And he loves its lyrical poetry. Its an oxymoron in a way. Kind of like jumbo shrimp. Triple double. . . . Its cool to even say. More than anything, though, he loves what the triple double symbolizeswhy he and so many other musical artists have tapped its power in their lyrics. Its definitely a phrase of excellence and dominance, he says. Or, at the very least, the sign of a really good day.

https://www.thestar.com/sports/si/2021/05/05/do-triple-doubles-matter.html

Can Washington Find 'Franchise QB' in 2022 NFL Draft?

Scouts are already prepping for the Washington Football Team to find the franchise QB in 2022 The Washington Football Team on paper might be the best roster in the NFC East. Bosses Ron Rivera and Martin Mayhew upgraded at near every positional need entering free agency and doubled down in the NFL Draft. One season and four quarterbacks after finishing 7-9, the hope is 2021 can be a resurgent year for WFT and Rivera. Additions like linebacker Jamin Davis, tackle Sam Cosmi and wide receiver Dyami Brown all should expand their roles as their rookie season moves on. Again, on paper, Washington is ready to win. However, media scouts are wary of the status under center with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Whether he does or doesn't, scouts have already pegged WFT to select the hopeful franchise QB in 2022. READ MORE: Rivera Admits Washington Had 'Big Conversation' About QB Trade In NFL Draft In the way-too-early 2022 NFL mock draft, The Athletic's Dane Brugler believes Washington will miss the playoffs, finishing second in the division, but ending up with the No. 10 pick. Staying in range for a top gunslinger, Brugler has Rivera adding Georgia's JT Daniels to the D.C. franchise. "Georgia's inconsistencies last season can be tied to its issues at quarterback. But over the final few games with Daniels as the starter, the Bulldogs looked like a different team. If he continues to make positive strides he could put himself in the top half of Round 1." Daniels, who transferred to Athens following losing out to Kedon Slovis at USC, started in four games for Kirby Smart's staff last season. Of the three signal-callers who played in 2020, Daniels far and away looked to be the most SEC-ready, throwing for 1,231 yards and 10 touchdowns against two interceptions. In the Peach Bowl against Cincinnati, Daniels finished 26-of-38 passing for 392 yards and a touchdown on the way to a 24-21 victory. Expectations are high for Georgia, who will be only team expected to contend for the SEC title that won't be replacing the games most influential position. Quarterback play has been the storyline for schools winning the championship in Atlanta, as evidenced by Mac Jones, Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa. Even if Daniels isn't the selection for WFT Round 1, the inclination is that Rivera and Co. will add a quarterback after the season. Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski has them taking Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder at No. 12. USA Today's Luke Easterling has Slovis from USC landing in Landover at No. 8. PFN's Ian Cummings has Washington going with an upside Carson Strong from Nevada at No. 11 while CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson has Oklahoma's Spencer Rattler heading over at pick No. 8. Yahoo Sports' Derrick Klassen keeps the next face of the franchise close to home with the addition of Liberty's Malik Willis. There's an emphasis on Washington failing to add a quarterback in the draft according to most scouts. Fitzpatrick won't likely get the job done long-term ... and WFT will have to find its next budding star early with a roster ready to win now. No matter the outcome of 2021, WFT will probably need to find its franchise QB. Daniels or elsewhere, it makes sense that it would be the top priority entering next offseason. CONTINUE READING: Rivera: Washington Will Take A Shot At More Veteran NFL Free Agents

https://www.si.com/nfl/washingtonfootball/news/washington-football-team-find-franchise-qb-2022-nfl-draft