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Can real-time bill pay bring more consumers to bank sites?

When Fiserv paid $ 4.4 billion to acquire CheckFree in 2007, ACH-based bill payment through banks web portals was expanding, with 21 of the top 25 banks in the US using CheckFrees services. It happened to be the same year Apple introduced the iPhone, which would gradually undermine bank-based bill payments by enabling consumers to pay bills directly through mobile apps using all types of payments, including cards. Fewer than 25% of consumers now pay bills through their banks websites, down from about 40% more than a decade ago, and the pandemic has only accelerated that shift as more consumers got help simplifying bill payments through third-party providers and fintechs, according to data from Aite Group. The major downfall for bank-based bill pay is most banks inability to deliver real-time payments at a time when cash-strapped consumers who have come to expect streamlined checkouts demand more choices and visibility into their finances. Banks may have optimized online bill payment for mobile devices, but the process still features limited payment choices and uncertain payment settlement times, as compared to the guaranteed experience of making a payment through a billers website or app. Despite limp interest in bank-centered bill payment in recent years, Fiserv is betting on a renaissance in consumer bill payment services when real-time payments become widely available in the US in the next year or two. With real-time bill pay ahead of us, the linkage between the bank, biller and the consumer is converging, said Brad Jones, vice president, product management for bill payment solutions at Fiserv. CheckFree despite its outdated name is still the single leading provider of consumer bill payments, according to Jones. As real-time payments roll out in the US in the next few years in combination with modernized bill-payment management tools, Jones expects Fiserv will see consumers moving bill payment back to banks. One reason is that billers have reached the limit of what they can feasibly offer, according to Jones. Billers simply want to get paid, and theyve set up websites and IVRs to streamline payments, but they dont want to be continuously building up connectivity to every kind of payer system everywhere, he said. Fiserv also sees consumers becoming overwhelmed with complexity as their total number of payments through different channels has expanded in recent years, Jones said. When you put together our routing, our connections to billers, the processes we have already established to consumers with Zelle and our plans to integrate with The Clearing House, FedNow and card rails for real time payments, banks using our service will be in the pole position in the bill payments race, Jones said. Eighteen months ago Fiserv connected its bill payment network to 600 billers, and the company is currently expanding that reach while refining technology for banks to send request-to-pay reminders to customers when each of their recurring bills is due. Our gateway supports every payment rail and as we build it out for real-time payments, well be able to offer bank customers the maximum number of choices in how to pay local, regional and national bills, Jones said. There is still much work and expansion needed before Fiserv can deliver on its vision, but analysts say various players have a fair shot at revitalizing the consumer bill payment experience. The market is due for new bill payment solutions to help banks and billers capitalize on better digital consumer experiences and interactions, said David Albertazzi, research director with Aite Group. One example is BillGO , founded six years ago in Fort Collins, Colo., which offers banks an API-based solution supporting consumer bill payments via checking accounts, payment cards and digital wallets. Huntington Bank last year integrated consumers accounts with BillGO so users can pay bills from a checking account, payment card or digital wallet through a dashboard that helps consumers decide which bills to pay when based on their bank balance. Mastercard Bill Pay Exchange also recently expanded the reach of the bill-payment hub its developing for banks, billers and fintechs by adding Kubra, a biller platform connecting 40% of US households with core billers including utilities, insurance companies and government agencies. Another possibility is a company like Doxo, founded in Seattle in 2008. It sees neither the bank nor the biller as the hub for bill payments. Weve unlocked bill payment from any individual biller or bank, because thats how consumers are living and shopping they want control and choices, said Steve Shivers, CEO of Doxo. Doxo last month eliminated all but a handful of transaction fees it charges on certain card payments. Consumers who sign up with Doxo share their various preferred payment credentials and account details once, along with information about their bills. Doxo has connections to 100,000 billers for payments via ACH, cards and Apple Pay. Consumers got used to the e-commerce checkout experience and they want the same range of choices for bill payments, especially when theyre under financial pressure, Shivers said. A year ago Doxo integrated with data-aggregator Plaid to streamline onboarding, enabling a seamless process for customers to share account details with 11,000 participating banks and credit unions. Shivers expects Doxo to continue to grow in the post-pandemic era, and he sees a path for banks to succeed through its expansion. When a consumer signs in to Doxo, their banks name appears on the dashboard, which is another way of extending the banks relationship. Think of it as the consumer seeing their bank brand that much more often, Shivers said.

https://pledgetimes.com/can-real-time-bill-pay-bring-more-consumers-to-bank-sites/

How does the Night.Market work in VALORANT?

Throughout the last decade, cosmetics became the ultimate way to monetize a multiplayer title. They arent a necessity, of course, but it gets quite challenging for players to pass on awesome-looking skins for their guns. Customizing your experience becomes a priority as you spend more time in the game, and you may also lose control of your wallet as you start dipping your toes into the hectic world of cosmetics. Skins will be the most expensive when they first become available and it's possible to follow a budget-friendly route to accumulate more cosmetic items with discounted price tags in the long run. League of Legends offers players skins for their favorite champions with lower prices from time to time and that feature was also implemented to VALORANT around Dec. 2020. Night.Market is basically the VALORANT version of League's your shop. It offers six different cosmetic items at a reduced price. These skins are chosen randomly and you'll have approximately around 32 days to choose which ones you'd like to add to your collection. After that, Night.Market gets removed from the game only to make a comeback during the next major event. How to access Night.Market in VALORANT Whenever Night.Market is available in VALORANT, a dedicated menu icon will appear on the top right corner of the game's main screen. Its logo includes a card that's noticeably shinier than the other menu items. Click on the card icon to access Night.Shop. Once you're inside, you'll need to manually click on all the cards to open and reveal which skins you'll be able to purchase at a discount. The skins featured in the Night.Market are chosen randomly, and you won't be able to reroll any of them. It's a either buy it or leave it situation until Riot Games changes the mechanics, but you're likely to find a skin that you won't be able to pass out on. When Night.Market was first launched, the randomness was slightly out of control since some players were able to get high-value skins while others were left with ones that no one would like to purchase. Coming out of the first iteration of the Night.Market, Riot tinkered with the luck parameters and made sure that no player would leave the Night.Market disappointed. Players who don't own all the Premium Edition skins will at least receive 2 Premium Edition skins in their pools and you also can't receive two skins for the same weapon. With the factors in mind, players should be able to build a decent cosmetics collection over time with discounted prices. Based on the dates of Night. Market's past appearances, it looks like Riot opens the doors of the market every two months. This can change by the event schedule or seasonal holidays, however, meaning it might be a decent idea to keep an eye on VALORANT' social media accounts. Whenever the developer decides to bring back the Night.Market for an event, it usually gets announced via social media channels before the event starts. If you're looking to collect as many skins as possible by paying the lowest price, you'll need to make sure that you don't miss any of the Night.Market appearances. Though there can be discounts on random items throughout the year none will have discounts like the ones in the Night.Market.

https://dotesports.com/valorant/news/how-does-the-night-market-work-in-valorant

Should COVID now be called the Fauci Flu?

Contagious disease outbreaks are named after their place of origin. There are myriad examples Lyme Disease, Ebola, Zika, or Marburg virus, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and so on. Tradition changed with COVID-19, an acronym indicating that this was a co rona vi rus d isease beginning in 20 19 . Naming this virus after its source location, such as the Chinese Coronavirus or Wuhan Flu is now considered racist, xenophobic, white supremacist, or any other novel woke-ism adjective. Perhaps a new name for COVID virus is in order. The past weeks have rubbed some of the glitter off Fabulous Fauci, the god of all things COVID. Dr Anthony Fauci has been the face of Americas COVID response, the all-knowing, all-powerful savior of civilization. For the past year, he has graced magazine covers, was nominated as one of the sexiest men alive, and has been a fixture at then President Trumps daily press briefings and cable news shows. YouTube screen grab Lately, he is not looking so fabulous, with other adjectives coming to mind such as incompetent, corrupt, conniving, and dishonest. His upcoming book, Expect the Unexpected may be more prescient than he realized when writing the book. The remainder of the book title, Ten Lessons on Truth, Service, and the Way Forward is also ironic. We are learning that COVID truth can shift as easily as mask mandates. A trove of Dr Faucis old emails has been released under a Freedom of Information request. Zero Hedge provides a quick summary. Start with an email from Peter Daszak, President of EcoHealth Alliance, the group alleged to be funding gain of function research at the Wuhan virology lab, which was in turn funded by the NIH under Dr Faucis directives. The original cover story was that the coronavirus emerged naturally from a Chinese wet market. Dr Fauci played ball and pushed the animal origin explanation rather than a lab leak, inadvertent or intentional, as the point of origin. Daszak thanked Dr Fauci in an email, I just wanted to say a personal thank you on behalf of our staff and collaborators, for publicly standing up and stating that the scientific evidence supports a natural origin for COVID-19 from a bat-to-human spillover, not a lab release from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Daszak admitted to manipulating coronaviruses, as in gain of function research. This is the same manipulation that Dr Fauci adamantly denied to Senator Rand Paul at a recent Senate hearing. Fauci may not have personally written a check to the Wuhan lab, but his agency gave money to an organization that in turn wrote the check. Dr Fauci was just parsing words, in the mold of Bill Clinton arguing over what the meaning of is is. A researcher at the Scripps Research Institute emailed Dr Fauci in January 2020, when few had any inkling of what was ahead, acknowledging of this novel virus that some of the features (potentially) look engineered. Fauci knew and said nothing, allowing Democrats and the media to label the laboratory origin of the virus as kooky conspiracy theory from President Trump and his supporters, undermining his every pronouncement regarding the pandemic. If lab origin was nonsense, by that logic so was hydroxychloroquine and other therapeutics, potential vaccines, and anything else Trump said or did. Speaking of hydroxy, a physicist sent Dr Fauci an email in March 2020 recommending this as a potential therapeutic. Fauci didnt answer him and instead poo-pooed Trumps suggestion of hydroxy as potentially useful, staying mum as cranks like Fox Newss Neal Cavuto warned that this 60-year-old drug was lethal. Perhaps Dr Fauci was too busy emailing back and forth with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, collaborating on a social media propaganda public health campaign which turned into censorship and deplatforming for any dissenting views. Or he was too busy writing his book, undoubtedly with a large advance, as payment for services rendered against President Trump. Dr Faucis virus origin coverup gave the WHO and CDC an excuse to not press the Chinese to allow infectious disease experts to visit and investigate the lab, leaving the Chinese government to shape the narrative, destroy incriminating evidence, and escape any responsibility or accountability. Also covered up, now known through the email release, is Dr Fauci overestimating COVID mortality by a factor of 10. This number drove lockdowns, school and business closures, wrecking the US economy and the lives of so many Americans. Dr Fauci also downplayed masks privately while pushing them publicly, from none to one to two then back to one. In February 2020 he admitted in an email, Masks are really for infected people to prevent them from spreading infection to people who are not infected rather than protecting uninfected people from acquiring infection. The typical mask you buy in the drug store is not really effective in keeping out virus, which is small enough to pass through material. It might, however, provide some slight benefit in keep out gross droplets if someone coughs or sneezes on you. Privately he acknowledged what was well known in public health, but publicly he terrorized the US population to the point that fully vaccinated Americans are now afraid to leave their house without two masks and goggles. Asymptomatic spread, rare in viral illnesses, was another one of Dr Faucis pronouncements, leading to countless bankrupted businesses and restaurants, closed schools, and distancing rules. Dr Fauci and the insiders knew the truth but chose not to be forthcoming and share it with the people. Instead, they used it as fear porn, hollering about ventilator and ICU bed shortages, leading some governors to send infected patients into nursing home killing fields. One might borrow a popular Democrat phrase from the Bush era, Fauci lied, people died. Such asymptomatic spread was the basis of mail-in voting, and we all know how that turned out. How convenient. We will learn more in the days ahead and may find that Dr Faucis public pronouncements were far different than what he privately believed and expressed. According to Rasmussen Reports, 68% of likely US voters believe the Fauci Flu originated in a Chinese lab. One can infer that two-thirds of Americans dont buy what the government is selling, the narrative from Dr Fauci and others. If COVID had been treated as any other viral pandemic, without the crushing mandates and regulations which destroyed the US economy and many peoples lives, life in America today might be far different. What better way to memorialize Dr Faucis role in this pandemic than by renaming the virus the Fauci Flu. Brian C Joondeph, MD, is a physician and writer. He is on sabbatical from social media. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/06/should_covid_now_be_called_the_fauci_flu.html

What Happened to MasterChef Junior's Ben Watkins? How Did Ben Watkins Die?

MasterChef is not just a reality television show; it is a global phenomenon dedicated to finding the best culinary talents through various iterations of the show across the globe. One of the more popular iterations is MasterChef Junior, the American version of the original British cookery show Junior MasterChef. Young kids with an innate knowledge of food and cooking skills compete against each other, going through the various challenging rounds of the competition to be ultimately crowned the winner. Every single kid to grace the MasterChef Junior has their own special traits, quirks, and talents that leave a lasting impression on not just the judges but also the audiences. However, one such bright culinary talent, Ben Watkins, who competed in the shows sixth season, is no longer with us. Heres what happened to him and how he was honored by the MasterChef family. In the sixth season of MasterChef Junior, a then ten-year-old Ben Watkins hailing from Gary, Indiana, was among the top 40 junior chefs selected for the competition. Ben was put in the second group of 20 junior chefs, and in the second episode, failed to earn a spot in the top 24 after the first challenge. However, he wasnt eliminated and took part in the second challenge. After winning over the judges with his signature dish (chocolate cake with mango simple syrup), Ben earned the coveted apron that marked his entry into the top 24. In the third episode, the contestants faced one of the hardest challenges in the competition, the Mystery Box challenge. After the round, Ben finished in the bottom six. In the following episode, Ben finished in the bottom four but was saved from elimination by the judges. After a poor performance in that weeks challenge in the fifth episode, Ben found himself in the bottom three and was eliminated. Outside of showcasing his talents on the series, Ben also worked at his fathers restaurant Big Bens Bodacious Barbecue & Deli, where he honed his skills in the kitchen while also working at the counter. While Bens journey on the show was short-lived, he impressed everyone with his talent, compassion, wit, and never-say-die attitude. After appearing on the show, Ben was diagnosed with a rare form of tissue cancer known as Angiomatoid Fibrous Histiocytoma. After a long, arduous, and valiant battle with cancer, Ben sadly passed away on November 16, 2020, at the tender age of 14. Shortly after filming for the show, Ben had lost both his parents in 2017. His maternal grandmother and uncle shared the heartbreaking news of his tragic passing through Facebook. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey, who judged Ben during his time on MasterChef Junior, shared a touching tribute to the young man through his official Twitter handle. The premiere episode of the shows eleventh season (known as MasterChef: Legends) that aired on June 2, 2021, also paid tribute to Ben and was dedicated to his memory. Ben leaves a legacy of determination and persistence behind that will certainly inspire many people to enjoy life to the fullest despite the various hardships they may face along the way. We hope wherever Ben is, he rests in peace and knows that he is loved and adored by many people worldwide.

https://thecinemaholic.com/what-happened-to-masterchef-juniors-ben-watkins-how-did-he-die/

Who is Jack Wright and how old is he?

JACK Wright is a dancer and entertainer on TikTok who is a collective member of the Hype House. Wright was recently embroiled in a sexual assault controversy with his ex-girlfriend Sienna Mae Gomez. Jack Wright is a TikTok star who has amassed 8million followers on the app. Before his TikTok fame, Wright was a pole vaulter who participated in track and field at Great Oak High School. He has made a number of videos with fellow Hype House personalities such as Addison Rae and Charli D'Amelio. He has a twin brother named James. The pair are both 17-years-old. Wright is the ex-boyfriend of TikTok star Sienna Mae Gomez. According to a YouTube video published by Gomez, the couple dated for nine months. They were fan favorites in the Hype House, often seen filming content together and and kissing and hugging in Instagram posts. Gomez and Wright were both announced as stars of a Netflix series documenting the Hype House alongside other stars like Nikita Dragun and Chase "Lil Huddy" Hudson. A friend of Wright's accused Gomez of sexually assaulting her former partner on Twitter. Mason Rizzo, who has 184,000 TikTok followers, posted a screenshot of a Notes app page with a statement accusing Gomez of sexual misconduct, along with claims that she was verbally abusive. 3 Sienna Gomez is a part of the TikTok Hype House Credit: Getty The tweet was later quote-tweeted by Jack's twin brother, James, saying, "this is why 'I couldn't just let it go and stay out of it.'" The statement was shared across gossip pages like @tiktokroom and Def Noodles. Both Rizzo and James deleted their tweets. Rizzo then tweeted a statement that he, the Wright family and Gomez family would be handling the situation off of social media. "I unequivocally deny the allegations that I sexually assaulted Jack Wright," Gomez stated in a video shared with her 15 million followers on TikTok and 2.6 million followers on Instagram. "Friends fight and relationships sometimes change, but allegations of a criminal act are not to be thrown around loosely," the statement read. "Making an untrue sexual assault claim is never okay. I'm beyond saddened by this situation. In order for us to all move forward, I will be taking this offline with Jack. Thank you to all who have reached out with love and concern." 3 Larray, Meridith Rojas and Sienna Mae Gomez Credit: Getty A spokesperson for Gomez denied all allegations against her in an email to Business Insider. "Clearly there are issues causing him pain right now in his personal life," the statement said, referring to Wright. Most read in Entertainment Exclusive HORRIFIC CLAIMS Kardashian pal Joe Francis arrested on suspicion of vicious attack on woman Exclusive CRAY-Z AT JAY-Z Mariah Carey sensationally quits Jay-Z's management firm after huge fight BY THE SEA Kylie Jenner shows off major underboob as she pops out of tiny top BELL'S BUSTED Drake & Josh star Drake Bell 'charged with endangering children' 'THIS IS GROSS' Teen Mom Farrah called 'disgusting' after Sophia poses with pregnancy test 'IT'S BEEN AN HONOR' The reason Britta Merwin is leaving Channel 2 Wright has yet to make any public statements about the accusations. Gomez went on to deny the allegations twice more in a YouTube video and went into further detail about her relationship with Wright, who is also 17. She claimed she felt as though their relationship was "transactional" and that she "wasn't important to him" when she "wasn't around for the TikTok kiss or the TikTok video."

https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/3019423/jack-wright-hype-house-tiktok-sienna-mae-gomez/

What are The Conjuring movies in order?

THE CONJURING was a hit almost from the minute it dropped in theaters. And now, a new Conjuring film is set to drop. The Conjuring The Conjuring is a 2013 film starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren. The Warrens were paranormal investigators and authors who investigated paranormal events. The Conjuring was based in part on The Amityville Horror Massacre and the subsequent film franchise. It had a $20million budget, and grossed more than $300million. 4 Original film poster Annabelle Annabelle is a 2014 film that was part of The Conjuring franchise. It's considered a prequel to the 2013 The Conjuring film. It was inspired by the Annabelle doll story that was told in the original film. It had a $6.5million budget and grossed more than $260million. 4 A popular franchise Credit: AP The Conjuring 2 The Conjuring 2 is a 2016 film that is a sequel to the original 2013 film. As with the original film, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga starred as Ed and Lorraine Warren. In this case, the Warrens were investigating a case that was based on the Enfield poltergeist. The film had a budget of $40million and netted more than $300million. Annabelle: Creation Annabelle: Creation is a 2017 film that is a prequel to the 2014 film. Stephanie Sigman, Talitha Bateman, Anthony LaPaglia, and Miranda Otto starred in the film. Annabelle: Creation premiered at the LA Film Festival in 2017. The film grossed over $300million worldwide. The Nun The Nun is a 2018 film that is a spin-off to the 2016 The Conjuring 2 film. Demin Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, and Bonnie Aarons all starred in the film. The film grossed almost $400million and was considered the most successful film of the franchise. 4 The Devil Made Me Do It Credit: AP The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is the latest film in The Conjuring franchise. Most read in Entertainment Exclusive HORRIFIC CLAIMS Kardashian pal Joe Francis arrested on suspicion of vicious attack on woman Exclusive CRAY-Z AT JAY-Z Mariah Carey sensationally quits Jay-Z's management firm after huge fight BY THE SEA Kylie Jenner shows off major underboob as she pops out of tiny top BELL'S BUSTED Drake & Josh star Drake Bell 'charged with endangering children' 'THIS IS GROSS' Teen Mom Farrah called 'disgusting' after Sophia poses with pregnancy test 'IT'S BEEN AN HONOR' The reason Britta Merwin is leaving Channel 2 It was originally due to be released in 2020. But it got delayed due to the Covid pandemic. The Conjuring 3, as it is known, will be released on June 4, 2021.

https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/3019447/the-conjuring-films-franchise-timeline/

Will Rob Gronkowski's $54 million extension upset Wes Welker?

Welker certainly has the right to be upset. That said, everyone who plays for the Patriots knows how the club does business. The New England organization, and specifically Bill Belichick, have always handled these situations in a bottom line manner. A lot of us remember all the grumblings when team captain Lawyer Milloy was cut back in 2003. For many, it was the first glimpse of the Belichick way. Since then, the organization has always entered a bottom line of "risk versus reward" with every player this side of Tom Brady. Super Bowl hero Deion Branch went through this when the team told him to go find a trade partner in 2006, because he wasn't going to get paid in New England.

https://www.nfl.com/news/will-rob-gronkowski-s-54-million-extension-upset-wes-welker-09000d5d829ab9d2

Is Serenade Foods tied to Breaded Chicken Salmonella Outbreak?

by Food safety investigators working with Salmonella lawyers at Pritzker Hageman have identified an establishment where breaded chicken products associated with an ongoing Salmonella outbreak were made. People sickened in this outbreak reported eating chicken cordon bleu, chicken with broccoli and cheese, and chicken Kiev they had purchased frozen from grocery stores before they became ill. During an investigation of the outbreak, which includes 17 confirmed cases from six states, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture found the outbreak strain of Salmonella Enteritidis in Kirkwood Chicken Cordon Bleu. Kirkwood is an ALDI store brand but it may not be the only brand associated with this outbreak. Case patients reported eating products sold under a variety of brand names. So its possible that more brands will be identified as the investigation progresses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in its announcement of the outbreak. Despite the test results from Minnesota Ag officials, no recall has been issued. The U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS), the federal agency charged with regulating the nations meat and poultry supply, said the test results alone werent enough to warrant a request for a recall from the company. At this time, the production lots tested in Minnesota are not known to have been purchased by any of the case patients. FSIS has not received any purchase documentation, shopper records, or other traceable information at this time, the agency stated in a Public Health Alert for frozen, stuffed, breaded chicken products. The alert is a general reminder for consumers to handle raw poultry safely. It does not name Kirkwood or the company that makes these products for ALDI. But, because these products are still being sold at ALDI stores, a look at their labels offers a clue. At least some of the Kirkwood brand chicken cordon bleu items currently for sale at ALDI stores in Minnesota were produced at Serenade Foods in Milford, IN. These products bear the USDA establishment identification number associated with Serenade Foods on their labels. Its possible that ALDI has contracts with a number of companies to produce stuffed, breaded chicken products under the Kirkwood brand name and that some of those products are not associated with this outbreak. But Back in 2006, Kirkwood stuffed, breaded chicken products were made by Serenade Foods. And they were recalled in connection with a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak that also included products made by Aspen Foods of Chicago. That Salmonella outbreak sickened 29 people in Minnesota and Michigan. Nine years later, when Kirkwood stuffed, breaded chicken products were being made by Aspen Foods, they were recalled in connection with another Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak. That outbreak sickened five people in Minnesota, two of whom were hospitalized. In addition to Kirkwood, the stuffed, breaded chicken recall included the brand names Acclaim, Antioch Farms, Buckley Farms, Centrella Signature, Chestnut Farms, Family Favorites, Koch Foods, Market Day, Oven Cravers, Rose, Rosebud Farm, Roundys, Safeway Kitchens, Schwans, Shaners, Spartan and Sysco. A number of stores sold those products including ALDI, Food Lion, Kroger, Safeway, Save-a-Lot, and Walmart. Symptoms of a Salmonella infection usually develop within six to 72 hours of eating contaminated food. They include fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. This outbreak has a hospitalization rate that is three times the average. This indicates that patients are suffering from severe infections. Symptoms of a severe Salmonella infection include: Bloody diarrhea Diarrhea lasting more than three days that is not improving Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102F Vomiting so much you cant keep liquids down Signs of dehydration, such as decreased urination, dry mouth, feeling dizzy when standing up If you have eaten a Kirkwood chicken cordon bleu or other stuffed, breaded chicken entre and develop any of those symptoms, see a doctor right away. The people sickened in this outbreak, who range in age from 3 to 83 years old, first experienced symptoms of a Salmonella infection on dates ranging from February 21, 2021, to May 7, 2021. The number of cases reported from each state so far is Arizona (1), Illinois (6), Indiana (3), Michigan (1), Minnesota (4), and New York (2).

https://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2021/is-serenade-foods-tied-to-breaded-chicken-salmonella-outbreak/

How much money do Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul make from their boxing match?

During his career, Floyd Mayweather changed his nickname from Pretty Boy (used in its early years) to Money. It was not a coincidence and it is that everything the former world boxing champion touches makes him oror. He did it when he was active (he became a world champion in five different divisions and was considered the best pound for pound for years), when he returned to fight Conor McGregor (it is estimated that he made 100 million dollars and set the best undefeated record of the history of boxing: 50-0), in an exhibition in Japan (he won nine million for 138 of lawsuit) and he has repeated it for his duel, also of a playful nature, against Logan Paul this Sunday in Miami. As the fight is for exhibition there will be no official bags (when they are professional combat the Commissions of each state publish the bags of each fighter) and you have to heed the rumors and the words of the protagonists. In Mayweathers case, it was he himself who gave a figure. Money hopes that the duel against the Youtuber will generate him 100 million dollars, a figure much higher than what could enter a normal combat. Floyd claimed that fighting a twelve-round world top le could bring in 35 million dollars. The difference is remarkable and that is why it justifies this show. For his part, much less is known about Logan Paul. The Youtuber, according to different sources in the United States, could take around 20 million dollars for the duel. Obviously, compared to what Mayweather will pocket it is little, but it is much more than the vast majority of active fighters can get for a fight. Additionally, his brother Jake is estimated to have earned $ 690,000 for facing Ben Askren in a professional lawsuit in April. The difference is remarkable.

https://pledgetimes.com/how-much-money-do-floyd-mayweather-and-logan-paul-make-from-their-boxing-match/

Was ist die richtige Spieltaktik auf dem Tenniscourt?

Im Tennis verliere man nicht mit seinen Schwchen, man gewinne mit seinen Strken, sagt Heinz Gnthardt. Das kann auch Amateuren helfen. Marc Leutenegger 04.06.2021, 22.24 Uhr Auch im Doppel gilt: Man muss mit dem spielen, was man selbst gut kann. William Perugini / Deepol / Plainpicture Wer wettkampfmssig Tennis gespielt hat, kennt den Moment, in dem ein Spiel verloren geht: Der Gegner hat ein beschrnktes Repertoire, spielt uniform, phantasielos und macht doch die wichtigen Punkte. Es ist zum Verrcktwerden! Der rger und das Gegenber haben sich im Kopf festgesetzt, man verliert den Faden, nimmt deshalb viel Risiko. Die Blle fliegen reihenweise ins Aus. Das Spiel zieht vorbei. Selbst Profis sind dagegen nicht gefeit. Fr den ehemaligen Profispieler und TV-Experten Heinz Gnthardt gibt es dafr nebst der Tagesform vor allem zwei Grnde. Erstens spielt beim Tennis die Psyche mit; um zu gewinnen, braucht es ein intaktes Selbstvertrauen. Zweitens ist Tennis ein taktisches Spiel. Beides fhrt laut Gnthardt zum selben Schluss: Man muss mit dem spielen, was man selbst gut kann, und den anderen nicht mit dem spielen lassen, was er oder sie gut kann. Prferenzen und Potenzial Fr Gnthardt, der nebst seinen Einstzen als Kommentator beim Schweizer Fernsehen seit einem knappen Jahrzehnt das Schweizer Nationalteam der Frauen trainiert, setzt die Suche nach einer erfolgreichen Taktik immer bei den Spielerinnen und Spielern an. Bin ich schnell, bin ich geduldig, wo habe ich am meisten Potenzial? Die eigenen Prferenzen kennen und danach spielen, das ist sein Kardinalsrezept. Steffi Graf, die in den neunziger Jahren von Gnthardt trainiert wurde, hatte die damals beste Vorhand auf der Damentour. Und die wusste sie einzusetzen. Versuchte jemand, sie in der Rckhand-Ecke festzusetzen, spielte Graf einen kurzen Cross-Slice mit Winkel, blieb auf der Rckhandseite stehen und schloss mit dem Vorhand-Winner ab. Immer dasselbe Muster, gegen das kaum ein Kraut gewachsen war. Schon im Training sollte man auf Strken statt Schwchen fokussieren, rt Gnthardt. Ob Amateurin oder Profi, alle haben eine beschrnkte Anzahl Stunden zur Verfgung, um sich zu verbessern. Was oft passiert, ist, dass die Leute sich zu sehr auf ihre Defizite konzentrieren. Dabei bringt es viel mehr, wenn man eine starke Vorhand um fnf Prozent verbessert als eine schwache Rckhand. Auch das Selbstvertrauen spielt eine Rolle spielt man zu oft, was man nicht kann, verliert man dieses. Die Philosophie Gnthardts ist eine Absage an die Idee, dass das Schlagrepertoire mglichst komplett sein muss. Vieles im Tennis ist komplementr. Pete Sampras zum Beispiel hatte eine schlechte Rckhand, aber mit die beste Vorhand aus dem Lauf berhaupt. Er stellte sich darum versetzt auf, liess die Vorhandseite weit offen und kam so hufiger zum Vorhandspielen. Der Schweizer Marc Rosset hatte eine katastrophal unstete Rckhand, aber einen Aufschlag und eine Vorhand wie eine Guillotine. Selbst Roger Federer, einer der komplettesten Spieler der Geschichte, steht immer etwas versetzt und muss so fast nie aus vollem Lauf Rckhand spielen, was ihm nicht so behagt. Fr Gnthardt gibt es einen Satz, der seine Philosophie auf den Punkt bringt, gesagt vom Australier Ken Rosewall, der einen der besten Rckhand-Slices besass. Von der Presse gefragt, warum er nicht auch einmal eine Backhand mit Topspin gespielt habe, sagte Rosewall: Because I never needed one. Ein erfolgreicher Game-Plan baut darauf, auf die Strken der Gegenber eine Antwort zu finden, die einen selbst mit seinen besten Schlgen ins Spiel bringt wobei gerade im Amateursport eine einzige Antwort oft gengt. So etwa, wenn man es mit einem Moonballer zu tun hat, jener Spezies, die Tennis als Ermdungsbung betreibt und nichts anderes als hohe, langsame und mit Spin versehene Blle zurckschlgt, meist auf die Rckhandseite. Hier genge ein guter, trockener Rckhand-Slice, um das Spiel zu drcken, sagt Gnthardt. Da will ich sehen, wer den noch moonballen kann. Auch ein Vorhand-Volley aus dem Halbfeld oder Serve and Volley wren probate Mittel. Fhlen, nicht denken Gnthardt empfiehlt, immer den Gegner und das Spiel zu lesen, nicht die Statistik. So hlt er es auch als Kommentator am Fernsehen. Die Zahlen dienten ihm als Anschauungsmaterial fr das, was er beobachtet habe, sagt er. Die datengesttzte Analyse sei trgerisch. Man muss Tennis nicht denken, sondern fhlen. Statistik schaut rckwrts, aber jeder Punkt fngt von vorne an. Wie in jeder Ballsportart spielten zudem Psychologie und Zuflle eine wichtige Rolle. Wie sonst sei ein Resultat wie 6:1, 1:6, 6:1 erklrbar, fragt Gnthardt rhetorisch. Diese Unvorhersagbarkeit ist doch gerade das Schne, darum berlebt das Spiel. Diese Produkte braucht der Tennis-Nerd Sensortechnik. Wer sein Tennis quantitativ analysieren mchte, findet ein grosses Angebot an Sensoren. Es gibt Lsungen frs Handgelenk, den Schlgerkopf oder den Griff. Allen gemein ist, dass die Daten via App mehr oder weniger aussagekrftig ausgewertet werden. Eine Pionierin in diesem Feld ist Babolat. Der Hersteller hat heute nicht nur ein Sensorarmband im Angebot, sondern mit dem Play Pure Drive fr rund 250 Franken auch eine voll integrierte Lsung den intelligenten Tennisschlger sozusagen. Taschenradar. Wer sich diese Frage schon gestellt hat, ist ein Kandidat fr einen Handradar. Produkte gibt es einige im Handel, wenn auch in unterschiedlicher Qualitt. Gute Bewertungen unter den mit rund 300 Franken noch bezahlbaren Gerten erhlt der Ball Coach von Pocket Radar, der auch im Baseball zum Einsatz kommt. Das Gert ist etwa so gross wie eine Heizungsfernsteuerung und hnlich elegant, es kann von Zuschauenden in der Hand gehalten oder auf ein Stativ montiert werden. Ballsammler. Er sieht aus wie ein Rasenmher-Roboter und sammelt Filzblle: Die Idee hinter Tennibot, dem Ballsammel-Roboter, ist bestechend vor allem fr Tennislehrpersonen sowie Schlerinnen und Schler, die das Auflesen eines Einkaufskorbs voller Blle nach Aufschlagbungen satthaben. Das via Kickstarter finanzierte Produkt ist noch in einem frhen Lebensstadium und im Direktvertrieb mit umgerechnet rund 800 Franken nicht gnstig. Aber: Man spart sich das Bcken. (Marc Leutenegger)

https://nzzas.nzz.ch/amp/sport/was-ist-die-richtige-spieltaktik-auf-dem-tenniscourt-ld.1628860

Is Texas sending out checks to drivers without DUIs?

If you come across a post like that, it is a good idea to report it to the Texas Attorney Generals Office. A post claiming that the DMV is sending checks to drivers with no DUIs making its rounds on social media. Some of you asked the Verify team to find out if the claim is true. The Facebook post shows a guy holding up a check for $610. The caption reads, Im so grateful for my neighbor (who works for the DMV) who told me about this! Drivers born before 1975 with no DUIs are getting up to $610 back in savings. I simply entered my zip and got $610 back, just for having a good record. The post includes a link to check for eligibility. Lori asked the Verify team, Is (the) DMV sending out checks to people without DUIs? The state DMV wrote the Verify team, The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is not the agency in Texas that maintains drivers records, including traffic citation and arrest records, and has no involvement in this matter. In Texas, the DPS oversees those records. That agency tells the Verify team, The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) does not have such a program. So, we can Verify, the claim is false.

https://www.khou.com/article/news/verify/post-claiming-the-dmv-is-sending-people-money-for-not-having-a-dui-is-false/285-62c23f1c-59b1-487d-8a0d-06b13bb387e7

How to safely cash out large amounts of bitcoin?

Amidst this tough time, people are turning towards various other sources of earning income. The majority of people are turning towards the stock market. Nowadays due to volatility in the market and lack of money rolling in the market, people are now turning towards the crypto market i.e., trading in cryptocurrency. These days Bitcoin is one of the most popular cryptocurrencies. So go and check out more information on Bitcoins! There are various methods you can use in order to generate income through cryptocurrency. All of these methods are not some magical lamp which on rubbing will give you profits. You can earn using these methods along with your own knowledge about the crypto market. 1. Mining Miners utilize sophisticated computers to solve complex mathematical problems in this process. They are rewarded with newly created BTC when they crack the code. Its essentially a contest to see who can solve the block the fastest, and the most fortunate ones reap the benefits. In a former time when cryptocurrency was evolving, miners were able to mine a large amount of data using their home computers. But now as the crypto market is getting complex and due to security issues, the process is not that easy to be solved from computers. 2. Buying and Holding When an individual buys a strong cryptocurrency that has substantial potential and decides to hold on to them with anticipation of a rise in its price, the whole process is called holding. And once the price reaches the level of expectations you can sell the bought currency and score some profits. 3. Trading In the same way that stock trading involves buying and selling tokens/coins for profit, crypto trading does as well. You can purchase cryptocurrency on a variety of exchanges. Then you have the option of keeping them or selling them as soon as the price rises. If you wish to make a lot of money by selling and buying cryptocurrencies on that same day can use day-trading. You buy a cryptocurrency, wait for it to appreciate in value, and then sell for a profit. 4. Use of Affiliate marketing Affiliate marketing is used by many businesses to gain new customers. If you are excited to learn more about this way, click here and explore affiliate marketing. Customers are encouraged to refer their friends and family to the company via this type of marketing and in return are incentivized depending on the number of people they influenced to join the system. These types of incentives can be found all over the market, but they are not all the same. All of this is just the tip of the iceberg, due to the increase in the users in the crypto market, there have emerged a number of ways you can earn and make a living using cryptocurrency. Dealing with cryptocurrency is a slippery road, one wrong step and you can get into trouble or face loss. You can buy a large amount of cryptocurrency but may face issues figuring out how to cash out the purchased currency. One of the major problems in cashing out large amounts is that the transaction may exceed the daily cash limit set by the various exchanges, which may attract the attention of the regulators as the crypto market is alleged to be used in money laundering. It may land an individual in unwanted trouble. To counter this particular problem of huge bitcoin withdrawal, the market has developed (OTC) over-the-counter services which aid the big investors and organizations to carry out transactions. An over-the-counter transaction occurs when a private buyer and seller are connected by an intermediary to enable an exchange. The intermediate acts as a trustworthy middleman, receiving the cash and Bitcoin first to ensure that neither party is taken advantage of. The middleman arranges the transaction after collecting deposits from both sides. The broker or the middleman is obliged to not disclose the identity of either party or share any details of the transaction with anyone. As the transaction happens directly between two-party withdrawal restrictions do not apply. In OTC theres a need to have an OTC broker to regulate the transaction. If you do not wish to have a broker in between then theres an option in the OTC transaction where you could sell the bitcoins to someone they trust. For example- a business partner or any other person whom you trust. In this process, as the receiving party is trustworthy, you do not need a middleman or a broker to conduct the transaction. This process is called peer-to-peer cash-out. Another possible way to cash out a substantial amount of bitcoin is via exchange platforms like Coinbase. This is one of the most customary methods adopted by people to sell or convert their bitcoin into fiat currency. All you have to do is to make an account on one of these platforms and start transferring your funds. Transactions on these websites are easy and secured but it charges some transactional fee in each transaction carried out by the individual. Platforms like Coinbase is good for the exchange of a small amount of bitcoin but you can cash out large quantity as well, all you need to do is upgrade to Coinbase pro and then you can trade all the bitcoin for the fiat currency. A Bitcoin ATM is another method for cashing out big quantities of Bitcoin. These payment processors, similar to a traditional ATM, allow users to sell their cryptocurrency for cash. Bitcoin ATMs are a great option to buy bitcoin but when it comes to selling they usually have some daily transaction limit. The limit of a daily transaction differs based on a myriad of factors that you must check out. Conclusion This wraps it up on what is the crypto market, what are its benefits, how to use it to earn money, and how to convert cryptocurrency into cash. Before getting into the waters of the crypto market you must be thorough with its research and must remember it may seem easy and rosy but one wrong step will cost you a fortune. However, if you are eager to learn more about alternate methods like crude oil trading, check coinrevolution.com/oil-profit-review-2021-legit-or-fake and explore the various benefits of crude oil trading. There are thousands of possibilities if you know where to look!

https://www.pensacolavoice.com/safely-cash-out-large-amounts-of-bitcoin/

Are Stablecoins the next evolution of the crypto market for consumers?

Indias central bank restated its hesitation when it comes to digital currency on the heels of informing financial institutions that they should set aside a 2018 ban on trading, Bloomberg reported on Friday (June 4). The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently told lenders not to cite a 2018 circular from the central bank as a rationale to prevent digital currency trades. A court had since struck down the order. There is no change in RBIs position, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said to the media, as per Bloomberg. We have major concerns around cryptocurrency, which we have conveyed to the government.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2264553438594/are-stablecoins-the-next-evolution-of-the-crypto-market-for-consumers

Is The Conjuring 3 End Of Lorraine And Ed For Series?

After defeating the witchy Lola, the Warrens join Arne Johnson in court and just before the credits we learn that he was charged with manslaughter. The Warrens themselves get an exceedingly happy ending and one that doesn't seem to hint at more supernatural occurrences. In fact, it's a full circle romantic finish that could easily be the cinematic Warrens' happily ever after. Throughout the film we see flashbacks to the pair's first date. As they walked together down the street it began to rain and they hid under a gazebo where they shared their first kiss. As the movie ends we see that Ed has now built Lorraine a gazebo at their home, replicating the first place they ever kissed. After Ed's brush with death and the way their love once again defeated evil, it feels like a natural place to finish their story, especially as this was arguably the real pair's last truly high profile case.

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2021/06/10503985/the-conjuring-3-devil-made-me-do-it-the-ending-explained?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss

Can Arizona meet President Bidens goal of vaccinating 70% of the population?

PHOENIX The states top public health director says Arizona might be one of the states that will help reach President Joe Bidens goal of vaccinating 70% of Americans by July 4. President Biden is launching a "Month of Action" to increase vaccination rates across the country, but here in Arizona if vaccination rates continue where they are now, ABC15s data expert says it would take until around October to hit that 70% goal. However, that could quickly change if the demand for vaccines goes up. The Biden administration's "Month of Action" is a series of programs designed to encourage Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the July 4 goal to have 70% of adults partially vaccinated. The administration previewed several of these new programs this week that include incentives like free beer, free childcare and longer pharmacy hours. As of Friday, the number stands at 63% with a month to go. About 136 million or so Americans are considered fully vaccinated. We know that theres a lot of misperceptions out about the vaccine, we know theres a lot of people who are hesitant, and want to see who has taken the vaccine and see how it turns out for them before they get it, said Dr. Cara Christ. Christ emphasized that shed love to hit that 70% goal by July 4, but says her agency will continue to work on increasing vaccination rates regardless. Historically, Arizona has had pockets of vaccine hesitancy even before COVID-19 so I think that set a baseline, said Christ. To increase vaccination rates, ADHS is shifting its vaccine strategy from state-run large vaccination sites to community-focused pop-up events. All state-run vaccination sites are expected to close on or before Monday, June 28, ADHS said. Saturday, June 5, will be the last day that people can receive their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine -- state sites only have Pfizer -- and the last day to schedule their second dose. The state is sharing its latest vaccine schedule at state-run POD locations: Arizona Department of Health Services Along with a focus on pop-up events, Dr. Christ said theyre working to add more providers to the vaccine list. As of right now, there are at least 1,600 providers giving the shots, and that does not include pharmacies.

https://www.abc15.com/news/vaccine-in-arizona/can-arizona-meet-president-bidens-goal-of-vaccinating-70-of-the-population

Why have media outlets been fined more than $1 million for their Pell reporting?

In February, Australian media companies pleaded guilty to contempt of court over their reporting of Cardinal George Pells conviction on sexual abuse charges. On Friday, the Victorian Supreme Court handed out more than A$1 million in fines against 12 media organisations. The most heavily hit were the The Age ($450,000) and news.com.au ($400,000). Other high-profile programs, such as the Today Show also copped fines ($30,000). These heavy fines were meted out despite the fact that the media companies had apologised to the court and had even agreed to pay the prosecutions legal costs. There are many ways the law restricts media freedom in Australia, including laws regarding defamation. But contempt of court, seen here by the medias breaching of a suppression order, is one of the more controversial mechanisms. It is, however, a limitation the courts impose regularly, and take very seriously. Back in December 2018, the court placed a suppression order on the Pell conviction when he was initially found guilty by a jury (his conviction was quashed in April 2020). At the time, various media outlets referred to a trial of great importance and, by implication, a guilty verdict that would have been of great interest to the public. Read more: The jury may be out on the jury system after George Pell's successful appeal The implicit, not explicit, nature of the reporting raises an important point. No Australian media company actually named Pell, but some directed their audiences to international online stories. The Herald Sun published a white headline CENSORED across a black front page, thereby piquing Victorians interest in seeking out international media reports and internet commentary. As the paper reported, The world is reading a very important story that is relevant to Victorians. The point is had any member of the public wanted to find out what the media were talking about, they could have done so. This was to try and ensure a fair trial. At the time of the guilty verdict in December 2018, Pell was also facing a second trial over different charges related to similar alleged conduct. Ultimately, as it happened, the second trial did not proceed after charges against Pell were dropped in February 2019. But the possibility of a second trial was alive at the time of the first trial guilty verdict. There is a principle in law that a jury must decide guilt or innocence on the basis of the evidence before them, and not to allow other evidence (for example, a conviction for a similar crime) to taint their deliberations. So it was important a jury in that second trial (had it gone ahead) could not know of the first conviction. Otherwise, it would be breaking the rule against using similar fact evidence. The rules are clear Suppression orders are a significant limitation on the freedom of the press to report what happens in our criminal courts, but they exist to guarantee that people who come before the courts get a fair trial. Contempt of court is a serious offence and can result in jail time. Indeed, journalists have been jailed in the past for similar indiscretions. However, no action was ultimately pursued against individuals here. The court determined the appropriate penalty was for fines to be imposed on media organisations. Read more: When a fair trial could be at risk, suppression is the order of the day In contempt matters, the amount of any fine is open-ended and, in this case, we see very heavy penalties. This is because Justice John Dixon took a dim view of what he surmised were the motives of the media corporations. He said The Age and news.com.au articles especially constituted a blatant and wilful defiance of the courts authority [] each took a deliberate risk by intentionally advancing a collateral attack on the role of suppression orders in Victorias criminal justice system. In his view the timing of the media apology made contemporaneously with the contempt guilty plea did not demonstrate any significant degree of remorse and contrition. The judge added media companies had not only usurped the function of the court, but had taken it upon themselves to decide where the balance ought to lie between the cardinals right to a fair trial and the publics right to know about it. While people might debate the politics and huge public interest in the Pell case, the law is clear that balance is a matter for the courts and the courts alone to determine.

https://theconversation.com/why-have-media-outlets-been-fined-more-than-1-million-for-their-pell-reporting-162173

What Has Stood Out During Jets OTAs?

EA: Back at the turn of the century, I remember Herm Edwards taking the reins of the Jets. At that time, the Green & White called Weeb Ewbank Hall home, which was located on the Hofstra University campus in Hempstead, NY. When players flashed during the spring, he'd talk about guys being on the "all-Hofstra team." It was a funny line but impactful because Edwards' point was there was a significant difference between voluntary non-padded workouts and professional football games. Fast forward a couple of decades and first-year Jets' Head Coach Robert Saleh has told his players that no one makes the team in OTAs and everything gets real when the pads come on. There is a lot of learning going on right now as far as verbiage, as the players are absorbing new systems and in many instances working alongside different teammates and figuring out their styles. On the field, Saleh exudes a calm and confidence with both coaches and players alike. He lets his coaches coach and he observes in a calculated manner. He is a towering figure who is a positive presence and doesn't have to speak loudly to command attention. The fire burns, but this is a methodical teacher at heart who exhibits faith in his staff. And something else that has flown under the radar is the differences we are seeing in activation periods as the Jets are excited about Dr. Brad DeWeese and their new athletic care and performance department. And to come full circle, Edwards recently said, "It all starts with the quarterback, once you get that piece in place, you can build the rest of the team." Zach Wilson has impressed early, but he and the Jets know there is a long way to go.

https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/what-has-stood-out-during-jets-otas

Will we spend the Baftas guessing who is a hologram?

Tomorrows Bafta TV awards is set to beam TV stars and fans onto the red carpet as holograms. While nominees including Normal Peoples Paul Mescal, Killing Eve star Jodie Comer, and I Hate Suzies Billie Piper are due to appear in person, the technology has been rolled out for those who may be restricted due to production filming bubbles, as well as to fans who are not allowed to line the red carpet because of social distancing rules. Its certainly a first and a very novel idea. Its not half as creepy as Whitney Houstons posthumous hologram tour, Michael Jacksons performance at the 2014 Billboard Awards in holographic form, or Snoop Dog bringing out the late rapper Tupac Shakur at Coachella in 2012. It doesnt trigger ethical questions, such as reviving a dead persons career but it can pose challenges for those reviewing it.

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editors-letter/bafta-tv-awards-celebrities-hologram-b1858821.html

Why Is There Such Reluctance To Discuss Natural Immunity?

Authored by Jon Sanders via The American Institute for Economic Research, If youre among those of us who arent tribally invested in Covid politics but would like good information about when life will resume as normal, chances are youre interested in herd immunity. Youre likely not interested in having to rely on the Internet Archive for good information on herd immunity. Alas, its become a go-to place for retrieving, as it were, previously published information on herd immunity that became inconvenient post-vaccine and then virtually Memory-Holed. Over the past 15 months, the litany of Experts True Facts and Science regarding various aspects of SARS-CoV-2 has changed more often than the starting lineup of a bad minor league ball club. Covid-19 is spread by droplets, especially from asymptomatic people, until one day it was airborne all along and people who werent sick in all likelihood werent even sick. Stay at home, youre safer indoors, even stay away from parks and beaches; well, actually, outdoors is the place to be. Masks dont work against viruses and are actually unhealthy to wear if youre not sick, then suddenly they did work and without one you might as well be shooting people. Everyone knows and PolitiFact verified that the virus couldnt have been created in the prominent infectious disease lab doing gain-of-function research on coronaviruses in bats coincidentally at Covid Ground Zero until, one day, PolitiFact had to retract the entire Pants on Fire! article. And so forth. Unfortunately, information about herd immunity has also not been immune to this kind of meddling. Until recent months, people readily understood that active immunity came about either by natural immunity or vaccine-induced immunity. Natural immunity comes from battling and defeating an actual infection, then having your immune system primed for the rest of your life to fight it off if it ever shows up again. This immunity is achieved at a sometimes very high personal price. Vaccine-induced immunity is to prime your immune system with a weaker, non-threatening form of the invading infection, so that its ready to fight off the real thing should you ever encounter it, and without your having first to risk severe illness or death. Those interested in herd immunity in itself likely dont have a moral or political preference for one form of immunity to the exclusion of the other. Immunity is immunity, regardless of whether a particular person has it naturally or by a vaccine. All immunity contributes to herd immunity. Others, however, are much less circumspect. They seem to have forgotten the ultimate goal of the public campaign for people to receive vaccination against Covid-19. Its not to be vaccinated; its to have immunity. People with natural immunity i.e., people whose immune systems have faced Covid-19 and won dont need a vaccine. They do, however, need to be considered in any good-faith discussion of herd immunity. There are two prongs to herd immunity, as we used to all know, and those with natural immunity are the prong thats being ignored. Its not just mere oversight, however. Fostering such ignorance can lead to several bad outcomes: People with natural immunity could be kept from employment, education, travel, normal commerce, and who knows what other things if they dont submit to a vaccine they dont need in order to fulfill a head count that confuses a means with the end The nation could already be at herd immunity while governors and health bureaucrats continue to exert extreme emergency powers, harming peoples liberties and livelihoods People already terrified of Covid including especially those whove already had it would continue to live in fear, avoiding human interaction and worrying beyond all reason People could come to distrust even sound advice from experts about important matters, as they witness and grow to expect how what the experts counsel diverges from what they know to be wise counsel while it conforms to and amplifies the temporary needs of the political class Those of us wanting good information certainly dont want any of those outcomes. But others seem perfectly fine to risk them. They include not only elected officials, members of the media, political talking heads, self-important bureaucrats, and their wide-eyed acolytes harassing shoppers, but strangely also highly prominent health organizations. For example, late last year Jeffrey Tucker showed that the World Health Organization (WHO) suddenly, and for reasons unknown, changed its definition of herd immunity. Using screenshots from a cached version on the Internet Archive, Tucker showed how the WHO altered its definition in such a way as to erase completely the role of natural immunity. Before, the WHO rightly said it happens when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through previous infection. The WHOs change stated that it happens if a threshold of vaccination is reached. Not long after Tuckers piece appeared, the WHO restored natural immunity to its definition. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), seemingly apropos of nothing, on May 19 issued a safety communication to warn that FDA-authorized SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests should not be used to evaluate immunity or protection from COVID-19 at any time. The FDAs concern appears to be that taking an antibody test too soon after receiving a vaccination may fail to show vaccine-induced antibodies, but why preclude its use for identifying people with an adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2 from a recent or prior infection? Especially after stating outright that Antibody tests can play an important role in identifying individuals who may have been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and may have developed an adaptive immune response. Then there is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director, Dr. Anthony Fauci, that ubiquitous font of fatuous guidance. He had told people that herd immunity would be at 60 to 70 percent immunity, and then he started publicly cinching those numbers up: 75 percent, 80 percent, 85 percent, even 90 percent (as if Covid-19 were as infectious as measles). He is quoted in the New York Times admitting to doing so deliberately to affect peoples behavior: When polls said only about half of all Americans would take a vaccine, I was saying herd immunity would take 70 to 75 percent, Dr. Fauci said. Then, when newer surveys said 60 percent or more would take it, I thought, I can nudge this up a bit, so I went to 80, 85. Now or better put, as of this writing Fauci has taken to arguing herd immunity is a mystical elusive number, a distracting endgame, and therefore not worth considering. Only vaccinations are worth counting. As he put it recently, We dont want to get too hung up on reaching this endgame of herd immunity because every day that you put 2 million to 3 million vaccinations into people [it] makes society be more and more protected. While composing an article about natural immunity and herd immunity for my home state of North Carolina, I happened to notice that the Mayo Clinic had removed a compelling factoid about natural immunity. Its something I had quoted in an earlier discussion of the matter and wanted to revisit it. Heres what the Mayo Clinic once wanted people to know in its page on Herd Immunity and COVID-19 with respect to natural immunity: [T]hose who survived the 1918 flu (influenza) pandemic were later immune to infection with the H1N1 flu, a subtype of influenza A. The Mayo Clinic pointed out that H1N1 was during the 2009-10 flu season, which would be 92 years later. That finding attested to just how powerful and long-lived natural immunity could be. As can be seen from the Internet Archive, however, sometime after April 14 the Mayo Clinic removed that compelling historical aside: The Mayo Clinic also reoriented its page to feature vaccination over the natural infection method (method?) Whatever the reason, its keeping Americans in the dark about how many people have active immunity from Covid-19. Its keeping people needlessly fearful and suspicious of each other. Its empowering executive overreach. Worst of all, its tempting people to consider government and business restrictions on the unvaccinated, regardless of their actual immunity.

https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/why-there-such-reluctance-discuss-natural-immunity?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+zerohedge%2Ffeed+%28zero+hedge+-+on+a+long+enough+timeline%2C+the+survival+rate+for+everyone+drops+to+zero%29

What can everyone do against hate speech on the net?

ofCindy Boden shut down According to surveys, three out of four Internet users have seen hate speech online. Here are a few tips on what everyone can do about it. Munich Civil courage is not only in demand in the offline world. Because hate speech on the net can only be solved socially. That is why every internet user is called upon to oppose hate speech on the web. Often a few clicks are enough to stand up to hatred. You can find a few options and tips in this article. to get help First of all: Anyone who is confronted with hate speech and is overwhelmed by it should get help as soon as possible. Hate speech can reach dire proportions, so no one should hesitate to ask for assistance. This can first be with friends, family members or confidants with whom you talk about comments or contributions. But there are also advice centers that specialize in hate online. This includes, for example Counseling for those affected by HateAid. Strategies Against Hate Speech: Ignore Since hate speech is now widespread on the Internet, more and more Internet users are coming into contact with it. Anyone who notices a hateful comment does not necessarily react to it publicly. In many cases, the hatred is consciously or unconsciously ignored. Ignoring can sometimes be the right thing to do, especially when people do not have enough time to encounter hate speech or if they see no danger of being the focus of the perpetrators themselves. Depending on the situation, interferers do not receive any greater attention and the aggressive discussion may fizzle out. At the same time, everyone must be aware that, in case of doubt, hatred remains open to everyone. Debates can even end up becoming more aggressive as a result. Strategies against hate speech: Counter-speech This is one of the reasons why numerous initiatives on the Internet call for counter-speech to be pursued. The hatred should not simply stand still without comment, but users are asked to take a stand, show attitude, counter agitation and resist with words. It often helps to counter crude statements by asking the perpetrator directly for evidence and sources, staying factual and introducing sound arguments and new perspectives. The consequence of this backlash: haters no longer get the powerful feeling of acting in the interests of a majority. It becomes clear to the perpetrators, but also to those reading along, that not everyone accepts this behavior and hateful statements. The aim is not primarily to convince the hater, but to make it clear to other users that degradation and generalizations will not be accepted. But it is also clear: Anyone who enters into such discussions as regards content needs a lot of time and energy. There is also the risk of becoming a victim of hate speech yourself, which is why the dangers should be weighed up. Every beginning is difficult, but a short comment such as I dont see it that way can help. And to everyone who quickly reacts stormy: Taking a deep breath before answering can be useful because insulting, thoughtless answers dont help either. It can also be expedient to contact the attacked person and offer help. Counter speech is intended to make it clear to those affected that they are not alone. Strategies against hate speech: use humor Hate comments can also be responded to well with humor in some places. In this way absurd arguments and weak points in the logic can be exposed. The focus goes in a different direction. But beware! Reactions must not be hurtful here either. Even with supposedly funny comments, you should make sure that the jokes are not at the expense of others. In addition, this approach does not necessarily stimulate a factual discussion. The fronts may harden. Memes, GIFs and sayings as a reaction to hate online are available on the Page of the No Hate Speech campaign to download. Strategies against Hate Speech: Report posts Anyone who discovers hate speech in social media can report comments and posts to the network operators. The Network Enforcement Act, or NetzDG for short, obliges Facebook, Twitter and Co. to delete or block hate comments with obviously illegal content within 24 hours of receiving the complaint. Anyone who has the feeling that a report has not been processed properly can do so complain to the Federal Office of Justice. Strategies against hate speech: blocking people Depending on where one encounters hate speech on the net, it is possible to block people who post derogatory, inhuman comments or to delete their contributions. Strategies against Hate Speech: View posts Authors of hate comments may face civil and criminal prosecution. But this requires a report to the police or the public prosecutors office. In a flyer, the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office gives police tips for preserving evidence in order to counter hate online in this way: Save the URL of the hate comment creators content and profile Take a screenshot of the content (if possible with comment history) and of the profile of the hate comment creator record when and by whom the content was first discovered report the person to the network operators find out about steps under civil and criminal law Anyone who is unsure whether a post seen is a criminal offense can also contact offices online that check the content. This includes about internet-beschwerdestelle.de or hass-im-netz.info. Initiatives and other actions against hate speech online There are often hashtag campaigns on the Internet that draw attention to problems. #schauhin, for example, is a hashtag to make everyday racism visible in German-speaking countries. #ichbinhier wants to contribute to a decent culture of debate, for which participants write, among other things, constructive comments under hate postings. In addition, there are numerous initiatives that deal with online hatred. A list of some organizations can be found on the Page from klicksafe. (cibo) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.

https://pledgetimes.com/what-can-everyone-do-against-hate-speech-on-the-net/

When will there be manned trips to Mars?

There is a lot of talk lately about getting humans to Mars, but the main problem is not how to get them, but how to keep them alive there. The point is that there are resources to be used there, but today there is nothing to extract them. The astronauts who go there are going to suffer a lot of consequences regarding radiation, lack of water and the problem of finding a covered place where they can feel like they are on Earth. Mars is about half the size of Earth. It was a planet very similar to ours, it had an atmosphere, liquid water, in fact the entire northern hemisphere was an ocean. That is, it had a lot of water, but being such a small planet, we still do not know very well why and how, the magnetic field vanished, the atmosphere disappeared and the water evaporated, although we believe that some of the water could have gone under the surface, which means that it can have aquifers. But the fact that it has no atmosphere is crucial for life. On Earth there is life thanks to the atmosphere because it protects it from all radiation, solar and cosmic. A person on Mars without radiation protection would die of cancer in a matter of days or less. That is why radiation is the main problem for sending manned trips. Not only there but also during the trip. Since they leave the Earth they will already be exposed to it. The ship that carries them must have space for the crew to feel comfortable and must carry enough water and food. The trip will take advantage of the orbit, so after the nine months of outward travel, it will be necessary to wait about nine or ten months there to take off to return, and then another nine months back. That means a trip of 27 or 28 months, more than two years. A person on Mars without radiation protection would die of cancer in a matter of days or less The return is also very complicated because you will need a ship that can go up and out of there. But there are two big projects studying getting people to Mars. One is the program Artemis, led by NASA, which tries to use the Moon as an intermediate step. The idea of this program is to send the first woman and the next man to the Moon in 2024 and use this trip as practice, see if everything works. And if everything goes as expected, the next target is Mars. In addition to this project in which the European Space Agency, the space agencies of Japan, Canada and Australia and some private companies also participate with NASA, there is another large project that is totally private and that is being developed by the Mars One company. proposes the dispatch of the first four astronauts in 2025 and subsequent arrivals of another four more every two years. The idea of the project is that people sent to Mars will go there without the possibility of returning to Earth. What they think about is colonizing Mars. And the surprising thing is that hundreds of thousands of volunteers turned up for the call to elect the astronauts. But I doubt that this project will succeed because today it has nothing built on Mars. In my opinion, we have at least a decade to go before we can bring humans there and not die trying. It is very important to understand that getting them there is difficult, but it is even more complicated to keep them alive on the planet. What is thought is that the way to do this will be to send ships with supplies before and after the crews arrive. And you also have to find the formula so that they can make the most of the planets own resources. For example, water can be extracted from the minerals that contain it, but for that you need a chemical plant and nothing has been developed yet. But I believe that in the next ten years all this necessary technology will be developed. It must be borne in mind that if as humanity we plan to conquer space, this conquest must necessarily begin with Mars. There is no other planet in the Solar System with conditions that allow it. The rest have much more extreme circumstances. We also know that Mars was a habitable place. Mars is the place. Angelica Angles She is a Ph.D. in Astrobiology, Astrophysics and Planetary Exploration and a researcher at the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Hong Kong. Question sent via email by Antonio Soler Coordination and writing: Victoria Toro We respond is a weekly scientific clinic, sponsored by the Dr. Antoni Esteve Foundation and the program LOral-Unesco For Women in Science, which answers readers questions about science and technology. They are scientists and technologists, partners of AMIT (Association of Women Researchers and Technologists), those that answer those doubts. Send your questions to nosotrasrespondemos@gmail.com or on Twitter #nosotrasrespondemos. You can follow MATTER on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.

https://pledgetimes.com/when-will-there-be-manned-trips-to-mars/

Why does the oxygen level in a corona patient decrease?

A new study has shed light on why many Covid-19 patients, even those who are not in hospital, suffer from a lack of oxygen that can develop and threaten their lives at certain stages of the infection. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Alberta, shows why the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone is an effective treatment for those infected with the virus, according to the Al-Arabiya website. Low blood oxygen levels have been a major problem in COVID-19 patients, said study lead author Shukrullah Elahi, associate professor at the College of Medicine and Dentistry. The reason for this is, we believe, that one of the possible mechanisms may be that Covid-19 affects the production of red blood cells. In the new study, Elahi and his team examined the blood of 128 patients with Covid-19. The patients included those who were in critical condition and admitted to the intensive care unit, those who developed moderate symptoms and were hospitalized, and those who had a mild version of the disease and spent only a few hours in the hospital. The researchers found that as the disease became more severe, immature red blood cells flowed into the circulation, sometimes making up as much as 60 percent of the total cells in the blood. By comparison, immature red blood cells make up less than 1%, or not at all, in a healthy individuals blood. Immature red blood cells are found in the bone marrow and we dont usually see them in the circulatory system, Elahi explained. This indicates that the virus is affecting the source of these cells. As a result, to compensate for the depletion of healthy, immature red blood cells, the body produces significantly more of them in order to provide enough oxygen to the body. The problem is that immature red blood cells do not carry oxygen (only mature red blood cells do). The second issue is that immature red blood cells are highly susceptible to COVID-19 infection. When the virus attacks and destroys immature red blood cells, the body is unable to replace mature red blood cells, which only live for 120 days, and the ability to transport oxygen in the bloodstream is diminished. Researcher Elahi, known for his previous work showing that immature red blood cells make certain cells more susceptible to HIV infection, began investigating whether immature red blood cells contained receptors for SARS-CoV-2. After a series of studies, his team was the first in the world to show that immature red blood cells express the ACE2 receptor and the co-receptor, TMPRSS2, which allowed SARS-CoV-2 to infect them. Working alongside the lab of virologist Lorne Terrell at the University of Albertas Li Ka-Shing Institute of Virology, the team conducted a screening test for infection using immature red blood cells of COVID-19 patients and confirmed that these cells were infected with SARS-CoV-2. . These results are exciting, but they show two important findings, Elahi said. First, immature red blood cells are the cells infected with the virus, and when the virus kills them, it forces the body to try to meet its oxygen supply requirements by pumping out more immature red blood cells from the bone marrow. But that only creates more targets for the virus. Second, immature red blood cells are actually active immunosuppressive cells, they suppress antibody production and T-cell immunity to the virus, making the situation worse. So in this study, we showed that more immature red blood cells means a weaker immune response to the virus. After discovering that immature red blood cells have receptors that allow them to infect the coronavirus, the research team began testing several drugs to see if they could reduce the exposure of immature red blood cells to the virus. We tried the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone, which we knew helped reduce mortality and duration of illness in Covid-19 patients, and we found a significant reduction in the infection of immature red blood cells, Elahi explained. When the team set out to explore the cause of dexamethasones effect, they found two possible mechanisms: First, dexamethasone suppresses the response of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 receptors to SARS-CoV-2 in immature red blood cells, reducing the chances of infection. Second, dexamethasone increases the rate at which immature red blood cells mature, helping the cells to eliminate their nuclei faster. Without the nuclei, the virus has nowhere to multiply.

https://pledgetimes.com/why-does-the-oxygen-level-in-a-corona-patient-decrease/

Why was Washington unable to explain these phenomena?

A report that the US authorities intend to release finds no explanation for some of the unspecified weather phenomena and asserts that they are not related to classified technology of the Ministry of Defense (Pentagon). Officials said that the report, which deals with more than 120 cases of observing mysterious flying objects, does not refer to any element that allows ascertaining whether these objects are compounds from outer space. However, US intelligence was unable to explain some of the movements of these objects, including their ability to increase their speed and change their direction in a sudden way. What is certain, according to these officials, is that in most cases, the matter is not related to a secret US technology that Washington may have refrained from disclosing. The officials noted that US intelligence fears that it is, at least in some cases, experimental technology from anti-US countries, such as Russia or China, that may be testing hypersonic vehicles. Last year, the US Congress ordered the executive branch to brief the public on the activities of the Pentagon unit responsible for studying what has long been termed unidentified flying objects, which has been shrouded in secrecy for decades. The preparation of this report was entrusted to the intelligence service DNI. Officials expected the report to be submitted to Congress on June 25. The report is expected to include an appendix classified under the category of defense secrets, which will also not contain any elements proving the presence of unidentified flying objects, according to what the newspaper quoted the same officials as, which may reinforce speculation in this regard. Last year, the Pentagon released videos filmed by US Navy pilots showing what appeared to be UFOs in flight. The military no longer classifies them as unidentified flying objects but rather as unidentified flying phenomena.

https://pledgetimes.com/why-was-washington-unable-to-explain-these-phenomena/

Will Britain lift Corona restrictions despite a new outbreak?

The rate of infection with the emerging coronavirus in England nearly doubled in the last week of last May, as the mutated strain Delta became more widespread, raising concerns about the countrys plans to lift restrictions. The restrictions imposed to combat the outbreak of Covid-19 disease in England are scheduled to be lifted on June 21. But the rapid spread of the Delta strain, which appeared in India for the first time and is believed to be faster than others, now threatens this decision. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday he would need to be careful about lifting restrictions. But there is nothing in the current data that calls for delaying this. The Office for National Statistics said an estimated one in 640 people in England contracted COVID-19 in the week ending May 29, compared to one in 1,120 in the previous week, indicating the highest infection rate since the first half of April.

https://pledgetimes.com/will-britain-lift-corona-restrictions-despite-a-new-outbreak/

Have I forgotten my roots?

A reader, Sue Carless, kindly alerted me to the Hull Citizenship test, published a couple of weeks previously in the Hull Daily Mail. She assumed Id already be aware of it, but I wasnt. I am now, though. I scored 21 out of 31. The quiz invited participants to find out how Hull you are. Turns out Im only 67.74 per cent Hull. I am covered in shame. Sue tells me that, despite leaving the city in 1966 at the age of 12, she scored 25. I left in 1986 aged 22, and yet Im almost 13 per cent less Hull than she is. Poor show. Maybe, as my in-laws regularly tell me on visits back north, not that there have been many of

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/have-i-forgotten-my-roots-jb5qdw6p8

Is tai chi the secret to a slim waist?

Its graceful, fluid movements are the opposite of high-energy gym workouts and yet devotees of tai chi, who include the supermodels Gisele Bndchen and Naomi Campbell, swear by its fitness benefits. Scientists have found that the ancient Chinese martial art can help with everything from balance and memory to sleep and mood, and it has been shown in trials to lower blood pressure, strengthen bones and lessen joint pain. Now research published this week shows that tai chi can also be an aid to weight loss. In a study conducted at the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong and published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine participants were assigned to three groups. One group was prescribed a conventional programme

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/is-tai-chi-the-secret-to-a-slim-waist-kv8h8g7zv

Why is Finland a reference for happiness?

For the fourth year in a row, Finland tops the World Happiness Report. iStock pic via ETX Studio Follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates. HELSINKI, June 5 For the fourth year in a row, Finland sits at the top of the World Happiness Report, a ranking of the worlds happiest people. The Nordic country is ahead of Iceland, Denmark and Switzerland. By comparison France came in 21st place. Perhaps its to be found in Finland. For the fourth year in a row, the Nordic country is ranked as the happiest country in the world. Thats despite the fact that the climate is difficult, with temperatures plunging to -30 C, and the very short days where sunshine is rare. A respectful social model lise left France during her studies in economics to spend a year away in Finland between 2017 and 2018. The young woman, then 20 years old, discovered Helsinki, a city where she felt safe. Generally speaking, there is a great deal of respect, no one comes to bother you on the street, in nightclubs or other places. Women are much freer to dress and do whatever they want, she explains before continuing. On one occasion, a person came over to talk to me and when I told him I wasnt interested he apologised and left. As for Finns having a reputation of being not very outgoing, even solitary, the Frenchwoman notes that they can seem somewhat cold at first, but once you get to know them a little youre quickly made to feel part of the group, she smiles. Student living is highly developed. There are entire buildings that are self-managed. The students do what they want and it doesnt turn into a squat as you might expect. As a result, the students are very united, regardless of their major, she says. A strong attachment to nature With forest covering 70 per cent of the territory, Finns are very close to nature. In Helsinki, you are close to the beach and within a few metro stops you can get to large forests and natural parks, explains the former University of Helsinki student. Also the law has been adapted to allow everyone to walk through the forests and pick berries. This is the right of everyone. The Finns are also respectful of the environment. Barbecues are often organised on the beach. I have never seen a single piece of waste lying around afterwards, same thing in the forest. Its a very clean city, says the young woman. People here trust the government, feel safe and are satisfied with their social security and the level of education. All of this contributes to this sense of well-being. And this should be one of the key indicators when making political decisions, explained Frank Martela, philosopher and researcher at the University of Helsinki and specialist in happiness, on France Inter. The title of happiest country in the world has made some of those directly concerned smile, as Tom Nuttall of The Economist related on Twitter in 2020: Finnish minister enthusiastically introduced as representative of worlds happiest nation. Finnish minister: If thats true, Id hate to see the other nations. ETX Studio

https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2021/06/05/why-is-finland-a-reference-for-happiness/1979710

What Role Does Artificial Intelligence Play in Medicine?

The idea of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine may make you think of robots wheeling down the halls of a hospital in the distant future, but AI is already here. AI refers to a machine or software system that can do a human task. That could mean turning spoken words into text, looking through data to find patterns, or making decisions. When your smartphone auto-corrects a text message or an online store sends you ads for a new product it thinks youll like, you can thank AI. Youve also used it if youve ever felt bad and entered your symptoms into a symptom checker app or a health care website. The AI gathers your descriptions and creates a personalized response that can help you treat your ailment at home or discuss it with your doctor. Some even let you add test results. Here are more ways that AI will -- or could -- impact medicine in the near future.

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/artificial-intelligence-role-in-medicine?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Are Psoriasis and Allergies Linked?

If you have psoriasis and allergies, maybe you've wondered if your allergy flares make your skin condition worse. There's no need to guess: Doctors and researchers haven't found links between the two problems. Here, four experts break down both conditions and explain what can trigger them. Different Causes Although psoriasis and allergies both involve your immune system, the causes for them aren't related. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease. That means your body's immune system wrongly attacks some of its own healthy cells. An allergy happens when your immune system has a severe reaction to something that most people don't have a problem with, like pollen, pet dander, or certain foods. Some people confuse psoriasis for allergies before they visit the doctor, because both conditions can cause itchy, red skin. A lot of people come in thinking they have allergic skin problems and when I see them, they've got psoriasis, says Clifford Bassett, MD, an allergist and immunologist in New York City. "If you suspect it's one thing, it could be something else. So, get checked by a dermatologist if your skin itches or flakes, he says. The Stress Factor If you have psoriasis, stress may be partly to blame when the disease first appears and when it flares. Stress can also make your allergies act up. When you're having an allergic reaction, your body is working hard, says Julie Pena, MD, a dermatologist in private practice in Nashville. It's trying to fight something. When your body is going through stressful events, it alters the immune system. We know that stress can cause psoriasis to flare, [even] the internal stress of what your body is going through.

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/psoriasis/features/psoriasis-and-allergies?src=RSS_PUBLIC

How much is a student loan in the UK?

We take a look. Before we continue, its important to note that the amount of student loan you can get in the UK can change each academic year. It is important to check the gov.uk website. Plot your path towards financial freedom with our Heros Journey tool! MyWalletHero is here to help you learn about taking control of your money, whether thats paying off debt, working towards a short-term money goal, or investing for your future. This tool can help you understand the next steps on your journey simply choose a goal that best describes your current interests to get started. Student loans include tuition fee loans to cover the cost of education and maintenance loans to help with living costs. There are also grants available to support students with financial hardships, disabilities, children or dependent adults. Whether or not you qualify for a student loan depends on: Your university or college Your course If youve studied a higher education course before Your age Your nationality or residency status You can find more details about these criteria on the gov.uk website. The student loan you get depends on your unique circumstances and the criteria mentioned above. For the academic years 2020 to 2021 and 2021 to 2022, if youre a first-time student, you could get up to 9,250 in tuition fees. However, if youre studying an accelerated degree course, you could get up to 11,100. The maximum amount of maintenance loan you get depends on your academic year and where you live. 2020 to 2021 academic year 2021 to 2022 academic year Living at home Up to 7,747 Up to 7,987 Living away from home, outside London Up to 9,203 Up to 9,488 Living away from home, in London Up to 12,010 Up to 12,382 A year of a UK course studying abroad Up to 10,539 Up to 10,866 If youre a part-time student, you can get a loan if your part-time course has a course intensity of 25% or more. Course intensity measures how much of your course you complete each year compared to an equivalent full-time course. The gov.uk website provides a student finance calculator to help you find out how much you could get. How long it takes to repay your student loans depends on various factors: The total loan amount plus interest Whether your income is above or below the threshold (more on this below) Whether you have the money to pay off the student loan early You are required to pay back tuition fees and maintenance loans once your income is over the threshold amount for your repayment plan. You repay 9% of the amount you earn over the threshold for plans 1, 2 and 4. The percentage reduces to 6% for the Postgraduate Loan. It might also be important to note that the threshold amounts change on 6 April every year. Repaying your student loan for the fiscal year 2021/2022 How and when you are expected to repay your student loan depends on the loan plan youre on: If youre under Plan 1, youll only repay when your income is over 382 a week, 1,657 a month or 19,895 a year. This is before tax and other deductions. If you took out the loan in the 2005/2006 academic year or earlier, it is written off when youre 65. However, from 2006/2007 onward, it is written off 25 years after the April you were first due to repay. Students under Plan 2 are expected to repay their student loan when their income is over 480 a week, 2,083 a month or 25,000 a year. However, it is written off 30 years after the April they were first due to repay. If youre under Plan 4, youll only repay when your income is over 480 a week, 2,083 a month or 25,000 a year. If you took out the loan in the 2006/2007 academic year or earlier, it is written off when youre 65 or 30 years after the April you were first due to repay. From 2007/2008, the latter applies. Students under a Postgraduate Loan are expected to repay their student loan when their income is over 403 a week, 1,750 a month or 21,000 a year. However, it is written off 30 years after the April you were first due to repay. 4 iron-clad rules for saving money on everything Our Editor Sam Robson has been on a personal cost-cutting mission for years and its time to share his wisdom. Check out his choicest saving tips and tricks in this free report, Sams 4 Iron-Clad Rules For Saving Money On Everything. Just enter your email below for instant access to your free copy. Click here!

https://www.fool.co.uk/mywallethero/loans/learn/how-much-is-a-student-loan-in-the-uk/

Is Bombardier Stock a Buy at These Levels?

With the aviation industry hit badly by the pandemic, Bombardier (TSX:BBD.B) investors have also felt the pain. Indeed, this business jet manufacturer has been forced to rethink its strategy yet again. A series of cost-cutting measures and strategic shifts have resulted in a roadmap investors are unsure of now. On the one hand, many bears on Bombardier note that these restructuring plans have continued to materialize over time. This is a company that seems to be permanently restructuring. Indeed, this past decade has seen a dramatic shift in the companys overall focus across various business lines to be concentrated on its core business jet segment currently. Bulls seem to believe this stock has been beaten down way too far relative to its potential. With the pandemic nearing its end and a surge of pent-up demand likely to drive spending sky-high, Bombardier could be well positioned to ride this wave higher. Lets dive into whether Bombardier is a buy at around $1 per share. Divided opinions likely to remain in place I think Bombardier is a very polarizing stock. Indeed, years of mismanagement have led to this shell of a former Canadian growth story. Its easy to beat on Bombardier as a toxic stock that long-term investors should simply avoid. However, at roughly $1 per share, Bombardier stock certainly looks cheap relative to other aerospace options today. Its cheap for a reason, but its cheap. And that fact just might be enough to entice some retail buying should meme stock investors focus more of their due diligence on smaller-cap options like Bombardier. This is still a company thats valued at approximately $2.5 billion at the time of writing. Its not a small outfit by any stretch of the imagination. However, the companys profitability track record over the past decade hasnt been great. Bombardier is a company that continues to burn cash in good times and in bad. Whether thats shareholder money or taxpayer money is a whole other story. Lets take a look at what the analysts think about Bombardier. 5 Stocks Under $49 (FREE REPORT) Click here to gain access! Analysts appear to be bears on Bombardier stock right now It appears analysts on the Street seem to agree. The average analyst price target for Bombardier sits at US$0.60 per share. To put that in context, Bombardiers OTC shares in the U.S. trade for US$0.85 per share. Thats some significant downside analysts expect on the horizon for Bombardier. A relatively weak balance sheet and poor fundamentals appear to be driving these price targets. Despite various operational improvements and cost-cutting strategies, Bombardier appears to be a stock on the outs with investors and analysts right now. Given how important momentum is in todays market, this isnt a good thing for investors. Bottom Line Bombardiers valuation is certainly compelling at these levels. Currently, the company trades at low valuation multiple relative to its peers. Yes, earnings have been bad, but were talking about an aviation stock here. That said, theres a tonne of hair on this stock. Bombardier isnt a company without high levels of risk. For those with room for a speculative name in ones portfolio, perhaps Bombardier could find a home. However, its hard to see the long-term value in this company that has destroyed shareholder value for so long.

https://www.fool.ca/2021/06/04/is-bombardier-stock-a-buy-at-these-levels/

Is There a Bubble Brewing in Commodities Today?

Commodities are taking off right now. Whether were talking about copper, gold, or oil, commodities are (finally) having their day in the sun. For Canadian investors, this is a great thing. After all, commodities make up a sizable portion of Canadas economy. The TSX is chock full of commodity plays, and investors have their pick of which options to choose. Lets discuss. When investors see the rapid price increases weve seen of late, it can be hard not to think that these price increases are unsustainable. Indeed, trees dont grow to the sky. And theres some concern that at some point, these prices will be regulated by increased supply or slower demand growth or both. That said, right now, its hard to make the case that theres a specific catalyst that will take commodity prices lower. This current inflationary environment sets the stage well for commodities. A depreciating U.S. dollar and post-pandemic demand expectations are spurring this sector higher. According to Jim Rogers, Quantum Fund co-founder alongside George Soros, commodity prices were trading at artificially low levels for a long time. Many such investors predicted the boom were now seeing in commodities. And this view isnt necessarily a fringe one. Ive been bullish on commodities for much of the past year, throughout the pandemic. Whenever a group of assets gets beaten down by exogenous factors to the degree commodities had this past year, a resurgence toward the longer-term mean only makes sense. However, the rate at which commodities have recovered has become the focal point of most investors. Indeed, whether this rise in commodity prices can be sustained from here has resulted in calls that commodities are indeed in bubble territory. However, until the data proves otherwise, I think investors need to consider the idea that this could be the new normal for some time. The 10 Best Stocks to Buy This Month Click here to learn more! Copper touching decade highs One commodity thats been in focus of late has been copper. In Canada, one of the ways investors have been playing this commodity is via Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.B)(NYSE:TECK). After all, tech is one of the largest Canadian copper players. This company is also a diversified play on the broader commodities space. Accordingly, these commodity-heavy plays have seen some impressive price appreciation of late. Investors wondering if taking profits or getting in at these levels are good ideas need to make their own assessment of where the commodity space will be in a year from now. And thats not an easy task. However, with companies like Teck, its important to focus on the fundamentals. Some analysts, such as fellow Fool contributor Andrew Walker, remain bullish on Teck. Indeed, I think this view is warranted today. Bottom line Whether or not commodities are in a bubble is a question investors need to consider individually. However, Id recommend those looking to play the commodities space to look at the underlying fundamentals of specific companies and see if theyre within the specific risk parametres investors are comfortable with. Commodities do provide a hedge to other asset classes and warrant a look in this regard. Additionally, theres always room for best-in-class operators like Teck with great fundamentals for investor portfolios at any time.

https://www.fool.ca/2021/06/04/is-there-a-bubble-brewing-in-commodities-today/

What Is Lana Del Rey's Real Name and Why Did She Change It? and Erm so Lana Del Rey's Born To Die album shoot was done in Watford?

Malaysia's Recent Surge In Infections Leads To A New Lockdown And New Worries. The Byredo Creative Duo Changing the Way You Think About Makeup. Russia And U.S. Seek Stability At First Post-Trump Summit. Police and family seek information in Miami shootings. Shortages of chips and parts aren't denting appeal of auto bonds. Gov. Pritzker Announces Five Appointments to Illinois Boards and Commissions. Bernie: The Cardinals Didn't Address Their Roster Depth Last Offseason. And Now They're Feeling The Pain. Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge join forces to improve browser extensions. Drake Bell of Drake and Josh charged with attempted child endangerment. Sen. Capito and Biden to talk again Monday on potential spending deal. New York City school graduations and proms can take place indoors with restrictions. Gov. Edwards Announces Boards and Commissions Appointments.

https://www.thearkatech.com/en/61336/

Did Mike Pence simply doom his 2024 possibilities?

January 6 was a dark day in the history of the US Capitol, Pence said . That same day we reconvened the Congress and did our duty. You know, President Trump and I have spoken many times since we left office and I dont know if well ever see eye to eye on that day. Pence is, of course, right. The violent insurrection at the US Capitol, which left more than 100 police officers injured and five people dead, were a cataclysm the likes of which American democracy has rarely seen. And Pence, as vice president on that day, had no role other than a ceremonial one to oversee the formal certification of the electoral vote count that showed Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election. None of those facts will protect him from the anger of Donald Trump and the base the former President commands, however. Trump has, over the past few weeks, descended further and further into the madness of conspiracy theories that suggest he will be reinstated as president sometime soon as recounts and audits of portions of the vote in Arizona and Georgia. Hes also, according to The New York Times Maggie Haberman , trash[ing] Pence to various people, and to RNC donors, for not exceeding his legal authority that day, growing louder after Pences book deal was announced. (Pence signed a multi-million dollar, two-book deal in April.) What Trump has done is make acknowledging the truth of what happened on January 6 and his role in it a sort of loyalty test for ambitious Republicans. Tell the truth about that day and run the risk of becoming the next Liz Cheney, run out of her Republican leadership job. Lie about that day or try to downplay the actual danger the riot posed to lawmakers and keep your job a la Kevin McCarthy. Pence appears to be putting himself, purposely, in the former category. Which is a very interesting gambit given that there is, to date, zero evidence that Republicans who break with Trump on January 6 have any sort of political future within the Party. After all, the Republican base or at least a majority of it are convinced that Trumps lies about the election are true. Consider these numbers from a recent Reuters/Ipsos national poll: * Fully 53% of Republicans in the poll said that Donald Trump was the true president, while 47% said Joe Biden, who is the actual president. * Another 56% of Republicans say that the results of the 2020 election were the result of illegal voting or election rigging. * More than 6 in 10 GOPers either strongly (39%) or somewhat (22%) agreed with the statement that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump. Base voters tend to have an outsized say in choosing the presidential nominee. And base Republican voters at least to date believe that Trump had the election stolen from him. And Trump, with the willing complicity of lots of Republican leaders in Congress, is trying to rewrite what happened on January 6. Pence isnt reading off that script. Which, in its way, is admirable. But unless the Republican Partys views on Trump change radically between now and 2024 (always possible! ), Pences position on January 6 might well disqualify him from serious consideration by Republican primary voters. What a world. CORRECTION: This analysis has been updated to correct Pences quote on how many times he has spoken with Trump since they left office.

https://shepherdgazette.com/did-mike-pence-simply-doom-his-2024-possibilities/

Which method does the photo voltaic wind blow? Watts Up With That?

Using supercomputers, researchers develop new software for improved space weather prediction UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, TEXAS ADVANCED COMPUTING CENTER Research News IMAGE: (TOP PANEL, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) JULY 12, 2012 CORONAL MASS EJECTION SEEN IN STEREO B COR2, SOHO C2, AND STEREO A COR2 CORONAGRAPHS, RESPECTIVELY. (BOTTOM PANEL) THE SAME IMAGES view more CREDIT: TALWINDER SINGH, MEHMET S. YALIM, NIKOLAI V. POGORELOV, AND NAT GOPALSWAMY The surface of the sun churns with energy and frequently ejects masses of highly-magnetized plasma towards Earth. Sometimes these ejections are strong enough to crash through the magnetosphere the natural magnetic shield that protects the Earth damaging satellites or electrical grids. Such space weather events can be catastrophic. Astronomers have studied the suns activity for centuries with greater and greater understanding. Today, computers are central to the quest to understand the suns behavior and its role in space weather events. The bipartisan PROSWIFT (Promoting Research and Observations of Space Weather to Improve the Forecasting of Tomorrow) Act [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-116s881enr/pdf/BILLS-116s881enr.pdf], passed into law in October 2020, is formalizing the need to develop better space weather forecasting tools. Space weather requires a real-time product so we can predict impacts before an event, not just afterward, explained Nikolai Pogorelov, distinguished professor of Space Science at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, who has been using computers to study space weather for decades. This subject related to national space programs, environmental, and other issues was recently escalated to a higher level. To many, space weather may seem like a distant concern, but like a pandemic something we knew was possible and catastrophic we may not realize its dangers until its too late. We dont think about it, but electrical communication, GPS, and everyday gadgets can be effected by extreme space weather effects, Pogorelov said. Furthermore, the U.S. is planning missions to other planets and the moon. All will require very accurate predictions of space weather for the design of spacecraft and to alert astronauts to extreme events. With funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NASA, Pogorelov leads a team working to improve the state-of-the-art in space weather forecasting. This research, blending intricate science, advanced computing and exciting observations, will advance our understanding of how the Sun drives space weather and its effects on Earth, said Mangala Sharma, Program Director for Space Weather in the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences at NSF. The work will help scientists predict space weather events and build our nations resilience against these potential natural hazards. The multi-institutional effort involves the Goddard and Marshall Space Flight Centers, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and two private companies, Predictive Science Inc. and Space Systems Research Corporation. Pogorelov uses the Frontera supercomputer at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) the ninth fastest in the world as well as high performance systems at NASA and the San Diego Supercomputing Center, to improve the models and methods at the heart of space weather forecasting. Turbulence plays a key role in the dynamics of the solar wind and coronal mass ejections. This complex phenomenon has many facets, including the role of shock-turbulence interaction and ion acceleration. Solar plasma is not in thermal equilibrium. This creates interesting features, Pogorelov said. Writing in the Astrophysical Journal [https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/abe62c/meta] in April 2021, Pogorelov, along with Michael Gedalin (Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel), and Vadim Roytershteyn (Space Science Institute) described the role of backstreaming pickup ions in the acceleration of charged particles in the universe. Backstreaming ions, either of interstellar or local origin, are picked up by the magnetized solar wind plasma and move radially outwards from the Sun. Some non-thermal particles can be further accelerated to create solar energetic particles that are particularly important for space weather conditions on Earth and for people in space, he said. Pogorelov performed simulations on Frontera to better understand this phenomenon and compare it with observations from Voyager 1 and 2, the spacecraft that explored the outer reaches of the heliosphere and are now providing unique data from the local interstellar medium. One of the major focuses of space weather prediction is correctly forecasting the arrival of coronal mass ejections the release of plasma and accompanying magnetic field from the solar corona and determining the direction of the magnetic field it carries with it. Pogorelovs teams study of backstreaming ions help to do so, as does work published in the Astrophysical Journal in 2020 that used a flux rope-based magnetohydrodynamic model to predict the arrival time to Earth and magnetic field configuration of the July 12, 2012 coronal mass ejection. (Magnetohydrodynamics refers the magnetic properties and behavior of electrically conducting fluids like plasma, which plays a key role in dynamics of space weather). Fifteen years ago, we didnt know that much about the interstellar medium or solar wind properties, Pogorelov said. We have so many observations available today, which allow us to validate our codes and make them much more reliable. Pogorelov is a co-investigator on an on-board component of the Parker Solar Probe called SWEAP (Solar Wind Electrons, Protons, and Alphas instrument) [http://sweap.cfa.harvard.edu/]. With each orbit, the probe approaches the sun, providing new information about the characteristics of the solar wind. Soon it will penetrate beyond the critical sphere where the solar wind becomes superfast magnetosonic, and well have information on the physics of solar wind acceleration and transport that we never had before, he said. As the probe and other new observational tools become available, Pogorelov anticipates a wealth of new data that can inform and drive the development of new models relevant to space weather forecasting. For that reason, alongside his basic research, Pogorelov is developing a software framework that is flexible, useable by different research groups around the world, and can integrate new observational data. No doubt, in years to come, the quality of data from the photosphere and solar corona will be improved dramatically, both because of new data available and new, more sophisticated ways to work with data, he said. Were trying to build software in a way that if a user comes up with better boundary conditions from new science missions, it will be easier for them to integrate that information. ### References: Singh, T., Kim, T. K., Pogorelov, N. V., & Arge, C. N. (2020). Application of a modified spheromak model to simulations of coronal mass ejection in the inner heliosphere. Space Weather, 18, e2019SW002405. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019SW002405 Singh, T., Yalim, M. S., Pogorelov, N. V., and Gopalswamy, N., A Modified Spheromak Model Suitable for Coronal Mass Ejection Simulations, The Astrophysical Journal, vol. 894, no. 1, 2020. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ab845f. From EurekAlert! Like this: Like Loading Related

https://shepherdgazette.com/which-method-does-the-photo-voltaic-wind-blow-watts-up-with-that/

Who Wins "RB1" For The Texans In 2021?

With the signing of Rex Burkhead, the Texans now have a depth problem at running back HOUSTON -- David Johnson showed in Week 16 that perhaps the former All-Pro lives somewhere inside his body. Rushing for 128 yards and averaging 10.6 yards per play, Johnson posted his best numbers on the campaign since arriving with the Houston Texans. That wasn't enough to keep Houston out of the cellar in rushing yards on the season. The Texans finished 31st on the ground, only beating out Pittsburgh for the worst rushing attack in 2020. Houston seemed content with a three-man rotation in Johnson, Mark Ingram, and Phillip Lindsay. The two later joined the squad via free agency, both hoping to show they still can last as primary runners in the NFL. The trio might be the favorites, but Rex Burkhead now has been added to the mix. The former Patriot agreed to a one-year deal following three seasons in Foxborough with Texans GM Nick Caserio. READ MORE: New Texans LB Grugier-Hill 'Loving' Houston, Lovie And 'Baller' Teammates "We all know what hes been in this league and we had an opportunity to get him to add to the mix and we added him to the mix," Texans coach David Culley said on the signing. That's a question that might be easier to talk over than predict. Johnson likely will be on the roster as the lead runner for now. After electing to restructure his contract, the Texans now will owe the 29-year-old $4.5 million guaranteed in 2021 doubling the price from the initial deal. This is in large part hoping that Johnson can still rebound as the key piece from the infamous DeAndre Hopkins trade. Houston sent an All-Pro pass-catcher to Arizona in return for a second-round pick that would later be Ross Blackcock and Johnson. Last season, Johnson finished with five games of 70-plus rushing yards on the afternoon. Until otherwise, expect him to be the "starter" on the season. READ MORE: New Texans QB Tyrod Taylor: A Starter And A Teacher The real question comes down to the backups. Every contract is cheap, so cutting Lindsay, Ingram or Burkhead comes with little penalty. In retrospect, age might factor into the decision overall. Lindsay, 26, recorded two 1,000-plus rushing seasons with the Broncos after being undrafted out of Colorado. He could have pushed for as third if injuries and the emergence of Melvin Gordon didn't limit him to 11 games in 2020. Still, despite missing five games, Lindsay managed to finish with 502 yards on the year, including four 75-plus rushing performances. Ingram, 31, was a healthy scratch towards the end of his time with Baltimore as the Ravens began to push J.K. Dobbins as the new lead back. Perhaps in Houston, he can bring back the 2019 magic in which he recorded 1,000-plus yards on the season. Baltimore's offensive line graded out top-five the past two seasons. Houston's still has question marks left and right. Burkhead, 30, has always been the change of pace runner. Primarily used on third down, the former Patriot never finished with more than 302 yards on the campaign. He's coming off major knee surgery. Ideally, this will come down to special teams between Lindsay, Ingram and Burkhead. Of the three, Burkhead takes the lead as he played over 1,100 snaps at the position since 2013. Combined, Lindsay and Ingram have 100 ST snaps, with the latter not taking one since 2013. Lindsay's age and upside gives him a pass for now. Depending on how soon Burkhead can return, he could be viewed as the more valuable option. Then again, the Texans have a quality special teams running back already on the roster in Buddy Howell. For now, Ingram's impact on the locker room puts him ahead. All that said, Burkhead's relationships could keep him around in some capacity outside of running the ball. CONTINUE READING: Love It Or Hate It, It's The Tyrod Taylor Show For The Texans

https://www.si.com/nfl/texans/news/who-wins-rb1-for-the-texans-in-2021

What Does Color Blocking Mean in Fashion?

With summer in full swing, color is filling the streets. From bold prints to electric tones, theres no better time to experiment with style than during these carefree warmer months. Still, it can feel intimidating. Bright colors no doubt draw more attention and can quickly go sour when not properly curated. But with designers like Christopher John Rogers and Brandon Maxwell helping lead the way, color blocking is back and better than ever before. Color blocking can be defined as mixing two to three (if not more) bold and often contradictory colors together in one ensemble to make for an exciting statement piece. Yves Saint Laurent was one of the first to debut the trend back in the 1960s, debuting their now-iconic Piet Mondrian-inspired sack dress at the fashion houses Fall/Winter 196566 runway show. That moment helped issue in the Mod Style trend, as well as push designers to not only embrace color but to push the boundaries with it. Color blocking can be defined as mixing two to three (if not more) bold and often contradictory colors together in one ensemble to make for an exciting statement piece. Color blocking was then largely popularized by Black fashion designer Stephen Burrows. Born into a fashion family in New Jersey, Burrows was heavily inspired by the disco era at the start of his career. He intertwined themes like freedom, movement, and culture into his early popular garments. According to LOfficiel, Burrows disco-themed collections included non-finito jersey knits, nail-studded leather, and undulating lettuce hems. It was then that color blocking was born, ushering in a new era of fashion that would influence us for decades to come. Nowadays, color-blocking has solidified its role in the current fashion landscape, serving as a platform for designers to push the boundaries on traditional style rules. Legendary fashion houses like Gucci and Prada are well-known for their experimentation with color. And today, younger designers like Jeremy Scott and Christopher John Rogers use their innovative perspectives to carve a unique place for themselves within the industry. From JW Anderson to Valentino to Prabal Gurung and Balenciaga, color blocking has become a norm on the runways. But even at home, it plays a central role in the closets of many fashionistas. For those looking to venture into the world of color blocking in their personal lives, the options have never quite been so plentiful. If you arent quite ready to color block your own style creations yet, here are a handful of options that have already been curated and created for your liking. Anthropologie Colorblocked Bow-Tie Maxi Dress $218 Shop Perfect for summer, this Anthropologie dress combines bold pink and red in a sophisticated manner. Whether for a date night or everyday outing, this well-selected yet simple example of color blocking is bright enough to stop traffic but still well within the reigns of ones comfort zone. Milly Nicola Colorblock Tiered Poplin Maxi Dress $375 Shop This three-tiered color-blocked maxi dress is a breath of fresh air. The fabrics fluid and flowing nature match the dresss overall bright personality. It combines sunset meets the runway in the best way possible. Staud Shoko Ribbed Colorblock Sweater Dress $165 Shop A bit more intimate and form-fitting, this sweater dress is toned down in its colors. However, it is still an elegant option for those looking to push the boundaries. An easy throw-on for date night, it offers the perfect blend of glamour and comfort. Frances Valentine Classic Colorblock Maxi Dress $598 Shop If youre ready for a bolder option, this maxi dress by Frances Valentine might be the right fit for you. Mixing a handful of varying colors makes it equal parts fun and professional. This dress is suited for either the workday or evening drinks. This Christopher John Rogers for Target masterpiece combines bold colors with structured shapes and lines, complementing the body while drawing attention in the best way.

https://www.byrdie.com/what-does-color-blocking-mean-in-fashion-5187279

Which Indiana outdoor pools are open this weekend?

NOTE: We will update this list as additional pools and aquatic centers open. Complete the form below to let us know. INDIANAPOLIS Heat is returning to central Indiana starting this weekend, with temperatures in the mid to upper 80s predicted for the next seven days. If youre in search of a place to cool down, good news: Many public pools, water parks and aquatic centers across the region are open for the season. Heres the low-down on which pools are open and how much it costs to get in. Indianapolis Indy Parks & Recreation opened six public pools on Memorial Day weekend as part of a phased summer opening plan. The website says additional pools will open in early June, but an updated schedule has not been released. Pools open so far are: Bethel Park, 2850 Bethel Ave. Frederick Douglass Park, 2759 Dr. Andrew J. Brown Drive Garfield Park, 2345 Pagoda Drive Gustafson Park, 3110 Moller Road Riverside Park, 2420 E. Riverside Drive Thatcher Park, 4649 W. Vermont St. Entrance fees are $3 for adults and $2 for youth or seniors, except Garfield Park, which charges $4 for adults and $3 for youth and seniors. All pools are closed two days per week, but the days vary by location. Check the complete schedule for details on days and hours of operation. Park managers recommend arriving early to make sure you get in before capacity limits are reached. At some locations, visitors start lining up half an hour or so before the opening time. Once a pool hits capacity, no one else can get in for the day, even when people leave. If youre too late getting to a pool, splash pads are also open and free to enjoy. Indiana State Parks Most public swimming pools at state parks opened Memorial Day Weekend, including: Clifty Falls McCormicks Creek OBannon Woods Shakamak Versailles state parks Cagles Mill Lake (Lieber State Recreation Area) All Department of Natural Resources (DNR) swimming beaches are also open. Go here for complete details on pools and swimming spots at state parks. Carmel The Waterpark in Carmel, located at the Monan Community Center, is open for the season. Amenities include a large pool, lazy river, water slides, a climbing wall, a surfing simulator and a kiddie pool. Day passes are $12 per adult and $9 each for youth or senior citizens. Monthly and annual passes are also available for individuals and families. Franklin Franklin Family Aquatic Center is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Aug. 8. After that, the facility is weekends-only through Labor Day. Daily admission is $2-$5, and season passes start at $65. Season pass holders are allowed to enter 15 minutes before opening to get priority seating. Greenwood Freedom Springs Aquatics Park is open for the season, but if the weather looks iffy its a good idea to check the facilitys Facebook page before heading over. Like Carmel, the list of amenities is long, including a lap pool, slides, lazy river, diving boards, cabanas and more. You can take swimming lessons or a water aerobics class. Day passes cost $6-$10, and season passes are also available. Noblesville Forest Park Aquatic Center in Noblesville also opened Memorial Day weekend. A seasonal membership is required to get in, and 2021 rates range from $120 for individuals to $215-$255 for families, depending on the number of people. The nonprofit facility has an Olympic-size pool, diving boards, a water slide, a splash pad and more. A membership also allows entry to Morse Beach, Flix and Float movies and more. Plainfield Splash Island Water Park in Plainfield opened May 28. Day passes range from $4-$11, depending on age and residency. Individual and family memberships are sold in one-month, three-month, six-month and one-year increments. Let us know Pool or facility name(required)Website(required)Additional informationSUBMIT

https://cbs4indy.com/news/central-indiana-news/summer-heat-has-arrived-these-outdoor-pools-are-open-for-the-season/

When did Brazil lose their last game in the South American Qualifiers?

The South American Qualifiers are back almost seven months later. In the month of March they were days 5 and 6 suspended due to the health situation, but in this break in June before the America Cup the competition is back. A competition that has a very clear dominator: Brazil. Since his last loss in Playoffs, he has added 16 wins and 5 draws. The combined of Tite the way to the appointment has started Qatar World Cup with four wins in which he has scored 12 goals and has only received two. Numbers that summarize the trajectory of the team under the command of the former Corinthians coach. A pragmatic team characterized by its defensive power and good organization. Against Venezuela and Uruguay it cost him carburetting in attack, but their quality decided both games thanks to goals from Firmino and Arthur and Richarlison respectively. However, his tyranny in South America has been very common in recent years. In 2019 he won the Copa Amrica with an almost perfect sequence of matches: 4 wins, 2 draws and only 1 goal received in the entire tournament (it was in the final). As it is, the canarinha It is presented as the top favorite for the competition that will be held again this summer. His last loss in Playoffs To remember the last game lost by Brazil in the South American Qualifiers for the World Cup you have to go back to 2015. On October 9 of that year, the Chilean team beat the Brazilians 2-0 on the first day of the 2018 Russia Qualifiers. The team led at that time by Dunga fell in Santiago to a Chilean team trained by Jorge Sampaoli, which now directs the Olympique de Marseille. Eduardo Vargas and Alexis Snchez scored the goals in the final stretch that gave victory to theirs. Eduardo Vargas scored Chiles first goal La Roja (La Roja) That day, Brazil played with footballers like Marcelo, Dani Alves, Miranda, scar, Hulk, Willian or Douglas Costa. Neymar was not in the call and the bench was occupied, among others, Filipe Luis, Fabinho, Kak, Lucas Lima or Ricardo Oliveira, who at that time was 35 years old. After falling in Chile, the auriverdes have had an almost outstanding trajectory. In the last six years they have added 45 victories, 13 draws and 6 defeats, only 4 of them in an official match. In a summer with so many commitments, Brazil wants to continue dominating with an iron fist the CONMEBOL in 2021.

https://pledgetimes.com/when-did-brazil-lose-their-last-game-in-the-south-american-qualifiers/

Will Syria participate in the Biden-Putin summit?

United States braces for confrontation with Russia on humanitarian corridor In July 2018, when the US president Donald trumpmet the russian president Vladimir Poutine in Helsinki, Putin did most of the talking. Much of it was Syria. It was clear, Trump told his national security adviser John bolton after an almost two-hour one-on-one session with his Russian counterpart in the presence only of translators, whom Putin wants out of Syria, as Bolton recounts in his memoir, The room where it happened. When Biden meets with Putin in Geneva on June 15, Syria will likely be on the agenda again, if not to the extent of the Trump-Putin meeting. It will fit into issues such as cyber attacks on US infrastructure, human rights, the strengthening of the Russian military in Ukraine, US sanctions against Russia and even the fate of talks on an Iran nuclear deal. . But if Biden raises Syria with Putin, he will likely start by asking for the re-authorization of the Bab al-Hawa border post on the Turkish-Syrian border, currently the only point of access to supervised international aid and assistance. by the UN. The UN Security Councils mandate for the passage expires on July 10, and Russia, which abstained in the passage vote last year, may want something in return for the passage being re-authorized. Already, the United States is preparing for a confrontation in the Security Council, making it clear that Bab al-Hawa is an American priority. A reading from the State Department from the US Secretary of State Antoine Blinks May 19 meeting in Iceland with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Blinken said underlined the imperative to ensure humanitarian access to the Syrian people. Linda thomas greenfield, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, June 3 announced $ 240 million in additional humanitarian aid to Syria, during a visit to the crossing point. Thomas-Greenfields visit comes less than three weeks after Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs,Joey Hood, led a US delegation to northeastern SyriaAccording to a State Department reading, Hood underscored the United States commitment to cooperate and coordinate its efforts within the coalition to defeat the Islamic State, to support efforts to find a political resolution to the conflict. Syrian and to resolve to ensure the re-authorization of cross-border assistance in Syria. Russia: We cannot support this hypocritical position Russias position is that all aid and assistance must flow through the Syrian government, not through areas controlled by opposition forces, and that the West must do more to combat the role of the terrorists in Idlib province in northwestern Syria. Idlib is the last territorial bulwark against the Syrian government. The province is primarily controlled by al-Qaedas wing Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (or Levant Liberation Committee), which the United States, Russia and the Security Council have designated as a terrorist group. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is feeling the heat, worried about a possible Russian-backed Syrian aggression, while dealing with radical dissident armed groups and the growing frustration of people tired of living under Hayats brutal and arbitrary Islamic law Tahrir al-Sham.Sultan al Kanj Idlib reports that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has launched a mass arrest campaign against Assad supporters, but it is clearly more than that. During a Security Council briefing on Syria on May 26, Russias first deputy permanent representative,Dmitri Polyanskiy,exposed Moscows concerns: The West is making it clear that it will not take any action to stir up trouble on terrorists rooted in Idlib. They imagine the CBM [cross-border mechanism, or border crossing] as the only possible solution to the humanitarian problems of Idlibs. We cannot support this hypocritical position. Of course, we will have to take this into account when making a decision about renewing the CBM. Moscow further claims that the re-election of the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad testifies to the growing stability and legitimacy of the Syrian government. The United States called the election false.UN envoy for Syria Geir pedersen, informing the Security Council on May 26, said that the The UN is not involved in this election. Meanwhile, like Mohamed hardan reports, Russia is building an expansion of the Syrias Khmeimim air base in Latakia as part of its plans to strengthen its position in Syria and the eastern Mediterranean. Russia also regularly stresses the need for the 5.6 million Syrian refugees and 6.7 million internally displaced Syrians to return to their homes, a process which is deeply complicated and risky given the dire political, security and economic conditions. in Syria. Khaled al-Kateb reports from Syria that hundreds of displaced Syrians have returned to their villages in the Lajal region of Daraa province, under the auspices of Russian forces who have negotiated with the Syrian government for the return of the displaced to their areas of control . Erdogan also has his problems with US policy in Syria Syria is a multi-faceted problem. The Biden administration remains committed to its partnership with the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), whose political arm controls parts of northeastern Syria to fight the Islamic State. Neighboring Turkey and its president,Recep Tayyip Erdoan, view the Syrian Kurdish groups affiliated with the SDF as inseparable from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which it considers a terrorist group, and more as a security threat than even the Islamic State or al-Qaeda. Russia, meanwhile, rejects the US-backed semi-autonomous region as undermining Syrian sovereignty. said May 26Attempts by the Pentagons to establish themselves illegally in Syria under the pretext of fighting terrorism will not help stabilize the region. The Americans pursue entirely different objectives there, including those related to the oil fields in the north of the United States. Euphrates. Amberin Zaman revealed that the Biden administration would not renew a waiver granted last year to an American company, Delta Crescent Energy, to produce and sell oil in the Syrian Kurdish region. The differences between Turkey and its NATO ally, the United States, contribute to Ankaras concern for the Kurds, a minority population in the region. The Delta Crescent energy deal deepened Turkish paranoia that the United States could give birth to a Kurdish state that seeks to incorporate large chunks of predominantly Kurdish Turkey into the southeast, writes Zaman. These suspicions have been amplified by the fact that the SDF and the Syrian Democratic Council are led by individuals who were previously part of the PKK militia fighting Turkey. When Biden meets Erdogan in Brussels on June 14, on the sidelines of the NATO summit, Erdogan, for his part, will put Syria at the top of his agenda. In a meeting with the US Under Secretary of State Wendy sherman in Ankara on May 29, the spokesperson for the Turkish presidency Ibrahim Kalin turkeys expectations about PYD [the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party, linked with the SDF] and FETO (the Gulen group that Erdogan accused of an attempted coup in 2016, and whose leader, FethullahGulen, resides in the United States) in a preparatory discussion for the Biden-Turkey meeting. Metin Gurcan has here the analysis of the stakes of the summit for Erdogan, who, writes Gurcan, is preparing for a decisive meeting, adding that Erdogan remains stuck between an imposing need of thaw in his tense ties with Washington and the task of him. sell to his fold at home, where anti-American sentiment is high, not least because he has often fueled it himself. Syries tragic irony It is a tragic irony that this period of relative calm, compared to the previous years of the conflict, is also a period of immense and growing humanitarian suffering for the Syrian people, Pedersen told the Security Council last month. With the political process blocked and the humanitarian and health situation catastrophic, and even a possible shortage of bread, as Khaled al-Kateb Aleppo reports, There are great dangers in not seizing the opportunity presented by the current period, Pedersen said. Syria needs serious attention so that we can build on this momentum. He said in January, We cant go on like this. He might not have said it again this time, but he could have.

https://exbulletin.com/politics/965611/

How Much Do Jockeys Make?

Mikhail Pogosov / iStock.com May and June are the highest-profile months for horse racing in the United States with the running of the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. Those marquee races are known for their rich purses the 2021 Kentucky Derbys purse was $3 million, with $1.86 million going to the winner, Medina Spirit, although that is currently under investigation. Find Out: The Richest Athletes in the World Learn More: The Biggest Sports Contracts Ever But not enough attention is given to the jockey, the person who travels the whole way with the horses. A winning jockey will take 10% of the horses purse at the Kentucky Derby, so $186,000 for this years Derby winner, John Velazquez (although this could change depending on the current investigation). Thats a huge payday in a sport where an average years earning can be $30,000-$40,000, according to Career Trend. Many jockeys can enhance that with sponsorships, such as from betting companies. Jockeys are some of the original gig workers, because they work as independent contractors. Rather than a salary, a jockey will earn a mounting fee (often $25-$100) for each race, riding sometimes eight races per day. The real money for jockeys comes from prize money, if they can ride a horse to finish first, second or third in a race and earn part of the purse. The percentages that a jockey will receive can range from 0.5% for a third-place finish to perhaps 6%-10% for a win. Like other gig workers, jockeys often have to pay for their own saddles, helmets and boots to ride, too. Discover: All You Need To Know About the Economy and Your Money Certainly the top jockeys do quite well. The winningest jockey in history is Velaquez, who earned $436,197,933 in his long career. He started more than 34,000 races, winning 6,289. In 2020, the highest-earning U.S. jockey was Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode more than 1,260 mounts, with about 300 wins, for earnings of just over $21 million. Story continues In 2020, the average earning of the top 100 jockeys in the United States was around $3.5 million, per BloodHorse. More From GOBankingRates Last updated: Jun.

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/much-jockeys-002919181.html?src=rss

Could Chicago Bears be put up for sale?

The Chicago Bears have been owned by the Halas-McCaskey family since the franchises inception, but that could apparently change in the years to come. According to Jim ODonnell of the Daily Herald, there is increasing speculation that the Bears current owners could put the team up for sale sooner rather than later. One source told ODonnell that there is some internal strife among members of the McCaskey family to sell as soon as possible. The general thinking has long been that the Bears would never leave the McCaskey family as long as 98-year-old principal owner Virginia McCaskey, the daughter of team founder George Halas, has a say. However, according to Forbes, the franchise is worth roughly $3.45 billion, the 13th-highest value in North American professional sports. That could motivate the family to sell. The Bears look to be headed in the right direction with a franchise quarterback who is embracing the challenge. That might make them even more attractive as an asset.

https://larrybrownsports.com/football/chicago-bears-put-up-for-sale/579865

Is an assistant coach shakeup coming for the Canucks?

Most of the speculation this season regarding the future of Canucks coaches involved head coach Travis Green, and goaltending coach Ian Clark. That was for good reason, as both Green and Clark are well regarded around the NHL, and both were in the final year of their respective contracts. The Canucks finally signed Green to a contract extension last month, and GM Jim Benning calmed the masses last week with how confidently he spoke about re-signing Clark in an interview with Don Taylor and Rick Dhaliwal on CHEK. The Canucks havent announced extensions for any of their assistant coaches, however, and that is leading to more speculation. Im having a conversation with Travis and were going to go through the [coaching] staff and make decisions on these guys, Benning said on CHEK last week regarding the teams assistant coaches. Manny Malhotra left the Canucks last offseason for a bigger role with the Toronto Maple Leafs coaching staff. The Canucks replaced him with Jason King, an in-house promotion from the Utica Comets that may have been about cost-saving during a pandemic. Dhaliwal is reporting today that Kirk Muller may be someone the Canucks would consider adding to Greens staff, which raises some more questions. The #Canucks appear to be looking at adding a member to their coaching staff and Kirk Muller is potentially a name to watch. @DhaliwalSports had some info..https://t.co/h4e2SKLzpb pic.twitter.com/jIvrlSO43S Donnie & Dhali (@DonnieandDhali) June 4, 2021 If the Canucks add Muller, a 55-year-old ex-star player with an extensive coaching resume, it would be hard to imagine that he would simply takes ove Kings spot in the press box as the third assistant. Muller, who was let go by the Montreal Canadiens when the team fired Claude Julien in February, has 12 years of experience as an NHL assistant, and had a 80-80-27 record in three seasons as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes. If thats a coach the Canucks hire, youd have to think he would take a spot on the bench as Greens right-hand man. Those spots are currently held by Nolan Baumgartner, who handles the defencemen, and Newell Brown, who is in charge of the forwards. Muller played 1349 games as a centre in the NHL, scoring 959 points, and would be the natural choice to take over the forwards. Muller was in charge of the power play in Montreal, which wasnt an area of strength for the Habs during his last 4+ years there. Brown is most well known for being a power play guru, though the results have been mixed since he rejoined the Canucks in 2017. The Canucks power play ranking dropped to 25th last season, down from being ranked fourth in 2019-20. Vancouver was ninth on the man advantage in 2017-18, but 22nd in 2018-19. Muller mixed well with 21-year-old Habs centre Nick Suzuki, Im told. Suzuki has quickly developed into a reliable two-way centre in two seasons with the Habs, so perhaps Muller would be a good fit with Vancouvers young players. Whether Muller finds his way to Vancouver or not, the Canucks have a number of areas for improvement. Without Elias Pettersson for much of the season, the team ranked 24th in goals-for (2.64) and gave up the sixth-most goals against (3.34), despite stellar play from Thatcher Demko. The Canucks were middling on the penalty kill, ranking 17th (79.8%). Vancouver was particularly leaky defensively early on in the season though, before injuries took hold, with Green later admitting to needing to make in-season tweaks to his system. Weve subtly been changing a couple things here and there, from game-to-game, a couple things in our neutral zone play, Green said in February. Weve talked about making a few, bigger changes, but you need some practice time for some of those things. Perhaps changing the mix on the bench will improve results on the ice. Stay tuned.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/assistant-coach-shakeup-coming-canucks

Why Are So Many Cars Being Stolen in Kalamazoo This Year?

According to WWMT News Channel 3, Kalamazoo has seen a 50% increase in cases of stolen vehicles compared to the same time last year. This was concluded from data released by the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. In a way, yes. But, thankfully, a few simple steps can help prevent the theft of your car. The data released by the KDPS indicates that, as of May 31st, 2021, 200 cars had been stolen in the Kalamazoo area. Executive Lt. Scott VanderEnde was quoted by WWMT saying, The biggest challenge for us with vehicle thefts is the ease and the access for these vehicles to be stolen. When vehicles are left unlocked with valuables inside (wallets, purses, etc.) it makes them an easy target. Especially when keys are left in the ignition. VanderEnde went on to say, The quick trip to the gas station or convenience store and leave your car running, thats another big one. Just locking your cars and turning them off, its that simple really. So, if you want to make sure your car is not an attractive target for potential thieves here are a few simple steps to take: Make sure your car is locked Do not leave valuables in your car Do not leave your car unattended with the keys in the ignition or in the car I know it's easy to think, "Oh I'll just be in and out of the store! It'll just take a couple of minutes!" or "I know this neighborhood. There's no need to lock my car." But, with 200 cars being stolen so far this year those sentiments may be outdated. Get our free mobile app The KDPS also had a few other suggestions to prevent identity theft should your car be stolen: Never keep your social security card in your wallet or purse. Keep a list of all your credit cards and credit card numbers at your home. Dont keep your ATM card PIN with or near your card. As well, check with your bank and see what kind of credit monitoring or "suspicious" monitoring they may have. If it's insufficient or non-existent the KDPS also suggests investing in a credit monitoring service. Finally, if you find yourself the victim of a car thief the KDPS encourages you to report it immediately. The sooner you report it the more likely it is that you will get your car back.

https://wbckfm.com/why-are-so-many-cars-being-stolen-in-kalamazoo-this-year/

How were Jewish video game characters depicted in video games?

The Last of Us Part II is a heart-wrenching story of revenge and loss set in a post-apocalyptic America. Released in 2020, the game quickly became the most awarded of all time. While playing through its 25 hours of content, players encounter brash violence there are Molotov cocktails and mutated monsters but the adventure shines brightest in its quiet moments, when the humanity of the characters emerges from the ominous setting. One highlight for me can be found in a chapter with Dina, the Jewish girlfriend of protagonist Ellie Williams. Dina joins Ellie in her quest for revenge that propels The Last of Us Part II, and early on they venture through abandoned storefronts in search of gasoline to open a gate. The quest takes them to a location I found to be an unexpected delight: an abandoned synagogue. With light flooding through the stained-glass windows and overgrown greenery unifying the synagogue with its surroundings, the setting doesnt feel out of place from the game. Rather it serves as a safe haven after exploring areas crawling with zombies. Hey Ellie, this place is a synagogue, Dina warmly remarks upon their entrance. One of the most endearing aspects to the original The Last of Us game was a 14-year-old Ellie questioning her father figure, Joel, on aspects of life before the apocalyptic outbreak. Shes amazed the first time she sees lightning bugs and speaks of college like a foreign concept but approaches all these unfamiliar ideas with genuine curiosity. Are we in the future? Dina jokes in reply, No, doofus, thats a Hebrew calendar. The moment that hit closest to home was one line from Dina: For the new year my sister used to give me an apple dipped in honey. Though they are living in an apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, Dinas Jewishness feels so real. The apples-and-honey line in particular made me realize I had never seen a Jewish character in a video game that I could relate to before now. While Dina says she wouldnt describe herself as a believer, she explains that her faith is a source of comfort and a way to deal with grief. Unlike many past depictions of Jewish people in games, Dina is not reduced to her religion. Dinas Jewishness is a piece of her background that aids in understanding her perspective as the story progresses. cnxps.cmd.push(function () { cnxps({ playerId: '36af7c51-0caf-4741-9824-2c941fc6c17b' }).render('4c4d856e0e6f4e3d808bbc1715e132f6'); }); if(window.location.pathname.indexOf("656089") != -1){console.log("hedva connatix");document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";} Inspired by Dina, I did a deep dive into video game history to catalog the good, the bad and the questionable representation found in the medium. From a cult classic indie game centering on a rabbi to Orthodox Jewish background characters in Marvels Spider-Man to simulations of antisemitic violence developed by hate groups, heres a timeline spanning from 1992 to the present day. William B.J. Blazkowicz (Wolfenstein, 1992) B.J. is the central protagonist of the Wolfenstein series: the son of Polish immigrants, a World War II sergeant in the US Army and an agent at the fictional US Office of Secret Actions. He is an antifascist who aims to take down the Nazi regime: Ive got kids on the way, and Ill be damned if Im gonna raise them in a world run by these Nazi assholes. The game is a bloody first-person shooter with likely the most prominent Jewish protagonist in video game history. B.J.s Jewish background was confirmed by game designer Tom Hall, both on Twitter in 2014 and through revealing his mothers identity in The New Colossus (2017). Dr. Hal Otacon Emmerich (Metal Gear Solid, 1998) Metal Gear Solid is an acclaimed game by Hideo Kojima that helped to popularize stealth gameplay and cinematic cutscenes. It features the canonically Jewish Dr. Hal Emmerich, a scientific prodigy, weapons developer and lover of anime. Emmerichs identity was confirmed in the Metal Gear Solid Official Mission Handbook (see page 19). Another Metal Gear Solid character, Meryl Silverburgh, a fighter from a military family who serves as right-hand woman to protagonist Solid Snake, is thought to be Jewish by many due to her name. However, her faith has never been stated and, unlike Emmerich, her nationality in the handbook is listed simply as American rather than American (Jewish). Gordon Freeman (Half Life, 1998) Freeman falls into the Silverburgh category: Many have assumed the Half Life heros Jewish background based on his name. Freeman, a theoretical physicist, is joined by several other characters, including Dr. Kleiner and Judith Mossman, whose names may also indicate Jewish backgrounds as they stand against a fascist empire called Combine. While these characters faiths are not confirmed, the possibility adds interesting depth to the narrative. Jewish Enemies (Ethnic Cleansing, 2002) I couldnt cover the scope of depictions of Jewish people in video games without noting how the medium has been weaponized at times to simulate antisemitic violence. This is perhaps most dramatically displayed by the 2002 game Ethnic Cleansing, created by the neo-Nazi organization National Alliance, which is exactly what it sounds like. It is essentially a reverse Wolfenstein game where rather than fighting the Nazis, you are the Nazi. For obvious reasons this falls into the straight-up bad representation (if you can even call it that) category. Ken Rosenberg, Johnny Klebitz, Isaac Roth and Mori Green (Grand Theft Auto, 2002-) The bestselling Grand Theft Auto series, known for its gaudiness and open world accomplishments, features a handful of Jewish characters. Rosenberg is a central character in both Vice City and San Andreas, a lawyer with ties to an Italian-American mob. Klebitz, another recurring character, is the leader of an outlaw motorcycle gang who rides a signature blue and white bike meant to reference the Israeli flag. Roth and Green are members of a Jewish mob who trade diamonds. *Spoiler alert* Some controversy arose as two of the series protagonists kill Roth, Green and their fellow diamond dealers. The final mission where the player kills Roth sees him described as a curly haired leech and requires that the player murder members of the Jewish mob. Rabbi Russell Stone (The Shivah, 2006) The most obviously Jewish game on this list is The Shivah, an indie point and click title with branching dialogue where the protagonist is literally a rabbi. Rabbi Stones synagogue is running low on funds when he learns a congregant has passed away, leaving $10,000 for him. Stone ventures through Manhattan on a journey full of lighthearted and introspective dialogue to determine if it is moral to accept the funds. Bonus points: The game features a cheat sheet of Yiddish translations. Professor Hershel Layton (The Professor Layton Series, 2007) The hero of Nintendos successful Professor Layton series is Hershel, a puzzle-solving British Jewish archaeologist. OK, his religion isnt discussed in the game, but the Hebrew origins of his name and his choice of hat have led many to draw the conclusion. Andrew Ryan, J.S. Steinman, Brigid Tenenbaum, Mariska Lutz, Sander Cohen and more! (BioShock, 2007) BioShock is a first-person shooter where you play as Jack, a survivor of a plane crash who stumbles upon an underwater city in 1960. It features the most Jewish cast in gaming certainly at the time, and possibly to this day. Ken Levine, the mind behind the game, opened up about its Jewish roots in a 2015 interview and later in 2018. I dont think I was conscious of how Jewish it was until afterwards, he said, explaining that much of the representation was a byproduct of his childhood experiences. Edgar Kalou (LA Noire, 2011) The protagonist is Detective Cole Phelps of the Los Angeles Police Department in 1947. The player acts as Phelps while solving a variety of cases. *Spoiler alert* One centers on Edgar Kalou, a jewelry store owner who kills Everett Gage, an antisemite who worked to take down his business. While questioning Kalou, Phelps gets a confession by making antisemitic remarks, saying Youre going to the gas chamber, Edgar and calling him a left-wing-leaning parasite. Kalou accuses Phelps of antisemitism and calls him a goy motherfer. After the confession, Phelps says, I respect your beliefs and the right to hold them, which rings hollow after he threatens to send a Jewish man to the gas chamber. Im left feeling he didnt need to use aggressive antisemitism as a tool to gain a confession when he already had ample evidence of guilt. Gaige the Mechromancer (Borderlands 2, 2012) Gaige is a playable character in the Borderlands series, a rebellious blogger and scientist whose signature skill is summoning Deathtrap, a robot she created to defend her. She sometimes open chests while exclaiming Its like Hanukkah! a play on the character Rolands line, Its like Christmas! The series also features Typhon Deleon, a character who frequently uses Yiddish. Joel Miller (The Last of Us, 2013) Yes, that Joel, the treasured smuggler and ultimate father figure protagonist of The Last of Us. While his faith is not discussed in the game as Dinas is in the sequel, many have concluded he at least celebrates Hanukkah from developer Naughty Dogs 2013 holiday card depicting the character in a menorah sweater. Why not! Nadine Ross (Uncharted: Lost Legacy, 2017) Another Naughty Dog holiday card treat is Uncharted 4s antagonist turned Uncharted: Lost Legacys deuteragonist Nadine Ross donning a menorah sweater. Why not! Ross is a South African treasure hunter and former mercenary skilled in combat and charismatic leadership. Robert Zussman (Call of Duty: WWII, 2017) Zussman is the fiercely loyal sidekick to protagonist Ronald Red Daniels. Raised by a German-Jewish family in Chicago, Zussman faces unique struggles in battle due to his identity as he is captured by German soldiers. Jewish NPCs (non-player characters) (Marvels Spider-Man, 2018) I am indeed including the Jewish background characters in Spider-Man because of this lovely attention to detail: On Saturdays, the Orthodox Jewish character models are not seen at work because they are observing the Sabbath. Elan Ruskin, a programmer at Insomniac Games, tweeted, I spent months bugging the character art lead to create Orthodox models just so that I could implement this. From gaming Jews everywhere, thank you, Elan Ruskin. Sometimes its the little things. Also worth mentioning, while swinging around the 2020 follow-up game, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, NPCs will shout out holiday greetings that include Happy Hanukkah! I lit up upon hearing it for the first time. Dina (The Last of Us Part II, 2020) This all takes us back to Dina, perhaps the most fleshed-out direct Jewish representation in a AAA game. I like coming from a long line of survivors, Dina proudly states, explaining her family survived the Inquisition and the Holocaust, and that she now carries their legacy as she fights to survive. Her Judaism is brought up naturally and connects to the story in a meaningful way. Throughout the game Dina wears a bracelet with a hamsa charm that she ultimately gives to Ellie, saying Its for good luck. I dont believe in good luck, Ellie says. I do, Dina responds. While Jewish representation in video games has a rocky and sparse history, games like BioShock, Marvels Spider-Man and The Last of Us Part II have demonstrated differing ways to effectively include the faith on large and small scales. The common thread in these games is having a seat at the table. In the case of BioShock, developer Ken Levines roots drive the inclusion; in Spider-Man, it is Elan Ruskin pushing the character artists to include Orthodox models; and in The Last of Us Part II, writer and director Neil Druckmanns background inspires the inclusion. As the video game industry grows to be more inclusive behind the scenes, we can expect games increasingly representative of nuanced and complex characters from all walks of life.

https://www.jpost.com/j-spot/how-were-jewish-video-game-characters-depicted-in-video-games-670165

Could FSU football land Miami legacy recruit Earl Little Jr.?

The Florida State Seminoles are hosting several elite prospects from South Florida on Friday, and one of the biggest ones is Rivals100 cornerback Earl Little Jr. out of American Heritage. Little attended the FSU spring game on his own earlier this year, but this trip was more in-depth and allowed the four-star DB to interact with the Seminoles' coaches and players in person. While there certainly is a ton of competition for the South Florida product, it's beginning to look like FSU and Alabama are doing the best job of catching his attention, along with a few others. ***Don't miss out on our great FSU Football and Recruiting coverage. Get your 30-day FREE trial! ***

https://floridastate.rivals.com/news/4-star-cb-earl-little-jr-calls-fsu-visit-amazing-plans-return-trips

Is LASA Against Cuba?

By Ernesto Estvez Rams May 30, 2021 I have read a Latin American Studies Association 2021 (LASA) statement that singles out Cuba on the basis of a certain concern about the treatment of academics, intellectuals and artists in Cuba. I want to make clear my personal position on this matter. The treatment received by the vast majority of academics, artists and intellectuals in Cuba is one of support from society and the state, including, in the midst of the crisis caused by the pandemic, not only the rights that all Cubans enjoy to healthcare and first-class medical care, but also a system of economic support and subsidies that allow them, in a situation of drastic economic contraction, to have a minimum and decent economic support that allows them to continue creating, studying, and researching. The system of publications, specialized media and other forms of socialization that Cubas intellectuals enjoys is one of the most complete in Latin America and is not only protected, but promoted, by the Cuban government and state. Moreover, the Cuban government and state are currently promoting a dialogue, at the highest levels, with the Cuban intelligentsia, including its artists, writers, researchers, and scientists, among others, in a collective search for proposed solutions to the countrys problems in all areas. Cuba is being designed on the basis of the inclusion of all those who have something to contribute to its Revolution. RELATED CONTENT: Argentina and Cuba to Join Forces Against the Coronavirus Pandemic This dialogue is simply unparalleled in all of Latin America. The generalization of LASAs statement, I sense, is based on the biased criteria of a few, and referring to specific facts whose nature and complexity they do not take into account, is unjustified. This lack of justification becomes embarrassing if we consider that this same statement, like a fig leaf, made a lukewarm condemnation of the blockade, equating it, in the spirit of its statement, to the alleged violationassumed to be generalized due to the absence of nuanceof the rights of intellectuals in Cuba. The state terrorism and genocidal nature of the blockade has no place in any text that seeks to use its condemnation as an alibi for other purposes. The condemnation of the blockade must be without buts, as a simple act of courage towards human beings, in this case, Cuban human beings. It is also noteworthy that at a time when so many countries across the region are being openly repressed, the declaration singles out Cuba, in addition to a couple of other declarations regarding Colombia and Paraguay. Today, Latin American intellectuals, professionals and students are being repressed and their eyes mutilated in Chile; they are being repressed and murdered in Colombia; they are being forced into self-exile in Brazil; they are unjustly imprisoned in Ecuador; they are repressed and have been forced to flee Honduras. The list is long and endless. In this context, to single out Cuba with ambiguous and generalizing accusations, in the midst of the worlds protest against the blockade, is to lend oneself to Yankee imperialisms make-believe narrative against Cuba, which constantly tries to find arguments to justify its genocidal policy. I invite the intellectuals and good people of Latin America to speak out against this statement, which I must label asat the very leastcowardly. Featured image: File Photo (Resumen Latinoamericano-English)

https://orinocotribune.com/is-lasa-against-cuba/

Is Trademark Dilution Even Still A Thing?

Law360 (June 4, 2021, 4:58 PM EDT) -- A new report shows that the past decade has seen a steep and steady decline in accusations of federal trademark dilution, a trend that experts attribute to both tougher restrictions and diminishing returns. First enacted in 1996, federal anti-dilution law gives the owners of famous brands extra firepower to protect their rights. Unlike a normal claim of infringement, a dilution plaintiff doesn't need to show that the unauthorized use of their trademark is likely to confuse consumers. The idea behind dilution was to prevent behavior that would lessen the uniqueness of a famous trademark, even if it doesn't rise to the... Stay ahead of the curve In the legal profession, information is the key to success. You have to know whats happening with clients, competitors, practice areas, and industries. Law360 provides the intelligence you need to remain an expert and beat the competition. Access to case data within articles (numbers, filings, courts, nature of suit, and more.) Access to attached documents such as briefs, petitions, complaints, decisions, motions, etc. Create custom alerts for specific article and case topics and so much more! TRY LAW360 FREE FOR SEVEN DAYS

https://www.law360.com/articles/1391247/is-trademark-dilution-even-still-a-thing-

Was de coronacrisis een wraak van de natuur?

De coronacrisis is verschrikkelijk, maar gaat tot een betere wereld leiden. Dat geluid was vooral in de eerste maanden van 2020 volop te horen. Daarna verstomde dat een beetje, terwijl de epidemie voortwoekerde. Maar het ging niet helemaal weg. In een nieuw golfje boeken wordt weer geprobeerd de pandemie te duiden. En groter kunnen de verschillen haast niet worden. De radicale Rotterdamse socioloog Willem Schinkel geeft in Pandemocratie een indringende analyse van de pandemiepolitiek. De optimistische Belgische filosoof Maarten Boudry en journalist Jol de Ceulaer brengen op luchtige toon oorzaken en gevolgen in kaart. De bezorgde Amerikaanse commentator Fareed Zakaria ziet nog net een uitweg in een wereld vol gevaren. De coronacrisis is een crisis van het kapitalisme, stelt Schinkel. Ontbossing en grootschalige veehouderij vormen ideale omstandigheden voor het ontstaan van nieuwe infectieziekten. Internationale handelsstromen en reizigers brengen het virus verder. Maar daar houdt het niet op. De ernst van de pandemie wordt ook bepaald door de reactie, en die is weer ingebed in het huidige kapitalistische systeem. Het Nederlandse beleid bewijst dat volgens hem. Dat beleid was necropolitiek, een politiek des doods. Die is erop gericht om het virus, maar vooral ook het kapitaal te laten circuleren. Kantoren en KLM moesten open blijven, aldus Schinkel. Door het rondgaan van het virus zou groepsimmuniteit ontstaan, zo was het idee. Maar het gevolg was dat duizenden stierven, een misdaad die aan de wet voorafgaat. Dat zijn stevige teksten, Schinkel maakt zeker valide punten, maar gaat soms de grenzen van een fatsoenlijk betoog ver te buiten. Zijn provocaties zijn zo sterk dat hij zichzelf in het debat buitenspel zet. Ook Boudry en De Ceulaer vinden het streven naar groepsimmuniteit verkeerd. De openlijke flirt van Rutte daarmee wordt door hen op een wat ironische manier behandeld. Boudry en De Ceulaer hadden sneller strengere maatregelen gewild. Maar Schinkel ziet ook in een strakkere indammingstrategie niet veel. Want nooit werd duidelijk dat voorstanders van het indammen vertrokken vanuit een diagnose die de verspreiding van infectieziektes koppelt aan de kapitalistische manier om de wereld intern te verweven door haar te verdelen. Wetenschappers zijn volgens Schinkel in een onzalige alliantie terechtgekomen met politici. Het Outbreak Management Team omschrijft hij als iets tussen een necropolitiek propaganda-apparaat en administratief doodseskader. Dat is, voegt Schinkel er wat lafjes aan toe, geen uitspraak over de leden ervan, maar over de verhouding van kennis en macht. Want dat kennis macht is, werd in de epidemie duidelijk gedemonstreerd. Disruptie Ook Zakaria trekt bredere verbanden. Hij spreekt over het virus als de wraak van de natuur. Maar hij hanteert niet het kapitalisme, maar het vagere begrip modernisering als verklaring voor de toename van het aantal zonosen. Volgens Boudry en De Ceulaer is het virus geen wraak van, maar gewoon puur natuur. Iedereen die de pandemie als teken ziet van een scheve verhouding met de natuur, wordt door hen in de categorie van bijgelovige virusknuffelaars geplaatst. De natuur wil ons niets vertellen en ook niet straffen, stellen zij. Zij hebben een andere boodschap over de verhouding met de natuur. Beschaving is: de natuur in toom houden, aan banden leggen. Bij Boudry en De Ceulaer heeft de coronapandemie wel tot enige disruptie van hun wereldbeeld geleid. Terwijl ze eigenlijk overtuigd zijn van de positieve rol van de wetenschap en experts, moeten ze bekennen dat hun vertrouwen werd aangetast. Die experts hebben namelijk vooral in het begin van de crisis de ernst ervan onderschat. Maar dit was volgens Boudry en De Ceulaer maar een tijdelijk probleem. Nu moet het moet weer zijn leve de experts. Zakaria maakt zich minder makkelijk af van deze epistemische crisis. Hij vindt dat mensen naar experts moeten luisteren, maar dat het omgekeerde ook meer moet gebeuren. Ook hij gaat dus minder ver dan Schinkel. Maar duidelijk is dat de verhouding wetenschap-publiek-politiek als een van de grote themas door de coronacrisis op de kaart is gezet. Voor de twee Belgen ligt de overwinning van de epidemie in wetenschap en technologie. Die zullen wederom triomferen. En dat gebeurt opmerkelijk genoeg in een harmonieuze geopolitieke omgeving. Vandaag is de wereld een dorp waar iedereen elkaar helpt, schrijven ze. Zo zonnig beziet CNN-commentator Zakaria de toestand niet. De coronacrisis kan allerlei negatieve ontwikkelingen juist verergeren, van ongelijkheid tot rivaliteit tussen de VS en China. Het Amerikaanse kapitalisme functioneert niet goed meer. Maar hij biedt een oplossing: een vrije markt met meer overheidsingrijpen, zoals in Denemarken, is het voor hem aansprekende alternatief. Verder kunnen problemen worden opgelost door mensen meer veerkracht en veiligheid te bieden, een CO2-heffing in te voeren en andere hervormingen door te voeren. Het is niet nodig de bestaande orde omver te werpen. Volgens Schinkel is het juist overduidelijk dat die bestaande orde omver moet worden geworpen. In de laatste paragrafen van zijn boek presenteert hij zijn alternatief: de pandemocratie, een democratie die ook de economie omvat en voorbij de grenzen van de natiestaten en van de menselijke soort gaat. Een democratie voor alle vormen van leven op Aarde, door Schinkel met een hoofdletter geschreven. Dit ecosocialisme combineert de grote themas rond gelijkheid, vrijheid en ecologie. In zijn korte schets (geen blauwdruk) komen onder meer het gedeeld bezit van productiemiddelen, collectivisering van zorg, huisvesting en onderwijs, afschaffing van gevangenis, leger en politie en van de staat zelf voorbij. Het is, al zijn het maar de grove lijnen, een beeld van een radicaal andere en betere wereld waarin de linkse idealen over alle belangrijke vraagstukken samenkomen. Tegenover de pandemie stelt Schinkel, inspiratiebron van BIJ1, de utopie. Jammer genoeg doet hij dat bijna schoorvoetend. Lees ook: Iedereen die denkt dat hij of zij man, vrouw, wit of zwart is, heeft een probleem (essay van Willem Schinkel) Als je de aannames van Schinkel accepteert, is zijn betoog logisch, rigoureus en ijzersterk. Als je daar vraagtekens bij zet, blijft er veel retoriek over, die op de pandemie is geplakt. Het beleid rond de pandemie is volgens hem immers een voortzetting van het verfoeide neoliberale bewind. De neiging van Schinkel om alles in een ideologisch kader te persen laat weinig ruimte over voor de chaos, verbijstering en onzekerheid die ook zo zichtbaar waren. Zeker in het begin van de pandemie was er nog weinig kennis over het virus en dus ook over noodzaak of effect van maatregelen. Dat gold ook voor de nadelige gevolgen voor de economie, die volgens Schinkel steeds voorop stonden. Dat er grote fouten zijn gemaakt, dat het virus aanvankelijk werd onderschat en de voorbereiding op een pandemie gebrekkig was, dat is wel duidelijk. Of al die fouten en missers binnen de strakke lijnen vallen die Schinkel trekt, is iets anders. Zijn interpretatie zal voor sommige lezers geruststellend zijn, want die geeft n duidelijke betekenis aan de crisis: het is weer de fout van het kapitalisme. Maarten Boudry en Jol de Eerste hulp bij pandemie. Van achterafklap tot zwarte zwaan. Lannoo, 258 blz. 19,99 Eerste hulp bij pandemie. Van achterafklap tot zwarte zwaan. Lannoo, 258 blz. 19,99 Willem Schinkel: Pandemocratie. Leesmagazijn, 266 blz. Pandemocratie. Leesmagazijn, 266 blz. 24,95 Fareed Zakaria: De wereld na de pandemie. Tien lessen voor de mondiale samenleving. Nieuw Amsterdam, 332 blz, 21,99 De wereld na de pandemie. Tien lessen voor de mondiale samenleving. Nieuw Amsterdam, 332 blz, 21,99 Nieuwsbrief NRC Boeken Het laatste boekennieuws met onze recensies, de interessantste artikelen en interviews Inschrijven

https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2021/06/03/het-kapitalisme-heeft-het-weer-gedaan-a4046036

Are Coachella weekend 1 tickets sold out?

COACHELLA is returning to California in 2022 after organizers were forced to reschedule the highly-coveted festival four times. Tickets, regardless of the expense, are selling like hot cakes online. Coachella's pre-sale tickets ran out just hours after the tickets went on sale on June 4, 2021. Coachella fans were excited to once again see the little blue running man on the waiting room screen before they can access tickets. When the little blue guy runs from one end of the screen to the other, thats when a person can buy them. Coachella promoter Goldenvoice releases an allotted amount of tickets for the Coachella pre-sale in the summer and puts the remainder out after the festivals lineup comes out in January. Because of the A-List acts that perform at the festival, and the stars that attend, Coachella is not cheap. Over the years the big event has become the hottest ticket in town, with everyone wanting to get their hands on a ticket. 3 Coachella is hosted annually in Palm Springs, California Credit: Getty Depending on how much cash you have, tickets range from a general pass, right up to a VIP luxury experience. The tickets for the festival are sold separately for two weekends, and you can choose between lots of different types of three day passes for the festival. Coachella has yet to release their 2022 lineup. 3 Coachella will take place in April 2022 Credit: Getty Most read in News RED WHITE & BANNED Biden CANCELS Rushmore July 4 fireworks as GOP gov slams 'radical left' Exclusive 'WE'RE DISTRAUGHT' Samuel Olson's family can't bear to hear 'sickening details' of corpse POO-PETRATOR Trump fan, 70, 'pooped and urinated on Democrat's lawn for 10 YEARS' TWEET RELEASE Elon sends Bitcoin value PLUNGING with Linkin Park meme tweet about 'the end' 'NO MORE WHITE HOUSE DINNERS' Trump teases 2024 run in jab at Zuckerberg after Facebook ban SNATCH HOAX Pick-up truck with 'vile' image of kidnapped woman is investigated by police However, organizers are reportedly trying to bring back the artists that were originally set to perform in the 2020 festival, which include Travis Scott, Rage Against The Machine, and Frank Ocean. It is unclear if they have agreed to perform in the 2022 festival. For updates regarding the lineup, fans are encouraged to follow the festival on Twitter and Instagram.

https://www.the-sun.com/news/3020154/coachella-weekend-one-tickets-availability-calfornia/

Where Did Homebuyers Who Moved During Pandemic Go?

We've seen evidence of homeowners moving to new states or metropolitan areas during the height of the global coronavirus pandemic, but a survey published Thursday by Knock, a resource for homebuyers and sellers, showed that about six of every 10 pandemic homebuyers opted for a new, often less populated city in the same state. According to some 2,000 homeowners who responded, the pandemic encouraged younger generations to move, a trend that will continue in the coming year, Knock reported. Among those who moved during the pandemic, 58% were either millennials or Gen Z. Rather than moving across the country, many are choosing less-populated suburban and rural areas in their existing state, the study revealed. "Almost overnight, our homes took on a whole new meaning. In addition to where we live, they became where we work, go to school, workout, and everything in between. It prompted us to re-evaluate what we want and need our home to be," Knock Co-Founder & CEO Sean Black said. "Although the pandemic may have ignited this trend, it's not likely to subside anytime soon. People are placing a higher value on where they live, and for many, it means putting where they live ahead of being close to the office, especially now that so many have the ability to work remotely, at least part of the time. It also could mean we will see people moving more often, especially as technology helps to simplify the process of buying and selling homes." Knock.com's Alexandria Quintana blogged about the survey and summarized the key takeaways: A preference for larger homes The desire to relocate out of urban areas A new prioritization of where people live over their job To determine whether price appreciation would have accelerated for larger homes more rapidly than smaller homes in the past year, Knock's research team looked at the pace of appreciation for price per square foot over the last four years, segmented by home size they focused on two "large, stable markets": Atlanta and Dallas, and found: Atlanta last year saw similar increases in price appreciation across home sizes, yet, a convergence on that price appreciation in 2021, as price appreciation of larger homes has continued to accelerate near levels of smaller homes. Quintana says its also worth noting, "the 2020 year-over-year percent change of homes sold above list price show those 4,000 square feet and up increased nearly 78% from 2019, compared to only 24% for homes 1,000-2,000 square feet." In Dallas, the preferential shift for larger homes in 2021 was more remarkable. Homes over 4,000 square feet experienced the largest increase year over year. Similar to Atlanta, the 2020 y-o-y percentage of homes sold above list price that are less than 4,000 square feet increased 73% versus 28% for homes 1,000-2,000 square feet. Knock additionally looked into the effect of the apparent demand for larger homes on home building, turning to the National Home Builders Association for data and finding that NAHB reported a similar trend for single-family home size among new construction across all regions of the United States, in an article released this year. Knock conducted a remarkably comprehensive dive into their own and outside data to come up with this list of the top-10 destinations for relocating homeowners. The entire methodology and findings are available at blog.knock.com. Top 10:

https://themreport.com/daily-dose/06-04-2021/where-did-homebuyers-who-moved-during-pandemic-go

Was Guitar Musician Made From His Uncle's Skeleton Just a Hoax?

The story might already be familiar, especially for metalheads who follow the odd and macabre. In February, a Florida musician known as Prince Midnight captured headlines with a guitar he'd reportedly constructed out of the skeleton of his dead uncle. Word of the so-called "Skelecaster" didn't just make the rounds on music websites news outlets as far-flung as CBC/Radio-Canada and The Indian Express even covered the creation. Midnight, who says his real name is Yaago Anax, spoke to Guitar World, HuffPost and other places about the electric guitar that, it seemed, harnessed the legit framework of the dead. That same month, per Vice, two local reporters embedded in Midnight's Tampa Bay home base, Christopher Spata of the Tampa Bay Times and Ray Roa of Creative Loafing Tampa, detailed their suspicions that the skeleton guitar maker was an alter ego of either one or two different people: Odilon Ozare, a Tampa man with purported Guinness World Records titles for the tallest hat and longest fingernail extensions, and Justin Arnold, a seemingly separate Florida musician who duped Tampa Bay's tbt* magazine into printing a fake photo of a two-headed alligator in 2014. Nevertheless, behind the fabled skeleton guitar itself is a musician and self-made craftsman who, prankster or not, seems to have built the axe as a sincere tribute to the deceased uncle, Filip, who he says introduced him to heavy metal in the first place. Coincidentally, the guitar's creation followed the 2020 release of Prince Midnight's self-titled EP, a distinctive take on black metal led by the unusual-for-metal sounds of the vibraphone, an instrument that, over the last 36 months, has become particularly close to the rocker's heart. Speaking to Loudwire, Midnight explains how, in 2019, he was in a terrible depression when he got a xylophone from his partner as a gift. "I fell in love with it, eventually upgrading to a vibraphone and becoming a student of the [vibraphone playing] greats like Arthur Lyman, Martin Denny and Les Baxter," he says. I've always been into heavy metal, punk and D-beat and realized no one had ever done a [metal] record incorporating it. I became a grindcore fan growing up in the Tampa hardcore and metal scene. My record has only a little guitar almost all of that tonal space gets taken up by vibraphone." Regarding the "Skelecaster," what readers have seen of the unusual guitar elsewhere aligns with what Midnight repeats to Loudwire: As the story goes, Filip, who died in a car accident in Greece in his 20s, was harvested as a medically prepared skeleton and used there in an educational capacity over the last 30 years. After being decommissioned, however, the bones had to be returned to the family. Due to circumstances surrounding Greek customs and not wanting to pay additional burial fees, the musician ended up receiving his uncle's remains in Florida. "From what I understand, [in the United States], your name is scrubbed if your body is donated," Midnight explains. "So if you get made into a skeleton, then you're just like an ambiguous skeleton. But over there, it's super Greek Orthodox. And so that has a lot to do with how this all happened. Over there, how your remains get disposed of is super important; no one gets cremated there. When you donate your body to science, and it may still be this way, your name remains attached to it." But getting Filip's bones wasn't a quick and easy process it required "legal mumbo jumbo" and the help of experts. "You have to be a licensed funeral director to ship bones here," Midnight continues. "So I had to get a funeral director to go through like, the U.S. State Department you know, people die overseas a hundred times a day, it's not an uncommon thing [to retrieve human remains from another country]. So I went through all that and paid this funeral home to do it. They accepted the remains for me." After taking possession of the skeleton himself, Midnight's idea for the "Skelecaster" took shape. He says a guitar luthier friend provided some initial inspiration, although the buddy soon got turned off by the idea of making it from a real skeleton and jumped ship on the project. Going it on his own from there on out, the musician used trial-and-error and some elbow grease to strengthen the spine with steel plates. Ultimately, he added the guitar neck, bridge, pickup and other electronic guts one would normally see on a Fender Telecaster to the spinal column and rib cage of uncle Filip's remains to make a working electric guitar. "The only structure this thing has is in the spine," Midnight says of the skeleton as he received it, "and where the spinal cord used to be was like a bar, a metal bar. And it's strong, but it's not going to keep consistent tension enough to keep something in tune for very long." The musician describes taking multiple trips to Lowe's, the home improvement store, often quizzing employees there, before arriving at the steel undergirding that would allow the guitar to function. Perhaps if the skeleton wasn't that of Midnight's uncle, sure or maybe if it wasn't a real one at all. Of course, there's also the possibility that the musician isn't being honest about his true identity. That's what local journalists Spata and Roa presume. But the musician says they never reached out to him. "Neither of those people ever contacted me," Midnight claims. "If you ask them, they'd say they didn't contact me. I don't know either of the guys that wrote those articles. I thought it was a little messed up if you created something and it got arbitrarily attributed to somebody else, I think anyone would be a little frustrated with that." But when Loudwire emailed Spata and Roa, each wrote back that they had indeed contacted the person they believe to be Midnight, Justin Arnold AKA Odilon Ozare. Spata even relayed that Arnold/Ozare "told me he didn't know what I was talking about with them being the same guy. He also sent me some photos of Prince Midnight to use with the story. The guy is incredibly funny and creative. It's a little bit like accusing Borat of not being a real person, it sort of sucks the fun out of it." As he's written in the Tampa Bay Times, Spata thinks both Midnight and Ozare are Arnold due to the characters' shared proximity, similar appearance and the detailed nature of both of their backstories, combined with an apparent lack of info regarding their lives before they made the news. Roa shares the same skepticism. A September 2020 episode of a local podcast called Grand National Championships is the first appearance of Prince Midnight they've found. The musician invites either writer to reach out to investigate the guitar further. "Dude, you can shave some of this [skeleton] off, take some of my hair, and do a DNA analysis if that makes you feel better," Midnight says. "But I have a feeling that when you get the results, you won't be writing an article about that." The urge to prove the guitar's validity echoes a theme that carries over elsewhere in his life. "I'm in the same situation personally," the musician admits. "You know, the crux of what we're talking about is people not taking me seriously as a creative person. And I even have friends that have recently been like, 'I don't get it, man, like, why would you make a vibraphone metal record?'" For Prince Midnight, the vibraphone was the musical totem that rejuvenated him after a dark period in his life. He appears to be quite open about that. The "Skelecaster," it seems, just happened to be a bonus the unsettling, attention-grabbing icing on the cake. If you can believe it. "It's not like I bought a vibraphone and played it for three years every day as a joke," Midnight says. When does something stop being a hoax?" It's really anyone's guess. Prince Midnight, Prince Midnight EP Prince Midnight Plays Darkthrone's "Transylvanian Hunger" on the "Skelecaster"

https://loudwire.com/skeleton-guitar-hoax-prince-midnight/

What Should We Do About Algorithmic Bias in Hiring?

Algorithms are just rules that solve a problem or calculate something. They are not exactly a new idea the earliest known examples were found on Babylonian clay tablets dating to 1600 BC. In short, because they are only just recently becoming absurdly powerful. AI and Big Data have joined forces to figure out all manner of new things (e.g., how to drive a car without a human, how to recognize faces, how to recommend Netflix movies to me so I never get off the couch ever again). But with all of this newfound power to explain the world around us, they have begun to ferret out the deep and insidious nature of bias and it is increasingly clear that bias pervades human decisions at a fundamental level. All of us are biased in a thousand ways, and our brains process data using myriad, usually subconscious, heuristics. Since AI is usually trained with human data, and humans code it, our biases are replicated inside the AIs black-box brain and potentially propagated at a massive scale. Consider this: Algorithms, being incapable of malice (so far), can only do what we program them to do. What we need to cancel is bad programming. Well, not really. Bias is so inherent to human activity that expecting even well-developed algorithms to be free of bias is unrealistic. But we are still obligated to identify and minimize bias as exhaustively as we (humanly) can. What we need, on top of well- and carefully developed algorithms, is better bias monitoring. We need fail-safe systems that can continuously evaluate how AI technology is working, notice when it is generating biased output, and then offer a way to fix or control it. We already do that in a variety of ways, some better than others. In hiring, the best way is for companies to collect EEO information for every candidate that is, demographic data on subgroup membership and then create algorithms that ensure hiring outcomes are evenly distributed among those groups. Article Continues Below Except, this solution has two problems: First, EEO information is currently voluntary for candidates to provide because historically it might have been used to discriminate. Second, many companies do not want to store this information because it could be used by investigators to prove they are engaging in biased hiring. For fair AI to flourish, we need solutions to these problems, too. While in the past, subgroup data could have been used to discriminate or incriminate, the reality is we need that data now for exactly the opposite reason to ensure that your hiring process does neither of those things. Our enhanced understanding of data and how it all interacts and relates is what allows us to know that bias exists in places we did not realize it existed. So dont think of AI as causing bias so much as exposing it. There are instances of AI making errors based on the data its given. I would guess that these errors happened because the algorithms were not sufficiently studied and monitored, not because of malicious intent. Ultimately, we need to consider bias from multiple perspectives. Algorithms will continue to predict in biased ways and, as they get stronger and include more data, they will find new ways to add bias that were previously safe. The answer, though, is not to stop using algorithms. It is to be ever-vigilant and remove bias from algorithms when we find it. So remember three things: (1) Algorithms are neither good nor bad, (2) AI has the ability to uncover all sorts of previously hidden biases, and (3) we humans either have to be monitoring our algorithms to see if they uncover bias or build processes that can do it for us.

https://www.ere.net/what-should-we-do-about-algorithmic-bias-in-hiring/

Is Nicole Galloway done with politics?

(MissouriNet) State Auditor Nicole Galloway has announced today that she will not be running for re-election or any other office next year. In a statement Galloway released on social media, she says she is ready for the next chapter of service and life with her family. Serving as Missouris Auditor has been the honor of my life. During this time, my husband and I have had three sons who have campaigned with me and supported me every step of the way. My family has made me a better public servant, and they have inspired me to lead with integrity and grit. Yet, during this past decade, I have missed countless family events, little league games, and school activities, she says. Galloway is a certified public accountant and certified fraud examiner. She is the only Democrat who currently holds a statewide office in Missouri.

https://kwos.com/2021/06/is-nicole-galloway-done-with-politics/

What Is the TikTok 'Bee Lady' Controversy?

A viral TikTok creator known as the "Bee Lady" has been called out for allegedly unsafe bee-handling practices, among other controversies. The beekeeping community is now apparently trying to set the record straight on how to properly and safely interact with bees, and many are questioning if the "Bee Lady" is actually rescuing bees. Below, find out about the latest drama that has everyone buzzing. Who Is the TikTok 'Bee Lady' (a.k.a. Erika Thompson, who goes by @TexasBeeWorks on TikTok, is a full-time beekeeper Thompson from Austin, Texas. She is the founder and owner of the company Texas Beeworks. Thompson graduated from the University of Texas. In 2011, she took a beekeeping class as she wanted to learn about the insects. She created her first hive in her backyard and started her company in 2014 while simultaneously working as a full-time Communications Director. She has been notably featured on Jeopardy! and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Thompson has amassed over 6 million followers on TikTok for her videos, in which she handles swarms of bees with her bare hands during removal and relocation expeditions. Texas Bee Works is run by Thompson and aims to help both bees and beekeepers. The company manages numerous hives to maintain a healthy honeybee population and attempts to raise awareness about honeybees through "education, advocacy, and public outreach," according to the company's official website. Thompson offers hive placement, removals and management services. She also gives beekeeping classic along with private lessons. Thompson has been called a fraud by some other members of the bee community. According to bee professional and TikToker Friday Chamberlain, a.k.a. @LAHoneyBeeRescue, it is apparently almost impossible to tell the difference between killer and harmless bees. She also criticized Thompson's choice to use little to no protection when coming in contact and handling swarms of bees. [Thompson]s setting a very dangerous precedent," she claimed. Other experts question how much natural saving Thompson is doing as she seemingly relocates some of the bees to her own apiary. Additionally, most professionals also put a disclaimer on their videos and profiles stating that they are professionals and that bees should only be handled with the proper gear and education. Thompson notably helped out superstar Jason Derulo with a hive on his property. She encouraged him to handle the bees without protection and eat straight from a honeycomb with bees still on it. This has been disputed as dangerous among numerous professionals. Thompson has not yet responded publicly to the allegations. It's still unclear if Thompson actually staged any of her bee rescue missions.

https://popcrush.com/tiktok-bee-lady-texasbeeworks-controversy-explained/

Where does Wisconsin rank compared to other states in rising used car prices?

Used car prices have gone up in every state, but not at the same rates. (Photo: Getty Images) (iSeeCars) The global microchip shortage has drastically impacted the automotive industry. Nearly every major automaker has been forced to idle production, which has led to a dramatic reduction in new car inventory. As a result, demand for used cars has soared, and prices for used cars have risen proportionately. According to iSeeCars.coms latest analysis of over 1.2 million used car sales, used car prices have increased 16.8 percent, or $3,926, compared to the same period the previous year. This is compared to a 0.2 percent increase in 2020 over 2019. Here are the average used car price increases by state: Used Car Price Increases by State Rank State Year-Over-Year % Price Change Year-Over-Year $ Price Change 1 Vermont 10.7% $2,717 2 New Jersey 11.1% $2,580 3 West Virginia 11.8% $2,910 4 Nebraska 12.1% $2,968 5 Wisconsin 12.3% $3,026 6 Minnesota 12.4% $2,945 7 Iowa 12.7% $3,135 8 Hawaii 13.3% $3,391 9 New York 13.7% $3,126 10 New Hampshire 13.8% $3,106 11 Massachusetts 14.1% $3,188 12 Indiana 14.1% $3,247 13 Connecticut 14.2% $3,000 14 Pennsylvania 14.3% $3,214 15 New Mexico 14.4% $3,444 16 Colorado 14.6% $3,554 17 North Dakota 14.9% $4,062 18 Illinois 14.9% $3,575 19 Idaho 15.0% $4,067 20 Oklahoma 15.9% $3,895 21 Texas 16.0% $3,890 22 Mississippi 16.1% $3,892 23 Louisiana 16.6% $3,883 24 North Carolina 16.7% $3,882 25 Kansas 16.8% $3,950 26 Maine 16.8% $3,977 National Average 16.8% $3,926 27 Delaware 17.3% $3,652 28 Virginia 17.3% $3,883 29 Michigan 17.7% $4,051 30 South Dakota 18.1% $4,998 31 Kentucky 18.3% $4,196 32 Missouri 18.4% $4,338 33 South Carolina 18.5% $4,283 34 Alabama 18.5% $4,304 35 California 18.7% $4,296 36 Maryland 19.1% $4,142 37 Florida 19.2% $4,224 38 Ohio 19.2% $4,102 39 Alaska 19.3% $5,907 40 Washington 19.4% $4,664 41 Tennessee 19.4% $4,539 42 Wyoming 19.6% $6,173 43 Oregon 20.2% $4,738 44 Arkansas 20.4% $4,994 45 Arizona 20.5% $4,600 46 Utah 21.0% $4,729 47 Montana 21.8% $5,926 48 Georgia 22.2% $5,100 49 Nevada 22.3% $4,852 50 Rhode Island 25.5% $5,559 iSeeCars used car pricing analysis shows that consumers may be able to get a better used car deal by crossing state lines. Rhode Island is the state with the greatest used car price increase in 2021 compared to 2020 at 25.5 percent, which amounts to $5,559. Another New England state, Vermont, has the smallest used car price increase at 10.7 percent, which amounts to $2,717. Of the top 10 states with the lowest price increases, five are Eastern states and four are in the Midwest. Of the 10 states with the highest price increases, six are Western states, and four are Eastern. The rise in used car prices presents lucrative trade-in opportunities for consumers who can get rid of a vehicle entirely or who are willing to trade one in for a less in-demand vehicle. For example, selling a pickup truck or trading in a large SUV for a smaller one can leave consumers with extra cash in their pockets. For shoppers who are in the market for a used car, not all vehicles have had significant price increases. Many small SUVs, hatchbacks, and sedans can be found in the used car marketplace that wont give consumers sticker shock. And for used car shoppers who are willing to travel, you may find a better deal on a used car in a nearby state. A full list of the best and worst used cars to buy right now can be found in iSeeCars detailed analysis of used car prices. About iSeeCars.com iSeeCars.com is a car search engine that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, like the iSeeCars free VIN check reports. iSeeCars.com has saved users over $282 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new cars and used cars. This article, Heres How Much Used Car Prices Have Gone Up in Each State, originally appeared on iSeeCars.com.

https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/where-does-wisconsin-rank-compared-to-other-states-in-rising-used-car-prices/

Which Way Does The Solar Wind Blow?

By Eurasia Review The surface of the sun churns with energy and frequently ejects masses of highly-magnetized plasma towards Earth. Sometimes these ejections are strong enough to crash through the magnetosphere the natural magnetic shield that protects the Earth damaging satellites or electrical grids. Such space weather events can be catastrophic. Astronomers have studied the suns activity for centuries with greater and greater understanding. Today, computers are central to the quest to understand the suns behavior and its role in space weather events. The bipartisan PROSWIFT (Promoting Research and Observations of Space Weather to Improve the Forecasting of Tomorrow) Act, passed into law in October 2020, is formalizing the need to develop better space weather forecasting tools. Space weather requires a real-time product so we can predict impacts before an event, not just afterward, explained Nikolai Pogorelov, distinguished professor of Space Science at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, who has been using computers to study space weather for decades. This subject related to national space programs, environmental, and other issues was recently escalated to a higher level. To many, space weather may seem like a distant concern, but like a pandemic something we knew was possible and catastrophic we may not realize its dangers until its too late. We dont think about it, but electrical communication, GPS, and everyday gadgets can be effected by extreme space weather effects, Pogorelov said. Furthermore, the U.S. is planning missions to other planets and the moon. All will require very accurate predictions of space weather for the design of spacecraft and to alert astronauts to extreme events. With funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NASA, Pogorelov leads a team working to improve the state-of-the-art in space weather forecasting. This research, blending intricate science, advanced computing and exciting observations, will advance our understanding of how the Sun drives space weather and its effects on Earth, said Mangala Sharma, Program Director for Space Weather in the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences at NSF. The work will help scientists predict space weather events and build our nations resilience against these potential natural hazards. The multi-institutional effort involves the Goddard and Marshall Space Flight Centers, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and two private companies, Predictive Science Inc. and Space Systems Research Corporation. Pogorelov uses the Frontera supercomputer at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) the ninth fastest in the world as well as high performance systems at NASA and the San Diego Supercomputing Center, to improve the models and methods at the heart of space weather forecasting. Turbulence plays a key role in the dynamics of the solar wind and coronal mass ejections. This complex phenomenon has many facets, including the role of shock-turbulence interaction and ion acceleration. Solar plasma is not in thermal equilibrium. This creates interesting features, Pogorelov said. Writing in the Astrophysical Journal in April 2021, Pogorelov, along with Michael Gedalin (Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel), and Vadim Roytershteyn (Space Science Institute) described the role of backstreaming pickup ions in the acceleration of charged particles in the universe. Backstreaming ions, either of interstellar or local origin, are picked up by the magnetized solar wind plasma and move radially outwards from the Sun. Some non-thermal particles can be further accelerated to create solar energetic particles that are particularly important for space weather conditions on Earth and for people in space, he said. Pogorelov performed simulations on Frontera to better understand this phenomenon and compare it with observations from Voyager 1 and 2, the spacecraft that explored the outer reaches of the heliosphere and are now providing unique data from the local interstellar medium. One of the major focuses of space weather prediction is correctly forecasting the arrival of coronal mass ejections the release of plasma and accompanying magnetic field from the solar corona and determining the direction of the magnetic field it carries with it. Pogorelovs teams study of backstreaming ions help to do so, as does work published in the Astrophysical Journal in 2020 that used a flux rope-based magnetohydrodynamic model to predict the arrival time to Earth and magnetic field configuration of the July 12, 2012 coronal mass ejection. (Magnetohydrodynamics refers the magnetic properties and behavior of electrically conducting fluids like plasma, which plays a key role in dynamics of space weather). Fifteen years ago, we didnt know that much about the interstellar medium or solar wind properties, Pogorelov said. We have so many observations available today, which allow us to validate our codes and make them much more reliable. Pogorelov is a co-investigator on an on-board component of the Parker Solar Probe called SWEAP (Solar Wind Electrons, Protons, and Alphas instrument). With each orbit, the probe approaches the sun, providing new information about the characteristics of the solar wind. Soon it will penetrate beyond the critical sphere where the solar wind becomes superfast magnetosonic, and well have information on the physics of solar wind acceleration and transport that we never had before, he said. As the probe and other new observational tools become available, Pogorelov anticipates a wealth of new data that can inform and drive the development of new models relevant to space weather forecasting. For that reason, alongside his basic research, Pogorelov is developing a software framework that is flexible, useable by different research groups around the world, and can integrate new observational data. No doubt, in years to come, the quality of data from the photosphere and solar corona will be improved dramatically, both because of new data available and new, more sophisticated ways to work with data, he said. Were trying to build software in a way that if a user comes up with better boundary conditions from new science missions, it will be easier for them to integrate that information.

https://www.eurasiareview.com/05062021-which-way-does-the-solar-wind-blow/

What happens to my house if I go into a nursing home?

Q. My house is in my name and my sons name. I dont really have any other assets so I think I would end up on Medicaid quickly, but not sure what would happen to the house. Planning A. Timing is everything here. The answer to your question may depend on when and how your son obtained his interest in your house. If you owned the house and put your sons name on the deed along with your name, you made a gift of an interest in the house to your son, said Catherine Romania, an estate planning attorney with Witman Stadtmauer in Florham Park. Medicaid has a five-year look back period at the time you apply for Medicaid, she said. If you made any gifts during this look back period, a penalty period will apply in which you will not be eligible for Medicaid. If the gift was made prior to the five-year period, the penalty period is not applicable. If your son purchased the interest in your house, then the Medicaid lookback rules do not apply, Romania said. However, either way, Medicaid requires you to spend down your assets to $2,000 in order to qualify for Medicaid. She said a home that you or your spouse or disabled child are living in will be considered exempt, but it will not be exempt if you, or your spouse or disabled child, are not living in it and have no expectation of returning to it. If you will not be living in or returning to your home, you will need to sell your interest in the home before you qualify for Medicaid or you and your son will have to sell the home and you will have to utilize your share of the proceeds before you qualify for Medicaid, she said. There is another possibility if your son is also providing a level of care for you for a period of at least two years. This allows you to remain in your home and not have to relocate to a nursing facility sooner, but this exception has a complex set of rules, Romania said. If youre concerned, because Medicaid is complicated, with its rules sometimes changing and can even be applied differently based on the county in which you live, you should consult with an estate planning attorney to make sure you take the steps that will be most beneficial to your specific situation. Email your questions to Ask@NJMoneyHelp.com. Karin Price Mueller writes the Bamboozled column for NJ Advance Media and is the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Follow NJMoneyHelp on Twitter @NJMoneyHelp. Find NJMoneyHelp on Facebook. Sign up for NJMoneyHelp.coms weekly e-newsletter.

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/2021/06/what-happens-to-my-house-if-i-go-into-a-nursing-home.html

Could Amazon Try to Poach Al Michaels from NBC to Voice its Thursday Night Football Broadcasts?

After already making a big splash to land the exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football, Amazon might have one more trick up its sleeve. Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reported that Amazon could look to snag legendary broadcaster Al Michaels from NBC in order to fill the play-by-play role for its Thursday Night Football coverage. Marchand also mentions FOXs Joe Buck and CBS Ian Eagle as other leading names for the role. Going from NBC to Amazon wouldnt be a first for Michaels, either, as he was famously traded from ABC to NBC for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit back in 2006 when NBC gained the Sunday Night Football rights. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk also brings up an interesting point, saying that the move could be a precursor to a company finally getting former QB Peyton Manning into the booth. Florio says its believed Michaels would be Mannings first choice for a broadcast partner and Amazon could certainly afford Mannings salary whatever that may be. A Manning/Michaels duo would certainly get people interested in what Amazons got come football season. It could simply come down to a new challenge and proving that Als still got it. The reported $18 million per year thats on the table wouldnt hurt, either, which would match CBS analyst Tony Romos record-breaking broadcaster paycheck. Amazon secured the rights to TNF during the latest round of NFL media agreements, gaining exclusive streaming rights from 2022-32, though afterward, Amazon negotiated with the NFL to start this agreement a year early. With the NFL season soon approaching, Amazon would be wise to figure out whos calling their games before its too late.

https://thestreamable.com/news/could-amazon-try-to-take-al-michaels-from-nbc-to-voice-its-thursday-night-football-broadcasts

What Is the Space Forces Technology Vision?

The Space Force, the newly minted service branch and the first to be born in the age of the internet, is charged with securing the heavens above. It now has a digital strategy to match that lofty mission. Earlier this month, the nations sixth military branch issued a document called Vision for a Digital Service, which outlines the forces technology goals and the strategy. The Space Force aims to become the militarys first truly digital service branch, and take advantage of a lack of a legacy architecture and bureaucracy to be more agile than other branches. Chief of Space Operations Gen. John Raymond says in the introduction to the document that the nature of the threats in space, which cover a wide spectrum and are rapidly evolving, mean that the fore needs to be an innovative, interconnected and digitally dominant force. We must act far more swiftly and decisively across all aspects of leadership, acquisition, engineering, intelligence, and operations in order to take up permanent residence inside the adversarys observe, orient, decide, act (OODA) loop, Raymond writes. In addition, given the relatively small size of the USSF, accomplishing this goal will require us to amass a technologically adept, digitally fluent space cadre more proficient, efficient, and agile than any other force in history. MORE FROM FEDTECH: Learn how to use analytics to discover workers with hidden IT talents. Space Force Wants to Be Interconnected, Innovative, Digitally Native To be interconnected, the force envisions treating its digital infrastructure as a critical asset and having high-bandwidth networks that support the rapid sharing of data. The document notes that Space Force wants its shared data repositories visible and accessible to those who need it and secured against those who dont. The Space Force also wants its guardians, as force members are known, to be able to operate in a way that is tied to a physical location. This can give the USSF the flexibility to have Guardians operate virtually as digital nomads, seamlessly supporting a variety of missions from a range of locations as part of an intrinsically mobile force, the vision document states. We must pursue site-agnostic solutions, enabling service-based, distributed functionality regardless of the mission supported or the protection requirements of the data involved. All of these elements must also be fully linked and interoperable. In terms of innovation, to adaptively respond to threats, the Space Force says it will position itself as an aggressive early adopter of cutting-edge, user-driven technologies, which represent the best capabilities industry has to offer. Guardians will also be empowered to act on their ideas, the document states. USSF members must be granted the psychological safety and professional incentives to be assertive and take risks when appropriate, the document notes. To support this paradigm shift, we will modify our performance evaluation frameworks to recognize and value these traits. Every Space Force member must be a change agent, able to contribute bold and imaginative solutions to hard problems, the document notes, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and personal growth. It will be incumbent upon all personnel to constantly expand their digital fluency and hone their skillsets to keep pace in this highly dynamic digital environment, the document notes. Being digitally dominant will require an empowered and digitally fluent workforce, the Space Force document notes. Having a digital-first mindset and being digitally dominant will require an extensive network of innovative, digitally fluent Space Force professionals who instinctively prioritize actionable knowledge over static products, it notes. Instead, guardians will be expected to be data-centric. This approach will allow us to rapidly capture and exchange needed information and knowledge within the data space, to include generating streamlined, dynamic, synchronized outputs tied to mission-related actions and outcomes, the document notes. Ultimately, our Digital Space Force will make data-driven decisions to field and operate groundbreaking, space capabilities at velocities that seem inconceivable today.

https://fedtechmagazine.com/article/2021/06/what-space-forces-technology-vision

What Will Portsmouth Do About Its Mask Requirement Ordinance?

If you love game changing burgers, local craft beer, and a nostalgic environment then you are most likely a fan of Hop + Grind. We all know Guy Fieri is! The downtown Durham based burger joint was highlighted last May on a special takeout edition of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Chef Bobby Marcotte was featured on the episode and I can't tell you how thrilling it was to see a hometown celebrity on the Food Network. Bobby is the executive chef of Hop + Grind (both Durham and Peabody, MA, locations) AND the executive chef of the Tuckaway Tavern in Raymond! Needless to say, he's a busy dude. But not too busy to open ANOTHER Hop + Grind Location in Portsmouth next year. He recently took to Facebook to share the news:

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2264374257720/what-will-portsmouth-do-about-its-mask-requirement-ordinance

Whats happening in the leadoff spot?

Richards (4-4) was tagged with the loss against Houston on Tuesday despite allowing only two runs on four hits and four walks over six innings. He struck out five. Richards notched his fourth quality start of the campaign in the contest, but Boston's quiet offense saddled the veteran right-hander with the loss. He did issue four walks for the third straight game, but none of those issued free passes came around to score. It's rarely helpful to walk batters, but Richards has managed a reasonable 3.44 ERA over the three-game stretch despite an unattractive 14:12 K:BB. His next start is currently slated to come against the rival Yankees this weekend.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2264671605625/what-s-happening-in-the-leadoff-spot

Did Chicago Bears miss something with Mitchell Trubisky?

Glowing reports about Mitchell Trubisky sound eerily similar to the type of thing said in Chicago in 2017 during rookie camp and OTAs. First glances can be deceiving, and Mitchell Trubisky provided a great example of this. In 2017 he showed up at Halas Hall for his first rookie minicamp and all the reviews came back positive, though coach John Fox put a damper on things. "I don't know that we're really quite ready after one practice to define his career," Fox said then. Maybe people should have listened. The Buffalo Bills are elated with Trubisky, according to the reports coming from OTAs in Buffalo. Observations made by the Buffalo News doled praise out on Trubisky for his passing and sharp play in general throughout the session of OTAs when media was allowed in for a peek. Trubisky's accuracy especially was stressed throughout the Buffalo News report, and his improved completion percentage from 63.2% in 2019 to 67% last year with the Bears was mentioned. No one mentioned the red-zone interceptions, though, and he led the league in 2019 while committing a few more costly ones last year. The Bears will get another look at their old quarterback in the preseason when he comes to Soldier Field on Aug. 21. He'll likely be playing against Justin Fields. It will be one Bears hope for the future against their former hope for the future. Buffalo fans shouldn't be overly encouraged by such positive reports on their backup, and probably aren't. After all, they have Josh Allen starting. So, whatever Trubisky does will have little meaning unless something happens to the starter. And a team can do much worse than a backup like Trubisky, who has 50 career starts, including 29 victories. However, Trubisky's problems rarely surface in practices and especially in practices against "air," like in much of the OTAs. It's when he goes against actual humans and defenses that he has trouble. Fields against Trubisky will likely be the highlight of preseason, and preseasons in Chicago have been something to snore about in general. It won't be boring this year. Fields will get much of the playing time in three preseason games. There's no point in the Bears using Nick Foles much because both Andy Dalton and Fields will need the play repetitions. The last preseason game at Tennessee promises to even be of interest, for a change. With 15 days between the last preseason game and season opener at L.A., starters figure to play in the game. Mark the Aug. 21 date, though, and make sure to tell Bills fans there's no need to worry until Trubisky gets his team to the red zone. Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

https://www.si.com/nfl/bears/news/mitchell-trubisky-lights-it-up-after-leaving-chicago

Should Blazers trade Damian Lillard or get him help after early playoff exit?

2 hours ago share facebook twitter reddit link LeBron James wasnt the only star player ousted from the NBA playoffs on Thursday. More than 900 miles to the north in Portland, Damian Lillard was also heading for the door. His postseason dreams were once again dashed earlier than planned, despite his individual brilliance, which included an eye-popping, 55-point explosion in a double-overtime Game 5 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Lillard has been in the league nine seasons, and he has led his team to the playoffs in each of the past eight. Yet his teams have advanced as far as the Western Conference finals only once. That came in 2019 and resulted in a sweep at the hands of the Golden State Warriors. Perhaps it was frustration or maybe just exhaustion that led to Lillards cryptic Instagram post Thursday evening. "How long should I stay dedicated?" he wrote, quoting the late rapper Nipsey Hussle. "How long til opportunity meet preparation?" When it comes to preparation and performance, its hard to top Lillard. The six-time All-Star was brilliant this season and even better against Denver in the playoffs. He averaged 34.3 PPG in six games against the Nuggets while shooting 45% from 3-point range. He dished out 10.3 assists per game and grabbed 4.3 rebounds. Its hard to imagine what else he could have done. Now maybe Lillard, who will turn 31 in July, wants a little bit of help. Whatever he intended to say with that post, it led to plenty of speculation across the NBA. For more up-to-date news on all things Trail Blazers, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app! One of those speculating was Stephen A. Smith of ESPN, who said several teams could make a play for Portland's star. "Youve got a lot of teams, about six or seven different teams, who believe they can get their hands on [Lillard]," Smith said. "They think theyve got a shot. One of them includes the Knicks, whos scheduled to have about $75 million in cap space along with some picks. Stay tuned. The Damian Lillard news could ultimately be percolating a little bit sooner than later, much to my surprise." On the other hand, maybe the Blazers don't need to make such a drastic move. Maybe they just need to get Lillard some support. Thats the argument Colin Cowherd made Friday on "The Herd." "Take a big swing," he said. "Give Dame somebody." Cowherd did not come to that conclusion without giving it some thought. He used to work in Portland and expressed his appreciation for a franchise that has been quietly competent if rarely great for years. He noted that the Blazers have had more than their fair share of bad luck over the years and listed great Portland players who fell apart physically sooner than they should have. "There has never been a franchise that has been snake-bit like the Blazers," he said. Bill Walton, Sam Bowie, Brandon Roy and Greg Oden were all potentially great Trail Blazers whose bodies broke down, Cowherd said. "I dont blame Portland for any of those," he said. "I dont even blame them for not drafting Michael Jordan. [The Blazers drafted Bowie ahead of Jordan in the 1984 draft]. They had Clyde Drexler, whos another one of the greatest college players Ive ever seen, played the same position as Michael. And Bowie was unbelievable." But, Cowherd said, the Lillard situation is different. He landed in the Blazers' lap, a surprise star out of Weber State, in 2012. He has been durable, tough and loyal. And as Lillard has blossomed into one of the NBAs best offensive guards, the team has failed to get him a properly skilled running mate. "Im not saying its easy [to find a No. 2)]" Cowherd said. "But youve been trying to convince us [Jusuf] Nurkic, CJ McCollum good players, like em both, love em on my roster. Theyre not 2s." Now, Cowherd said, the Blazers need to pull out all the stops to get Lillard a co-star. What theyve tried so far has not worked, but this isnt about rotten luck. This time, according to Cowherd, it's on the Blazers. "Youve gotta blow this thing up, give Dame somebody. Dames dont exist. Its not easy to find a No. 2, but finding Dame is next to impossible." The Blazers are in an interesting spot. They have one of the league's best players under contract, and they would certainly receive several offers if they put him on the market. That's the big question they'll have to tackle in the offseason. For Cowherds full breakdown of Lillard and the Blazers, check out the video below: After the Trail Blazers were eliminated in the playoffs, Damian Lillard took to Instagram, citing lyrics from rapper Nipsey Hussle: For more up-to-date news on all things NBA, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app! Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more.

https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/colin-cowherd-portland-trail-blazers-damian-lillard-help-nba-playoffs

Does France risk losing Mali?

France had not appreciated what President Emmanuel Macron described in an interview which appeared in the latest edition of the Journal du Dimanche as a coup within a coup. He was referring to the overthrow on 24 May of the transitional president Bah Ndaw and his Prime Minister Moctar Ouane who were supposed to lead Mali towards general elections aimed at normalising political life after the overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keta last August by the same army officers. In the same interview, the French head of state did threaten to withdraw his troops if the coup plotters did not respect their promise to organise a democratic transition in accordance with the timetable already set, or if they were tempted by a slide towards radical Islamism. However, since the decisions taken by ECOWAS and the African Union to suspend Mali from all activities within their bodies, the French authorities have backed the move. Frances decision to suspend military cooperation with Mali, which have been fighting jihadist groups in the north since 2013, was therefore not expected, despite the strong words of the French president last weekend. In Bamako, these remarks were perceived more as an additional pressure on the putschists than as an idea seriously considered by the French. This decision therefore comes as a real surprise. Although France is not announcing a withdrawal of its 5,100 soldiers from Mali and the rest of the Sahel, it is cutting off all cooperation with the Malian army on the ground. This decision, which means that Operation Barkhane will henceforth act alone on the ground, is accompanied by the immediate cessation of all aid to the Malian armed and security forces. This decision is likely to have a heavy impact on the work of the Malian military in the field. They now find themselves helpless in the face of increasingly numerous and violent jihadist fighters. In other words, this decision is full of risks for Mali and the Sahel such as opening the gates for the jihadists, who have still not given up their initial ambition of taking control of the whole country. Their choices are limited. One extreme but not impossible scenario is that the coup plotters, who have always claimed to be willing to talk to the jihadists, will embark on a rapprochement with them. In the absence of a formal peace agreement, they could consider making major concessions to obtain at least a cease-fire. Contacts exist between the two parties. Members of the High Islamic Council, which is a state body, are in contact with Malian leaders of the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, better known by its Arabic acronym JNIM. The coup plotters may also want to replace the French army with that of another power such as Russia or Turkey, whose ambitions in Africa are increasingly coming to the surface. These two scenarios are not mutually exclusive. If they were to be translated into reality, it would not only be dangerous for Mali and the Sahel sub-region. It would also mean the outright failure of Frances military intervention in Mali.

https://www.journalducameroun.com/en/does-france-risk-losing-mali/

Can Bharat Biotech Deliver the Covaxin Doses It Promised?

As per Government of India projections, Bharat Biotech will deliver 55 crore doses of its COVID-19 Covaxin between August to December. But as we crunch numbers, and look at these projections - it's clear that those goals are highly inflated. While the government has roped in some pharma Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to expand Covaxin's production, those timelines extend well beyond 2021. But before we get into any more details, it's important to underline that Bharat Biotech has till date not released full phase 3 data of its vaccine, months after concluding the trials, and months since the vaccine has already been administered to millions of people. Nor do we have any real-world effectiveness data on the vaccine produced in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV). Claims, And Why They Don't Add Up On 15 May, amid mounting criticism of its vaccine policy, the Government of India presented some optimistic projections. According to those projections, the country would have 216 crore vaccines by the end of 2021, enough to vaccinate its entire population. Among those projections was a heavy dependence on two vaccines that have been approved for emergency use in India - Serum Institute's Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin. They said between August and December 2021, Bharat Biotech would produce 55 crore doses of Covaxin. To achieve that goal, Bharat Biotech would have to produce 11-12 crore vaccines a month, a projection the GOI said Bharat Biotech will be able to achieve as soon as July. But it gave no breakup of how they will achieve their targets. By the GOI's own admission in this Affidavit to the Supreme Court dated 9 May, the company was producing Covaxin at the capacity of only 1 crore doses a month, and will take another 8-10 months to scale up to 11 crore doses a month. Bharat Biotech has previously said that it has the capacity to make 50-70 crore doses a year. If one goes with 70 crore figure, that would come to around 5.8 crore doses a month. Story continues The pharma major in a recent statement did say that they will be able to produce 100 crore annual doses - but the timeline for that is last quarter of 2021. This is what we know according to a Health Ministry release: India has placed a total order of 7 crore vaccines with Bharat Biotech. Of this, the order for 5 crore Covaxin was placed on April 28. To meet this order will take time till July. According to its own release on May 28, it taken 4 months from manufacturing to supply of vaccines. The release states: Production scale-up of vaccines is a step-by-step process, involving several regulatory SOPs of GMP (Standard Operating Procedures of Good Manufacturing Practices). There is a four-month lag time for Covaxin to translate into actual vaccination. In a release on 20 May, Bharat Biotech said that in addition to the multiple Production lines at its Hyderabad & Bengaluru campuses, they plan to add Chiron Behring, in Ankleshwar Gujarat, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bharat Biotech. The company plans to produce 20 crore annual doses of Covaxin here starting the last quarter of 2021. By including this facility, they say they will be in a position to produce 100 crore doses annually by last quarter of 2021. In its affidavit to the SC, the GOI said that under Mission COVID Suraksha, the government is providing support to one private industry (BB) and three public sector manufacturing facilities, to augment vaccine production over the next 6-8 months. The pharma PSUs include Indian Immunologicals, Hyderabad; Haffkine Biopharmaceuticals, Mumbai; Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals, Bulandshar. On 2 June, in an interview to ANI, Sandeep Rathod, Managing Director of Haffkine said that they will be in the position to supply 22 crore vaccines annually once their Bio-safety lab for production of Covaxin is ready. Currently, the formalities of technology transfer from Bharat Biotech are under process. 8 months, said Rathod. This takes us well into 2022. There are similar upgrades that will have to be made at other PSUs before vaccines can be made there. Setting up BSL-III labs is a long drawn process, and one where you don't want to make any compromises. Once India's golden goose, India's much celebrated indigenous vaccine has faced problems from day, often due to the government's own bungling - from premature approvals, delay in reporting clinical data, delay in placing orders and lack of planning and foresight in vaccinating a country the size of India. . World Environment Day 2021: Wishes, Images, Quotes . Read more on COVID-19 by The Quint.

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/bharat-biotech-deliver-covaxin-doses-020000918.html?src=rss

Is R Kelly still chilling in the big houseor did he walk out?

Thats the big question many are asking, mainly because of a photo showing the R&B singer purportedly leaving a correctional facility. The I Believe I Can Fly hitmaker, whose real name is Robert Kelly, faces a string of charges, including counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, child pornography, racketeering, obstruction of justice, kidnapping and forced labour. R Kelly had been held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago, but now thanks to a photo doing the rounds on social media, word is that the star is a free man once again at least until the start of his trial. Sad news if youre a fan: It has been confirmed that its actually a photo that was taken way back in March 2019 by the Times Union. When the photo was snapped, Kelly was walking alongside his lawyer away from Cook County Jail after he had agreed to pay $100 000 in back child support which he owed at the time to his ex-wife Andrea. Now that R. Kelly did his time & he's out. Are we gonna listen to his music and buy his next offering? pic.twitter.com/ZHiZi5LnP1 Valar Morghulis (@DiegoSaidSo) June 3, 2021 Back in April, Kelly, appeared telephonically along with his legal team for a status hearing related to the start of his trial, which has been set for 9 August 2021. Questionnaires to potential jurors will begin to be sent out on July 26. It was also reported that a federal judge gave the green light to move R Kelly from Chicago to a correctional centre in New York City to go on trial after several delays. Prosecutors in Brooklyn claim Kelly led an enterprise made up of his managers, bodyguards and other employees who helped him recruit women and girls for sex. Michael Leonard, an attorney on Kellys legal team has been quoted by Billboard as saying that the singer is looking forward to the upcoming trial.

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/celeb-news/is-r-kelly-still-chilling-in-the-big-house-or-did-he-walk-out/

Will RSS be able to defuse tensions between Brewing Modi and Yogi in Uttar Pradesh?

Lucknow: A high-level meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) is underway in the nations capital, and all eyes are on its outcome. This meeting can determine not only the political fate of Uttar Pradesh, but also that of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Apparently the meeting is meant to discuss plans to prepare for the next state elections in March 2022. However, if insiders are to be believed, the key meeting agenda is the current crisis created due to the current standoff between Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The spirits were heated between the two leaders, mainly because of the enthronement of a candidate Modi in the cabinet Adityanath. The chief minister has reportedly categorically refused to comply with the prime ministers wishes to accommodate former IAS cadre from Gujarat, Arvind Kumar Sharma, as chief deputy minister. Adityanath had no problem when Sharma was dumped from Ahmedabad to Lucknow and made a member of the State Legislative Council (MLC) about five months ago. But when the proposal came to give him a prominent place in the cabinet, the chief minister became both suspicious of and opposed to him. Sharma, Adityanath would have started to believe, had been sent to Lucknow to watch him. Speculation was rife that Sharma would replace one of the two existing chief deputy ministers, Dinesh Sharma or Keshav Prasad Maurya. It was believed that Maurya could be transferred to the post of chairman of the state party organization, a post he also held prior to the 2017 state elections. A strong CBO leader Maurya, who s he is still considered a candidate for the post of chief minister, his reluctance has been shown. In the end, he would have agreed to be satisfied with the post of party leader on condition that this is in addition to his current position as deputy chief minister. This has led the partys bigwigs to suggest that the two Sharmas replace each other. But it was Adityanath who allegedly put his foot against the inclusion of the bureaucrat-turned-MLC in the post of deputy chief minister. The exercise to bring in Adityanath was started by none other than UP Governor Anandiben Patel, who cut short her trip to Bhopal (where she holds the dual charge of Madhya Pradesh) and rushed to the Lucknow Raj Bhawan. She held a long closed-door meeting with the chief minister. Of course, the meeting was officially described as a courtesy visit, but the fact remains that tensions became visible in Lucknows halls of power afterwards. This was followed by the sudden arrival of RSS national deputy chief Dattatreya Hosabale, who, in addition to meeting Adityanath, also undertook an extended exercise to gather comments from several members of the UP cabinet as well as many deputies. The truth is that most of those who met Hosabale expressed their disenchantment with the Chief Minister. Some of them went so far as to express their grief in black and white, and did not mince words when alleging Adityanaths negligence. Some ministers, who had previously expressed reservations against what they called the bureaucratic and flawed management of COVID-19, reiterated how people were being allowed to die due to the shortage of oxygen and medicine, besides the non- availability of beds in hospitals. This is what led to corpses dumped in rivers or on river banks in many parts of the state, they believe. Hosabale, second behind Mohan Bhagwat in the RSS hierarchy and known for his closeness to Modi, returned to Delhi after spending three days in Lucknow. Then came the duo of national secretary general (organization) of BJP BL Santhosh and UP party leader Radha Mohan Singh to repeat practically the same exercise as Hosabale. The RSS meeting in Delhi began on June 3, after Santhosh and Singh returned from Ground Zero to Lucknow. Indeed, everyone is absolutely discreet about what is happening behind closed doors in the nations capital. Senior leaders in the organization characterize the deliberations as routine pre-election matters. On the flip side, much of the buzz was about the party and the RSS bigwigs taking a call on Adityanaths future. His saffron robes and vitriolic lyrics made him a favorite as a huge Hindutva icon. He has remained the partys star activist in all corners of the country, be it in the electoral fields of Kerala, Gujarat, the northeast or West Bengal, even though the effects of his campaign appear to be disappointing. It is for this reason that so much effort has been put into advising and cajoling him into granting the wishes of Modi, who is no less a Hindutva torchbearer. Modi may not wrap himself in saffron, but his appeal as a Hindutva leader is formidable, especially after his success with Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the dilution of Article 370, and other RSS scarecrows like criminalization. triple snapshot divorced. In fact, according to analysts in the BJP-Sangh relationship, the dispute between Adityanath and Modi could have been easily avoided. If Adityanath had handled Arvind Sharmas situation more tactfully and without making so much noise, the whole problem wouldnt have snowballed like he did. Even his supporters believe he could have avoided making it a matter of prestige, which amounted to questioning the authority of an all-powerful prime minister. Insiders recall that a similar mishap was undertaken by then-UP chief minister Kalyan Singh. However, the glove he threw at Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then Prime Minister, cost him dearly. A milestone came when Kalyan Singhs survival instinct forced him to even strike a deal with his major political opponent, Mulayam Singh Yadav. And after living in political oblivion for a few years, he finally had to implore his reinstatement in the BJP, as a result of which Modi favored him with a governorship in Rajasthan, thus ending his political career. It goes without saying that Kalyan Singh in his day had much greater political influence and had more appeal to the Hindutva than Adityanath today. And who doesnt know the big difference between Vajpayee and Modis ways of dealing with dissent. Time will tell what the future holds for Yogi Adityanath.

https://exbulletin.com/politics/965875/

Is Nokia Stock Undervalued and Whats the Best Price to Buy It?

Nokia (NOK) stock has gained 10 percent in the past week and 17 percent in the past month. So far, the stock has gained 40 percent YTD. The shares still trade more than 40 percent below their February peak attained at the height of the GameStop short squeeze . The latest short squeeze with AMC Theatres (AMC) stock appears to have left Nokia behind. The stock didn't change much from a year ago. Some investors wonder if Nokia is undervalued. Some WallStreetBets investors think that Nokia could be an opportunity for those who missed on other meme stocks. A major advantage the community sees in Nokia is that it has stronger fundamentals than most other meme stocks. However, since Nokia isnt heavily shorted, an AMC-type pop doesn't look likely. The community has noticed that NOK stock hasnt taken off like other meme stocks in the latest rally. AMC stock has gained more than 160 percent in the past week and 2,300 percent YTD. Naked Brands (NAKD) has soared 45 percent in the past week and 330 percent YTD. GameStop is up 1,200 percent YTD. WallStreetBets is the Reddit community that the world has come to know well for its role in the GameStop squeeze that cost hedge funds billions of dollars. Many stocks have moved sharply after favorable mentions in the community. Nokia stock has been among the popular discussions on WallStreetBets lately. Nokia shares rose slightly on June 3 and closed at $5.48 after trading between a low of $5.41 and a high of $5.68. At the closing, Nokias market value was $31 billion. Nokia has 5.6 billion shares outstanding. Nokia sells telecom equipment and the services that go with the equipment. Its jostling for a position as a top vendor of 5G network gear. Nokia has been around for more than 100 years, and its innovations have resulted in a large portfolio of patents. The company licenses its patents to companies in a range of industries and collects royalty payments. Article continues below advertisement However, Nokia stock hasnt moved much despite a recent stream of positive news touching on its equipment and patent businesses. The company has secured 5G deals with all of the major wireless operators in the U.S. and has contracts with many operators in Europe and Asia. For example, it recently bagged a 5G deal with the Philippines Dito Telecommunity. Source: Nokia Facebook Article continues below advertisement

https://marketrealist.com/p/should-i-buy-nokia-nok-stock/

What can Pakistan learn from Dubais One-Day Court initiative?

Pending cases in Pakistan Pakistans Model court Dubais One-Day Court initiative reduces time required in investigation and prosecution by implementing a verdict in two phases in less than 24 hours for the cases that dont require hearings by witnesses. What can Pakistan learn from Dubai?By News Desk 29 May 2021Dubais One-Day Court initiative is delivering swift justice. According to the latest media reports, the number of cases has dropped to 2,621 last year, compared to 6,191 cases in 2019.Dubais Attorney-General Essam Issa Al Humaidan has said that the initiative cut waiting time at Dubai Courts for misdemeanour cases. The number of cases dropped last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative enhanced procedures and reduced delivery time, said Al Humaidan.During March last year, the number of cases dropped before the court stopped looking into cases in April and May. When it resumed work in June, it only heard 43 cases and the number grew to 140 by December 2020. The majority of cases concerned bad checques, which went up by 31 per cent, totaling 1,165 cases. This was followed by 653 cases involving illegal stay in the country and 330 cases of people working on a visit visa.The One-Day Court initiative was officially rolled out in March 2017 to ensure faster justice for cases like bounced cheques, alcohol-related offences, residency and traffic cases.The initiatives target was to reduce time required in investigation and prosecution by implementing a verdict in two phases in less than 24 hours for the cases that dont require hearings by witnesses.A pilot project of the One-Day Court was tried in 2015 and 2016 involving the Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Al Muraqqabat police station, and the Traffic Department.During its first two years of operations, it heard 5,384 cases but in 2017 the number rose into 25,047 cases. The numbers dropped to 9,949 cases in 2018.A large number of cases is pending before the courts in Pakistan. Experts believe that the HCs in all four provinces of the country need to focus on the process of selection and training of judicial officers in order to make sure the provision of speedy justice to everyone. Moreover, the major problem is pressure on the lower courts due to a large number of cases pending before them.It is important to note that according to the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (L&JCP), a total of 1,873,085 cases were pending disposal in all the superior and subordinate courts of Pakistan as on November 30, 2017. As per the statistics compiled by the L&JCP, the Supreme Court has 38,071 cases pending till November 30, 2017.All five high courts have a huge number of 293,316 cases, which are yet to be decided. Of them, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has 147,633 pending cases; the Sindh High Court (SHC) has 93,404 undecided cases; the Peshawar High Court (PHC) has a pendency of 29,525 cases; the Baluchistan High Court (BHC) has 6,510 cases awaiting decisions; and the IHC has 16,244 pending cases.Furthermore, according to the report, the district judiciary session judges, additional session judges, senior civil judges, and civil judges are also faced with an enormous pendency of 1,541,119 cases. Although Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is small in size compared to Sindh, its district judiciary has more than double undecided cases.The district judiciary of Punjab has 1,187,076 pending cases; the district judiciary of Sindh has 99,820; the district judiciary of KP has 204,209 cases; the district judiciary of Baluchistan has 13,009 cases, and the district judiciary of Islamabad has 37,005 cases awaiting disposal.Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa introduced the idea of model courts to provide speedy and cheap justice. After assuming the charge, the CJP focused on dealing with all the pending cases before the superior and lower courts across the country.It is pertinent to note here that under the new judicial policy, 116 model courts were established in the country, including two in Islamabad, 36 in Punjab, 27 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 27 in Sindh and 24 in Baluchistan.In 2020, the Lahore High Court (LHC) established model courts to facilitate judicial proceedings in a safe and secure environment especially when Covid-19 cases were increasing rapidly in Punjab. These Model Criminal Trial Court (MCTCs) were set up in accordance with the recommendations from the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC).The model courts started functioning with the help of the latest cyber technology in which the lawyers would not be required to appear before the court in person but will be submitting their arguments and replies online. The record of all the pending cases is also reported to have been scanned and made available online.Legal experts opine that Pakistan must learn from Dubais experience and institutionalize model courts at structural level in order to ensure speedy justice.

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/what-can-pakistan-learn-from-dubais-one-day-court-initiative.713247/

Who is responsible for Philippine foreign policy?

The leadership of the San Beda Law School alumni association recently issued a statement of support for the administrations policy position regarding our troubles in the West Philippine Sea. They anchored their validation of President Rodrigo Dutertes decisions pertaining to this matter on the argument that he is the chief architect of our countrys foreign policy and the sole organ and authority in foreign relations. Correspondingly, they implore citizens to just defer to the presidents judgment about this issue. Their reasoning implies that there is no room to be critical of the governments foreign policies even though its actions or inaction will affect the entire nation. And worse, their mindset seems to envision a citizenry that should simply submit to the chief executives foreign policy decisions without question. Notably, the management of our countrys foreign relations is an inherent component of executive power (See Marcos vs. Mangalapus, G.R. No. 88211, September 15, 1989). Accordingly, the president is indeed viewed, at least by the Supreme Court, as the sole organ and authority in external relations, the countrys sole representative with foreign nations and the chief architect of foreign policy (See Pimentel vs. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 158088, July 6, 2005). Nonetheless, such an imperial characterization of the president needs to be squared with the prescription in Article II, Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution, to wit: The State shall pursue an independent foreign policy. The President of the Philippines is certainly not the Philippine State. So obviously, the constitution did not envisage the crafting of foreign policy to be the sole purview of the President. And clearly, the charter likewise did not contemplate this executive role to be of limitless authority that demands from the population total deference to the will and whim of the president. On the contrary, the 1987 Constitution itself provides limitations and standards that regulate the exercise of the presidents foreign relations power. First, Article VII, Section 21 prescribes that "no treaty or international agreement shall be valid and effective unless concurred in by at least two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate." So, while the President has the sole authority to negotiate and enter into treaties, the charter sets a limitation to this power by requiring the concurrence of a 2/3 majority of the Senate for the validity of the treaty entered into by him. This constitutional requirement assigns a collaborative role for the Senate in defining certain aspects of our foreign policy, particularly those that involve the perfection of a treaty or international agreement. Hence, legislators too bear some responsibility in determining the depth and parameters of our countrys independent foreign policy. Second, Section 7 cited earlier also provides that, In its relations with other states the paramount consideration shall be national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest, and the right to self-determination. Clearly, the personal concerns of private individuals or public officials, including the President, must have no sway in the formulation of foreign policies. For clearly, the constitutional command to pursue an independent foreign policy is fundamentally about the government meeting these directives in the national charter. Lastly, Article XI, Section 1 prescribes that all public officers must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and act with patriotism and justice. Clearly, the constitution does not sanction the imposition on citizens to just blindly accept the presidents foreign policy determinations. It cannot be emphasized enough that the President took an oath to preserve and the defend the 1987 Constitution. And Filipinos are dutybound to hold the President to this oath. The pursuit of an independent foreign policy requires more than just designating the President as its chief architect. Relations amongst states must be anchored on international law and diplomatic protocols, therefore the development of foreign policies must necessarily involve experts and professionals. Although responsible public officials cannot be cavalier and impetuous because decisions relating to foreign policy often involve life and death issues. Foreign policy formulation can be more accurately viewed as a complex and sensitive process. Personal relations amongst state leaders cannot be discounted, but nevertheless, foreign policies must manifestly be well-thought and evidence-informed. And the best way to ensure this is if they come out of a deliberative policy-making process. Deliberative rigor makes certain that policy decisions are generated with full assessment of the widest range of considerations. More critically, deliberation encourages the participants of the process to be open to other viewpoints and to genuinely strive for resolutions based on the force of the better argument. A deliberative ethos precludes the ramming of a pre-ordained point of view. And there is certainly no room for disinformation and misinformation in such a process. Fundamentally, the entire undertaking is founded on the free-flow of ideas and insights based on mutual respect of those engaged in it. In sum, specifying the scope and scale of the Philippines independent foreign policy cannot be the exclusive domain of the President. And the relevant prescriptions of the 1987 Constitution have ultimately configured foreign policy-making to be a democratic and deliberative process. But most crucial of all, public officials responsible for crafting the nations foreign policy must never forget this passage written by Apolinario Mabini in The True Decalogue: Strive for the independence of your country, because you alone can have a real interest in her aggrandizement and ennoblement, since here independence will mean your own freedom, her aggrandizement your own perfection, and her ennoblement your own glory and immortality. Filipinos expect their President to protect the Philippines, not the interests of a foreign government encroaching on our territories and exploiting our marine resources. But more importantly, as citizens we cannot be like lemmings just blindly following his lead. For indeed, as Mabini exhorted, each and every Filipino must bear the responsibility of defending the national sovereignty. RELATED VIDEO: Atty. Michael Yusingco is a senior research fellow at the Ateneo School of Government Disclaimer: The views in this blog are those of the blogger and do not necessarily reflect the views of ABS-CBN Corp.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/blogs/opinions/06/03/21/who-is-responsible-for-philippine-foreign-policy

Why are used cars are so expensive right now?

A situation initially sparked by the pandemic, has led to supply chain issues that are now impacting both new and used auto dealers. COLORADO, USA A microchip shortage stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a domino effect at used car dealerships around Colorado, raising prices for those looking to buy. Dealers selling new cars have been struggling to keep up with demand as they continue to experience a lower than usual supply of cars in their lots. But that also is causing an impact on used car dealerships, with higher prices to sell. But that also means better trade-in values for customers who want to sell their vehicle to a used car dealership. "If the customer has a late model, popular used car, it's never been worth more money as a used car than than it is right now," said Tim Jackson, the president and CEO of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association (CADA). A domino effect The owner of Auto Warehouse Inc., John Lindberg, said overall business has been good, despite the pandemic. However, he acknowledged that they have fewer cars in their lots than usual, and it's been difficult to fill the lots. "It's not impossible, but it's challenging," he said. "We've unfortunately, we pay more for cars and thus the consumer has to pay more for a car nowadays. I mean... COVID kind of put us in that situation and a situation that we can't avoid." It's a situation initially sparked by the pandemic, which led to supply chain issues due to a microchip shortage. "New car dealers don't have new cars," he explained. "So they normally wholesale out some cars and they're keeping those cars and then and they're also in the pool or buying the car." Essentially, he explained car prices are up in both new and used car lots, as both are facing challenges when having to fill those lots. Lindberg has owned the dealership in Brighton for 17 years, and owns two other locations in Fort Collins, and another in Westminster. The spot in Brighton currently has around 80 cars when they normally can supply around 100 to 110. It's a similar number at his Fort Collins dealership, where they currently have around up to 85 cars, when they can usually supply around 100 to 110. His Westminster dealership, which was recently bought, faces a larger deficit, but he said that's in part due to the transition of ownership. It has same supply range as the other two locations, but has around 60 cars on the lot right now. Because of this, Lindberg said it's a good time to sell your car to a used auto dealer. "Well, now your trade-ins are worth more than they've ever been so if you want to bring them to a used car dealer or myself I'd be happy to buy them and pay more than what I usually pay," he said. Overall, Lindberg said he is hopeful for the future, and has a message for car shoppers. "Be patient and realize that when you go to a dealer, you might have to pay a little bit more money than you're thinking. But ultimately, if it's the right vehicle, you know, everyone's paying it, whether it be you or I, we're both paying the same prices," he said. Impact on customers In an interview last week, Tim Jackson with CADA explained the domino effect the microchip shortage plays, as well as its impact on prices for both dealers, and consumers. "When new car inventories go down as low as they are right now, that causes consumers that can't buy, because they can't find the exact new car that they're looking for, to stay in the late model used car market," he explained. "And then it puts a greater demand on that used car market and causes the price of those to go up. And that's exactly what's happening in the current marketplace. It's bad for consumers on the car they're purchasing, but it's good for consumers on the car that they have ready for trade on their next new car." His best advice to new or used car shoppers right now is to shop the market as a whole. "If you can't get what you want at your closest dealer, shop the next dealer because somebody is going to have the car that you want," he said. "And the car that you have for trade is really in demand, more so now than ever before. So in that regard, if you have the late model trade, now's a great time to take the remaining inventory off the new car dealer's lot, get that car traded in and make another happy customer out there when they get the older car."

https://www.9news.com/article/money/used-car-prices-pandemic-impacts/73-763fe8bc-c933-4b6b-8a11-7ccadd152ba1

What could the next 10 years hold for the UK stock market?

In this article weve looked at historical value indicators and data points that weve found interesting. However, readers should take it with a pinch of salt. This is purely hypothetical and the reality will inevitably differ somewhat from what we discuss here. We always say investors should take a long-term view at least five years and ideally longer. That gives you the best chance of achieving a positive return. Take the FTSE All Share index. Since launch in December 1985, there have been just 71 days where investors would end up holding less than their initial investment ten years after investing, on a total return basis. All of those were in 1999 (when global stock markets were in the midst of the most spectacular bubble of the modern era). Even then there are only ten days when losses were higher than 10%, and none exceeded 15%. While historically the chances of a negative return over a 10 year period might be small, the range of positive results is very wide. And over shorter periods the volatility is even more pronounced, as you can see from the table below. Annual percentage growth Apr 16 - Apr 17 Apr 17 - Apr 18 Apr 18 - Apr 19 Apr 19 - Apr 20 Apr 20 - Apr 21 FTSE All-Share Total Return 20.1% 8.2% 2.6% -16.7% 25.9% Source: Lipper IM, to 30/04/2021. Of course, as regular readers will know only too well, past performance is no guide to future returns. All investments rise and fall in value, so you could get back less than you invest. Well, theres no way to be certain, but we can look at how the market has gone on to perform when its been trading at this level in the past. Because no single indicator is infallible, weve looked at a range of different valuation metrics. Even putting all these metrics together is no guarantee although it should give you an idea of the kind of returns you could potentially see. 1) Stock market dividend yield One of the benefits of investing in a companys shares is that youre entitled to any dividends the company chooses to pay. A dividend yield measures the percentage of your current investment that you have received as a dividend in the past year. All things being equal, when stock prices are high, dividend yields are low, and when prices are low, dividend yields are high. Unsurprisingly then, a high dividend yield has historically been associated with better stock market returns. Chart showing FTSE All Share dividend yield and subsequent 10 year total return Scroll across to see the full chart. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Source: Refinitiv, 24/05/21. The FTSE All Share currently trades on a historical dividend yield of 2.77%, a level which has historically been associated with a 71.7% total return over the next ten years averaging 5.6% a year. That might sound healthy but is actually below the long-run average for the index. Its also worth bearing in mind that because of the pandemic, lots of companies that might ordinarily have paid a dividend chose not to last year. That means the dividend yield might be artificially low at the moment so its worth sanity checking the result against other valuation metrics. And as always, yields are variable and not a reliable indicator of future income. 2) Stock market price/earnings ratio A price to earnings (PE) ratio is perhaps the most common measure of stock valuation. It looks at the amount investors are willing to pay for one pound of profits for example a PE ratio of 11 means that investors are willing to pay 11 for every 1 of profit. The FTSE All Share currently trades on a PE ratio of 21.96. Thats some way above the average PE ratio of 17.66 recorded since February 1993 (the earliest date for which data is available). Chart showing FTSE All Share PE Ratio Scroll across to see the full chart. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Source: Refinitiv, 24/05/21. Like dividend yields, theres historically a relationship between PE ratios and stock market returns. When PE ratios are low, future stock market returns have tended to be high. When the market has traded at a similar PE ratio in the past, its gone on to return 65.5% over ten years, equal to an average annual return of 5.2%. However, todays PE ratio could be artificially low. Historical PE ratios include profits from last year, when companies were recognising huge impairments due to the pandemic some of which have subsequently been reversed. 3) Investment trust premiums/discounts Given the possible distortion of historical data, our final valuation metric is based entirely on market sentiment. Investment trusts are stock market traded funds. Theyre closed ended, which means the number of shares in issue is fixed. The shares can trade at a premium or a discount to the underlying net asset value of their holdings. There are times therefore when you can buy investment trusts for less than the value of their underlying investments when theyre said to be trading at a discount. That tends to happen at times of market stress when lots of investors might be selling. But there are also times when investors will pay more for an investment trust than their underlying holdings are worth known as trading at a premium. In the graph below, weve taken the average premium or discount of UK listed investment trusts back to 2005 (again the earliest date from which data is easily available) and compared that against average stock market returns over the following ten years. Chart showing Investment Trust premiums/discounts and subsequent 10 year UK stock market returns Scroll across to see the full chart. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Source: Refinitiv, 24/05/21. The relationship isnt as strong as for PE ratios or dividend yields, but its still there. When investment trusts have traded at large discounts to their underlying book value, stock market returns over the following ten years have tended to be stronger. UK listed investment trusts are currently trading at an average 14.4% premium to their book value. Over the limited timeframe weve looked at, when the markets been in this region before, its gone on to return 57.0%, or 4.6% annually on average. All three value indicators weve looked at above suggest investors could be in line for lower than average stock market returns over the next ten years. Of course, none of these returns should be taken as in anyway guaranteed, and the future will be very different to the past. We think not. If youre not going to invest in stocks and shares, then you have to put your money elsewhere. While stocks and shares might not be attractive by historical standards, the outlook in other asset classes doesnt look much better and in some cases is even worse. Even at current valuations, for investors willing and able to take a long-term view, stocks and shares should be a key consideration. After all its about time in the market, not trying to time it. This article isn't personal advice. If you're not sure if an investment is right for you, get advice. Please Please log in to your account to automatically fill in the details below. Please select... 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https://www.hl.co.uk/news/articles/what-could-the-next-10-years-hold-for-the-uk-stock-market

Why Did Kanye West Move To Wyoming Anyway??

In case you missed it when it aired, Thursday nights episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians the next to last ep of the entire series!!! showed a private moment we never thought wed see: Kim Kardashian breaking down in front of her sisters over her marriage to Kanye West falling apart. The scene seemed to show the very moment Kim reached her limit and finally decided to file for divorce, a move which seemed inevitable to basically all outside observers, but one the 40-year-old was fighting with every inch of her being because it made her feel like a f**king loser to end her third marriage. Based on her complaints to her sisters, it was his decision to move to Wyoming. Now that may have been the straw that broke the camels back goodness knows there was plenty of other behavior on his part that called into question his commitment to the marriage but it makes sense as a dealbreaker in and of itself, too. We mean, you just cant keep a relationship going long-term from a thousand miles away, no matter what that Vanessa Carlton song says. We mean, its not like he couldnt have bought a place with plenty of space in the desert outside Los Angeles. Theres SO MUCH space in the Valley, and it would be just a short drive from his children. The insider said: Kanye loves his kids and they come to visit, but Kanye felt he couldnt create as well in L.A., the expansive nature and the privacy helped him to be inspired. That makes a kind of sense, only it seems really sad and isolationist, too. But the source assured the peace that comes from living in the middle of nowhere is good for Ye: Wyoming is also a great place for Kanyes mental health. Hmm. Just not a great place for the health of a relationship with a woman who has lived in El Lay since youve known her. We guess the answer, ultimately, is what weve always known: Kanye put Kanye first. [Image via WENN/KUWTK/YouTube.]

https://perezhilton.com/kanye-west-kim-kardashian-move-wyoming-divorce-reason-kuwtk/

Can America survive the culture wars?

Thirty years ago, author James Davison Hunter looked over American politics with foreboding. In his book Culture Wars, he lamented how politics was being taken over by cultural issues on which compromise was impossible. Back then, it was mostly just abortion. Today, he told Politico in a recent interview, its so much more, too: Part of our problem is that we have politicized everything. The whole point of civil society, Professor Hunter said, is to provide the mediation that prevents violence. The Constitution provides the framework, but it depends on citizens to do the work. Part of whats troubling is that Im beginning to see signs of the justification for violence on both sides, he said. Much has been said about the threats to American democracy, but for Professor Hunter, this expansion of the culture wars is one of the deepest drivers. By his reckoning, the only peaceful way out is to find a way to break their hold. Talk through the conflicts, he said. And whatever you do, dont just simply impose your view on anyone else. You have to talk them through. What is going to underwrite liberal democracy in the 21st century? he asked. That is the question America must find a fresh answer to, together.

https://www.csmonitor.com/Daily/2021/20210603/How-to-break-the-culture-wars

Should Cryptocurrencies be Banned?

Allowing cryptocurrencies to exist is nurturing an ever-expanding global network of criminals and terrorists. They should be banned like nuclear bombs, human trafficking and crimes against humanity. It is truly impressive to see how assiduous our governments have been in stopping bad people like criminals and terrorists, from doing bad things. Over the last 20 years governments have tried to stop criminals and terrorists from stealing money or using it to finance bloody wars and strife. As a result, banks, companies, and us ordinary people must adhere to strict rules that stop us from making payments to criminals and terrorists. New laws and regulations abound like KYC (=Know Your Customer), Anti-Terrorist laws and Money Laundering laws, etc. The laws and rules are supervised by banks and the authorities who have designed special software to catch suspicious payments before they are processed. We have generally accepted these limitations because we really do want to stop bad people from doing more bad things. But while these new laws, regulations and processes have been put in place, new payment systems have been developed outside the banking system that allow the bad people to enjoy the fruits of their ill-gotten gains and encourage them to expand their activities. These payments occur with cryptocurrencies over the internet and far from the eyes of banks, regulators, and the police. Genius software developers have been employed with juicy salaries to develop even higher levels of secrecy and anonymity to ensure that the cash hoards remain safely in the hands of the criminal perpetrators. Cryptocurrencies allow hackers to steal and transfer safely huge amounts of money using clever software, called malware, over the internet. It is estimated that criminals now steal many times more money than ordinary bank robbers. Once stolen, the same criminals can pay the money through different software systems and launder it to buy expensive properties, boats, planes, and other luxuries while the rest of us carry on a little poorer than before! In the same manner state-controlled units in North Korea, Russia, and a few other countries use cryptocurrencies for similar acts of theft and use the money for weapons and other illicit purposes. Drug dealers also use them for payment systems. And while this is going on right under our noses, we have the big banks, fund managers and rich investors talking about how cryptocurrencies should be introduced as an asset class for investors! That is totally insane because it makes this uncontrolled jungle appear to be something useful, good and innocent. Even the SEC and the ECB have been thinking about this same but, rationally, are now talking about regulation Their reaction speed is beyond belief Not only are they bad for society, but they are also extremely wasteful. The mining of cryptocurrencies uses more electric power each year than Sweden uses in a whole year! There is no reason on earth why we should be allowing cryptocurrencies to exist, since they have spawned and maintain a huge network of criminals and terrorists who steal from us more easily than ever before. Call your local politicians and start a new movement to stop cryptocurrencies.

https://www.finnishnews.fi/business-finance/should-cryptocurrencies-be-banned/

What Is The Song In The New Jungle Cruise Trailer?

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links. Disney is ramping up its presence in theaters and at home, thanks to its slate of simultaneous releases through traditional theatrical presentations and Disney+ Premier Access. So now its time to start getting back into the swing of movies like Jungle Cruise heading our way, which means brand new trailers are in order to show off fresh and exciting details. And sure enough, with new monsters, characters, and banter between The Rock and Emily Blunt, this would-be blockbuster is ready to roar.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2264290677285/what-is-the-song-in-the-new-jungle-cruise-trailer

Is it time for the video call madness to end?

In 2017, Unistellar released the original eVscope as part of a Kickstarter. Now, Unistellar is releasing its next product, the eVscope eQuinox. If youd like to, you can skip straight to the specs, but I learned a lot through my experience with the eVscope eQuinox. I am very new to astronomy and astrophotography, and I have never owned a telescope before. I was impressed with the ease of use from the beginning. As you open the box you are greeted with a quick start guide and a user manual. Lift up one more piece of foam to see the telescope, legs, and a handy toolkit. I plugged in the telescope to ensure it was fully charged, then that night I took it outside to see what I could capture.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2264291011479/is-it-time-for-the-video-call-madness-to-end

What Exactly is "Taxable Income" and "Indexing"?

Go back to part one, where I answer a fascinating query from Patrick on whether there is a right time to donate for tax purposes. Hes an easily irritated individual, and an unusually self-enamored author of best-sellers. Patrick maintains that there can be no two opinions about whether hell wind up as the recipient of a seven-figure-payment from the library or university that purchases his voluminous personal papers. Patrick says it has original manuscripts for his books and articles, as well as exchanges of correspondence with lots of boldface names and A-listers. Patrick threw in a mention of his plans to meet with Melania, his tax adviser, someone, he says, who knows her way around the Internal Revenue Code. I told him to meet her ASAP. Ill spell out why he should move expeditiously. Sign up for our FREE email newsletter Don't miss out on our best content. Enter email address * Enter email address Sign up Some other things that Ill discuss: the seven graduated brackets for ordinary income from sources like salaries and other kinds of compensation. 2021s brackets ascend in stages10, 12, 22 (nearly double the preceding 12), 24, 32 (a whopping one-third higher than the preceding 24), 35 and top out at 37 percent. And Ill go into more detail about: the top bracket and whos subject to it; and deconstruct terms like taxable income and indexing. Patrick, back to meeting Melania. For openers, get her recommendation on when to receive everything from the buyer. Oops, hold off on immediately asking her about when to receive payment; instead, ask that she schedule the meeting ASAP. Heres why its vital that you move quickly. What should be at the top of the agenda is a new concern introduced by a new president, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. He wants to raise revenue and close the tax gap. (In case you didnt know, Robinette is the maiden name of the 46th presidents paternal grandmother.) Patrick, no surprises here. Theyre the ones who submit 1040 forms that report income from sources like these: salaries and other kinds of employee compensation, such as severance arrangements, net earnings from self-employment ventures; pensions; funds they withdraw from IRAs, 401(k)s and other kinds of tax-deferred retirement accounts; and Social Security benefits. By the way, Patrick, I thought to be preemptive and resolve any doubts you might have about whether the list of ordinary-income recipients includes or excludes authors, whether based in Portland, Oregon, or elsewhere, who receive seven-figure payments for personal papers that include original manuscripts and historic exchanges of correspondence with boldface names and A-listers. It includes authors. Indexing. Congress told the IRS to index the seven brackets, meaning the agency adjusts them annually to reflect inflation. Ditto for the standard deduction amounts that are available to filers who decide not to use Form 1040s Schedule A to itemize their outlays for things like: medical expenses (deductible only to the extent that they exceed 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income); state and local income and property taxes (capped at $10,000 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act); interest payments for mortgages on personal residences (subject to limits); and charitable contributions (a recent law change allows nonitemizers to claim donations of as much as $300 for 2020 and $600 for 2021). Indexing provides another benefit, because it mitigates bracket creep, a much-maligned phenomenon that bumps Patrick and other filers into higher brackets. This holds true even though their real incomes remain unchanged. Dear Readers, stay with us for whats ahead in parts three and four. Theyll clue Patrick in on how the IRS defines taxable income and help him to better understand 2021s top bracket of 37 percent. Also on the agenda: how an affluent author like Patrick will be adversely affected in the event the 46th president, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., overcomes opposition in the Senateby probably all Republicans and perhaps even some Democratsand prevails on his proposal to return the top rate of 37 percent to the 39.6 percent that it was before Congress approved and the 45th president, Donald John Trump, signed the Tax Cuts and Job Act. By the way, the wide-ranging overhaul of the Internal Revenue Code okayed by the former president in the closing days of 2017 turned out to be his most significant legislative accomplishment, say his supporters, or, his sole accomplishment, say his detractors.

https://www.accountingweb.com/tax/individuals/what-exactly-is-taxable-income-and-indexing

Will Jairzinho Rozenstruik Find Consistency?

Jairzinho Rozenstruik will take on Augusto Sakai in the main event of this weekends UFC Fight Night card. The Surinamese fighter would like to vanquish the memory of his lackluster performance in his unanimous-decision loss to Ciryl Gane and re-establish himself as a contender. The question is whether he can achieve this goal. Rozenstruik went into the Gane fight on the back of a second-round knockout win over former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos in August. Prior to that contest, Rozenstruik was viciously knocked out inside 20 seconds by Francis Ngannou at UFC 249. Gane entered the contest undefeated, holding a 4-0 record inside the UFC. The pattern of the fight was set quickly, with Gane keeping Rozenstruik at a distance with his jab and wide range of kicks. Meanwhile, Rozenstruik struggled to mount any kind of offense whatsoever, and his hesitancy caused him to repeatedly back up against the cage. This was exacerbated by the fact that the bout took place inside the smaller 25-foot Octagon in the UFC Apex instead of the regular 30-foot Octagon where most fights took place before the pandemic. Advertisement On the few instances when Rozenstruik did explode off his back foot, he was nullified by the slick movement of Gane, who could easily read his intentions. Gane also maximized his height and reach advantage to great effect, parrying and controlling Rozenstruiks patented power left hand. With his biggest weapon being negated and finding himself unable to evade the strikes coming his way, Rozenstruik looked increasingly lost as the rounds went on. The lack of urgency that the 33-year-old showed in the fourth and fifth frames was mystifying considering that it was clear that he would need a finish to secure the victory. He seemed to be content to lose a wide unanimous decision, and that is exactly what transpired, with all three judges scoring the contest 50-45 in Ganes favor. Rozenstruik was out-struck by a sizable margin, landing a mere 49 total strikes compared to Ganes 128. The only sliver of positivity he could take was his improved showing on the ground, as he stuffed 12 of the 14 takedowns attempted by the Frenchman. Rozenstruiks performance was made to look even stranger given that he would have been close to title contention with a win due to the logjam at the top of the heavyweight division. Not many people would have foreseen Jon Jones contractual standoff with the UFC, but Gane is now arguably one victory away from a title shot following his triumph over Rozenstruik. This fight highlighted the need for Rozenstruik to develop more tools to compete at the highest level. Whilst he possesses outstanding kickboxing credentials, his most potent weapon in the UFC has not been his striking technique but his incredible one-punch knockout power. The shot which sent former UFC heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski face first into the canvas at UFC 244 did not even seem to fully connect. He also famously finished Alistair Overeem with a punch that split the Dutchmans lip wide open, one of the most gruesome injuries seen in the sport for a long time. Rozenstruiks footwork was poor against Gane. This played a large part in his defeat, and not for the first time in the UFC. There was a strange element to the way the Ngannou fight played out, as the Cameroonian rendered Rozenstruik unconscious with a left hand after missing with numerous wild, lunging shots. No matter how sloppy Ngannou looked, Rozenstruik made it easier for his opponent to reach the target by moving back in a straight line as opposed to using lateral movement to evade the shots. Stipe Miocic showed in his first contest with Ngannou that it is possible with good head movement and footwork to circle away from the big strikes of arguably the hardest puncher in the history of MMA. This would have been easier said than done for Bigi Boy against Ngannou, but it would have given him a far better chance for victory. If Rozenstruik manages to climb back to the top of the division, then he will likely encounter fighters against whom he will have a height and reach deficit. The power that he carries has taken him a long way, but against taller, longer athletes who are savvy to his preferred power shots, he will need to find alternative methods of being effective. The 33-year-old would benefit from implementing more kicks in his game, allowing him to bridge the height disadvantage he would face against the likes of Alexander Volkov, Curtis Blaydes, Miocic, Ngannou and Gane. Adding finesse to his arsenal can help put Rozenstruik in a position to better utilize his devastating knockout power. Ngannou is a prime example of this, delivering a near-perfect performance against Miocic at UFC 259 by staying patient and technical before hitting big power shots in the second round to win the championship. Advertisement The American Top Team gym in Coconut Creek, Fla., is the perfect place for Rozenstruik to develop as a fighter. The Gane fight revealed that he has made great advancements in his ground game, something which had previously looked subpar. Under the tutelage of world-class coaches and with an array of elite talent to train alongside, Bigi Boy has a great chance to make similar strides in his stand-up game. Rozenstruik has struggled to be consistent not just in his UFC career as a whole, but also within individual fights. In the aforementioned Overeem bout, he was taken down and controlled on the ground for large periods. When he was on his feet, he did not seem to have a way past Overeems high guard and threw many strikes that were blocked. To his credit, the Suriname native showed fortitude after enduring some big blows and managed to take the contest into the later rounds. Just when it seemed like he was on the verge of losing a unanimous decision, Rozenstruik dropped Overeem with a big right hand to secure the knockout with four seconds remaining. This would go down as the second latest knockout in UFC history. This weekend, Sakai constitutes a step down in competition for Rozenstruik following his last outing inside the Octagon. The Brazilian has amassed an excellent record of five wins and only one loss in the UFC, but this is not wholly representative of how his time inside the Octagon has panned out. Sakai was finished by the aforementioned Overeem in his last fight, and many believed that he also lost to Blagoy Ivanov in a contest the judges scored in his favor by split decision. Sakai also scored a split-decision victory over Arlovski. He does not seem to have the power nor the striking technique to be able to trouble the elite heavyweights, but he is extremely durable. Therefore, this appears to be an ideal opportunity for Rozenstruik to showcase some newly honed skills. The quality of Rozenstruiks performance on Saturday, in addition to the result, will indicate whether he can find the consistency to be a top contender in the division. Failure to get past a man that is currently ranked ninth by the UFC would put an end to Rozenstruiks ambitions of competing for the title any time soon. Conversely, a display that wins back fans who were frustrated with how he fought last time out will put him a step closer to the belt.

https://combatpress.com/2021/06/will-jairzinho-rozenstruik-find-consistency/

What Is TensorFlow Lite and How Is It a Deep Learning Framework?

With the increase in the learning capability of deep convolution-based architectures, various applications of such models have been proposed over time. In the field of anomaly detection, improvements in deep learning opened new prospects of exploration for the researchers whom tried to automate the labor-intensive features of data collection. First, in terms of data collection, it is impossible to anticipate all the anomalies that might exist in a given environment. Second, assuming we limit the possibilities of anomalies, it will still be hard to record all these scenarios for the sake of training a model. Third, even if we manage to record a significant amount of abnormal data, it's laborious to annotate this data on pixel or even frame level. Various approaches address the problem by proposing one-class classification using generative models trained on only normal data. In such methods, only the normal data is used, which is abundantly available and doesn't require significant human input. However, these are trained with only normal data and at the test time, given abnormal data as input, may often generate normal-looking output. This happens due to the hallucination characteristic of generative models. Next, these systems are designed to not use abnormal examples during the training. In this paper, we propose anomaly detection with negative learning (ADNL), which employs the negative learning concept for the enhancement of anomaly detection by utilizing a very small number of labeled anomaly data as compared with the normal data during training. The idea is to limit the reconstruction capability of a generative model using the given a small amount of anomaly examples. This way, the network not only learns to reconstruct normal data but also encloses the normal distribution far from the possible distribution of anomalies.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2264360041583/what-is-tensorflow-lite-and-how-is-it-a-deep-learning-framework

What Fueled the Child Sex Abuse Scandal That Never Was?

It started in August 1983 with Judy Johnson, a resident of a wealthy and bucolic Los Angeles suburb, who told police she suspected her 3-year-old son, Matthew, was being molested by one of his preschool teachers. Matthew had been complaining of an itchy anus and was obsessed with playing doctor, a game he said he played at school. Johnson believed one of his teachers, Ray Buckey, had sodomized the boy with his thermometer. Soon after, other parents of children under Buckeys care at the McMartin Preschool in Manhattan Beach alerted police that their children had confessed to being fondled, sodomized, and forced to participate in pornographic films. There were reports that McMartin teachers slaughtered animals and babies in front of the children before abusing them. Five McMartin teachers were ultimately arrested and charged, along with the schools administrator, Peggy McMartin Buckey, and its 76-year-old founder, Virginia McMartin, with what detectives and child therapists determined was ritualistic satanic abuse. The school shut down for good in January 1984. But no evidenceno pornography, no semen, no corpseswas ever recovered. The McMartin case was symptomatic of a nationwide panic about an epidemic of child sexual abuse at day-care centers in the 80s, with other high-profile cases in Minnesota, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Texas all fomenting media hype, legislative changes, and mass hysteria. It would be a decade before the panic that led to more than 80 convictions proved to be largely unfounded. In his new book, We Believe the Children, author Richard Beckalso editor of n+1 magazinerevisits these Kafkaesque cases involving child pornography rings and devil-worshipping cults. Drawing on interviews, archival research, and court transcripts, Beck illustrates how therapists, social workers, and police officers unintentionally forced children to fabricate tales of brutal abuse that spoke to American societys deepest fears and introduced the stereotype of the playground pedophile. Beck argues, convincingly, that the sexual revolution of the 60s and 70s provoked a conservative backlash in the 80s, fueling parental paranoia. The social and political conditions at the time set the stage for the most destructive moral panic since the Salem witch trials. Indeed, the day-care investigations in the 80s echoed several specific aspects of the 1692 witch hunts. In each episode, Beck writes, children were thought to have been abused by a secretive group of conspirators, and each time it was the adults who first began to suspect that a conspiracy was at work. Those accused in Salem were said to possess such demonic powers that their victims were re-traumatized during the trials, frequently crying out in pain in the courtroom. Concern in the 80s that children would be similarly re-traumatized led the state of California to pass a law allowing children under 14 to testify outside the courtroom via closed-circuit televisions. While the judge and jurors who presided over the Salem trials eventually apologized and awarded monetary reparations to the accused, very few of the major players who relentlessly pursued the day-care cases apologized to those who were wrongfully convicted. Many innocent people whose lives were ruined, including the children, have been denied reparations. When the McMartin trial finally ended in 1990 with no convictions, the McMartin family filed a slander suit against one parent who led the witch hunt in Manhattan Beach back in 1983. The judge ruled in the McMartins favor, but determined that the defendant couldnt have damaged their reputations any more than the subsequent six-year-trialthe longest and most expensive ($15 million) in U.S. history to dateand national media coverage of the sex abuse accusations. The plaintiffs were awarded $1 each. Much of We Believe the Children centers on the McMartin Preschool case, with Beck devoting four of the books 10 chapters to the McMartin allegations, preliminary hearing, trial, and verdict. Coercive interview and interrogation tactics were used on children in many of the child sex abuse cases across the country. (Predictably, these led to false confessions.) To be sure, We Believe the Children does not set out to prove that child abuse never happened in the 80s. The Minnesota sex ring panic in 1983 began with a single allegation against James Rud, who turned out to have two prior child sex abuse convictionsone in Virginia and one in Minnesota. And the charges against Arnold Friedman, a beloved and award-winning teacher in Great Neck, New York, (the Friedman family was the subject of Andrew Jareckis 2003 documentary, Capturing the Friedmans) were not entirely unfounded. In 1987 the Feds found a stack of child porn magazines in his basement. Whether Arnold Friedman was a child abuser became a very controversial topic in the late 1980s, Beck writes, but there is no question that he really was a pedophile. While there was ample evidence that Arnold Friedman was attracted to children, it was never clear that he acted on it. After Friedmans son Jesse was also accused of abuse, he deliberately played into the hysterical narrative perpetuated by police and the media, claiming his father had homemade pornographic videos. But the hysteria ultimately obscured whether or not Arnold was guilty of abuse. The recent Jerry Sandusky molestation scandal at Penn State demonstrates the imperative of reporting allegations of child sex abuse. But Sandusky got away with serially molesting young boys for years not because people mistrusted childrens accusations, but because those accusations were covered up by the corrupt bureaucracy at the university. We Believe the Children focuses largely on the children in the McMartin Preschool casebeginning with Judy Johnsons sonwho were grossly manipulated and even threatened by adults until they confessed to what the adults wanted to hear. Kee MacFarlane, an unlicensed therapist who worked with the nonprofit Children's International Institute, was hired by the Manhattan Beach district attorneys office to help investigate the case. She designed sessions with 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children to mimic forensic interviews. Her priority was not childrens emotional well-being but ensuring that they recalled events accurately. Digging through transcripts, Beck finds that MacFarlane told one 5-year-old boy youre just a scaredy cat when he repeatedly denied that he and other children had been inappropriately touched. Well, what good are you? she asked another child who wouldnt confirm her suggestion that he had participated in sexual games with Ray Buckey. You must be dumb, she added, speaking to him through a puppet. Even when she wasnt bullying her preschool patients, MacFarlane frequently interpreted childrens statements that were clearly made in the context of some imaginative game as straightforward accusations of abuse, Beck writes. By the end of December 1983, MacFarlane had interviewed more than 30 McMartin children, a number that would eventually balloon to 375. Like most people, MacFarlane genuinely believed these children were abused. But after jurors in the McMartin case reached a not guilty verdict, they told reporters that MacFarlanes tapes made it impossible to distinguish less plausible accusations from more plausible ones because they never got the childrens story in their own words. After the McMartin trial wrapped, MacFarlane admitted in a 1990 interview with The New York Times that she was naive in never having been part of a case like this, but defended her controversial interviewing techniques. Neither in tapes [sic] on the witness stand do children just say what happened. Some children said they never went to the McMartin School, even though they did. MacFarlane was at least partially influenced by the psychiatrist Roland Summit, who rose to prominence in the 70s and theorized that children were not psychologically capable of lying about sexual abuse. Beck points out that corroborating evidence then became a superfluous adjunct to a truth the therapist already knew. Many other therapists and social workers who worked with children on ritualistic sex abuse cases in the 80s operated on the same dangerous assumption. So did parents and law enforcement officials. Believe the Children was not just an oft-repeated mantra in Manhattan Beach, but a community banner through which which some parents formed an organization and advocacy center where any and all information on ritual abuse was discussed. It gave many parents, particularly stay-at-home mothers, a sense of purpose and a role in bringing about political and social change. The irony, of course, was that their fevered determination to protect children caused them harm and suffering instead. Its impossible to know the extent of the emotional damage that the McMartin children and others across the country suffered into adulthood (very few have spoken out publicly). But Beck interviews one pseudonymous woman, Jennifer, who was 7 when her mother first took her to the police in 1984, when her former day-care teacher was accused of sexual abuse. She began going to therapy shortly afterward and tells Beck that was where all the trauma happened. No matter what Jennifer said, her therapists insisted she had been abused. This led her to question her own memories of what had happened (she still questions them to this day), though she initially told the police she wasnt molested. I had rooms in my brain where I needed to think very clearly, and be honest with myself, and try really hard to remember if anything happened, she tells Beck. And at the same time, I had to keep it completely hidden and protected from my mom and the therapists. The young children in the McMartin case also underwent forensic testing developed by a physician named Bruce Woodling: anal examinations (wink tests) in which he swabbed a spot near the patients anus that supposedly determined abuse. If the childs anus opened during wink tests, the child had been sodomized; the further the childs anus opened, the more frequent the abuse. Woodling hired an inexperienced assistant, Astrid Heger, to examine young girls hymens for microscopic abrasions and variations which, according to Woodlings (now-discredited) findings, often indicated sexual trauma. Heger determined that 80 percent of the 150 children she examined had been abused, but she sometimes arrived at that conclusion even when she found no abrasions or variations. This was based on a convictionone she shared with Roland Summitthat medical professionals had a special social role to play in bringing the problem of child abuse out of the shadows, Beck writes. In cases across the country, medical professionals, detectives, prosecutors, parents, and therapists simply believed children had been sexually abused: They manipulated the truth to fit their version of the truth and fabricated evidence where none existed. When cases went to court, the judicial systems innocent until proven guilty model was seemingly inverted: as Beck puts it, the pursuit of justice demanded the suspension of disbelief. In the court of public opinion, the only just verdict was a guilty one. The number of convictions that came out of these cases, almost all of which were eventually overturned, shows how easily we can deceive ourselves and othershow the pursuit of justice results in gross injusticewhen the truth is preconceived. Beck attributes societys unwavering belief in the 80s child sex abuse cases to a number of forces that came together in America at that time: a conservative backlash against the counterculture that had dominated the 60s and 70s, with its rejection of law enforcement and authority; a similar backlash against the sexual revolution and feminism, which dismantled the nuclear family, sending women to work and children to day-care centers; homophobia linked to the AIDS epidemic and an attendant fear that men who were caretakers outside the home were pedophiles; the rise of conservative Christian evangelicals, many of whom had helped elect President Ronald Reagan and feared the proliferation of pornography. Social hysteria is born of an unmanageable surplus of anxiety and fear, Beck writes, and as a result panics themselves behave in excessive ways, improvising a series of crises and fabrications that build until the whole process breaks down under the weight of its own internal contradictions. It took a while for this particular panic to break down, and even then it occasionally resurfaced: in the mid-90s, 43 adults were arrested on more than 29,000 charges of child sex abuse in a pedophile ring operation in Wenatchee, Washington. There were also people like Ellen Bass, a poet turned activist, who piggybacked on abuse rhetoric at the tail end of the 80s hysteria, spinning off the 1988 bestselling self-help book, The Courage to Heal. The self-help element was grounded in the idea of healing through recovered memory, which therapists capitalized on in the mid-90s. Beck notes how the book recast victims as survivors and made victimization into an identity with its own kind of bleak attractiveness...the testimony of some survivors suggested that much of what made the process appealing were the crises themselves. But recovered memory therapy had its own traps, and many argued that the women who sought it out were not healing as much as they were simply being taken for a ride. Beck doesnt suggest that the rhetoric in The Courage to Heal is echoed in some of the rhetoric surrounding sexual abuse today. Perhaps he did not want to be wade into that fraught feminist debate. But the desperation to protect children at all costs in the 80s is not unlike the desperation to protect women on college campuses today amidst what many have declared an epidemic of campus rape. We Believe the Children should serve to remind us of the dangers of the we must believe the victim mindset in the case of any criminal offense. A faith-based pursuit of justice can lead to a miscarriage of justice.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/what-fueled-the-child-sex-abuse-scandal-that-never-was

Will court rule that San Diegos convention center ballot measure passed with simple majority?

The city of San Diego on Friday made good on its promise to ask a judge to confirm that last years ballot measure to fund an expanded convention center, homeless services and road repairs did indeed pass with a simple majority. In a lawsuit filed in Superior Court late in the day, City Attorney Mara Elliotts office asked the court to determine that Measure C was lawfully enacted in March 2020 even though it fell short of the two-thirds majority voters at the time were told was needed for approval. That requirement, argues the city, is no longer valid in light of three appellate court decisions that have since come down, concluding that simple majority approval is adequate when a tax hike is placed on the ballot by citizens, which was the case with Measure C. In a move to bolster its position with the courts, the City Council in April voted to officially declare that the ballot measure was approved in the March 3, 2020, election and to have the city attorney file whats known as a validation lawsuit to legally confirm whether the measure did or did not pass. Advertisement The proposition sought to raise the citys 10.5 percent hotel tax to as much as 13.75 percent, which was expected to raise close to $7 billion to finance the three civic initiatives. At the April meeting, the council also approved a resolution authorizing the future issuance of bonds for the convention center expansion and homeless programs but agreed that no bonds would be issued nor would any increased hotel taxes be collected until there is a favorable ruling in the citys validation lawsuit. Its unknown how long it will be before the court takes up San Diegos lawsuit. The city, in its legal filing, states that it is requesting judicial examination, approval, and conformation of the validity of the authorization and approval of the issuance and sale of the Homelessness Program Bonds and Convention Center Modernization Bonds and ... the determination that Measure C is an approved ballot measure. The City Attorneys office acknowledges in its legal filing that following last years election, there was a split of authority in California over whether a simple majority or two-thirds supermajority vote was needed to pass a special tax proposed by a citizens initiative. It also noted that the ballot pamphlet at the time stated a two-thirds vote threshold was required, based on the City Attorneys Offices determination of the legal precedent and usual practice in California at the time of submittal of Measure C to the voters. One factor weighing in the citys favor is that the state Supreme Court has so far opted to not review two of the appellate court cases relating to citizens initiatives, which is viewed in legal circles as an encouraging sign for Measure C backers. The citys lawsuit also asks the court to bar anyone from taking legal action challenging the validity of Measure C and the citys ability to issue homelessness and convention center bonds. The initiative was supported by a broad coalition of business, labor and tourism leaders, along with homeless advocates, who had been pressing the city over the last year to seek validation of Measure C, given its strong showing at the ballot box. It was favored by a 65.24 percent margin, almost reaching the 66.7 percent majority normally required for passing local taxes for specific purposes. Not everyone, though, has favored the citys efforts to transform what was seen as a defeat into a victory. The council vote in April to declare Measure C as having passed was opposed by three council members who argued that it was premature to take that step, especially given the instructions provided to voters at the time of the election, namely, that a two-thirds majority was required. Advertisement Mayor Todd Gloria, however, has strongly favored moving forward to secure a legal ruling confirming that Measure C was duly approved. Most importantly, he said, if the city prevails, the hotel tax hike will go a long way toward addressing homelessness, which he noted is the top issue residents talk to him about.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/story/2021-06-04/will-court-rule-that-san-diegos-convention-center-ballot-measure-passed-with-simple-majority

When Will Sweet Tooth Season 2 Come Out?

Sweet Tooth is Netflixs latest comic book adaptationand its unlike anything youve seen before. Adapted from writer/artist Jeff Lemires acclaimed DC Comics/Vertigo series Sweet Tooth, this is a post-apocalyptic tale that mashes up the horrific (a plague) with the adorable (a bunch of animal/human hybrid babies!). But dont let the cute kids fool you, because the world of Sweet Tooth has a lot of bite to it. If youve finished Sweet Tooth Season 1, then you know this show has sharp teeth. Heres everything you need to know about the shows fate, as well as a recap of where the show leaves off. Sweet Tooth ending explained Oh, wow, yes it does. There are so many reveals in the final moments of the season finale that you probably forgot a few already. Gus had his entire world turned upside down when he learned that he doesnt have parents so much as a team of scientists who created him. Making matters worse, Gus been kidnapped by the Last Men, as ordered by General Abbot. Hes now at the Preserve, which has been completely taken over by Last Men, where hes just one of many hybrids waiting to be experimented on. Dr. Singh, who has been completely broken down spiritually and has to do whatever it takes to save his wife, Rani. That includes cutting up hybrid kids in search for the cure. Small comfort. Help is on the way, though, in the form of Aimee and Jepperd. Aimee came to Jeps rescue after he was shot and left for dead by the Last Men. Theyre now holed up in Aimees old office, preparing to team up and get their kids back. Meanwhile, we learned Bears backstory. Her name is really Becky, and her foster parents werent killed; they died due to the sick, and the Last Men took her newborn sister away from her. That sister, we learn, is Wendy. And in the final moments of the episode, Bear/Becky makes contact via satellite phone with a scientific outpost in Alaska when Birdiethe scientist that created and cared for Gus, the woman Gus believed to be his motherpicks up. So to sum up: Gus and Wendy are prisoners of General Abbot and the Last Men and theyre gonna be dissected by Dr. Singh so he can save his wife. Meanwhile Aimee and Jepperd are mounting a rescue mission, while Bears about to chat with Guss long lost mom. Yeah yeah Season 1 ends on a cliffhanger, all right. Good lord, there better be! Talk about bleak! While Netflix has yet to confirm that a second season is on the way, Sweet Tooths creative team sure seems confident. You dont end a show like that without at least a hunch that youll probably be back for more. So while Netflixs hasnt ordered more Sweet Tooth yet, it seems likelyas long as people actually watch Season 1. So if you want more, watch every episode ASAP and tell all your friends about it. Let Netflix know you want to see Gus get out of that cage! Decider will update this article when Netflix releases information about Sweet Tooth Season 2. Stream Sweet Tooth on Netflix

https://decider.com/2021/06/04/sweet-tooth-season-2-come-out-on-netflix/