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Is there a 'circular' solution to the world's food problems?

ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The pesticide exposure, antibiotic resistance, air and water pollution and other factors caused by industrial food production could kill 5 million people a year by 2050, a new report said. That is four times the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents globally. Preventing that from happening requires producing food locally, using eco-friendly methods, eliminating waste and designing and marketing healthier products, said a foundation set up by record-breaking British sailor Ellen MacArthur. Redesigning the food industry into a so-called circular economy model would reduce health costs, save land and water and create new business opportunities, said the report, launched Thursday at the World Economic Forum. Cities could be important catalysts in this change as 80 percent of all food is expected to consumed in cities by 2050, it said. Under the current linear system, food enters cities where it is processed or consumed and only a small portion of the resulting organic waste, in the form of discarded food, byproducts or sewage, gets used again. In a circular economy, raw materials and byproducts are reused and very little is wasted. Cities would need to source food produced locally in ways that regenerate the ecosystem, distribute the surplus to those who cannot afford it, and turn byproducts into new products from fertilizer to feed to materials for bioenergy. The benefits could be worth $2.7 trillion a year to the global economy, according to the report. In contrast, the extractive, wasteful, and polluting nature of current food production costs society $5.7 trillion a year globally, through costs to human and environmental health, the report said. What you eat matters, but how it has been produced matters as well. You could very well be eating healthy, but still be exposed to the negative impacts because of the way food is produced, said Clementine Schouteden, the reports lead author. We are at an absolutely critical point, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation from Davos. Scientists are increasingly calling for systemic changes to the way food is being produced and consumed, saying industrial farming has led to a food system that contributes to climate change, cripples the environment and causes a malnutrition crisis. Agriculture, forestry and other land uses are responsible for a quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions heating up the planet, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Meanwhile, one third of all food produced, worth nearly $1 trillion, is wasted globally every year, FAO figures show, even as 821 million people go hungry and one in eight adults are obese. Last week, scientists unveiled for the first time what they say is an ideal diet for the health of the planet and its people, recommending a doubling of consumption of nuts, fruits, vegetables and legumes, and a halving of meat and sugar intake.

Report: Industrial food production could kill 5 million people a year by 2050. Redesigning the food industry into a so-called circular economy model would reduce health costs, save land and water and create new business opportunities, it says.

ctrlsum

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-agriculture-davos/is-there-a-circular-solution-to-the-worlds-food-problems-idUSKCN1PI003

Could 49ers, Raiders find an edge rusher at the Senior Bowl?

MOBILE, Ala. 49ers general manager John Lynch spent a good part of Tuesdays South team practice at the Senior Bowl standing near an end zone at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, watching the defensive linemen go through position drills. Several of the top prospects in Mobile this week are pass rushers. And edge rusher happens to be a primary need of both the 49ers and the Raiders, who are coaching the North team. The 49ers top edge rusher last season was arguably Cassius Marsh who recorded 5.5 sacks. After releasing Bruce Irvin (3 sacks) halfway through the season, the Raiders did not have a defensive end with more than two sacks and finished with an NFL-low 13 sacks as a team. Both teams could consider using their top picks in Aprils draft the 49ers pick second overall and the Raiders fourth on an outside rusher, with several tentatively projected to go near the top of the draft order. The few prospects generating the most buzz are not in Mobile, but the Senior Bowl does feature an intriguing group of pass rushers. I like it, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden said of the group Tuesday. There are a lot of guys that are going to get a real opportunity, I think, to help themselves in this game. Gruden specifically cited South rushers Montez Sweat (Mississippi State) and Jaylon Ferguson (Louisiana Tech) and North players Zach Allen (Boston College) and L.J. Collier (TCU). Sweat is perhaps the top overall prospect in Mobile after totaling 22.5 sacks and 30.5 tackles for loss in his final two college seasons. Amid some questions about whether he is too lean, Sweat measured in Tuesday at 6-foot-6 and 252 pounds with 35 5/8-inch arms. In one sequence Tuesday, Sweat came off the left edge against Alabama State tackle Tytus Howard. Sweat lost his footing on his first rep and jogged back to the line of scrimmage. On his second, he hesitated briefly before bull-rushing Howard, who was knocked backward to the ground. You look at him, the main thing is just the length, Howard said. He has pretty good game, he has some pretty nice moves. Hes a tall, long guy, so you cant hesitate with him The first rep, I came to him. The second rep, I hesitated. 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said Sweat is lining up in practice this week at the Leo position (which typically goes to the teams best pass rusher), but that the coaches are rotating South defensive linemen through different positions. Were not really basing it Leo, big end, Saleh said. Its making sure that everyone gets an opportunity to showcase what theyre best at. Ferguson, the Louisiana Tech edge rusher, said he has lined up more as big end in the 49ers defense in a 5- or 6-technique, on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle. Ferguson said hes a fan of the aggressive way the 49ers deploy their pass-rushers. I really like it just get down and go, Ferguson said. My mentor, (former defensive lineman) Chuck Smith, he taught me to live life like its 3rd-and-long. Just get down and go. Ferguson left Louisiana Tech as the NCAA career sacks leader, having recorded 17.5 his senior season. Coming from a program outside the Power 5 conferences, Ferguson said his goal in Mobile this week is to shed any perception of him as a small-school product. Its bothersome a little bit, because you cant look at sacks without seeing my name on top, Ferguson said. But at the same time, I knew the chance coming in. I really accept it. And Im still practicing right now to get better. Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said the North coaching staff is rotating linemen also Allen and Collier have played both outside and inside this week and the Raiders coaches have moved some linebackers down to rush end. Theres some good guys, Guenther said. Our job here is to showcase these guys, highlight them, try to put the talents on display for all these GMs and coaches. Saleh said Lynch and his staff provide coaches a list of prospects to watch throughout the predraft process. You start athletically, obviously, with which ones really stand out, and then you get into the character of which ones really fit the locker room best, Saleh said. The process is never-ending (from) now until the actual 15 minutes that were on the clock. Matt Kawahara is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mkawahara@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @matthewkawahara

Both the 49ers and the Raiders are coaching the North team at the Senior Bowl. Both teams could consider using their top picks in Aprils draft on an edge rusher.

ctrlsum

https://www.sfchronicle.com/49ers/article/Could-49ers-Raiders-find-an-edge-rusher-at-the-13556886.php

Could 49ers, Raiders find an edge rusher at the Senior Bowl?

MOBILE, Ala. 49ers general manager John Lynch spent a good part of Tuesdays South team practice at the Senior Bowl standing near an end zone at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, watching the defensive linemen go through position drills. Several of the top prospects in Mobile this week are pass rushers. And edge rusher happens to be a primary need of both the 49ers and the Raiders, who are coaching the North team. The 49ers top edge rusher last season was arguably Cassius Marsh who recorded 5.5 sacks. After releasing Bruce Irvin (3 sacks) halfway through the season, the Raiders did not have a defensive end with more than two sacks and finished with an NFL-low 13 sacks as a team. Both teams could consider using their top picks in Aprils draft the 49ers pick second overall and the Raiders fourth on an outside rusher, with several tentatively projected to go near the top of the draft order. The few prospects generating the most buzz are not in Mobile, but the Senior Bowl does feature an intriguing group of pass rushers. I like it, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden said of the group Tuesday. There are a lot of guys that are going to get a real opportunity, I think, to help themselves in this game. Gruden specifically cited South rushers Montez Sweat (Mississippi State) and Jaylon Ferguson (Louisiana Tech) and North players Zach Allen (Boston College) and L.J. Collier (TCU). Sweat is perhaps the top overall prospect in Mobile after totaling 22.5 sacks and 30.5 tackles for loss in his final two college seasons. Amid some questions about whether he is too lean, Sweat measured in Tuesday at 6-foot-6 and 252 pounds with 35 5/8-inch arms. In one sequence Tuesday, Sweat came off the left edge against Alabama State tackle Tytus Howard. Sweat lost his footing on his first rep and jogged back to the line of scrimmage. On his second, he hesitated briefly before bull-rushing Howard, who was knocked backward to the ground. You look at him, the main thing is just the length, Howard said. He has pretty good game, he has some pretty nice moves. Hes a tall, long guy, so you cant hesitate with him The first rep, I came to him. The second rep, I hesitated. 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said Sweat is lining up in practice this week at the Leo position (which typically goes to the teams best pass rusher), but that the coaches are rotating South defensive linemen through different positions. Were not really basing it Leo, big end, Saleh said. Its making sure that everyone gets an opportunity to showcase what theyre best at. Ferguson, the Louisiana Tech edge rusher, said he has lined up more as big end in the 49ers defense in a 5- or 6-technique, on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle. Ferguson said hes a fan of the aggressive way the 49ers deploy their pass-rushers. I really like it just get down and go, Ferguson said. My mentor, (former defensive lineman) Chuck Smith, he taught me to live life like its 3rd-and-long. Just get down and go. Ferguson left Louisiana Tech as the NCAA career sacks leader, having recorded 17.5 his senior season. Coming from a program outside the Power 5 conferences, Ferguson said his goal in Mobile this week is to shed any perception of him as a small-school product. Its bothersome a little bit, because you cant look at sacks without seeing my name on top, Ferguson said. But at the same time, I knew the chance coming in. I really accept it. And Im still practicing right now to get better. Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said the North coaching staff is rotating linemen also Allen and Collier have played both outside and inside this week and the Raiders coaches have moved some linebackers down to rush end. Theres some good guys, Guenther said. Our job here is to showcase these guys, highlight them, try to put the talents on display for all these GMs and coaches. Saleh said Lynch and his staff provide coaches a list of prospects to watch throughout the predraft process. You start athletically, obviously, with which ones really stand out, and then you get into the character of which ones really fit the locker room best, Saleh said. The process is never-ending (from) now until the actual 15 minutes that were on the clock. Matt Kawahara is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mkawahara@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @matthewkawahara

Both the 49ers and the Raiders are coaching the North team at the Senior Bowl. Both teams could consider using their top picks in Aprils draft on an edge rusher. The Senior Bowl features an intriguing group of pass rushers, including Montez Sweat.

ctrlsum

https://www.sfchronicle.com/49ers/article/Could-49ers-Raiders-find-an-edge-rusher-at-the-13556886.php

Will Warriors Klay Thompson make the All-Star team?

WASHINGTON Warriors guard Klay Thompson has authored two of the NBAs best individual performances this season, but he still may not make the All-Star team. The problem is that the Western Conference boasts far more All-Star-caliber players than All-Star slots. If rosters were picked Wednesday, Thompson would probably be competing with the likes of Luka Doncic, Russell Westbrook, Mike Conley, Steven Adams, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tobias Harris and DeAaron Fox, among others, for the final two slots. "I want to be there," Thompson said after practice Wednesday night. "If we keep winning and were in first place, I think I deserve to be there just because our performance the last five years at the top of the standings, thats not easy." Thompson, who opened the season in one of the most pronounced shooting slumps of his career, wouldnt have had much of a case for an All-Star selection just a few weeks ago. But thanks to a recent surge, he has a chance at his fifth All-Star appearance in a row. In nine January games, Thompson is averaging 26.8 points on 56.5 percent shooting (50.6 percent from three-point range). That has spiked his season average to 22.1 points on 46.4 percent shooting (38.2 percent from three). However, his resume doesnt stop there. Thompson is a core member of the Wests best team, a respected defender and, in a season in which Golden State has endured injuries to key players, he has yet to miss a game. It also doesnt hurt that Thompson has delivered a couple of record-setting outings. In addition to hitting an NBA record 14 three-pointers in an Oct. 29 rout of Chicago, he tied a league record Monday against the Lakers with 10 consecutive made three-pointers. "If I dont make it, its not the end of the world," Thompson said. "Ill go to the beach and enjoy myself." For the first time in four years, forward Draymond Green is poised to miss the All-Star Game. Though he has thrived in recent weeks, Green has already sat out 14 games, been involved in a much-publicized rift with teammate Kevin Durant and failed to play at an All-Defensive Team level. "I really dont know whats the criteria or how people judge that," Green said. "At the end of the day, thats not really something I worry about. If it happens, great." Jerebko gone: Forward Jonas Jerebko is expected to miss the final three games of the Warriors trip Thursday in Washington, Saturday in Boston and Monday in Indiana to be with his wife for the birth of their second child. Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @Con_Chron

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson may not make the All-Star team. The Western Conference boasts more All-Stars than slots.

bart

https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Will-Warriors-Klay-Thompson-make-the-All-Star-13557329.php

Will Warriors Klay Thompson make the All-Star team?

WASHINGTON Warriors guard Klay Thompson has authored two of the NBAs best individual performances this season, but he still may not make the All-Star team. The problem is that the Western Conference boasts far more All-Star-caliber players than All-Star slots. If rosters were picked Wednesday, Thompson would probably be competing with the likes of Luka Doncic, Russell Westbrook, Mike Conley, Steven Adams, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tobias Harris and DeAaron Fox, among others, for the final two slots. "I want to be there," Thompson said after practice Wednesday night. "If we keep winning and were in first place, I think I deserve to be there just because our performance the last five years at the top of the standings, thats not easy." Thompson, who opened the season in one of the most pronounced shooting slumps of his career, wouldnt have had much of a case for an All-Star selection just a few weeks ago. But thanks to a recent surge, he has a chance at his fifth All-Star appearance in a row. In nine January games, Thompson is averaging 26.8 points on 56.5 percent shooting (50.6 percent from three-point range). That has spiked his season average to 22.1 points on 46.4 percent shooting (38.2 percent from three). However, his resume doesnt stop there. Thompson is a core member of the Wests best team, a respected defender and, in a season in which Golden State has endured injuries to key players, he has yet to miss a game. It also doesnt hurt that Thompson has delivered a couple of record-setting outings. In addition to hitting an NBA record 14 three-pointers in an Oct. 29 rout of Chicago, he tied a league record Monday against the Lakers with 10 consecutive made three-pointers. "If I dont make it, its not the end of the world," Thompson said. "Ill go to the beach and enjoy myself." For the first time in four years, forward Draymond Green is poised to miss the All-Star Game. Though he has thrived in recent weeks, Green has already sat out 14 games, been involved in a much-publicized rift with teammate Kevin Durant and failed to play at an All-Defensive Team level. "I really dont know whats the criteria or how people judge that," Green said. "At the end of the day, thats not really something I worry about. If it happens, great." Jerebko gone: Forward Jonas Jerebko is expected to miss the final three games of the Warriors trip Thursday in Washington, Saturday in Boston and Monday in Indiana to be with his wife for the birth of their second child. Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @Con_Chron

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson may not make the All-Star team. The Western Conference boasts more All-Stars than slots. Thompson is averaging 26.

bart

https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Will-Warriors-Klay-Thompson-make-the-All-Star-13557329.php

Will Warriors Klay Thompson make the All-Star team?

WASHINGTON Warriors guard Klay Thompson has authored two of the NBAs best individual performances this season, but he still may not make the All-Star team. The problem is that the Western Conference boasts far more All-Star-caliber players than All-Star slots. If rosters were picked Wednesday, Thompson would probably be competing with the likes of Luka Doncic, Russell Westbrook, Mike Conley, Steven Adams, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tobias Harris and DeAaron Fox, among others, for the final two slots. "I want to be there," Thompson said after practice Wednesday night. "If we keep winning and were in first place, I think I deserve to be there just because our performance the last five years at the top of the standings, thats not easy." Thompson, who opened the season in one of the most pronounced shooting slumps of his career, wouldnt have had much of a case for an All-Star selection just a few weeks ago. But thanks to a recent surge, he has a chance at his fifth All-Star appearance in a row. In nine January games, Thompson is averaging 26.8 points on 56.5 percent shooting (50.6 percent from three-point range). That has spiked his season average to 22.1 points on 46.4 percent shooting (38.2 percent from three). However, his resume doesnt stop there. Thompson is a core member of the Wests best team, a respected defender and, in a season in which Golden State has endured injuries to key players, he has yet to miss a game. It also doesnt hurt that Thompson has delivered a couple of record-setting outings. In addition to hitting an NBA record 14 three-pointers in an Oct. 29 rout of Chicago, he tied a league record Monday against the Lakers with 10 consecutive made three-pointers. "If I dont make it, its not the end of the world," Thompson said. "Ill go to the beach and enjoy myself." For the first time in four years, forward Draymond Green is poised to miss the All-Star Game. Though he has thrived in recent weeks, Green has already sat out 14 games, been involved in a much-publicized rift with teammate Kevin Durant and failed to play at an All-Defensive Team level. "I really dont know whats the criteria or how people judge that," Green said. "At the end of the day, thats not really something I worry about. If it happens, great." Jerebko gone: Forward Jonas Jerebko is expected to miss the final three games of the Warriors trip Thursday in Washington, Saturday in Boston and Monday in Indiana to be with his wife for the birth of their second child. Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @Con_Chron

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson may not make the All-Star team. The Western Conference boasts more All-Stars than slots. Thompson is averaging 26.8 points on 56.5 percent shooting (50.6 percent from three-point range) Forward Jonas Jerebko is expected to miss the final three games of the Warriors trip.

bart

https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Will-Warriors-Klay-Thompson-make-the-All-Star-13557329.php

Is Tony Romo already the greatest TV analyst in US sports?

After last weekends AFC Championship Game, in which Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to victory over MVP front-runner Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, the internet was abuzz with praise for a third quarterback, this one working from the booth. Tony Romo, the former Dallas Cowboys QB who began his career as an NFL broadcaster in 2017, received wide acclaim for his in-game analysis alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz. Through four quarters and overtime, Romo gleefully diagnosed the strengths and weaknesses of both teams, offering sharp insight into the mindsets of his fellow quarterbacks. Most impressive of all, Romo predicted how plays would develop with uncanny accuracy, earning him the title of Romostradamus from Nantz and a #YoureAWizardTony hashtag from MLB All-Star Bryce Harper. On Monday, the NFL tweeted a compilation of Romos eerily accurate pre-play predictions: NFL (@NFL) . @TonyRomo was calling plays before they happened! pic.twitter.com/4jdm9I8Pl5 His employers CBS are just as impressed as the NFL. This week, there have been reports that the broadcaster is willing to give Romo a substantial raise, just in case he feels tempted by any of the legitimate contract offers he has reportedly received from NFL teams. And that interest may be because Sundays game was far from a one-off, Romo has generally been considered the best analyst in US sports for some time. And we wont have to wait long to hear him in action again: Romo and Nantz are on the call for next months Super Bowl between the Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams. Its a combination of the same qualities that made him a good quarterback: enthusiasm, knowledge of the game, and the ability to communicate clearly and, importantly on a live broadcast, quickly. Part of Romos appeal is that he cares. Hes like your favorite teacher from school, bubbling with a genuine passion for his subject. None of the other color commentators match his energy. Compared to Tony Romo, Foxs Troy Aikman is downright lethargic. Jason Witten the former Dallas Cowboy who caught 37 career touchdowns from Romo was widely panned during his first year in ESPNs Monday Night Football booth, coming across as confused and unnatural. Since 2006, Cris Collinsworth has been a linchpin of NBCs well-produced Sunday Night Football broadcasts, but his style is more restrained. Romo, on the other hand, manages to share a slew of interesting details without speeding into the manic excess of Jon Gruden, the ex-Monday Night Football commentator and present head coach for the Oakland Raiders. Of course, all of these ex-NFL players and coaches know the game of football. Whats been lost in our collective gushing over Romo-as-analyst is that his commentary is middle-school algebra compared to the advanced calculus of whats actually happening on the field. Personnel packages, pass concepts, gap alignments, blitz and protection schemes: the modern game is incredibly complex, and, given the speed of the action and the demands of producing an accessible, entertaining broadcast, it would be impossible for any commentator to do more than scratch the surface. Romo tells us more than most. But lets not kid ourselves into believing that hes a seer. His pre-snap predictions are the result of years of experience combined with basic observations about formations, motions, shifts, game trends, and down-and-distance. Many coaches and plenty of savvy players at every level of football, from the NFL to college to high school could make similar predictions and frequently get them right. The simple answer is that its a bad look when you inevitably get a call wrong. The production crews at the major networks operate like well-oiled machines, always working to minimize risk and keep the show on track. Errant predictions, bad jokes and awkward exchanges are road bumps to be avoided. Romo has previously suggested that his producers at CBS never asked him to predict anything: calling out things he noticed just felt natural. With the goodwill he has already built up with viewers, Romo now has leeway to simply say what he sees. And, to his credit, hes usually on-point with his predictions. Romo is only a couple years removed from being an NFL quarterback, the most mentally-demanding position in sports, so his knowledge of the game is essentially current and his playing experience perfectly suited to quick thinking and fast talking. These advantages along with the novelty of predicting plays may wane over time, but, for now, its a joy to experience the biggest games in the company of such a natural and genuine communicator. I watched the AFC Championship with friends and family. After a few quarters of listening to Romos commentary, I noticed that we were joining him in dissecting every pre-snap movement, every players alignment: The tight end is motioning to the left, its a run! We were absorbed in the action. Romo may or may not be a mastermind or a future head-coach, as some players believe but he certainly knows football. And he inspires us viewers at home to feel like we know football too. During Super Bowl LIII, most of us will understand only a portion of the games many layers, but well see the field a little more clearly with Romo on the call.

Tony Romo is already the greatest TV analyst in US sports.

ctrlsum

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jan/24/tony-romo-cbs-nfl-analyst-dallas-cowboys

Is Tony Romo already the greatest TV analyst in US sports?

After last weekends AFC Championship Game, in which Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to victory over MVP front-runner Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, the internet was abuzz with praise for a third quarterback, this one working from the booth. Tony Romo, the former Dallas Cowboys QB who began his career as an NFL broadcaster in 2017, received wide acclaim for his in-game analysis alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz. Through four quarters and overtime, Romo gleefully diagnosed the strengths and weaknesses of both teams, offering sharp insight into the mindsets of his fellow quarterbacks. Most impressive of all, Romo predicted how plays would develop with uncanny accuracy, earning him the title of Romostradamus from Nantz and a #YoureAWizardTony hashtag from MLB All-Star Bryce Harper. On Monday, the NFL tweeted a compilation of Romos eerily accurate pre-play predictions: NFL (@NFL) . @TonyRomo was calling plays before they happened! pic.twitter.com/4jdm9I8Pl5 His employers CBS are just as impressed as the NFL. This week, there have been reports that the broadcaster is willing to give Romo a substantial raise, just in case he feels tempted by any of the legitimate contract offers he has reportedly received from NFL teams. And that interest may be because Sundays game was far from a one-off, Romo has generally been considered the best analyst in US sports for some time. And we wont have to wait long to hear him in action again: Romo and Nantz are on the call for next months Super Bowl between the Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams. Its a combination of the same qualities that made him a good quarterback: enthusiasm, knowledge of the game, and the ability to communicate clearly and, importantly on a live broadcast, quickly. Part of Romos appeal is that he cares. Hes like your favorite teacher from school, bubbling with a genuine passion for his subject. None of the other color commentators match his energy. Compared to Tony Romo, Foxs Troy Aikman is downright lethargic. Jason Witten the former Dallas Cowboy who caught 37 career touchdowns from Romo was widely panned during his first year in ESPNs Monday Night Football booth, coming across as confused and unnatural. Since 2006, Cris Collinsworth has been a linchpin of NBCs well-produced Sunday Night Football broadcasts, but his style is more restrained. Romo, on the other hand, manages to share a slew of interesting details without speeding into the manic excess of Jon Gruden, the ex-Monday Night Football commentator and present head coach for the Oakland Raiders. Of course, all of these ex-NFL players and coaches know the game of football. Whats been lost in our collective gushing over Romo-as-analyst is that his commentary is middle-school algebra compared to the advanced calculus of whats actually happening on the field. Personnel packages, pass concepts, gap alignments, blitz and protection schemes: the modern game is incredibly complex, and, given the speed of the action and the demands of producing an accessible, entertaining broadcast, it would be impossible for any commentator to do more than scratch the surface. Romo tells us more than most. But lets not kid ourselves into believing that hes a seer. His pre-snap predictions are the result of years of experience combined with basic observations about formations, motions, shifts, game trends, and down-and-distance. Many coaches and plenty of savvy players at every level of football, from the NFL to college to high school could make similar predictions and frequently get them right. The simple answer is that its a bad look when you inevitably get a call wrong. The production crews at the major networks operate like well-oiled machines, always working to minimize risk and keep the show on track. Errant predictions, bad jokes and awkward exchanges are road bumps to be avoided. Romo has previously suggested that his producers at CBS never asked him to predict anything: calling out things he noticed just felt natural. With the goodwill he has already built up with viewers, Romo now has leeway to simply say what he sees. And, to his credit, hes usually on-point with his predictions. Romo is only a couple years removed from being an NFL quarterback, the most mentally-demanding position in sports, so his knowledge of the game is essentially current and his playing experience perfectly suited to quick thinking and fast talking. These advantages along with the novelty of predicting plays may wane over time, but, for now, its a joy to experience the biggest games in the company of such a natural and genuine communicator. I watched the AFC Championship with friends and family. After a few quarters of listening to Romos commentary, I noticed that we were joining him in dissecting every pre-snap movement, every players alignment: The tight end is motioning to the left, its a run! We were absorbed in the action. Romo may or may not be a mastermind or a future head-coach, as some players believe but he certainly knows football. And he inspires us viewers at home to feel like we know football too. During Super Bowl LIII, most of us will understand only a portion of the games many layers, but well see the field a little more clearly with Romo on the call.

Former Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo has been a broadcaster since 2017. He is widely considered to be the best analyst in US sports. His pre-snap predictions are the result of years of experience combined with basic observations.

bart

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jan/24/tony-romo-cbs-nfl-analyst-dallas-cowboys

Is Tony Romo already the greatest TV analyst in US sports?

After last weekends AFC Championship Game, in which Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to victory over MVP front-runner Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, the internet was abuzz with praise for a third quarterback, this one working from the booth. Tony Romo, the former Dallas Cowboys QB who began his career as an NFL broadcaster in 2017, received wide acclaim for his in-game analysis alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz. Through four quarters and overtime, Romo gleefully diagnosed the strengths and weaknesses of both teams, offering sharp insight into the mindsets of his fellow quarterbacks. Most impressive of all, Romo predicted how plays would develop with uncanny accuracy, earning him the title of Romostradamus from Nantz and a #YoureAWizardTony hashtag from MLB All-Star Bryce Harper. On Monday, the NFL tweeted a compilation of Romos eerily accurate pre-play predictions: NFL (@NFL) . @TonyRomo was calling plays before they happened! pic.twitter.com/4jdm9I8Pl5 His employers CBS are just as impressed as the NFL. This week, there have been reports that the broadcaster is willing to give Romo a substantial raise, just in case he feels tempted by any of the legitimate contract offers he has reportedly received from NFL teams. And that interest may be because Sundays game was far from a one-off, Romo has generally been considered the best analyst in US sports for some time. And we wont have to wait long to hear him in action again: Romo and Nantz are on the call for next months Super Bowl between the Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams. Its a combination of the same qualities that made him a good quarterback: enthusiasm, knowledge of the game, and the ability to communicate clearly and, importantly on a live broadcast, quickly. Part of Romos appeal is that he cares. Hes like your favorite teacher from school, bubbling with a genuine passion for his subject. None of the other color commentators match his energy. Compared to Tony Romo, Foxs Troy Aikman is downright lethargic. Jason Witten the former Dallas Cowboy who caught 37 career touchdowns from Romo was widely panned during his first year in ESPNs Monday Night Football booth, coming across as confused and unnatural. Since 2006, Cris Collinsworth has been a linchpin of NBCs well-produced Sunday Night Football broadcasts, but his style is more restrained. Romo, on the other hand, manages to share a slew of interesting details without speeding into the manic excess of Jon Gruden, the ex-Monday Night Football commentator and present head coach for the Oakland Raiders. Of course, all of these ex-NFL players and coaches know the game of football. Whats been lost in our collective gushing over Romo-as-analyst is that his commentary is middle-school algebra compared to the advanced calculus of whats actually happening on the field. Personnel packages, pass concepts, gap alignments, blitz and protection schemes: the modern game is incredibly complex, and, given the speed of the action and the demands of producing an accessible, entertaining broadcast, it would be impossible for any commentator to do more than scratch the surface. Romo tells us more than most. But lets not kid ourselves into believing that hes a seer. His pre-snap predictions are the result of years of experience combined with basic observations about formations, motions, shifts, game trends, and down-and-distance. Many coaches and plenty of savvy players at every level of football, from the NFL to college to high school could make similar predictions and frequently get them right. The simple answer is that its a bad look when you inevitably get a call wrong. The production crews at the major networks operate like well-oiled machines, always working to minimize risk and keep the show on track. Errant predictions, bad jokes and awkward exchanges are road bumps to be avoided. Romo has previously suggested that his producers at CBS never asked him to predict anything: calling out things he noticed just felt natural. With the goodwill he has already built up with viewers, Romo now has leeway to simply say what he sees. And, to his credit, hes usually on-point with his predictions. Romo is only a couple years removed from being an NFL quarterback, the most mentally-demanding position in sports, so his knowledge of the game is essentially current and his playing experience perfectly suited to quick thinking and fast talking. These advantages along with the novelty of predicting plays may wane over time, but, for now, its a joy to experience the biggest games in the company of such a natural and genuine communicator. I watched the AFC Championship with friends and family. After a few quarters of listening to Romos commentary, I noticed that we were joining him in dissecting every pre-snap movement, every players alignment: The tight end is motioning to the left, its a run! We were absorbed in the action. Romo may or may not be a mastermind or a future head-coach, as some players believe but he certainly knows football. And he inspires us viewers at home to feel like we know football too. During Super Bowl LIII, most of us will understand only a portion of the games many layers, but well see the field a little more clearly with Romo on the call.

Former Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo has been a broadcaster since 2017. He is widely considered to be the best analyst in US sports. His pre-snap predictions are the result of years of experience combined with basic observations about formations, motions, shifts, game trends, and down-and-distance. None of the other color commentators match his energy.

bart

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jan/24/tony-romo-cbs-nfl-analyst-dallas-cowboys

What Time Does The 'Anthem' VIP Demo Start On PC, PS4 And Xbox One?

It's nearly time to see what all the fuss is about. EA has been driving the hype train on Bioware's Anthem for a few years now, and now it's finally time to lift that veil. Anthem isn't out for another month, but this weekend anyone that's pre-ordered the game--as well as anyone with EA Access/Origin Access and their friends--will get a chance to dive headfirst into a demo to give the whole thing a shot. Next weekend we'll be getting a wider demo available to anyone who wants to try, but this weekend is a more exclusive "VIP" experience. The Anthem VIP Demo will start at 9:00 AM Pacific Time on January 25 and runs until January 27. You can pre-load the game now on your preferred platform, but you won't be able to start playing until servers switch on at 9:00 AM. For me, it's going to all come down to basic gameplay feel. Things like the economy, loot loop or long-term progression can't really be judged in a brief demo, and you can't really get a sense of the story in such a short snippet, either. But this is an opportunity to see if Bioware can make a combat experience that feels powerful and engaging in its own right, something that I've been wondering about since the developer first announced this game. The action in the Mass Effect series was always...fine. Not broken, at least not usually, but never really what you would call hard-hitting. It was a good way to experience the story and a good way to let the personalities of various crew members express themselves through combat, but it wasn't strong enough to stand on its own. Anthem will necessarily involve grinding, repetition and the need to make the player feel like a superhero, and all of that falls apart if the game doesn't feel good on that basic level. This is important regardless, but it's even more important when you consider the competition. Bungie has had no share of problems with Destiny 2 since launch, but it's always had some of the most rock-solid shooter mechanics in the industry underpinning the experience. If you want to know why fans seem to have endless patience with a game that they seem to complain about on a near-constant basis, it's because it feels just as good to get a headshot on your millionth vandal as it does on your first. We'll see. I'm guessing we're going to see a lot of ability-based synergistic combat that makes the game feel good to play in a squad, but still possible to play solo. We'll see how everything works pretty soon.

The Anthem VIP Demo will start at 9:00 AM Pacific Time on January 25 and runs until January 27.

bart

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2019/01/24/what-time-does-the-anthem-vip-demo-start-on-pc-ps4-and-xbox-one/

What Time Does The 'Anthem' VIP Demo Start On PC, PS4 And Xbox One?

It's nearly time to see what all the fuss is about. EA has been driving the hype train on Bioware's Anthem for a few years now, and now it's finally time to lift that veil. Anthem isn't out for another month, but this weekend anyone that's pre-ordered the game--as well as anyone with EA Access/Origin Access and their friends--will get a chance to dive headfirst into a demo to give the whole thing a shot. Next weekend we'll be getting a wider demo available to anyone who wants to try, but this weekend is a more exclusive "VIP" experience. The Anthem VIP Demo will start at 9:00 AM Pacific Time on January 25 and runs until January 27. You can pre-load the game now on your preferred platform, but you won't be able to start playing until servers switch on at 9:00 AM. For me, it's going to all come down to basic gameplay feel. Things like the economy, loot loop or long-term progression can't really be judged in a brief demo, and you can't really get a sense of the story in such a short snippet, either. But this is an opportunity to see if Bioware can make a combat experience that feels powerful and engaging in its own right, something that I've been wondering about since the developer first announced this game. The action in the Mass Effect series was always...fine. Not broken, at least not usually, but never really what you would call hard-hitting. It was a good way to experience the story and a good way to let the personalities of various crew members express themselves through combat, but it wasn't strong enough to stand on its own. Anthem will necessarily involve grinding, repetition and the need to make the player feel like a superhero, and all of that falls apart if the game doesn't feel good on that basic level. This is important regardless, but it's even more important when you consider the competition. Bungie has had no share of problems with Destiny 2 since launch, but it's always had some of the most rock-solid shooter mechanics in the industry underpinning the experience. If you want to know why fans seem to have endless patience with a game that they seem to complain about on a near-constant basis, it's because it feels just as good to get a headshot on your millionth vandal as it does on your first. We'll see. I'm guessing we're going to see a lot of ability-based synergistic combat that makes the game feel good to play in a squad, but still possible to play solo. We'll see how everything works pretty soon.

The Anthem VIP Demo will start at 9:00 AM Pacific Time on January 25. You can pre-load the game now on your preferred platform, but you won't be able to start playing until servers switch on at 9:00 AM.

pegasus

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2019/01/24/what-time-does-the-anthem-vip-demo-start-on-pc-ps4-and-xbox-one/

What Time Does The 'Anthem' VIP Demo Start On PC, PS4 And Xbox One?

It's nearly time to see what all the fuss is about. EA has been driving the hype train on Bioware's Anthem for a few years now, and now it's finally time to lift that veil. Anthem isn't out for another month, but this weekend anyone that's pre-ordered the game--as well as anyone with EA Access/Origin Access and their friends--will get a chance to dive headfirst into a demo to give the whole thing a shot. Next weekend we'll be getting a wider demo available to anyone who wants to try, but this weekend is a more exclusive "VIP" experience. The Anthem VIP Demo will start at 9:00 AM Pacific Time on January 25 and runs until January 27. You can pre-load the game now on your preferred platform, but you won't be able to start playing until servers switch on at 9:00 AM. For me, it's going to all come down to basic gameplay feel. Things like the economy, loot loop or long-term progression can't really be judged in a brief demo, and you can't really get a sense of the story in such a short snippet, either. But this is an opportunity to see if Bioware can make a combat experience that feels powerful and engaging in its own right, something that I've been wondering about since the developer first announced this game. The action in the Mass Effect series was always...fine. Not broken, at least not usually, but never really what you would call hard-hitting. It was a good way to experience the story and a good way to let the personalities of various crew members express themselves through combat, but it wasn't strong enough to stand on its own. Anthem will necessarily involve grinding, repetition and the need to make the player feel like a superhero, and all of that falls apart if the game doesn't feel good on that basic level. This is important regardless, but it's even more important when you consider the competition. Bungie has had no share of problems with Destiny 2 since launch, but it's always had some of the most rock-solid shooter mechanics in the industry underpinning the experience. If you want to know why fans seem to have endless patience with a game that they seem to complain about on a near-constant basis, it's because it feels just as good to get a headshot on your millionth vandal as it does on your first. We'll see. I'm guessing we're going to see a lot of ability-based synergistic combat that makes the game feel good to play in a squad, but still possible to play solo. We'll see how everything works pretty soon.

The Anthem VIP Demo will start at 9:00 AM Pacific Time on January 25 and runs until January 27. For me, it's going to all come down to basic gameplay feel. I'm guessing we're going to see a lot of ability-based synergistic combat that makes the game feel good to play in a squad.

ctrlsum

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2019/01/24/what-time-does-the-anthem-vip-demo-start-on-pc-ps4-and-xbox-one/

Is Warsaw Brexit Braced?

The Polish government has put aside 1 billion zlotys ($278 million) in its 2019 fiscal plans in case of a no-deal Brexit. Our budget is ready for an orderly as well as a no-deal Brexit, Finance Minister Teresa Czerwinska told Bloomberg this week. There arent any serious risks for Polands $525 billion economy, she added. But worries for Poland do exist. EU Berlin - and others in the EU - wants to link access to EU funding with "preserving democratic values" and the European Commission has proposed cutting about one quarter of Polands funding in the 2021-2027 budget as a starting point for talks. Poland is the biggest net beneficiary of the EU budget, which when - if - the UK leaves may be diluted. The UK contributes about 6 percent of the EUs budget, so the direct impact could be limited. But the UKs departure will see average GDP per capita levels decline in the EU and that would deprive some countries of funds as their GDP per capita levels rise above the new EU average. Poland, alongside the Czech Republic and Bulgaria could be affected. New EU rules on minimum wages for road hauliers also pose a threat to Polands $57 billion trucking and logistics industry. Polish companies have a 40 percent share of the EU market. Growth The economy in 2019 is set to slow and needs more stimulus, Czerwinska admitted. This years budget shortfall is set at 28.5 billion zlotys, compared with 15 billion zlotys last year. Poland's economic growth will reach 4 percent in 2019, the World Bank says, having revised upwards its October 2018 forecast of 3.9 percent, but slow in 2021 to 3.3 percent. Budget Polands 2019 budget balances economic growth with social solidarity, the countrys prime minister said. Mateusz Morawiecki said the budget ensured funding for the governments key social assistance programs while meeting "all EU requirements. Under the bill Poland's budget deficit is expected to be no more than 28.5 billion zlotys this year, and the target for the general government deficit is 1.7% of GDP. End of competitive advantages Poland has exhausted the reserves in its labor market, with unemployment near historic lows and wages showing a natural uptick, Czerwinska said. At the same time, Morawiecki says he wants more workers to return from the UK to help Poland's economy grow. Morawiecki told the BBC that "more and more are coming back and I'm pleased about that because there is a low level of unemployment... Give us our people back. About a million Poles live in Britain. Remittances The expected drop in remittances is also a concern. According to the World Bank, the UK is the fourth largest remittance-sending country in the world. With total inflows of 1 billion euros a year from the UK (out of 2.6 billion from the EU), Poland is the largest recipient of remittances. But he said people who want to stay in the UK should be allowed to, "and be treated exactly as they are now. He said Prime Minister Theresa May had given him that commitment. Trade Polish-British trade is worth more than $20 billion a year. Polands agricultural sector might take a hit from disruption caused by Britains withdrawal, as agricultural & processed food exports to the UK account for 1.4 million euros and 12 percent of total exports to the country. Enter the politics Added to this, Poland is in the EUs bad books over alleged undemocratic practises and Warsaws recent proposal to limit to five years the Irish backstop arrangement in the agreement with Britain on its withdrawal from the EU is not the position of the EU, European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said. This has been seen by many in the UK as a sign of cracks in the solidarity of the EU27's negotiating position. Morawiecki told the Financial Times: Brussels and the European Commission need to be very receptive to what is going on in different countries. In December 2017, the European Parliament voted to trigger Article 7 of the EU Treaty against Poland leading to a suspension of the country's voting rights in the European institutions. Morawiecki has called on the EU to drop disciplinary actions ahead European elections in May. He said his government guaranteed that Poles will fulfill their European aspirations and unveiled the partys new slogan: Poland -- the beating heart of Europe.

The Polish government has put aside 1 billion zlotys ($278 million) in its 2019 fiscal plans in case of a no-deal Brexit.

pegasus

https://www.forbes.com/sites/joharper/2019/01/24/is-warsaw-brexit-braced/

Is Warsaw Brexit Braced?

The Polish government has put aside 1 billion zlotys ($278 million) in its 2019 fiscal plans in case of a no-deal Brexit. Our budget is ready for an orderly as well as a no-deal Brexit, Finance Minister Teresa Czerwinska told Bloomberg this week. There arent any serious risks for Polands $525 billion economy, she added. But worries for Poland do exist. EU Berlin - and others in the EU - wants to link access to EU funding with "preserving democratic values" and the European Commission has proposed cutting about one quarter of Polands funding in the 2021-2027 budget as a starting point for talks. Poland is the biggest net beneficiary of the EU budget, which when - if - the UK leaves may be diluted. The UK contributes about 6 percent of the EUs budget, so the direct impact could be limited. But the UKs departure will see average GDP per capita levels decline in the EU and that would deprive some countries of funds as their GDP per capita levels rise above the new EU average. Poland, alongside the Czech Republic and Bulgaria could be affected. New EU rules on minimum wages for road hauliers also pose a threat to Polands $57 billion trucking and logistics industry. Polish companies have a 40 percent share of the EU market. Growth The economy in 2019 is set to slow and needs more stimulus, Czerwinska admitted. This years budget shortfall is set at 28.5 billion zlotys, compared with 15 billion zlotys last year. Poland's economic growth will reach 4 percent in 2019, the World Bank says, having revised upwards its October 2018 forecast of 3.9 percent, but slow in 2021 to 3.3 percent. Budget Polands 2019 budget balances economic growth with social solidarity, the countrys prime minister said. Mateusz Morawiecki said the budget ensured funding for the governments key social assistance programs while meeting "all EU requirements. Under the bill Poland's budget deficit is expected to be no more than 28.5 billion zlotys this year, and the target for the general government deficit is 1.7% of GDP. End of competitive advantages Poland has exhausted the reserves in its labor market, with unemployment near historic lows and wages showing a natural uptick, Czerwinska said. At the same time, Morawiecki says he wants more workers to return from the UK to help Poland's economy grow. Morawiecki told the BBC that "more and more are coming back and I'm pleased about that because there is a low level of unemployment... Give us our people back. About a million Poles live in Britain. Remittances The expected drop in remittances is also a concern. According to the World Bank, the UK is the fourth largest remittance-sending country in the world. With total inflows of 1 billion euros a year from the UK (out of 2.6 billion from the EU), Poland is the largest recipient of remittances. But he said people who want to stay in the UK should be allowed to, "and be treated exactly as they are now. He said Prime Minister Theresa May had given him that commitment. Trade Polish-British trade is worth more than $20 billion a year. Polands agricultural sector might take a hit from disruption caused by Britains withdrawal, as agricultural & processed food exports to the UK account for 1.4 million euros and 12 percent of total exports to the country. Enter the politics Added to this, Poland is in the EUs bad books over alleged undemocratic practises and Warsaws recent proposal to limit to five years the Irish backstop arrangement in the agreement with Britain on its withdrawal from the EU is not the position of the EU, European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said. This has been seen by many in the UK as a sign of cracks in the solidarity of the EU27's negotiating position. Morawiecki told the Financial Times: Brussels and the European Commission need to be very receptive to what is going on in different countries. In December 2017, the European Parliament voted to trigger Article 7 of the EU Treaty against Poland leading to a suspension of the country's voting rights in the European institutions. Morawiecki has called on the EU to drop disciplinary actions ahead European elections in May. He said his government guaranteed that Poles will fulfill their European aspirations and unveiled the partys new slogan: Poland -- the beating heart of Europe.

Poland has put aside 1 billion zlotys ($278 million) in its 2019 fiscal plans in case of a no-deal Brexit. Poland is the biggest net beneficiary of the EU budget, which when - if - the UK leaves may be diluted.

bart

https://www.forbes.com/sites/joharper/2019/01/24/is-warsaw-brexit-braced/

Does Johnson & Johnson's Grim Outlook Spell Trouble for Big Pharma Stocks?

Every January, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) executives share their expectations for the year ahead, and this year investors didn't like what they heard. The company isn't expecting much growth from its pharmaceutical segment in 2019, or next year. Some of the competitive pricing pressures highlighted were pretty standard, but the old way of offsetting those losses by raising prices on other successful products isn't working anymore. Here's why we could hear similar concerns this earnings season from J&J's big pharma peers. A bald businessman looking out a window with binoculars. More Image source: Getty Images. Why big pharma investors are nervous In 2018, worldwide pharmaceutical segment sales grew 12.4% to $40.7 billion for J&J, but U.S. sales rose just 8.4% on year. That's not necessarily bad, but during the earnings call management startled investors by revealing that net prices in the U.S. dropped between 6% and 8% last year despite list prices that kept going up. The company didn't say net prices would fall again in 2019, but it didn't try to offer any assurances that they wouldn't. Once insurers have treatment options to choose from, they like to demand huge rebates from drugmakers. In return, insurers make it easier for patients to access heavily rebated drugs, and drugmakers that refuse to play the rebate game lose market share. This isn't the first time Johnson & Johnson has reported a net price decline. In 2017, net prices fell 4.6% despite an 8.5% list price increase. J&J isn't the only big pharma company to suffer. In 2010, the average discount applied to Merck & Co.'s (NYSE: MRK) product line was already at 27% of the list price. By 2017, that figure rose to 45%, and during the same year, Eli Lilly's (NYSE: LLY) average discount climbed to 51% of list prices. The practice has gotten so out of hand that the pharmaceutical industry actually supports a plan to lower drug prices by regulating rebate practices. The proposal doesn't seem to be going anywhere fast, which is why consensus estimates for J&J's pharmaceutical division suggest sales will rise just 2.9% in 2019, and another 4.8% in 2020. Colorful assortment of pills on a bed of hundred dollar bills. More Image source: Getty Images. Analytics provider IQVIA noticed protected brand net prices grew by just 1.9% in 2017, but consumers saw list prices rise 6.9% on average. Johnson & Johnson's fourth-quarter results suggest the trend continued into 2018 and it's still getting worse.

Johnson & Johnson's (J&J) fourth-quarter results weren't good. The company's pharmaceutical division is expected to grow just 2.9% in 2019 and 4.8% in 2020. Big pharma companies are also facing tough competition from cheaper generic drugs.

ctrlsum

https://news.yahoo.com/does-johnson-johnson-apos-grim-121900011.html

What Is The State Of Crypto And Blockchain In Japan After Regulation?

Across the globe, there have been different stabs at regulation in the cryptocurrency industry. From incredibly welcoming and forward-thinking ideas in places like Malta and Switzerland, to all-out war with in China. Still, there is no global codified approach to cryptocurrency and blockchain, rather somewhat reactionary regulatory actions from different governments. Japan is an interesting case-study of cryptocurrency regulation as the country has suffered the two biggest exchange hacks in history - that of Mt. Gox and Coincheck. Thus, when the Japanese government intervened and started cracking down heavily on exchanges, it could not be called surprising. Business improvement orders were doled out across the countrys exchange ecosystem to force these companies into offering safe, secure and effective cryptocurrency services. Some could not get themselves up to a suitable level, and rather shut down, while others banded together to form a self-regulatory committee. The argument has always been that hardline regulation will stifle the cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem and cause the innovative technology, and fintech, to suffer. However, a look at the state of blockchain and cryptocurrency in Japan, as seen from the viewpoint of the Japan Blockchain Conference, paints a different story. One of the originals It would be fair to say that China was probably the first cryptocurrency superpower. The Peoples Republic, at a stage, had the largest Bitcoin transaction volume, a considerable amount of individuals invested in the cryptocurrency space, and was full of companies and organisations exploring blockchain and cryptocurrency industry. However, China is also the original country that pioneered outright banning within the cryptocurrency ecosystem. It began with ICOs, then access to Exchanges, and even extended to setting up the Great Firewall to block access to foreign exchanges for the Chinese population. However, with that ban, Japan quickly stepped in to pick up the slack and become a leading force in cryptocurrency and blockchain. David Otto, International Media Coordinator at Japan Blockchain Conference, explains why the Asian country has become this crypto hub. There are a few reasons, he mused. Japan has always been very forward thinking and looking for ways to innovate across all aspects of technology. Japan was the tech capital of the world for decades, and even if it may seem that a lot of the focus has shifted to its neighbours, a lot of technology still originates from Japan and innovation continues. Also, the country has a lot of investors looking for new opportunities to invest in a country that has a very low federal interest rate, even reaching negative interest rates at times. These two factors have sparked interest in cryptocurrencies and crypto-assets as a way for Japan to shape the future of crypto. With that innovative blueprint ingrained in Japan and its business sector, Otto goes on to explain how large corporations such as the e-commerce giant Rakuten, chat service Line, and internet giant DMM are all showing their latest offerings at this blockchain conference. These three companies are well respected in Japan, and they will all be presenting their latest developments at the conference. We believe that this will invigorate the Japanese crypto startup scene to bring blockchain and crypto further into the mainstream, added Otto. Firm but fair The real conclusion that needs to be sought in examining where Japans blockchain and cryptocurrency scene finds itself is to see where the government is positioned in regards to the industry. The decision to step in and put out firm business improvement orders to the exchanges may seem harsh, but really, it is an indication that the government wants this sector to work, but work properly. Setting standards that the cryptocurrency industry needs to live up to and adhere to is a step towards a legislative framework, and as Otto explains further about the Japan Blockchain Conference, there is interest and participation from the government in fostering this. We are proud to say that the conference has the support of the Ministry of Trade, Economy and Industry and will be attended by Mr Yohei Matsuda, Director-General of the Commerce and Information Policy Bureau and the Director of the Information Economy Division. We also have the support of the City of Yokohama, explained Otto. Furthermore, the holy grail of cryptocurrency regulations which is full and direct classification seems to be just on the horizon, and there is talk of cryptocurrencies being labelled and treated as crypto-assets. Showing face For Otto, the importance of meaningful conferences is vital to the expansion and acceptance of cryptocurrency, especially in an efficient and rule-following nation like Japan. The opportunity for major corporations to show what they are working on for the world to see, under the watchful eye of the government, seems to suggest that the industry will be growing in a prescribed manner, rather than in a speculative whirlwind of hype which brought it into the light to begin with. Conferences are an important place for the top minds to share information and for people to network, explained Otto. "Many fruitful business partnerships form at conferences and others around the world. The first Japan Blockchain Conference helped many leading crypto companies around the world get in touch with Japan. We have a range of great crypto companies participating for the first time and a lot of large Japanese and international corporations entering the sphere, and we anticipate that a lot of unique partnerships could arise from these groups.

Japan is an interesting case-study of cryptocurrency regulation. The country has suffered the two biggest exchange hacks in history - that of Mt. Gox and Coincheck. Japan quickly stepped in to pick up the slack and become a leading force.

bart

https://www.forbes.com/sites/darrynpollock/2019/01/24/what-is-the-state-of-crypto-and-blockchain-in-japan-after-regulation/

What Is The State Of Crypto And Blockchain In Japan After Regulation?

Across the globe, there have been different stabs at regulation in the cryptocurrency industry. From incredibly welcoming and forward-thinking ideas in places like Malta and Switzerland, to all-out war with in China. Still, there is no global codified approach to cryptocurrency and blockchain, rather somewhat reactionary regulatory actions from different governments. Japan is an interesting case-study of cryptocurrency regulation as the country has suffered the two biggest exchange hacks in history - that of Mt. Gox and Coincheck. Thus, when the Japanese government intervened and started cracking down heavily on exchanges, it could not be called surprising. Business improvement orders were doled out across the countrys exchange ecosystem to force these companies into offering safe, secure and effective cryptocurrency services. Some could not get themselves up to a suitable level, and rather shut down, while others banded together to form a self-regulatory committee. The argument has always been that hardline regulation will stifle the cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem and cause the innovative technology, and fintech, to suffer. However, a look at the state of blockchain and cryptocurrency in Japan, as seen from the viewpoint of the Japan Blockchain Conference, paints a different story. One of the originals It would be fair to say that China was probably the first cryptocurrency superpower. The Peoples Republic, at a stage, had the largest Bitcoin transaction volume, a considerable amount of individuals invested in the cryptocurrency space, and was full of companies and organisations exploring blockchain and cryptocurrency industry. However, China is also the original country that pioneered outright banning within the cryptocurrency ecosystem. It began with ICOs, then access to Exchanges, and even extended to setting up the Great Firewall to block access to foreign exchanges for the Chinese population. However, with that ban, Japan quickly stepped in to pick up the slack and become a leading force in cryptocurrency and blockchain. David Otto, International Media Coordinator at Japan Blockchain Conference, explains why the Asian country has become this crypto hub. There are a few reasons, he mused. Japan has always been very forward thinking and looking for ways to innovate across all aspects of technology. Japan was the tech capital of the world for decades, and even if it may seem that a lot of the focus has shifted to its neighbours, a lot of technology still originates from Japan and innovation continues. Also, the country has a lot of investors looking for new opportunities to invest in a country that has a very low federal interest rate, even reaching negative interest rates at times. These two factors have sparked interest in cryptocurrencies and crypto-assets as a way for Japan to shape the future of crypto. With that innovative blueprint ingrained in Japan and its business sector, Otto goes on to explain how large corporations such as the e-commerce giant Rakuten, chat service Line, and internet giant DMM are all showing their latest offerings at this blockchain conference. These three companies are well respected in Japan, and they will all be presenting their latest developments at the conference. We believe that this will invigorate the Japanese crypto startup scene to bring blockchain and crypto further into the mainstream, added Otto. Firm but fair The real conclusion that needs to be sought in examining where Japans blockchain and cryptocurrency scene finds itself is to see where the government is positioned in regards to the industry. The decision to step in and put out firm business improvement orders to the exchanges may seem harsh, but really, it is an indication that the government wants this sector to work, but work properly. Setting standards that the cryptocurrency industry needs to live up to and adhere to is a step towards a legislative framework, and as Otto explains further about the Japan Blockchain Conference, there is interest and participation from the government in fostering this. We are proud to say that the conference has the support of the Ministry of Trade, Economy and Industry and will be attended by Mr Yohei Matsuda, Director-General of the Commerce and Information Policy Bureau and the Director of the Information Economy Division. We also have the support of the City of Yokohama, explained Otto. Furthermore, the holy grail of cryptocurrency regulations which is full and direct classification seems to be just on the horizon, and there is talk of cryptocurrencies being labelled and treated as crypto-assets. Showing face For Otto, the importance of meaningful conferences is vital to the expansion and acceptance of cryptocurrency, especially in an efficient and rule-following nation like Japan. The opportunity for major corporations to show what they are working on for the world to see, under the watchful eye of the government, seems to suggest that the industry will be growing in a prescribed manner, rather than in a speculative whirlwind of hype which brought it into the light to begin with. Conferences are an important place for the top minds to share information and for people to network, explained Otto. "Many fruitful business partnerships form at conferences and others around the world. The first Japan Blockchain Conference helped many leading crypto companies around the world get in touch with Japan. We have a range of great crypto companies participating for the first time and a lot of large Japanese and international corporations entering the sphere, and we anticipate that a lot of unique partnerships could arise from these groups.

Japan is an interesting case-study of cryptocurrency regulation. The country suffered the two biggest exchange hacks in history - that of Mt. Gox and Coincheck. The Japanese government intervened and started cracking down heavily on exchanges. Business improvement orders were doled out across the countrys exchange ecosystem.

bart

https://www.forbes.com/sites/darrynpollock/2019/01/24/what-is-the-state-of-crypto-and-blockchain-in-japan-after-regulation/

What is the Drought Contingency Plan and will it affect me?

CLOSE Arizonas top water managers continue to meet to create a drought contingency plan for Colorado River water supply. David Wallace, The Republic | azcentral.com Arizona's water leaders and lawmakers are running out of time to complete the state's Drought Contingency Plan, a blueprint for how Arizona water users would share a likely shortage on the Colorado River. The water managers and elected officials working on the plan have tried to convey a sense of urgency to get the work done on what could soon be the most important water-related legislation in recent times. But there are a lot of moving parts to understand and a lot of concepts that may seem overwhelming. The Drought Contingency Plan is an interstate agreement among Arizona and other states whose communities depend on Colorado River water. Arizona and those states that use the water have been developing the agreement for several months in an effort to divvy up expected cutbacks on the river needed to keep storage reservoir levels from dropping too low. Before finalizing the interstate agreement, states must hash out intrastate agreements, among local water users, and that's what Arizona is still working on. The Arizona deal would try to avoid deep cutbacks by spreading them around. A line along a cliff illustrates where the surface of Lake Mead once stood near South Cove in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on Aug. 1, 2018. Lake levels are at or near historic lows. In short, the water we use from the river is outpacing the water being replenished naturally we're in a drought. The soon-to-be-finalized agreement addresses the anticipated shortfalls and tries to spread the pain among the states so that no one is hit too hard if the drought persists. Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the US, is now 39 percent full and approaching its first-ever shortage. Lake Powell, the other major reservoir on the river, is 40 percent full and could drop lower. Together, the two reservoirs help keep water flowing to the seven states even during dry years. Powell stores water that New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming depend on. Water from that reservoir is released downstream to Mead, which stores water for the states on the lower Colorado Arizona, Nevada and California. If water levels drop too low, water users across the region could face severe shortages. The drought plan is a balancing act to keep water flowing where it needs to and to preserve supplies for the future, keeping water levels for Mead and Powell where they should be. Arizona water leaders including U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Leslie Meyers (left); Arizona Department of Water Resources director Tom Buschatzke (center); and Central Arizona Project general manager Ted Cooke talks about the Colorado River drought plan, during a meeting at the Central Arizona Project Headquarters in Phoenix. (Photo: Nick Oza/The Republic) A group of 38 water leaders, state and city politicians, tribal leaders, farmers and business representatives are working through negotiations over who is assured what water and what money. In the end, some users will start relying more on groundwater and others will be paid for water they forfeit. This group is focusing on water delivered by the Central Arizona Project Canal, not on Colorado River water used by farmers in and near Yuma. CAP delivers about 1.5 million acre-feet a year to Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties for cities, businesses and farmers to use. Most Phoenix area cities use a mix of water from the CAP and other sources. Right now, Pinal County farmers are among those who would take the brunt of those cuts. Those farmers were prepared for a more groundwater-reliant future but were not expecting it for another 11 years. They expected to lose assured access to CAP water in 2030 based on a 2004 water settlement, but those cutbacks would come quicker if and when this drought plan is approved, forcing them to adapt sooner. Under proposed terms of the drought plan, the farmers would receive an interim supply of water through tribal communities and other water users. Some would pump groundwater sooner or leave farmlands fallow. Money to buy water for the farmers would come from a $30 million appropriation proposed by Governor Doug Ducey in his budget and another $5 million to drill wells. But those farmers are asking for more CAP water and more money for those wells. Tiffany Shedd, a cotton farmer from Eloy, speaks at a press conference at the Capitol in Phoenix with other farmers and legislators from Pinal County to talk about their overall support for the drought contingency plan, Tuesday, January 15, 2019. Unless you are a Pinal County farmer or one of the city, county and tribal water managers moving supplies around in exchange for something in this deal, you likely will not notice anything. Ducey suggested last week, he will promote water conservation education to Arizonans, asking them to use less water and save money. So you can still expect to have water in your tap, as no direct cutbacks are likely, but you may soon be asked to voluntarily use less. If lawmakers continue these conservation conversations and turn those discussions into enforceable legislation, that is another issue for another day. Federal Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman speaks at the Colorado River Water Users Association conference in Las Vegas on Thursday, urging water managers to finish negotiations on drought-contingency plans. January 31. If a plan is not signed by Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke by then, the Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees water projects in the West, is threatening to make the cuts for them. Brenda Burman, the agency's commissioner, made that clear at the Colorado River Water Users Association conference in Las Vegas in December, a meeting where Arizona was ideally supposed to bring a close-to-final plan. Burman stressed that if Western states, especially Arizona, do not file a plan by then, the Interior Department will ask the states what the government should do. "We will act, if needed, to protect this Basin," Burman said at the December conference. "This is absolutely not our preferred course of action. But if we do, we will give the states 30 days for those submissions. And the department will take those submissions and decide on a course of action." Those cuts would likely upend the compromises built so far in these months of delicate negotiations. But it could end up forcing the state into a corner, leaving it no choice but to get serious about conserving water. Apparently not. The Bureau of Reclamation is one of the many agencies affected by Washingtons longest ever political standoff, but it says the lawyers tasked to enforce that deadline have been deemed essential and will continue working. Regardless of whether that deadline is enforced, lawmakers and water leaders are working to pass something and not risk finding out what happens if they do nothing. CLOSE Pinal County farmers and state legislators talk about the Drought Contingency Plan as the federal deadline looms. We have not been putting this off for that long. There has been a drought plan in place since 2007 when states first foresaw the severity and urgency of eventual reservoir shortages. But as a shortage became more possible and it was clear more action would be needed, states got together to develop a Drought Contingency Plan to help share the pain of cutbacks. If they had not done that, Arizona would have had to cut back the most. It is also important to remember these things take time to figure out because the people in charge are negotiating over one of the West's most valuable resources. Nobody wants to give away too much for too long, which is why the pace is so sluggish. This process is now on two separate tracks. On one track, the state Legislature got drafts of an agreement last week, which essentially is a formalized version of what that group of 38 water leaders has agreed on. Along with those formalities, the bill provides the legal mechanisms needed to enact a deal that does not yet exist and one that is not yet fully understood by many lawmakers. Lawmakers are being briefed by staff to better understand it, and once they do, they will introduce an official version to a committee and begin the legislative process with that January 31 deadline in mind. On the other track, the group of water leaders must settle the sticking points, many of which are the same ones they were tasked to sort out in July and give the Legislature something to approve. You can learn more about what was in the draft legislation given to lawmakers last week, what they thought of it and what comes next. Reach reporter Andrew Nicla at andrew.nicla@gannett.com. Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Follow The Republic environmental reporting team at environment.azcentral.com and at OurGrandAZ on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2019/01/24/drought-contingency-plan-how-affects-arizona-lawmakers-colorado-river-doug-ducey-water-conservation/2659832002/

The Drought Contingency Plan is an interstate agreement among Arizona and other states whose communities depend on Colorado River water.

bart

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2019/01/24/drought-contingency-plan-how-affects-arizona-lawmakers-colorado-river-doug-ducey-water-conservation/2659832002/

What is the Drought Contingency Plan and will it affect me?

CLOSE Arizonas top water managers continue to meet to create a drought contingency plan for Colorado River water supply. David Wallace, The Republic | azcentral.com Arizona's water leaders and lawmakers are running out of time to complete the state's Drought Contingency Plan, a blueprint for how Arizona water users would share a likely shortage on the Colorado River. The water managers and elected officials working on the plan have tried to convey a sense of urgency to get the work done on what could soon be the most important water-related legislation in recent times. But there are a lot of moving parts to understand and a lot of concepts that may seem overwhelming. The Drought Contingency Plan is an interstate agreement among Arizona and other states whose communities depend on Colorado River water. Arizona and those states that use the water have been developing the agreement for several months in an effort to divvy up expected cutbacks on the river needed to keep storage reservoir levels from dropping too low. Before finalizing the interstate agreement, states must hash out intrastate agreements, among local water users, and that's what Arizona is still working on. The Arizona deal would try to avoid deep cutbacks by spreading them around. A line along a cliff illustrates where the surface of Lake Mead once stood near South Cove in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on Aug. 1, 2018. Lake levels are at or near historic lows. In short, the water we use from the river is outpacing the water being replenished naturally we're in a drought. The soon-to-be-finalized agreement addresses the anticipated shortfalls and tries to spread the pain among the states so that no one is hit too hard if the drought persists. Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the US, is now 39 percent full and approaching its first-ever shortage. Lake Powell, the other major reservoir on the river, is 40 percent full and could drop lower. Together, the two reservoirs help keep water flowing to the seven states even during dry years. Powell stores water that New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming depend on. Water from that reservoir is released downstream to Mead, which stores water for the states on the lower Colorado Arizona, Nevada and California. If water levels drop too low, water users across the region could face severe shortages. The drought plan is a balancing act to keep water flowing where it needs to and to preserve supplies for the future, keeping water levels for Mead and Powell where they should be. Arizona water leaders including U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Leslie Meyers (left); Arizona Department of Water Resources director Tom Buschatzke (center); and Central Arizona Project general manager Ted Cooke talks about the Colorado River drought plan, during a meeting at the Central Arizona Project Headquarters in Phoenix. (Photo: Nick Oza/The Republic) A group of 38 water leaders, state and city politicians, tribal leaders, farmers and business representatives are working through negotiations over who is assured what water and what money. In the end, some users will start relying more on groundwater and others will be paid for water they forfeit. This group is focusing on water delivered by the Central Arizona Project Canal, not on Colorado River water used by farmers in and near Yuma. CAP delivers about 1.5 million acre-feet a year to Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties for cities, businesses and farmers to use. Most Phoenix area cities use a mix of water from the CAP and other sources. Right now, Pinal County farmers are among those who would take the brunt of those cuts. Those farmers were prepared for a more groundwater-reliant future but were not expecting it for another 11 years. They expected to lose assured access to CAP water in 2030 based on a 2004 water settlement, but those cutbacks would come quicker if and when this drought plan is approved, forcing them to adapt sooner. Under proposed terms of the drought plan, the farmers would receive an interim supply of water through tribal communities and other water users. Some would pump groundwater sooner or leave farmlands fallow. Money to buy water for the farmers would come from a $30 million appropriation proposed by Governor Doug Ducey in his budget and another $5 million to drill wells. But those farmers are asking for more CAP water and more money for those wells. Tiffany Shedd, a cotton farmer from Eloy, speaks at a press conference at the Capitol in Phoenix with other farmers and legislators from Pinal County to talk about their overall support for the drought contingency plan, Tuesday, January 15, 2019. Unless you are a Pinal County farmer or one of the city, county and tribal water managers moving supplies around in exchange for something in this deal, you likely will not notice anything. Ducey suggested last week, he will promote water conservation education to Arizonans, asking them to use less water and save money. So you can still expect to have water in your tap, as no direct cutbacks are likely, but you may soon be asked to voluntarily use less. If lawmakers continue these conservation conversations and turn those discussions into enforceable legislation, that is another issue for another day. Federal Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman speaks at the Colorado River Water Users Association conference in Las Vegas on Thursday, urging water managers to finish negotiations on drought-contingency plans. January 31. If a plan is not signed by Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke by then, the Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees water projects in the West, is threatening to make the cuts for them. Brenda Burman, the agency's commissioner, made that clear at the Colorado River Water Users Association conference in Las Vegas in December, a meeting where Arizona was ideally supposed to bring a close-to-final plan. Burman stressed that if Western states, especially Arizona, do not file a plan by then, the Interior Department will ask the states what the government should do. "We will act, if needed, to protect this Basin," Burman said at the December conference. "This is absolutely not our preferred course of action. But if we do, we will give the states 30 days for those submissions. And the department will take those submissions and decide on a course of action." Those cuts would likely upend the compromises built so far in these months of delicate negotiations. But it could end up forcing the state into a corner, leaving it no choice but to get serious about conserving water. Apparently not. The Bureau of Reclamation is one of the many agencies affected by Washingtons longest ever political standoff, but it says the lawyers tasked to enforce that deadline have been deemed essential and will continue working. Regardless of whether that deadline is enforced, lawmakers and water leaders are working to pass something and not risk finding out what happens if they do nothing. CLOSE Pinal County farmers and state legislators talk about the Drought Contingency Plan as the federal deadline looms. We have not been putting this off for that long. There has been a drought plan in place since 2007 when states first foresaw the severity and urgency of eventual reservoir shortages. But as a shortage became more possible and it was clear more action would be needed, states got together to develop a Drought Contingency Plan to help share the pain of cutbacks. If they had not done that, Arizona would have had to cut back the most. It is also important to remember these things take time to figure out because the people in charge are negotiating over one of the West's most valuable resources. Nobody wants to give away too much for too long, which is why the pace is so sluggish. This process is now on two separate tracks. On one track, the state Legislature got drafts of an agreement last week, which essentially is a formalized version of what that group of 38 water leaders has agreed on. Along with those formalities, the bill provides the legal mechanisms needed to enact a deal that does not yet exist and one that is not yet fully understood by many lawmakers. Lawmakers are being briefed by staff to better understand it, and once they do, they will introduce an official version to a committee and begin the legislative process with that January 31 deadline in mind. On the other track, the group of water leaders must settle the sticking points, many of which are the same ones they were tasked to sort out in July and give the Legislature something to approve. You can learn more about what was in the draft legislation given to lawmakers last week, what they thought of it and what comes next. Reach reporter Andrew Nicla at andrew.nicla@gannett.com. Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Follow The Republic environmental reporting team at environment.azcentral.com and at OurGrandAZ on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2019/01/24/drought-contingency-plan-how-affects-arizona-lawmakers-colorado-river-doug-ducey-water-conservation/2659832002/

The Drought Contingency Plan is an interstate agreement among Arizona and other states whose communities depend on Colorado River water. Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the US, is now 39 percent full and approaching its first-ever shortage.

bart

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2019/01/24/drought-contingency-plan-how-affects-arizona-lawmakers-colorado-river-doug-ducey-water-conservation/2659832002/

What is the Drought Contingency Plan and will it affect me?

CLOSE Arizonas top water managers continue to meet to create a drought contingency plan for Colorado River water supply. David Wallace, The Republic | azcentral.com Arizona's water leaders and lawmakers are running out of time to complete the state's Drought Contingency Plan, a blueprint for how Arizona water users would share a likely shortage on the Colorado River. The water managers and elected officials working on the plan have tried to convey a sense of urgency to get the work done on what could soon be the most important water-related legislation in recent times. But there are a lot of moving parts to understand and a lot of concepts that may seem overwhelming. The Drought Contingency Plan is an interstate agreement among Arizona and other states whose communities depend on Colorado River water. Arizona and those states that use the water have been developing the agreement for several months in an effort to divvy up expected cutbacks on the river needed to keep storage reservoir levels from dropping too low. Before finalizing the interstate agreement, states must hash out intrastate agreements, among local water users, and that's what Arizona is still working on. The Arizona deal would try to avoid deep cutbacks by spreading them around. A line along a cliff illustrates where the surface of Lake Mead once stood near South Cove in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on Aug. 1, 2018. Lake levels are at or near historic lows. In short, the water we use from the river is outpacing the water being replenished naturally we're in a drought. The soon-to-be-finalized agreement addresses the anticipated shortfalls and tries to spread the pain among the states so that no one is hit too hard if the drought persists. Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the US, is now 39 percent full and approaching its first-ever shortage. Lake Powell, the other major reservoir on the river, is 40 percent full and could drop lower. Together, the two reservoirs help keep water flowing to the seven states even during dry years. Powell stores water that New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming depend on. Water from that reservoir is released downstream to Mead, which stores water for the states on the lower Colorado Arizona, Nevada and California. If water levels drop too low, water users across the region could face severe shortages. The drought plan is a balancing act to keep water flowing where it needs to and to preserve supplies for the future, keeping water levels for Mead and Powell where they should be. Arizona water leaders including U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Leslie Meyers (left); Arizona Department of Water Resources director Tom Buschatzke (center); and Central Arizona Project general manager Ted Cooke talks about the Colorado River drought plan, during a meeting at the Central Arizona Project Headquarters in Phoenix. (Photo: Nick Oza/The Republic) A group of 38 water leaders, state and city politicians, tribal leaders, farmers and business representatives are working through negotiations over who is assured what water and what money. In the end, some users will start relying more on groundwater and others will be paid for water they forfeit. This group is focusing on water delivered by the Central Arizona Project Canal, not on Colorado River water used by farmers in and near Yuma. CAP delivers about 1.5 million acre-feet a year to Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties for cities, businesses and farmers to use. Most Phoenix area cities use a mix of water from the CAP and other sources. Right now, Pinal County farmers are among those who would take the brunt of those cuts. Those farmers were prepared for a more groundwater-reliant future but were not expecting it for another 11 years. They expected to lose assured access to CAP water in 2030 based on a 2004 water settlement, but those cutbacks would come quicker if and when this drought plan is approved, forcing them to adapt sooner. Under proposed terms of the drought plan, the farmers would receive an interim supply of water through tribal communities and other water users. Some would pump groundwater sooner or leave farmlands fallow. Money to buy water for the farmers would come from a $30 million appropriation proposed by Governor Doug Ducey in his budget and another $5 million to drill wells. But those farmers are asking for more CAP water and more money for those wells. Tiffany Shedd, a cotton farmer from Eloy, speaks at a press conference at the Capitol in Phoenix with other farmers and legislators from Pinal County to talk about their overall support for the drought contingency plan, Tuesday, January 15, 2019. Unless you are a Pinal County farmer or one of the city, county and tribal water managers moving supplies around in exchange for something in this deal, you likely will not notice anything. Ducey suggested last week, he will promote water conservation education to Arizonans, asking them to use less water and save money. So you can still expect to have water in your tap, as no direct cutbacks are likely, but you may soon be asked to voluntarily use less. If lawmakers continue these conservation conversations and turn those discussions into enforceable legislation, that is another issue for another day. Federal Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman speaks at the Colorado River Water Users Association conference in Las Vegas on Thursday, urging water managers to finish negotiations on drought-contingency plans. January 31. If a plan is not signed by Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke by then, the Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees water projects in the West, is threatening to make the cuts for them. Brenda Burman, the agency's commissioner, made that clear at the Colorado River Water Users Association conference in Las Vegas in December, a meeting where Arizona was ideally supposed to bring a close-to-final plan. Burman stressed that if Western states, especially Arizona, do not file a plan by then, the Interior Department will ask the states what the government should do. "We will act, if needed, to protect this Basin," Burman said at the December conference. "This is absolutely not our preferred course of action. But if we do, we will give the states 30 days for those submissions. And the department will take those submissions and decide on a course of action." Those cuts would likely upend the compromises built so far in these months of delicate negotiations. But it could end up forcing the state into a corner, leaving it no choice but to get serious about conserving water. Apparently not. The Bureau of Reclamation is one of the many agencies affected by Washingtons longest ever political standoff, but it says the lawyers tasked to enforce that deadline have been deemed essential and will continue working. Regardless of whether that deadline is enforced, lawmakers and water leaders are working to pass something and not risk finding out what happens if they do nothing. CLOSE Pinal County farmers and state legislators talk about the Drought Contingency Plan as the federal deadline looms. We have not been putting this off for that long. There has been a drought plan in place since 2007 when states first foresaw the severity and urgency of eventual reservoir shortages. But as a shortage became more possible and it was clear more action would be needed, states got together to develop a Drought Contingency Plan to help share the pain of cutbacks. If they had not done that, Arizona would have had to cut back the most. It is also important to remember these things take time to figure out because the people in charge are negotiating over one of the West's most valuable resources. Nobody wants to give away too much for too long, which is why the pace is so sluggish. This process is now on two separate tracks. On one track, the state Legislature got drafts of an agreement last week, which essentially is a formalized version of what that group of 38 water leaders has agreed on. Along with those formalities, the bill provides the legal mechanisms needed to enact a deal that does not yet exist and one that is not yet fully understood by many lawmakers. Lawmakers are being briefed by staff to better understand it, and once they do, they will introduce an official version to a committee and begin the legislative process with that January 31 deadline in mind. On the other track, the group of water leaders must settle the sticking points, many of which are the same ones they were tasked to sort out in July and give the Legislature something to approve. You can learn more about what was in the draft legislation given to lawmakers last week, what they thought of it and what comes next. Reach reporter Andrew Nicla at andrew.nicla@gannett.com. Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Follow The Republic environmental reporting team at environment.azcentral.com and at OurGrandAZ on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2019/01/24/drought-contingency-plan-how-affects-arizona-lawmakers-colorado-river-doug-ducey-water-conservation/2659832002/

The Drought Contingency Plan is an interstate agreement among Arizona and other states whose communities depend on Colorado River water. Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the US, is now 39 percent full and approaching its first-ever shortage. If water levels drop too low, water users across the region could face severe shortages.

bart

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2019/01/24/drought-contingency-plan-how-affects-arizona-lawmakers-colorado-river-doug-ducey-water-conservation/2659832002/

Will there be a public vote on Suns arena renovation deal?

The Phoenix City Council may have approved a $230 million deal with the Phoenix Suns to renovate Talking Stick Resort Arena, but a group of dissidents has its sights on a referendum -- and a public vote on the agreement. it looks that way. Seems theres a group of people upset by the $230 million agreement approved by the council late Wednesday afternoon that's seeking a referendum that would give the public an up or down vote on the matter. Drew Chavez of Petition Partners, a Phoenix outfit that runs a majority of initiative petitions in the state, said a committee calling itself Common Sense Phoenix is set to file paperwork Thursday. Voters having say 'would be a public service' The group and my firm are serious, Chavez said in an email. The group would have 30 days to gather roughly 10,500 signatures of registered Phoenix voters to qualify the referendum for an election. Chavez declined to identify committee members, only to say he has been approached in recent weeks by close to half a dozen people who believe the city is committing too much to upgrade the Suns home. He issued a statement from Common Sense Phoenix: This seems like a situation where the voters of Phoenix very well may want to weigh in. If we can give them a chance to do so, it would be a public service. Were talking about millions of dollars that could be spent on public safety or repairing our streets instead of fixing up the arena for the Suns and their billionaire owner. Measure may be 1 of 3 on Phoenix ballot As for his confidence of gathering sufficient signatures in a months time, Chavez says his outfit will secure 27,000 signatures. The direct democracy route on the arena would certainly add to a strange year in Phoenix. Two other initiatives seek to do what city council wouldnt. One would halt light expansion and redirect the city portion of funding toward street improvements; that measure has been certified by the city but faces a challenge in court. The other would reform how city pension obligations are calculated and funded. It awaits verification of the petition signatures. The trio of measures is remarkable especially given that citizen initiatives and referendums are often considered a tool of the left think minimum wage increase, recreational marijuana, clean energy mandates, etc. Here, all three are grounded on conservative principles with the Suns arena referendum, it is the opposition to whats viewed as corporate welfare or subsidies. There are those who wanted, all along, a public vote on the matter. but because Talking Stick Resort Arena is not a new structure, Phoenix needed only city council approval to reach a deal. The referendum would make a public vote real and final. Well know in about 30 days. Reach Kwok at akwok@azcentral.com. Click here to subscribe to azcentral.com. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/abekwok/2019/01/24/suns-arena-renovation-referendum/2665253002/

The Phoenix City Council approved a $230 million deal with the Phoenix Suns to renovate Talking Stick Resort Arena. A group is seeking a referendum that would give the public an up or down vote on the matter.

pegasus

https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/abekwok/2019/01/24/suns-arena-renovation-referendum/2665253002/

Will there be a public vote on Suns arena renovation deal?

The Phoenix City Council may have approved a $230 million deal with the Phoenix Suns to renovate Talking Stick Resort Arena, but a group of dissidents has its sights on a referendum -- and a public vote on the agreement. it looks that way. Seems theres a group of people upset by the $230 million agreement approved by the council late Wednesday afternoon that's seeking a referendum that would give the public an up or down vote on the matter. Drew Chavez of Petition Partners, a Phoenix outfit that runs a majority of initiative petitions in the state, said a committee calling itself Common Sense Phoenix is set to file paperwork Thursday. Voters having say 'would be a public service' The group and my firm are serious, Chavez said in an email. The group would have 30 days to gather roughly 10,500 signatures of registered Phoenix voters to qualify the referendum for an election. Chavez declined to identify committee members, only to say he has been approached in recent weeks by close to half a dozen people who believe the city is committing too much to upgrade the Suns home. He issued a statement from Common Sense Phoenix: This seems like a situation where the voters of Phoenix very well may want to weigh in. If we can give them a chance to do so, it would be a public service. Were talking about millions of dollars that could be spent on public safety or repairing our streets instead of fixing up the arena for the Suns and their billionaire owner. Measure may be 1 of 3 on Phoenix ballot As for his confidence of gathering sufficient signatures in a months time, Chavez says his outfit will secure 27,000 signatures. The direct democracy route on the arena would certainly add to a strange year in Phoenix. Two other initiatives seek to do what city council wouldnt. One would halt light expansion and redirect the city portion of funding toward street improvements; that measure has been certified by the city but faces a challenge in court. The other would reform how city pension obligations are calculated and funded. It awaits verification of the petition signatures. The trio of measures is remarkable especially given that citizen initiatives and referendums are often considered a tool of the left think minimum wage increase, recreational marijuana, clean energy mandates, etc. Here, all three are grounded on conservative principles with the Suns arena referendum, it is the opposition to whats viewed as corporate welfare or subsidies. There are those who wanted, all along, a public vote on the matter. but because Talking Stick Resort Arena is not a new structure, Phoenix needed only city council approval to reach a deal. The referendum would make a public vote real and final. Well know in about 30 days. Reach Kwok at akwok@azcentral.com. Click here to subscribe to azcentral.com. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/abekwok/2019/01/24/suns-arena-renovation-referendum/2665253002/

The Phoenix City Council approved a $230 million deal with the Phoenix Suns to renovate Talking Stick Resort Arena. A group called Common Sense Phoenix is seeking a referendum that would give the public an up or down vote on the matter. The group would have 30 days to gather roughly 10,500 signatures of registered Phoenix voters to qualify the referendum for an election.

pegasus

https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/abekwok/2019/01/24/suns-arena-renovation-referendum/2665253002/

What can Seattle learn from cities where homelessness has dropped?

We look at four cities that saw steep reductions in homelessness, and asked what they did to get there. Its no secret that homelessness has engulfed the West Coast: Rises in cities like Seattle, LA and San Francisco are the reason homelessness in the U.S. has gone up in the last few years while it continues to go down on the East Coast. Project Homeless has gone to many of those cities looking at what their governments are trying: How San Diego is giving people safe places to live in their cars, how Vancouver, B.C., is betting on small prefabricated homes to end homelessness, and how San Francisco is cracking down on public camping. But reporters went to each of those cities because of their work with a certain population, not the breadth of homelessness. A readerrecently asked us, What cities similar in size to Seattle have significantly reduced homelessness and how did they do it? Using federally mandated point-in-time counts, we looked at major U.S. cities where homelessness has gone down the most in the last five years: New Orleans, Atlanta, Milwaukee and Virginia Beach, Virginia. All have seen a 40 percent or more drop in homelessness. There are some caveats. Point-in-time counts, conducted on one night in January, are really just an estimate, and methods of counting vary across the country. Tucson, Arizona, saw a huge decrease over the last five years, but part of that is because they changed the way they count, according to Claudia Powell, board chair of the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness. Point-in-time counts may also be measuring cities economies as much as their effectiveness at addressing homelessness. Many of these cities are less expensive places to live than Seattle and other West Coast cities. A lot of these systems in (more expensive cities) are housing people faster and faster because the number coming in, which the homeless system cant do anything about, is getting bigger and bigger, said Nan Roman, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Still, point-in-time counts are the most common and standardized measure America has for homelessness. Here is what we learned from cities with the biggest decreases over the past five years. New Orleans: Experience dealing with a housing disaster In 2015, first lady Michelle Obama traveled to New Orleans to congratulate the city for being the first in the country to house all of its homeless veterans. We want cities across this country to follow your lead, she said. But the Obama administration had poured hundreds of millions into federal housing vouchers for homeless veterans; there was lots of money to house them. After 2015, New Orleans leaders decided they were going to focus on a tougher population: chronically homeless people, who have been homeless many times or for years, and often have overlapping mental-health issues and sometimes drug dependencies. New Orleans had dealt with this issue before after Hurricane Katrina, when thousands of people with disabilities were put out of a home and had to live on the streets, said Casey Guidry, executive director of the Start Corporation, which runs New Orleans city-funded shelter. After Hurricane Katrina, the state built more than 3,000 units of permanent supportive-housing projects for poor people with disabilities. Today, its one of the few states in the country to use Medicaid to pay for the supportive services in those facilities (which Washington is also working toward). It paid off. From 2013 to 2018, New Orleans had the biggest drop in homelessness in the nation, reducing its homeless population by almost half. And the drop was even steeper with chronically homeless people: the city counted 677 in 2013 and fewer than 200 in 2018. All of that combined with the fact that the New Orleans area has rents about as high, compared to median income, as King County, according to a recent study from Zillow. I think we had a big problem, and then Hurricane Katrina made it a catastrophic problem, so it forces you to address it , said Guidry. Atlanta: Jobs programs and landlords willing to rent to homeless people Atlanta has seen some of the most impressive reductions in homelessness in the country (a 44 percent drop since 2013), and not just in the city. Some of the counties in Atlanta metro have seen a bigger decrease. The most impressive part: Atlantas chronically homeless population dropped from over 1,400 in 2013 down to just 335 in 2018. But before we start bragging about how clever we are, said Jack Hardin, co-chair of the United Way regional commission on homelessness, we have to realize we are in a favorable economic situation. Atlanta bounced back really well from the recession, with a job market thats friendly to entry-level workers and cheaper rents than Seattle. Atlantas philanthropic community also has put millions into getting homeless people jobs. One of the countrys largest nonprofit staffing agencies, First Step Staffing, started in Atlanta. In 2018, First Step hired over 3,500 homeless people in Atlanta, and the company says it paid $19 million in wages. Yet even when they can afford rent, homeless people many of whom have bad credit histories or criminal backgrounds have trouble finding a place to live, Hardin said. Atlantas most innovative program may be Open Doors, an organization employing people with real-estate backgrounds to leverage their relationships in the market and persuade landlords to rent to homeless people. That program opened up thousands of apartments to homeless people, and its a program Seattle and King County are already replicating, as The Seattle Times wrote in December. Milwaukee: Handing out rent vouchers in homeless camps There are two important differences between Wisconsins Milwaukee County and King County: First, Milwaukee is one of the cheapest major cities to live in rent has barely risen since 2015 in America; and second, the county government not a federal housing authority, like in King County controls Section 8 and other federal vouchers. Those and other factors have added up to a 40 percent plunge in homelessness in the past five years, among the highest in the nation. Milwaukee County (population of nearly 1 million people) focused on ending chronic homelessness with a plan that moved people off the streets and immediately into permanent housing, even before entering mental-health and drug treatment. And because the county controls the federal vouchers, it has social workers walking into homeless camps and handing people rent vouchers. What we found is that once peoples basic needs are met, their housing needs are met, theyre able to focus on treatment, on employment and the other things, said James Mathey, the countys housing director. Three years later, Milwaukee is on track to the be the nations largest county to effectively end chronic homelessness. The Housing First strategy is credited with savings millions of dollars by reducing demand for mental-health and emergency-room care. Mathey acknowledges Milwaukee had advantages not available in King County, including low rent. But the strategy works, he said. We really think weve found the blueprint not just to ending chronic homelessness but dramatically reducing overall homelessness in our state, he said. Virginia Beach: Getting rid of most transitional housing Transitional housing is the middle step between emergency shelter and an apartment, with staff and services, and stays of a few months to a few years. But often, people staying in transitional housing stay there for the allotted time and dont have a plan to leave, according to Roman, of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. I dont mean to be pejorative about it, but it can undercut peoples decision-making ability, Roman said. It doesnt teach you how to live in an apartment, it teaches you how to live in a facility. In Virginia Beach, Virginia, the average stay for each of the citys 107 transitional-housing beds was well over 100 days, according to Pam Shine, coordinator of the citys housing homeless programs. The limit was two years. The whole time theyre in transitional housing, all of those people count as homeless. So what Virginia Beach did was part accounting and part restructure: It took most of the money from transitional housing and put it toward rapid rehousing vouchers so people could go straight from the streets to an apartment. Seattle and King County have done this as well, reducing transitional housing by about a thousand beds since 2015, according to numbers from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, while also dramatically increasing spending on rental vouchers (although that approach has been criticized by some nonprofits). We have really taken away the connotation that transitional housing is about sitting for two years and then working on your plan six months before you have to leave, said Shine. Seattle Times Project Homeless editor Jonathan Martin contributed to this report.

We looked at major U.S. cities where homelessness has gone down the most in the last five years. New Orleans, Atlanta, Milwaukee and Virginia Beach, Virginia, all have seen a 40 percent or more drop in homelessness. Many of these cities are less expensive places to live than Seattle and other West Coast cities.

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https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/what-can-seattle-learn-from-cities-that-decreased-their-homelessness/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_seattle-news

Do truth and reconciliation commissions heal divided nations?

This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Author: Bonny Ibhawoh, Professor of History and Global Human Rights, McMaster University As long as unresolved historic injustices continue to fester in the world, there will be a demand for truth commissions. Unfortunately, there is no end to the need. The goal of a truth commission in some forms also called a truth and reconciliation commission, as it is in Canada is to hold public hearings to establish the scale and impact of a past injustice, typically involving wide-scale human rights abuses, and make it part of the permanent, unassailable public record. Truth commissions also officially recognize victims and perpetrators in an effort to move beyond the painful past. Over the past three decades, more than 40 countries have, like Canada, established truth commissions, including Chile, Ecuador, Ghana, Guatemala, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and South Korea. The hope has been that restorative justice would provide greater healing than the retributive justice modelled most memorably by the Nuremberg Trials after the Second World War. There has been a range in the effectiveness of commissions designed to resolve injustices in African and Latin American countries, typically held as those countries made transitions from civil war, colonialism or authoritarian rule. Most recently, Canadas Truth and Reconciliation Commission addressed historic injustices perpetrated against Canadas Indigenous peoples through forced assimilation and other abuses. Its effectiveness is still being measured, with a list of 94 calls to action waiting to be fully implemented. But Canadas experience appears to have been at least productive enough to inspire Australia and New Zealand to come to terms with their own treatment of Indigenous peoples by exploring similar processes. Although both countries have a long history to trying to reconcile with native peoples, recent discussions have leaned toward a Canadian-style TRC model. South Africa set the standard There had been other truth commissions in the 1980s and early 1990s, including Chiles post-Pinochet reckoning. But the most recognizable standard became South Africas, when President Nelson Mandela mandated a painful and necessary Truth and Reconciliation Commission to resolve the scornful legacy of apartheid, the racist and repressive policy that had driven the African National Congress, including Mandela, to fight for reform. Their efforts resulted in widespread violence and Mandelas own 27-year imprisonment. Through South Africas publicly televised TRC proceedings, white perpetrators were required to come face-to-face with the Black families they had victimized physically, socially and economically. There were critics, to be sure, on both sides. Some called it the Kleenex Commission for the emotional hearings they saw as going easy on some perpetrators who were granted amnesty after demonstrating public contrition. Others felt it fell short of its promise benefiting the new government by legitimizing Mandelas ANC and letting perpetrators off the hook by allowing so many go without punishment, and failing victims who never saw adequate compensation or true justice. These criticisms were valid, yet the process did succeed in its most fundamental responsibility it pulled the country safely into a modern, democratic era. Saving humanity from hell Dag Hammarskjold, the secretary general of the United Nations through most of the 1950s who faced criticism about the limitations of the UN, once said the UN was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell. Similarly, South Africas Truth and Reconciliation Commission was not designed to take South Africa to some idyllic utopia. After a century of colonialism and apartheid, that would not have been realistic. It was designed to save South Africa, then a nuclear power, from an implosion one that many feared would trigger a wider international war. To the extent that the commission saved South Africa from hell, I think it was successful. Perhaps, but it did its work. Since then, other truth commissions, whether they have included reconciliation or reparation mandates, have generated varying results. Some have been used cynically as tools for governments to legitimize themselves by pretending they have dealt with painful history when they have only kicked the can down the road. In Liberia, where I worked with a team of researchers last summer, the records of that countrys truth and reconciliation commission are not even readily available to the public. That secrecy robs Liberia of what should be the most essential benefit of confronting past injustices: permanent, public memorialization that inoculates the future against the mistakes of the past. U.S. needs truth commission On balance, the truth commission stands as an important tool that can and should be used around the world. Its painfully apparent that the United States needs a national truth commission of some kind to address hundreds of years of injustice suffered by Black Americans. There, centuries of enslavement, state-sponsored racism, denial of civil rights and ongoing economic and social disparity have yet to be addressed. Like many, I dont hold out hope that a U.S. commission will be established any time soon especially not under the current administration. But I do think one is inevitable at some point, better sooner than later. Wherever there is an ugly, unresolved injustice pulling at the fabric of a society, there is an opportunity to haul it out in public and deal with it through a truth commission. Still, there is not yet any central body or facility that researchers, political leaders or other advocates can turn to for guidance, information and evidence. Such an entity would help them understand and compare how past commissions have worked or failed to work and create better outcomes for future commissions. As the movement to expose, understand and resolve historical injustices grows, it would seem that Canada, a stable democracy with its own sorrowed history and its interest in global human rights, would make an excellent place to establish such a centre. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/do-truth-and-reconciliation-commissions- https://theconversation.com

Bonny Ibhawoh: Truth and reconciliation commissions can help heal divided nations.

ctrlsum

https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/do-truth-and-reconciliation-commissions-heal-divided-nations

Do truth and reconciliation commissions heal divided nations?

This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Author: Bonny Ibhawoh, Professor of History and Global Human Rights, McMaster University As long as unresolved historic injustices continue to fester in the world, there will be a demand for truth commissions. Unfortunately, there is no end to the need. The goal of a truth commission in some forms also called a truth and reconciliation commission, as it is in Canada is to hold public hearings to establish the scale and impact of a past injustice, typically involving wide-scale human rights abuses, and make it part of the permanent, unassailable public record. Truth commissions also officially recognize victims and perpetrators in an effort to move beyond the painful past. Over the past three decades, more than 40 countries have, like Canada, established truth commissions, including Chile, Ecuador, Ghana, Guatemala, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and South Korea. The hope has been that restorative justice would provide greater healing than the retributive justice modelled most memorably by the Nuremberg Trials after the Second World War. There has been a range in the effectiveness of commissions designed to resolve injustices in African and Latin American countries, typically held as those countries made transitions from civil war, colonialism or authoritarian rule. Most recently, Canadas Truth and Reconciliation Commission addressed historic injustices perpetrated against Canadas Indigenous peoples through forced assimilation and other abuses. Its effectiveness is still being measured, with a list of 94 calls to action waiting to be fully implemented. But Canadas experience appears to have been at least productive enough to inspire Australia and New Zealand to come to terms with their own treatment of Indigenous peoples by exploring similar processes. Although both countries have a long history to trying to reconcile with native peoples, recent discussions have leaned toward a Canadian-style TRC model. South Africa set the standard There had been other truth commissions in the 1980s and early 1990s, including Chiles post-Pinochet reckoning. But the most recognizable standard became South Africas, when President Nelson Mandela mandated a painful and necessary Truth and Reconciliation Commission to resolve the scornful legacy of apartheid, the racist and repressive policy that had driven the African National Congress, including Mandela, to fight for reform. Their efforts resulted in widespread violence and Mandelas own 27-year imprisonment. Through South Africas publicly televised TRC proceedings, white perpetrators were required to come face-to-face with the Black families they had victimized physically, socially and economically. There were critics, to be sure, on both sides. Some called it the Kleenex Commission for the emotional hearings they saw as going easy on some perpetrators who were granted amnesty after demonstrating public contrition. Others felt it fell short of its promise benefiting the new government by legitimizing Mandelas ANC and letting perpetrators off the hook by allowing so many go without punishment, and failing victims who never saw adequate compensation or true justice. These criticisms were valid, yet the process did succeed in its most fundamental responsibility it pulled the country safely into a modern, democratic era. Saving humanity from hell Dag Hammarskjold, the secretary general of the United Nations through most of the 1950s who faced criticism about the limitations of the UN, once said the UN was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell. Similarly, South Africas Truth and Reconciliation Commission was not designed to take South Africa to some idyllic utopia. After a century of colonialism and apartheid, that would not have been realistic. It was designed to save South Africa, then a nuclear power, from an implosion one that many feared would trigger a wider international war. To the extent that the commission saved South Africa from hell, I think it was successful. Perhaps, but it did its work. Since then, other truth commissions, whether they have included reconciliation or reparation mandates, have generated varying results. Some have been used cynically as tools for governments to legitimize themselves by pretending they have dealt with painful history when they have only kicked the can down the road. In Liberia, where I worked with a team of researchers last summer, the records of that countrys truth and reconciliation commission are not even readily available to the public. That secrecy robs Liberia of what should be the most essential benefit of confronting past injustices: permanent, public memorialization that inoculates the future against the mistakes of the past. U.S. needs truth commission On balance, the truth commission stands as an important tool that can and should be used around the world. Its painfully apparent that the United States needs a national truth commission of some kind to address hundreds of years of injustice suffered by Black Americans. There, centuries of enslavement, state-sponsored racism, denial of civil rights and ongoing economic and social disparity have yet to be addressed. Like many, I dont hold out hope that a U.S. commission will be established any time soon especially not under the current administration. But I do think one is inevitable at some point, better sooner than later. Wherever there is an ugly, unresolved injustice pulling at the fabric of a society, there is an opportunity to haul it out in public and deal with it through a truth commission. Still, there is not yet any central body or facility that researchers, political leaders or other advocates can turn to for guidance, information and evidence. Such an entity would help them understand and compare how past commissions have worked or failed to work and create better outcomes for future commissions. As the movement to expose, understand and resolve historical injustices grows, it would seem that Canada, a stable democracy with its own sorrowed history and its interest in global human rights, would make an excellent place to establish such a centre. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/do-truth-and-reconciliation-commissions- https://theconversation.com

Bonny Ibhawoh: Truth and reconciliation commissions can help heal divided nations. She says there is no end to the need for truth commissions, as long as historic injustices continue to fester.

ctrlsum

https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/do-truth-and-reconciliation-commissions-heal-divided-nations

Do truth and reconciliation commissions heal divided nations?

This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Author: Bonny Ibhawoh, Professor of History and Global Human Rights, McMaster University As long as unresolved historic injustices continue to fester in the world, there will be a demand for truth commissions. Unfortunately, there is no end to the need. The goal of a truth commission in some forms also called a truth and reconciliation commission, as it is in Canada is to hold public hearings to establish the scale and impact of a past injustice, typically involving wide-scale human rights abuses, and make it part of the permanent, unassailable public record. Truth commissions also officially recognize victims and perpetrators in an effort to move beyond the painful past. Over the past three decades, more than 40 countries have, like Canada, established truth commissions, including Chile, Ecuador, Ghana, Guatemala, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and South Korea. The hope has been that restorative justice would provide greater healing than the retributive justice modelled most memorably by the Nuremberg Trials after the Second World War. There has been a range in the effectiveness of commissions designed to resolve injustices in African and Latin American countries, typically held as those countries made transitions from civil war, colonialism or authoritarian rule. Most recently, Canadas Truth and Reconciliation Commission addressed historic injustices perpetrated against Canadas Indigenous peoples through forced assimilation and other abuses. Its effectiveness is still being measured, with a list of 94 calls to action waiting to be fully implemented. But Canadas experience appears to have been at least productive enough to inspire Australia and New Zealand to come to terms with their own treatment of Indigenous peoples by exploring similar processes. Although both countries have a long history to trying to reconcile with native peoples, recent discussions have leaned toward a Canadian-style TRC model. South Africa set the standard There had been other truth commissions in the 1980s and early 1990s, including Chiles post-Pinochet reckoning. But the most recognizable standard became South Africas, when President Nelson Mandela mandated a painful and necessary Truth and Reconciliation Commission to resolve the scornful legacy of apartheid, the racist and repressive policy that had driven the African National Congress, including Mandela, to fight for reform. Their efforts resulted in widespread violence and Mandelas own 27-year imprisonment. Through South Africas publicly televised TRC proceedings, white perpetrators were required to come face-to-face with the Black families they had victimized physically, socially and economically. There were critics, to be sure, on both sides. Some called it the Kleenex Commission for the emotional hearings they saw as going easy on some perpetrators who were granted amnesty after demonstrating public contrition. Others felt it fell short of its promise benefiting the new government by legitimizing Mandelas ANC and letting perpetrators off the hook by allowing so many go without punishment, and failing victims who never saw adequate compensation or true justice. These criticisms were valid, yet the process did succeed in its most fundamental responsibility it pulled the country safely into a modern, democratic era. Saving humanity from hell Dag Hammarskjold, the secretary general of the United Nations through most of the 1950s who faced criticism about the limitations of the UN, once said the UN was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell. Similarly, South Africas Truth and Reconciliation Commission was not designed to take South Africa to some idyllic utopia. After a century of colonialism and apartheid, that would not have been realistic. It was designed to save South Africa, then a nuclear power, from an implosion one that many feared would trigger a wider international war. To the extent that the commission saved South Africa from hell, I think it was successful. Perhaps, but it did its work. Since then, other truth commissions, whether they have included reconciliation or reparation mandates, have generated varying results. Some have been used cynically as tools for governments to legitimize themselves by pretending they have dealt with painful history when they have only kicked the can down the road. In Liberia, where I worked with a team of researchers last summer, the records of that countrys truth and reconciliation commission are not even readily available to the public. That secrecy robs Liberia of what should be the most essential benefit of confronting past injustices: permanent, public memorialization that inoculates the future against the mistakes of the past. U.S. needs truth commission On balance, the truth commission stands as an important tool that can and should be used around the world. Its painfully apparent that the United States needs a national truth commission of some kind to address hundreds of years of injustice suffered by Black Americans. There, centuries of enslavement, state-sponsored racism, denial of civil rights and ongoing economic and social disparity have yet to be addressed. Like many, I dont hold out hope that a U.S. commission will be established any time soon especially not under the current administration. But I do think one is inevitable at some point, better sooner than later. Wherever there is an ugly, unresolved injustice pulling at the fabric of a society, there is an opportunity to haul it out in public and deal with it through a truth commission. Still, there is not yet any central body or facility that researchers, political leaders or other advocates can turn to for guidance, information and evidence. Such an entity would help them understand and compare how past commissions have worked or failed to work and create better outcomes for future commissions. As the movement to expose, understand and resolve historical injustices grows, it would seem that Canada, a stable democracy with its own sorrowed history and its interest in global human rights, would make an excellent place to establish such a centre. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/do-truth-and-reconciliation-commissions- https://theconversation.com

Bonny Ibhawoh: Truth and reconciliation commissions can help heal divided nations. She says there is no end to the need for truth commissions, as long as historic injustices continue to fester. Ibhawo: South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission helped bring the country safely into a modern, democratic era.

ctrlsum

https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/do-truth-and-reconciliation-commissions-heal-divided-nations

Why Is Apple Going To Sleep?

Apple recently made headlines by rolling out its Beddit sleep tracker -- a product that allows anyone to track the quality of their sleep without needing to wear it to bed or worry about turning it on every night. Because it isnt actually mundane: Sleep is the future of health. You see, wellness has three pillars: nutrition, exercise and sleep. Nutrition and exercise are already well-known, studied and attended to by all types of products and services. But the third pillar, sleep, is equally important and often overlooked. The average American is getting just 6.8 hours per night, down more than an hour from over six decades ago. This deficit recently led the New York Times to call sleep improvement "the simplest way to drastically improve your life. We are finally starting to see this message enter the public dialogue. Look no further than the press frenzy over Elon Musks sleep health. But Apple knows that better sleep is more than just a trend, more than a market opportunity. A few years ago, I was like many other entrepreneurs -- plagued by sleepless nights that left me completely drained and defeated. By consciously working to improve my sleep, I drastically improved the quality of my life. I felt fitter, more refreshed and filled with renewed energy. The change made me realize that sleep deserves to be viewed through the same lens as fitness: It is an activity you can train for and master. These insights inspired me to found Eight Sleep, a company devoted to supporting sleep fitness. Before my breakthrough, Id thought of sufficient sleep as desirable but not crucial -- a nice-to-have rather than a requirement. In reality, quality sleep is not only essential for overall well-being, but it grants the power to control your own health outcomes while reducing the costs of your own health care -- and not a moment too soon. In 2017, the average American spent $10,739 on health care. For all these reasons, sleep is already a huge business, and with a company like Apple getting involved, it's certain to continue to grow. Sleep trackers alone are a $1.3 billion market and are projected to expand at a CAGR of 7.6% by 2028. We've seen multiple other companies enter the arena in recent years, including Whoop and Fitbit. The wellness and health care fields seem to be expanding every year; supporting healthy sleep lies at the intersection of both industries. Whats more, prevention is the gold standard of all health care, and better sleep has been scientifically shown, time and time again, to enhance cognitive function, sharpen memory, improve physical and mental health, and boost athletic performance. Between Beddit and the Apple Watch Series 4, with its built-in ECG and fitness coaching, Apple is clearly bullish on personal health care. Its also clear that Apple understands what other companies like mine, Withings and more have already realized: The future of sleep lies beyond our wrists. With both wearable and nonwearable tools becoming more commonplace, the transformative benefits of sleep fitness will continue to receive more attention and become more attainable for even the busiest among us.

Apple's Beddit sleep tracker allows anyone to track the quality of their sleep. Sleep is the future of health. Because it isnt actually mundane: Sleep is the future of health.

pegasus

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/01/24/why-is-apple-going-to-sleep/

Why Is Apple Going To Sleep?

Apple recently made headlines by rolling out its Beddit sleep tracker -- a product that allows anyone to track the quality of their sleep without needing to wear it to bed or worry about turning it on every night. Because it isnt actually mundane: Sleep is the future of health. You see, wellness has three pillars: nutrition, exercise and sleep. Nutrition and exercise are already well-known, studied and attended to by all types of products and services. But the third pillar, sleep, is equally important and often overlooked. The average American is getting just 6.8 hours per night, down more than an hour from over six decades ago. This deficit recently led the New York Times to call sleep improvement "the simplest way to drastically improve your life. We are finally starting to see this message enter the public dialogue. Look no further than the press frenzy over Elon Musks sleep health. But Apple knows that better sleep is more than just a trend, more than a market opportunity. A few years ago, I was like many other entrepreneurs -- plagued by sleepless nights that left me completely drained and defeated. By consciously working to improve my sleep, I drastically improved the quality of my life. I felt fitter, more refreshed and filled with renewed energy. The change made me realize that sleep deserves to be viewed through the same lens as fitness: It is an activity you can train for and master. These insights inspired me to found Eight Sleep, a company devoted to supporting sleep fitness. Before my breakthrough, Id thought of sufficient sleep as desirable but not crucial -- a nice-to-have rather than a requirement. In reality, quality sleep is not only essential for overall well-being, but it grants the power to control your own health outcomes while reducing the costs of your own health care -- and not a moment too soon. In 2017, the average American spent $10,739 on health care. For all these reasons, sleep is already a huge business, and with a company like Apple getting involved, it's certain to continue to grow. Sleep trackers alone are a $1.3 billion market and are projected to expand at a CAGR of 7.6% by 2028. We've seen multiple other companies enter the arena in recent years, including Whoop and Fitbit. The wellness and health care fields seem to be expanding every year; supporting healthy sleep lies at the intersection of both industries. Whats more, prevention is the gold standard of all health care, and better sleep has been scientifically shown, time and time again, to enhance cognitive function, sharpen memory, improve physical and mental health, and boost athletic performance. Between Beddit and the Apple Watch Series 4, with its built-in ECG and fitness coaching, Apple is clearly bullish on personal health care. Its also clear that Apple understands what other companies like mine, Withings and more have already realized: The future of sleep lies beyond our wrists. With both wearable and nonwearable tools becoming more commonplace, the transformative benefits of sleep fitness will continue to receive more attention and become more attainable for even the busiest among us.

Apple recently rolled out its Beddit sleep tracker, a product that allows anyone to track the quality of their sleep. Sleep is the future of health. Because it isnt actually mundane: Sleep is the future of health. The average American is getting just 6.8 hours per night, down more than an hour from over six decades ago.

pegasus

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/01/24/why-is-apple-going-to-sleep/

Could a bond with UW signee Noa Ngalu help lure prized linebacker prospect Daniel Heimuli to Washington?

Daniel Heimuli who earned defensive MVP honors at the Polynesian Bowl last weekend won a championship with Washington defensive tackle signee Noa Ngalu in December. Family. Thats what Daniel Heimuli found at Menlo-Atherton High School in Menlo Park, Calif., where the 2019 linebacker prospect secured a California state title last December. Thats what the consensus four-star recruit brought with him to Hawaii, where he was named the defensive MVP of the Polynesian Bowl All-Star Game last Saturday. And thats what hes hoping to discover during an official visit at the University of Washington this weekend. (Im looking for) family, really, because thats what Im going to miss the most, Heimuli said in a phone interview with The Times on Tuesday. Hopefully I can find my second family and second home. He wouldnt have to look far. Heimuli attended Menlo-Atherton with Noa Ngalu, a 280-pound defensive tackle who signed with UW in December. In between the lines, Heimuli literally watched Ngalus back. Outside of it, they were inseparable. Their houses sit two blocks apart. They won together, lost together, traced the path back and forth from school together. Heimuli and Ngalu are close, literally and figuratively. If I did something, he would be there too. If he did something, I would be there too, Heimuli said. Whenever we went to go eat, itd be us two. Whenever we went to go work out, itd be us two. Whenever coach needed something, itd be like, Ask Daniel, or, Ask Noa. We were a combo. Wherever hes at, Im at. Wherever Im at, hes at. Ngalu will be in Seattle this summer. I would be absolutely stunned if he didnt end up there, said 247Sports national recruiting editor Brandon Huffman. I would just be stunned if Washington didnt get him. The only wild card in there is Oregon to an extent, because he visited (previously). But they had so much ground to make up, and Washington is essentially going to get the last real visit. Granted, Heimuli who is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 155 overall player in the 2019 class, and the No. 9 inside linebacker also plans to visited Alabama between now and national signing day on Feb. 6. But the California linebackers primary recruiter in Tuscaloosa, Tosh Lupoi, just left to become the defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns. Huffman speculated that with Alabama losing Tosh, I think the Alabama visit is just that. Its just a visit. Chris Petersen and Co. are hoping Heimulis third stop in Seattle precedes a more permanent stay. And, considering the Huskies are tasked with replacing their top two tacklers from 2018 linebackers Ben Burr-Kirven and Tevis Bartlett, who produced a combined 249 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles and three sacks last season they could certainly use the help. Hes got the versatility, Huffman said. He can be a true inside linebacker. He can blitz. He can get to the quarterback, get past his blockers. But if you want to drop him outside you can, because he can drop into coverage. Hes really athletic. He moves well in space. Hes sideline to sideline. Hes a running back too for his (high school) team, so hes a two-way player, a lot like (UW early signee) Josh Calvert. Hes just an all-around football player. Heimuli showed that last weekend, when the 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker who also plays third base on his high schools baseball team piled up six tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack en route to earning defensive MVP honors at the Polynesian Bowl in Honolulu. He was joined, as always, by Ngalu and eight other Washington signees. And, as expected, the sales pitches came early and often. Every night, he said with a laugh, when asked how frequently UW signees attempted to recruit him. Every chance they got. Every chance they got. Of course, Washington already has three linebacker signees in the 2019 class four-star Josh Calvert (6-1, 227) and three-star recruits Miki Ah You (6-0, 207) and Alphonzo Tuputala (6-2, 249). But, should he sign with UW, Heimuli might be the most prized prospect of the group. He carried his team to a state championship, not taking any plays off, Huffman said. They dont have a lot of depth on that team so he was playing literally every snap. Hes tough. Hes got really good durability, but I think his athleticism really is remarkable. Technically, Heimuli carried Menlo-Atherton to a state championship with the help of Ngalu with his family. To use Heimulis word, they were a combo. Teammates. Brothers. Hes my brother for life, Heimuli said. Ive been rocking with (Ngalu) since freshman year. I hang out with him every day. So thats my guy. It would be unbelievable (to continue to play together). Being able to play with my brother, its amazing. To already have family at the college Id be going to, itd be amazing, because Id have a piece of home with me.

Daniel Heimuli and Noa Ngalu are close, literally and figuratively.

pegasus

https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/could-a-bond-with-uw-signee-noa-ngalu-help-lure-prized-linebacker-prospect-daniel-heimuli-to-washington/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all

Could a bond with UW signee Noa Ngalu help lure prized linebacker prospect Daniel Heimuli to Washington?

Daniel Heimuli who earned defensive MVP honors at the Polynesian Bowl last weekend won a championship with Washington defensive tackle signee Noa Ngalu in December. Family. Thats what Daniel Heimuli found at Menlo-Atherton High School in Menlo Park, Calif., where the 2019 linebacker prospect secured a California state title last December. Thats what the consensus four-star recruit brought with him to Hawaii, where he was named the defensive MVP of the Polynesian Bowl All-Star Game last Saturday. And thats what hes hoping to discover during an official visit at the University of Washington this weekend. (Im looking for) family, really, because thats what Im going to miss the most, Heimuli said in a phone interview with The Times on Tuesday. Hopefully I can find my second family and second home. He wouldnt have to look far. Heimuli attended Menlo-Atherton with Noa Ngalu, a 280-pound defensive tackle who signed with UW in December. In between the lines, Heimuli literally watched Ngalus back. Outside of it, they were inseparable. Their houses sit two blocks apart. They won together, lost together, traced the path back and forth from school together. Heimuli and Ngalu are close, literally and figuratively. If I did something, he would be there too. If he did something, I would be there too, Heimuli said. Whenever we went to go eat, itd be us two. Whenever we went to go work out, itd be us two. Whenever coach needed something, itd be like, Ask Daniel, or, Ask Noa. We were a combo. Wherever hes at, Im at. Wherever Im at, hes at. Ngalu will be in Seattle this summer. I would be absolutely stunned if he didnt end up there, said 247Sports national recruiting editor Brandon Huffman. I would just be stunned if Washington didnt get him. The only wild card in there is Oregon to an extent, because he visited (previously). But they had so much ground to make up, and Washington is essentially going to get the last real visit. Granted, Heimuli who is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 155 overall player in the 2019 class, and the No. 9 inside linebacker also plans to visited Alabama between now and national signing day on Feb. 6. But the California linebackers primary recruiter in Tuscaloosa, Tosh Lupoi, just left to become the defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns. Huffman speculated that with Alabama losing Tosh, I think the Alabama visit is just that. Its just a visit. Chris Petersen and Co. are hoping Heimulis third stop in Seattle precedes a more permanent stay. And, considering the Huskies are tasked with replacing their top two tacklers from 2018 linebackers Ben Burr-Kirven and Tevis Bartlett, who produced a combined 249 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles and three sacks last season they could certainly use the help. Hes got the versatility, Huffman said. He can be a true inside linebacker. He can blitz. He can get to the quarterback, get past his blockers. But if you want to drop him outside you can, because he can drop into coverage. Hes really athletic. He moves well in space. Hes sideline to sideline. Hes a running back too for his (high school) team, so hes a two-way player, a lot like (UW early signee) Josh Calvert. Hes just an all-around football player. Heimuli showed that last weekend, when the 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker who also plays third base on his high schools baseball team piled up six tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack en route to earning defensive MVP honors at the Polynesian Bowl in Honolulu. He was joined, as always, by Ngalu and eight other Washington signees. And, as expected, the sales pitches came early and often. Every night, he said with a laugh, when asked how frequently UW signees attempted to recruit him. Every chance they got. Every chance they got. Of course, Washington already has three linebacker signees in the 2019 class four-star Josh Calvert (6-1, 227) and three-star recruits Miki Ah You (6-0, 207) and Alphonzo Tuputala (6-2, 249). But, should he sign with UW, Heimuli might be the most prized prospect of the group. He carried his team to a state championship, not taking any plays off, Huffman said. They dont have a lot of depth on that team so he was playing literally every snap. Hes tough. Hes got really good durability, but I think his athleticism really is remarkable. Technically, Heimuli carried Menlo-Atherton to a state championship with the help of Ngalu with his family. To use Heimulis word, they were a combo. Teammates. Brothers. Hes my brother for life, Heimuli said. Ive been rocking with (Ngalu) since freshman year. I hang out with him every day. So thats my guy. It would be unbelievable (to continue to play together). Being able to play with my brother, its amazing. To already have family at the college Id be going to, itd be amazing, because Id have a piece of home with me.

Daniel Heimuli and Noa Ngalu are close, literally and figuratively. Heimuli attended Menlo-Atherton with Ngalu, a 280-pound defensive tackle who signed with UW in December.

pegasus

https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/could-a-bond-with-uw-signee-noa-ngalu-help-lure-prized-linebacker-prospect-daniel-heimuli-to-washington/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all

Could a bond with UW signee Noa Ngalu help lure prized linebacker prospect Daniel Heimuli to Washington?

Daniel Heimuli who earned defensive MVP honors at the Polynesian Bowl last weekend won a championship with Washington defensive tackle signee Noa Ngalu in December. Family. Thats what Daniel Heimuli found at Menlo-Atherton High School in Menlo Park, Calif., where the 2019 linebacker prospect secured a California state title last December. Thats what the consensus four-star recruit brought with him to Hawaii, where he was named the defensive MVP of the Polynesian Bowl All-Star Game last Saturday. And thats what hes hoping to discover during an official visit at the University of Washington this weekend. (Im looking for) family, really, because thats what Im going to miss the most, Heimuli said in a phone interview with The Times on Tuesday. Hopefully I can find my second family and second home. He wouldnt have to look far. Heimuli attended Menlo-Atherton with Noa Ngalu, a 280-pound defensive tackle who signed with UW in December. In between the lines, Heimuli literally watched Ngalus back. Outside of it, they were inseparable. Their houses sit two blocks apart. They won together, lost together, traced the path back and forth from school together. Heimuli and Ngalu are close, literally and figuratively. If I did something, he would be there too. If he did something, I would be there too, Heimuli said. Whenever we went to go eat, itd be us two. Whenever we went to go work out, itd be us two. Whenever coach needed something, itd be like, Ask Daniel, or, Ask Noa. We were a combo. Wherever hes at, Im at. Wherever Im at, hes at. Ngalu will be in Seattle this summer. I would be absolutely stunned if he didnt end up there, said 247Sports national recruiting editor Brandon Huffman. I would just be stunned if Washington didnt get him. The only wild card in there is Oregon to an extent, because he visited (previously). But they had so much ground to make up, and Washington is essentially going to get the last real visit. Granted, Heimuli who is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 155 overall player in the 2019 class, and the No. 9 inside linebacker also plans to visited Alabama between now and national signing day on Feb. 6. But the California linebackers primary recruiter in Tuscaloosa, Tosh Lupoi, just left to become the defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns. Huffman speculated that with Alabama losing Tosh, I think the Alabama visit is just that. Its just a visit. Chris Petersen and Co. are hoping Heimulis third stop in Seattle precedes a more permanent stay. And, considering the Huskies are tasked with replacing their top two tacklers from 2018 linebackers Ben Burr-Kirven and Tevis Bartlett, who produced a combined 249 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles and three sacks last season they could certainly use the help. Hes got the versatility, Huffman said. He can be a true inside linebacker. He can blitz. He can get to the quarterback, get past his blockers. But if you want to drop him outside you can, because he can drop into coverage. Hes really athletic. He moves well in space. Hes sideline to sideline. Hes a running back too for his (high school) team, so hes a two-way player, a lot like (UW early signee) Josh Calvert. Hes just an all-around football player. Heimuli showed that last weekend, when the 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker who also plays third base on his high schools baseball team piled up six tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack en route to earning defensive MVP honors at the Polynesian Bowl in Honolulu. He was joined, as always, by Ngalu and eight other Washington signees. And, as expected, the sales pitches came early and often. Every night, he said with a laugh, when asked how frequently UW signees attempted to recruit him. Every chance they got. Every chance they got. Of course, Washington already has three linebacker signees in the 2019 class four-star Josh Calvert (6-1, 227) and three-star recruits Miki Ah You (6-0, 207) and Alphonzo Tuputala (6-2, 249). But, should he sign with UW, Heimuli might be the most prized prospect of the group. He carried his team to a state championship, not taking any plays off, Huffman said. They dont have a lot of depth on that team so he was playing literally every snap. Hes tough. Hes got really good durability, but I think his athleticism really is remarkable. Technically, Heimuli carried Menlo-Atherton to a state championship with the help of Ngalu with his family. To use Heimulis word, they were a combo. Teammates. Brothers. Hes my brother for life, Heimuli said. Ive been rocking with (Ngalu) since freshman year. I hang out with him every day. So thats my guy. It would be unbelievable (to continue to play together). Being able to play with my brother, its amazing. To already have family at the college Id be going to, itd be amazing, because Id have a piece of home with me.

Daniel Heimuli and Noa Ngalu are close, literally and figuratively. Heimuli attended Menlo-Atherton with Ngalu, a 280-pound defensive tackle who signed with UW in December. Heimuli also plans to visited Alabama between now and national signing day on Feb. 6.

pegasus

https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/could-a-bond-with-uw-signee-noa-ngalu-help-lure-prized-linebacker-prospect-daniel-heimuli-to-washington/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all

Can goalie Joey Daccord carry ASU hockey over the finish line into NCAA Tournament?

CLOSE ASU hockey coach Greg Powers talks surging Sun Devils, captain Brinson Pasichnuk and NCAA Tournament hopes Jeff Metcalfe, azcentral sports Joey Daccord returns to his native Massachusetts this week as perhaps the best goalie in college hockey. At minimum, the junior is in strong contention for the Mike Richter Award despite not being among 20 on the watch list for the nation's top goalie when the season began. Last week, Daccord and ASU forward Johnny Walker made the ballot for the Hobey Baker Award, presented to the premier overall college hockey player. Fan voting is part of determining the top 10 candidates, to be announced March 20. Sun Devils are up for the coveted @HobeyBakerAward! Fans can vote EVERY DAY through March 10: https://t.co/QKerE1XcRQpic.twitter.com/Uj4a2Ntcy5 Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) January 16, 2019 "I'm truly honored to be included in that group and even be in the mix for such a prestigious and coveted award," Daccord said. "There's only a handful of teams that had two guys nominated so that speaks to what we're doing here as a program. This is going to be one of the top teams in the country for a long time." Even coming off consecutive losses, No. 17-ranked ASU is having unprecedented success in its fourth NCAA season in no small part thanks to Daccord, the national leader in shutouts (6), saves (767) and wins (16). ASU junior goalie Joey Daccord is nominated for the Hobey Baker Award (nation's best player) and among the contenders for the Mike Richter Award (nation's top goalie). (Photo: Darryl Webb/Special for the Republic) The Sun Devils have played more games to this point than most teams, inflating Daccord's save total, but he also is No. 7 nationally in saves percentage (.930, up from .909 last season). Until Jan. 11, Daccord had played every minute between the pipes. But after ASU fell behind 5-1 in the third period at Cornell, coach Greg Powers gave freshman Evan DeBrouwer his first college playing time. "That was genuinely just to save Joey's legs more than anything," Powers said. "It wasn't his fault we were down 5-1. He wasn't yanked because of performance. He was pulled to preserve him for Saturday, and it almost worked (ASU lost 3-2 in game 2). "That's the difference in Joey this year. He's always had the technique and talent and fundamentals. It's just his brain and maturity catching up to his talent. Now he has all three." ASU (16-9-1) has not lost more than two straight and to keep that alive must win Friday at Boston University (9-9-3). It's an important weekend on multiple levels for Daccord, whose hometown is North Andover, Mass. He played at Cushing Academy outside Boston and in the USHL before starting at ASU in 2016-17. On Jan. 4-5, Daccord registered two wins including a shutout over Boston College. Now he gets a shot at beating another Boston school on its ice. "I'm really looking forward to it," he said. "I don't think there's many people that would have had us in this position before the season," with a chance to make the 16-team NCAA Tournament. "We should be grateful but at the same time we've got to kick it into high gear and take advantage of the opportunity." ASU probably needs to win six of its final eight games to have a realistic chance of making the NCAA field as an independent, last accomplished by Alaska Anchorage in 1992. Only two of the eight are at home and the next four are in the East. Arizona State University goalie Joey Daccord (35) saves the puck against Clarkson's Nico Sturm (17) during the first period of their game in the 2018 Desert Hockey Classic in Glendale, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. (Photo: Darryl Webb/Special for the Republic) Daccord stresses that team improvement has made his life a lot easier. "It's guys getting block outs, keeping shots to the outside and giving me a chance to make easy saves," he said. "And we've been scoring a lot too. Past year we had to win low-scoring games or have a great night offensively, and those didn't come as much." ASU averages 3.12 goals (No. 17 nationally) while giving up 2.38 (No. 16). Plus, in no small part thanks to Daccord, the Sun Devils are No. 11 in penalty kill. Daccord, 22, is solidly focused on the present and not the near future, when he must decide whether to sign with the Ottawa Senators. He was a 2015 NHL seventh-round draft pick and becomes a free agent if he doesn't sign this year and instead returns for his senior season at ASU. Also because of his tri-citizenship U.S., Swiss, Canadian through his parents, Daccord's options include playing professionally in Switzerland. "As soon as you start looking ahead, that's when your mind gets running and you lose focus," Daccord said. "I honestly don't even know how it's going to go. I don't know what the process is like. Right now I'm a Sun Devil and that's what I'm focused on." READ MORE:

ASU junior goalie Joey Daccord is nominated for the Hobey Baker Award. He is also among the contenders for the Mike Richter Award (nation's top goalie) The Sun Devils have a chance to make the 16-team NCAA Tournament.

bart

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2019/01/24/asu-hockey-joey-daccord-returns-home-one-nations-top-goalies/2593840002/

Can goalie Joey Daccord carry ASU hockey over the finish line into NCAA Tournament?

CLOSE ASU hockey coach Greg Powers talks surging Sun Devils, captain Brinson Pasichnuk and NCAA Tournament hopes Jeff Metcalfe, azcentral sports Joey Daccord returns to his native Massachusetts this week as perhaps the best goalie in college hockey. At minimum, the junior is in strong contention for the Mike Richter Award despite not being among 20 on the watch list for the nation's top goalie when the season began. Last week, Daccord and ASU forward Johnny Walker made the ballot for the Hobey Baker Award, presented to the premier overall college hockey player. Fan voting is part of determining the top 10 candidates, to be announced March 20. Sun Devils are up for the coveted @HobeyBakerAward! Fans can vote EVERY DAY through March 10: https://t.co/QKerE1XcRQpic.twitter.com/Uj4a2Ntcy5 Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) January 16, 2019 "I'm truly honored to be included in that group and even be in the mix for such a prestigious and coveted award," Daccord said. "There's only a handful of teams that had two guys nominated so that speaks to what we're doing here as a program. This is going to be one of the top teams in the country for a long time." Even coming off consecutive losses, No. 17-ranked ASU is having unprecedented success in its fourth NCAA season in no small part thanks to Daccord, the national leader in shutouts (6), saves (767) and wins (16). ASU junior goalie Joey Daccord is nominated for the Hobey Baker Award (nation's best player) and among the contenders for the Mike Richter Award (nation's top goalie). (Photo: Darryl Webb/Special for the Republic) The Sun Devils have played more games to this point than most teams, inflating Daccord's save total, but he also is No. 7 nationally in saves percentage (.930, up from .909 last season). Until Jan. 11, Daccord had played every minute between the pipes. But after ASU fell behind 5-1 in the third period at Cornell, coach Greg Powers gave freshman Evan DeBrouwer his first college playing time. "That was genuinely just to save Joey's legs more than anything," Powers said. "It wasn't his fault we were down 5-1. He wasn't yanked because of performance. He was pulled to preserve him for Saturday, and it almost worked (ASU lost 3-2 in game 2). "That's the difference in Joey this year. He's always had the technique and talent and fundamentals. It's just his brain and maturity catching up to his talent. Now he has all three." ASU (16-9-1) has not lost more than two straight and to keep that alive must win Friday at Boston University (9-9-3). It's an important weekend on multiple levels for Daccord, whose hometown is North Andover, Mass. He played at Cushing Academy outside Boston and in the USHL before starting at ASU in 2016-17. On Jan. 4-5, Daccord registered two wins including a shutout over Boston College. Now he gets a shot at beating another Boston school on its ice. "I'm really looking forward to it," he said. "I don't think there's many people that would have had us in this position before the season," with a chance to make the 16-team NCAA Tournament. "We should be grateful but at the same time we've got to kick it into high gear and take advantage of the opportunity." ASU probably needs to win six of its final eight games to have a realistic chance of making the NCAA field as an independent, last accomplished by Alaska Anchorage in 1992. Only two of the eight are at home and the next four are in the East. Arizona State University goalie Joey Daccord (35) saves the puck against Clarkson's Nico Sturm (17) during the first period of their game in the 2018 Desert Hockey Classic in Glendale, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. (Photo: Darryl Webb/Special for the Republic) Daccord stresses that team improvement has made his life a lot easier. "It's guys getting block outs, keeping shots to the outside and giving me a chance to make easy saves," he said. "And we've been scoring a lot too. Past year we had to win low-scoring games or have a great night offensively, and those didn't come as much." ASU averages 3.12 goals (No. 17 nationally) while giving up 2.38 (No. 16). Plus, in no small part thanks to Daccord, the Sun Devils are No. 11 in penalty kill. Daccord, 22, is solidly focused on the present and not the near future, when he must decide whether to sign with the Ottawa Senators. He was a 2015 NHL seventh-round draft pick and becomes a free agent if he doesn't sign this year and instead returns for his senior season at ASU. Also because of his tri-citizenship U.S., Swiss, Canadian through his parents, Daccord's options include playing professionally in Switzerland. "As soon as you start looking ahead, that's when your mind gets running and you lose focus," Daccord said. "I honestly don't even know how it's going to go. I don't know what the process is like. Right now I'm a Sun Devil and that's what I'm focused on." READ MORE:

ASU junior goalie Joey Daccord is nominated for the Hobey Baker Award. He is also among the contenders for the Mike Richter Award (nation's top goalie) The Sun Devils have a chance to make the 16-team NCAA Tournament. ASU (16-9-1) has not lost more than two straight.

bart

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2019/01/24/asu-hockey-joey-daccord-returns-home-one-nations-top-goalies/2593840002/

Will Brown & Brown (BRO) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?

Brown & Brown (BRO), which belongs to the Zacks Insurance - Brokerage industry, could be a great candidate to consider. This insurance company has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 4.03%. For the most recent quarter, Brown & Brown was expected to post earnings of $0.34 per share, but it reported $0.38 per share instead, representing a surprise of 11.76%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $0.27 per share, while it actually produced $0.26 per share, a surprise of 3.70%. Price and EPS Surprise Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for Brown & Brown lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Brown & Brown currently has an Earnings ESP of +5.38%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on January 28, 2019. With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Brown & Brown (BRO) was expected to post earnings of $0.34 per share. It actually produced earnings of $0.38 per share, a surprise of 11.76%.

pegasus

https://news.yahoo.com/brown-brown-bro-beat-estimates-151003017.html

Will Brown & Brown (BRO) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?

Brown & Brown (BRO), which belongs to the Zacks Insurance - Brokerage industry, could be a great candidate to consider. This insurance company has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 4.03%. For the most recent quarter, Brown & Brown was expected to post earnings of $0.34 per share, but it reported $0.38 per share instead, representing a surprise of 11.76%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $0.27 per share, while it actually produced $0.26 per share, a surprise of 3.70%. Price and EPS Surprise Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for Brown & Brown lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Brown & Brown currently has an Earnings ESP of +5.38%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on January 28, 2019. With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Brown & Brown (BRO) has an established record of topping earnings estimates. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 4.03%. For the most recent quarter, Brown & Brown was expected to post earnings of $0.34 per share, but it reported $ 0.38 per share instead.

bart

https://news.yahoo.com/brown-brown-bro-beat-estimates-151003017.html

Will SkyWest (SKYW) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?

SkyWest (SKYW), which belongs to the Zacks Transportation - Airline industry, could be a great candidate to consider. This regional airline has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 13.80%. For the most recent quarter, SkyWest was expected to post earnings of $1.41 per share, but it reported $1.57 per share instead, representing a surprise of 11.35%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $1.23 per share, while it actually produced $1.43 per share, a surprise of 16.26%. Price and EPS Surprise Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for SkyWest lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. SkyWest currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.77%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on January 31, 2019. With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report SkyWest, Inc. (SKYW) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research

SkyWest has an EPS record of 13.80% over the past two quarters. SkyWest was expected to post earnings of $1.41 per share, but it reported $1.57 per share, a surprise of 11.35%.

pegasus

https://news.yahoo.com/skywest-skyw-beat-estimates-again-151003762.html

Will SkyWest (SKYW) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?

SkyWest (SKYW), which belongs to the Zacks Transportation - Airline industry, could be a great candidate to consider. This regional airline has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 13.80%. For the most recent quarter, SkyWest was expected to post earnings of $1.41 per share, but it reported $1.57 per share instead, representing a surprise of 11.35%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $1.23 per share, while it actually produced $1.43 per share, a surprise of 16.26%. Price and EPS Surprise Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for SkyWest lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. SkyWest currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.77%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on January 31, 2019. With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report SkyWest, Inc. (SKYW) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research

SkyWest (SKYW) has an established record of topping earnings estimates. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 13.80%. For the most recent quarter, SkyWest was expected to post earnings of $1.41 per share, but it reported $ 1.57 per share instead, representing a surprise of 11.35%.

bart

https://news.yahoo.com/skywest-skyw-beat-estimates-again-151003762.html

Will Penske (PAG) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?

It is worth considering Penske Automotive (PAG), which belongs to the Zacks Automotive - Retail and Whole Sales industry. This auto dealership chain has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 6.36%. For the most recent quarter, Penske was expected to post earnings of $1.38 per share, but it reported $1.40 per share instead, representing a surprise of 1.45%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $1.42 per share, while it actually produced $1.58 per share, a surprise of 11.27%. Price and EPS Surprise With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for Penske. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Penske currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.15%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on February 7, 2019. With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (PAG) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Penske Automotive (PAG) has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the last two quarters.

ctrlsum

https://news.yahoo.com/penske-pag-beat-estimates-again-151003447.html

Will Penske (PAG) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?

It is worth considering Penske Automotive (PAG), which belongs to the Zacks Automotive - Retail and Whole Sales industry. This auto dealership chain has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 6.36%. For the most recent quarter, Penske was expected to post earnings of $1.38 per share, but it reported $1.40 per share instead, representing a surprise of 1.45%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $1.42 per share, while it actually produced $1.58 per share, a surprise of 11.27%. Price and EPS Surprise With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for Penske. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Penske currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.15%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on February 7, 2019. With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (PAG) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Penske Automotive (PAG) has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 6.36%.

bart

https://news.yahoo.com/penske-pag-beat-estimates-again-151003447.html

Will Penske (PAG) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?

It is worth considering Penske Automotive (PAG), which belongs to the Zacks Automotive - Retail and Whole Sales industry. This auto dealership chain has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 6.36%. For the most recent quarter, Penske was expected to post earnings of $1.38 per share, but it reported $1.40 per share instead, representing a surprise of 1.45%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $1.42 per share, while it actually produced $1.58 per share, a surprise of 11.27%. Price and EPS Surprise With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for Penske. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Penske currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.15%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on February 7, 2019. With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (PAG) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Penske Automotive (PAG) has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates. The average EPS surprise for the last two quarters was 6.36%. The Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) is a great indicator of an earnings beat.

pegasus

https://news.yahoo.com/penske-pag-beat-estimates-again-151003447.html

What's Next For Privacy Policy?

Privacy, and specifically the future planks of an organizations privacy policy, may be the most significant wild card marketers now face. The uncertainties and the absence of a codified policy roadmap make planning difficult. Whatever transitions need to be implemented to evolve privacy are obscure. For the perspective of The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San Francisco-based global non-profit digital rights group, I asked director of grassroots advocacy Shahid Buttar to share his insights on where privacy policy should be headed. Shahid Buttar: The right of any user to opt-in to data collection about her behavior online is near the top of the list. Its reflected in corporate data privacy regulations proposed from Washington to Sacramento and is the single most important principle to consider in terms of empowering users. Another proverbial elephant in the room is the co-optation of data in corporate hands by national security authorities, whose warrantless monitoring of millions of Americans poses a profound threat to freedom of expression. Buttar: One discrete area where the interests of consumers and marketers converge is with respect to notification of data breaches. Consumers benefit from knowing when their data has been compromised, especially to the extent they receive guidance to, for instance, update their passwords and cease using any credentials that may have been exposed. Marketers also benefit from robust disclosure, which (despite the disappointing role of bearing bad news) can prevent their users and platforms from enduring ongoing vulnerabilities. We favor state-based regulations to enshrine user privacy standards and compel respect from corporate marketers. Proposals in Congress are generally premature, especially to the extent they might limit or pre-empt innovation in the states. Talbot: There is clearly no shortage of privacy abuse. There is a shortage of government intervention and legislative oversight. Buttar: Again, the single most pressing issue here is the right of consumers to demand that platforms seek their informed consent before collecting information about their behavior. Data privacy regulations proposed in Congress, and those which have been passed into law in California and Vermont, recognize and require new respect for this long-abused right. That said, Id challenge the premise that there is a shortage of government intervention, since unfortunately, there has been entirely too much in the form of warrantless surveillance unhinged from the individual basis for suspicion required to justify state scrutiny under our Constitution. Indeed, corporate data collection threatens user privacy. So does the co-optation of the Internet as a tool for global surveillance by authorities who continue to hide their actions behind a wall of executive secrecy despite global controversy. Congress must reform our nations dysfunctional classification system, which allows officials to hide embarrassing facts and evade meaningful civilian oversight. Buttar: Were I in such a position, the marketing team would be among my audiences, but Id be more focused on reiterating limits to our investors and engineering teams. In particular, Id reiterate some of the same commitments that EFF has long made to our users: to abstain from tracking their behavior online or responses to emails, to respect their autonomy and choice, and to deliver information that empowers users, rather than preying on them. I would also be eager to focus my hypothetical organization on business models that address users as customers, rather than treating them as resources from which to extract data. Similarly, that commitment must extend well beyond marketing executives in order to be meaningful.

Privacy, and specifically the future planks of an organizations privacy policy, may be the most significant wild card marketers now face. The right of any user to opt-in to data collection about her behavior online is near the top of the list.

pegasus

https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultalbot/2019/01/24/whats-next-for-privacy-policy/

How exactly did a Dragon Ball movie become a box-office hit in 2019?

A lot of people whose business it is to predict box-office returns were left bewildered this week by a movie whose success was unpredictable. Dragon Ball Super: Broly, a feature-length Japanese anime, was released across North America last Wednesday in more than 1200 cinemas. Its distributor, a subsidiary of Sony that specializes in importing cartoons from Asia, provided little in the way of conventional advertising, and marketed the theatrical engagement as a show of courtesy to eager fans of the long-running Dragon Ball TV series. In Canada, Dragon Ball Super Broly opened at Cineplex, where it has been relegated to its Event Cinema vertical, alongside Andre Rieu Live in Concert and La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera. By the end of the weekend, it had finished fourth at the domestic box office and earned $20 million. Nobody understands it. I saw Dragon Ball Super: Broly on Sunday evening at a big multiplex in downtown Toronto. I would have seen it on Friday, or on Saturday, but every screening at a reasonable hour was sold out well in advance. As it was, when I finally did get in, I barely found a seat. The auditorium hummed with an enthusiasm more akin to the atmosphere of a football game than a movie. The crowd talked amongst themselves as if silence werent the etiquette, making excited remarks about the action as it unfolded. After every joke or reference, they laughed uproariously, and when characters transformed or reached new summits of superhuman power, as happens at regular intervals throughout the film, they burst into exuberant applause. It was bizarre and indescribably delightful. At most movies, the audience comprises a range of responsive states, fluctuating between degrees of intrigue and indifference: nobody knows until the lights dim whether theyll be enraptured or bored stiff. But the audience at Dragon Ball Super had an unusually clear idea of what they were in for. The energy in the room was like a rock concert, as devotees gather to hear their favourite hits performed. Interestingly, and contrary to the conclusions of industry analysts mystified by its unforeseen commercial success, Dragon Ball Super isnt some seemingly esoteric curio with surprise mainstream appeal, in the way that, say, My Big Fat Greek Wedding defied forecasts to capture the mass market. Dragon Ball Super really is as esoteric as it seems. It appeals to an extremely specific market of passionate, dedicated fans there simply happen to be more of them than anybody realized, with money to spend. This demands an explanation. It doesnt come easy. Dragon Ball Super: Broly is the 20th film in the Dragon Ball franchise. It is based on a Japanese comic book, or manga, created by an illustrator and writer named Akira Toriyama and serialized in Shonen Jump magazine for more than a decade starting in 1984. In the mid-80s, the manga was adapted as an anime for television in Japan, which was dubbed in English and broadcast on the Cartoon Network in America (and on YTV in Canada) a decade later, starting in 1995. It bred a sequel, Dragon Ball Z, which become enormously popular when it aired in the west. An inexhaustible supply of video games, action figures and home video box sets gave the show continued relevance in the imagination of adolescents long after it went off air. The sequel series ran in the U.S. and Canada until early 2003, by which time it had secured its position as the best-known anime abroad beside bona fide crossover Pokmon. It remained dormant for another 10 years, then reemerged with Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, a theatrical feature that heralded a sort of renaissance for the franchise, inspiring a new series under the title Dragon Ball Super, a direct movie sequel called Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F, and a triple-A video game, Dragon Ball FighterZ, that was one of the most acclaimed of last year. Dragon Ball is having a moment, in other words 35 years after it was introduced. As a recent essay in Wired explains, the new film is a culmination of years of slow building and at least a year of popular resurgence. No less compellingly, it may be the best piece of Dragon Ball animation ever produced. I can confirm this bold declaration. I feel qualified to do so because between the fall of 1999 and the winter of 2001, when I was 13 and 14, I spent so many hours watching Dragon Ball Z that, had I used the time to study languages instead, I would today be fluent in French, German, Arabic and Mandarin. As it stands, I didnt even learn Japanese, as I watched the show dubbed in English rather than with subtitles. Im not sure what it was about Dragon Ball that so endlessly fascinated me. One was hard-pressed to ignore its shortcomings, frequently cited: glacial pace, repetitive structure, ludicrous action. Most episodes consisted of nothing more than two truculent adversaries staring each other down for 30 minutes, slowly building to a battle. Sometimes people would fight. Mainly they would stand around and glower. Either way, Id sit there transfixed, thirsty for more. In its original comic-book incarnation, Toriyamas Dragon Ball was a light-hearted farce about a boy with a tail like a monkey. This boy, Goku, was on a quest to find the seven mystical Dragon Balls, which, when assembled, could summon the genie-like dragon Shenlong, who would reward the finder with a wish. By the time of Dragon Ball Z, the child hero was an adult with children of his own, and his adventures tended more toward the serious life-or-death struggles and clashes of good and evil, the kind of earth-shaking bouts that routinely fill out Marvel movies. But even as the content got darker and the tone more severe, childish beginnings meant Dragon Balls reputation as a program for kids stuck, a misconception that, oddly enough, has extended the life of the show. The same boys who loved Dragon Ball at age 10 often still do now at 25. This lasting personal affection is responsible for its endurance as a fixture of popular culture for more than 30 years. And it accounts for the incredible triumph of Dragon Ball Super: Broly, which arrives prime to exploit the affection of all those who once did, or still do, adore this cherished franchise of their eternal youth. When, midway through the film, the churlish Saiyan prince Vegeta spars with the mysterious and powerful newcomer Broly, I could feel my critical faculties relieving themselves. The choreography was delirious, the animation beautiful; virtually everything happening, I acknowledged reluctantly, would be incomprehensible to anyone not intimately versed in the lore. Dragon Ball Super: Broly is not a movie for the average moviegoer. Yet it had me thrilled, cheering along with the rest of my gawky, wistful, weirdo audience.

Dragon Ball Super: Broly, a feature-length Japanese anime, was released across North America last Wednesday in more than 1200 cinemas. By the end of the weekend, it had finished fourth at the domestic box office and earned $20 million. Dragon Ball Super appeals to an extremely specific market of passionate, dedicated fans.

pegasus

https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/movies/how-exactly-did-a-dragon-ball-movie-become-a-box-office-hit-in-2019

What caused pieces of Superdome ceiling to fall during NFC Championship?

Long forgotten after the non-call that impacted the New Orleans Saints' NFC Championship loss Sunday was something unique that occurred in the first quarter. When linebacker Demario Davis intercepted a pass that helped the Saints to a 13-0 lead, the crowd reaction created a vibration so strong that small pieces of debris came loose from the ceiling above a ground-level walkway. Stadium workers quickly cleared the walkway, and nothing more fell from the ceiling. A closer look at part of the Superdome ceiling that fell during the first quarter. #Saints fans are loud. pic.twitter.com/3vnGHgaKPw Julie Boudwin (@Julie_Boudwin) January 20, 2019 On Wednesday (Jan. 23), Doug Thornton, the executive vice president of stadiums and arenas for SMG, offered an explanation for what happened. What people were experiencing was the movement in the stadium, he said. Any tall building, if you look at the Empire State Building or any tall building, youll see when the winds blow, theres probably a 6 or 8 inch sway, which might surprise some people. Anytime you have a big building like this, which might be six or eight stories tall, theres going to be a little play in the steel and the concrete. In this case, the boisterous crowd reaction created a vibration through the Dome strong enough for pieces of a fiberboard inside an expansion joint to break loose, he said. The fiberboard was being used as filler to prevent leakage between the two large concrete sections of the Dome. An expansion joint is the gap of space between large pieces of concrete. That gap allows for thermal expansion in the concrete without causing distortion. It wasnt like the ceiling is falling, Thornton said. Thornton has worked at the Dome for 22 years. He said the noise level at the time of that interception was louder than hed ever heard louder than when Steve Gleason blocked a punt in the first post-Katrina game at the Dome in 2006 and when Garrett Hartley kicked the field goal that clinched a Super Bowl berth in 2010. Ill have to be honest with you, he said. Ive been here 22 years and Ive never seen it. Weve had damage and destruction from rowdy fans who will punch holes in walls and throw beer cans, throw trashcans upside down, put dents in doors. Things like that. Ive never heard it that loud before. And Ive never seen it with the vibration where the space filler would fall out." Doug Thornton has been through it all inside the Superdome, but this was different

A piece of the Superdome ceiling fell during the first quarter of Sunday's NFC Championship. It was caused by a vibration caused by the crowd reaction to an interception.

ctrlsum

https://www.nola.com/saints/2019/01/what-caused-pieces-of-superdome-ceiling-to-fall-during-nfc-championship.html

What caused pieces of Superdome ceiling to fall during NFC Championship?

Long forgotten after the non-call that impacted the New Orleans Saints' NFC Championship loss Sunday was something unique that occurred in the first quarter. When linebacker Demario Davis intercepted a pass that helped the Saints to a 13-0 lead, the crowd reaction created a vibration so strong that small pieces of debris came loose from the ceiling above a ground-level walkway. Stadium workers quickly cleared the walkway, and nothing more fell from the ceiling. A closer look at part of the Superdome ceiling that fell during the first quarter. #Saints fans are loud. pic.twitter.com/3vnGHgaKPw Julie Boudwin (@Julie_Boudwin) January 20, 2019 On Wednesday (Jan. 23), Doug Thornton, the executive vice president of stadiums and arenas for SMG, offered an explanation for what happened. What people were experiencing was the movement in the stadium, he said. Any tall building, if you look at the Empire State Building or any tall building, youll see when the winds blow, theres probably a 6 or 8 inch sway, which might surprise some people. Anytime you have a big building like this, which might be six or eight stories tall, theres going to be a little play in the steel and the concrete. In this case, the boisterous crowd reaction created a vibration through the Dome strong enough for pieces of a fiberboard inside an expansion joint to break loose, he said. The fiberboard was being used as filler to prevent leakage between the two large concrete sections of the Dome. An expansion joint is the gap of space between large pieces of concrete. That gap allows for thermal expansion in the concrete without causing distortion. It wasnt like the ceiling is falling, Thornton said. Thornton has worked at the Dome for 22 years. He said the noise level at the time of that interception was louder than hed ever heard louder than when Steve Gleason blocked a punt in the first post-Katrina game at the Dome in 2006 and when Garrett Hartley kicked the field goal that clinched a Super Bowl berth in 2010. Ill have to be honest with you, he said. Ive been here 22 years and Ive never seen it. Weve had damage and destruction from rowdy fans who will punch holes in walls and throw beer cans, throw trashcans upside down, put dents in doors. Things like that. Ive never heard it that loud before. And Ive never seen it with the vibration where the space filler would fall out." Doug Thornton has been through it all inside the Superdome, but this was different

A piece of the Superdome ceiling fell during the first quarter of Sunday's NFC Championship. It was caused by a vibration caused by the crowd reaction to an interception. The Dome's executive vice president of stadiums and arenas said the vibration caused the debris to fall. He said the noise level at the time of the interception was louder than he'd ever heard.

ctrlsum

https://www.nola.com/saints/2019/01/what-caused-pieces-of-superdome-ceiling-to-fall-during-nfc-championship.html

What's in the Offing for ServiceNow (NOW) in Q4 Earnings?

ServiceNow, Inc. NOW is scheduled to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Jan 30. Notably, the company has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and came in line in the remaining one, recording average positive surprise of 19.7%. In the third quarter, non-GAAP earnings of 68 cents per share outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 8 cents. Further, the figure soared 78.9% from the year-ago quarter. Moreover, revenues advanced 36.7% year over year to $673.1 million, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $659.4 million. We believe robust adoption witnessed by companys expanding range of application based products by government agencies, big private and public companies will drive top-line growth in the to-be-reported quarter. Guidance & Estimates For fourth-quarter 2018, management anticipates non-GAAP subscription revenues in the range of $664 million to $669 million, representing year-over-year growth of 33-34%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $717.3 million, translating to year-over-year growth of 31.3%. Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 64 cents per share, implying a surge of 82.9% from the year-ago quarter. Lets see how things are shaping up prior to this announcement. Factors Likely to Influence Q4 Results Expanding Customer Base & Deal Wins: Key Catalysts ServiceNows enterprise customer base exceeded 5,000 at the end of the third quarter. Further, the companys total number of customers contributing more than $1 million to the business reached 614 in the third quarter. The figure increased 37% on a year-over-year basis. Moreover, ServiceNow witnessed significant growth in its customer base which contributes above $10 million. There were 11 such customers including four Fed agencies. Notably, the figure was three times more than that of the prior-year quarter. Additionally, ServiceNows platform and tools are gaining rapid traction among the Global 2000 ("G2K") companies. Per the last reported quarter, the company added 20 new G2K companies. Further, it closed 36 contracts in the third quarter with an annualized contract value (ACV) of more than a million. Moreover, ServiceNow is also exploring new end-markets beyond G2K. New deal wins in particular from federal, state and local governments is a positive. In fact, in the third quarter, the company witnessed strong momentum across the government sector with U.S. government accounting for majority of its deals, including four Fed agencies. The growing influence of its ServiceNow Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) offering is also a positive. Further, the companys recent notable alliances with IBM IBM, Accenture and NTT Communications are anticipated to aid it in expanding digital transformation initiatives. Other Notable Factors ServiceNows acquisition of FriendlyData, in a bid to add natural language query (NLQ) technology capabilities to its platform, remains a notable development in the quarter under review. Notably, NLQ technology enables non-technical users to pose questions in simple English and obtain direct answers in real time. NLQ tech will be integrated with Now Platform and assist users to leverage Performance Analytics dashboards. Recently, the company entered into a partnership with Microsoft MSFT in a bid to offer ServiceNow digital workflows via Azure Government Cloud. It is aimed to facilitate the U.S. Federal customers with digital transformation by deploying ServiceNows technology via the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. The aforementioned factors are expected to garner new deals, consequently bolstering customer base. However, the company faces stiff competition from the likes of Oracle and Salesforce.com in the non-ITSM market, compelling it to increase spending on sales and marketing, which is likely to limit margin expansion. What Our Model Says According to the Zacks model, a company with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) has a good chance of beating estimates if it also has a positive Earnings ESP. Sell-rated stocks (Zacks Rank #4 or 5) are best avoided. ServiceNow, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

ServiceNow, Inc. NOW is scheduled to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Jan 30. Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $717.3 million, translating to year-over-year growth of 31.3%. The company has recorded average positive surprise of 19.7%.

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https://news.yahoo.com/whats-offing-servicenow-now-q4-164504012.html

Could Influencer-Led Fakery Lead To The Demise Of Influencer Marketing For Businesses?

The relationship between businesses and their influencers has always been interesting for a wide variety of reasons. In the past, businesses have paid large sums to influencers in the hope that they may promote their brands to large audiences. These influencers have ranged from actors to Instagram or Youtube stars, but they all have a common ability - they are able to reach a brands target audience via a simple Instagram story or Youtube post. An example of a business using an influencer could be that of BECCA Cosmetics. The famous makeup brand teamed up with Chrissy Teigen, a model and the wife of John Legend, to promote a new makeup palette. The announcement was made via Chrissys Instagram page and it had around 5 million views - quite an amazing figure. We see, therefore, the power of influencer marketing because it can allow you to appeal to a large audience in a simple and effective manner. The world of influencer marketing, however, could be changing. It has recently been reported, however, that influencers are beginning to post about fake brand deals which could completely change the world of influencer marketing. The reason that influencers may have started faking brand deals (and buying fake followers) is due to the feeling that it is often quite difficult to score a major deal with a major company. The feeling is that companies are looking for people who have good promotional skills and who have a good track record when it comes to promoting goods and a significant following. If you are new into the industry this may be a hard thing to do therefore one might think that the only way to raise your credibility, is to fake it. To the general public, of course this method of gaining publicity may portray influencers in a negative light; more interestingly, it may be having a negative effect on the way in which businesses and influencers interact. These interactions may be particularly important for business owners and entrepreneurs, because they may be able to gain customers in a cost-free way. Well, with influencers advertising fake brand deals, they are essentially advertising a product for free. Now, in the past this may have been crazy because it seemed that all influencers got paid large sums for their advertising work. It must be remembered, however, that influencers must start with lower profile deals so that they can build their credibility up and receive bigger deals. All the influencer would need to do is publicise and review a product and in return they gain status, popularity and more followers. Such a concept seems to be beneficial for both parties because both the brand and influencer are getting their desired publicity. What is more, the brand is not having to spend money and in return they are helping to build the portfolio of an aspiring influencer. This method of influencer marketing is completely different to what we have seen in the past, because it has been commonly believed that businesses needed high profile celebrity influencers to grow. The likes of Odell Beckham Jr or Nick Young have done a great job for Nike and Adidas (respectively) and have been the necessary promoters that the brands have needed. It seems, however, that the relationships between influencers and business owners are becoming much more balanced, there are non-celebrity influencers who have a vast and dedicated following and need to find a synergy with a brand. It is, essentially, becoming a more symbiotic relationship, whereby each party needs one another in order to grow and become more popular. That said, I dont think pretending to deliver brand sponsored content is the right way to do it. I firmly believe that the influencers need to work on their personal brand and content to showcase who they are, what they do, what they stand for and the types of brands they could represent. I have worked with some of the biggest brands in the world on campaigns and the best way to build relationships with brands is to understand your WHY, your WHAT and your WHO. Your why is what you want to represent , your what is your areas of influence or expertise and your who is the demographic of the people you influence or want to influence. As the saying goes you have to stand for something or you fall for nothing, in an influencer marketing scenario this means you have to find synergy with the right brands, which are authentic to who you are. The world of influencer marketing has changed and continues to change but we can use this change for the good of SMEs. The discovery of influencers promoting fake brand deals has opened up opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurs to contact influencers about the idea of free brand deals. It is, all things being considered, not unlikely for influencers to say yes because they seem to have realised the importance of building their influencer portfolios. Whether this change will be a good or bad thing is debatable; but two things are clear influencers and brands need each other to grow and influencers need to look at building their personal brand to make them investment/sponsorship ready. The conclusion, stop the fakery - instead work with new or smaller brands, build synergy, build a loyal following and build a future as a real influencer.

The world of influencer marketing could be changing. influencers are beginning to post about fake brand deals.

pegasus

https://www.forbes.com/sites/biancamillercole/2019/01/24/could-influencer-lead-fakery-lead-to-the-demise-of-influencer-marketing-for-businesses/

Could Influencer-Led Fakery Lead To The Demise Of Influencer Marketing For Businesses?

The relationship between businesses and their influencers has always been interesting for a wide variety of reasons. In the past, businesses have paid large sums to influencers in the hope that they may promote their brands to large audiences. These influencers have ranged from actors to Instagram or Youtube stars, but they all have a common ability - they are able to reach a brands target audience via a simple Instagram story or Youtube post. An example of a business using an influencer could be that of BECCA Cosmetics. The famous makeup brand teamed up with Chrissy Teigen, a model and the wife of John Legend, to promote a new makeup palette. The announcement was made via Chrissys Instagram page and it had around 5 million views - quite an amazing figure. We see, therefore, the power of influencer marketing because it can allow you to appeal to a large audience in a simple and effective manner. The world of influencer marketing, however, could be changing. It has recently been reported, however, that influencers are beginning to post about fake brand deals which could completely change the world of influencer marketing. The reason that influencers may have started faking brand deals (and buying fake followers) is due to the feeling that it is often quite difficult to score a major deal with a major company. The feeling is that companies are looking for people who have good promotional skills and who have a good track record when it comes to promoting goods and a significant following. If you are new into the industry this may be a hard thing to do therefore one might think that the only way to raise your credibility, is to fake it. To the general public, of course this method of gaining publicity may portray influencers in a negative light; more interestingly, it may be having a negative effect on the way in which businesses and influencers interact. These interactions may be particularly important for business owners and entrepreneurs, because they may be able to gain customers in a cost-free way. Well, with influencers advertising fake brand deals, they are essentially advertising a product for free. Now, in the past this may have been crazy because it seemed that all influencers got paid large sums for their advertising work. It must be remembered, however, that influencers must start with lower profile deals so that they can build their credibility up and receive bigger deals. All the influencer would need to do is publicise and review a product and in return they gain status, popularity and more followers. Such a concept seems to be beneficial for both parties because both the brand and influencer are getting their desired publicity. What is more, the brand is not having to spend money and in return they are helping to build the portfolio of an aspiring influencer. This method of influencer marketing is completely different to what we have seen in the past, because it has been commonly believed that businesses needed high profile celebrity influencers to grow. The likes of Odell Beckham Jr or Nick Young have done a great job for Nike and Adidas (respectively) and have been the necessary promoters that the brands have needed. It seems, however, that the relationships between influencers and business owners are becoming much more balanced, there are non-celebrity influencers who have a vast and dedicated following and need to find a synergy with a brand. It is, essentially, becoming a more symbiotic relationship, whereby each party needs one another in order to grow and become more popular. That said, I dont think pretending to deliver brand sponsored content is the right way to do it. I firmly believe that the influencers need to work on their personal brand and content to showcase who they are, what they do, what they stand for and the types of brands they could represent. I have worked with some of the biggest brands in the world on campaigns and the best way to build relationships with brands is to understand your WHY, your WHAT and your WHO. Your why is what you want to represent , your what is your areas of influence or expertise and your who is the demographic of the people you influence or want to influence. As the saying goes you have to stand for something or you fall for nothing, in an influencer marketing scenario this means you have to find synergy with the right brands, which are authentic to who you are. The world of influencer marketing has changed and continues to change but we can use this change for the good of SMEs. The discovery of influencers promoting fake brand deals has opened up opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurs to contact influencers about the idea of free brand deals. It is, all things being considered, not unlikely for influencers to say yes because they seem to have realised the importance of building their influencer portfolios. Whether this change will be a good or bad thing is debatable; but two things are clear influencers and brands need each other to grow and influencers need to look at building their personal brand to make them investment/sponsorship ready. The conclusion, stop the fakery - instead work with new or smaller brands, build synergy, build a loyal following and build a future as a real influencer.

The world of influencer marketing could be changing. influencers are beginning to post about fake brand deals. This could completely change the world of influencer marketing.

pegasus

https://www.forbes.com/sites/biancamillercole/2019/01/24/could-influencer-lead-fakery-lead-to-the-demise-of-influencer-marketing-for-businesses/

Could Influencer-Led Fakery Lead To The Demise Of Influencer Marketing For Businesses?

The relationship between businesses and their influencers has always been interesting for a wide variety of reasons. In the past, businesses have paid large sums to influencers in the hope that they may promote their brands to large audiences. These influencers have ranged from actors to Instagram or Youtube stars, but they all have a common ability - they are able to reach a brands target audience via a simple Instagram story or Youtube post. An example of a business using an influencer could be that of BECCA Cosmetics. The famous makeup brand teamed up with Chrissy Teigen, a model and the wife of John Legend, to promote a new makeup palette. The announcement was made via Chrissys Instagram page and it had around 5 million views - quite an amazing figure. We see, therefore, the power of influencer marketing because it can allow you to appeal to a large audience in a simple and effective manner. The world of influencer marketing, however, could be changing. It has recently been reported, however, that influencers are beginning to post about fake brand deals which could completely change the world of influencer marketing. The reason that influencers may have started faking brand deals (and buying fake followers) is due to the feeling that it is often quite difficult to score a major deal with a major company. The feeling is that companies are looking for people who have good promotional skills and who have a good track record when it comes to promoting goods and a significant following. If you are new into the industry this may be a hard thing to do therefore one might think that the only way to raise your credibility, is to fake it. To the general public, of course this method of gaining publicity may portray influencers in a negative light; more interestingly, it may be having a negative effect on the way in which businesses and influencers interact. These interactions may be particularly important for business owners and entrepreneurs, because they may be able to gain customers in a cost-free way. Well, with influencers advertising fake brand deals, they are essentially advertising a product for free. Now, in the past this may have been crazy because it seemed that all influencers got paid large sums for their advertising work. It must be remembered, however, that influencers must start with lower profile deals so that they can build their credibility up and receive bigger deals. All the influencer would need to do is publicise and review a product and in return they gain status, popularity and more followers. Such a concept seems to be beneficial for both parties because both the brand and influencer are getting their desired publicity. What is more, the brand is not having to spend money and in return they are helping to build the portfolio of an aspiring influencer. This method of influencer marketing is completely different to what we have seen in the past, because it has been commonly believed that businesses needed high profile celebrity influencers to grow. The likes of Odell Beckham Jr or Nick Young have done a great job for Nike and Adidas (respectively) and have been the necessary promoters that the brands have needed. It seems, however, that the relationships between influencers and business owners are becoming much more balanced, there are non-celebrity influencers who have a vast and dedicated following and need to find a synergy with a brand. It is, essentially, becoming a more symbiotic relationship, whereby each party needs one another in order to grow and become more popular. That said, I dont think pretending to deliver brand sponsored content is the right way to do it. I firmly believe that the influencers need to work on their personal brand and content to showcase who they are, what they do, what they stand for and the types of brands they could represent. I have worked with some of the biggest brands in the world on campaigns and the best way to build relationships with brands is to understand your WHY, your WHAT and your WHO. Your why is what you want to represent , your what is your areas of influence or expertise and your who is the demographic of the people you influence or want to influence. As the saying goes you have to stand for something or you fall for nothing, in an influencer marketing scenario this means you have to find synergy with the right brands, which are authentic to who you are. The world of influencer marketing has changed and continues to change but we can use this change for the good of SMEs. The discovery of influencers promoting fake brand deals has opened up opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurs to contact influencers about the idea of free brand deals. It is, all things being considered, not unlikely for influencers to say yes because they seem to have realised the importance of building their influencer portfolios. Whether this change will be a good or bad thing is debatable; but two things are clear influencers and brands need each other to grow and influencers need to look at building their personal brand to make them investment/sponsorship ready. The conclusion, stop the fakery - instead work with new or smaller brands, build synergy, build a loyal following and build a future as a real influencer.

Businesses have paid large sums to influencers in the hope that they may promote their brands to large audiences. It has recently been reported, however, that influencers are beginning to post about fake brand deals which could completely change the world of influencer marketing. This could have a negative effect on the way in which businesses and influencers interact.

ctrlsum

https://www.forbes.com/sites/biancamillercole/2019/01/24/could-influencer-lead-fakery-lead-to-the-demise-of-influencer-marketing-for-businesses/

Will ex-Trump lawyer Cohen comply with Senate subpoena?

WASHINGTON (AP) A Senate committee has subpoenaed President Donald Trumps former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, a day after Cohen postponed his public testimony to a House committee. Word of the subpoena from the Senate Intelligence Committee comes from one of Cohens lawyers, Lanny Davis. Davis statement doesnt say whether Cohen will comply with the subpoena. That committee generally has held its Russia-related hearings in private. Cohen delayed his Feb. 7 appearance before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on the advice of his defense team because Cohen is still cooperating in special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Davis also said Cohen has received threats against his family. Cohen has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about a Trump business proposal in Moscow. Hes set to begin a three-year prison sentence in March.

A Senate committee has subpoenaed President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen. Cohen delayed his Feb. 7 appearance before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on the advice of his defense team because Cohen is still cooperating in special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Cohen has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about a Trump business proposal in Moscow.

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https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/senate-committee-subpoenas-ex-trump-lawyer-michael-cohen/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all

What is really preventing Atmos from making critical pipeline safety upgrades right away?

The regulatory and legislative wheels are in motion for Atmos Energy to more quickly upgrade its aging, dangerous natural gas distribution pipelines in North Texas. Speed is important because after a natural gas explosion in a home that killed a girl last year, Atmos found a worrying number of leaks in North Dallas. Dallas Rep. Rafael Anchia has filed legislation to require natural gas utilities to upgrade lines made of older materials by the end of next year. Thats faster than Atmos plan to replace such pipelines by the end of 2021. But if you live in a neighborhood with natural gas leaks, all of this is taking far too long to play out, as residents cant tell which spot is most likely to explode next. A cynic might say thats the way things often go in corporate America when the needs of customers conflict with the interests of shareholders. To that we say, but Atmos is a regulated monopoly, and those goals are supposed to align. Atmos, as with all natural gas utilities, is required to maintain its network of distribution pipelines to meet safety standards, as regulated by the Texas Railroad Commission. When the network needs upgrading to meet those standards, Atmos is required to make those investments, and the company is entitled to recoup the cost plus a profit margin by raising customer rates. This involves what used to be a long, onerous process of filing a rate case every few years and waiting for the money to finally roll in via customer bill payments. But Atmos persuaded the Railroad Commission a few years ago to implement an accelerated rate hike approval process, and the time between investment and payback has contracted. All of that means that Atmos can upgrade the aging lines and expect customers to pay for the cost of those upgrades plus a profit. In fact, capital investment is a key profit mechanism for regulated companies. We have two theories. 1. The scope of the needed upgrades in North Texas is so large that it is difficult to muster the workforce to do the entire job simultaneously and immediately. Replacing a pipeline involves digging up streets, alleys and private property and working with various crews and contractors to replace the line, fill in the hole, and replace the concrete or landscaping. This can be hugely disruptive to residents. Atmos said via email on Friday: Factors that may influence the rate of acceleration include the availability of materials; trained and qualified employees to design, coordinate, and inspect this level of construction activity; contractors to fill material for street repairs; increase demand of line-locate contractors due to increasing activity; inclement weather and city resources to support this pace of replacement. In consideration of these factors and regulatory requirements, we are continuing forward with pipeline replacement as quickly and safely as possible. 2. The Atmos board has boosted its dividend regularly, handing out large amounts of its profit to shareholders. Last year, the board increased the dividend 8.2 percent, amounting to a total cash payout of around $215 million. And in 2018 Atmos also boosted capital investment to $1.5 billion for the entire company, which includes regulated utility operations outside of Texas and a non-regulated pipeline company. Shareholders might forgo a little dividend in the short term but still reap the benefits when customers begin paying for the upgrades. Atmos answer via email is that the company relies on investors and creditors to finance a portion of its capital investments. As an investor-owned utility, we can only attract these additional resources if we are financially healthy. This means we must maintain manageable debt balances, grow earnings and increase dividends. Atmos last week filed with the city of Dallas for a rate hike of $10.1 million, which is in line with prior annual rate increases. If the company invests more, it would be entitled to raise rates to compensate. We have no problem with Atmos recouping from customers a fair rate of return on safety upgrades. We would urge Atmos and its shareholders as they meet in a few weeks to seriously consider whether making more investment money available for safety upgrades could shorten the amount of time that some customers live on top of a leaking time bomb. Send a letter to the editor, and you just might get published.

Atmos Energy plans to replace its aging, dangerous natural gas distribution pipelines in North Texas by the end of 2021. Atmos is required to maintain its network of distribution pipelines to meet safety standards.

ctrlsum

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2019/01/24/really-preventing-atmos-making-critical-pipeline-safety-upgrades-right-away

What is really preventing Atmos from making critical pipeline safety upgrades right away?

The regulatory and legislative wheels are in motion for Atmos Energy to more quickly upgrade its aging, dangerous natural gas distribution pipelines in North Texas. Speed is important because after a natural gas explosion in a home that killed a girl last year, Atmos found a worrying number of leaks in North Dallas. Dallas Rep. Rafael Anchia has filed legislation to require natural gas utilities to upgrade lines made of older materials by the end of next year. Thats faster than Atmos plan to replace such pipelines by the end of 2021. But if you live in a neighborhood with natural gas leaks, all of this is taking far too long to play out, as residents cant tell which spot is most likely to explode next. A cynic might say thats the way things often go in corporate America when the needs of customers conflict with the interests of shareholders. To that we say, but Atmos is a regulated monopoly, and those goals are supposed to align. Atmos, as with all natural gas utilities, is required to maintain its network of distribution pipelines to meet safety standards, as regulated by the Texas Railroad Commission. When the network needs upgrading to meet those standards, Atmos is required to make those investments, and the company is entitled to recoup the cost plus a profit margin by raising customer rates. This involves what used to be a long, onerous process of filing a rate case every few years and waiting for the money to finally roll in via customer bill payments. But Atmos persuaded the Railroad Commission a few years ago to implement an accelerated rate hike approval process, and the time between investment and payback has contracted. All of that means that Atmos can upgrade the aging lines and expect customers to pay for the cost of those upgrades plus a profit. In fact, capital investment is a key profit mechanism for regulated companies. We have two theories. 1. The scope of the needed upgrades in North Texas is so large that it is difficult to muster the workforce to do the entire job simultaneously and immediately. Replacing a pipeline involves digging up streets, alleys and private property and working with various crews and contractors to replace the line, fill in the hole, and replace the concrete or landscaping. This can be hugely disruptive to residents. Atmos said via email on Friday: Factors that may influence the rate of acceleration include the availability of materials; trained and qualified employees to design, coordinate, and inspect this level of construction activity; contractors to fill material for street repairs; increase demand of line-locate contractors due to increasing activity; inclement weather and city resources to support this pace of replacement. In consideration of these factors and regulatory requirements, we are continuing forward with pipeline replacement as quickly and safely as possible. 2. The Atmos board has boosted its dividend regularly, handing out large amounts of its profit to shareholders. Last year, the board increased the dividend 8.2 percent, amounting to a total cash payout of around $215 million. And in 2018 Atmos also boosted capital investment to $1.5 billion for the entire company, which includes regulated utility operations outside of Texas and a non-regulated pipeline company. Shareholders might forgo a little dividend in the short term but still reap the benefits when customers begin paying for the upgrades. Atmos answer via email is that the company relies on investors and creditors to finance a portion of its capital investments. As an investor-owned utility, we can only attract these additional resources if we are financially healthy. This means we must maintain manageable debt balances, grow earnings and increase dividends. Atmos last week filed with the city of Dallas for a rate hike of $10.1 million, which is in line with prior annual rate increases. If the company invests more, it would be entitled to raise rates to compensate. We have no problem with Atmos recouping from customers a fair rate of return on safety upgrades. We would urge Atmos and its shareholders as they meet in a few weeks to seriously consider whether making more investment money available for safety upgrades could shorten the amount of time that some customers live on top of a leaking time bomb. Send a letter to the editor, and you just might get published.

Atmos Energy plans to replace its aging, dangerous natural gas distribution pipelines in North Texas by the end of 2021. Atmos is required to maintain its network of distribution pipelines to meet safety standards, and the company is entitled to recoup the cost plus a profit by raising customer rates.

ctrlsum

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2019/01/24/really-preventing-atmos-making-critical-pipeline-safety-upgrades-right-away

How should parents teach their kids about racism?

As images of teens seemingly mocking protesters and giving apparent Nazi salutes go viral, parents can help ensure children understand sensitive issues Its now common to come across a headline about videos or photos of teens that goes viral and strikes a nerve. Teenagers posing with Nazi salutes, painting on blackface and, most recently with the students from Covington Catholic high school, seemingly mocking Native American protesters. What may initially be seen as a joke between friends suddenly delivers hurt, frustration and backlash from thousands on social media. Many come to the teens defense, saying that kids will be kids; as adolescents, they have and will always do some stupid things. Until 10 minutes ago, it was broadly agreed in our culture that kids are allowed to do some dumb things because theyre kids, said Kyle Smith for the National Review in response to the backlash against the students from Covington Catholic high school. But experts in youth and teenage behavior say this behavior isnt inevitable. There are ways parents and teachers can help ensure a child has the maturity and understanding to think about sensitive issues such as race before they behave inappropriately. We could raise a future of anti-racist youth if we wanted to, said Jennifer Harvey, author of Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America and professor of philosophy and religion at Drake University. Thats the work we have to be doing in a very proactive, every single day kind of way to reduce the incidents that are happening in the first place. Sign up for the US morning briefing Parents, specifically white parents, can develop tools needed to raise children who are sensitive to race, Harvey said. For example, teaching children that race doesnt matter can be counterproductive to achieving equality. If youre living in a society where people are not being treated equally that position ends up enabling racism to thrive, Harvey said. For example, if a five-year-old child never sees an African American doctor, they will assume African Americans cant be doctors unless their parents have discussed structural racism with them, Harvey said. Thats just how kids brains work. Evan Apfelbaum, an associate professor at Boston Universitys Questrom School of Business focused on social psychology and diversity, agreed that its good to start teaching children about race when theyre young. Having these tough, uncomfortable conversation at home in advance, in a structured setting, is one way to help prepare kids for facing these types of complex things in the real world, he said. Parents can use such viral videos that demonstrate inappropriate behavior as an opportunity to have a conversation with their children about racism, Apfelbaum added. When things go viral, theres an opportunity for learning, he said. If kids are going to be talking about it why not frame it in a structured discussion where you can actually get at feelings and get at peoples concerns and help [your children] think through multiple sides of a situation. Salome Thomas-El, head of school at Thomas Edison charter school in Wilmington, Delaware, agrees that parents and teachers can use viral videos as learning tools, but they should be wary of the other things their children may come across on social media. Something he and many educators struggle with is limiting the negative influences that can come from online, he said. We have to be aware of whats going on in the online community and how it impacts what will happen in school, Thomas-El said. Prevention is much more powerful than intervention. Students at his own school go through internet safety training, Thomas-El said, where they learn the full consequence of a viral video. Children need to understand once you post a video, and it goes viral, you cant take it back, he said. Its also important for teachers, parents and teenagers themselves to understand how a teenagers developing brain can shape their behavior, said Dan Siegel, clinical professor of psychology at the University of California Los Angeles medical school. The remodeling of the teenage brain into an adult brain entails four core changes: emotional sparks, social engagement, novelty-seeking and creative exploration what Siegel calls Essence. The four changes represent an uptick in passion, drive to be a part of a group and a desire for new experiences that is normal for teenagers. These changes can be positive or negative, depending on how theyre fostered, Siegel said. The development also heightens what psychologists call in-group, out-group distinction, or the tendency to lump oneself in social groups, he added. When a person feels like their in-group is threatened by an out-group people part of a group they dont identify with theres a chance they will dehumanize the out-group. Adolescents are equally prone to having this in-group-out-group distinction as adults are, Siegel said. Essence exacerbates the distinction, and thats what can be seen in the viral videos, he added. In these videos, theres evidence of emotion they dont know how to control, collaboration where they give up morality to gain membership, novelty-seeking which drives them to do things that are really dangerous and following ideals as they push against things that have them not think logically, Siegel said. Read more Helping teenagers learn about things like in-group, out-group phenomena and how their changing brains affect it will give them the ability to be mindful of their behavior. When you let an adolescent know theyre in charge of how their brain is going to develop in these important dozen years of life, thats totally different from saying: Adolescents, this is whats going on with you and do this, Siegel said. Its kind of empowering from the inside out. If a child ends up behaving badly, experts agree that it could be a moment of self-reflection, but parents and teachers need to hold themselves accountable for the behavior as well. Kids respond to positive reinforcement and modeling behavior, Apfelbaum said. Parents should focus on showing kids the right way to respond and how to show respect and tolerance of differences.

Experts say parents can help ensure children understand sensitive issues. Teaching children that race doesn't matter can be counterproductive to equality. Parents can use viral videos as learning tools, but be wary of other things their children may come across on social media.

pegasus

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/24/racism-parents-teach-children

How should parents teach their kids about racism?

As images of teens seemingly mocking protesters and giving apparent Nazi salutes go viral, parents can help ensure children understand sensitive issues Its now common to come across a headline about videos or photos of teens that goes viral and strikes a nerve. Teenagers posing with Nazi salutes, painting on blackface and, most recently with the students from Covington Catholic high school, seemingly mocking Native American protesters. What may initially be seen as a joke between friends suddenly delivers hurt, frustration and backlash from thousands on social media. Many come to the teens defense, saying that kids will be kids; as adolescents, they have and will always do some stupid things. Until 10 minutes ago, it was broadly agreed in our culture that kids are allowed to do some dumb things because theyre kids, said Kyle Smith for the National Review in response to the backlash against the students from Covington Catholic high school. But experts in youth and teenage behavior say this behavior isnt inevitable. There are ways parents and teachers can help ensure a child has the maturity and understanding to think about sensitive issues such as race before they behave inappropriately. We could raise a future of anti-racist youth if we wanted to, said Jennifer Harvey, author of Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America and professor of philosophy and religion at Drake University. Thats the work we have to be doing in a very proactive, every single day kind of way to reduce the incidents that are happening in the first place. Sign up for the US morning briefing Parents, specifically white parents, can develop tools needed to raise children who are sensitive to race, Harvey said. For example, teaching children that race doesnt matter can be counterproductive to achieving equality. If youre living in a society where people are not being treated equally that position ends up enabling racism to thrive, Harvey said. For example, if a five-year-old child never sees an African American doctor, they will assume African Americans cant be doctors unless their parents have discussed structural racism with them, Harvey said. Thats just how kids brains work. Evan Apfelbaum, an associate professor at Boston Universitys Questrom School of Business focused on social psychology and diversity, agreed that its good to start teaching children about race when theyre young. Having these tough, uncomfortable conversation at home in advance, in a structured setting, is one way to help prepare kids for facing these types of complex things in the real world, he said. Parents can use such viral videos that demonstrate inappropriate behavior as an opportunity to have a conversation with their children about racism, Apfelbaum added. When things go viral, theres an opportunity for learning, he said. If kids are going to be talking about it why not frame it in a structured discussion where you can actually get at feelings and get at peoples concerns and help [your children] think through multiple sides of a situation. Salome Thomas-El, head of school at Thomas Edison charter school in Wilmington, Delaware, agrees that parents and teachers can use viral videos as learning tools, but they should be wary of the other things their children may come across on social media. Something he and many educators struggle with is limiting the negative influences that can come from online, he said. We have to be aware of whats going on in the online community and how it impacts what will happen in school, Thomas-El said. Prevention is much more powerful than intervention. Students at his own school go through internet safety training, Thomas-El said, where they learn the full consequence of a viral video. Children need to understand once you post a video, and it goes viral, you cant take it back, he said. Its also important for teachers, parents and teenagers themselves to understand how a teenagers developing brain can shape their behavior, said Dan Siegel, clinical professor of psychology at the University of California Los Angeles medical school. The remodeling of the teenage brain into an adult brain entails four core changes: emotional sparks, social engagement, novelty-seeking and creative exploration what Siegel calls Essence. The four changes represent an uptick in passion, drive to be a part of a group and a desire for new experiences that is normal for teenagers. These changes can be positive or negative, depending on how theyre fostered, Siegel said. The development also heightens what psychologists call in-group, out-group distinction, or the tendency to lump oneself in social groups, he added. When a person feels like their in-group is threatened by an out-group people part of a group they dont identify with theres a chance they will dehumanize the out-group. Adolescents are equally prone to having this in-group-out-group distinction as adults are, Siegel said. Essence exacerbates the distinction, and thats what can be seen in the viral videos, he added. In these videos, theres evidence of emotion they dont know how to control, collaboration where they give up morality to gain membership, novelty-seeking which drives them to do things that are really dangerous and following ideals as they push against things that have them not think logically, Siegel said. Read more Helping teenagers learn about things like in-group, out-group phenomena and how their changing brains affect it will give them the ability to be mindful of their behavior. When you let an adolescent know theyre in charge of how their brain is going to develop in these important dozen years of life, thats totally different from saying: Adolescents, this is whats going on with you and do this, Siegel said. Its kind of empowering from the inside out. If a child ends up behaving badly, experts agree that it could be a moment of self-reflection, but parents and teachers need to hold themselves accountable for the behavior as well. Kids respond to positive reinforcement and modeling behavior, Apfelbaum said. Parents should focus on showing kids the right way to respond and how to show respect and tolerance of differences.

Experts say teens will always do stupid things, but it's not inevitable. Parents and teachers can help ensure a child has the maturity and understanding to think about sensitive issues such as race before they behave inappropriately, experts say. Parents can use such viral videos that demonstrate inappropriate behavior as an opportunity to have a conversation with their children about racism.

ctrlsum

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/24/racism-parents-teach-children

Could Texas A&M quarterback Nick Starkel reunite with Kevin Sumlin at Arizona?

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Nick Starkel (17) could be transferring. (Photo: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports) The Arizona Wildcats' quarterback room could get more crowded. Nick Starkel, the backup at Texas A&M last season, announced this week that he intends to transfer. He could be eligible to play next season as a graduate transfer. Thank you Aggieland pic.twitter.com/7CRUy2YxkU Nicholas Starkel (@NickStarkel) January 23, 2019 Starkel has some links to the Arizona Wildcats coaching staff. He played for Wildcats coach Kevin Sumlin and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone with the Aggies when they coached in College Station. Starkel would have some competition at quarterback in Tucson. Khalil Tate is returning to Tucson and the Wildcats also have Rhett Rodriguez, Kevin Doyle and Jamarye Joiner on the roster, in addition to signee Grant Gunnell. Arizona has some competition for Starkel, according to MyAggieNation.com. The quarterback also has interest from Duke, Ohio State and SMU, the site reports. He has two years eligibility remaining. Starkel appeared in 12 games with the Aggies. He threw for 15 touchdowns and six interception and completed 138 of 227 passes for 1,962 yards at Texas A&M. He explained his transfer decision to MyAggieNation.com: I kind of knew my situation here was not the best situation for me if I was looking to play the final two years because Kellen and I have the same eligibility left, Starkel said. Texas A&M QB Nick Starkel will hit the transfer portal any minute now & will not participate in spring practice, he said. Will complete 120 hours before July & should be on new campus July 1. Said he's looking at Duke, Ohio State, SMU & Arizona (former HC Kevin Sumlin). . (@Travis_L_Brown) January 23, 2019 Tate will be a senior for the Wildcat next season. He passed for 2,530 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2018. Rodriguez will be a junior for Arizona, while Doyle and Joiner are redshirt freshmen. In October, Gunnell became the all-time passing yards and touchdowns leader in Texas prep history and finished his high school career at Houstons St. Pius X with 16,108 and 195, respectively. READ MORE

Nick Starkel played for Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M. Arizona has some competition for Starkel.

ctrlsum

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/ua/2019/01/24/nick-starkel-transfer-arizona-ohio-state-smu-duke-options-qb/2667829002/

Could Texas A&M quarterback Nick Starkel reunite with Kevin Sumlin at Arizona?

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Nick Starkel (17) could be transferring. (Photo: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports) The Arizona Wildcats' quarterback room could get more crowded. Nick Starkel, the backup at Texas A&M last season, announced this week that he intends to transfer. He could be eligible to play next season as a graduate transfer. Thank you Aggieland pic.twitter.com/7CRUy2YxkU Nicholas Starkel (@NickStarkel) January 23, 2019 Starkel has some links to the Arizona Wildcats coaching staff. He played for Wildcats coach Kevin Sumlin and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone with the Aggies when they coached in College Station. Starkel would have some competition at quarterback in Tucson. Khalil Tate is returning to Tucson and the Wildcats also have Rhett Rodriguez, Kevin Doyle and Jamarye Joiner on the roster, in addition to signee Grant Gunnell. Arizona has some competition for Starkel, according to MyAggieNation.com. The quarterback also has interest from Duke, Ohio State and SMU, the site reports. He has two years eligibility remaining. Starkel appeared in 12 games with the Aggies. He threw for 15 touchdowns and six interception and completed 138 of 227 passes for 1,962 yards at Texas A&M. He explained his transfer decision to MyAggieNation.com: I kind of knew my situation here was not the best situation for me if I was looking to play the final two years because Kellen and I have the same eligibility left, Starkel said. Texas A&M QB Nick Starkel will hit the transfer portal any minute now & will not participate in spring practice, he said. Will complete 120 hours before July & should be on new campus July 1. Said he's looking at Duke, Ohio State, SMU & Arizona (former HC Kevin Sumlin). . (@Travis_L_Brown) January 23, 2019 Tate will be a senior for the Wildcat next season. He passed for 2,530 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2018. Rodriguez will be a junior for Arizona, while Doyle and Joiner are redshirt freshmen. In October, Gunnell became the all-time passing yards and touchdowns leader in Texas prep history and finished his high school career at Houstons St. Pius X with 16,108 and 195, respectively. READ MORE

Nick Starkel played for Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone. Arizona has some competition for Starkel, according to MyAggieNation.com.

ctrlsum

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/ua/2019/01/24/nick-starkel-transfer-arizona-ohio-state-smu-duke-options-qb/2667829002/

Could Texas A&M quarterback Nick Starkel reunite with Kevin Sumlin at Arizona?

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Nick Starkel (17) could be transferring. (Photo: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports) The Arizona Wildcats' quarterback room could get more crowded. Nick Starkel, the backup at Texas A&M last season, announced this week that he intends to transfer. He could be eligible to play next season as a graduate transfer. Thank you Aggieland pic.twitter.com/7CRUy2YxkU Nicholas Starkel (@NickStarkel) January 23, 2019 Starkel has some links to the Arizona Wildcats coaching staff. He played for Wildcats coach Kevin Sumlin and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone with the Aggies when they coached in College Station. Starkel would have some competition at quarterback in Tucson. Khalil Tate is returning to Tucson and the Wildcats also have Rhett Rodriguez, Kevin Doyle and Jamarye Joiner on the roster, in addition to signee Grant Gunnell. Arizona has some competition for Starkel, according to MyAggieNation.com. The quarterback also has interest from Duke, Ohio State and SMU, the site reports. He has two years eligibility remaining. Starkel appeared in 12 games with the Aggies. He threw for 15 touchdowns and six interception and completed 138 of 227 passes for 1,962 yards at Texas A&M. He explained his transfer decision to MyAggieNation.com: I kind of knew my situation here was not the best situation for me if I was looking to play the final two years because Kellen and I have the same eligibility left, Starkel said. Texas A&M QB Nick Starkel will hit the transfer portal any minute now & will not participate in spring practice, he said. Will complete 120 hours before July & should be on new campus July 1. Said he's looking at Duke, Ohio State, SMU & Arizona (former HC Kevin Sumlin). . (@Travis_L_Brown) January 23, 2019 Tate will be a senior for the Wildcat next season. He passed for 2,530 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2018. Rodriguez will be a junior for Arizona, while Doyle and Joiner are redshirt freshmen. In October, Gunnell became the all-time passing yards and touchdowns leader in Texas prep history and finished his high school career at Houstons St. Pius X with 16,108 and 195, respectively. READ MORE

Nick Starkel played for Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone. Arizona has some competition for Starkel, according to MyAggieNation.com. Starkel has two years of eligibility left at Texas A & M. He could be eligible to play next season as a graduate transfer.

ctrlsum

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/ua/2019/01/24/nick-starkel-transfer-arizona-ohio-state-smu-duke-options-qb/2667829002/

Did Vanderbilt's Bryce Drew intentionally skip UT's Grant Williams in handshake line?

CLOSE Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew's postgame press conference following an 88-83 overtime loss to No. 1 Tennessee. In a word: No. Or, at least, thats what Drew said on Thursday via text message. I would never not shake hands with someone. I thought I did and told every player and coach good game like I always do, Drew said. I was talking to Rick for a little, I remember, before going through the line. I would never do that. There is nothing there. Bryce Drew is sooooooooooooo mad he gives MVP Grant Williams the cold shoulder after Grant, showing great sportsmanship, waits to shake the opposing coaches hand pic.twitter.com/eXAKOP77Gb #1 Tennessee Williams (@TN_Williams) January 24, 2019 Drew said the same earlier Thursday to 104.5 The Zones Brent Dougherty, adding that Williams is a great kid. Williams waited, but no handshake As shown on the ESPN2 telecast, Drew and UT coach Rick Barnes embraced and spoke closely into each others ear on the Memorial Gym court immediately after the No. 1 Vols 88-83 overtime win. Williams, who had a career-high 43 points, approached the pair of coaches and waited with his right hand extended to greet Drew. Drew then pulled away from Barnes, turned his head and mostly bypassed Williams without a handshake. From the angle, its difficult to see if Drew tapped Williams on the side, as coaches and players often do in a handshake line, or if he noticed that the waiting player was Williams. Its open to interpretation, and fans of both teams weighed in heavily on Twitter not surprisingly with opposite perspectives. Handshake line came after controversial foul call The handshake, or lack thereof, was a topic because Williams was the recipient of a controversial flagrant foul called against Vanderbilts Clevon Brown, which resulted in a four-point possession and cut the Commodores lead from 76-70 to 76-74 with 1:20 remaining in regulation. I dont know but TN is doing this ... pic.twitter.com/UfSe6f0Gsx Morgan Wilhelm (@MorganWilhelm17) January 24, 2019 Fans on Twitter, again from opposite perspective, debated whether Williams flopped to draw the critical foul, which turned the game. It started the Vols late rally and overtime win. In the post-game press conference, Drew said, "We thought we deserved this game. We thought there were some things that happened, obviously, that were out of our control for us winning." When asked specifically about the flagrant foul, Drew opted not to comment. Kevin Stallings had a handshake incident in UT game This isnt the first time a Vanderbilt coach was asked about the handshake line after a UT game. However, it was quite a different scenario last time. In 2015, Vanderbilt beat UT in Knoxville, which followed with an on-court profanity-laced tirade by Commodores coach Kevin Stallings toward his own player, Wade Baldwin. Stallings was told by a Vols staff member that Baldwin was taunting UT player Armani Moore at the end of the game. Stallings yelled profanities at Baldwin while walking through the handshake line, which was picked up by ESPN cameras. Get the (expletive) up here. Whose face did he get in?" said Stallings, according to ESPN's transcript of the audio. "(Expletive) apologize. Mother (expletive) we dont do that. Ill (expletive) kill you. (Expletive) mouthing off. (Expletive) I told you a hundred times. Stallings later said Baldwins clapping at Moore was not quite as egregious as it felt like in that moment. Vanderbilt will play at UT on Feb. 19. Reach Adam Sparks at asparks@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.

No. 1 Tennessee beat Vanderbilt 88-83 in an overtime game. Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew didn't shake hands with MVP Grant Williams.

bart

https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/vanderbilt/2019/01/24/vanderbilt-bryce-drew-ut-vols-grant-williams-handshake/2668392002/

Did Vanderbilt's Bryce Drew intentionally skip UT's Grant Williams in handshake line?

CLOSE Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew's postgame press conference following an 88-83 overtime loss to No. 1 Tennessee. In a word: No. Or, at least, thats what Drew said on Thursday via text message. I would never not shake hands with someone. I thought I did and told every player and coach good game like I always do, Drew said. I was talking to Rick for a little, I remember, before going through the line. I would never do that. There is nothing there. Bryce Drew is sooooooooooooo mad he gives MVP Grant Williams the cold shoulder after Grant, showing great sportsmanship, waits to shake the opposing coaches hand pic.twitter.com/eXAKOP77Gb #1 Tennessee Williams (@TN_Williams) January 24, 2019 Drew said the same earlier Thursday to 104.5 The Zones Brent Dougherty, adding that Williams is a great kid. Williams waited, but no handshake As shown on the ESPN2 telecast, Drew and UT coach Rick Barnes embraced and spoke closely into each others ear on the Memorial Gym court immediately after the No. 1 Vols 88-83 overtime win. Williams, who had a career-high 43 points, approached the pair of coaches and waited with his right hand extended to greet Drew. Drew then pulled away from Barnes, turned his head and mostly bypassed Williams without a handshake. From the angle, its difficult to see if Drew tapped Williams on the side, as coaches and players often do in a handshake line, or if he noticed that the waiting player was Williams. Its open to interpretation, and fans of both teams weighed in heavily on Twitter not surprisingly with opposite perspectives. Handshake line came after controversial foul call The handshake, or lack thereof, was a topic because Williams was the recipient of a controversial flagrant foul called against Vanderbilts Clevon Brown, which resulted in a four-point possession and cut the Commodores lead from 76-70 to 76-74 with 1:20 remaining in regulation. I dont know but TN is doing this ... pic.twitter.com/UfSe6f0Gsx Morgan Wilhelm (@MorganWilhelm17) January 24, 2019 Fans on Twitter, again from opposite perspective, debated whether Williams flopped to draw the critical foul, which turned the game. It started the Vols late rally and overtime win. In the post-game press conference, Drew said, "We thought we deserved this game. We thought there were some things that happened, obviously, that were out of our control for us winning." When asked specifically about the flagrant foul, Drew opted not to comment. Kevin Stallings had a handshake incident in UT game This isnt the first time a Vanderbilt coach was asked about the handshake line after a UT game. However, it was quite a different scenario last time. In 2015, Vanderbilt beat UT in Knoxville, which followed with an on-court profanity-laced tirade by Commodores coach Kevin Stallings toward his own player, Wade Baldwin. Stallings was told by a Vols staff member that Baldwin was taunting UT player Armani Moore at the end of the game. Stallings yelled profanities at Baldwin while walking through the handshake line, which was picked up by ESPN cameras. Get the (expletive) up here. Whose face did he get in?" said Stallings, according to ESPN's transcript of the audio. "(Expletive) apologize. Mother (expletive) we dont do that. Ill (expletive) kill you. (Expletive) mouthing off. (Expletive) I told you a hundred times. Stallings later said Baldwins clapping at Moore was not quite as egregious as it felt like in that moment. Vanderbilt will play at UT on Feb. 19. Reach Adam Sparks at asparks@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.

No. 1 Tennessee beat Vanderbilt 88-83 in an overtime game. Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew didn't shake hands with MVP Grant Williams. Williams waited with his right hand extended to greet Drew, but Drew bypassed him.

bart

https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/vanderbilt/2019/01/24/vanderbilt-bryce-drew-ut-vols-grant-williams-handshake/2668392002/

Did Vanderbilt's Bryce Drew intentionally skip UT's Grant Williams in handshake line?

CLOSE Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew's postgame press conference following an 88-83 overtime loss to No. 1 Tennessee. In a word: No. Or, at least, thats what Drew said on Thursday via text message. I would never not shake hands with someone. I thought I did and told every player and coach good game like I always do, Drew said. I was talking to Rick for a little, I remember, before going through the line. I would never do that. There is nothing there. Bryce Drew is sooooooooooooo mad he gives MVP Grant Williams the cold shoulder after Grant, showing great sportsmanship, waits to shake the opposing coaches hand pic.twitter.com/eXAKOP77Gb #1 Tennessee Williams (@TN_Williams) January 24, 2019 Drew said the same earlier Thursday to 104.5 The Zones Brent Dougherty, adding that Williams is a great kid. Williams waited, but no handshake As shown on the ESPN2 telecast, Drew and UT coach Rick Barnes embraced and spoke closely into each others ear on the Memorial Gym court immediately after the No. 1 Vols 88-83 overtime win. Williams, who had a career-high 43 points, approached the pair of coaches and waited with his right hand extended to greet Drew. Drew then pulled away from Barnes, turned his head and mostly bypassed Williams without a handshake. From the angle, its difficult to see if Drew tapped Williams on the side, as coaches and players often do in a handshake line, or if he noticed that the waiting player was Williams. Its open to interpretation, and fans of both teams weighed in heavily on Twitter not surprisingly with opposite perspectives. Handshake line came after controversial foul call The handshake, or lack thereof, was a topic because Williams was the recipient of a controversial flagrant foul called against Vanderbilts Clevon Brown, which resulted in a four-point possession and cut the Commodores lead from 76-70 to 76-74 with 1:20 remaining in regulation. I dont know but TN is doing this ... pic.twitter.com/UfSe6f0Gsx Morgan Wilhelm (@MorganWilhelm17) January 24, 2019 Fans on Twitter, again from opposite perspective, debated whether Williams flopped to draw the critical foul, which turned the game. It started the Vols late rally and overtime win. In the post-game press conference, Drew said, "We thought we deserved this game. We thought there were some things that happened, obviously, that were out of our control for us winning." When asked specifically about the flagrant foul, Drew opted not to comment. Kevin Stallings had a handshake incident in UT game This isnt the first time a Vanderbilt coach was asked about the handshake line after a UT game. However, it was quite a different scenario last time. In 2015, Vanderbilt beat UT in Knoxville, which followed with an on-court profanity-laced tirade by Commodores coach Kevin Stallings toward his own player, Wade Baldwin. Stallings was told by a Vols staff member that Baldwin was taunting UT player Armani Moore at the end of the game. Stallings yelled profanities at Baldwin while walking through the handshake line, which was picked up by ESPN cameras. Get the (expletive) up here. Whose face did he get in?" said Stallings, according to ESPN's transcript of the audio. "(Expletive) apologize. Mother (expletive) we dont do that. Ill (expletive) kill you. (Expletive) mouthing off. (Expletive) I told you a hundred times. Stallings later said Baldwins clapping at Moore was not quite as egregious as it felt like in that moment. Vanderbilt will play at UT on Feb. 19. Reach Adam Sparks at asparks@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.

No. 1 Tennessee beat Vanderbilt 88-83 in an overtime game. Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew didn't shake hands with MVP Grant Williams. Williams waited with his right hand extended to greet Drew, but Drew bypassed him. It's difficult to see if Drew tapped Williams on the side, as coaches and players often do in a handshake line.

bart

https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/vanderbilt/2019/01/24/vanderbilt-bryce-drew-ut-vols-grant-williams-handshake/2668392002/

How Do Families Find The Best School For Their Child?

As school choice becomes more widely available across the country, many families are choosing a school for their child for the first time. This is a major decision. Major decisions come with risks and anxieties. Luckily there are organizations like Texas Families Empowered and people like Colleen Dippel to help families navigate the school choice journey. Colleen Dippel: Families Empowered is a nonprofit parent service organization. We provide parents with information, tools, and support to navigate the increasingly complex and diverse set of school options available to them. We have served over 60,000 families in Texas over the past six years. Our vision is that families will have access to schools that work, for them. Our core customers are the most resource-constrained parents. These are some of the lowest income parents in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Roughly 40% of our families identify Spanish as their dominant language and approximately 1/3 in Houston have a household income of less than $25,000 a year. In short, the stakes for choosing a quality school are higher for these kids than for their more affluent peers. Dippel: Our first priority is to provide parents with basic information about the additional school options available to them. This typically includes location, type (traditional, charter, private, or micro school), and state data. Many people assume that parents know they have alternatives to their zoned school and that they are able to navigate the school application process with relative ease. This is an incredibly privileged perspective. Of the parents we serve, 82% could name only one schoolof the thousands of optionsthat they felt was an option for their child. Families Empowered does not rank or rate schools; we do provide parents with 3rd party ratings if they are interested in campus achievement data (this includes State of Texas Report Cards, Children at Risk rankings, and the GreatSchools school finders). The most valuable information we provide to parents is focused on application timelines, processes, and enrollment constraints. We empower them with the rules of game and data to make informed choices. Dippel: Our data suggest that the most trusted source for finding a school is other parents: people trust people, not institutions & certainly not websites. Given this, we use multiple strategies to meet parents where they are and offer them several ways to find a school: we host fairs, invest heavily in social media outreach, text, call, and send postal mail to reach our families. We have a website that includes a school search tool and other useful data, but we are totally unconvinced that any parent picks a school based on a web search alone. What differentiates our work is that we are committed to building trusting relationships and personalized service because we find that it makes a difference with our parents. For example, we have a full-time bilingual call center. This person-to-person strategy allows us to support parents who call in and need/want to talk to a real person. Additionally, on any given day, we proactively call parents to conduct surveys, inform families about a school opportunity, or remind them to turn their applications in on time. In 2018 we launched ApplyHouston in partnership with several Houston charter schools. This tool allows families to apply to multiple schools with one application and one timeline. Prior to launching ApplyHouston only 6% of our families were applying to 2 or more schools per year. In just one year 23% of the families who used ApplyHouston applied to 2 or more schools. Applying to multiple schools is really important. It increases the likelihood that kids will not languish on one waitlist for years on end and it provides parents with more opportunities to find a school that works for them. Dippel: Our parents often feel resigned to schools that are not working for their children. Schools have little incentive to provide neutral information about alternatives. Government agencies are too far removed from parents to provide meaningful and action-oriented data. Many school finders provide information about only certain types of schools, acting as marketing channels for schools rather than highlighting objective data, and/or fall short of providing actionable data to parents such as information on how to apply. To boot, we find the vast majority of parents we work with dont access these tools. Having more options is important, but having options is only useful if you 1) know they exist 2) understand how to access/ apply to those options and 3) trust that the information you have is neutral and credible. Remember: the majority of families we serve are unable to name even one other school when they first come ask for our help. While there are lots of barriers between low-income families and high-quality seats, if I had to highlight the three biggest, it would be the supply of quality school options, transportation, and knowledge about how to navigate a choice system. Dippel: We measure success by tracking how many parents apply from one school to two or more schools, by how many families view our services as neutral and valuable, and how many are ultimately able to take action on information we provide. We know from following up with a random sample of our parents that about 1/3 of the parents we served had switched schools within 18 months from their first touch point with Families Empowered, and 83% of those are more satisfied with this school than their previous school. Of these families, 87% said our support is useful and 93% say that we present information in a neutral manner. We place our bets on parents and their ability to know what is best for their kids and therefore we measure our success based on what creates value for them. (For what its worth, here are my thoughts !) Dippel: ApplyHouston is a common application, not a unified enrollment system. Both systems rely on common timelines, both rely on one application for multiple campuses, and both provide some kind of school finder feature. We are skeptical that a unified enrollment strategy creates more equitable access for low-income parents and it certainly does not put parents in the driver seat. Most unified enrollment (UE) systems assign families to a preference school based on an algorithm pre-determined by some anointed group of central planners. Now it is very important to consider who sets the constraints (participation and enrollment rules) for these systems. These rules control the ultimate suite of choices available to parents. ApplyHouston does not use a black box algorithm to assign kids to a school and doesnt constrict enrollment processes. ApplyHouston empowers parents to apply to multiple schools, schools run their lotteries, and then parents determine where to enroll and how long they stay at their chosen school. Proponents of UE claim that these systems promote equity, and this may be the case, but the data is thin on this point. In fact, Ive not yet seen any data to support this claim. Often the UE strategy allows districts to keep low-performing schools open due to guaranteed enrollment rather than forcing them to seriously evaluate closing. Ultimately it seems UE puts the algorithm in the driver seatnot parents. A common-application system, like ApplyHouston, puts parents in the driver seat. McShane: There has been a great deal of interest around the country in so-called harbormasters (theyre sometimes called quarterbacks or even air traffic controllers"), organizations that coordinate philanthropic dollars in decentralized schooling systems to try and make sure that low-income students get into high-quality schools. Dippel: I have a mixed view of this strategy. By and large, I am skeptical that a centralizing strategy, controlled and funded by an elite few, will lead to significant measurable change for low-income kids. I am even more skeptical that the innovations and reforms promoted by these organizations will be proximate to and aligned with the needs of the families we serve. We believe that innovation should be community-driven and guided by the voices of the parents and families who are most affected by changes in the quality and variety of school options. Our experience teaches us that the best schools are those that are created by listening to parents and the needs of the specific community they intend to serve from the start. This concentration of wealth and power has the very real potential of squashing local innovation and solutions that are proximate to the actual problems at hand. These organizations led by the super wealthy and the sycophants that sometimes surround them should make everyone concerned. Will these funders demand that local organizations bend to the will of the smart rich folks who know better? Many of these organizations have traditional district superintendents and large Charter Management Organization leaders on their boards. On the other hand, in cities where there is no clear history of innovation, or infrastructure to support reform, these organizations can have a catalyzing effect. In the end, wealthy folks have a right to do what they want with their money. But there will be consequences for this kind of philanthropy concentration and the diversion of resources to a few preferred organizations. I just hope that we dont throw the innovation baby out with the scale, centralizing, and top-down control bath water. To date, the best reforms Ive seen have not come from large top-down organizations but rather from scrappy innovators and entrepreneurs who live very close to the problems they relentlessly worked to solve. The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Texas' Families Empowered helps families find the best school for their child. Dippel: "The stakes for choosing a quality school are higher for these kids than for their more affluent peers" ApplyHouston allows families to apply to multiple schools with one application and one timeline.

ctrlsum

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemcshane/2019/01/24/how-do-families-find-the-best-school-for-their-child/

Why is hotel coffee so awful?

When it comes to hotel coffee, maybe it's time to wake up and smell it. Something smells, alright. Blame cheap, substandard coffee makers, low-quality coffee and sloppy housekeeping for an epidemic of bad hotel brew. But you can find a decent cup of joe on your next trip if you know where to look. Very important, according to a survey by Le Mridien Hotels & Resorts, which found that as far as wake-up calls go, a decent cup of brew is better than sex. While some hotel coffee is great even award-winning a lot of it isn't. Coffee makers are prone to breaking, leaking and malfunctioning. Fortunately, I have a few survival tips from hotel-coffee connoisseurs. By the way, good hotel coffee isn't an oxymoron. At the Four Seasons Resort Huallai on Hawaii's Big Island, you'll find a resident coffee expert who can help you choose between local coffee grown and freshly roasted by Big Island Coffee Roasters or Paradise Coffee Roasters. Or if you like your java a little stronger, you could check out a joint like Ninth Street Espresso at New York's Lombardy Hotel. Many hotel rooms feature a selection of mediocre coffees and a coffee maker that's difficult to use and only makes a beverage one tiny cup at a time. (Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto) Why hotel coffee is usually bad But let's face it: Normally hotel coffee is an unceremonious DIY affair, brewed in the early morning hours in the dark. So much can go wrong. So much does. Heather Turner remembers a coffee machine connected directly to a water line, so it never needed refilling. "I had gone into the bathroom for a minute to keep packing, and when I came out there was a small flood on the floor," says Turner, who owns a marketing firm in Enfield, Connecticut. "The only way to shut it off was to unplug the machine." James Baussmann, who works for a technology company in Bedford, Massachusetts, says he's afraid to use the coffee maker in his room. "When I go to make a coffee in the hotel room, I'm turned off by all the dust or grime that has collected on the coffee maker," he says. "It makes me wonder how safe it is to use and I usually pass it up and get a coffee down the street at a coffee store." Not that safe. A study of hotel coffee makers by the University of Valencia revealed the existence of "a varied bacterial community" in all of the machines sampled. The pathogens included those linked to illnesses such as urinary tract infections and pneumonia. More: Surviving a dirty hotel stay Hotel guests ignore coffee makers Maybe that's why some hotel guests ignore the coffee makers. "I never use them," says Colleen Neurohr, an administrative assistant from Buffalo, New York. "Nine times out of 10 they're located in the bathroom. Yuck! Who would want to use that?" Then again, maybe they pretend the coffee makers don't exist because the coffee itself is beyond awful. The product tastes stale and watered-down, unfit to fertilize your gardenias. My coffee maker complaint is that it discriminates against tea drinkers like me. It's usually the only source of hot water, but every cup of tea I make with it has a faint coffee aftertaste. Yes, some hotels offer water heaters so you can make a decent cup of tea. And yes, the coffee systems like Keurig that use pods to make your beverage can make a terrific cup of tea. But generally, for tea drinkers, it's a wasteland out there. You can buy a better cup of coffee downstairs in the lobby (hello, Starbucks) or you can bring your own coffee maker. That's what Turner the one with the flooded espresso machine does now. For a few years, before I switched to tea, I traveled with a French press and ground my own beans. Hey, if you're serious about coffee, don't take any chances. Tips for a better cup of in-room hotel coffee Rinse and run: Always rinse your coffee maker thoroughly and run it once without any coffee; that will clear out any residual coffee or other debris. (Readers have reported finding insects in their hotel coffee makers.) Consider bringing your own beans: You can overcome even a substandard coffee machine with terrific grounds. If you bring your own beans and grind them, you might get a survivable cup of brew. Maybe. Call room service: If you find a coffee maker that doesn't meet your standards, consider ordering coffee through room service or buying one in the lobby. Or try an app like Bean Hunter, which hosts an online community of coffee lovers, to find a place that serves a better cup of joe. Christopher Elliott is a consumer advocate. Contact him at chris@elliott.org or visit elliott.org. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/advice/2019/01/24/hotel-coffee-makers/2667400002/

Many hotel rooms feature a selection of mediocre coffees and a coffee maker that's difficult to use.

pegasus

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/advice/2019/01/24/hotel-coffee-makers/2667400002/

Why is hotel coffee so awful?

When it comes to hotel coffee, maybe it's time to wake up and smell it. Something smells, alright. Blame cheap, substandard coffee makers, low-quality coffee and sloppy housekeeping for an epidemic of bad hotel brew. But you can find a decent cup of joe on your next trip if you know where to look. Very important, according to a survey by Le Mridien Hotels & Resorts, which found that as far as wake-up calls go, a decent cup of brew is better than sex. While some hotel coffee is great even award-winning a lot of it isn't. Coffee makers are prone to breaking, leaking and malfunctioning. Fortunately, I have a few survival tips from hotel-coffee connoisseurs. By the way, good hotel coffee isn't an oxymoron. At the Four Seasons Resort Huallai on Hawaii's Big Island, you'll find a resident coffee expert who can help you choose between local coffee grown and freshly roasted by Big Island Coffee Roasters or Paradise Coffee Roasters. Or if you like your java a little stronger, you could check out a joint like Ninth Street Espresso at New York's Lombardy Hotel. Many hotel rooms feature a selection of mediocre coffees and a coffee maker that's difficult to use and only makes a beverage one tiny cup at a time. (Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto) Why hotel coffee is usually bad But let's face it: Normally hotel coffee is an unceremonious DIY affair, brewed in the early morning hours in the dark. So much can go wrong. So much does. Heather Turner remembers a coffee machine connected directly to a water line, so it never needed refilling. "I had gone into the bathroom for a minute to keep packing, and when I came out there was a small flood on the floor," says Turner, who owns a marketing firm in Enfield, Connecticut. "The only way to shut it off was to unplug the machine." James Baussmann, who works for a technology company in Bedford, Massachusetts, says he's afraid to use the coffee maker in his room. "When I go to make a coffee in the hotel room, I'm turned off by all the dust or grime that has collected on the coffee maker," he says. "It makes me wonder how safe it is to use and I usually pass it up and get a coffee down the street at a coffee store." Not that safe. A study of hotel coffee makers by the University of Valencia revealed the existence of "a varied bacterial community" in all of the machines sampled. The pathogens included those linked to illnesses such as urinary tract infections and pneumonia. More: Surviving a dirty hotel stay Hotel guests ignore coffee makers Maybe that's why some hotel guests ignore the coffee makers. "I never use them," says Colleen Neurohr, an administrative assistant from Buffalo, New York. "Nine times out of 10 they're located in the bathroom. Yuck! Who would want to use that?" Then again, maybe they pretend the coffee makers don't exist because the coffee itself is beyond awful. The product tastes stale and watered-down, unfit to fertilize your gardenias. My coffee maker complaint is that it discriminates against tea drinkers like me. It's usually the only source of hot water, but every cup of tea I make with it has a faint coffee aftertaste. Yes, some hotels offer water heaters so you can make a decent cup of tea. And yes, the coffee systems like Keurig that use pods to make your beverage can make a terrific cup of tea. But generally, for tea drinkers, it's a wasteland out there. You can buy a better cup of coffee downstairs in the lobby (hello, Starbucks) or you can bring your own coffee maker. That's what Turner the one with the flooded espresso machine does now. For a few years, before I switched to tea, I traveled with a French press and ground my own beans. Hey, if you're serious about coffee, don't take any chances. Tips for a better cup of in-room hotel coffee Rinse and run: Always rinse your coffee maker thoroughly and run it once without any coffee; that will clear out any residual coffee or other debris. (Readers have reported finding insects in their hotel coffee makers.) Consider bringing your own beans: You can overcome even a substandard coffee machine with terrific grounds. If you bring your own beans and grind them, you might get a survivable cup of brew. Maybe. Call room service: If you find a coffee maker that doesn't meet your standards, consider ordering coffee through room service or buying one in the lobby. Or try an app like Bean Hunter, which hosts an online community of coffee lovers, to find a place that serves a better cup of joe. Christopher Elliott is a consumer advocate. Contact him at chris@elliott.org or visit elliott.org. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/advice/2019/01/24/hotel-coffee-makers/2667400002/

A survey by Le Mridien Hotels & Resorts found that as far as wake-up calls go, a decent cup of brew is better than sex. Coffee makers are prone to breaking, leaking and malfunctioning.

ctrlsum

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/advice/2019/01/24/hotel-coffee-makers/2667400002/

Why is hotel coffee so awful?

When it comes to hotel coffee, maybe it's time to wake up and smell it. Something smells, alright. Blame cheap, substandard coffee makers, low-quality coffee and sloppy housekeeping for an epidemic of bad hotel brew. But you can find a decent cup of joe on your next trip if you know where to look. Very important, according to a survey by Le Mridien Hotels & Resorts, which found that as far as wake-up calls go, a decent cup of brew is better than sex. While some hotel coffee is great even award-winning a lot of it isn't. Coffee makers are prone to breaking, leaking and malfunctioning. Fortunately, I have a few survival tips from hotel-coffee connoisseurs. By the way, good hotel coffee isn't an oxymoron. At the Four Seasons Resort Huallai on Hawaii's Big Island, you'll find a resident coffee expert who can help you choose between local coffee grown and freshly roasted by Big Island Coffee Roasters or Paradise Coffee Roasters. Or if you like your java a little stronger, you could check out a joint like Ninth Street Espresso at New York's Lombardy Hotel. Many hotel rooms feature a selection of mediocre coffees and a coffee maker that's difficult to use and only makes a beverage one tiny cup at a time. (Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto) Why hotel coffee is usually bad But let's face it: Normally hotel coffee is an unceremonious DIY affair, brewed in the early morning hours in the dark. So much can go wrong. So much does. Heather Turner remembers a coffee machine connected directly to a water line, so it never needed refilling. "I had gone into the bathroom for a minute to keep packing, and when I came out there was a small flood on the floor," says Turner, who owns a marketing firm in Enfield, Connecticut. "The only way to shut it off was to unplug the machine." James Baussmann, who works for a technology company in Bedford, Massachusetts, says he's afraid to use the coffee maker in his room. "When I go to make a coffee in the hotel room, I'm turned off by all the dust or grime that has collected on the coffee maker," he says. "It makes me wonder how safe it is to use and I usually pass it up and get a coffee down the street at a coffee store." Not that safe. A study of hotel coffee makers by the University of Valencia revealed the existence of "a varied bacterial community" in all of the machines sampled. The pathogens included those linked to illnesses such as urinary tract infections and pneumonia. More: Surviving a dirty hotel stay Hotel guests ignore coffee makers Maybe that's why some hotel guests ignore the coffee makers. "I never use them," says Colleen Neurohr, an administrative assistant from Buffalo, New York. "Nine times out of 10 they're located in the bathroom. Yuck! Who would want to use that?" Then again, maybe they pretend the coffee makers don't exist because the coffee itself is beyond awful. The product tastes stale and watered-down, unfit to fertilize your gardenias. My coffee maker complaint is that it discriminates against tea drinkers like me. It's usually the only source of hot water, but every cup of tea I make with it has a faint coffee aftertaste. Yes, some hotels offer water heaters so you can make a decent cup of tea. And yes, the coffee systems like Keurig that use pods to make your beverage can make a terrific cup of tea. But generally, for tea drinkers, it's a wasteland out there. You can buy a better cup of coffee downstairs in the lobby (hello, Starbucks) or you can bring your own coffee maker. That's what Turner the one with the flooded espresso machine does now. For a few years, before I switched to tea, I traveled with a French press and ground my own beans. Hey, if you're serious about coffee, don't take any chances. Tips for a better cup of in-room hotel coffee Rinse and run: Always rinse your coffee maker thoroughly and run it once without any coffee; that will clear out any residual coffee or other debris. (Readers have reported finding insects in their hotel coffee makers.) Consider bringing your own beans: You can overcome even a substandard coffee machine with terrific grounds. If you bring your own beans and grind them, you might get a survivable cup of brew. Maybe. Call room service: If you find a coffee maker that doesn't meet your standards, consider ordering coffee through room service or buying one in the lobby. Or try an app like Bean Hunter, which hosts an online community of coffee lovers, to find a place that serves a better cup of joe. Christopher Elliott is a consumer advocate. Contact him at chris@elliott.org or visit elliott.org. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/advice/2019/01/24/hotel-coffee-makers/2667400002/

A survey by Le Mridien Hotels & Resorts found that as far as wake-up calls go, a decent cup of brew is better than sex. While some hotel coffee is great even award-winning a lot of it isn't. Coffee makers are prone to breaking, leaking and malfunctioning.

bart

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/advice/2019/01/24/hotel-coffee-makers/2667400002/

Is a Surprise in the Cards for Novartis (NVS) in Q4 Earnings?

Swiss pharma-giant Novartis AG NVS is scheduled to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Jan 30. Novartis has a mixed track record. In the last reported quarter, Novartis reported in-line results. The company posted average positive earnings surprise of 1.27% in the trailing four quarters. Let's see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors at Play Novartis did not provide any quarterly guidance. The company expects net sales in 2018 to grow mid-single digit. Innovative Medicines is projected to grow mid to high-single digit. Revenues from Sandoz are expected to decline low-single digit, while Alcon sales are estimated to grow mid-single digit. The Innovative Medicines division maintains momentum on the back of strong oncology performance. Novartis has a strong oncology portfolio of drugs like Afinitor, Exjade, Jakavi, Zykadia, Tasigna, Jadenu and Kisqali. Oncology franchise continues to grow on the back of Promacta/Revolade, Tafinlar + Mekinist, Jakavi and recent launches. The Eurooean Commission recently approved a label expansion of Kisqali. Psoriasis Cosentyx continues to gain traction on the back of strong growth in its three approved indications, while Entrestos sales benefited from continued access improvements and expansion of sales force in the United States. We expect the division to record similar growth in the fourth quarter and combat generic pressure for key drugs Diovan, Gleevec and Exforge. However, the generic division faces challenges in the form of price erosion in the United States due to competitive pressure. The trend might continue in the fourth quarter as well. Nevertheless, the launches of Rixathon, the biosimilar version of Rituxan (rituximab), and Erelzi, the biosimilar of Enbrel in EU, will partially offset the decline in the United States. In Europe, Sandoz also obtained approval for Zessly, a biosimilar version of Johnson & Johnsons Remicade. The FDA also approved Hyrimoz, the biosimilar of Humira. Novartis intends to spin-off its ophthalmology division, Alcon, into a separately-traded standalone company in order to grow as a medicines company solely. The Alcon business wasnt performing according to managements expectations. While it did revive in between, the company decided to spin-off the same to focus better on its legacy drug business. Nevertheless, Alcon sales are estimated to grow in low-to-mid-single digits. Apart from the top and bottom-line numbers, we expect investors to focus on the companys pipeline updates. Novartis recently acquired Endocyte to expand expertise in radiopharmaceuticals and transformational therapeutic platforms. The acquisition will add 177Lu-PSMA-617, a potential first-in-class radioligand therapy, to Novartis diverse portfolio. The therapy is in phase III development for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The FDA has accepted the company's Biologics License Application (BLA) for AVXS-101, now known as Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xxxx). The FDA also granted a Priority Review to Zolgensma and regulatory action is expected in May 2019. The European Commission also approved Luxturna, a one-time gene therapy, for the treatment of patients suffering from vision loss due to a genetic mutation in both copies of the RPE65gene who have enough viable retinal cells. The EC granted marketing authorization to Ziextenzo, the biosimilar of Amgens AMGN Neulasta. Management should also throw more light on its acquisition plans for 2019. Share Price Performance Novartis stock has gained 4.7% in the last six months, same as the industry's growth.

Novartis (NVS) is expected to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Jan 30. The company posted average positive earnings surprise of 1.27% in the trailing four quarters.

ctrlsum

https://news.yahoo.com/surprise-cards-novartis-nvs-q4-213409592.html

Is a Surprise in the Cards for Novartis (NVS) in Q4 Earnings?

Swiss pharma-giant Novartis AG NVS is scheduled to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Jan 30. Novartis has a mixed track record. In the last reported quarter, Novartis reported in-line results. The company posted average positive earnings surprise of 1.27% in the trailing four quarters. Let's see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors at Play Novartis did not provide any quarterly guidance. The company expects net sales in 2018 to grow mid-single digit. Innovative Medicines is projected to grow mid to high-single digit. Revenues from Sandoz are expected to decline low-single digit, while Alcon sales are estimated to grow mid-single digit. The Innovative Medicines division maintains momentum on the back of strong oncology performance. Novartis has a strong oncology portfolio of drugs like Afinitor, Exjade, Jakavi, Zykadia, Tasigna, Jadenu and Kisqali. Oncology franchise continues to grow on the back of Promacta/Revolade, Tafinlar + Mekinist, Jakavi and recent launches. The Eurooean Commission recently approved a label expansion of Kisqali. Psoriasis Cosentyx continues to gain traction on the back of strong growth in its three approved indications, while Entrestos sales benefited from continued access improvements and expansion of sales force in the United States. We expect the division to record similar growth in the fourth quarter and combat generic pressure for key drugs Diovan, Gleevec and Exforge. However, the generic division faces challenges in the form of price erosion in the United States due to competitive pressure. The trend might continue in the fourth quarter as well. Nevertheless, the launches of Rixathon, the biosimilar version of Rituxan (rituximab), and Erelzi, the biosimilar of Enbrel in EU, will partially offset the decline in the United States. In Europe, Sandoz also obtained approval for Zessly, a biosimilar version of Johnson & Johnsons Remicade. The FDA also approved Hyrimoz, the biosimilar of Humira. Novartis intends to spin-off its ophthalmology division, Alcon, into a separately-traded standalone company in order to grow as a medicines company solely. The Alcon business wasnt performing according to managements expectations. While it did revive in between, the company decided to spin-off the same to focus better on its legacy drug business. Nevertheless, Alcon sales are estimated to grow in low-to-mid-single digits. Apart from the top and bottom-line numbers, we expect investors to focus on the companys pipeline updates. Novartis recently acquired Endocyte to expand expertise in radiopharmaceuticals and transformational therapeutic platforms. The acquisition will add 177Lu-PSMA-617, a potential first-in-class radioligand therapy, to Novartis diverse portfolio. The therapy is in phase III development for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The FDA has accepted the company's Biologics License Application (BLA) for AVXS-101, now known as Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xxxx). The FDA also granted a Priority Review to Zolgensma and regulatory action is expected in May 2019. The European Commission also approved Luxturna, a one-time gene therapy, for the treatment of patients suffering from vision loss due to a genetic mutation in both copies of the RPE65gene who have enough viable retinal cells. The EC granted marketing authorization to Ziextenzo, the biosimilar of Amgens AMGN Neulasta. Management should also throw more light on its acquisition plans for 2019. Share Price Performance Novartis stock has gained 4.7% in the last six months, same as the industry's growth.

Novartis (NVS) is expected to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Jan 30. The company posted average positive earnings surprise of 1.27% in the trailing four quarters. The Swiss pharma-giant expects net sales in 2018 to grow mid-single digit.

ctrlsum

https://news.yahoo.com/surprise-cards-novartis-nvs-q4-213409592.html

Could an effort to restore wetlands along Mukwonago River cause problems for a half-inch amphibian?

The tiny Blanchard's cricket frog sits comfortably on a person's index finger. This species, which is listed as endangered in Wisconsin, has been found living near the Davis Nature Preserve near Mukwonago. (Photo: Rori Paloski/Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) MUKWONAGO - Naturally, the last thing you expect a wetland restoration effort to do is negatively impact an already-endangered little frog. Strictly speaking, according to state officials, the 52-acre wetland mitigation project within the Davis Nature Preserve isn't a major factor in the survival of the Blanchard's cricket frog, a half-inch long amphibian that has been struggling to hang on in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. But on about 1.3 acres west of the village of Mukwonago along the Mukwonago River, the dark-colored frog has been making a home in the vicinity of the former wetland habitat that was drained for agricultural use in the 1950s. The process of converting the land back to wetlands, ironically, could cause the frog some problems if it is found to also be living on the preserve, the state's Department of Natural Resources noted in an "incidental taking" notification on Jan. 22. In essence, the Waukesha County Land Conservancy, which is leading the restoration, is faced with the need to consider the frog at the same time it is considering the wetland work as part of the DNR's permit process. Which is what the WCLC intends to do. "Since a frog was identified near our preserve, the DNR rules work to ensure we restore the preserve in a way that creates habitat for the frog and that we dont disrupt their breeding as we restore the property if they exist on the site," said Cheryl White, the land conservancy's executive director. "The DNR rules are more aligned with our mission, so we dont perceive this as a negative." Davis preserve The Davis Nature Preserve in the town of Mukwonago is among the 2,900 acres managed by the WCLC, which was awarded an $886,000 grant from the DNR's Wisconsin Wetland Conservation Trust program for its efforts. Under the long-term project, the WCLC will disable drainage ditches which were put in place seven decades ago to make about 47 acres suitable for farming and restore the land to allow native plants to grow there instead, according to DNR and WCLC sources. The effort will also improve the native habitat by removing non-native plant species throughout the project area, including in 5 acres of existing floodplain forest wetlands along the river. The Davis wetland mitigation project helps reciprocate for what DNR officials call "unavoidable wetland loss" elsewhere in Wisconsin in effect, creating wetlands in one place to offset the elimination of wetlands in an unrelated place. The WCLC is one of the agencies that helps the DNR fulfill that goal. "Our mission is to protect and care for environmentally significant land and water in Waukesha County for future generations," White said. "We focus on protecting and restoring land for rare species, so we want to create suitable habitat for rare species like the Blanchards cricket frog." A frog's place In an environment that has been the norm since the mid-20th century, the diminutive frog got comfortable over the years, despite its struggles within the state. According to online sources, this species of tree frog is commonly found in wetlands or ponds, or near rows of crops planted by farmers. The DNR also notes the tiny frog has been known to move from streams to adjacent wetlands or marshes and needs to find safe cover to hibernate in winter to avoid freezing. At some point, the DNR found the frog close to the Davis preserve project area. "The presence of the state-endangered Blanchard's cricket frog (Acris blanchardi) has been confirmed in the vicinity of the project site," the DNR said in its official notification this month. "DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some frogs." White noted that in surveys conducted by the WCLC, the Blanchard's cricket frog was not found within the 52-acre restoration area itself. "At this point no frog have been identified on the site," she said. "The reason we are going through this process was one was identified near the site." Frog friendly Nevertheless, some of the work planned as part of the restoration could affect that population, the DNR acknowledged. But not to the level that significantly impacts the frog's status in the state. "Department staff concluded that the proposed project is not likely to appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival or recovery of the species within the state, the whole plant-animal community of which it is a part or the habitat that is critical to its existence," the DNR said in its notification. Under the proposed permit that would allow for the anticipated losses, the WCLC would try to limit the damage through added conservation efforts, according to the DNR. The WCLC will keep the frog in mind throughout the project, White added. "In summary, we follow the DNR to ensure theres no negative effects to the species," she said. "Weve created a conservation plan that goes in tandem with our conservation site plan to help guide the restoration phase of the project. The conservation plan was approved by the Incidental Take department of the DNR. The DNR notification opens up a month-long comment period, which runs through Feb. 21. (Public comments from anyone concerned about the permit or the frog's status should be sent to Rori Paloski, Wisconsin DNR, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, 53707-7921 or rori.paloski@wi.gov.) WCLC's role The Waukesha County Land Conservancy was recently honored for its ongoing efforts in land conservation. In September, the organization was presented with Gathering Water's 2018 Land Trust of the Year during a ceremony at the Land Conservation Leadership Award in Madison. In a press release, the WCLC noted that the designation "acknowledges a land trust that demonstrates its commitment to permanently safeguard Wisconsins natural treasures and open lands through its leadership, achievements, projects, and more." Formed in 1992, the WCLC protects 2,900 acres of land and water areas. Read or Share this story: https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/news/mukwonago/2019/01/24/wetland-restoration-near-mukwonago-could-impact-half-inch-long-frog/2649872002/

The Blanchard's cricket frog is listed as endangered in Wisconsin. An effort to restore wetlands along the Mukwonago River could cause problems.

ctrlsum

https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/news/mukwonago/2019/01/24/wetland-restoration-near-mukwonago-could-impact-half-inch-long-frog/2649872002/

Could an effort to restore wetlands along Mukwonago River cause problems for a half-inch amphibian?

The tiny Blanchard's cricket frog sits comfortably on a person's index finger. This species, which is listed as endangered in Wisconsin, has been found living near the Davis Nature Preserve near Mukwonago. (Photo: Rori Paloski/Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) MUKWONAGO - Naturally, the last thing you expect a wetland restoration effort to do is negatively impact an already-endangered little frog. Strictly speaking, according to state officials, the 52-acre wetland mitigation project within the Davis Nature Preserve isn't a major factor in the survival of the Blanchard's cricket frog, a half-inch long amphibian that has been struggling to hang on in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. But on about 1.3 acres west of the village of Mukwonago along the Mukwonago River, the dark-colored frog has been making a home in the vicinity of the former wetland habitat that was drained for agricultural use in the 1950s. The process of converting the land back to wetlands, ironically, could cause the frog some problems if it is found to also be living on the preserve, the state's Department of Natural Resources noted in an "incidental taking" notification on Jan. 22. In essence, the Waukesha County Land Conservancy, which is leading the restoration, is faced with the need to consider the frog at the same time it is considering the wetland work as part of the DNR's permit process. Which is what the WCLC intends to do. "Since a frog was identified near our preserve, the DNR rules work to ensure we restore the preserve in a way that creates habitat for the frog and that we dont disrupt their breeding as we restore the property if they exist on the site," said Cheryl White, the land conservancy's executive director. "The DNR rules are more aligned with our mission, so we dont perceive this as a negative." Davis preserve The Davis Nature Preserve in the town of Mukwonago is among the 2,900 acres managed by the WCLC, which was awarded an $886,000 grant from the DNR's Wisconsin Wetland Conservation Trust program for its efforts. Under the long-term project, the WCLC will disable drainage ditches which were put in place seven decades ago to make about 47 acres suitable for farming and restore the land to allow native plants to grow there instead, according to DNR and WCLC sources. The effort will also improve the native habitat by removing non-native plant species throughout the project area, including in 5 acres of existing floodplain forest wetlands along the river. The Davis wetland mitigation project helps reciprocate for what DNR officials call "unavoidable wetland loss" elsewhere in Wisconsin in effect, creating wetlands in one place to offset the elimination of wetlands in an unrelated place. The WCLC is one of the agencies that helps the DNR fulfill that goal. "Our mission is to protect and care for environmentally significant land and water in Waukesha County for future generations," White said. "We focus on protecting and restoring land for rare species, so we want to create suitable habitat for rare species like the Blanchards cricket frog." A frog's place In an environment that has been the norm since the mid-20th century, the diminutive frog got comfortable over the years, despite its struggles within the state. According to online sources, this species of tree frog is commonly found in wetlands or ponds, or near rows of crops planted by farmers. The DNR also notes the tiny frog has been known to move from streams to adjacent wetlands or marshes and needs to find safe cover to hibernate in winter to avoid freezing. At some point, the DNR found the frog close to the Davis preserve project area. "The presence of the state-endangered Blanchard's cricket frog (Acris blanchardi) has been confirmed in the vicinity of the project site," the DNR said in its official notification this month. "DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some frogs." White noted that in surveys conducted by the WCLC, the Blanchard's cricket frog was not found within the 52-acre restoration area itself. "At this point no frog have been identified on the site," she said. "The reason we are going through this process was one was identified near the site." Frog friendly Nevertheless, some of the work planned as part of the restoration could affect that population, the DNR acknowledged. But not to the level that significantly impacts the frog's status in the state. "Department staff concluded that the proposed project is not likely to appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival or recovery of the species within the state, the whole plant-animal community of which it is a part or the habitat that is critical to its existence," the DNR said in its notification. Under the proposed permit that would allow for the anticipated losses, the WCLC would try to limit the damage through added conservation efforts, according to the DNR. The WCLC will keep the frog in mind throughout the project, White added. "In summary, we follow the DNR to ensure theres no negative effects to the species," she said. "Weve created a conservation plan that goes in tandem with our conservation site plan to help guide the restoration phase of the project. The conservation plan was approved by the Incidental Take department of the DNR. The DNR notification opens up a month-long comment period, which runs through Feb. 21. (Public comments from anyone concerned about the permit or the frog's status should be sent to Rori Paloski, Wisconsin DNR, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, 53707-7921 or rori.paloski@wi.gov.) WCLC's role The Waukesha County Land Conservancy was recently honored for its ongoing efforts in land conservation. In September, the organization was presented with Gathering Water's 2018 Land Trust of the Year during a ceremony at the Land Conservation Leadership Award in Madison. In a press release, the WCLC noted that the designation "acknowledges a land trust that demonstrates its commitment to permanently safeguard Wisconsins natural treasures and open lands through its leadership, achievements, projects, and more." Formed in 1992, the WCLC protects 2,900 acres of land and water areas. Read or Share this story: https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/news/mukwonago/2019/01/24/wetland-restoration-near-mukwonago-could-impact-half-inch-long-frog/2649872002/

The Blanchard's cricket frog is listed as endangered in Wisconsin. It has been found living near the Davis Nature Preserve near Mukwonago. A 52-acre wetland mitigation project is converting the land back to wetlands.

bart

https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/news/mukwonago/2019/01/24/wetland-restoration-near-mukwonago-could-impact-half-inch-long-frog/2649872002/

Could an effort to restore wetlands along Mukwonago River cause problems for a half-inch amphibian?

The tiny Blanchard's cricket frog sits comfortably on a person's index finger. This species, which is listed as endangered in Wisconsin, has been found living near the Davis Nature Preserve near Mukwonago. (Photo: Rori Paloski/Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) MUKWONAGO - Naturally, the last thing you expect a wetland restoration effort to do is negatively impact an already-endangered little frog. Strictly speaking, according to state officials, the 52-acre wetland mitigation project within the Davis Nature Preserve isn't a major factor in the survival of the Blanchard's cricket frog, a half-inch long amphibian that has been struggling to hang on in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. But on about 1.3 acres west of the village of Mukwonago along the Mukwonago River, the dark-colored frog has been making a home in the vicinity of the former wetland habitat that was drained for agricultural use in the 1950s. The process of converting the land back to wetlands, ironically, could cause the frog some problems if it is found to also be living on the preserve, the state's Department of Natural Resources noted in an "incidental taking" notification on Jan. 22. In essence, the Waukesha County Land Conservancy, which is leading the restoration, is faced with the need to consider the frog at the same time it is considering the wetland work as part of the DNR's permit process. Which is what the WCLC intends to do. "Since a frog was identified near our preserve, the DNR rules work to ensure we restore the preserve in a way that creates habitat for the frog and that we dont disrupt their breeding as we restore the property if they exist on the site," said Cheryl White, the land conservancy's executive director. "The DNR rules are more aligned with our mission, so we dont perceive this as a negative." Davis preserve The Davis Nature Preserve in the town of Mukwonago is among the 2,900 acres managed by the WCLC, which was awarded an $886,000 grant from the DNR's Wisconsin Wetland Conservation Trust program for its efforts. Under the long-term project, the WCLC will disable drainage ditches which were put in place seven decades ago to make about 47 acres suitable for farming and restore the land to allow native plants to grow there instead, according to DNR and WCLC sources. The effort will also improve the native habitat by removing non-native plant species throughout the project area, including in 5 acres of existing floodplain forest wetlands along the river. The Davis wetland mitigation project helps reciprocate for what DNR officials call "unavoidable wetland loss" elsewhere in Wisconsin in effect, creating wetlands in one place to offset the elimination of wetlands in an unrelated place. The WCLC is one of the agencies that helps the DNR fulfill that goal. "Our mission is to protect and care for environmentally significant land and water in Waukesha County for future generations," White said. "We focus on protecting and restoring land for rare species, so we want to create suitable habitat for rare species like the Blanchards cricket frog." A frog's place In an environment that has been the norm since the mid-20th century, the diminutive frog got comfortable over the years, despite its struggles within the state. According to online sources, this species of tree frog is commonly found in wetlands or ponds, or near rows of crops planted by farmers. The DNR also notes the tiny frog has been known to move from streams to adjacent wetlands or marshes and needs to find safe cover to hibernate in winter to avoid freezing. At some point, the DNR found the frog close to the Davis preserve project area. "The presence of the state-endangered Blanchard's cricket frog (Acris blanchardi) has been confirmed in the vicinity of the project site," the DNR said in its official notification this month. "DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some frogs." White noted that in surveys conducted by the WCLC, the Blanchard's cricket frog was not found within the 52-acre restoration area itself. "At this point no frog have been identified on the site," she said. "The reason we are going through this process was one was identified near the site." Frog friendly Nevertheless, some of the work planned as part of the restoration could affect that population, the DNR acknowledged. But not to the level that significantly impacts the frog's status in the state. "Department staff concluded that the proposed project is not likely to appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival or recovery of the species within the state, the whole plant-animal community of which it is a part or the habitat that is critical to its existence," the DNR said in its notification. Under the proposed permit that would allow for the anticipated losses, the WCLC would try to limit the damage through added conservation efforts, according to the DNR. The WCLC will keep the frog in mind throughout the project, White added. "In summary, we follow the DNR to ensure theres no negative effects to the species," she said. "Weve created a conservation plan that goes in tandem with our conservation site plan to help guide the restoration phase of the project. The conservation plan was approved by the Incidental Take department of the DNR. The DNR notification opens up a month-long comment period, which runs through Feb. 21. (Public comments from anyone concerned about the permit or the frog's status should be sent to Rori Paloski, Wisconsin DNR, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, 53707-7921 or rori.paloski@wi.gov.) WCLC's role The Waukesha County Land Conservancy was recently honored for its ongoing efforts in land conservation. In September, the organization was presented with Gathering Water's 2018 Land Trust of the Year during a ceremony at the Land Conservation Leadership Award in Madison. In a press release, the WCLC noted that the designation "acknowledges a land trust that demonstrates its commitment to permanently safeguard Wisconsins natural treasures and open lands through its leadership, achievements, projects, and more." Formed in 1992, the WCLC protects 2,900 acres of land and water areas. Read or Share this story: https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/news/mukwonago/2019/01/24/wetland-restoration-near-mukwonago-could-impact-half-inch-long-frog/2649872002/

The Blanchard's cricket frog is listed as endangered in Wisconsin. An effort to restore wetlands along the Mukwonago River could cause problems for the amphibian. The effort could cause the frog some problems if it is found to also be living on the preserve, the state's Department of Natural Resources said.

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https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/waukesha/news/mukwonago/2019/01/24/wetland-restoration-near-mukwonago-could-impact-half-inch-long-frog/2649872002/

Is The Direct-To-Consumer Bedding Business Turning Into A Bad Dream?

Once held up as the new model for selling mattresses, direct online sellers, including just this week Nectar, are moving into physical retailing as fast as they can. And in doing so, they are admitting a reality that punches a big fat hole in the direct-to-consumer business model: beyond a certain point, it really doesnt work. From the earliest pioneers of the Internet-driven direct selling movement, its proponents touted that it was the retailing wave of the future and a far, far better way to reach and sell customers. To most people Warby Parker is considered the lead dog in the movement and its original direct model was certainly all the rage when it debuted in 2010. But it didnt take very long before the company started opening physical locations. They danced around the word store, but try as they might there was never any other way to describe these places: a store is a store is a store. Now, six years after the first store opened, there are around 100 Warby Parker locations and the company has said they now contribute more of its revenue than online. It didnt take long for all the Warby wannabes to jump on the store bandwagon and from Bonobos to Everlane to Harrys the push into physical retailing either through their own stores or distributed at existing retailers has become the de facto default for any direct seller. But perhaps in no other category have we seen this march to the mall happen faster and with more veracity than with mattresses. Led by Casper, the Warby of the category, virtually every major player has initiated some sort of a physical strategy. None have been as big or direct-defying as Casper. Not too long after its 2014 launch, the brand began distributing its products through West Elm stores. That was quickly astonishingly quickly in fact usurped by a bigger program with Target. At about the same time, it opened a pop-up store or two under its own name. Nearly as quickly it announced the test a success and said it would open 200 permanent stores by the end of 2021. Casper hasnt officially said how many are now open or what percentage of its business is done in-store versus online but one has to assume it represents a substantial portion of its estimated $600 million in annual sales. It hasnt taken long for Caspers direct mattress competitors to adapt similar, if somewhat less ambitious plans. Purple partnered up with Mattress Firm. Leesa took Caspers place at West Elm. Tuft & Needle went one step further and announced it was merging read that being acquired by Serta Simmons Bedding, one of the two giant traditional wholesale suppliers in the business. And this week Nectar, yet another direct mattress seller, said it was doing a deal with Mattress Warehouse to distribute its products in their 250 stores. All of this activity is suggesting that the fresh approach these direct sellers were allegedly bringing to the marketplace may just be a bad dream. High customer acquisition costs, potentially costly return rates, pricey shipping charges and just the sheer number of competitors seem to be conspiring to lead most of the major players in the space to the same solution: since direct aint working the way we expected the lowly physical retail store is the best place to sell mattresses. None of them are ready to admit all of this at least not in public. In the world of tech-driven start-ups were used to seeing plenty of burn-outs and abnormally high attrition rates. But in the world of direct mattress sellers, were seeing something else entirely: they are rapidly turning into the very companies they were supposed to be disrupting in the first place.

The direct-to-consumer business model for mattresses is turning into a bad dream.

ctrlsum

https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenshoulberg/2019/01/24/is-the-direct-to-consumer-bedding-business-turning-into-a-bad-dream/

Is The Direct-To-Consumer Bedding Business Turning Into A Bad Dream?

Once held up as the new model for selling mattresses, direct online sellers, including just this week Nectar, are moving into physical retailing as fast as they can. And in doing so, they are admitting a reality that punches a big fat hole in the direct-to-consumer business model: beyond a certain point, it really doesnt work. From the earliest pioneers of the Internet-driven direct selling movement, its proponents touted that it was the retailing wave of the future and a far, far better way to reach and sell customers. To most people Warby Parker is considered the lead dog in the movement and its original direct model was certainly all the rage when it debuted in 2010. But it didnt take very long before the company started opening physical locations. They danced around the word store, but try as they might there was never any other way to describe these places: a store is a store is a store. Now, six years after the first store opened, there are around 100 Warby Parker locations and the company has said they now contribute more of its revenue than online. It didnt take long for all the Warby wannabes to jump on the store bandwagon and from Bonobos to Everlane to Harrys the push into physical retailing either through their own stores or distributed at existing retailers has become the de facto default for any direct seller. But perhaps in no other category have we seen this march to the mall happen faster and with more veracity than with mattresses. Led by Casper, the Warby of the category, virtually every major player has initiated some sort of a physical strategy. None have been as big or direct-defying as Casper. Not too long after its 2014 launch, the brand began distributing its products through West Elm stores. That was quickly astonishingly quickly in fact usurped by a bigger program with Target. At about the same time, it opened a pop-up store or two under its own name. Nearly as quickly it announced the test a success and said it would open 200 permanent stores by the end of 2021. Casper hasnt officially said how many are now open or what percentage of its business is done in-store versus online but one has to assume it represents a substantial portion of its estimated $600 million in annual sales. It hasnt taken long for Caspers direct mattress competitors to adapt similar, if somewhat less ambitious plans. Purple partnered up with Mattress Firm. Leesa took Caspers place at West Elm. Tuft & Needle went one step further and announced it was merging read that being acquired by Serta Simmons Bedding, one of the two giant traditional wholesale suppliers in the business. And this week Nectar, yet another direct mattress seller, said it was doing a deal with Mattress Warehouse to distribute its products in their 250 stores. All of this activity is suggesting that the fresh approach these direct sellers were allegedly bringing to the marketplace may just be a bad dream. High customer acquisition costs, potentially costly return rates, pricey shipping charges and just the sheer number of competitors seem to be conspiring to lead most of the major players in the space to the same solution: since direct aint working the way we expected the lowly physical retail store is the best place to sell mattresses. None of them are ready to admit all of this at least not in public. In the world of tech-driven start-ups were used to seeing plenty of burn-outs and abnormally high attrition rates. But in the world of direct mattress sellers, were seeing something else entirely: they are rapidly turning into the very companies they were supposed to be disrupting in the first place.

The direct-to-consumer business model for mattresses is turning into a bad dream, says CNN Tech's John Sutter. Sutter says the direct mattress business model doesn't work beyond a certain point.

ctrlsum

https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenshoulberg/2019/01/24/is-the-direct-to-consumer-bedding-business-turning-into-a-bad-dream/

Is The Direct-To-Consumer Bedding Business Turning Into A Bad Dream?

Once held up as the new model for selling mattresses, direct online sellers, including just this week Nectar, are moving into physical retailing as fast as they can. And in doing so, they are admitting a reality that punches a big fat hole in the direct-to-consumer business model: beyond a certain point, it really doesnt work. From the earliest pioneers of the Internet-driven direct selling movement, its proponents touted that it was the retailing wave of the future and a far, far better way to reach and sell customers. To most people Warby Parker is considered the lead dog in the movement and its original direct model was certainly all the rage when it debuted in 2010. But it didnt take very long before the company started opening physical locations. They danced around the word store, but try as they might there was never any other way to describe these places: a store is a store is a store. Now, six years after the first store opened, there are around 100 Warby Parker locations and the company has said they now contribute more of its revenue than online. It didnt take long for all the Warby wannabes to jump on the store bandwagon and from Bonobos to Everlane to Harrys the push into physical retailing either through their own stores or distributed at existing retailers has become the de facto default for any direct seller. But perhaps in no other category have we seen this march to the mall happen faster and with more veracity than with mattresses. Led by Casper, the Warby of the category, virtually every major player has initiated some sort of a physical strategy. None have been as big or direct-defying as Casper. Not too long after its 2014 launch, the brand began distributing its products through West Elm stores. That was quickly astonishingly quickly in fact usurped by a bigger program with Target. At about the same time, it opened a pop-up store or two under its own name. Nearly as quickly it announced the test a success and said it would open 200 permanent stores by the end of 2021. Casper hasnt officially said how many are now open or what percentage of its business is done in-store versus online but one has to assume it represents a substantial portion of its estimated $600 million in annual sales. It hasnt taken long for Caspers direct mattress competitors to adapt similar, if somewhat less ambitious plans. Purple partnered up with Mattress Firm. Leesa took Caspers place at West Elm. Tuft & Needle went one step further and announced it was merging read that being acquired by Serta Simmons Bedding, one of the two giant traditional wholesale suppliers in the business. And this week Nectar, yet another direct mattress seller, said it was doing a deal with Mattress Warehouse to distribute its products in their 250 stores. All of this activity is suggesting that the fresh approach these direct sellers were allegedly bringing to the marketplace may just be a bad dream. High customer acquisition costs, potentially costly return rates, pricey shipping charges and just the sheer number of competitors seem to be conspiring to lead most of the major players in the space to the same solution: since direct aint working the way we expected the lowly physical retail store is the best place to sell mattresses. None of them are ready to admit all of this at least not in public. In the world of tech-driven start-ups were used to seeing plenty of burn-outs and abnormally high attrition rates. But in the world of direct mattress sellers, were seeing something else entirely: they are rapidly turning into the very companies they were supposed to be disrupting in the first place.

The direct-to-consumer business model for mattresses is turning into a bad dream, says CNN Tech's John Sutter. Sutter says the direct mattress industry is moving into physical retailing as fast as they can. He says the move to the mall is a sign that the business model is failing.

ctrlsum

https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenshoulberg/2019/01/24/is-the-direct-to-consumer-bedding-business-turning-into-a-bad-dream/

Does The Gig Economy Really Contribute To Higher Job Insecurity?

Circumstance stole the joy of 14,000 General Motors workers, with the announcement in November that they would be laid off. In addition, as many as five GM plants will be closing in North America. What was once a major slice of the U.S. economy an industry in which workers had compete job security is now in decline. This is not an isolated incident. Its gone. At the same time, the gig economy is growing individuals and freelancers who have decided to take control over their own work lives and dump the yoke of dependency on companies that are becoming quite fickle. Many would argue no. And, of course, those who state that he does. So, lets take a look at both sides of this argument. The case for job insecurity in the gig economy Certainly, the choice to become a part of the gig economy has its risks. Marketing oneself, having enough reserve to last through the lean months, dealing with a marketplace that is highly competitive and contractors (individual or company) that can be quite fickle and very slow to pay, etc. do all contribute to a lack of job security. There are just no employment guarantees for gig workers. Another case for lack of security relates to wages. Regular employees can count at the minimum wage requirements set by governments. Gig workers have no guarantee of at least a minimum wage. As well, they often take on projects that consume more time than they anticipated and their hourly wage thus falls far below what they might have earned for the same project as a traditional employee. Regular employment offers retirement benefits, both through company plans and the government. Gig workers must plan for their retirement incomes on their own and failing to do so, must continue to work until they drop. Many gig workers are in fields that are changing rapidly, especially technology. As newer entrants into these markets have the latest skills, they are more attractive than those established workers who have not taken the time and spent the money to update their own skills. Uncertainty as a gig worker is a given. The case for job security Many do argue that gig work does produce greater job security, for the following reasons: While there is no guaranteed minimum wage for such workers, their income is also not restricted by a set salary and paycheck. During their high income-producing months, they can set money aside for the lean months and even invest through firms like RE/DEV Crowd and thus have security of meeting their financial obligations. There is no one in control of the hours or amount of work that a gig worker chooses to invest. Those who work hard and smart tend to do well. Its a matter or passion, energy, focus and organization. Additionally, there is no threat of being laid off or terminated because an employer has decided to downsize. In fact, when employers do downsize, they often turn to gig workers for specific task and project work. Its cheaper for them to do so. Gig workers have several clients at a time and, if they continue to market themselves aggressively, they can continue to add to that base, replacing any that dry up. Having a lot of eggs in the basket at all times does create some solid security. If gig workers develop a few areas of expertise, then they have a larger potential client base. Thus, web designers become developers too, or get training in network security or other tech areas. Writers who have focused only on blog posts can increase their client bases by becoming content marketing specialists or strategy consultants. Gig workers who also spread their tentacles and establish a strong presence and portfolio on gig platforms like Moonlighting, PeoplePerHour and FlexJobs can have access to more clients and land more jobs. Job security is not guaranteed for anyone in this new and changing workplace environment. There is still a place for regular employment, to be sure, but more and more skilled and talented individuals have determined that gig work is a better work life for them. Make no mistake about it, though. The gig economy is not for the lazy, the dispassionate, or the disorganized.

Many would argue no and, of course, those who state that he does. The case for job insecurity in the gig economy is that there are just no employment guarantees for gig workers.

ctrlsum

https://www.forbes.com/sites/abdullahimuhammed/2019/01/24/does-the-gig-economy-really-contribute-to-higher-job-insecurity/

Should the NFL replay the NFC Championship game?

New Orleans Saints fans are still reeling from the NFC Championship game, a game the team lost in part due to a controversial no-call on obvious pass interference. Fans are so irate, one group has sued the NFL to replay the game and another started a petition demanding the same. Under Rule 17, Section 2, the NFL Commissioner can reverse a game's result and replay the entire game, or at the point when the extraordinary event occurred. PERSPECTIVES The result of a playoff game has never been reversed nor replayed in NFL history, but extraordinary situations call for extraordinary measures. The blatant no-call affected the outcome of the entire game. A pass interference call would have given New Orleans a first down late in the game and a chance to ice it if the Saints scored a touchdown -- a touchdown the team was in great position for. The Saints should be Super Bowl-bound but were robbed by incompetent referees. The league has the chance to redeem itself by calling on the power of Rule 17, Section 2 of the NFL rule book. The league needs to replay this game. Teams have to deal with bad calls on a regular basis. Unlike you, they get over it because it's just a game. There is no reason for the NFL to replay the NFC Championship. Say the Saints did get that pass interference call. The team could've been stopped by the Rams on the next set of downs and scored a field goal, resulting in the same situation. Also, the Saints could have missed a field goal, giving the Rams a chance to win the game. Or New Orleans could've scored a touchdown and the Rams could've scored on the next drive, too. There are too many variables and outcomes to say one specific situation directly altered the result of the entire game. A replay should not be granted. Allowing fans to dictate what the league can and should do sets a bad precedent for the NFL. The fans need to get over the loss. Analysis: Sorry, Saints fans: Roger Goodell was never going to overturn the result of the NFC title game The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say.

The NFL Commissioner can reverse a game's result and replay the entire game. There is no reason for the NFL to replay the NFC Championship.

ctrlsum

https://www.oregonlive.com/tylt/2019/01/should_the_nfl_replay_the_nfc.html

Should the NFL replay the NFC Championship game?

New Orleans Saints fans are still reeling from the NFC Championship game, a game the team lost in part due to a controversial no-call on obvious pass interference. Fans are so irate, one group has sued the NFL to replay the game and another started a petition demanding the same. Under Rule 17, Section 2, the NFL Commissioner can reverse a game's result and replay the entire game, or at the point when the extraordinary event occurred. PERSPECTIVES The result of a playoff game has never been reversed nor replayed in NFL history, but extraordinary situations call for extraordinary measures. The blatant no-call affected the outcome of the entire game. A pass interference call would have given New Orleans a first down late in the game and a chance to ice it if the Saints scored a touchdown -- a touchdown the team was in great position for. The Saints should be Super Bowl-bound but were robbed by incompetent referees. The league has the chance to redeem itself by calling on the power of Rule 17, Section 2 of the NFL rule book. The league needs to replay this game. Teams have to deal with bad calls on a regular basis. Unlike you, they get over it because it's just a game. There is no reason for the NFL to replay the NFC Championship. Say the Saints did get that pass interference call. The team could've been stopped by the Rams on the next set of downs and scored a field goal, resulting in the same situation. Also, the Saints could have missed a field goal, giving the Rams a chance to win the game. Or New Orleans could've scored a touchdown and the Rams could've scored on the next drive, too. There are too many variables and outcomes to say one specific situation directly altered the result of the entire game. A replay should not be granted. Allowing fans to dictate what the league can and should do sets a bad precedent for the NFL. The fans need to get over the loss. Analysis: Sorry, Saints fans: Roger Goodell was never going to overturn the result of the NFC title game The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say.

The NFL Commissioner can reverse a game's result and replay the entire game. There is no reason for the NFL to replay the NFC Championship game, the Tylt says.

ctrlsum

https://www.oregonlive.com/tylt/2019/01/should_the_nfl_replay_the_nfc.html

Should the NFL replay the NFC Championship game?

New Orleans Saints fans are still reeling from the NFC Championship game, a game the team lost in part due to a controversial no-call on obvious pass interference. Fans are so irate, one group has sued the NFL to replay the game and another started a petition demanding the same. Under Rule 17, Section 2, the NFL Commissioner can reverse a game's result and replay the entire game, or at the point when the extraordinary event occurred. PERSPECTIVES The result of a playoff game has never been reversed nor replayed in NFL history, but extraordinary situations call for extraordinary measures. The blatant no-call affected the outcome of the entire game. A pass interference call would have given New Orleans a first down late in the game and a chance to ice it if the Saints scored a touchdown -- a touchdown the team was in great position for. The Saints should be Super Bowl-bound but were robbed by incompetent referees. The league has the chance to redeem itself by calling on the power of Rule 17, Section 2 of the NFL rule book. The league needs to replay this game. Teams have to deal with bad calls on a regular basis. Unlike you, they get over it because it's just a game. There is no reason for the NFL to replay the NFC Championship. Say the Saints did get that pass interference call. The team could've been stopped by the Rams on the next set of downs and scored a field goal, resulting in the same situation. Also, the Saints could have missed a field goal, giving the Rams a chance to win the game. Or New Orleans could've scored a touchdown and the Rams could've scored on the next drive, too. There are too many variables and outcomes to say one specific situation directly altered the result of the entire game. A replay should not be granted. Allowing fans to dictate what the league can and should do sets a bad precedent for the NFL. The fans need to get over the loss. Analysis: Sorry, Saints fans: Roger Goodell was never going to overturn the result of the NFC title game The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say.

The NFL Commissioner can reverse a game's result and replay the entire game. There is no reason for the NFL to replay the NFC Championship game, the Tylt says. The league needs to redeem itself by calling on the power of Rule 17, Section 2 of the NFL rule book.

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https://www.oregonlive.com/tylt/2019/01/should_the_nfl_replay_the_nfc.html

Can an aviation strike end the government shutdown?

With 800,000 federal workers in lines at food banks, calling in sick and looking for other jobs during the longest government shutdown in history, some labor leaders are calling for a bold measure to end the impasse: a mass strike by aviation workers, crippling the movement of travelers and goods, that would force the warring sides to sit down and reopen the government. Couple senior Republican lawmakers tell me the only way this breaks open is if TSA employees stay home and Americans get furious about their flights. Thats the only out, they say. And theyre close to the WH. Robert Costa (@costareports) January 15, 2019 Unions representing air traffic controllers, pilots and flight attendants this week released a grim assessment of the air travel situation. "In our risk-averse industry, we cannot even calculate the level of risk currently at play, nor predict the point at which the entire system will break. It is unprecedented," wrote the unions. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, has explicitly called for a general strike to end the shutdown. "If there were a time for the labor movement to speak up, the time is now. The time for action is now," Nelson told CBS News. One major reason there hasn't been a strike during the shutdown is that the law clearly forbids federal workers from striking--unlike their private-sector counterparts. "They cannot legally strike. That's a firm position in federal law and I think all the union leaders understand that," Joseph McCartin, a professor at Georgetown University specializing in U.S. labor relations, told CBS News of the air traffic controllers. That law has been on the books since the 1970s The last time federal workers struck was in 1981, when 11,000 air traffic controllers walked off the job to demand better pay and working conditions. The backlash was severe; then-President Ronald Reagan fired the controllers and their union, Patco, was dissolved. Unlike in 1981, when most of the public supported Reagan's action, public opinion this time is much more divided. A majority of Americans say they have been personally affected by the shutdown, and 70 percent say the issue of a border wall is not worth a shutdown. The circumstances are different enough this time around that today's workers who've not been paid can expect more public sympathy than striking workers in 1981, some labor advocates say. "Even more than the law, what allowed Reagan to fire the controllers successfully was that the public backed him," McCartin said. "If President Trump tried to do the same thing today, with circumstances that are really radically different .... I'm not sure the public would want to back the type of action that Ronald Reagan took." Short of a strike, there are other actions workers can take that would send a message -- and affect how government works. "Federal employees work within the rules, but when they want to protest, they all of a sudden stop doing things efficiently," said Dan Meyer, a partner at law firm Tully Rinckey and a former federal investigator. "Law enforcement is notorious for this." They can also sueas a number of federal workers' unions are currently doing. Lawyers representing workers in one case note that, while the law prevents "essential" workers from walking off the job, it also prevents the government from forcing them to work without pay.

Air traffic controllers, pilots and flight attendants are calling for a general strike to end the government shutdown.

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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-an-aviation-strike-end-the-government-shutdown/

Can an aviation strike end the government shutdown?

With 800,000 federal workers in lines at food banks, calling in sick and looking for other jobs during the longest government shutdown in history, some labor leaders are calling for a bold measure to end the impasse: a mass strike by aviation workers, crippling the movement of travelers and goods, that would force the warring sides to sit down and reopen the government. Couple senior Republican lawmakers tell me the only way this breaks open is if TSA employees stay home and Americans get furious about their flights. Thats the only out, they say. And theyre close to the WH. Robert Costa (@costareports) January 15, 2019 Unions representing air traffic controllers, pilots and flight attendants this week released a grim assessment of the air travel situation. "In our risk-averse industry, we cannot even calculate the level of risk currently at play, nor predict the point at which the entire system will break. It is unprecedented," wrote the unions. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, has explicitly called for a general strike to end the shutdown. "If there were a time for the labor movement to speak up, the time is now. The time for action is now," Nelson told CBS News. One major reason there hasn't been a strike during the shutdown is that the law clearly forbids federal workers from striking--unlike their private-sector counterparts. "They cannot legally strike. That's a firm position in federal law and I think all the union leaders understand that," Joseph McCartin, a professor at Georgetown University specializing in U.S. labor relations, told CBS News of the air traffic controllers. That law has been on the books since the 1970s The last time federal workers struck was in 1981, when 11,000 air traffic controllers walked off the job to demand better pay and working conditions. The backlash was severe; then-President Ronald Reagan fired the controllers and their union, Patco, was dissolved. Unlike in 1981, when most of the public supported Reagan's action, public opinion this time is much more divided. A majority of Americans say they have been personally affected by the shutdown, and 70 percent say the issue of a border wall is not worth a shutdown. The circumstances are different enough this time around that today's workers who've not been paid can expect more public sympathy than striking workers in 1981, some labor advocates say. "Even more than the law, what allowed Reagan to fire the controllers successfully was that the public backed him," McCartin said. "If President Trump tried to do the same thing today, with circumstances that are really radically different .... I'm not sure the public would want to back the type of action that Ronald Reagan took." Short of a strike, there are other actions workers can take that would send a message -- and affect how government works. "Federal employees work within the rules, but when they want to protest, they all of a sudden stop doing things efficiently," said Dan Meyer, a partner at law firm Tully Rinckey and a former federal investigator. "Law enforcement is notorious for this." They can also sueas a number of federal workers' unions are currently doing. Lawyers representing workers in one case note that, while the law prevents "essential" workers from walking off the job, it also prevents the government from forcing them to work without pay.

Air traffic controllers, pilots and flight attendants are calling for a general strike to end the government shutdown. Federal workers cannot legally strike during the shutdown, but they can take other actions to send a message.

ctrlsum

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-an-aviation-strike-end-the-government-shutdown/

Can an aviation strike end the government shutdown?

With 800,000 federal workers in lines at food banks, calling in sick and looking for other jobs during the longest government shutdown in history, some labor leaders are calling for a bold measure to end the impasse: a mass strike by aviation workers, crippling the movement of travelers and goods, that would force the warring sides to sit down and reopen the government. Couple senior Republican lawmakers tell me the only way this breaks open is if TSA employees stay home and Americans get furious about their flights. Thats the only out, they say. And theyre close to the WH. Robert Costa (@costareports) January 15, 2019 Unions representing air traffic controllers, pilots and flight attendants this week released a grim assessment of the air travel situation. "In our risk-averse industry, we cannot even calculate the level of risk currently at play, nor predict the point at which the entire system will break. It is unprecedented," wrote the unions. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, has explicitly called for a general strike to end the shutdown. "If there were a time for the labor movement to speak up, the time is now. The time for action is now," Nelson told CBS News. One major reason there hasn't been a strike during the shutdown is that the law clearly forbids federal workers from striking--unlike their private-sector counterparts. "They cannot legally strike. That's a firm position in federal law and I think all the union leaders understand that," Joseph McCartin, a professor at Georgetown University specializing in U.S. labor relations, told CBS News of the air traffic controllers. That law has been on the books since the 1970s The last time federal workers struck was in 1981, when 11,000 air traffic controllers walked off the job to demand better pay and working conditions. The backlash was severe; then-President Ronald Reagan fired the controllers and their union, Patco, was dissolved. Unlike in 1981, when most of the public supported Reagan's action, public opinion this time is much more divided. A majority of Americans say they have been personally affected by the shutdown, and 70 percent say the issue of a border wall is not worth a shutdown. The circumstances are different enough this time around that today's workers who've not been paid can expect more public sympathy than striking workers in 1981, some labor advocates say. "Even more than the law, what allowed Reagan to fire the controllers successfully was that the public backed him," McCartin said. "If President Trump tried to do the same thing today, with circumstances that are really radically different .... I'm not sure the public would want to back the type of action that Ronald Reagan took." Short of a strike, there are other actions workers can take that would send a message -- and affect how government works. "Federal employees work within the rules, but when they want to protest, they all of a sudden stop doing things efficiently," said Dan Meyer, a partner at law firm Tully Rinckey and a former federal investigator. "Law enforcement is notorious for this." They can also sueas a number of federal workers' unions are currently doing. Lawyers representing workers in one case note that, while the law prevents "essential" workers from walking off the job, it also prevents the government from forcing them to work without pay.

Air traffic controllers, pilots and flight attendants are calling for a general strike to end the government shutdown. Federal workers cannot legally strike during the shutdown, but they can take other actions to send a message. The last time federal workers struck was in 1981, when 11,000 air traffic controllers walked off the job.

ctrlsum

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-an-aviation-strike-end-the-government-shutdown/

Is It The Right Time For Packers To Draft Aaron Rodgers' Replacement?

Brett Favre was 35 years, six months and 13 days old when the Green Bay Packers drafted his replacement Aaron Rodgers in 2005. Rodgers will be 35 years, three months and 23 days when the 2019 NFL Draft arrives. Green Bay is armed with two first round draft picks No. 12 and 30 for the first time since 2009. Rodgers is coming off arguably his worst year since he became a starter in 2008. The Packers, who went 6-9-1 in 2018, have far greater needs than quarterback. But as Green Bay showed 14 years ago, having the foresight to replace a Hall of Fame quarterback at the right time can lead to continued success. During a 2015 interview, Rodgers was asked how hell feel when the Packers draft his eventual replacement. Ultimately this game is a young mans game and I think your legacy is how you treat your teammates and how they remember you, Rodgers said. Its hard to speculate on that. Im sure that will be interesting, the kind of feelings that Ill be feeling. No one in the Packers organization was feeling very good about Green Bays quarterback play in 2018. Rodgers struggled with accuracy and holding onto the football too long, which led to him being sacked 49 times the fifth most in the league. At times, Rodgers also refused to run the plays former head coach Mike McCarthy sent into the huddle. I've never seen anything like that before in my life, Packers tight end Marcedes Lewis told Yahoo Sports recently. Rodgers completed 62.3% of his passes, his second-lowest number since becoming a starter in 2008. Rodgers had 25 touchdowns, his fewest in a season where hes played at least 10 games. Rodgers fumbled six times and lost three. And his quarterback rating of 97.6 was his fourth-poorest since becoming a starter. Green Bay fired McCarthy with four games left in the regular season, in part because his relationship with Rodgers was beyond repair. The Packers hired 39-year-old Matt LaFleur, and he understands the importance of connecting with Rodgers and getting him back to his MVP level. Honestly, Im not going to have any preconceived notions, LaFleur said of working with Rodgers. I just want to try to develop the best relationship with Aaron because he is a key piece to the puzzle and a key reason why were going to get to where we want to go. When right, Rodgers is one of the top-15 quarterbacks in NFL history. Rodgers has a 103.1 career passer rating, the best in NFL history. Rodgers touchdown-to-interception ratio of 4.23-1 is also tops in league history. In 2018, though, Rodgers didnt look like the player who won MVP honors in 2011 and 2014, and who led the Packers to a championship in Super Bowl XLV. Rodgers threw off his back foot far too often, his mechanics were flawed and he misfired on throws that he rarely missed in past seasons. When asked about his inconsistency late in the year, Rodgers said: Just not being on the same page with the guys were throwing to. It became crystal clear this season that Green Bays future quarterback isnt on the current roster. DeShone Kizer, who went 0-15 as a starter for Cleveland in 2017, played in three games and had a miserable passer rating of 40.5. Kizer completed just 47.6% of his passes, averaged only 4.0 yards per passing attempt and turned the ball over three times without throwing a touchdown pass. The quarterback class of 2019 is solid, but far from spectacular. Ohio States Dwayne Haskins is widely considered the top prospect, while Oklahomas Kyler Murray, Dukes Daniel Jones and Missouris Drew Lock are all expected to go in the first round. With two first round draft picks, the Packers will have a lot of ammunition to move up and down the draft board and potentially find their quarterback of the future. After Green Bay drafted Rodgers in 2005, he sat behind Favre for three years, then took over in his fourth season. If Green Bay drafted its quarterback of tomorrow in April, an identical timeline could unfold. Rodgers has three years left on his contract, meaning the newbie could sit and learn for the same amount of time Rodgers once did. It remains a longshot that the Packers a team littered with holes would take a first round quarterback. But you never say never. My personality has always been to help the young guys out that they bring into our room, Rodgers said in 2015. Ive never felt threatened in those situations. Ive always felt like if there is any type of competition, there wouldnt be a competition. But it would probably be a different situation if they had somebody in here to compete with me. Then the dynamic would probably be a little different. Whether or not that happens this offseason remains to be seen.

Brett Favre was 35 years, six months and 13 days old when the Green Bay Packers drafted his replacement Aaron Rodgers in 2005.

pegasus

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robreischel/2019/01/24/could-packers-look-for-aaron-rodgers-replacement-in-nfl-draft/

Is It The Right Time For Packers To Draft Aaron Rodgers' Replacement?

Brett Favre was 35 years, six months and 13 days old when the Green Bay Packers drafted his replacement Aaron Rodgers in 2005. Rodgers will be 35 years, three months and 23 days when the 2019 NFL Draft arrives. Green Bay is armed with two first round draft picks No. 12 and 30 for the first time since 2009. Rodgers is coming off arguably his worst year since he became a starter in 2008. The Packers, who went 6-9-1 in 2018, have far greater needs than quarterback. But as Green Bay showed 14 years ago, having the foresight to replace a Hall of Fame quarterback at the right time can lead to continued success. During a 2015 interview, Rodgers was asked how hell feel when the Packers draft his eventual replacement. Ultimately this game is a young mans game and I think your legacy is how you treat your teammates and how they remember you, Rodgers said. Its hard to speculate on that. Im sure that will be interesting, the kind of feelings that Ill be feeling. No one in the Packers organization was feeling very good about Green Bays quarterback play in 2018. Rodgers struggled with accuracy and holding onto the football too long, which led to him being sacked 49 times the fifth most in the league. At times, Rodgers also refused to run the plays former head coach Mike McCarthy sent into the huddle. I've never seen anything like that before in my life, Packers tight end Marcedes Lewis told Yahoo Sports recently. Rodgers completed 62.3% of his passes, his second-lowest number since becoming a starter in 2008. Rodgers had 25 touchdowns, his fewest in a season where hes played at least 10 games. Rodgers fumbled six times and lost three. And his quarterback rating of 97.6 was his fourth-poorest since becoming a starter. Green Bay fired McCarthy with four games left in the regular season, in part because his relationship with Rodgers was beyond repair. The Packers hired 39-year-old Matt LaFleur, and he understands the importance of connecting with Rodgers and getting him back to his MVP level. Honestly, Im not going to have any preconceived notions, LaFleur said of working with Rodgers. I just want to try to develop the best relationship with Aaron because he is a key piece to the puzzle and a key reason why were going to get to where we want to go. When right, Rodgers is one of the top-15 quarterbacks in NFL history. Rodgers has a 103.1 career passer rating, the best in NFL history. Rodgers touchdown-to-interception ratio of 4.23-1 is also tops in league history. In 2018, though, Rodgers didnt look like the player who won MVP honors in 2011 and 2014, and who led the Packers to a championship in Super Bowl XLV. Rodgers threw off his back foot far too often, his mechanics were flawed and he misfired on throws that he rarely missed in past seasons. When asked about his inconsistency late in the year, Rodgers said: Just not being on the same page with the guys were throwing to. It became crystal clear this season that Green Bays future quarterback isnt on the current roster. DeShone Kizer, who went 0-15 as a starter for Cleveland in 2017, played in three games and had a miserable passer rating of 40.5. Kizer completed just 47.6% of his passes, averaged only 4.0 yards per passing attempt and turned the ball over three times without throwing a touchdown pass. The quarterback class of 2019 is solid, but far from spectacular. Ohio States Dwayne Haskins is widely considered the top prospect, while Oklahomas Kyler Murray, Dukes Daniel Jones and Missouris Drew Lock are all expected to go in the first round. With two first round draft picks, the Packers will have a lot of ammunition to move up and down the draft board and potentially find their quarterback of the future. After Green Bay drafted Rodgers in 2005, he sat behind Favre for three years, then took over in his fourth season. If Green Bay drafted its quarterback of tomorrow in April, an identical timeline could unfold. Rodgers has three years left on his contract, meaning the newbie could sit and learn for the same amount of time Rodgers once did. It remains a longshot that the Packers a team littered with holes would take a first round quarterback. But you never say never. My personality has always been to help the young guys out that they bring into our room, Rodgers said in 2015. Ive never felt threatened in those situations. Ive always felt like if there is any type of competition, there wouldnt be a competition. But it would probably be a different situation if they had somebody in here to compete with me. Then the dynamic would probably be a little different. Whether or not that happens this offseason remains to be seen.

Brett Favre was 35 years, six months and 13 days old when the Green Bay Packers drafted his replacement Aaron Rodgers in 2005. Green Bay is armed with two first round draft picks No. 12 and 30 for the first time since 2009. Rodgers is coming off arguably his worst year since he became a starter in 2008.

pegasus

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robreischel/2019/01/24/could-packers-look-for-aaron-rodgers-replacement-in-nfl-draft/

Are Trump's Make America Great Again hats patriotic or racist?

The White House Gift Shop sells this red Make America Great Again baseball cap for $37.95. (Photo: White House Gift Shop) They're red and white and debated all over. The baseball caps embroidered with the campaign slogan "Make America Great Again" are synonymous with President Donald Trump's administration, and have become a hot-button topic, especially in the wake of a racially charged confrontation last week near Washington, D.C.'s Lincoln Memorial. Many, including actress and activist Alyssa Milano, now are calling the baseball caps the modern-day white hoods of the Ku Klux Klan, representing a white nationalist ideology pushed by the president. The standoff involved a group of students from Covington Catholic School, an all-boys high school in Kentucky, who were wearing MAGA hats when they got into a confrontation with a Native American man from Michigan. The Native American elder, Nathan Phillips of Ypsilanti, said he was trying to defuse the tension between the mostly white students and four members of the fringe religious group the Black Hebrew Israelites, who hurled insults at the students. Videos of the incident posted to social media whipped up fierce debate about who was right and who was wrong and the role the MAGA hats may have played in the whole ordeal. John Pavlovitz, an author, pastor, and activist from North Carolina, said the boys might not have fully understood the loaded meaning those hats carry for some people. "To be present at that gathering is one thing, but to be present in those hats is a completely different statement," Pavlovitz said. "Theres no sense of compassion in those hats to most people, so that hat becomes a threat. "They are no longer a neutral symbol. Whenever those hats are worn, theyre going to make a statement that brings with it many assumptions a resistance to diversity, a resistance to equality. Theres homophobia in the image of those hats that comes automatically when we see them. John Pavlovitz, an author, progressive church pastor and blogger from North Carolina. (Photo: Helen Hill Photography) "What we see is that all the presidents ideals are now sort of wrapped up in that one wearable symbol. No matter what one does, they have to understand that to historically repressed communities or vulnerable communities who now feel more under duress when they see those images," said Pavlovitz, who has drawn millions of readers to his blog, "Stuff that Needs to be Said." His latest book, "Hope and Other Superpowers" ($20, Simon & Schuster), was published in November. Rise of the red cap The hats became a staple at Trump rallies and events during his 2016 presidential campaign; they're still sold online through the White House Gift Shop and on donaldjtrump.com, where the slogan "Make America Great Again" is printed on everything from baseball caps to swimsuits, banners, playing cards, megaphones and even beer can koozies. Proceeds benefit his campaign. The MAGA cap became so well known and synonymous with Trump's 2016 campaign that it was dubbed Symbol of the Year by affiliates of the Stanford Symbolic Systems Program, which according to its website, focuses on systems and symbols in communication. FILE - In this May 7, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Lynden, Wash. (Photo: Elaine Thompson, AP) A Stanford News Service story about the MAGA hat said it "defined a positional narrative: America was great, is not any more, but could be again," and noted Ronald Reagan first used the "Make America Great Again" slogan during his 1980 campaign for president. Bill Clinton also used the phrase in 1991 in announcing his campaign for president. Todd Davies, program associate director, told the Stanford News Service, Lots of things can be symbols but relatively few things actually are. Being a symbol is an acquired status that gets established through use. Symbols can obviously become notable because the things they represent are notable. Davies told the Free Press that what the MAGA hats represent has changed in the last three years. "I do think the cultural meaning of MAGA hats has evolved since 2016, and that many people (though not all) see the hat at least partly as a symbol of white nationalism in the U.S.," he said in an email. Related content at Freep.com: Catholic student: Our group was not hateful in Washington D.C. incident Native activist offers to meet Covington Catholic students Native American leader of Michigan: 'Mob mentality' in students was 'scary' The Rev. Wendell Anthony, who is pastor of Detroits Fellowship Chapel, a trustee on the national NAACP Board of Directors, and president of the Detroit Branch of the NAACP, said the MAGA hats send a message that is unquestionably divisive for people of color. Buy Photo The Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit Branch of the NAACP. (Photo: Detroit Free Press file photo) "The caps that the young men were wearing, it is their right of course, to wear them, but when one says make America great again, what are you talking about?" he said. "Because in order to make America great again, one has to go backwards. You have to go back to a time period in which America as viewed through the prism of many people was not so great. Its confusing, and we dont understand that." The people who wear those hats, Anthony said, are suggesting knowingly or unknowingly that they support all of Trump's policies and his behaviors. "Do you embrace division?" Anthony asked, adding in part, "... in order to wear that hat, you cant just select a part of the man that hat has come to embody. You cannot compartmentalize yourself and say, 'Im going to embrace the part of him that appears to be strong and tells people where to get off,' without embracing all the other hate and racism and division and derision, and the government shutdown that he proudly owns. "When you wear that, youre saying thats what you support. So when I see that hat, thats what I see. I see America at its worst, I do not see America at its best." The conservative view Buy Photo Crowd cheer for President Donald J. Trump during Make America Great Again rally at Total Sports Park in Washington Township, Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press) Laura Ingraham called Milano "a dope" on her podcast Tuesday for characterizing the MAGA hat as the modern-day white KKK hood. Oh, OK sweetheart. That would actually be closer to the truth, right? said Ingraham, who also is a Fox News host. Planned Parenthood is boasting that they had 11,000 more abortions last year and, disproportionately, abortions affect the lives of minorities around the United States, who are, frankly, treated woefully by the Planned Parenthood machine." ... "That actually would be more accurate that the Planned Parenthood cap might as well be the KKK, but not a kid whos wearing a Make America Great Again hat. Former secret service agent Dan Boningo, an author and frequent Fox News commentator, agreed with Ingraham. Are you serious?" he said. Political commentator Laura Ingraham, speaks during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland (Photo: Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY) "So Donald Trump who gives you back more of your money, fought for school choice, has black unemployment at the lowest in modern American history if hes a racist, then hes the worst racist in American history. Eric Castiglia, 49, a Republican from Sterling Heights, said Milano's comments were terrible and that in no way should the MAGA hats ever be compared to KKK hoods. "Absolutely not," said Castiglia, who is Catholic. "There are so many people in this country that wear that hat, that look to it for inspiration for a fixing a broken system. "It's not a white hat or a hood over somebody's face.That was the Democratic Party that had a historical connection to the KKK, never the Republican Party affiliated with that group. We are the party of Lincoln." Many on the left have become so vicious, so vocal when it comes to the conservative viewpoint, Castiglia said, that it's stifled the voices of Trump supporters and Christians. "You can't support our president in public," Castiglia said. "People will chastise you, ridicule you and lump you into something that you're not just because you believe in some of his policy issues." As the parent of children who attend Catholic schools, Castiglia explained that Catholic schoolchildren are taught not to talk back to adults, not to cause a scene or be aggressive. "So they stood there smiling because what else were they supposed to do?" Castiglio said. "They stood calm. They didn't do anything wrong. ... If that was my son, I would have been proud of him that he didn't push the drum away, that he didn't say a nasty thing, that he just stood there, smiling. I would have been proud of him. They stood strong, peacefully, and they shouldn't' have had to back down." Buy Photo Crowd cheer for President Donald J. Trump during Make America Great Again rally at Total Sports Park in Washington Township, Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press) StilPavlovitz said it is possible the Covington boys didn't fully understand how politically charged the hats have become. "Young people when they wear those hats, they might not be aware of how weighted they are," he said. "So for instance, these high school students might see it as an expression of solidarity with the president or some statement of pride in their country and be unaware of the legacy of hatred in our country, the legacy of white supremacy. "And really, I think that is a product of their privilege in this case. These are young men who might be largely unaware of the countrys past and even of the presidents policies, quite honestly." A youth pastor for 23 years, Pavlovitz said what was most unsettling for him was seeing in the videos how poorly the chaperones handled the situation. CLOSE View the tense situation through multiple lenses and perspectives, as Christian students, Black Hebrew Israelites and Native Americans get entangled on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. USA TODAY "Students must understand the context of the world in which they're growing up in, and I think thats where you see a failure in this situation," he said. "These adults understand exactly what that symbolism is and therefore, in a way, they are almost weaponizing the young people in their care, theyre almost using them to take a brunt of the message that they want to perpetuate." Native American advocate Nathan Phillips, of Ypsilanti, Mich., sits for a portrait in Ypsilanti on May 2, 2015. Phillips gained national attention following a standoff between Phillips and a group of Catholic high school students went viral on Friday, January 18, 2019 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chris Stranad, Chris Stranad) Trump weighs in on Covington Although Trump hasn't commented on the shifting perceptions of what his red MAGA hats have come to mean for many Americans, he said in a tweet that he supports the Covington Catholic School boys, and the 16-year-old junior at the forefront of the controversy, Nicholas Sandmann. He tweeted: "Looking like Nick Sandman (sic) & Covington Catholic students were treated unfairly with early judgements (sic) proving out to be false - smeared by media. Not good, but making big comeback! 'New footage shows that media was wrong about teens encounter with Native American' @TuckerCarlson" Covington Catholic High School was closed Tuesday, the first school day scheduled after an incident in Washington D.C. when students were filmed in an altercation with a Native American man. (Photo: Albert Cesare / The Enquirer) White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders condemned the press for its coverage of the confrontation, telling Fox News host Sean Hannity: "I've never seen people so happy to destroy a kid's life when that becomes the norm in the media in America simply because they're associated with this president. That is disgraceful and that should never have happened. Let's hope that this is a lesson to all of the media, to everyone. Let's focus on getting things right not getting them first." CLOSE Citing the "rude" media coverage, President Trump tweets that he instructed White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to stop holding press briefings. Veuer's Justin Kircher has the details. Buzz60 For his part in the standoff, Sandmann told NBC's Today Show Wednesday that he did nothing wrong. As far as standing there, I had every right to do so. My position is that I was not disrespectful to Mr. Philips," Sandmann told NBC's Savannah Guthrie." I respect him. Id like to talk to him. I mean in hindsight, I wish we could have walked away and avoided the whole thing, but I cant say that Im sorry for listening to him and standing there. Sandmann said he felt threatened during the confrontation, and said none of the students shouted "build the wall," threats or racial slurs. In hindsight, I wish we had just found another spot to wait for our buses, but at the time being positive seemed better than letting them slander us with all of these things. So, I wish we could have walked away. Phillips said he heard the students shouting "build the wall" as they chanted their school spirit songs. Video shows many of them waving their arms as if using tomahawks, which is considered derogatory. He also told the Free Press he would like to travel to northern Kentucky to talk to the students about cultural appropriation, racism and respecting diverse cultures. The Rev. Anthony said if anything positive comes from this, it's that it's driving a national conversation about an uncomfortable issue. "People of good will black, white, red, yellow have to take the bull by the horns. We have to seize upon the moment. We have to preach from our churches, our synagogues, our mosques, our temples. "We have to say to each other that we all have a significant purpose here and that we must respect our brothers and sisters for our differences because diversity is a good thing. Our nations strength is in its diversity, not in its uniformity." Anthony commended Phillips for offering to meet with students from Covington Catholic. "I think thats powerful," he said. When asked whether the MAGA hats have a role in America in 2019, Anthony said, simply: "I think the hat has a place. The place for it is in a museum." Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus: 313-222-5997 or kshamus@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kristenshamus. CLOSE azcentral media critic tries to make sense of the social media outrage over Savannah Guthrie's interview on NBC with student Nick Sandmann. Post your thoughts below and we will include a few reader comments in the Sunday Free Press. Read or Share this story: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/01/24/maga-hats-racism-donald-trump/2659479002/

The "Make America Great Again" cap has become a hot-button topic. Some see it as a symbol of a white nationalist ideology pushed by the president. Others say it represents a resistance to diversity and equality.

ctrlsum

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/01/24/maga-hats-racism-donald-trump/2659479002/

Are Trump's Make America Great Again hats patriotic or racist?

The White House Gift Shop sells this red Make America Great Again baseball cap for $37.95. (Photo: White House Gift Shop) They're red and white and debated all over. The baseball caps embroidered with the campaign slogan "Make America Great Again" are synonymous with President Donald Trump's administration, and have become a hot-button topic, especially in the wake of a racially charged confrontation last week near Washington, D.C.'s Lincoln Memorial. Many, including actress and activist Alyssa Milano, now are calling the baseball caps the modern-day white hoods of the Ku Klux Klan, representing a white nationalist ideology pushed by the president. The standoff involved a group of students from Covington Catholic School, an all-boys high school in Kentucky, who were wearing MAGA hats when they got into a confrontation with a Native American man from Michigan. The Native American elder, Nathan Phillips of Ypsilanti, said he was trying to defuse the tension between the mostly white students and four members of the fringe religious group the Black Hebrew Israelites, who hurled insults at the students. Videos of the incident posted to social media whipped up fierce debate about who was right and who was wrong and the role the MAGA hats may have played in the whole ordeal. John Pavlovitz, an author, pastor, and activist from North Carolina, said the boys might not have fully understood the loaded meaning those hats carry for some people. "To be present at that gathering is one thing, but to be present in those hats is a completely different statement," Pavlovitz said. "Theres no sense of compassion in those hats to most people, so that hat becomes a threat. "They are no longer a neutral symbol. Whenever those hats are worn, theyre going to make a statement that brings with it many assumptions a resistance to diversity, a resistance to equality. Theres homophobia in the image of those hats that comes automatically when we see them. John Pavlovitz, an author, progressive church pastor and blogger from North Carolina. (Photo: Helen Hill Photography) "What we see is that all the presidents ideals are now sort of wrapped up in that one wearable symbol. No matter what one does, they have to understand that to historically repressed communities or vulnerable communities who now feel more under duress when they see those images," said Pavlovitz, who has drawn millions of readers to his blog, "Stuff that Needs to be Said." His latest book, "Hope and Other Superpowers" ($20, Simon & Schuster), was published in November. Rise of the red cap The hats became a staple at Trump rallies and events during his 2016 presidential campaign; they're still sold online through the White House Gift Shop and on donaldjtrump.com, where the slogan "Make America Great Again" is printed on everything from baseball caps to swimsuits, banners, playing cards, megaphones and even beer can koozies. Proceeds benefit his campaign. The MAGA cap became so well known and synonymous with Trump's 2016 campaign that it was dubbed Symbol of the Year by affiliates of the Stanford Symbolic Systems Program, which according to its website, focuses on systems and symbols in communication. FILE - In this May 7, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Lynden, Wash. (Photo: Elaine Thompson, AP) A Stanford News Service story about the MAGA hat said it "defined a positional narrative: America was great, is not any more, but could be again," and noted Ronald Reagan first used the "Make America Great Again" slogan during his 1980 campaign for president. Bill Clinton also used the phrase in 1991 in announcing his campaign for president. Todd Davies, program associate director, told the Stanford News Service, Lots of things can be symbols but relatively few things actually are. Being a symbol is an acquired status that gets established through use. Symbols can obviously become notable because the things they represent are notable. Davies told the Free Press that what the MAGA hats represent has changed in the last three years. "I do think the cultural meaning of MAGA hats has evolved since 2016, and that many people (though not all) see the hat at least partly as a symbol of white nationalism in the U.S.," he said in an email. Related content at Freep.com: Catholic student: Our group was not hateful in Washington D.C. incident Native activist offers to meet Covington Catholic students Native American leader of Michigan: 'Mob mentality' in students was 'scary' The Rev. Wendell Anthony, who is pastor of Detroits Fellowship Chapel, a trustee on the national NAACP Board of Directors, and president of the Detroit Branch of the NAACP, said the MAGA hats send a message that is unquestionably divisive for people of color. Buy Photo The Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit Branch of the NAACP. (Photo: Detroit Free Press file photo) "The caps that the young men were wearing, it is their right of course, to wear them, but when one says make America great again, what are you talking about?" he said. "Because in order to make America great again, one has to go backwards. You have to go back to a time period in which America as viewed through the prism of many people was not so great. Its confusing, and we dont understand that." The people who wear those hats, Anthony said, are suggesting knowingly or unknowingly that they support all of Trump's policies and his behaviors. "Do you embrace division?" Anthony asked, adding in part, "... in order to wear that hat, you cant just select a part of the man that hat has come to embody. You cannot compartmentalize yourself and say, 'Im going to embrace the part of him that appears to be strong and tells people where to get off,' without embracing all the other hate and racism and division and derision, and the government shutdown that he proudly owns. "When you wear that, youre saying thats what you support. So when I see that hat, thats what I see. I see America at its worst, I do not see America at its best." The conservative view Buy Photo Crowd cheer for President Donald J. Trump during Make America Great Again rally at Total Sports Park in Washington Township, Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press) Laura Ingraham called Milano "a dope" on her podcast Tuesday for characterizing the MAGA hat as the modern-day white KKK hood. Oh, OK sweetheart. That would actually be closer to the truth, right? said Ingraham, who also is a Fox News host. Planned Parenthood is boasting that they had 11,000 more abortions last year and, disproportionately, abortions affect the lives of minorities around the United States, who are, frankly, treated woefully by the Planned Parenthood machine." ... "That actually would be more accurate that the Planned Parenthood cap might as well be the KKK, but not a kid whos wearing a Make America Great Again hat. Former secret service agent Dan Boningo, an author and frequent Fox News commentator, agreed with Ingraham. Are you serious?" he said. Political commentator Laura Ingraham, speaks during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland (Photo: Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY) "So Donald Trump who gives you back more of your money, fought for school choice, has black unemployment at the lowest in modern American history if hes a racist, then hes the worst racist in American history. Eric Castiglia, 49, a Republican from Sterling Heights, said Milano's comments were terrible and that in no way should the MAGA hats ever be compared to KKK hoods. "Absolutely not," said Castiglia, who is Catholic. "There are so many people in this country that wear that hat, that look to it for inspiration for a fixing a broken system. "It's not a white hat or a hood over somebody's face.That was the Democratic Party that had a historical connection to the KKK, never the Republican Party affiliated with that group. We are the party of Lincoln." Many on the left have become so vicious, so vocal when it comes to the conservative viewpoint, Castiglia said, that it's stifled the voices of Trump supporters and Christians. "You can't support our president in public," Castiglia said. "People will chastise you, ridicule you and lump you into something that you're not just because you believe in some of his policy issues." As the parent of children who attend Catholic schools, Castiglia explained that Catholic schoolchildren are taught not to talk back to adults, not to cause a scene or be aggressive. "So they stood there smiling because what else were they supposed to do?" Castiglio said. "They stood calm. They didn't do anything wrong. ... If that was my son, I would have been proud of him that he didn't push the drum away, that he didn't say a nasty thing, that he just stood there, smiling. I would have been proud of him. They stood strong, peacefully, and they shouldn't' have had to back down." Buy Photo Crowd cheer for President Donald J. Trump during Make America Great Again rally at Total Sports Park in Washington Township, Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press) StilPavlovitz said it is possible the Covington boys didn't fully understand how politically charged the hats have become. "Young people when they wear those hats, they might not be aware of how weighted they are," he said. "So for instance, these high school students might see it as an expression of solidarity with the president or some statement of pride in their country and be unaware of the legacy of hatred in our country, the legacy of white supremacy. "And really, I think that is a product of their privilege in this case. These are young men who might be largely unaware of the countrys past and even of the presidents policies, quite honestly." A youth pastor for 23 years, Pavlovitz said what was most unsettling for him was seeing in the videos how poorly the chaperones handled the situation. CLOSE View the tense situation through multiple lenses and perspectives, as Christian students, Black Hebrew Israelites and Native Americans get entangled on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. USA TODAY "Students must understand the context of the world in which they're growing up in, and I think thats where you see a failure in this situation," he said. "These adults understand exactly what that symbolism is and therefore, in a way, they are almost weaponizing the young people in their care, theyre almost using them to take a brunt of the message that they want to perpetuate." Native American advocate Nathan Phillips, of Ypsilanti, Mich., sits for a portrait in Ypsilanti on May 2, 2015. Phillips gained national attention following a standoff between Phillips and a group of Catholic high school students went viral on Friday, January 18, 2019 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chris Stranad, Chris Stranad) Trump weighs in on Covington Although Trump hasn't commented on the shifting perceptions of what his red MAGA hats have come to mean for many Americans, he said in a tweet that he supports the Covington Catholic School boys, and the 16-year-old junior at the forefront of the controversy, Nicholas Sandmann. He tweeted: "Looking like Nick Sandman (sic) & Covington Catholic students were treated unfairly with early judgements (sic) proving out to be false - smeared by media. Not good, but making big comeback! 'New footage shows that media was wrong about teens encounter with Native American' @TuckerCarlson" Covington Catholic High School was closed Tuesday, the first school day scheduled after an incident in Washington D.C. when students were filmed in an altercation with a Native American man. (Photo: Albert Cesare / The Enquirer) White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders condemned the press for its coverage of the confrontation, telling Fox News host Sean Hannity: "I've never seen people so happy to destroy a kid's life when that becomes the norm in the media in America simply because they're associated with this president. That is disgraceful and that should never have happened. Let's hope that this is a lesson to all of the media, to everyone. Let's focus on getting things right not getting them first." CLOSE Citing the "rude" media coverage, President Trump tweets that he instructed White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to stop holding press briefings. Veuer's Justin Kircher has the details. Buzz60 For his part in the standoff, Sandmann told NBC's Today Show Wednesday that he did nothing wrong. As far as standing there, I had every right to do so. My position is that I was not disrespectful to Mr. Philips," Sandmann told NBC's Savannah Guthrie." I respect him. Id like to talk to him. I mean in hindsight, I wish we could have walked away and avoided the whole thing, but I cant say that Im sorry for listening to him and standing there. Sandmann said he felt threatened during the confrontation, and said none of the students shouted "build the wall," threats or racial slurs. In hindsight, I wish we had just found another spot to wait for our buses, but at the time being positive seemed better than letting them slander us with all of these things. So, I wish we could have walked away. Phillips said he heard the students shouting "build the wall" as they chanted their school spirit songs. Video shows many of them waving their arms as if using tomahawks, which is considered derogatory. He also told the Free Press he would like to travel to northern Kentucky to talk to the students about cultural appropriation, racism and respecting diverse cultures. The Rev. Anthony said if anything positive comes from this, it's that it's driving a national conversation about an uncomfortable issue. "People of good will black, white, red, yellow have to take the bull by the horns. We have to seize upon the moment. We have to preach from our churches, our synagogues, our mosques, our temples. "We have to say to each other that we all have a significant purpose here and that we must respect our brothers and sisters for our differences because diversity is a good thing. Our nations strength is in its diversity, not in its uniformity." Anthony commended Phillips for offering to meet with students from Covington Catholic. "I think thats powerful," he said. When asked whether the MAGA hats have a role in America in 2019, Anthony said, simply: "I think the hat has a place. The place for it is in a museum." Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus: 313-222-5997 or kshamus@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kristenshamus. CLOSE azcentral media critic tries to make sense of the social media outrage over Savannah Guthrie's interview on NBC with student Nick Sandmann. Post your thoughts below and we will include a few reader comments in the Sunday Free Press. Read or Share this story: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/01/24/maga-hats-racism-donald-trump/2659479002/

The "Make America Great Again" cap has become a hot-button topic. Some see it as a symbol of a white nationalist ideology pushed by the president. Others say it represents a resistance to diversity and equality. The cap is sold at the White House Gift Shop and on donaldjtrump.com.

ctrlsum

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/01/24/maga-hats-racism-donald-trump/2659479002/

Can Allergan (AGN) Keep the Earnings Streak Alive in Q4?

We expect Allergan plc AGN to beat expectations when it reports fourth-quarter and full-year 2018 results on Jan 29, before market open. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 5.99%. Allergans share price has declined 13.8% in the past year compared with the industrys decline of 21.8%. Allergans earnings performance has been strong, with the company beating expectations in each of the past four quarters. The average positive earnings surprise over the last four quarters is 6.66%. Amgen Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Amgen Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | Amgen Inc. Quote Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors to Consider We believe that Allergans key products like Botox, Juvderm collection of fillers, Vraylar, Alloderm, Linzess and Lo Loestrin are likely to support sales growth in the quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Botox is $937 million. On the third-quarter call, the company had said that Botox demand was strong despite the launch of Amgens CGRP antibody, Aimovig. However, the company did mention that it expects the growth rate for Botox Therapeutic to moderate due to competition from CGRPs. Other than Aimovig, Tevas and Lillys CGRPs were also approved in September. Botoxs sales growth rate is expected to be in mid- to high-single digits. At the same time, the company said that that the introduction of the CGRPs should expand the migraine market and that Botox and the CGRPs can coexist in the larger market. An update is expected on the fourth-quarter conference call. However, revenues in the fourth quarter are expected to be hurt by recall of Ozurdex in international markets in October, currency translation and lost revenues due to the sale of medical dermatology assets in September 2018. Meanwhile, lower sales of Namenda XR and Estrace cream due to generic competition are expected to continue to hurt Allergans revenues in the fourth quarter. While a generic version of Alzheimers treatment Namenda XR was launched by India based company, Lupin in February 2018 that of Estrace cream was launched by Mylan MYL in January 2018. A generic version of Delzicol is also expected to be launched soon. However, no generic version of Restasis, Allergans second best-selling drug, has been launched yet. On the third-quarter conference call, management had said that a generic version of Restasis is now expected to be launched between Nov 1, 2018 and Jan 1, 2019. The delay in launch of Restasis generics may add to the top line in the fourth quarter.

We expect Allergan plc AGN to beat expectations when it reports fourth-quarter and full-year 2018 results on Jan 29, before market open. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 5.99%.

bart

https://news.yahoo.com/allergan-agn-keep-earnings-streak-002912112.html

Can Allergan (AGN) Keep the Earnings Streak Alive in Q4?

We expect Allergan plc AGN to beat expectations when it reports fourth-quarter and full-year 2018 results on Jan 29, before market open. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 5.99%. Allergans share price has declined 13.8% in the past year compared with the industrys decline of 21.8%. Allergans earnings performance has been strong, with the company beating expectations in each of the past four quarters. The average positive earnings surprise over the last four quarters is 6.66%. Amgen Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Amgen Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | Amgen Inc. Quote Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors to Consider We believe that Allergans key products like Botox, Juvderm collection of fillers, Vraylar, Alloderm, Linzess and Lo Loestrin are likely to support sales growth in the quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Botox is $937 million. On the third-quarter call, the company had said that Botox demand was strong despite the launch of Amgens CGRP antibody, Aimovig. However, the company did mention that it expects the growth rate for Botox Therapeutic to moderate due to competition from CGRPs. Other than Aimovig, Tevas and Lillys CGRPs were also approved in September. Botoxs sales growth rate is expected to be in mid- to high-single digits. At the same time, the company said that that the introduction of the CGRPs should expand the migraine market and that Botox and the CGRPs can coexist in the larger market. An update is expected on the fourth-quarter conference call. However, revenues in the fourth quarter are expected to be hurt by recall of Ozurdex in international markets in October, currency translation and lost revenues due to the sale of medical dermatology assets in September 2018. Meanwhile, lower sales of Namenda XR and Estrace cream due to generic competition are expected to continue to hurt Allergans revenues in the fourth quarter. While a generic version of Alzheimers treatment Namenda XR was launched by India based company, Lupin in February 2018 that of Estrace cream was launched by Mylan MYL in January 2018. A generic version of Delzicol is also expected to be launched soon. However, no generic version of Restasis, Allergans second best-selling drug, has been launched yet. On the third-quarter conference call, management had said that a generic version of Restasis is now expected to be launched between Nov 1, 2018 and Jan 1, 2019. The delay in launch of Restasis generics may add to the top line in the fourth quarter.

We expect Allergan plc AGN to beat expectations when it reports fourth-quarter and full-year 2018 results on Jan 29, before market open. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 5.99%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Botox is $937 million.

bart

https://news.yahoo.com/allergan-agn-keep-earnings-streak-002912112.html

Why was Victor Pena on the street?

Victor Pena is accused of kidnapping Olivia Ambrose from a public street and holding her captive for three days. Starting in 2004, public records show numerous women reporting Pena for physical and sexual abuse. One said Pena hit her and forced her to have sex. Another said he hit her repeatedly in the head and covered her mouth and nose so she couldnt breathe. At least five restraining orders were issued on behalf of women who feared for their safety. Pena has been a menace to women for a very long time, but the guy, incredibly, has no criminal record related to those incidents because charges werent filed, or were dismissed. Not prosecuting guys like Pena always leads to an escalation of violence. They learn quickly that they can do what they want and get away with it. The revolving door at the courthouse is a disturbing commentary on the value of womens lives, and a reminder to abusers that they can do it again and again, without repercussion. In a civilized legal system, a first-time offender would at least be ordered into batterers treatment. If he did it again, he would go to jail. If he didnt get the message after that, he would be labeled a high-risk offender and incarcerated for the longest period of time possible, whenever the opportunity presented itself. Had Pena been handled that way, he would have been behind bars, rather than hunting for women leaving bars. This is what criminal justice reform should look like. Not refusing to prosecute shoplifters, but aggressively prosecuting high-risk offenders. Lots of people do and they dont hurt anyone. Pena sucked his thumb, cried and talked to himself after he was arrested, but his ex-girlfriends didnt say he was mentally ill, and the court psychologist suggested he might be exaggerating. He wouldnt be the first criminal to conveniently develop a psychiatric condition on arraignment day. The police report indicates Pena managed to transport an incapacitated Ambrose across town on the MBTA, and through the streets of Charlestown to his apartment. There, he had installed a special inside lock he previously had used to entrap another woman. These tactics require mental competence and planning thumb-sucking notwithstanding. It feels better to think guys like Pena are sick, but the reality is, most men hurt women because they dont fear the consequences. Thats not a mental illness problem thats a gender discrimination problem.

Victor Pena is accused of kidnapping Olivia Ambrose from a public street and holding her captive for three days.

bart

https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/01/24/wendy-murphy-why-was-pena-on-the-street/

Why was Victor Pena on the street?

Victor Pena is accused of kidnapping Olivia Ambrose from a public street and holding her captive for three days. Starting in 2004, public records show numerous women reporting Pena for physical and sexual abuse. One said Pena hit her and forced her to have sex. Another said he hit her repeatedly in the head and covered her mouth and nose so she couldnt breathe. At least five restraining orders were issued on behalf of women who feared for their safety. Pena has been a menace to women for a very long time, but the guy, incredibly, has no criminal record related to those incidents because charges werent filed, or were dismissed. Not prosecuting guys like Pena always leads to an escalation of violence. They learn quickly that they can do what they want and get away with it. The revolving door at the courthouse is a disturbing commentary on the value of womens lives, and a reminder to abusers that they can do it again and again, without repercussion. In a civilized legal system, a first-time offender would at least be ordered into batterers treatment. If he did it again, he would go to jail. If he didnt get the message after that, he would be labeled a high-risk offender and incarcerated for the longest period of time possible, whenever the opportunity presented itself. Had Pena been handled that way, he would have been behind bars, rather than hunting for women leaving bars. This is what criminal justice reform should look like. Not refusing to prosecute shoplifters, but aggressively prosecuting high-risk offenders. Lots of people do and they dont hurt anyone. Pena sucked his thumb, cried and talked to himself after he was arrested, but his ex-girlfriends didnt say he was mentally ill, and the court psychologist suggested he might be exaggerating. He wouldnt be the first criminal to conveniently develop a psychiatric condition on arraignment day. The police report indicates Pena managed to transport an incapacitated Ambrose across town on the MBTA, and through the streets of Charlestown to his apartment. There, he had installed a special inside lock he previously had used to entrap another woman. These tactics require mental competence and planning thumb-sucking notwithstanding. It feels better to think guys like Pena are sick, but the reality is, most men hurt women because they dont fear the consequences. Thats not a mental illness problem thats a gender discrimination problem.

Victor Pena is accused of kidnapping Olivia Ambrose from a public street and holding her captive for three days. Public records show numerous women reporting Pena for physical and sexual abuse. Not prosecuting guys like Pena always leads to an escalation of violence.

pegasus

https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/01/24/wendy-murphy-why-was-pena-on-the-street/

Why was Victor Pena on the street?

Victor Pena is accused of kidnapping Olivia Ambrose from a public street and holding her captive for three days. Starting in 2004, public records show numerous women reporting Pena for physical and sexual abuse. One said Pena hit her and forced her to have sex. Another said he hit her repeatedly in the head and covered her mouth and nose so she couldnt breathe. At least five restraining orders were issued on behalf of women who feared for their safety. Pena has been a menace to women for a very long time, but the guy, incredibly, has no criminal record related to those incidents because charges werent filed, or were dismissed. Not prosecuting guys like Pena always leads to an escalation of violence. They learn quickly that they can do what they want and get away with it. The revolving door at the courthouse is a disturbing commentary on the value of womens lives, and a reminder to abusers that they can do it again and again, without repercussion. In a civilized legal system, a first-time offender would at least be ordered into batterers treatment. If he did it again, he would go to jail. If he didnt get the message after that, he would be labeled a high-risk offender and incarcerated for the longest period of time possible, whenever the opportunity presented itself. Had Pena been handled that way, he would have been behind bars, rather than hunting for women leaving bars. This is what criminal justice reform should look like. Not refusing to prosecute shoplifters, but aggressively prosecuting high-risk offenders. Lots of people do and they dont hurt anyone. Pena sucked his thumb, cried and talked to himself after he was arrested, but his ex-girlfriends didnt say he was mentally ill, and the court psychologist suggested he might be exaggerating. He wouldnt be the first criminal to conveniently develop a psychiatric condition on arraignment day. The police report indicates Pena managed to transport an incapacitated Ambrose across town on the MBTA, and through the streets of Charlestown to his apartment. There, he had installed a special inside lock he previously had used to entrap another woman. These tactics require mental competence and planning thumb-sucking notwithstanding. It feels better to think guys like Pena are sick, but the reality is, most men hurt women because they dont fear the consequences. Thats not a mental illness problem thats a gender discrimination problem.

Victor Pena is accused of kidnapping Olivia Ambrose from a public street and holding her captive for three days. Starting in 2004, public records show numerous women reporting Pena for physical and sexual abuse. At least five restraining orders were issued on behalf of women who feared for their safety.

bart

https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/01/24/wendy-murphy-why-was-pena-on-the-street/

Is the development academy killing Arizona high school girls soccer?

CLOSE U.S. Soccer is not allowing academy players to play for their high school. Now-former Xavier standout Kyla Ferry talks about it. Richard Obert, azcentral sports Kyla Ferry led Phoenix Xavier Prep to a 6A soccer championship the last two years. Last season, she was named the azcentral Sports Awards Girls Soccer Player of the Year. She was also the state Player of the Year by Gatorade. She committed to the University of Colorado. "It was always fun to go down the hallway, and people would say, 'Good game, I heard you on the announcements, scoring,' '' Ferry said. Kyle Ferry exercises before practice with the SC del Sol girls soccer club at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex on Jan. 22, 2019 in Phoenix. (Photo: Thomas Hawthorne/azcentral sports) But now, when she walks down the school's hallways, she sees former teammates chatting up their last game. When she helps Xavier coach Barb Chura as her teacher's assistant, she can only hear what happened in their games. "Those are the things she looks back on," said J-Michael Ferry, Kyla's father and still an avid Xavier soccer supporter. "It validates why you play, being recognized. She spent a good part of her life playing this sport." Choosing academy over high school team Tuesday night, when Xavier has Senior Night, Ferry won't be able to take part in it. "Its tough," J-Michael said. "You want your kids to do it all. But the DA rules are set. It's this way. I think she's happy with her choices." In the second year of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy for girls, this year the national federation made a rule that girls who choose to play on their high school teams can't play for the development academy team. Ferry chose to ramp her game up another notch and get the year-round training to get herself ready to make an instant impact in her first college season next fall at Colorado. She practices most nights at Rose Mofford Sports Complex in Phoenix, wearing the orange-jersey girls meet up for training under Les Armstrong, who leads the SC del Sol U-18/19 team that is 13-1-1 and ranked No. 1 in the Southwest Division. Ferry has had a big impact on the team. At the biggest showcase of the year in Florida in December, she scored four goals, including three game winners in front of more than 100 college coaches, including her future Colorado coach. "Playing here at del Sol, the competition is at a much higher level than high school," Ferry said. "Everybody is going to top D. I schools around the country. We play against almost all California schools, which a higher-intensity level for us, which is the best competition to get us ready for our colleges. Which is the most important thing for thing for now, getting prepared, especially for me. I want to be prepared when I get to the University of Colorado." 'This is a HUGE issue' This is great for Ferry and other girls who have chosen the development academy route. "This is a HUGE issue," Chura wrote in an email. "The Development Academy has kill HS Soccer. Especially at my school. So many good soccer players no longer playing. Really sad." Kyle Ferry exercises before practice with the SC del Sol girls soccer club at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex on Jan. 22, 2019 in Phoenix. (Photo: Thomas Hawthorne/azcentral sports) Chura didn't just lose the state's best player, but five potential starters on this year's team that is hoping to capture a third consecutive state title. Injuries have taken a toll on Xavier's depth. But the Gators are hanging in. They are 7-3-2 and have outscored their opponents 39-8. Academy has 197 total clubs, comprised of teams across six age groups in the boys program and U-18/19 and four age groups in the girls program. In the fall of 2017 the academy expanded to include a girls development academy. Last year, girls could take a break from the academy to spend the three or four months with their high school teams. But in 2018, the national federation made a rule that girls who leave the academy to play high school can't return to the academy once their high school season is over. The academy program advertises on its Web site that the club "environments assist in maximizing youth player development across the country." "The Academy values individual development of elite players over winning trophies and titles," it says. "The Academy sets the standard for elite environments for youth soccer clubs nationwide and is a part of U.S. Soccer's global leadership position in youth soccer that will impact thousands of players." So every grade in high school is impacted by the academy, which is pulling some of the most elite players from the high school game. "If we could have done both, we would have loved to do both," Ferry said. "But we couldn't and it's best for us to play for the DA. People were saying, 'Please play, you're really big for the team.' I was like, 'I just can't. It's not what's best for me.' "It's really hard for me, because I'm a TA for Barb. Having to see her every day and her just being, 'I know I'm going to see you on the sideline and we're going to be accepting.' But she understands that's what's best." Kyla Ferry exercises before practice with the SC del Sol girls soccer club at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex on Jan. 22, 2019 in Phoenix. (Photo: Thomas Hawthorne/azcentral sports) In an October story by SoccerNation, Mirelle van Rijbroek, director of talent indentification for US Soccer, was asked why the federation does not allow DA players to play for their high school teams. Imagine you get into Harvard," van Rijbroek told SoccerNation. "You go to Harvard, and youre in a very high-level environment. There are big group projects to work on that are crucial to your education. Those projects are going to help you learn how to handle huge stressful situations later in life. But then you want to take a few months off to go to a different school for a while. Furthermore, youll be leaving the members of your group without an important member of the team, while you take a few months to go do something else. Its not fair to the group left behind. Additionally, its not going to be good for your own education. You cant just leave for a few months. Ferry was stuck in tough spot. The high school soccer season ends in mid-February. Had she committed to high school soccer her senior year, she'd be out, as far as playing in weekend tournaments in California with the top development academy team in the Southwest. "She wants to be here," Chura said. She's with one of the top-ranked teams in the country. She's a premier player, an elite player. "That's where we have no leverage as high schools, because these colleges are going to showcase tournaments and mobbing the sidelines to watch these kids play. They don't go to high schools." More high school blowouts High school scores have been predictably lopsided this season. Gilbert Perry, which arguably has the best team in the state at 17-0-2, outscoring opponents 86-1, won back-to-back games in January by scores of 10-0 and 21-0. "I am sure that a lot of schools have several kids that have opted to play with their club teams," Perry coach John Roberts said. "As coaches, we need to focus on the kids that we do have. Club soccer is a grind. "High school soccer is fun for the kids and keeps their passion for the sport with the few months off of club that they do get while still competing in the sport. It is our job to make their experiences fun, while still learning and progressing in the sport. Kids get to represent their schools and play with their friends and create lifelong memories. That is what we are about at Perry." Armstrong said his team is just following U.S. Soccer guidelines, and he gives the girls the option. "You can play the first half of the season, but you can't come back after that (if they choose to join their high school teams)," Armstrong said. "If you play high school, you're ineligible. "Generally, the most competitive players continue to play in the academy. My personal thought is, you get better by good competition and good coaching. That's not to say you don't have good high school coaching. But the level of play is inferior compared to the level of club. Kids make the choice. I feel bad for it. "The other disheartening thing for high school kids, they play during the time when major tournaments are going on with the academy. In December, we had one game with 145 college coaches around the field. That doesn't happen at a high school soccer match." Still cheering for Xavier Ferry was going to commit to being one of Chura's team managers at Xavier Prep this year. But it's been tough to get out to the high school matches, because they conflict with her academy practices and games. J-Michael said he left the decision to his daughter this year. "At the time, Kyla said, 'I'm not sure,' '' he said. "In the end, she felt what's important is Colorado and being ready to play. She had to look at the next level for this." "I went to Brophy," he said. "I graduated from Brophy. I support both. I love going to Brophy games, too. They have a lot of girls still there at Xavier. I think it's about supporting the school. It's a cool environment. It's fun." Kyla still is Xavier's No. 1 fan. But she knows her game is that much farther advanced since committing to the development academy. "(My dad) loved watching me play high school but he also loves watching me play club," she said. "He just wants me to be playing when I go to Colorado, because he's going to be go up every single weekend, even when we're traveling." READ MORE: To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert.

Kyla Ferry was named azcentral Sports Awards Girls Soccer Player of the Year. U.S. Soccer has made a rule that development academy players can't play for their high school team.

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https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/01/24/development-soccer-hurt-arizona-high-school-girls-soccer/2671102002/

Is the development academy killing Arizona high school girls soccer?

CLOSE U.S. Soccer is not allowing academy players to play for their high school. Now-former Xavier standout Kyla Ferry talks about it. Richard Obert, azcentral sports Kyla Ferry led Phoenix Xavier Prep to a 6A soccer championship the last two years. Last season, she was named the azcentral Sports Awards Girls Soccer Player of the Year. She was also the state Player of the Year by Gatorade. She committed to the University of Colorado. "It was always fun to go down the hallway, and people would say, 'Good game, I heard you on the announcements, scoring,' '' Ferry said. Kyle Ferry exercises before practice with the SC del Sol girls soccer club at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex on Jan. 22, 2019 in Phoenix. (Photo: Thomas Hawthorne/azcentral sports) But now, when she walks down the school's hallways, she sees former teammates chatting up their last game. When she helps Xavier coach Barb Chura as her teacher's assistant, she can only hear what happened in their games. "Those are the things she looks back on," said J-Michael Ferry, Kyla's father and still an avid Xavier soccer supporter. "It validates why you play, being recognized. She spent a good part of her life playing this sport." Choosing academy over high school team Tuesday night, when Xavier has Senior Night, Ferry won't be able to take part in it. "Its tough," J-Michael said. "You want your kids to do it all. But the DA rules are set. It's this way. I think she's happy with her choices." In the second year of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy for girls, this year the national federation made a rule that girls who choose to play on their high school teams can't play for the development academy team. Ferry chose to ramp her game up another notch and get the year-round training to get herself ready to make an instant impact in her first college season next fall at Colorado. She practices most nights at Rose Mofford Sports Complex in Phoenix, wearing the orange-jersey girls meet up for training under Les Armstrong, who leads the SC del Sol U-18/19 team that is 13-1-1 and ranked No. 1 in the Southwest Division. Ferry has had a big impact on the team. At the biggest showcase of the year in Florida in December, she scored four goals, including three game winners in front of more than 100 college coaches, including her future Colorado coach. "Playing here at del Sol, the competition is at a much higher level than high school," Ferry said. "Everybody is going to top D. I schools around the country. We play against almost all California schools, which a higher-intensity level for us, which is the best competition to get us ready for our colleges. Which is the most important thing for thing for now, getting prepared, especially for me. I want to be prepared when I get to the University of Colorado." 'This is a HUGE issue' This is great for Ferry and other girls who have chosen the development academy route. "This is a HUGE issue," Chura wrote in an email. "The Development Academy has kill HS Soccer. Especially at my school. So many good soccer players no longer playing. Really sad." Kyle Ferry exercises before practice with the SC del Sol girls soccer club at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex on Jan. 22, 2019 in Phoenix. (Photo: Thomas Hawthorne/azcentral sports) Chura didn't just lose the state's best player, but five potential starters on this year's team that is hoping to capture a third consecutive state title. Injuries have taken a toll on Xavier's depth. But the Gators are hanging in. They are 7-3-2 and have outscored their opponents 39-8. Academy has 197 total clubs, comprised of teams across six age groups in the boys program and U-18/19 and four age groups in the girls program. In the fall of 2017 the academy expanded to include a girls development academy. Last year, girls could take a break from the academy to spend the three or four months with their high school teams. But in 2018, the national federation made a rule that girls who leave the academy to play high school can't return to the academy once their high school season is over. The academy program advertises on its Web site that the club "environments assist in maximizing youth player development across the country." "The Academy values individual development of elite players over winning trophies and titles," it says. "The Academy sets the standard for elite environments for youth soccer clubs nationwide and is a part of U.S. Soccer's global leadership position in youth soccer that will impact thousands of players." So every grade in high school is impacted by the academy, which is pulling some of the most elite players from the high school game. "If we could have done both, we would have loved to do both," Ferry said. "But we couldn't and it's best for us to play for the DA. People were saying, 'Please play, you're really big for the team.' I was like, 'I just can't. It's not what's best for me.' "It's really hard for me, because I'm a TA for Barb. Having to see her every day and her just being, 'I know I'm going to see you on the sideline and we're going to be accepting.' But she understands that's what's best." Kyla Ferry exercises before practice with the SC del Sol girls soccer club at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex on Jan. 22, 2019 in Phoenix. (Photo: Thomas Hawthorne/azcentral sports) In an October story by SoccerNation, Mirelle van Rijbroek, director of talent indentification for US Soccer, was asked why the federation does not allow DA players to play for their high school teams. Imagine you get into Harvard," van Rijbroek told SoccerNation. "You go to Harvard, and youre in a very high-level environment. There are big group projects to work on that are crucial to your education. Those projects are going to help you learn how to handle huge stressful situations later in life. But then you want to take a few months off to go to a different school for a while. Furthermore, youll be leaving the members of your group without an important member of the team, while you take a few months to go do something else. Its not fair to the group left behind. Additionally, its not going to be good for your own education. You cant just leave for a few months. Ferry was stuck in tough spot. The high school soccer season ends in mid-February. Had she committed to high school soccer her senior year, she'd be out, as far as playing in weekend tournaments in California with the top development academy team in the Southwest. "She wants to be here," Chura said. She's with one of the top-ranked teams in the country. She's a premier player, an elite player. "That's where we have no leverage as high schools, because these colleges are going to showcase tournaments and mobbing the sidelines to watch these kids play. They don't go to high schools." More high school blowouts High school scores have been predictably lopsided this season. Gilbert Perry, which arguably has the best team in the state at 17-0-2, outscoring opponents 86-1, won back-to-back games in January by scores of 10-0 and 21-0. "I am sure that a lot of schools have several kids that have opted to play with their club teams," Perry coach John Roberts said. "As coaches, we need to focus on the kids that we do have. Club soccer is a grind. "High school soccer is fun for the kids and keeps their passion for the sport with the few months off of club that they do get while still competing in the sport. It is our job to make their experiences fun, while still learning and progressing in the sport. Kids get to represent their schools and play with their friends and create lifelong memories. That is what we are about at Perry." Armstrong said his team is just following U.S. Soccer guidelines, and he gives the girls the option. "You can play the first half of the season, but you can't come back after that (if they choose to join their high school teams)," Armstrong said. "If you play high school, you're ineligible. "Generally, the most competitive players continue to play in the academy. My personal thought is, you get better by good competition and good coaching. That's not to say you don't have good high school coaching. But the level of play is inferior compared to the level of club. Kids make the choice. I feel bad for it. "The other disheartening thing for high school kids, they play during the time when major tournaments are going on with the academy. In December, we had one game with 145 college coaches around the field. That doesn't happen at a high school soccer match." Still cheering for Xavier Ferry was going to commit to being one of Chura's team managers at Xavier Prep this year. But it's been tough to get out to the high school matches, because they conflict with her academy practices and games. J-Michael said he left the decision to his daughter this year. "At the time, Kyla said, 'I'm not sure,' '' he said. "In the end, she felt what's important is Colorado and being ready to play. She had to look at the next level for this." "I went to Brophy," he said. "I graduated from Brophy. I support both. I love going to Brophy games, too. They have a lot of girls still there at Xavier. I think it's about supporting the school. It's a cool environment. It's fun." Kyla still is Xavier's No. 1 fan. But she knows her game is that much farther advanced since committing to the development academy. "(My dad) loved watching me play high school but he also loves watching me play club," she said. "He just wants me to be playing when I go to Colorado, because he's going to be go up every single weekend, even when we're traveling." READ MORE: To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert.

Kyla Ferry was named azcentral Sports Awards Girls Soccer Player of the Year. U.S. Soccer has made a rule that development academy players can't play for their high school team. Ferry chose to play for a development academy team to get better training for college.

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https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/01/24/development-soccer-hurt-arizona-high-school-girls-soccer/2671102002/

Why did somebody send Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg a blue king cake?

Its a story of rejection, reversal and reconciliation. The folks at a king cake-focused website called King Cake Snob have sent a king cake to Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook. Zuckerbergs king cake which is decorated in Facebook blue - includes an especially large, custom-made king cake baby clothed in a Facebook T-shirt and what appear to be tiny black athletic shorts. Heres the backstory. On Jan. 7 the King Cake Snob management attempted to pay Facebook to increase the distribution of a post on the King Cake Snob Facebook page that called attention to the start of the Mardi Gras season. Boosting a post, as its called, is routine. The trouble was, the post in question included a photo of king cake babies. Facebook declined to boost the King Cake Snob post because the photo of the tiny plastic babies included excessive skin or nudity. KCS appealed to Facebook to reconsider, but the social media Goliath refused. Facebook censors king cake babies for nudity. No kidding. Word of Facebooks prudishness leapfrogged from one media outlet to another until Jan. 18 when Facebook relented and allowed KCS to boost the previously banned post. UPDATE: Your voices have been heard! Facebook has reversed its decision to deny our King Cake baby ads, allowing the... Posted by King Cake Snob on Friday, January 18, 2019 King Cake Snob spokesman Andrew Alexander said that the whole problem underlying Facebooks erstwhile censorship may have been the California companys lack of king cake awareness. So KCS enlisted Caluda King Cake bakery to produce a custom cake for Mr. Zuckerbergs enjoyment and edification. Members of the KCS website design team created the huge, clothed king cake baby with a 3-D digital printer. Alexander said he is sure the cake has reached its destination, though Facebook has not responded. Alexander said the gesture is meant to tie a ribbon on the whole censorship incident. It is not, he avows, an effort to tease Mr. Zuckerberg or the management of his mega-company. King Cake Snob is published by the Innovative Advertising agency. The website management uses its Facebook account to draw attention to king cake reviews and news. King Cake Festival 2019: Taste Mardi Gras confections from 27 vendors Doug MacCash has the best job in the world, covering art, music and culture in New Orleans. Contact him via email at dmaccash@nola.com. Follow him on Twitter at Doug MacCash and on Facebook at Douglas James MacCash. As always, please add your point of view to the comment stream.

King Cake Snob sent Mark Zuckerberg a blue king cake decorated in Facebook blue. Facebook initially refused to boost a post that featured a photo of a naked king cake baby. Facebook reversed its decision to ban the post, allowing the King cake Snob post to be boosted.

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https://www.nola.com/entertainment/2019/01/why-did-somebody-send-facebooks-mark-zuckerberg-a-blue-king-cake.html

Who Needs To Beef Up Their Permian Portfolio?

The challenge is always to present a complex story simply. Every once in a while, a visual aid nails it and the reader frankly doesnt need much more. In this particular case, its about what will drive tight oil consolidation in 2019 and beyond. More on this shortly. US tight oil has been the biggest theme in the upstream M&A market over the last three years. A total of U.S.$60 billion was spent acquiring tight oil assets in 2018, of which almost 50% was in the Permian. A clear pattern has emerged since 2015 its the big players dominating the tight oil deal making. Smaller independents valued at under U.S.$5 billion are still active, but there is a changing of the guard. The big money is coming from Big Oil Majors and large independents. Over two-thirds of the capital spent buying tight oil assets in 2018 was from companies with a market value of more than U.S.$5 billion. Nearly half was companies of U.S.$10 billion or more, including BP, which acquired BHPs assets. This reflects the industrialization of development in the Permian. ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell and now BP are among the biggest investors shaping the way the basin is being exploited. Scale is a means of creating value access to a bigger inventory of pre-drill wells, especially in contiguous acreage. High grading inventory and selecting well sites are key to the logic of doing deals. There are those who dont have exposure but who want to get it. There are plenty of these have-nots many of them sizeable players, including Asian national oil companies, Asian independents and, perhaps, even majors like Total. Not all may want to buy big, but some want in on the action as a platform to build an understanding of whats going on, how it all works, and as a spring board for future expansion. Then theres a bigger group of Permian haves, some of whom may not have enough. That brings us back to our visual, shown below, which ranks existing positions in the Permian who needs to buy and who may consider selling out. Ryan Duman, principal analyst, and team mined our U.S. Lower 48 database of companies exposure to the basin, making a judgment on the depth and quality of portfolios by ranking metrics such as production growth, experience, productivity, variability, capital efficiency, asset size and location. By combining historical actuals and forward-looking metrics were able to take a more holistic review of how each operator stacks up. Three things stuck out. First, few Permian operators have enough high-quality inventory to support growth much beyond five years (and many production profiles start plateauing sooner than that). We found that approximately 60% of Permian operators could be considered as either future buyers or sellers. Second, some candidates stand out as the potential buyers that might lead another wave of acquisitions. These may be operators looking to the Permian for significant growth and more productive inventory, among them Anadarko and Devon. Soaring Permian acreage costs means the likely buyers club will be a tight-ish group, including the larger independents and majors. Capital discipline will be a limiting factor industry-wide. Third, companies with less certain longevity might choose to sell while the going's good. An example of this visual in action is Resolute's sale to Cimarex late last year. Others might opt to improve their position if they have organic upside potential from exploration and appraisal or shift to industrialized development. Operators like QEP and Encana are actively testing cube- or tank-style development, which could help them exploit Permian resource more efficiently and effectively. We may be in for a fresh bout of consolidation. The recent sharp sell-off in shares has opened up steep discounts to our valuation for some independents, an opportunity for the big to get bigger.

Big oil is dominating the tight oil deal making, according to a new study. The study looked at who needs to beef up their Permian portfolio and who may sell out.

ctrlsum

https://www.forbes.com/sites/woodmackenzie/2019/01/25/who-needs-to-beef-up-their-permian-portfolio/

Who Needs To Beef Up Their Permian Portfolio?

The challenge is always to present a complex story simply. Every once in a while, a visual aid nails it and the reader frankly doesnt need much more. In this particular case, its about what will drive tight oil consolidation in 2019 and beyond. More on this shortly. US tight oil has been the biggest theme in the upstream M&A market over the last three years. A total of U.S.$60 billion was spent acquiring tight oil assets in 2018, of which almost 50% was in the Permian. A clear pattern has emerged since 2015 its the big players dominating the tight oil deal making. Smaller independents valued at under U.S.$5 billion are still active, but there is a changing of the guard. The big money is coming from Big Oil Majors and large independents. Over two-thirds of the capital spent buying tight oil assets in 2018 was from companies with a market value of more than U.S.$5 billion. Nearly half was companies of U.S.$10 billion or more, including BP, which acquired BHPs assets. This reflects the industrialization of development in the Permian. ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell and now BP are among the biggest investors shaping the way the basin is being exploited. Scale is a means of creating value access to a bigger inventory of pre-drill wells, especially in contiguous acreage. High grading inventory and selecting well sites are key to the logic of doing deals. There are those who dont have exposure but who want to get it. There are plenty of these have-nots many of them sizeable players, including Asian national oil companies, Asian independents and, perhaps, even majors like Total. Not all may want to buy big, but some want in on the action as a platform to build an understanding of whats going on, how it all works, and as a spring board for future expansion. Then theres a bigger group of Permian haves, some of whom may not have enough. That brings us back to our visual, shown below, which ranks existing positions in the Permian who needs to buy and who may consider selling out. Ryan Duman, principal analyst, and team mined our U.S. Lower 48 database of companies exposure to the basin, making a judgment on the depth and quality of portfolios by ranking metrics such as production growth, experience, productivity, variability, capital efficiency, asset size and location. By combining historical actuals and forward-looking metrics were able to take a more holistic review of how each operator stacks up. Three things stuck out. First, few Permian operators have enough high-quality inventory to support growth much beyond five years (and many production profiles start plateauing sooner than that). We found that approximately 60% of Permian operators could be considered as either future buyers or sellers. Second, some candidates stand out as the potential buyers that might lead another wave of acquisitions. These may be operators looking to the Permian for significant growth and more productive inventory, among them Anadarko and Devon. Soaring Permian acreage costs means the likely buyers club will be a tight-ish group, including the larger independents and majors. Capital discipline will be a limiting factor industry-wide. Third, companies with less certain longevity might choose to sell while the going's good. An example of this visual in action is Resolute's sale to Cimarex late last year. Others might opt to improve their position if they have organic upside potential from exploration and appraisal or shift to industrialized development. Operators like QEP and Encana are actively testing cube- or tank-style development, which could help them exploit Permian resource more efficiently and effectively. We may be in for a fresh bout of consolidation. The recent sharp sell-off in shares has opened up steep discounts to our valuation for some independents, an opportunity for the big to get bigger.

Big oil is dominating the tight oil deal making, according to a new study. The study looked at who needs to beef up their Permian portfolio and who may sell out. It found that 60% of operators could be considered as either future buyers or sellers in the basin.

ctrlsum

https://www.forbes.com/sites/woodmackenzie/2019/01/25/who-needs-to-beef-up-their-permian-portfolio/

Is it time for a unified African transfer window?

In 2017, world governing body Fifa says that African clubs spent a total of $16m on international transfers - a sum that represents around 6% of the amount Paris Saint-Germain spent on Neymar that year. The figure is dwarfed by other continents - with South America's spend totalling $180m, Asia's $452m while Europe outdid all the other continents put together with purchases of some $5.6 billion. While Africa earned nearly four times as much through its sales, which amounted to $58m two years ago, the paucity of its spending is not just linked to the financial challenges affecting its largely cash-strapped clubs. Instead, many have told Sport Africa that the continent's irregular transfer window system is a major hindrance - despite 74% of all African club's international sales taking place on the continent itself. OUT OF SYNCH Fifa allows two transfer windows per country per year - one in the break between seasons that can last up to 12 weeks and one in the middle of a season that can last four weeks. Of the 52 African countries whose transfer windows are listed with Fifa, some are similar but no two use exactly the same dates. "The issue for Africa is that our leagues run over different times," says South African sports journalist Nick Said. "So in some countries they run from March to November/December and in some countries like South Africa - a great many countries actually - they run along the European calendar of August to May." The best time of year for African clubs to do business is January when transfer windows are open in 39 countries, which represents 72% of the continent. The graph shows how many African countries have open transfer windows per month (Source: Fifa) Yet January is an outlier because the next best month is August when 27 are open - which, with 54 countries in Africa, means half the continent is closed for business. No other month can even match half, which leaves clubs facing very limited opportunities when they can engage in essential regeneration of their squads. THE ISSUES When to sell is the big dilemma clubs face because although they cannot buy players when their windows are shut, they can offload players all year round. Karim Abdulkarim, the CEO of 2014 Tanzanian champions Azam FC, outlined in December how Africa's uneven transfer windows affect his side. "We have an offer with one club in Egypt who want to sign one of our players but we can't sell now because we can't get a replacement because the transfer window here in Tanzania is already closed," Abdulkarim told Sport Africa. Another factor that is seen to limit the intercontinental movement of African players is the varying dates of the league schedules, which means a player's fitness can be rusty when he moves to another league. Former Real Madrid star Geremi cites the example of an out-of-season player from his country - whose last championship ended in July - trying to impress a club in North Africa, where many seasons are midway through. Because he's been over three months without playing," Geremi, who now heads up Cameroon's players union, told Sport Africa. "He won't be in competitive shape and even if he goes there to be evaluated, it won't be a realistic evaluation because he's not fully fit. Former Chelsea star Geremi is in favour of a unified African transfer window "So it's up to Caf to try to organise all the championships at the same date - so that the period of the transfer windows will be the same dates." Abu Azeez, a Nigeria-based league player, backs up the views of two-time African champion Geremi. "The transfer windows should be working together so that when a player is moving, he is fit and ready." "When you are not playing because your league hasn't started, it's very, very hard for you to adapt when you go there. So one way or another it affects movement of players to other countries." "This is exactly what we need in Africa," says Azeez. "100%," agrees Azam FC's Abdulkarim. "I would like it all to be the same." Yet achieving a unified window is far easier said than done. For if the leagues across the continent don't start at the same time, a transfer window that cuts across all league on the continent is very unlikely to be achievable. To get leagues running simultaneously would mean finding a way to overcome one of the main factors that affects a continent that straddles two hemispheres - namely, the weather. Caf vice-president Amaju Pinnick says African football's ruling body may look into the issue Southern Africa's summer months of June and July are when North Africa has its hottest temperatures, so prompting a near-impossibility that leagues - which tend to be played across winter - will synchronise. "I don't think you can have a uniform transfer window on the African continent because it's just such a big place," South African journalist Mark Gleeson told Sport Africa. "Let's celebrate its diversity, as it's a massive continent with so many disparate things about it. Any attempt to create any sort of uniformity in African has failed miserably in the past and I think it will do so in the future." "If a uniform transfer window will enhance this game, why not?" Amaju Pinnick, Caf's 1st vice president, told BBC Sport Africa. "If I have a very good case, I will bring it up in our executive committee meeting, present it to the president and let's see if it will enhance. Whatever we have to do to enhance the fortune of the game, we will." Additional reporting by Ian Williams.

In 2017, African clubs spent $16m on international transfers. Many say the continent's irregular transfer window system is a major hindrance. The best time of year for African clubs to do business is January when transfer windows are open in 39 countries, which represents 72% of the continent.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/46978691

Does gum disease have a key role in Alzheimer's?

Scientists believe this may be the case after their study found further evidence of the link between bacteria in a common type of gum disease and people with dementia. Researchers say their findings offer hope for a new way of tackling the illness, for which there is no cure and no effective treatments. Scientists analysed brain tissue, spinal fluid, and saliva from dead and living patients with diagnosed and suspected Alzheimer's. Their study, published in the journal Science Advances, found bacteria associated with chronic gum disease, Porphyromonas gingivalis, in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. Tests on mice confirmed the bacteria could travel from the mouth to the brain and showed the toxic protein they secrete, called gingipain, destroyed brain neurons. The bacteria also increased production of amyloid beta, a component of the amyloid plaques commonly associated with Alzheimer's. Following this, scientists tested drugs in mice aimed at blocking the toxic proteins and found they were able to halt degeneration in the brain. The authors of the study concluded: "The findings of this study offer evidence that Porphyromonas gingivalis and gingipains in the brain play a central role in the pathogenesis [development] of AD [Alzheimer's disease], providing a new conceptual framework for disease treatment." The team has now developed a new drug they hope could form the basis of a human treatment and plan to test it in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's, in a clinical trial, later this year. Scientists not involved in the research said it added to the evidence of the link between gum disease and dementia, the umbrella term for brain conditions that include Alzheimer's. But they say it is still not clear what role gum disease bacteria has in the development of Alzheimer's. People with Alzheimer's are more susceptible to getting infections in their brains, so it may be that the gum disease bacteria and the toxic proteins they secrete are a by-product of Alzheimer's rather than a cause. There was also caution about the fact the drug tests had been in mice. Prof Tara Spires-Jones, from the UK Dementia Research Institute, at the University of Edinburgh, said it was "great news" that the study provided evidence these drugs may affect Alzheimer's-related proteins. "However, we will have to await the larger clinical trial to see if it will be beneficial to people living with Alzheimer's disease," she said. Studies have previously linked gum disease and dementia. Last year, a Taiwanese study found that people with a 10-year or longer history of chronic periodontitis (CP) were 70% more likely than people without the condition to develop Alzheimer's. Another study found people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's who had gum disease experienced a quicker rate of cognitive decline compared with those without. The researchers of this new study say one explanation for the link is that bacteria from gum disease may access the brain by infecting immune system cells or spreading through cranial nerves passing through the head and jaw. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption One expert says oral health should be more of a priority - particularly for older people But, alternatively, it may be that people with Alzheimer's have poorer oral hygiene, perhaps because the condition makes them less able to look after their teeth and gums. The charity Alzheimer's Society, responding to this study, said the research it had been involved in had not found gum disease to be a key risk factor for Alzheimer's. And Alzheimer's Research UK said the presence of a single type of bacteria was "extremely unlikely to be the only cause of the condition". But given that the condition of teeth and gums is important for overall health anyway, Prof Clive Ballard, from the University of Exeter, said the study suggested oral health should be a "much higher public health priority, especially in older people".

Scientists found bacteria associated with chronic gum disease in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46986709

Does gum disease have a key role in Alzheimer's?

Scientists believe this may be the case after their study found further evidence of the link between bacteria in a common type of gum disease and people with dementia. Researchers say their findings offer hope for a new way of tackling the illness, for which there is no cure and no effective treatments. Scientists analysed brain tissue, spinal fluid, and saliva from dead and living patients with diagnosed and suspected Alzheimer's. Their study, published in the journal Science Advances, found bacteria associated with chronic gum disease, Porphyromonas gingivalis, in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. Tests on mice confirmed the bacteria could travel from the mouth to the brain and showed the toxic protein they secrete, called gingipain, destroyed brain neurons. The bacteria also increased production of amyloid beta, a component of the amyloid plaques commonly associated with Alzheimer's. Following this, scientists tested drugs in mice aimed at blocking the toxic proteins and found they were able to halt degeneration in the brain. The authors of the study concluded: "The findings of this study offer evidence that Porphyromonas gingivalis and gingipains in the brain play a central role in the pathogenesis [development] of AD [Alzheimer's disease], providing a new conceptual framework for disease treatment." The team has now developed a new drug they hope could form the basis of a human treatment and plan to test it in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's, in a clinical trial, later this year. Scientists not involved in the research said it added to the evidence of the link between gum disease and dementia, the umbrella term for brain conditions that include Alzheimer's. But they say it is still not clear what role gum disease bacteria has in the development of Alzheimer's. People with Alzheimer's are more susceptible to getting infections in their brains, so it may be that the gum disease bacteria and the toxic proteins they secrete are a by-product of Alzheimer's rather than a cause. There was also caution about the fact the drug tests had been in mice. Prof Tara Spires-Jones, from the UK Dementia Research Institute, at the University of Edinburgh, said it was "great news" that the study provided evidence these drugs may affect Alzheimer's-related proteins. "However, we will have to await the larger clinical trial to see if it will be beneficial to people living with Alzheimer's disease," she said. Studies have previously linked gum disease and dementia. Last year, a Taiwanese study found that people with a 10-year or longer history of chronic periodontitis (CP) were 70% more likely than people without the condition to develop Alzheimer's. Another study found people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's who had gum disease experienced a quicker rate of cognitive decline compared with those without. The researchers of this new study say one explanation for the link is that bacteria from gum disease may access the brain by infecting immune system cells or spreading through cranial nerves passing through the head and jaw. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption One expert says oral health should be more of a priority - particularly for older people But, alternatively, it may be that people with Alzheimer's have poorer oral hygiene, perhaps because the condition makes them less able to look after their teeth and gums. The charity Alzheimer's Society, responding to this study, said the research it had been involved in had not found gum disease to be a key risk factor for Alzheimer's. And Alzheimer's Research UK said the presence of a single type of bacteria was "extremely unlikely to be the only cause of the condition". But given that the condition of teeth and gums is important for overall health anyway, Prof Clive Ballard, from the University of Exeter, said the study suggested oral health should be a "much higher public health priority, especially in older people".

Scientists found bacteria associated with chronic gum disease in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. They tested drugs aimed at blocking the toxic proteins and found they were able to halt degeneration in the brain.

ctrlsum

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46986709

Does gum disease have a key role in Alzheimer's?

Scientists believe this may be the case after their study found further evidence of the link between bacteria in a common type of gum disease and people with dementia. Researchers say their findings offer hope for a new way of tackling the illness, for which there is no cure and no effective treatments. Scientists analysed brain tissue, spinal fluid, and saliva from dead and living patients with diagnosed and suspected Alzheimer's. Their study, published in the journal Science Advances, found bacteria associated with chronic gum disease, Porphyromonas gingivalis, in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. Tests on mice confirmed the bacteria could travel from the mouth to the brain and showed the toxic protein they secrete, called gingipain, destroyed brain neurons. The bacteria also increased production of amyloid beta, a component of the amyloid plaques commonly associated with Alzheimer's. Following this, scientists tested drugs in mice aimed at blocking the toxic proteins and found they were able to halt degeneration in the brain. The authors of the study concluded: "The findings of this study offer evidence that Porphyromonas gingivalis and gingipains in the brain play a central role in the pathogenesis [development] of AD [Alzheimer's disease], providing a new conceptual framework for disease treatment." The team has now developed a new drug they hope could form the basis of a human treatment and plan to test it in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's, in a clinical trial, later this year. Scientists not involved in the research said it added to the evidence of the link between gum disease and dementia, the umbrella term for brain conditions that include Alzheimer's. But they say it is still not clear what role gum disease bacteria has in the development of Alzheimer's. People with Alzheimer's are more susceptible to getting infections in their brains, so it may be that the gum disease bacteria and the toxic proteins they secrete are a by-product of Alzheimer's rather than a cause. There was also caution about the fact the drug tests had been in mice. Prof Tara Spires-Jones, from the UK Dementia Research Institute, at the University of Edinburgh, said it was "great news" that the study provided evidence these drugs may affect Alzheimer's-related proteins. "However, we will have to await the larger clinical trial to see if it will be beneficial to people living with Alzheimer's disease," she said. Studies have previously linked gum disease and dementia. Last year, a Taiwanese study found that people with a 10-year or longer history of chronic periodontitis (CP) were 70% more likely than people without the condition to develop Alzheimer's. Another study found people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's who had gum disease experienced a quicker rate of cognitive decline compared with those without. The researchers of this new study say one explanation for the link is that bacteria from gum disease may access the brain by infecting immune system cells or spreading through cranial nerves passing through the head and jaw. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption One expert says oral health should be more of a priority - particularly for older people But, alternatively, it may be that people with Alzheimer's have poorer oral hygiene, perhaps because the condition makes them less able to look after their teeth and gums. The charity Alzheimer's Society, responding to this study, said the research it had been involved in had not found gum disease to be a key risk factor for Alzheimer's. And Alzheimer's Research UK said the presence of a single type of bacteria was "extremely unlikely to be the only cause of the condition". But given that the condition of teeth and gums is important for overall health anyway, Prof Clive Ballard, from the University of Exeter, said the study suggested oral health should be a "much higher public health priority, especially in older people".

Bacteria associated with chronic gum disease, Porphyromonas gingivalis, found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. Tests on mice confirmed the bacteria could travel from the mouth to the brain. The toxic protein they secrete, called gingipain, destroyed brain neurons.

bart

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46986709

Could women solve the global pilot shortage?

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption 'The perception was women didn't fly aircraft' Claire Banks is about to fulfil her childhood dream of flying planes for a living. After almost a decade as a physiotherapist, her aviation career is now ready to take off. The 36-year-old from Lancashire in the north of England has just been offered a job as a pilot by UK carrier EasyJet, joining a small but growing number of women around the world flying commercial aircraft. Once seen as a very male job, Claire says that attitudes have thankfully changed over the past two decades. "On leaving school it [becoming a pilot] wasn't really an option for me, there was very little information, and the perception was that women didn't fly aircraft," she says. "But the industry is now working hard to change that perception, and they're making the career accessible to absolutely everybody." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Easyjet wants 20% of all its new pilots to be women by the end of next year With the global aviation industry warning of a shortfall of pilots as demand for air travel rises strongly, recruiting more women could go a long way to solving the problem. Worldwide air passenger numbers are expected to increase by 6% in 2019, to a record 4.59 billion, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Looking further ahead it predicts that levels could reach 8.2 billion by 2037, led by demand in China, India and Indonesia. Boeing, the world's largest plane-maker, says that if passenger numbers do rise to that amount, an extra 635,000 commercial pilots will be needed over the next 18 years. At the moment just 5% of airline pilots are women, according to the International Society of Women Airline Pilots (ISWAP). That number will need to increase to meet the industry's expected growth, says Robin Glover-Faure, president of L3 Commercial Training Solutions, one of the world's biggest trainers of pilots. L3 trains pilots for more than 40 airlines, including British Airways and Qatar. Mr Glover-Faure says that to meet the requirement for new pilots "we're going to have to appeal to a more diverse group of people that have got the talent but come from backgrounds where maybe they haven't considered being a pilot before". Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Air France is one of few airlines that pays for the training of new pilots The company is also putting money into finding more female pilots through a scholarship scheme. It is now helping 10 women a year fund the training, which normally costs in the region of 100,000, and can take up to 24 months. Most airlines now require would-be pilots to pay to do such courses, but often with the guarantee of a job once they have completed it. Recruits such as Claire Banks use savings, or borrow money from parents. Other people take out loans. Some carriers, such as Air France, however, cover the cost of training new pilots. Mr Glover-Faure says that in the long term, finding more female pilots means breaking down "some of the perception barriers" by going to schools and recruitment fairs to explain that being a pilot is an option for a "very diverse group of people". Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Only 5% of commercial aircraft pilots around the world are female EasyJet, which is one of Europe's biggest airlines, is also actively trying to recruit more women as pilots. David Morgan, its director of flight operations, is in charge of pilot recruitment. He says there is currently "an acute shortage of females coming into the industry". To do its bit to rectify this, EasyJet is now aiming for 20% of its new pilots to be female by next year. Currently only 5.4%, or 215 of its total 4,000 pilots, are women. Another carrier that is working hard to get more female pilots is Virgin Australia. It has set itself one of the toughest targets for new recruits - aiming to have a 50:50 gender balance for its cadet pilots. Lucinda Gemmell, head of human resources at Virgin Australia, says that out of its latest intake of 16 pilot cadets, nine are women. The airline says it is proud to have improved on two women out of 10 in its previous class, and Ms Gemmell adds that Virgin Australia wants "to ensure that our workforce is representative of the communities in which we live, work and fly". At the last count only 5.7% of its pilots are women. Speaking in a personal capacity, ISWAP's Kathy McCullough says that more has to be done across the industry to help female pilots balance their careers with motherhood. She adds that change is needed to lower the number of women who give up flying so that they can take care of their children. EasyJet's David Morgan says that his airline offers flexible working patterns. "Many of our female pilots are on part-time contracts, or on a flexible working pattern where they can accommodate both their professional life and also their home life," he says. Global Trade More from the BBC's series taking an international perspective on trade: Kathy McCullough adds that a more serious industry-wide problem is that some female pilots have reported sexual harassment. For widespread change to happen she thinks the aviation industry needs its own #MeToo moment, and that "more women need to speak out about the harassment that they've received". However, she adds that the problem they face is that "it's perceived as whingeing". It wasn't until the mid-1970s that major American airlines began recruiting female pilots, and Mrs McCullough says the "dismal numbers" of female pilots 40 years later is the proof that issues have not been adequately addressed. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption More than half of Virgin Australia's latest trainee pilots are women While the wider societal #MeToo movement started in the US, its airlines lag behind many around the world when it comes to numbers of female pilots. At the biggest three US carriers by passenger numbers, 4.2% of American Airlines' pilots are female, compared with 4.7% at Delta and 3.6% at Southwest, according to ISWAP. By comparison, at least 10% of pilots are female at eight major Indian airlines. Other carriers that reach double figures are Qantas Link in Australia (11.6%), Iceland Air (10.9%) and South African Express (12.1%). IATA is now working on what it calls a "major study" that aims to identify the best ways to recruit, retain and promote women in aviation. New EasyJet pilot Claire Banks says: "The fact that there is a pilot shortage provides a really good opportunity to get that information out there, and really drive the initiative that females can be commercial pilots."

The global aviation industry is warning of a shortage of pilots as demand for air travel rises strongly. EasyJet wants 20% of all its new pilots to be women by the end of next year. Air passenger numbers are expected to increase by 6% in 2019, to a record 4.59 billion.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46876007

How is Qatar coping with its economic embargo?

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Qatar's vast natural gas supplies have made it resilient to the embargo When four of Qatar's neighbours hit it with an economic and diplomatic embargo back in June 2017, one expert says it faced two big problems. "The Qataris had a two-fold battle to fight," says Michael Stephens, Middle East research fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute. "One was to convince world opinion that they weren't these horrid terrorist-supporting Bin Laden types. "And the other was to show that the economy was robust, that it was a good place to invest, and that the Qataris were creating conditions that will make it easier for foreign direct investment to thrive." The embargo was introduced by four countries - Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates - who accused gas-rich Qatar of supporting terrorism, a charge it strongly denies. They also made 13 demands, including ending economic cooperation with Iran, and closing down TV station al-Jazeera. Qatar refused to meet any of these, and so 19 months later the blockade remains in place. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The blockade includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates not allowing Qatar Airways planes to cross their airspace While the question of whether Qatar supports terrorism is no longer in the headlines - superseded by Saudi Arabia's woes following the murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul - Qatar is still working hard to show that its economy is open for business. Prior to the blockade, as much as 60% of Qatar's imports are estimated to have come through the countries now boycotting it, particularly its food supplies, so the government had to act fast to secure alternative supply routes through Turkey and Iran. It also moved quickly to ramp up domestic production, even importing tens of thousands of cows to ensure milk supplies. "Qatar has managed to cope quite well," says a former economic adviser to Qatar, who spoke on condition of anonymity. But he wonders whether it would have been easier, and better, for Qatar - the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) - to have used its vast wealth to instead buy stakes in Western food companies so as to better guarantee supplies in the longer term. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, addressed a global economic forum in the country's capital last month Akber Khan, a senior director at Qatari investment fund Al Rayan, says that the government "has done a far better job in handling this extraordinary crisis than most could have expected". He adds: "Importantly, and to their considerable credit, they ensured the lives of residents were virtually unaffected. The blockade has affected sentiment, but not our ability to conduct our business." Qatar has also been helped by timing, in that in September 2017, three months after the blockade started, it officially opened the $7.4bn (5.8bn) deep-water Hamad Port, which has enabled the country to receive much larger cargo ships. Previously, Qatar was greatly dependent on re-exports - goods from around the world that were first sent to ports in neighbouring countries, such as Dubai in the UAE, before then being shipped to Qatar on smaller vessels. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Qatar imported tens of thousands of dairy cows to avert a milk shortage In addition to ensuring supplies of food and consumer goods, Qatar has been working hard to increase economic ties outside of Middle Eastern region, particularly with the US. The country's Ministry of Commerce website details meetings last year with the likes of US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and US Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin. It also highlights Qatar Airways' multi-billion dollar ordering of Boeing passenger planes, and overall Qatari investments in the US. Global Trade More from the BBC's series taking an international perspective on trade: Qatari trade officials have also been working hard to increase economic ties with Germany. "The diplomatic and economic overtures are all part of a new Qatar engaging more fully with the world outside the Gulf," said Mr Khan. "These meetings are partly to educate that it's business as usual despite the blockade. Trade works both ways, so it's not just about showing off Qatar's very considerable financial muscle, but also to highlight the growing opportunities for foreign companies to set up in Qatar." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Centered on its capital Doha, Qatar has a population of 2.6 million, but only about 300,000 of these are Qatari nationals To try to boost overseas investment in Qatar, the government has announced economic reforms related to labour laws, privatisation, special economic zones, and higher foreign ownership limits that it says will make it easier to invest and operate in the country. Many are still unconvinced though, with structural problems potentially deterring large-scale foreign activity. "The bureaucracy is absolutely horrendous in Qatar - that's why you have a very small marketplace, little competition and very high prices," said the anonymous former Qatar advisor. Ultimately though, it is Qatar's vast gas reserves - the third largest in the world - that is enabling it to shrug off the blockade after the initial scramble to secure alternative supplies of food and consumer goods. The world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, it shipped 81 million tons in 2017, or 28% of the global total. Qatar also exports 600,000 barrels of oil a day, but it left oil producers cartel Opec at the start of this year to focus more on gas. It said the move was unconnected to the boycott. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Qatar is the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas Such is Qatar's hydrocarbon wealth that its economy has continued to expand despite the embargo. Its economy grew by 1.6% in 2017, and that rate of expansion is expected to rise to 2.4% in 2018 and 3.1% in 2019, says the International Monetary Fund (IMF). "Compared with other Gulf countries, the case for Qatar to diversify its economy is much weaker," says Jason Tuvey, Middle East economist at London's Capital Economics. "There are only about 300,000 Qatari citizens and the government can easily afford to employ all working Qataris in the public sector." Mr Stephens adds that, "Qatar doesn't have to have a diverse business-friendly economy unless it wants to". "Ultimately, the Qataris can survive if they need to just by pumping out more gas," he says. "The gas money can prop everything up."

Qatar was hit with an economic and diplomatic embargo back in June 2017. The embargo was introduced by four countries - Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates - who accused Qatar of supporting terrorism, a charge it strongly denies. Qatari experts say the country has been resilient to the embargo.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46795696

How does Felix Tshisekedi's poll victory in DR Congo add up?

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Joy and dismay at DR Congo election results Felix Tshisekedi has been named as the provisional winner of presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a historic victory for an opposition leader. But questions have been raised about the accuracy of the results amid accusations that Mr Tshisekedi is planning a power-sharing deal with outgoing President Joseph Kabila. The electoral commission said Mr Tshisekedi had received 38.5% of the vote on 30 December, compared to 34.7% for Martin Fayulu, another opposition figure. Ruling coalition candidate Emmanuel Shadary took 23.8%. Those raising doubts about the results include the country's influential Catholic Church, international experts based in the US, and the French and German governments. The accusations of fraud are based upon two partial sets of data, leaked from two distinct sources, that are said to corroborate each other while contradicting the official results. The data sets have been analysed by journalists from three outlets - including the Financial Times newspaper - working alongside a New York-based think tank, the Congo Research Group (CRG). The first set is said to have been drawn from the electronic tally collected by the National Election Commission (Ceni). The data here is believed to represent 86% of the total votes cast. It indicates Mr Fayulu won 59.4% of the vote and Mr Tshisekedi came second with 19%. A third candidate, Emmanuel Shadary, representing Mr Kabila's governing coalition, seems to have polled 18.54%. The set was leaked by a person inside Ceni who is close to Mr Fayulu's camp. Image copyright Reuters Image caption Felix Tshisekedi leads DR Congo's largest opposition party, founded by his late father in 1982 The second set was leaked from data collected by the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (Cenco), a Catholic Church body whose observers are said to have visited all 75,000 polling stations. The data in this leak represents 43% of the turnout. It indicates that Mr Fayulu secured 62.8% of the votes against Mr Tshisekedi's 15%, while Mr Shadary polled 17.99%. Jason Stearns, the director of the CRG, told the BBC that the second leak gave a "real indication" that the data was plausible. The two sets of data are "almost identical, not exactly identical, but uncannily identical", he said. Cenco has not officially released any data, saying only that its findings did not match the official results. When contacted by the BBC, it refused to authenticate the data in the leaked set. Ceni representatives have meanwhile rejected the fraud claims as fake. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Catholic Church organised one of the main election observer missions Data from opinion polls conducted before the 30 December election also cast doubt on the official results, according to Pierre Englebert, a professor at Pomona College and senior fellow at US-based think tank, The Atlantic Council, who has studied DR Congo. "The probability Tshisekedi could have scored 38% in a free election is less than 0.0000," he wrote, pointing to polling data by Berci and Ipsos for the CRG. In an article for online magazine African Arguments, Mr Englebert said the data predicted: A 95% chance that Mr Tshisekedi would get somewhere between 21.3% and 25% of the vote Mr Fayulu would have obtained between 39% and 43% of the vote Mr Shadary would get between 14% and 17.4% Mr Englebert acknowledged that opinion polls could be wrong, saying the official results could be correct if turnout was as high as 90% in Mr Tshisekedi's strongholds and really low, around 30%, in Mr Fayulu's strongholds. But he argued that this was extremely unlikely. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Controversial e-voting machines were used for the first time There are many ways to rig an election. Academic Nic Cheeseman, who has written a book on how to do just this, told the BBC that if the election was rigged it probably happened during the collation of the results. He said very few people would have to be involved in this. "It's very easy. You can have a small number of people in a central office who release the result. "You can have one person just adding a 1,000 votes to one candidate and subtracting 1,000 from another on an Excel spreadsheet." He said the risk of fraud was normally avoided by observers tabulating the results in parallel. That did take place, but we do not have the data. Throughout the election campaign, the use of electronic voting machines was a major source of contention. Voters used the tablet-like devices to select candidates, and then it printed their ballot paper with their choices. The machines were also meant to keep an electronic tally to help verify the results. But Mr Englebert says that in the days following the vote, election observers reported that some of these machines went missing. The observers were prohibited by law from releasing their findings before the electoral commission had announced the official results. It is not clear whether the law applies after the official announcement. But the Catholic Church knows from the experience of past crackdowns that leading people on to the streets can have tragic consequences - and the ruling coalition has warned against "preparing the population for insurrection". Sverine Autesserre, author of the book The Trouble with Congo, says the Congolese police have been brutal in their dealings with protesters in the past. She told the BBC that if the Church, whose followers make up about 40% of the country's 80 million population, were to announce that Mr Fayulu had won - the consequences could be dire. Image copyright AFP Image caption Riot police are out in force in some opposition strongholds of the capital, Kinshasa "You would have huge, violent protests. You would have riots," she told the BBC. "The police would crackdown on the protesters and that would result in a lot of deaths." Last Friday, Catholic bishops urged the UN Security Council to put pressure on the Congolese electoral commission to publish the full results from each polling station. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Polling was postponed until March in three areas but these people in Beni queued for a symbolic vote Yes, according Mr Englebert. The election has been postponed until March in three areas: Beni and Butembo in eastern North Kivu province and Yumbi in the west of the country. An Ebola outbreak and insecurity were given as the reasons for the delay. That amounted to more than 1.7 million voters, more than the number of votes separating the leading candidates. Some of the those disenfranchised were in Mr Fayulu's strongholds, he says. Mr Fayulu filed his challenge to the result in the Constitutional Court on Saturday. Judges have seven days to deliberate. Constitutional expert Jacques Ndjoli told the BBC that there were three possible outcomes: The court could confirm Mr Tshisekedi's victory It could order a recount Or cancel the results altogether and call fresh elections. International pressure to resolve the dispute may play a role but members of the UN Security Council are split. Countries like Belgium and France believe there has been fraud but Chinese and Russian diplomats have stressed that DR Congo's sovereignty and the authority of the electoral commission must be respected. Corneille Nangaa, head of the electoral commission, has defended the results and accused Cenco of bias. He told the Security Council about the difficulties the commission had overcome to register 40 million voters for the vote that had taken place amid relative calm, and noted the huge achievement made by those resisting attempts to allow Mr Kabila to run for a third term. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Martin Fayulu's supporters may still see his defeat overturned He urged the international community to support the new leader, reminding the Council that for first time in nearly 60 years there would now be a transfer of power at the highest level. A full breakdown of votes would be released if the Constitutional Court requested it, he said. The court has never overturned results before, and some think most of its judges are close to the ruling party. Mr Tshisekedi, the leader of largest opposition party which had faced repression at the hands of the Kabila regime, has denied the allegations of rigging. If he is confirmed as the winner, he can be expected to be inaugurated on Tuesday 22 January.

Felix Tshisekedi named provisional winner of presidential elections in DR Congo. But questions have been raised about the accuracy of the results. Allegations of fraud are based upon two partial sets of data leaked from two distinct sources.

bart

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-46839291

How does Felix Tshisekedi's poll victory in DR Congo add up?

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Joy and dismay at DR Congo election results Felix Tshisekedi has been named as the provisional winner of presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a historic victory for an opposition leader. But questions have been raised about the accuracy of the results amid accusations that Mr Tshisekedi is planning a power-sharing deal with outgoing President Joseph Kabila. The electoral commission said Mr Tshisekedi had received 38.5% of the vote on 30 December, compared to 34.7% for Martin Fayulu, another opposition figure. Ruling coalition candidate Emmanuel Shadary took 23.8%. Those raising doubts about the results include the country's influential Catholic Church, international experts based in the US, and the French and German governments. The accusations of fraud are based upon two partial sets of data, leaked from two distinct sources, that are said to corroborate each other while contradicting the official results. The data sets have been analysed by journalists from three outlets - including the Financial Times newspaper - working alongside a New York-based think tank, the Congo Research Group (CRG). The first set is said to have been drawn from the electronic tally collected by the National Election Commission (Ceni). The data here is believed to represent 86% of the total votes cast. It indicates Mr Fayulu won 59.4% of the vote and Mr Tshisekedi came second with 19%. A third candidate, Emmanuel Shadary, representing Mr Kabila's governing coalition, seems to have polled 18.54%. The set was leaked by a person inside Ceni who is close to Mr Fayulu's camp. Image copyright Reuters Image caption Felix Tshisekedi leads DR Congo's largest opposition party, founded by his late father in 1982 The second set was leaked from data collected by the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (Cenco), a Catholic Church body whose observers are said to have visited all 75,000 polling stations. The data in this leak represents 43% of the turnout. It indicates that Mr Fayulu secured 62.8% of the votes against Mr Tshisekedi's 15%, while Mr Shadary polled 17.99%. Jason Stearns, the director of the CRG, told the BBC that the second leak gave a "real indication" that the data was plausible. The two sets of data are "almost identical, not exactly identical, but uncannily identical", he said. Cenco has not officially released any data, saying only that its findings did not match the official results. When contacted by the BBC, it refused to authenticate the data in the leaked set. Ceni representatives have meanwhile rejected the fraud claims as fake. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Catholic Church organised one of the main election observer missions Data from opinion polls conducted before the 30 December election also cast doubt on the official results, according to Pierre Englebert, a professor at Pomona College and senior fellow at US-based think tank, The Atlantic Council, who has studied DR Congo. "The probability Tshisekedi could have scored 38% in a free election is less than 0.0000," he wrote, pointing to polling data by Berci and Ipsos for the CRG. In an article for online magazine African Arguments, Mr Englebert said the data predicted: A 95% chance that Mr Tshisekedi would get somewhere between 21.3% and 25% of the vote Mr Fayulu would have obtained between 39% and 43% of the vote Mr Shadary would get between 14% and 17.4% Mr Englebert acknowledged that opinion polls could be wrong, saying the official results could be correct if turnout was as high as 90% in Mr Tshisekedi's strongholds and really low, around 30%, in Mr Fayulu's strongholds. But he argued that this was extremely unlikely. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Controversial e-voting machines were used for the first time There are many ways to rig an election. Academic Nic Cheeseman, who has written a book on how to do just this, told the BBC that if the election was rigged it probably happened during the collation of the results. He said very few people would have to be involved in this. "It's very easy. You can have a small number of people in a central office who release the result. "You can have one person just adding a 1,000 votes to one candidate and subtracting 1,000 from another on an Excel spreadsheet." He said the risk of fraud was normally avoided by observers tabulating the results in parallel. That did take place, but we do not have the data. Throughout the election campaign, the use of electronic voting machines was a major source of contention. Voters used the tablet-like devices to select candidates, and then it printed their ballot paper with their choices. The machines were also meant to keep an electronic tally to help verify the results. But Mr Englebert says that in the days following the vote, election observers reported that some of these machines went missing. The observers were prohibited by law from releasing their findings before the electoral commission had announced the official results. It is not clear whether the law applies after the official announcement. But the Catholic Church knows from the experience of past crackdowns that leading people on to the streets can have tragic consequences - and the ruling coalition has warned against "preparing the population for insurrection". Sverine Autesserre, author of the book The Trouble with Congo, says the Congolese police have been brutal in their dealings with protesters in the past. She told the BBC that if the Church, whose followers make up about 40% of the country's 80 million population, were to announce that Mr Fayulu had won - the consequences could be dire. Image copyright AFP Image caption Riot police are out in force in some opposition strongholds of the capital, Kinshasa "You would have huge, violent protests. You would have riots," she told the BBC. "The police would crackdown on the protesters and that would result in a lot of deaths." Last Friday, Catholic bishops urged the UN Security Council to put pressure on the Congolese electoral commission to publish the full results from each polling station. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Polling was postponed until March in three areas but these people in Beni queued for a symbolic vote Yes, according Mr Englebert. The election has been postponed until March in three areas: Beni and Butembo in eastern North Kivu province and Yumbi in the west of the country. An Ebola outbreak and insecurity were given as the reasons for the delay. That amounted to more than 1.7 million voters, more than the number of votes separating the leading candidates. Some of the those disenfranchised were in Mr Fayulu's strongholds, he says. Mr Fayulu filed his challenge to the result in the Constitutional Court on Saturday. Judges have seven days to deliberate. Constitutional expert Jacques Ndjoli told the BBC that there were three possible outcomes: The court could confirm Mr Tshisekedi's victory It could order a recount Or cancel the results altogether and call fresh elections. International pressure to resolve the dispute may play a role but members of the UN Security Council are split. Countries like Belgium and France believe there has been fraud but Chinese and Russian diplomats have stressed that DR Congo's sovereignty and the authority of the electoral commission must be respected. Corneille Nangaa, head of the electoral commission, has defended the results and accused Cenco of bias. He told the Security Council about the difficulties the commission had overcome to register 40 million voters for the vote that had taken place amid relative calm, and noted the huge achievement made by those resisting attempts to allow Mr Kabila to run for a third term. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Martin Fayulu's supporters may still see his defeat overturned He urged the international community to support the new leader, reminding the Council that for first time in nearly 60 years there would now be a transfer of power at the highest level. A full breakdown of votes would be released if the Constitutional Court requested it, he said. The court has never overturned results before, and some think most of its judges are close to the ruling party. Mr Tshisekedi, the leader of largest opposition party which had faced repression at the hands of the Kabila regime, has denied the allegations of rigging. If he is confirmed as the winner, he can be expected to be inaugurated on Tuesday 22 January.

Felix Tshisekedi named provisional winner of presidential elections in DR Congo. But questions have been raised about the accuracy of the results. Allegations of fraud are based upon two partial sets of data, leaked from two distinct sources. Data is said to corroborate each other while contradicting the official results.

bart

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-46839291