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They managed to turn their on-stage attacks into “punch”-lines.
Comedy icons Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock demonstrated the power of “standing up” to violence after cracking wise about the respective times they got attacked on stage this year. They dropped their assault-based sets during the Liverpool, UK leg of their current European standup tour, Deadline reported.
“Did that s–t hurt?” Rock, 57, who went first, asked the audience regarding getting slapped by Will Smith at this year’s Oscars. “Goddam right… the motherf—ker hit me over a bulls–t joke, the nicest joke I ever told.”
The Grammy-winning comedian was referring to the now-infamous incident at the 2022 Academy Awards in March, when Smith, who won win Best Actor for “King Richard” later that evening, smacked Rock for making a bald wisecrack about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia. In light of the incident, Rock says he declined to host the 2023 Oscars.
Fortunately, it appears that the comic didn’t let the attack derail his career too badly: During the recent set, Rock claimed that he returned to work the day after getting Hitch-slapped. And, despite getting assaulted, the “Grownups” star insisted that he’s no victim, declaring that unfortunately in the US, people achieve success through infamy, excellence or by claiming victim status.
The comic then handed the mic off to Chappelle, 49, who started riffing about his own on-stage assault in Los Angeles in May, calling it some “scary s—t.”
The “Chappelle’s Show” creator also joked that Rock had one-upped him that night by strolling on stage and quipping: “Was that Will Smith?” with regards to his attacker, who ironically said he was inspired by the Hitch-slap.
Chappelle then turned his attention to the Rock attack. “A lot of people forget who Will Smith is,” the mirth merchant said, referring to the “Men In Black” star’s rough-and-tumble upbringing in west Philadelphia, the Telegraph reported. “Then 10 minutes before he was about to get the biggest award… he acted like he was back in Philadelphia.”
Chappelle added that Smith’s attack on Rock was a particularly “very strange choice” given his longtime pal’s track record.
“Will did the impression of a perfect person for 30 years, and he ripped his mask off and showed us he was as ugly as the rest of us,” the comic said. “Whatever the consequences are… I hope he doesn’t put his mask back on again, and lets his real face breathe.”
He added, “I see myself in both men.”
The show marks several months since Chappelle’s own attack, in which he was tackled on stage by Isaiah Lee, 23, on the stage during a comedy show at the Hollywood Bowl.
Lee, who was armed with a knife that appeared to be a handgun,” was initially arrested for felony assault with a deadly weapon. He later had his charges downgraded to misdemeanor battery.
He told The Post in an exclusive jailhouse interview that he was “triggered” by the Chappelle’s highly-publicized jokes about the LGBTQ community and homelessness while he insisted he never wanted to harm the funnyman.
“I identify as bisexual…and I wanted him to know what he said was triggering,” Lee said from the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles. “I wanted him to know that next time, he should consider first running his material by people it could affect.”
Lee pleaded not guilty to the attack, and remains locked up at the LA County Twin Towers Jail on $1 million bail total for both cases. | https://nypost.com/2022/09/02/dave-chappelle-and-chris-rock-blast-ugly-will-smith/ | 2022-09-02T13:51:41Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/09/02/dave-chappelle-and-chris-rock-blast-ugly-will-smith/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Former First Vice President of the Nigerian Football Association, Mazi Amanze Uchegbulam has declared his interest to succeed Amaju Pinnick as the next President of the association.
Uchegbulam, currently the Chairman of the Imo Football Association declared his intention before ex-players, board members, Journalists, and supporters at the FA office in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
He lamented the deplorable state of football in the country even as he pledged his commitment to return Nigeria to the world stage.
Uchegbulam said “In a football match, you wait for the referee to signal the commencement of the game officially, now that the contest has been declared open, I hereby declare my interest to become the next NFF President, to restore the image of football administration in Nigeria.
He said that his declaration for the position is in response to a motion moved in May 2022 by the Imo Football Association FA congress that he should view for the position.
He said: ” I have consulted widely and have the support of family. I have decided to contest for the position as clamoured by all”.
Amanze declared his age to be 68 years and not 74 years as bandied by some people, saying since he was elected First Vice President, his age has not changed even as he called for accuracy.
He said “nobody is happy with the current state of the league, it is almost moribund, and we need to get people who understand football administration to fix it. We need to restore transparency, and image of the NFF, ensure prompt payment of referees and match Commissioners, it is time to bring the best and I guarantee you that in four years under my watch, you all will be proud of NFF”
He assured that if he handle the football administration for four years, Nigerians will thank him because he is known for transparency and work, adding that it is time to get back the NFF of our pride”, Uchegbulam said.
He said: “I served in CAF for 12 years and handled 33 cases and none of the verdicts has been faulted to date because I operate above board. I have worked with different Chairmen and I know what works. I will reactivate the under 13, 15 teams where we discovered the likes of Kelechi Iheanacho”.
Amanze insisted that there is a need to domesticate the Statutes to end litigations in court adding that it is time Nigerians put the administration of football in the hands of technocrats.
According to him under his watch, Nigeria will develop and use local coaches, enough foreign coaches who are not on the ground and don’t give good results. Amanze Uchegbulam is the man, make me the NFF President and I will make you proud as Nigerians”.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
- EDITORIAL: UN’s Alarm On Starvation Of Children In Nigeria
- Uchegbulam declares for NFF President | https://tribuneonlineng.com/uchegbulam-declares-for-nff-president/ | 2022-09-02T13:51:54Z | tribuneonlineng.com | control | https://tribuneonlineng.com/uchegbulam-declares-for-nff-president/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Investing in graywater systems comes with a cost. Are the benefits worth it?
Coloradoan city government reporter Molly Bohannon recently reported that the city is considering an ordinance to allow graywater systems, with a catch.
In such systems, water is collected from bathroom sinks, laundry room sinks, bathtubs, showers or laundry machines after its first use. The ordinance would allow second use of that water only for toilet flushing because of existing water rights in the region, Bohannon reported: "Local regulations from Northern Water, which manages Colorado Big Thompson water that flows to Fort Collins, prevent graywater from being used for below-ground irrigation but allow it for toilet flushing."
While we didn't specifically ask a question about this news, Coloradoan commenters shared their insights on the development.
For many, the cost of installing a graywater system wouldn't be worth it, they said:
"Thirty to 65 years to recoup your initial investment. ... I think I'll pass," Bill F. said.
Wm_R. did some math. "The average cost for a greywater system is between $2,500 to $4,000 but can go as high as $20,000. Can't water the yard, only use it to flush the toilet. FTC mandates a 1.2 gal per flush toilet or less. So assuming you use 100 gallons of water a day, that allows about 83 flushes a day. I imagine few folks flush that frequently, so given this, the long payback period seems about right. Also given the expense plus the upkeep of the system, it doesn't make sense for us to retrofit."
On certain new builds, it might have potential, Aurora H. said. "It might be cheaper at new construction so your cistern can be put in the ground when they dig utilities and underground plumbing. But it's largely infeasible for existing properties. It makes more sense for multifamily than it does for (single-family) residential."
For some people, a big investment could be worth making for the greater good:
"Solar panels are likewise a long payback on your investment, but they're popping on rooftops all around town, and have been for many, many years. Some people believe that the price is worth it to save the planet," John M. said.
Likewise, Mimi K said: "The 'payback' calculations should include the nonmarket benefits of water savings, plus the savings associated with not using drinking water to flush toilets and water yards."
But John M. also thinks there should be more allowable second uses for the water: "The first step should be overhauling the rule/law that requires gray water to only be used for flushing toilets."
Whether that's ever likely to change is a question we'll have to ask water experts.
Is it time for rental regulations/licensing?
In addition to considering whether the city should make changes to its rental occupancy rule known as U+2, it's considering whether to establish regulation of rental properties in town through either a registration system or a more enforceable licensing system.
The conversation here focuses on the latter: Should the city require landlords to either register or obtain a license to rent their properties?
While City Council members seem undecided on which approach to take, Coloradoan commenters focused more on whether any program should be established at all.
Some of them expressed wanting renters to have more protections, like Wm_R.: "Hopefully, it would help control some of the abuses in the marketplace and generate a bit of revenue as well. (That means don't charge just enough to cover the program or too little to cover the program)."
But what will it do to the cost of renting? "Any added costs to landlords will be passed on in higher rents to the renters," David T. predicted.
Wm_R said one problem is that rents are increasing landlords' profits "more and faster than actual costs are increasing."
But the costs are rising for good reason, David T. said, and the market will decide what's too much: "They are raising the rent because of ever escalating costs like property taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance. If they charged too much no one would rent the place."
Finally, here's an idea from Raymond A. that takes a targeted approach to distinguish between larger-scale investors who might not have as big of a stake in the quality of life in Fort Collins neighborhoods and current/former residents using their old house as a rental:
"If you rent home to 1 lessor, it is licensed home rental. If you rent a home to 2 or more lessors, it is a business and regulated. Protect the neighborhoods."
We're considering your questions as we compile on our election guide
Last week, we asked you what questions you have for the candidates running for county, state and national office in November's election. We've received a few responses and will use those to inform the questions we ask of the candidates for our election guide, which you can expect by the time ballots start arriving in mailboxes in mid-October.
In the meantime, keep adding your questions there. We look forward to understanding what's important to you, the voters. | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/opinion/2022/09/02/allowing-graywater-systems-fort-collins-would-benefits-outweigh-the-costs/65467046007/ | 2022-09-02T14:02:34Z | coloradoan.com | control | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/opinion/2022/09/02/allowing-graywater-systems-fort-collins-would-benefits-outweigh-the-costs/65467046007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Snow day or remote learning: How should PSD make the call?
Coloradoan Conversations is the Coloradoan's opinion forum. Each Friday we'll pose conversation-starting questions online at Coloradoan.com/opinion and moderate online discussion through the following Wednesday, recapping the best discussion points online the following Friday and in Sunday's printed edition.
This week's Coloradoan Conversation:
Poudre School District's governing board recently approved a policy change that would allow the district to move students to remote learning in case of an emergency closure of a school or all district facilities. In simple terms, your student could be expected to actually learn something during a future snow day or other unexpected school closure.
The good news for snow day traditionalists is that PSD builds about three days of extra instruction into its school year to account for weather-related closures, and it's rare for it to exceed that allotment. And, should a disaster like a prolonged flood, wildfire or global pandemic necessitate a longer closure, remote learning could keep the school year from being extended past Memorial Day.
So what do you think? Since PSD still has leeway to call a snow day and scrap scheduled learning, when should emergency remote learning be instituted and what concerns or expectations would you have for your students?
End of (snow) days?:Are snow days over? Not quite, but here's what PSD's new remote learning flexibility means
Click on the "View Comments" box at the top or bottom of this story at Coloradoan.com/opinion to join the conversation. Print readers can participate online or by sending their thoughts to opinion@coloradoan.com. | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/opinion/2022/09/02/snow-day-or-remote-learning-how-should-poudre-schools-make-the-call/65466839007/ | 2022-09-02T14:02:40Z | coloradoan.com | control | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/opinion/2022/09/02/snow-day-or-remote-learning-how-should-poudre-schools-make-the-call/65466839007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
When is it acceptable for a government agency in Colorado to use eminent domain?
Coloradoan Conversations is the Coloradoan's opinion forum. Each Friday we'll pose conversation-starting questions online at Coloradoan.com/opinion and moderate online discussion through the following Wednesday, recapping the best discussion points online the following Friday and in Sunday's printed edition.
This week's Coloradoan Conversation Starter:
Last week, the Fort Collins Urban Renewal Authority positioned itself to potentially purchase the long-vacant Albertsons building at on North College Avenue via eminent domain.
For the uninitiated, eminent domain allows Colorado's government agencies to take private property at fair market value without the owners' consent. It's a little-used tool in Fort Collins but one that has been employed for street and other infrastructure improvements. It's often seen as a government agency's last resort to obtain a parcel or easement when negotiations with property owners fail.
The nonconsensual nature of eminent domain makes it a lightning rod for private property rights fights. So we're taking the pulse of the community. When is it appropriate for a government agency to use eminent domain? When would you support or oppose such action, and how does its potential use to redevelop the Albertsons location fit into your view?
From the archives:Fort Collins' eminent domain hammer rarely falls
Catch up:Fort Collins URA might try to acquire former North College Albertsons via eminent domain
Click on the "View Comments" box at the top or bottom of this story at Coloradoan.com/opinion to join the conversation. Print readers can participate online or by sending their thoughts to opinion@coloradoan.com. | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/opinion/2022/09/02/when-is-it-ok-for-a-colorado-city-to-use-eminent-domain/65466836007/ | 2022-09-02T14:02:49Z | coloradoan.com | control | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/opinion/2022/09/02/when-is-it-ok-for-a-colorado-city-to-use-eminent-domain/65466836007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Guide to new-look CSU football: The Air Raid, Clay Millen and lots of new faces
A whole lot has changed since fans last saw the Colorado State football team in a competitive game.
The Rams play at No. 6/8 Michigan football Saturday (10 a.m., ABC), and for many fans it will will be an introduction to a new-look team.
There's a new coaching staff, whole new systems and a ton of new players (nearly 60 of them). Here's a guide to keep handy on what you'll see with this CSU football team.
How Jay Norvell ended up at Colorado State
The sequence of events that ended with Jay Norvell as CSU’s football coach is filled with irony. Norvell’s Nevada crushed CSU 52-10 in the final game of 2021 and then-Ram coach Steve Addazio was ejected before halftime.
Not long after, Addazio was fired and CSU swooped and plucked Norvell from a conference foe.
Why did he leave? Resources.
His base compensation at Nevada was $625,000. His base pay at CSU is $1.6 million in 2022 and will rise $100,000 per year to $2 million by the final year of the deal in 2026.
His salary and pool for assistants ($3 million) will put him around the top of the conference after being near the bottom at Nevada.
Norvell to CSU:More on why Jay Norvell left Nevada for CSU
It’s also about facilities.
CSU’s $220 million Canvas Stadium opened in 2017 with a capacity of 36,500 (up to 41,000 standing-room) and has weight room, locker room, meeting rooms and more to rival any Group of 5 stadium and many Power 5 stadiums.
What is the Air Raid?
You’ll hear it repeatedly on TV: the Air Raid offense.
But what is it? Well, it was created by Hal Mumme and his son, Matt, is CSU’s associate head coach and quarterbacks coach. Matt Mumme and Norvell worked together at Nevada and took the Air Raid and sprinkled in some West Coast and pistol concepts to create this version.
The Air Raid is designed to be a high-scoring, aggressive offense. But it’s also very simple. It’s so simple that there’s no playbook.
The core of the offense is to get the ball to playmakers in space and it's diverse in targets so no one player can be shut down by a defense without opening up other options. Another core tenant is to throw the ball deep and often. It wears on a defense to know any play could be the BIG SHOT play.
It can be a thrilling offense to watch.
Who runs the defense?
OK, the Air Raid should put up points, but to eventually be a championship-level team, the defense will need to make some stops. In comes Freddie Banks, a rising star and CSU defensive coordinator.
Just 33-years-old, Banks has the look of a future head coach.
Depth chart:See the starters for the Rams vs. Michigan
"New CSU coach Jay Norvell made a smart, under-the-radar coordinator hire in Banks, who helped Montana State to the FCS national title game last year, behind the nation's No. 6 scoring defense," ESPN writes. "He could rise quickly with success in Fort Collins."
He runs a base 4-2-5 system (four D-linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs) and aims for a fast, ball-hawking defense.
Do we dare ask about special teams?
CSU fans, you may want to sit down for this one. You actually have a special teams coach now. Shocking, indeed.
After spending years having the head coach tell fans his special teams were electric despite those fans seeing debacle after debacle, these new-look Rams actually have someone leading that unit.
Tommy Perry is the first special teams coordinator (as his only role) CSU has ever had. His units have largely had good success at Nevada and UTSA. Paddy Turner (No. 41) is your punter and Cayden Camper (No. 95) is likely the kicker.
The new faces (and numbers) to know
OK, you’ve got an Air Raid offense. Who’s running it? If you’re dropping in to watch the Rams, you’ll need to know these names:
- Clay Millen (No. 11): The 6-foot-3, right-handed redshirt freshman makes his first college start Saturday at Michigan. His youth football exploits are legendary.
- Tory Horton (No. 14): The 6-foot-2 junior receiver has 995 yards and 10 touchdowns in college (at Nevada) and will remind CSU fans of Rashard Higgins.
- Melquan Stovall (No. 0): The 5-foot-8 slot speed demon. Big-time play-making ability.
- Big fellas: Four of the five offensive line starters are new. Dante Bivens (No. 74, left guard), Jacob Gardner (No. 75, center), Gray Davis (No. 67, right guard), Dontae Keys (No. 52, right tackle).
How about new defensive players?
- CJ Onyechi (No. 2): The 6-foot defensive end from Rutgers needs to be a force in the backfield.
- Angel King (No. 4): The 6-foot defensive back will be key after transferring from Nevada, starting at safety but also playing cornerback at times.
- Chigozie Anusiem (No. 7): The 6-foot-1 cornerback transfer from Cal is CSU’s hope of a shutdown corner.
Familiar names return
It’s not all new players. There are some key returning Rams who fans will remember.
Season predictions:A game-by-game breakdown of the 2022 season
- Dequan Jackson (No. 5): The linebacker is a longtime captain and the heart and soul of the defense (and, arguably, the whole team).
- A’Jon Vivens (No. 1): The running back could flourish in this offense and he’s been voted a captain by teammates.
- Dante Wright (No. 22): The receiver is dangerous in space and will find ways to succeed in the Air Raid.
- Mohamed Kamara (No. 42): The defensive end had 7.5 sacks last year and will be counted on as a sack-master.
- Brian Crespo-Jaquez (No. 71): The Michigan game is his first start, but the redshirt sophomore is from Poudre High School in Fort Collins and is tasked with protecting the blindside as left tackle.
- Tanner Arkin (No. 89): Your new tight end with Trey McBride in the NFL. Arkin, from Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, is highly thought of by CSU's coaches.
- Tywan Francis (No. 8): Another longtime veteran who will start at nickel for the Rams.
- Henry Blackburn (No. 11): Starting safety. Has been good when healthy.
- Jack Howell (No. 17): The safety isn't listed as a starter but he'll play a lot.
Why is Colorado State playing Michigan football?
Michigan is a College Football Playoff team and a 30.5-point favorite over the Rams. Why is this game happening?
It's a "buy" game where Michigan pays an opponent to play an early-season game at the Big House. CSU gets a big $1.8 million payday for this one.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle. | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/sports/csu/football/2022/09/02/guide-new-look-colorado-state-football-as-rams-face-michigan-jay-norvell/65466252007/ | 2022-09-02T14:02:50Z | coloradoan.com | control | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/sports/csu/football/2022/09/02/guide-new-look-colorado-state-football-as-rams-face-michigan-jay-norvell/65466252007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Back on the board: Wellington football earns first win since 1963
The Wellington Eagles are on the board again.
The new Wellington High School football team took flight Thursday night, beating Highland 38-26 for the Eagles' first victory since the final season of the old WHS in 1963.
After nearly six decades, Wellington has a win again.
The Eagles did it the hard way, going on the road against Class 1A Highland, which has posted winning records in six straight seasons.
A dynamic and physical rushing attack is already taking shape and bullying opponents up front, as Wellington head coach Travis Peeples hoped for in his preseason assessment.
Running back Cash Altschwager did it all for Wellington, scoring two touchdowns each on the ground and at receiver while adding a pair of 2-point conversions.
Baker's DozenMeet 13 top high school football players to watch in the Fort Collins area
Altschwager alone counted for nearly 300 yards of total offense, and he added an interception on defense for good measure.
Wellington got out to a 16-6 edge through one quarter but Highland roared back with consecutive scores to retake the lead. The Eagles grabbed it back before halftime and extended the advantage to 30-20 by the end of the third quarter.
The Huskies tightened it up with a touchdown to make it 30-26 before Caden Keller's late touchdown run gave Wellington some breathing room and a late fumble recovery sealed the win.
And it's a win with bragging rights, as Wellington beat new local rival Timnath to a first football victory in the schools' respective returns.
It's an impressive statement for the 2A Eagles, who are playing only freshmen and sophomore this season as they transition to full enrollment over the next two years.
After a hard-fought opening loss to Estes Park at home, Wellington made its new road debut count.
The Eagles return home Sept. 9 to face Sterling, traditionally a strong 2A team, before renewing the rivalry with Timnath on Sept. 16.
But the Thursday night game gives Wellington — the town and the team — an extra day to celebrate this one.
All game stats courtesy of MaxPreps
Meet the newcomersHere are the new Wellington, Timnath high school sports coaches | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2022/09/02/wellington-high-school-football-wins-first-game-1963/65469499007/ | 2022-09-02T14:02:50Z | coloradoan.com | control | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2022/09/02/wellington-high-school-football-wins-first-game-1963/65469499007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Tribune News Service
Adamma Ebo’s directorial debut, “Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.” is a bracing and bold film that blends documentary style filmmaking into a traditional narrative to create a bone-dry comedy and social commentary that’s one part “The Office,” and two parts “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”
The always-excellent Regina Hall stars as Trinitie Childs, the long-suffering wife of disgraced pastor Lee-Curtis Childs (Sterling K. Brown). The couple used to minister to a congregation of thousands in their Southern Baptist megachurch, Lee-Curtis preaching the prosperity gospel decked out in flamboyant three-piece suits, Trinitie smiling at the TV cameras from under her elaborate church hats.
After a sex scandal, they’ve been left preaching to a group of five, and have hired a documentary crew to capture their comeback, planned for Easter Sunday, if it isn’t thwarted by the young upstarts at a new church, Heaven’s House, led by the Pastors Sumpter (Nicole Beharie and Conphidance).
Ebo’s choice to only partially use mockumentary footage in this film is an interesting one. It allows her, as a filmmaker, to show us the Childs when the (documentary) cameras aren’t on, at breakfast, in the bedroom, and to highlight the way the couple turn on and off their perfect personas, demonstrated most clearly in tight, toothy grins.
But it also asks the viewer to switch back and forth as well, constantly calibrating between the overall narrative of this story and the documentary that’s being made within. It’s unlike, for example, a Christopher Guest comedy, where the entire film is the mockumentary, and perhaps it would have been a more consistent choice to keep the device going the entire time.
“Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.” ultimately serves as a showcase for Hall’s incredible performance, which utilizes both her comedic and dramatic skills in equal measure. Some of the greatest commentary and comedy comes out of the extreme passive-aggression that bubbles between Trinitie and other women who attempt to out-“bless your heart” each other.
Hall’s ability to convey meaning and comedy through a look to the camera, a widening of her eyes or twitch of her mouth is masterful, and it’s chops that she has honed throughout her varied career, from “Scary Movie” to indie dramedies, to thrillers. Brown is also, unsurprisingly remarkable, and he is given the chance to show off the comedic abilities only previously seen when he hosted “Saturday Night Live.”
But while the performances are towering, it feels like there’s something missing from “Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.” There is a sense of waiting the entire film for the story to kick into gear, and it never quite gets going. We wait and wait to find out the details about the sex scandal, and while there is a final confrontation, it never feels all that satisfying, dramatically. While Ebo skewers the hypocrisy of the church as Lee-Curtis pushes his wife to the brink, there are other aspects of their ministry that are left less explored, like the materialistic “prosperity” of their word and lifestyle.
In terms of the comedy, things never quite get as outlandish as it could be. It comes close to the edge, but doesn’t go over it, remaining arch and intellectual, resisting a full tilt into comedy, which is slightly unsatisfying for what it seems to promise.
“Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.” signals a fresh new voice in writer/director Ebo, who taps into a unique world, ripe for big screen exploration. But this satirical take on religion is far more cerebral than laugh-out-loud funny, and leaves much potential material to pillory on the table. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/movie-review-regina-hall-shines-but-honk-for-jesus-save-your-soul-a-muted-religious/article_c7ac8592-2a32-11ed-a632-a358e464ff64.html | 2022-09-02T14:04:23Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/movie-review-regina-hall-shines-but-honk-for-jesus-save-your-soul-a-muted-religious/article_c7ac8592-2a32-11ed-a632-a358e464ff64.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
For the Wyoming Tribune Eagle
People affect birds – individual birds and whole populations – all the time.
Sometimes, we have a negative effect on birds, such as glass walls and bright lights that steer migrating birds to their deaths.
Sometimes we have a positive effect, such as growing windbreaks across the Great Plains that encouraged blue jays to follow the trees west. Or we create reservoirs to store water, drawing ducks and other water birds to use them.
I’ve been looking at what the environmental organizations have to say about the new Inflation Reduction Act and how it will affect birds.
The IRA should help birds (and people) affected by climate change as it encourages actions for cleaner air. Clean air reduces climate change effects, such as severe weather and the timing of seasonal changes.
Encouraging the switch to electric vehicles is good. Electricity can come from any source of fuel. If the source is a fossil fuel power plant, then pollution controls can be centrally located, rather than depending on vehicle owners to attend to maintenance. I don’t know about you, but diesel fumes from the truck ahead of me at the stoplight is something I won’t miss.
It looks like the fossil fuel industries are losing out after spending the last 50 years fighting clean air regulations instead of finding technology to keep air clean.
Birds will certainly benefit from clean air, but I wonder how much that will be offset by the drawbacks of solar and wind energy production – the emphasis of the IRA.
Can we make smart changes?
If you remember, in 2019, I signed up to testify on behalf of Cheyenne Audubon at the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality hearing on NextEra’s Roundhouse wind development. It is located partly on the city of Cheyenne’s Belvoir Ranch property.
What I discovered was that NextEra was required to show the impact on wildlife of wind turbines and the numerous new roads. Yes, the state asks for certain information, but it seems to me that a state or federal agency, rather than the company, should be performing the field investigations on the public’s behalf, and doing so to a greater depth. And the results should be put in context with nearby developments, like the other wind farm adjacent to Roundhouse on the north side of Interstate 80.
Wyoming, famous for its wind, is slated to be covered with wind turbines. Our “big empty” is also slated to be covered with industrial solar developments. Solar will affect grassland birds, though it will be an army of graduate students who discover exactly how.
A new study on the effect of industrial solar fields on Wyoming’s hoofed wildlife was recently examined by a WyoFile reporter: https://wyofile.com/report-industrial-solar-disrupts-big-game-movements/.
The study shows that the chain link fence required by the National Electric Code kept migrating antelope out, essentially losing that amount of habitat.
Let’s say you don’t care about birds or other wildlife. Let’s say you care more about Wyoming’s economy.
Keep in mind that our second-largest economic sector is tourism.
During the pandemic years, tourists have discovered more of Wyoming than the Tetons and Yellowstone. They are finding our favorite local recreation areas. The tourists I talk to appreciate our wide-open natural spaces and wildlife the way most of us do. But I don’t think thousands of acres of wind turbines and solar panels are going to enhance the views that tourists come here for, especially when they come from states that are already covered in industrial and agricultural development.
I still think smart clean-energy development is about integrating it with current infrastructure.
Currently, solar is more people-friendly, the source to concentrate on. No possibility of flying blades or deep vibration noises.
Think about the acres of parking lots that could be roofed with solar panels. Think about the acres of roofs everywhere, especially the giant warehouses we have in Cheyenne. And Walmart’s warehouse also has a lovely south-facing wall, as do the Microsoft data center buildings. Or maybe fill in the uninhabitable acres around wind turbines. The Germans are looking at solar canopies over their autobahns: https://www.rechargenews.com/transition/solar-panel-covered-autobahn-could-speed-german-energy-transition/2-1-854215.
Even our (electric) cars could have solar energy-collecting skins someday. You would go to the carwash to wash away dirt to improve your energy production. Although I suppose then no one would want to park in a solar-panel-roofed parking lot.
Yes, solar and wind have energy storage issues. But there are many brilliant minds in the world, and the rewards of the marketplace are there to spur them on. Let’s hope their solutions are bird-friendly, wildlife-friendly and, at the very least, people-friendly.
Barb Gorges is the author of “Cheyenne Birds by the Month,” www.YuccaRoadPress.com. Her previous columns are at http://cheyennebirdbanter.wordpress.com. Contact her at bgorges4@msn.com. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/outdoors/how-will-the-ira-affect-birds/article_80ccf946-27f2-11ed-9db8-5374ad37b1ab.html | 2022-09-02T14:04:29Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/outdoors/how-will-the-ira-affect-birds/article_80ccf946-27f2-11ed-9db8-5374ad37b1ab.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CASPER — Two years ago, Jon Guy was in prison, serving 17 years for a 2004 stabbing in Laramie.
On Friday, he was headed to a signing for his first book, released this week.
The book, “Think Straight,” is a self-proclaimed “owner’s manual for the mind,” Guy says. Part science, part philosophy, it’s crammed with detailed debunkings of common misconceptions and guidelines for combating them.
Writing the book became “a type of solace” for Guy while in Wyoming prisons — a way to expand and exercise his mind.
“It was stimulating,” he said, “in an environment that’s otherwise antithetical to stimuli.”
Most of the book was researched and written in Wyoming prisons in Torrington and Newcastle, Guy said. He estimates he read nearly 300 books, and thousands of articles, while behind bars working on the project. Once he finished the books, he donated them to the prison library.
“I had a small team of people, college professors and my family and friends, I would send letters to and say, 'I need this, this and this,'” Guy said. “They would mail me these packets, and I would spend hours and hours reading this stuff.”
He was inspired to undertake the project after listening to lectures from college professors in prison. One he saw in Newcastle, which addressed the “deceptive mind,” got Guy interested in putting together his own critical thinking curriculum that the average prisoner would understand.
At first, Guy estimated it would take about six months to write a packet that could guide inmate-led critical thinking groups.
But then he got started, and learned how much he didn’t know. In all, it took him about two years to research, write and edit the book, submitting it to a publisher about two months after his release in 2021. The finished project is around 400 pages.
“I have to admit, I completely failed in what I set out to do,” he laughed. “It took literally all of my time, for probably about three years. If I wasn’t working, I was either reading or writing.”
In 2004, Guy stabbed a man. He used a small pocket knife and cut the man in his lower back. Doctors said, according to court documents, that the stab wound hit the man’s liver. The man apparently did not know he was stabbed at the time, until friends eventually saw he was bleeding.
It came after a night of drinking in Laramie, when Guy says he and a friend got into an argument with a group of men after leaving a bar. He was arrested a few hours later, then charged with attempted second-degree murder.
He had only been in Wyoming for two weeks, after moving with his dog from California in search of a job and lower cost of living. He was hired at a local Albertson’s before the stabbing, but never got to start.
After a jury found Guy guilty, he was sentenced to 30 to 45 years in prison. He was 20 years old.
He ended up serving 17 years, thanks to a sentence reduction and some good time credits.
Prison administrators intercepted a few scientific papers sent to Guy from the outside, he said, but he fought the decision and won the papers back through an internal grievance process.
Guy finished out his time at the Casper Reentry Center in November. Now, he’s living in Cheyenne and working in Colorado for a natural gas company.
The book isn’t about him, Guy said. But the skepticism and critical thinking that inspired it comes from his experiences.
“It’s chock full of examples,” he said, “from ghosts and aliens to GMOs and vaccines. It runs the gamut.”
Several professors, including ones that helped and advised Guy during the writing process, now plan to use “Think Straight” in their classrooms. He’s appeared on podcasts about skepticism and biotech, and will have the book reviewed in magazines including Psychology Today, The Skeptic and Skeptical Inquirer. Now that “Think Straight” is published, Guy is working on a chapter for a clinical psychology textbook that will appear alongside chapters by titans in the field.
He’d still love to see “Think Straight” end up in prisons. Guy said he reached out to the Wyoming Department of Corrections, and was told that each facility would have to decide whether to spend money from their budgets to stock it in prison libraries.
“I think it would be a good example of how you can completely change your life and your thinking,” Guy said. “It can be done.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/former-prisoner-releases-critical-thinking-book/article_62e58bf0-2a1d-11ed-8d4f-cb1ae642642d.html | 2022-09-02T14:05:00Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/former-prisoner-releases-critical-thinking-book/article_62e58bf0-2a1d-11ed-8d4f-cb1ae642642d.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CASPER — The Wyoming Department of Health is offering free Narcan — a temporary opioid overdose antidote — to Wyoming agencies, businesses and organizations. Narcan is meant to quickly help reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
The medication’s active ingredient — naloxone hydrochloride — can restore normal breathing in a person whose breathing has slowed, or even stopped, from an opioid overdose. Sometimes more than one dose of naloxone is needed when dealing with stronger opioids like fentanyl.
In some cases, the medication can be lifesaving.
Recent upticks in overdose deaths in Wyoming are believed to be largely attributed to an increase in synthetic opioid-involved overdose deaths, according to the department of health.
There were 94 overdose deaths in Wyoming in 2016, according to Wyoming Department of Health data. That dropped to 62 deaths in 2017. Overdose deaths then increased to 106 in 2021.
That follows trends across the nation. Synthetic opioid-involved death rates grew by more than 56% from 2019 to 2020 across the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Synthetic opioids made up over 82% of opioid-related deaths in 2020.
The free Narcan is funded through the State Opioid Response Grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The state health department’s Substance Abuse Prevention Program previously provided free Narcan to groups in Wyoming from 2016 to last fall when the federal grant for the program ended.
The Narcan is for groups rather than individuals.
People interested in a personal supply of naloxone should ask local pharmacies or medical providers about the medication. Insurance sometimes covers naloxone prescriptions and some pharmacies can provide naloxone without a prescription.
Medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorders is also available throughout Wyoming.
The Wyoming Department of Health Behavioral Health Division contracts for medication-assisted treatment services and other opioid use treatment services with community providers.
Services from community substance abuse treatment providers are available regardless of a person’s ability to pay. People can visit https://health.wyo.gov/behavioralhealth/mhsa/treatment/ to find a community or certified provider.
People can find online Narcan administration training at getnaloxonenow.org/#gettraining. The training is free for people who use a Wyoming address on the site. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/free-overdose-antidote-available/article_d797ebf0-2a09-11ed-9a92-63c382d03240.html | 2022-09-02T14:05:06Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/free-overdose-antidote-available/article_d797ebf0-2a09-11ed-9a92-63c382d03240.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Email those details to mornings@fox17online.com and watch for them on FOX 17 Morning News! | https://www.fox17online.com/news/morning-news/birthday-shoutouts-austin-channing-oliver-grant-kathryn-sept-2 | 2022-09-02T14:05:14Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/morning-news/birthday-shoutouts-austin-channing-oliver-grant-kathryn-sept-2 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
People in school districts across Wyoming “overwhelmingly” emphasized that addressing mental health among students and staff is crucial to school safety, according to a memo from Wyoming Department of Education Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction Chad Auer.
“I think mental health is a huge component of safe schools,” said Chad Blakely, a Cheyenne-based teacher. “It’s the basis of everything.”
The Wyoming Department of Education said that it would host school safety talks across the state following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 kids and two adults in May.
“School safety is at the top of everyone’s mind now, and it has been for many years,” Auer said in a statement announcing the talks. “The modern reality is we, as educators and communities, must prepare for the possibility that evil might show up at our local school on any given day.”
Auer hosted the talks over the summer. The Wyoming Department of Education shared his update on the talks Monday.
Mental health has been a challenge across the board in Wyoming.
The state has the highest suicide rate in the nation, according to 2020 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the pandemic has made the situation even more challenging; suspected suicide attempts among adolescents across the country went up 31% in 2020 compared with the previous year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Especially adolescents in middle school and high school, over the years, we’re continuing to see a larger number suffering from mental health issues,” said Andi Sommerville, executive director of the Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers.
Student behavior has been more of an issue during the pandemic, too; Natrona County School District reported 17,000 recorded instances of bad student behavior district-wide this past school year, up from 12,000 instances in the 2018 school year.
Expulsions also increased from 37 in the 2018 school year to 48 this past year.
Since the pandemic, teachers have observed more incidents of aggression, according to a joint report from the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming Education Association.
“When the kids came back to school after lockdown and isolation, it was like they forgot how to act in civilized society,” Blakely said. “There were a lot more fights, turning in homework seemed more challenging.”
Not all behavioral problems among students are necessarily related to mental health, but it’s a contributing factor, Somerville said.
In a state that’s so rural, providing access to mental health resources isn’t easy; Auer said in his memo that some districts are trying to connect with local professionals to meet the mental health needs of students and staff.
But not all have access to such resources, and many of them reported a shortage of counselors, social workers and mental health professionals.
“It’s absolutely the case that school districts are caught up in the provider shortage right now,” Sommerville said.
Part of the problem may be that these professionals don’t get enough compensation; the Wyoming Education Association argues in a lawsuit it brought against the state earlier this month over school funding that school personnel – including counselors – aren’t paid enough to compete with surrounding states.
There has been a lot of discussion in Wyoming, particularly since the pandemic, around providing more mental health care via tele-health. That could be especially helpful for rural communities.
But Somerville said mental health care through tele-health should be balanced with in-person services, particularly for school-aged kids.
“We really need to look toward a longer-term plan that uses both tele-health and in-person services,” she said.
There are some potential solutions to address mental health in Wyoming schools that seem promising.
For example, the Wyoming Department of Education got two Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grants to start Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) in 2021.
The program, which serves six Wyoming school districts right now, provides school-based mental health services that are meant to supplement existing mental health services in communities.
The project is showing positive outcomes so far; of the 380 kids who have used the program’s services so far, about 46.3% of them have reported higher levels of social connectedness, according to Dustin Brown, the project’s director.
It has helped reduce wait times for students in need of mental health services.
The program is also open to school staff, although there isn’t any data to show outcomes for staff who take advantage of the services. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/mental-health-tied-to-safe-schools/article_e504827e-2a06-11ed-99db-cf4c0ac7f591.html | 2022-09-02T14:05:18Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/mental-health-tied-to-safe-schools/article_e504827e-2a06-11ed-99db-cf4c0ac7f591.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Rather, you do. Some people say ‘Do I write poetry’ instead saying to you ‘you should’ do or make this, that. Well maybe you may want say they write on social issues… or social activisms, or maybe on political issues also like protest write down… If i got an ideal place & good pen set … definitely I will start this blog with me, about Me too . You see in order to avoid making you angry just a bit by some misjudgem Moments from FOX 17 Morning News, Aug 29 - Sept 2, 2022
Posted at 9:17 AM, Sep 02, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-02 09:17:46-04
Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/morning-news/friday-funnies-fired-up | 2022-09-02T14:05:20Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/morning-news/friday-funnies-fired-up | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A man tried to kill Argentina's politically powerful Vice President Cristina Fernández outside her home, but the handgun misfired, the country's president said.
The man was quickly overpowered by her security officers in the incident Thursday night, officials said.
President Alberto Fernández, who is not related to the vice president, a former president herself, said the pistol did not discharge when the man tried to fire it.
“A man pointed a firearm at her head and pulled the trigger,” the president said in a national broadcast following the incident. He said the firearm was loaded with five bullets but “didn’t fire even though the trigger was pulled.”
The vice president did not appear to have suffered any injury, and the man was overpowered within seconds as he stood among a crowd of her supporters.
Gina De Bai, a witness who was near the vice president during the incident, told The Associated Press she heard “the sound of the trigger being pulled.” She said she didn’t realize it was a handgun until the man was rushed by security personnel.
President Fernández called it “the most serious incident since we recovered democracy” in 1983 after a military dictatorship and urged political leaders, and society at large, to repudiate the attempted shooting.
The attack came as the vice president is facing a trial for alleged acts of corruption during her 2007-2015 presidency — charges that she vehemently denies and that has led her supporters to surround her home in the upscale Recoleta neighborhood of Argentina’s capital.
Video broadcast on local television channels showed Fernández exiting her vehicle surrounded by supporters when a man is seen extending his hand with what looks like a pistol. The vice president ducks as people around the apparent gunman appear shocked at what is happening.
Unverified video posted on social media shows the pistol almost touching Fernández’s face.
The alleged gunman was identified as Fernando André Sabag Montiel, a Brazilian citizen, said an official at the Security Ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity. He does not have a criminal record, the official said, adding that the weapon was a .32-caliber Bersa.
The president declared Friday a holiday “so the Argentine people can, in peace and harmony, express itself in defense of life, democracy and in solidarity with our vice president."
Supporters of the vice president have been gathering in the streets surrounding her home since last week, when a prosecutor called for a 12-year sentence for Fernández as well as a life-long prohibition in holding public office in the corruption case.
Shortly after the incident, government officials were quick to decry what they called an assassination attempt.
“When hate and violence are imposed over the debate of ideas, societies are destroyed and generate situations like the one seen today: an assassination attempt,” Economy Minister Sergio Massa said.
Cabinet ministers issued a news release saying they “energetically condemn the attempted homicide" of the vice president. “What happened tonight is of extreme gravity and threatens democracy, institutions and the rule of law.”
Former President Mauricio Macri, a conservative who succeeded the left-of-center Fernández in the presidency, also condemned the attack. “This very serious event demands an immediate and profound clarification by the judiciary and security forces,” Macri wrote on Twitter.
Patricia Bullrich, president of the opposition Republican Proposal party, criticized President Fernández's reaction to the attack, accusing him of “playing with fire.” She said that “instead of seriously investigating a serious incident, he accuses the opposition and the press, decreeing a national holiday to mobilize activists.”
Tensions have been running high in the Recoleta neighborhood since the weekend, when the vice president’s supporters clashed with police in the streets surrounding her apartment amid an effort by law enforcement officers to clear the area. Following the clashes, what had been a strong police presence around the vice president’s apartment was reduced.
When Fernández leaves her apartment every day at around noon, she greets supporters and signs autographs before getting in her vehicle to go to the Senate. She repeats the same routine every evening.
Following the incident, allies of the vice president quickly pointed the finger at the opposition for what they said is hateful speech that promotes violence. In recent days, several key officials have said opposition leaders were looking for a fatality.
“This is a historic event in Argentina that must be a before-and-after,” Buenos Aires Gov. Axel Kicillof said.
Regional leaders also condemned the attack.
“We send our solidarity to the vice president in this attempt against her life,” Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said on Twitter.
Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva, who is a candidate in that nation’s presidential election next month, also expressed solidarity with Fernández, calling her a “victim of a fascist criminal who doesn’t know how to respect differences and diversity.” | https://www.fox17online.com/news/world/argentina-attempt-to-kill-vp-fails-when-handgun-misfires | 2022-09-02T14:05:26Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/world/argentina-attempt-to-kill-vp-fails-when-handgun-misfires | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Heather Lang of Powell hopes to share her experience with losing her brother to suicide in an effort to help others who are contemplating harming themselves or family and friends worried for their loved ones.
POWELL — The family of Thomas “TG” Howard wanted to make sure they didn’t hide his mental illness and depression, listing it as his cause of death in his obituaries. It was important to find a positive in the unthinkably hard reality of how he died.
Howard took his own life Christmas day, 2015. The popular athlete at Cody High School who joined the Navy after graduation had first turned to alcohol and then opiates in an effort to deal with his mental illness.
“A lot of people that struggle with mental illness also struggle with addiction,” said Howard’s sister Heather Lang, of Powell. Howard was hooked on heroin. “If you have an addiction to hard drugs like he was, you’re gonna go to jail eventually,” she continued.
Howard had seen his fair share of trouble with law enforcement.
They had talked on the phone Christmas Eve. He said something to Lang that she misunderstood.
“They’re coming to get me,” he told her.
She would later find out her beloved brother attempted to end his life that night. The following day he hung himself.
“I just remember falling on the floor when [officials] called. I was just like, oh my gosh, I’ve got to tell my mom,” she said. “That was rough.”
The nine-hour drive to Colorado, where he was at the time of his death, was tense.
The memories are still fresh, yet for Lang it was important her brother didn’t just become another statistic. Something good had to come from the loss of her funny, outdoors-loving brother.
She started to share the story of his demise in hopes of helping others suffering from mental illness. She was determined to “stop the stigma” of mental health issues.
“We’re working to get rid of that stigma, but it’s gonna take some time,” she said.
It’s not easy to provide mental health care in Wyoming. Low populations mean low revenues to support services. Health care employers are always struggling to recruit and retain employees. And long distances between providers make accessing services difficult.
On top of all these challenges, mental health care providers also must overcome the stigma attached to mental illnesses, which discourages many people from getting help.
All these problems have contributed to Wyoming having one of the highest suicide rates in the nation.
Lang started an area support group called Stop the Stigma, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, she found it too hard to continue.
Two years later she has decided to resume her efforts.
Starting Thursday and every Thursday in September, the Powell resident is opening an informational booth at American Legion Post 26.
She is collaborating with Dean Whalen, who is the owner/operator of Deano’s Old-Fashioned Hamburgers food truck. For every hamburger he sells on Thursdays in September, Lang will donate a dollar to a scholarship in her brother’s name.
The real estate agent with eXp Realty will also donate funds from the month’s closings to the cause.
September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a campaign to inform and engage health professionals and the general public about suicide prevention and warning signs of suicide. All month, mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies and community members unite to promote suicide prevention awareness.
Wyoming’s suicide rate of about 30 per 100,000 residents a year is twice that of the national average. Somebody kills him or herself every two days in the state.
Efforts by concerned folks like Lang to help have resulted in prominent informational campaigns and the creation of the nationwide 988 crisis hotline. Wyoming joined in the national implementation of the crisis hotline number in July, which replaces the former 10-digit number with a three-digit code, just as with the general emergency 911 number.
It was a great step toward addressing one gap in mental health care, the Tribune wrote in a recent editorial.
The Wyoming Legislature appropriated $2.1 million from the American Rescue Plan Act funding to support call centers. But it’s still too early to know how effective the new service will be in addressing the problem.
Will Wyoming residents, who are raised in an environment that promotes independence and self-sufficiency, actually use the service, Lang wonders.
She hopes it helps slow the epidemic in the Cowboy State, but she refuses to rest knowing how her brother’s death affected her own family and not wanting other families to go through the hardships her family has.
If you have any questions about suicide in Wyoming, contact the Wyoming Injury and Violence Prevention Program at https://tinyurl.com/zfhjkfnj. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/stopping-the-stigma-powell-woman-helps-those-suffering-from-mental-illness/article_b2adcdba-2a1c-11ed-bd2d-e3214218f1d2.html | 2022-09-02T14:05:37Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/stopping-the-stigma-powell-woman-helps-those-suffering-from-mental-illness/article_b2adcdba-2a1c-11ed-bd2d-e3214218f1d2.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Army Community Service Employment Readiness Program and the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development have partnered to bring back the MilSpo Career Expo from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sep. 15 at the Smith Lake Recreation Center. The event offers the opportunity for military spouses to network with local employers, have resumes reviewed, attend informational sessions, get professional headshots taken and more. (U.S. Army flyer by Audra Satterlee, ACS Marketing)
This work, ACS bridges gap between MilSpo workforce, local employers [Image 2 of 2], must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7399641/acs-bridges-gap-between-milspo-workforce-local-employers | 2022-09-02T14:05:44Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7399641/acs-bridges-gap-between-milspo-workforce-local-employers | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Public comment sought for Casper Aquifer draft plan
People have until Oct. 8 to comment on the Casper Aquifer Protection Draft Plan, a raft of regulations aimed at establishing more layers of protection for the Casper Aquifer, which is the main source of the city of Laramie’s potable water.
The draft plan is available to review online at cityoflaramie.org/CAPPupdate and in person at City Hall in the clerk’s office, 406 Ivinson Ave. The draft also can be seen at the Albany County Annex in the planning department, 1002 S. 3rd St.
Comment can be submitted electronically at https://tinyurl.com/2w3sd9pe. People also can mail comments to City of Laramie City Clerk, P.O. Box C, Laramie, WY 82073; or Albany County Annex Planning Department, 1002 S. 3rd St., Laramie, WY 82070. They also can be hand-delivered to those physical addresses.
Along with accepting public comment on the draft aquifer plan, a series of public meetings will be held 6-8 p.m. at the Municipal Operations Center, 4373 N. 3rd St.
For more information, contact Darren Parkin at 307-721-5213.
Cultural Trust Fund grant applications now submitted electronically
The next Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund grant application deadline for projects, events and activities scheduled to begin after Jan. 1 is set for 11:59 p.m. Oct. 1.
WCTF grants are restricted to nonprofit and governmental entity applicants based in Wyoming and require a match, though that match can be cash or appropriate in-kind contributions.
Beginning with this year’s grant application deadline, the application process will be conducted electronically.
To get complete information on the grant application process and review guidelines, visit wyoculturaltrust.com.
Applicants can still submit a draft application for review prior to deadline through the grant portal. Cultural Trust Fund Program Coordinator Renée Bovée will review drafts and provide comments through the grant portal. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/worth-noting-sept-2-2022/article_a88520a8-2a1d-11ed-a4d7-0ff7aaf7b846.html | 2022-09-02T14:05:49Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/worth-noting-sept-2-2022/article_a88520a8-2a1d-11ed-a4d7-0ff7aaf7b846.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, has a population of over 150,000 people, more than 80% of whom are African American.
Mississippi is the poorest state in the country. Jackson residents, already under a water boil notice for over a month, have now had no running water for days, to drink, to bathe in, or to flush toilets. The Pearl River flooded following record rainfall, overwhelming the city’s water treatment plant.
On Sunday, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba urged city residents, “If you are capable of getting out now, get out now.”
Jackson has been paralyzed by the confluence of racism, classism and the worsening climate crisis.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden declared an emergency for Jackson and surrounding Hinds County, promising federal funding to pay the bulk of disaster recovery costs for at least 90 days. A rented pump was put into service at the water facility on Wednesday and may help restore water service within a week.
But that is only a temporary fix. Jackson’s water problems run far deeper. “We are seeing the intentional divestment in communities that are led by Black elected officials,” Jackson resident and social justice organizer Danyelle Holmes told Reuters at a water distribution center this week. “This has been an issue for me since I came down here ... in 1991. I was always told not to drink that water.”
The climate-fueled polar vortex that descended on Texas in February 2021, shutting down the state’s electrical grid and subjecting millions of Texans to devastating cold, killing an estimated 700 people, also hit other Southern states.
Jackson’s water treatment plant froze then, shutting off residents’ access to water. Mississippi’s Gov. Tate Reeves and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, both white Republicans, blamed Jackson for that crisis.
“I do think it’s really important that the city of Jackson start collecting their water bill payments before they start going and asking everyone else to pony up more money,” Gov. Reeves told the press last year as Jackson was in its third week without water.
“The city of Jackson was not ill-prepared based on the winter storms; we were ill-equipped,” Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba responded back then, speaking on the Democracy Now! news hour. “We’ve had resources stripped away from us.”
Jackson was founded 200 years ago named in honor of Andrew Jackson, a wealthy plantation owner who made a fortune using enslaved labor and who later, as the seventh president of the United States, orchestrated the ethnic cleansing of much of the South’s indigenous population in what became known as the Trail of Tears. Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman ordered the city burned to the ground during the Civil War.
Later, Jackson suffered some of the worst racist violence as Jim Crow laws disenfranchised African Americans across the South and white supremacist terrorism waged by the Ku Klux Klan and others drove millions of Blacks north in the Great Migration. In 1963, Medgar Evers, the Mississippi field secretary for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, was assassinated outside his Jackson home.
This followed the violence and arrests targeting hundreds of Freedom Riders who arrived in Jackson in the summer of 1961, challenging segregation of interstate travel. In 1964, three civil rights workers — James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner — were murdered in nearby Neshoba County for helping the Black community organize voter registration. Their bodies were buried in a dam being built on a farm to impound water that would have flowed into the Pearl River, upstream from Jackson.
On May 15, 1970, two students at Jackson State, the historically Black college, were killed by local police during an anti-war protest. Their deaths received little attention compared to the four white protesters killed by the National Guard at Kent State University in Ohio 11 days earlier.
“What we are experiencing now is literally just the crumbling of the empire’s infrastructure,” Kali Akuno, co-founder of Cooperation Jackson, which promotes worker-owned co-ops and a solidarity economy, said on Democracy Now! “It goes back to the 1950s and ‘60s with the so-called urban renewal programs and the massive subsidization of the suburbs, which facilitated white flight out of many of these major cities, Jackson being one of them. With that went major capital flight and ... chronic programs of divestment and deindustrialization.”
Akuno heeded Mayor Lumumba’s warning to flee the flooding this week, and was in New Orleans, remotely coordinating Cooperation Jackson’s water distribution efforts.
Repairing Jackson’s infrastructure will take an estimated $2 billion. That’s a tiny fraction of the public funds allocated by the recently enacted infrastructure and climate change bills. The resources exist to solve Jackson’s current catastrophe.
It will take solidarity on a national level to overcome the triple, ongoing impacts assaulting the citizens of Jackson, Mississippi: racism, classism and the spiraling disaster of climate change. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/confluence-of-race-class-and-climate-in-water-crisis/article_3e53d8f6-2a21-11ed-b5f7-230522c80749.html | 2022-09-02T14:06:02Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/confluence-of-race-class-and-climate-in-water-crisis/article_3e53d8f6-2a21-11ed-b5f7-230522c80749.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Republican Party only had about a half-century to prepare for the end of Roe v. Wade yet is still scared and confused now that the late, unlamented decision is no longer with us.
It may be that the media is exaggerating the extent that the Dobbs decision has changed the trajectory of the midterms, but there is no doubt that it has energized Democrats and that pro-lifers suffered a signal defeat in a Kansas referendum in early August.
Some Republicans seem to think they can run and hide from the issue, a cowardly tack that won’t work. To the extent that Republicans are vague and non-responsive, Democrats will eagerly fill in the gaps with Handmaid’s Tale-level dystopian accusations of extremism.
Other Republicans apparently believe that they can act as if it is still the pre-Dobbs world when staking out maximalist positions — for instance, bans with no exceptions for rape or incest — had no significant downside because such proposals would never take effect. No more. Most places, this is politically deadly overreach.
The answer here is, to paraphrase Ronald Reagan, simple, if not necessarily easy. Pro-life Republicans should say that they ultimately seek sweeping protections for unborn life but realize that they have to do much more public persuasion and, in the meantime, support a compromise proposal of some sort, say a gestational limit of 15 weeks.
For pro-lifers, this falls painfully short. But it would be in keeping with the trajectory of successful past campaigns of moral and social reform — settle for progress in the right direction, occupy politically defensible ground, and then advance over time.
Meanwhile, abortion restrictions are under assault for allegedly not providing broad and clear enough exceptions for the health of the mother. In a viral video out of South Carolina last week, a Republican state representative said he regretted voting for a heartbeat bill, banning abortion after about six weeks, after he heard an excruciating story of a 19-year-old denied care for her miscarriage.
According to Rep. Neal Collins, a doctor told him the usual standard of care would have potentially involved removing the fetus immediately. But the heartbeat bill supposedly prevented that, and the woman went home to expel the fetus on her own and assume enormous health risk.
The South Carolina law, though, like most such restrictions around the country, stipulates that the prohibition “does not apply to a physician who performs a medical procedure that, by any reasonable medical judgment, is designed or intended to prevent the death of the pregnant woman or to prevent the serious risk of a substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman.”
This should have been ample warrant for the young woman to get the appropriate care (and she did end up returning to the medical facility for the requisite treatment). This looks like a case of a bad reading of the law causing unnecessary medical distress and creating a horror story with considerable political resonance.
In a paper on health exceptions, the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute notes: “It would be prudent for state medical boards, state medical societies, state boards of pharmacy, hospital quality committees, and hospital attorneys to provide more detailed guidance to doctors on how to reach a determination that abortion is necessary. Tragically, this type of guidance appears slow in coming.”
It’d also help if Democrats stopped lying about these laws, although that’s not going to happen. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the other day that the Texas pro-life law will “block medical providers from providing life-saving and health-preserving care,” a blatant falsehood. The Texas law has a clear life-of-the-mother exception and explicitly excludes treatment for miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies from its definition of abortion.
At the moment, though, such falsehoods are carrying the day. To find their footing, Republicans will have to be courageous and shrewd, two qualities so far in short supply.
Rich Lowry is a syndicated columnist. Follow him on Twitter @RichLowry. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/republicans-cant-run-and-hide-on-abortion/article_697871f8-2a13-11ed-ab8b-878a58745484.html | 2022-09-02T14:06:08Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/republicans-cant-run-and-hide-on-abortion/article_697871f8-2a13-11ed-ab8b-878a58745484.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Between Sept. 6-16, you might see this. Cheyenne's water and sewer utility is doing what it calls an airborne electromagnetic survey. Photo courtesy of the Board of Public Utilities.
CHEYENNE – If you are out and about locally between this coming Tuesday and Sept. 16, you might see a slightly unusual sight up in the air.
During that time period, the city's water and sewer utility will begin a second phase of what it calls an airborne electromagnetic survey. Visually, this will mean that you might catch a glimpse of a "helicopter towing a large hoop from a cable," according to the Board of Public Utilities. The copter, BOPU continued, "will conduct low-level flights in designated areas as part of a geological and aquifer mapping study."
It will be airborne over parts of Cheyenne’s groundwater well fields. Specifically, these operations are located between Interstate 80 and Horse Creek Road and west of I-25. "This portion of the study is expected to last up to one week," noted a Wednesday BOPU news release.
In its announcement, the municipal water provider had some words that seemed meant to reassure members of the public:
This "AEM survey is being conducted by a specialty airborne geophysical survey company with pilots who are trained in low-level flying. The company works with the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure flights are safe and conducted in accordance with U.S. law. The survey will not take place directly above populated areas, and the electromagnetic signals used are far too weak to interfere with electronic or communications equipment."
There is more than just a survey at stake here, the agency pointed out:
"With around 15% of Cheyenne’s drinking water coming from groundwater wells, this" will "help provide a better understanding of the soil conditions that make the aquifer and how water recharges the aquifer. This is part of a multi-year project to enhance the long-term sustainability of groundwater resources." | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/look-up-bopu-plans-airborne-survey-using-helicopter-towing-a-hoop/article_09ffb938-299c-11ed-b5a0-ebe76f94cbda.html | 2022-09-02T14:06:20Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/look-up-bopu-plans-airborne-survey-using-helicopter-towing-a-hoop/article_09ffb938-299c-11ed-b5a0-ebe76f94cbda.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
I’ve spent countless hours since the late 1970s listening to lawmakers wrangle over how much to spend on K-12 schools. The rhetoric rarely changed much, and neither did the predictable outcomes: When the Legislature fails to meet students’ needs, school districts and the Wyoming Education Association ask courts to intervene.
Last month, the WEA sued the state again. As they say, the only thing harder than learning from experience is … not learning from experience. More than four decades on, the Wyoming Legislature still insists on doing things the hard way. At least they're consistent.
The latest lawsuit was born out of frustration, after years of watching the Legislature fail to establish a permanent, sustainable source of revenue for school districts. This wasn’t a rush to sue by the organization that represents most of the state’s teachers. WEA’s response to being repeatedly rebuffed by the Legislature was restrained.
Because the quality of Wyoming education is beginning to suffer, WEA President Grady Hutcherson said, the association was compelled to act. He cited increased class sizes, aging buildings and the need to improve school security.
Wyoming teacher salaries were once among the highest in the nation, but those days are gone. The state has not kept up with inflation in their block grants to districts for more than a decade. Salaries have stagnated, making it difficult for districts to recruit and retain teachers, especially in rural areas.
In a series of four lawsuits against the state by the WEA and school districts, the Wyoming Supreme Court affirmed the Legislature must provide a high-quality, fair and equitable education system for every student. No exceptions.
The high court ordered an exhaustive process called “recalibration” to be conducted every five years, to adjust the funding formula based on current costs.
During booms, the Legislature sometimes exceed what their consultants recommended. But whenever the fossil fuels industry struggles, lawmakers look for ways to reduce education spending.
In 2017, the Legislature ordered a special recalibration, with Senate deficit hawks admitting they wanted to use the process to justify deeper education cuts. Many senators complained Wyoming wasn’t getting the “bang for the buck” it should have, compared to the money it spends. These complaints ignored the fact that the Equality State’s standardized test scores were ranked the highest in Western states.
Much to these legislators’ chagrin, their recalibration consultant said Wyoming needed to increase K-12 spending by $70 million annually. At the Senate leadership’s insistence, school funding was cut a total of $100 million over the next three years. The decrease would have been much greater if the House didn’t force the Senate to compromise.
Then, during the 2020 recalibration, experts called for a $100 million hike – essentially restoring what was cut. But the Senate – pointing to dwindling fossil fuel industry revenue – wanted to shave off at least $100 million more. Rather than legislating new revenue sources, for several years lawmakers have used the “rainy-day fund” to pay for a large portion of school funding. In 2020, the House only agreed to cuts if a half-cent state sales tax hike would be automatic if the fund dropped below $650 million.
The Senate refused any sales tax increase, and the House wouldn’t budge. Lawmakers used federal COVID relief funds to maintain the existing budget, sparing it the $100 million cut, but not changing the state’s tax structure or providing the funding that court-mandated consultants deemed necessary.
Now, with extra federal funds drawing down, the Legislature still doesn’t have a plan to fix an estimated $300 million annual education shortfall.
In its lawsuit, WEA reminds lawmakers that lack of revenue is not an excuse the courts will accept. The state Supreme Court has also spelled out in previous rulings that it doesn’t matter that other state agency budgets have been cut significantly:
“Supporting an opportunity for a complete, proper, quality education is the Legislature’s paramount priority (emphasis added); competing priorities not of constitutional magnitude are secondary, and the Legislature may not yield to them until constitutionally sufficient provision is made for elementary and secondary education.”
Wyoming, with a Permanent Mineral Trust Fund worth more than $9 billion, is hardly a poor state. It has the resources to pay for a school system that meets the mandate. Those resources are simply being diverted elsewhere, like the rainy-day fund and assorted permanent trusts. If rerouting existing revenues doesn’t do the trick alone, the Legislature has an obligation to raise current taxes or establish new ones.
“The Wyoming Education Association is committed to seeking justice for our students,” Hutcherson said.
Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle the Legislature “lacks the political will … to do the right thing, because they know they won’t [be re-elected] if they vote to raise taxes.”
State polls consistently show residents don’t want education budget cuts. Yet they keep electing extremist, anti-tax and anti-education legislators.
This is why the WEA needed to sue the state. I hope many school districts join as plaintiffs, to again show state officials they can’t get away with underfunding education and thumbing their nose at the courts.
The Drake’s Take is a weekly column by veteran Wyoming journalist Kerry Drake, and produced by WyoFile.com, a nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/drake-failing-to-fund-education-wyoming-will-fail-in-court-too-again/article_31fbca08-2a0a-11ed-8a8f-9ff01bf5a676.html | 2022-09-02T14:06:33Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/drake-failing-to-fund-education-wyoming-will-fail-in-court-too-again/article_31fbca08-2a0a-11ed-8a8f-9ff01bf5a676.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Last week’s meeting of the Legislature’s Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee crackled with controversy.
Observers were troubled by the ranked-choice voting scheme proposed to strip our political parties of the power to put their own candidates on the general ballot.
Committee members pushed back against the secretary of state’s novel, and overly broad, interpretation of Wyoming’s constitutional provision for “secrecy of the ballot” (Article 6, Section 11).
Senator Nethercott’s motion to draft a bill that codifies federal guidelines for certification of election equipment raised concerns that Wyoming election law would dance to the constantly changing tune of the Election Assistance Commission.
Committee Co-Chair Dan Zwonitzer’s motion to remove election oversight from the secretary of state’s office seemed to thumb a nose at 76,000 voters who resonated with Chuck Gray’s calls for increased election integrity.
All of these issues merit the careful attention of Wyoming citizens. Each, in its own way, has the potential to erode further the power of our vote to express the consent of the governed.
But the part of the meeting that most piqued my interest happened in the opening 10 minutes. State elections director Kai Schon gave a brief report on the Aug. 16 primary election. Generally speaking, things went very smoothly. For that, we thank him for his good work.
He ended his report by touting a post-primary audit that went above and beyond the requirements of state law. He explained, “We want to look at the ballots that are actually being voted and see how our tabulators are adjudicating ballots.” In that sentence, he captured the mood of a strong majority of Wyoming voters.
Schon described reaching out to professor Ken Gerow, director of UW’s statistics program, to help determine a statistically significant sample for the audit. He then reported triumphantly that the roughly 3,000 ballots of this random sample, distributed across 23 counties, matched exactly with the cast vote records (CVRs).
If this report were exactly true as worded, voters around the state would have good reason to, in his words, “put to bed” concerns about the trustworthiness of Wyoming’s ES&S voting machines. But Schon’s description was different from the Uinta County clerk’s description of the event. According to that website, they were comparing “ballot images and cast vote records.”
Audit observers in Uinta, and several other counties, did not carry out the stated intent of the director of elections to “look at the ballots that are actually being voted.” Instead, they looked only at the “ballot images.” There is a significant difference between the actual ballots and their ”ballot images.”
Ballot images are photos that the machine takes of the ballot. They are produced by the machine, not by the voter. So, the audit conducted in Uinta County only compared one product of the machine (the ballot image) with another product of the same machine (the CVR, or cast vote record.) Nobody in Uinta County has looked at the actual ballots.
Sheridan and Natrona counties both promised a “Post-Election Ballot Audit … in accordance with and as required by the Wyoming secretary of state policy (dated June 29, 2022).” Was this different than Uinta County’s audit? Or did all of Wyoming’s counties look only at the ballot images? Did the secretary of state’s June 29 policy require a look at the ballots or only at the ballot images? (Public records request pending.)
Lawmakers should ask Mr. Schon these questions. Either Uinta County defied the SOS’s requirements or Mr. Schon’s language before the elections committee was sloppy and misleading to the Wyoming people.
Some might scoff at this question as the mere splitting of hairs. But in this day of computer wizardry, it is a matter of night and day. Images can be altered in the blink of an eye. Paper ballots cannot. The smartphone you have in your pocket has the capability of instantly editing any photograph. It can automatically erase unwanted pixels, like red-eye, and insert new pixels, like stars and dog noses. More sophisticated programming can do even more.
Computer experts that examined the CVRs and ballot images of the machines in Mesa County, Colorado, raised precisely this possibility. They demonstrated on screen how the hand-blackened ballot oval in front of one candidate could be cut out and replaced by an empty oval, and how that hand-blackened oval could be pasted in front of a different candidate – altering the ballot image to contradict the actual ballot.
Nobody is alleging that such fraud happened in Wyoming. But the director of Wyoming’s elections should recognize that words matter. If the ballot audit actually audited the ballots, Wyoming voters should know it. But if the ballot audits only audited ballot images – as happened in Uinta County – public testimony that omits that detail degrades voter confidence.
Jonathan Lange is a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod pastor in Evanston and Kemmerer and serves the Wyoming Pastors Network. Follow his blog at OnlyHuman-JL.blogspot.com. Email: JLange64@allwest.net. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/lange-ballots-or-ballot-images-which-is-it/article_ef349a5a-29a1-11ed-bf3e-6317e3ab2a39.html | 2022-09-02T14:06:39Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/lange-ballots-or-ballot-images-which-is-it/article_ef349a5a-29a1-11ed-bf3e-6317e3ab2a39.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Kelly Walsh at Central
Records: Kelly Walsh (0-1) at Cheyenne Central (0-1)
Kickoff: 6 p.m. today at Riske Field, Cheyenne
Twitter: @MattAtencio5
Radio: KFBC (97.5 FM, 1240 AM)
Last week: Kelly Walsh lost to Rock Springs, 42-7; Central lost at Sheridan, 24-21.
Last meeting: Kelly Walsh won 21-13 on Sept. 3, 2021, in Casper.
Facts: While losing to the reigning Class 4A state champions on a last-second field goal was disappointing, Central coach Mike Apodaca found plenty to like about his team’s effort. “We had a great camp, and that effort spilled in there,” he said. “We had some really good plays on both sides of the ball, but it was a sloppy game for both teams. The last team that didn’t make a mistake won it.” … The Indians lost three fumbles and also gave up an interception against Sheridan. “Two of our turnovers were in the red zone, so we have to improve there,” Apodaca said. … Kelly Walsh had just 144 yards of total offense during its loss to Rock Springs. Quarterback Gibson Sasser threw for 133 yards. “They’ve got a lot of team speed, and they’re trying to utilize it by getting out to the edge a lot,” Apodaca said. “They like to throw the football a bit more than they have. They definitely trust their quarterback.”
East at Natrona
Records: No. 1-ranked Cheyenne East (1-0) at third-ranked Natrona (1-0)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. today at Cheney Alumni Field, Casper
Last week: East beat Campbell County, 47-28; Natrona won at Laramie, 40-0.
Last meeting: East won 14-13 on Sept. 3, 2021, in Casper.
Facts: East leads Class 4A in total offense after rolling up 498 yards against Campbell County. … East held a 40-0 halftime lead in that contest. “We improved so much from where we started last week to where we ended it,” East coach Chad Goff said. “We were kind of a little off during the week. The offensive line was missing assignments and not getting done what they needed to get done. They probably improved the most just from Wednesday to Friday.” … Thunderbirds junior quarterback Cam Hayes leads the state in all-purpose offense at 299 yards. He is the state’s second-leading passer at 272 yards per game. … The Mustangs counter with 4A’s top defense, surrendering just 50 total yards at Laramie. That included minus-2 yards on the ground. … “Natrona is a tough football team of guys that work hard, do their job and are really sound in what they do,” Goff said. “This has been a Week 2 game for us for a long time, and it’s always a measuring stick. It tests both teams because it’s usually a pretty darned good game.”
Sheridan at South
Records: No. 2-ranked Sheridan (1-0) at Cheyenne South (0-1)
Kickoff: 6 p.m. today at Bison Stadium, Cheyenne
Twitter: @jjohnke
Last week: Sheridan beat Cheyenne Central, 24-21; South lost at Thunder Basin, 42-0.
Last meeting: Sheridan won 56-0 on Sept. 3, 2021, in Sheridan.
Facts: Moody found positives in his first game as South’s head coach, despite the 42-0 final score. “The defense looked good, for the most part,” he said. “There were a couple lapses that led to touchdowns, but they were flying around. We also have the No. 1 and No. 2 guy in the state for defensive points right now because they were doing their jobs.” Matt Rivera currently tops the defensive points rankings with 30. He had 13 tackles (12 solo) and an interception against the Bolts. Damien Pino is tied for second after posting 13 tackles (11 solo). … Junior quarterback Osayas Garcia didn’t complete any of his three passes before he left the game with an injury. Senior Jaylen Trujillo went 4 for 12 for 50 yards and two interceptions. “Our pass protection was good, for the most part, but we have some things we need to clean up,” Moody said. “We need to hold some of our blocks longer, and we need better routes from our receivers.” … The Broncs lead 4A in rushing offense (263 yards) and are third in total offense (426) after one game. Colson Coon – the defending Gatorade player of the year – rolled up 231 yards on the ground last week. “(Sheridan is) sound and well-coached like always,” Moody said. “You’re not going to catch them messing up very often. I’m in charge of our offense, so I’m looking at their defense very closely, and they’re really flying around and swarming to the ball.”
– Jeremiah Johnke, WyoSports | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/cheyenne_central/laramie-county-prep-football-capsules-for-sept-2-2022/article_10fc036a-2a26-11ed-92d5-b3d545c1dc1d.html | 2022-09-02T14:06:58Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/cheyenne_central/laramie-county-prep-football-capsules-for-sept-2-2022/article_10fc036a-2a26-11ed-92d5-b3d545c1dc1d.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
John Tranchina, who covers Tulsa for the Tulsa World, weighs in on what Wyoming can expect this weekend against the Golden Hurricane.
Tulsa is similar to UW in that there are a lot of moving pieces with the team. What's the thing that stands out to you the most heading into the season opener?
Probably the biggest thing about Tulsa is that their offensive line is completely rebuilt. All five guys on the line are first-time starters, so we really don't know what we're going to get from them. You think you have a good group, and they look pretty good in practice, but you really don't know. I'd say, at this point, that's the biggest question mark for the offense.
For UW, the biggest topic of conversation centers around the passing game and the lack of production there last week. How does Tulsa's secondary look? Is this a bounce-back opportunity for the Cowboys, or is it going to potentially be another long day?
Honestly, it could go either way. Tulsa has a pretty good secondary. They have a couple of really good safeties, a couple good corners, but there are also some first-time starters on that side of the ball, as well. You never really know where it's going to go, but they have some good guys out there.
It's interesting. We've been talking here a lot about how Wyoming has already had a game, and does that give the Cowboys an advantage or not? You can look at it both ways ... but I would say now that they've seen what they have and can make adjustments in this game, whereas Tulsa still doesn't really know what they have –and they won't know until they're out there.
Davis Brin had more than 3,000 passing yards and gained a lot of experience last year, but also led the country in interceptions. Is the quarterback situation more of a concern, or is there hope that it can be a point of optimism?
Most of the feeling about Davis Brin is of optimism that he's going to be better. He's worked really hard on that part of his game (in terms of) making reads. He and the coaching staff have said all the right things about how far he's come in that area. I still think, though, that the key to his performance is going to be the offensive line, and we don't know how they're going to do.
That's another big question mark, but there is a lot of optimism that, from his point of view, he has corrected some of the issues. He's a lot better on his reads, which is what they were talking about as being part of the issue that led to so many interceptions last year – trying to force plays where there wasn't one.
Who is the biggest loss and most important newcomer to Tulsa's success this season?
That's a good question. For a loss, when there's still that issue with the offensive line, I would stay Tyler Smith. (He was) a first-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys, and he made their opening roster. You miss that experience and skill on the offensive line, and now we're seeing it with so many new starters.
As far as a newcomer, you're probably looking at receiver Isaiah Epps. He was a transfer from Kentucky and a grad student, so he has a lot of experience. He played 40-something games for Kentucky, and has been pretty good, as well as being a local guy. He's actually from the Tulsa area, so he's kind of coming home and (will have) a lot of family and friends in the stands. That's more motivation, I would imagine, for him.
He's looked really good in the preseason practices and scrimmages, and I would say he's at least a No. 3 receiver. If the defense is focusing on JuanCarlos Santana and/or Keylon Stokes, he's probably the next guy that might be the one that ends up hurting Wyoming most.
What's your prediction for Saturday?
I'm not sure. I feel like it's going to be a really close game. From my perspective, when I've seen a team lose the way Wyoming did in that first game, I feel like there is going to be a lot of emphasis on correcting those mistakes – and the motivation to do so, especially with it being the home opener. I would really expect a much better performance out of the Cowboys.
From Tulsa's side, there's a lot of uncertainty, and maybe they should be the favorite, but since there are so many areas we don't really know, I'm not sure. Either way, I'm going to go with a really close game and flip the coin. If you're going to force me to pick, I might say Tulsa by a field goal at the end, but who knows? | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/know-the-foe-tulsa-at-wyoming/article_f9385e5c-2a09-11ed-844c-5338279eb007.html | 2022-09-02T14:07:53Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/know-the-foe-tulsa-at-wyoming/article_f9385e5c-2a09-11ed-844c-5338279eb007.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Summer is nearly over. In addition to the days getting shorter, the air getting cooler and the trees changing color, sartorial concerns are foremost in some minds. In my case, my wardrobe is pretty constant—a good T-shirt and cargo pants get me through seasonal fashion shifts—with the exception of my hat.
Owing to climate change and my genetic predisposition for baldness (if I had my druthers, my locks would be long and wavy), I am compelled to wear hats to protect my pate from the harsh effects of the sun. It’s less fashion than practical. But since I have to be practical, I might as well be fashionable.
Each season demands a different hat: summer is straw. Early fall is straw, and late fall is felt. Winter is wool. Spring is straw again. I don’t vary the styles much. Fedoras and Panamas are my hats of choice, weather-permitting, otherwise a classic beanie will do. Stetson is my brand.
This Labor Day, I face a chapeau paradox. My current summer straw Panama, now in its fourth year, has lost its pristine charm, and cleaning is not feasible. I need to swap it out for a new model—but Stetson only produces the style for the European market.
I realize there are a lot of other things to worry about at this time, but hats get me out of my head, so to speak (and after all, this is Labor Day weekend and I don’t have much else to write about for the holiday).
The hats below are my late summer/early fall options. At top is my favorite Panama from Rome. Below that is a Fedora from a bespoke Parisian hatter on Rue Cassette. Under that is a Stetson Panama that I bought from J.J. Hat Center, the only hat shop I know of in Manhattan. Finally, a vintage brimmed cap worn by guides at the 1939 New York World’s Fair (I’ve been known to wear it outside when I’m feeling adventurous).
I am leaning, however, toward this new one. I’ll probably end up wearing my old faithful until it turns a sweaty shade of beige and the straw begins to fray. Have a happy Labor Day, and don’t forget to wear a hat (or sunscreen). | https://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/the-daily-heller-the-mad-hatters-summer-swap/ | 2022-09-02T14:11:16Z | printmag.com | control | https://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/the-daily-heller-the-mad-hatters-summer-swap/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
This week’s top five Instagram accounts were left up to pop culture and the algorithm.
Let’s unpack that.
If you’ve been paying attention to trends in any category, you might have noticed an uptick in the usage of “Barbie Pink.” We’ve all seen Millennial Pink, but this new hue is brighter, bolder, and all around more fun, just like the plastic dolls of our past.
The rise in the hot pink shade stems from “Barbiecore,” a trend that most likely stems from the buzz Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie movie has been accumulating for the past few months. The color is making waves everywhere, from red carpet outfits to package designs.
When I took to Instagram to find examples of this trend, it felt like overkill to pick accounts that only posted hot pink hues. But it can be exhilarating to lean into internet culture, and I’m fascinated by Instagram’s all-knowing interface, so I turned to the Discover page and picked the first five accounts that made interesting use of this beautiful shade. Each creator below offers their own take on hot pink, making for a fun hodgepodge of inspiration waiting to be discovered.
Kate Dehler | @katedehler
Austin’s Kate Dehler is known for her bright use of colors and lovely illustration designs. Her client list is vast, ranging from Morning Brew, to Bandcamp, to New York Magazine, and WIRED. Dehler has a knack for inviting intrigue with her nuanced textures and thoughtfully observant pieces. While her work feels definitively current, there’s a soothing nostalgia to it that makes her Instagram feed a highly imaginative corner of the internet.
Dowel Jones | @doweljones
You’ll love Dowel Jones’ work if you’re a fan of funky, reinvigorated furniture. Adam Lynch and Dale Hardiman started the company in 2014 after graduating from university, and it’s all about unexpected home design. The pops of color, distinctive shapes, and innate playfulness set this furniture brand apart from the masses. And, yes, they’re all about using pops of pink throughout the designs, so I’m, well, obsessed.
마키토이 | @makitoy
Makitoy is an illustrator with a distinctive paper-cutout-inspired look to their work. Each remarkable piece is inspired by nature that’s often showcased through plants, florals, and bouquets, with structural design and an organic focus that makes for consistently beautiful pieces. Makitoy often sets rich, dark hues alongside bright, playful accents, and the combination of these two moods adds a wonderful sense of contrast throughout each of the designs.
Various Keytags | @variouskeytags
As a writer, I’m a big fan of quick, witty messages, so I was enamored when I stumbled upon the Various Keytags Instagram feed. Their thoughtful key tag design and hilarious statements makes for a playful account that encourages a lot of scrolling. Their clever tags include everything from “Mar-A-Lago Panic Room” to “Ignore Trolls,” but Various Keytags is more than just sharing words— they’re making statements. A fair share of Barbie Pink hues and other neon colors are sprinkled throughout the feed, making for a brilliant experience.
You Zhang 铕 | @atom63_
You Zhang is a Los Angeles-based Motion Designer and CG Artist who’s currently working for Microsoft. Zhang’s account is fluid and kaleidoscopic, with moments of movement, 3D designs, and a whole lot of color. While much of the featured work is abstract and textural, it adds a playful realism to mundane objects. Zhang uses contemporary designs to add new perspective to common things, creating a truly immersive and approachable experience. | https://www.printmag.com/follow-friday/barbie-pink-is-in-here-are-five-designers-leaning-into-the-trending-hue/ | 2022-09-02T14:11:22Z | printmag.com | control | https://www.printmag.com/follow-friday/barbie-pink-is-in-here-are-five-designers-leaning-into-the-trending-hue/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PRINTCast: The PRINT Podcast Studio is a curated collection of cutting-edge podcasts we love about design, creativity, branding, books, and further subjects afield. Here’s the latest episode of Evolve CPG, a podcast about innovative leaders who are evolving the Consumer Packaged Goods industry by building better products and better brands to imagine a better world.
What are you doing to make the world a better place and help those around you? Creating change in the world requires dedication and handwork, leaving very little time to run a business, but what if you could use business as a tool for good?
This is the approach of today’s guest, David Simnick, CEO and Co-Founder of Soapbox and Managing Partner at Impact Driven Brands. David believes that creating and running impactful businesses is how entrepreneurs can help meet the needs of society and help make the world a better place. In this episode, we discuss his early interest in politics, how a business can be used to create impactful change, why he chose to use business to help drive change, and the hard lessons he learned on his journey to success.
Don’t miss out on this inspirational episode, and find out how you can create positive impact in the world through business with David Simnick!
Key Points From This Episode:
- We learn about David’s background and his professional career journey.
- What motivated him to shift from his previous career path to start Soapbox.
- Why he decided to use business as a way to create positive change.
- The similarities and differences he sees between politics and entrepreneurship.
- Learn the definition of a ‘sustainable’ positive impact.
- David’s approach to business and making a sustainable impact.
- A brief discussion about the role of the political system in society.
- An outline of the recent positive impacts Soapbox is creating.
- Learn why good packaging design is so vital for success.
- He shares some of the hard lessons he has learned working in the CPG space.
- What it takes to be a successful entrepreneur in the CPG sector.
- Essential advice to aspiring entrepreneurs that will save you time and money.
- How growing a business and customer base helps you create change.
- The idea of learning what your customers love and then scaling those aspects.
- Find out why David decided to start and support other brands.
- How many years it took for Soapbox to become profitable.
- The various steps David takes to make sure his products are quality.
- Why it is important to couple the product quality with the cause.
- His experience with the ‘Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses’ program. | https://www.printmag.com/printcast/evolve-cpg-help-people-along-the-way-with-david-simnick-of-soapbox/ | 2022-09-02T14:11:28Z | printmag.com | control | https://www.printmag.com/printcast/evolve-cpg-help-people-along-the-way-with-david-simnick-of-soapbox/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Readers' Choice Awards | https://www.parrysound.com/community-story/10704048-cruising-in-ontario-i-hit-the-great-lakes-aboard-a-new-ship-full-of-high-tech-toys-in-the-water-/ | 2022-09-02T14:18:12Z | parrysound.com | control | https://www.parrysound.com/community-story/10704048-cruising-in-ontario-i-hit-the-great-lakes-aboard-a-new-ship-full-of-high-tech-toys-in-the-water-/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
To help provide your community with the safest environment, MK Electric offer a bespoitey range of emergency control panel covers. Call Us TOP MITRE BALL CUPI.\nCuprid - Prolonged use could have serious health impurituys the potential haards being exposed; it’ the result to cooing at. The result could include burning or peel- ng, especially upon sun contact. Always. Tube Covers, The Webb Space Telescope just took its first direct image of a distant world outside of our solar system.
Exoplanet HIP 65426 b is 6-12 times larger than Jupiter and orbits 100 times further from its host star than the earth. Its distance from its host star makes it easier to spot.
Scientists say photographing distant worlds is challenging due to the host star's brightness.
“This is a transformative moment, not only for Webb but also for astronomy generally,” said Sasha Hinkley, associate professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. “It was really impressive how well the Webb coronagraphs worked to suppress the light of the host star.”
Removing light from its host star took some work by scientists.
“Obtaining this image felt like digging for space treasure,” said Aarynn Carter, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “At first, all I could see was light from the star, but with careful image processing, I was able to remove that light and uncover the planet.”
It is a young planet — a mere 15-20 million years old — compared to Earth, which is estimated to be at least 4.5 billion years old. The world was discovered in 2017.
It is located 385 light-years from earth. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/webb-space-telescope-captures-its-first-image-of-a-distant-planet | 2022-09-02T14:18:12Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/webb-space-telescope-captures-its-first-image-of-a-distant-planet | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Readers' Choice Awards | https://www.parrysound.com/community-story/10704054-how-to-spend-a-weekend-in-and-around-sherbrooke-the-surprising-capital-of-quebec-s-eastern-township/ | 2022-09-02T14:18:30Z | parrysound.com | control | https://www.parrysound.com/community-story/10704054-how-to-spend-a-weekend-in-and-around-sherbrooke-the-surprising-capital-of-quebec-s-eastern-township/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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Readers' Choice Awards | https://www.parrysound.com/community-story/10704056-this-supremely-charming-english-country-manor-hotel-is-extremely-downton-abbey-and-only-an-hour/ | 2022-09-02T14:18:37Z | parrysound.com | control | https://www.parrysound.com/community-story/10704056-this-supremely-charming-english-country-manor-hotel-is-extremely-downton-abbey-and-only-an-hour/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
About 40 miles west of Mount Kilimanjaro lies Mount Meru, a neat triangle of a mountain usually flanked by a blanket of cloud. The mountain’s within Arusha National Park, a peaceful haven for a variety of wildlife, including giraffes, leopards, and hyenas who slink around in the early hours. Treks up this 15,000-foot dormant volcano usually take three to four days, and a climb is a popular precursor for those planning to hike Kilimanjaro because it allows them to acclimatize to the altitude ahead of time. Treks begin at the park’s Momella Gate. At overnight stops in mountain huts along the route, the hiking guides regularly regale clients with stories of the wild animal encounters they’ve had in the park during their careers. | https://www.afar.com/places/mount-meru | 2022-09-02T14:22:33Z | afar.com | control | https://www.afar.com/places/mount-meru | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(The Hill) – Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced on Thursday that the state government is working with police to investigate a possible illegal selling of a voter assist terminal.
“We are actively working with law enforcement to investigate allegations of an illegal attempt to sell a voter assist terminal acquired in Michigan,” Benson wrote in a statement.
Benson explained that a voter assist terminal is normally used to assist voters, often those with disabilities, who require help in marking their ballots.
“While our elections remain secure and safe, we take seriously all violations of election law and will be working with relevant authorities to ensure there are consequences for those who break the law.”
The Hill has reached out to Benson for further comment on the situation.
Michigan election law prevents citizens from withholding, breaking or destroying voting equipment, as well as obtaining “undue possession” of a voting machine.
Benson cited an article written by Michigan’s Cadillac News explaining that the voting machine was sold through Goodwill’s online auction site as well as listed on the popular auction site, eBay.
The machine disappeared from the Colfax Township in Wexford County, Mich.
“It was a touchscreen VAT machine,” Wexford County Clerk Alaina Nyman told Cadillac News of the sold voting equipment, referring to a Voter Assist Terminal.
“No election data was on it and you can’t get into the machine without the program cards and those were all accounted for.”
Nyman added that the investigation is attempting to discover how the voting machine was acquired by its seller and when it went missing.
“We are going to do things differently and will sign things in and out,” Colfax Township Clerk Becky Stoddard told Cadillac News, discussing future responses to the disappearance of the VAT machine. | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/nexstar-media-wire/michigan-police-investigating-voting-machine-sold-on-ebay/ | 2022-09-02T14:27:03Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/nexstar-media-wire/michigan-police-investigating-voting-machine-sold-on-ebay/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Shavata x 111Skin at Harvey Nichols
Responsible for taming the brows of A-listers including Victoria Beckham and Elle Macpherson, beautician Shavata Singh has garnered a cult-like following over her 30 year plus career. An expert in the art of threading, she has since added tinting, lamination, microblading and lash lifts to her repertoire. Now, she’s teamed up with surgically-inspired luxury skincare brand, 111Skin, to offer an add-on to her services. While you wait for your brows or lashes to be tinted, your therapist will apply a pre-selected eye mask to cater to your needs, with the option of rose gold for brightening and cooling or black diamond to reduce bags and fine lines. What’s more, she’ll also massage your head and shoulders for 10-20 glorious minutes, while the dye, and the mask, get to work. Afterwards, she’ll apply a soothing eye mask containing aloe vera, and send you off into the world with your entire eye area completely rejuvenated.
Threading from £28, harveynichols.com
Take Time, Wimbledon
We’re big fans of this smart salon in Wimbledon Village, which was set up by friends Emma and Vanessa in 2019. The duo originally took their manicure services around the country to businesses to encourage staff to take a little ‘me time’, but soon decided that they wanted a permanent base instead, and it’s fast becoming a favourite with locals. Their chic and stylish salon is the perfect place to drop by for a pick-me-up, whether it’s nails, brows, or lashes, with the staff all chatty and super knowledgeable in their field. Vicky is the resident threading-maestro, whipping unruly brows into shape with her expert eye for a natural look, with tint applied for more of a polished finish. She also offers microblading and HD Brows, for those who want a more permanent solution to sparse brows, as well as a six-month brow transformation. The standout treatment for eyes though - and the one that Vanessa explains is the most popular by far - is the LVL. The lash treatment lengthens, volumises and lifts (hence the name, LVL) in just under one hour, working with what you already have to create a natural but full looking set of lashes. Already a favourite amongst both the A-list and the social set, it instantly brightens eyes and opens up the face, making you look younger. The process sees a series of different creams applied to your eyelashes - which are firmly held closed throughout - with a patch test required for all four 48 hours prior to the treatment. During, you’ll be invited to life down on a super comfortable chair with a pillow around your neck and under your knees, plus you’ll be given headphones with a series of meditations or podcasts to listen to (we opted for Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sundays - seriously relaxing). Trust us - the 60 minutes whizzes by - and you’ll emerge with fluttering lashes to rival a Disney princess. LVL lasts for approximately 8 weeks - just remember to avoid water for the first 24 hours to help them set better.
For more information about Take Time visit taketimelondon.co.uk. LVL costs £80. | https://www.tatler.com/article/londons-best-brow-and-lash-bars | 2022-09-02T14:27:52Z | tatler.com | control | https://www.tatler.com/article/londons-best-brow-and-lash-bars | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Last week, the inaugural episode from the Duchess of Sussex’s new podcast, Archetypes, rocketed to the top slot on the Spotify charts, snatching the crown from the long-reigning series The Joe Rogan Experience. Now, Meghan’s show – produced as part of Archewell Audio, Prince Harry and Meghan’s production partnership with Spotify – has consolidated its status for the second week, after the duchess welcomed pop princess Mariah Carey for the second episode.
Entertainment news site Variety reports that Archetypes continued to rank at number one in Spotify’s worldwide podcast charts on Friday 2 September, coming top in seven countries: the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India.
The first episode of Meghan's hotly anticipated podcast with guest star Serena Williams reached the Spotify top spot last week
A Spotify exclusive that’s billed as ‘a podcast where we investigate, dissect, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back’, the first instalment, which debuted on 23 August, featured Meghan in conversation with tennis star Serena Williams. The 57-minute episode was themed around ‘the Misconception of Ambition’, and included discussions of ‘the double standard women face when they are labelled “ambitious” and the ripple effect this has on other aspects of their lives.’
The show quickly climbed the Spotify ranks, no doubt partly driven by the current buzz around Williams as she makes the final outing of her professional tennis career at this year’s US Open. There had also been a long wait for an audio project from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, given that their Archewell Audio partnership with Spotify was first announced in December 2020, after which only one episode materialised: a holiday special featuring ‘inspiration, reflection, and perspective’ from starry guests including Sir Elton John, Brené Brown, James Corden and Naomi Osaka.
From her plans for a return to social media to how she feels about the Royal Family now, here are the key takeaways from the Duchess of Sussex’s in-depth profile
Interest in Archetypes continued to build after Meghan was profiled by New York Magazine’s women’s website, The Cut, on 29 August, discussing her family’s life in California as she promoted the new podcast. The second episode, in which the duchess and ‘the grande dame of our time’, Mariah Carey, dissected ‘the Duality of Diva’, featured their thoughts on the multiple interpretations of the term, ‘from the diva’s power and glamour and elegance, to the more negative connotations’. | https://www.tatler.com/article/meghan-markle-archetypes-podcast-tops-spotify-charts-second-week-running | 2022-09-02T14:27:58Z | tatler.com | control | https://www.tatler.com/article/meghan-markle-archetypes-podcast-tops-spotify-charts-second-week-running | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Days after the announcement that the next Prime Minister will be appointed by the Queen at Balmoral Castle, as opposed to Buckingham Palace, it’s been confirmed that the monarch will not attend the Braemar Gathering, the famous Highland Games that has long been a favourite event on her summer calendar.
The MailOnline cites royal sources as stating that the decision has been made ‘for her comfort’, with the monarch’s son, Prince Charles, who typically accompanies the Queen at the Gathering, attending in her stead. The update comes following initial reports that Her Majesty was ‘carefully considering’ if she’d be able to go, given the mobility issues she’s been experiencing in recent months, on account of which she has withdrawn from engagements including the State Opening of Parliament back in May.
The monarch will welcome Boris Johnson’s successor at her Scottish summer abode, rather than returning to Buckingham Palace
The Queen typically spends August to October at Balmoral, her beloved Scottish retreat, with the Braemar Gathering forming a highlight of her annual summer break (constituting a ‘private’ event, rather than an official public engagement). Taking place on the first Saturday of September, the historic games can trace its origins back some 900 years, and includes traditional events like ‘toss the caber’, ‘put the stone’ and ‘throw the hammer’.
Held at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park in Braemar in Aberdeenshire, just under 30 minutes drive from Balmoral, royal sources reportedly indicated that the issue was both to do with the Queen travelling to the games, then having to sit for a prolonged period to watch them.
The traditional dance dates back to when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert would throw a summer party for their staff, known in Gaelic as ‘ghillies’
This weekend will be the first time the Queen has missed the Gathering during her 70-year reign, with the precedent for a royal presence having been set by Queen Victoria in 1848. This year’s iteration is the first to take place in its full form since the pandemic began in 2020. | https://www.tatler.com/article/the-queen-to-miss-braemar-gathering-highland-games-mobility-issues | 2022-09-02T14:28:04Z | tatler.com | control | https://www.tatler.com/article/the-queen-to-miss-braemar-gathering-highland-games-mobility-issues | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Ciao Venezia: Tatler’s definitive guide to the beguiling floating city
Anyone for Venice? For centuries, British aristo-adventurers have adored the place as their own. With the Film Festival back in all its glory for 2022, Johnnie Kerr has the inside splash on the city’s enduring allure
There is a great sketch from A Bit of Fry & Laurie about a trio of English aesthetes banging on about Venice with ridiculously pretentious pronunciations of names like ‘Rial–to’ and ‘Giudec–ca’, all of them generally deploring the way ‘our Venice’ came to be swamped with visitors. ‘The place is absolutely heaving,’ they complain, ‘with Italians.’
Thirty years later, the joke still stings a little: even now, that same, strangely proprietorial English attitude towards ‘our Venice’ endures. There are those (and I admit with shame a small, inexplicable part of me can’t help but see their point) who sneer inwardly at the perennial hordes of wide-eyed backpackers with selfie sticks held aloft, gawping in astonishment at everything in sight.
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It would be impossible to arrive in Venice for the first time and not be astonished by it. That’s the whole point. Even now, in the age of systematic, disturbingly efficient, algorithm-generated holiday-making, it does not fail to amaze. I caught the bug when I was young – so young, in fact, that I wasn’t quite born on my first visit. My parents [Lord and Lady Ralph Kerr] began coming almost as soon as they were married, and have returned almost every year since, drawn back irresistibly by the food, art, music and warm welcome they have always found here.
My first real Venetian memory is of being about four, standing in the centre of St Mark’s Square facing the basilica, halfway between a cacophony of duelling tangos blaring independently from cafés on either side, and being covered from head to toe in pigeons. This was back when you could still buy bags of corn for a few lira from any one of a troop of vendors hanging hopefully around behind carts of the stuff. You’d toss a fistful of grain into the air and watch the sky go black with feral, beating wings. At some point my brother, Jim, and I discovered a twist to this wheeze, showering ourselves with the whole bagful of seed, effectively transforming ourselves into inanely giggling bird tables.
The seed sellers have gone now. But the piazza itself, the most civilised of all city squares, remains indelibly unchanged. Frothing away as always, Caffè Florian, where everyone from Goethe to Andy Warhol has sipped away peaceful mornings, continues to charge its patrons a small fortune for the privilege. Above it, the shabby municipal offices still squat heavily over the colonnades you always pray will never actually get the thorough scrubbing another city would have given them decades ago. Stretched across the east end, the basilica itself, with its magpie architecture and gilt mosaics. And Venice’s most recognisable edifice, the campanile (or rather a replica of it – the original bell tower collapsed in 1902, amazingly killing no one except the caretaker’s cat), soars mightily over everything else.
Navigating Venice, with its tall, poky streets and cul-de-sacs ending in sheer drops over murky water, can be tricky, to put it mildly – but, with the campanile high in the sky, never maddeningly so. You can wander aimlessly for hours without ever quite getting lost. The tower is so tall and distinctive that it can be used as a kind of giant waymarker, as useful a homing beacon to pedestrians in the city as it always has been to ships out on the Adriatic. (There’s a wonderful story about how, from its belfry, Galileo once showed a select group of Rialto merchants how to corner the shipping market by identifying incoming vessels using one of his early telescopes.)
Years ago, some friends and I briefly lodged with a landlord called Mr Zanetti, who owned a shop near the base of the campanile’s immense shadow. Discovering Mr Zanetti’s had been an amazing stroke of luck. Three of us, fresh out of school, newly arrived and staggering under heavy backpacks, had impetuously decided to ignore our battered Lonely Planet warning us explicitly not to seek cheap accommodation in the centre of the city in June without a reservation, suggesting we instead try one of the larger hostels out on the Giudecca. Hours of fruitless knocking later found us sweating somewhere behind the cathedral, returning chastened to the guidebook for ferry information, when one of my friends suddenly pointed to a dusty sign in the window of a bookshop a few yards away, right there in the centre of the city: ‘B&B’.
The second ‘B’, we later discovered, was only for show, but in all other respects Mr Zanetti’s bookshop/hostel was the most agreeable pensione I have ever stayed in before or since. Zanetti himself turned out to be a nimble old soul with fairly good English (our Italian, though earnestly meant, was atrocious), who instantly grasped the nature of our plight. Leading us to a door at the back, he showed us into a storeroom filled to the rafters with stocked iron bookshelves and, between the shelves, beds, about seven of them, one in each slot, each with its own small table and reading lamp. From here, another door opened onto the building’s own private piazza, bathed in sunlight, and, what’s more, we were the only guests.
We didn’t stay long, regrettably. Venice isn’t really the place for three guys in their late teens. The city having no underground space and a densely stacked, irritably disposed population with a noted aversion to noise after dark, means the bars tend to shut by 11.30pm. Unless, that is, you happen to be there during a festival, like Carnival, when elaborately costumed, masked revellers honour tradition by celebrating into the early hours. Or the Film Festival, the Biennale, the Redentore (which culminates in the most lavish and protracted fireworks display I have ever seen), the Fèsta della Sènsa, one of the many regattas, or myriad more anciently sanctioned moments of annual celebration. But, almost incredibly, this wasn’t one of those times. We instead resignedly, if refreshingly hangover-free, spent our days (and most of our cash – this was Venice, after all) getting up early to pay attendance to a few unmissable institutions.
Among a great many superb restaurants, the most famous was, and remains, Harry’s Bar, home to the city’s signature drink – its peach and prosecco bellini – not to mention a baked tagliolini that would bring tears to the eyes of an anosmic bluebottle. As for churches, a fun way to explore them, we found, is by accident. Few of them fail to draw you in, and when they do, you invariably find yourself confronted with something fascinating – a Titian painting, an organ Verdi used to play, Canova’s tomb... For me, though, the supreme treasure house of the city is the pale, half-finished memorial near the bottom of the Grand Canal to the extraordinary Peggy Guggenheim, one of the most inspired patrons of the arts the world, let alone Venice, has ever known. In its small modern collection you can look at truly great paintings by Dalí and Kandinsky, some of Max Ernst’s greatest work, pre-‘Jack the Dripper’ Pollocks, and the wittiest canvases Picasso ever daubed, all of which is to undersell the place monstrously.
The most emblematic Venetian building I can think of is the 18th-century opera house, La Fenice, or ‘The Phoenix’, which, in the most catastrophic case of nominative determinism I’ve ever heard of, has burnt down three times (most recently in 1996), only to reincarnate each time, resplendent as ever, from its own ashes. I’m unfamiliar with the previous ones, but in its current iteration I will always know it as the one theatre where I’ve ever honestly enjoyed opera (and, on one memorable occasion, Burt Bacharach).
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Lastly, it would be sacrilege not to mention one or two of the institutions of which the city is most proud: its generally swish, often sumptuous hotels. Now, emerging from hard Covid years with inspiring vitality, they seem more glamorous than ever. The always-charming grande dame, the Belmond Cipriani, is thriving under the stewardship of manager Marco Novella (formerly of The Lanesborough). The ancient and perfectly situated Hotel Danieli was recently bought by Bill Gates’s Four Seasons Group, and has begun extensive and costly renovations (set to be finished by 2024). The building I’m most fond of is The Gritti Palace hotel, which, reposing at the mouth of the Grand Canal opposite the extraordinary Santa Maria della Salute, to my mind provides one of the greatest views in the world.
Ernest Hemingway used to stay there, and wrote much of his novel Across the River and into the Trees in its bar, staring out at the lagoon and re-imagining the thrill of shooting duck in the dawn twilight from its far marshes. I was once discussing this gripping opening scene with Paolo Lorenzoni, The Gritti Palace’s excellent general manager, and happened to wonder if such a thing still went on. ‘Of course!’ he chuckled, smiling once again at my hopeless naïvety. ‘It still happens, and in more or less the same way.’
Two years later, on my father’s 60th birthday, a small group of friends and family found ourselves recreating Hemingway’s famous description. Setting out in 4am darkness from the Locanda Cipriani on Torcello (the rustic hotel started during the war by the family who also gave us Harry’s Bar), three boats, stealthily punted and laden with dogs and guns, deposited us all whispering excitedly into the various watertight hides dotted around the marshes, where we waited. As dawn crept up, wild teal (an awkward bird at the best of times) began to take off around us, with the brilliantly trained amphibious hounds splashing around after anything we managed to drop in the water. Eventually, in the far distance, the unmistakable skyline of Venice began to appear crisply through the haze.
An awful lot has changed in the city over the past 30 years. I can’t help recalling with a nostalgic pang the fetid odour of excrement and accumulating litter rising from the greasy surfaces of canals, now eradicated by city ordinances and chemicals. More happily, gone too are the vast cruise liners that used to heave lazily into the lagoon like detached, drifting skyscrapers dwarfing even the tallest church domes.
But arriving in the Veneto and seeing that skyline creeping closer is a sensation that never seems to alter. Somehow, the experience will always include that same, odd revelation, a unique thrill at this crazy place’s singular inability, century after century, to fall short of living up to its own glorious image.
Bellini Travel can arrange anything you need in Venice, from special celebrations and activities (including shoots on Torcello) to hotels, boats and other unique experiences. See bellinitravel.com.
This article was originally published in the September issue.Subscribe nowto get 3 issues for just £1, plus free home delivery and free instant access to the digital editions. | https://www.tatler.com/article/venice-luxury-travel-guide-hotels-restaurants-galleries | 2022-09-02T14:28:10Z | tatler.com | control | https://www.tatler.com/article/venice-luxury-travel-guide-hotels-restaurants-galleries | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Tatler's Jewellery Editor selects 30 sparkling sapphires for September birthdays
Sapphires come in all manner of colours, from yellow to purple, but what we usually think of is dazzling, vibrant blue - after all, the name sapphire comes from the Latin ‘saphirus’ and the Greek ‘sapheiros’, both of which mean blue.
While precious gemstones are often rare and valuable, there are only a handful that reach legendary status, coveted by collectors and museums alike and set apart from the rest thanks to their sheer size, unmatched beauty and stellar provenance. One such sapphire is The Star of Adam. Found in a Sri Lankan mine in 2016, this giant blue star sapphire weighs in at an astonishing 1,404 carats and has been valued at over $300 million. Blue star sapphires appear opaque under normal circumstances, but when placed under light, they will exhibit a six-pointed star effect. It's said that the undisclosed buyer named the gem The Star of Adam after a Muslim belief that Adam went to Sri Lanka after he was cast out from the Garden of Eden.
Other famous sapphires include the late Diana, Princess of Wales's engagement ring, now worn by the Duchess of Cambridge, and Cartier's Bismarck sapphire, commissioned in 1935 by Countess Mona von Bismarck, one of the largest and most beautiful in the world.
If you're lucky enough to have a September birthday, then sapphire is your birthstone, and these are the gems for you… | https://www.tatler.com/gallery/tatlers-jewellery-editor-selects-30-sparkling-sapphires-for-september-birthdays | 2022-09-02T14:28:16Z | tatler.com | control | https://www.tatler.com/gallery/tatlers-jewellery-editor-selects-30-sparkling-sapphires-for-september-birthdays | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Director Luca Guadagnino and Canadian actor Timothée Chalamet, who previously teamed up to bring us Call Me By Your Name, are coming together once more for romantic horror Bones and All. Based on Camille DeAngelis' novel of the same name, the plot follows the story of ‘woman-cum-flesh eater’ Maren Yearly, played by Taylor Russel, and social outcast Lee, played by Chalamet, as they embark on a 3,000-mile odyssey through America to find Yearly’s absent father. As the couple make their treacherous journey across the country, they seek to navigate their relationship on the outskirts of society as well as understand why Yearly ‘feels the need to eat the people that love her’. Guadagnino described the film as ‘a very romantic story, about the impossibility of love and yet, the need for it. Even in extreme circumstances'. | https://www.tatler.com/gallery/these-films-will-be-the-major-talking-points-at-the-venice-film-festival | 2022-09-02T14:28:23Z | tatler.com | control | https://www.tatler.com/gallery/these-films-will-be-the-major-talking-points-at-the-venice-film-festival | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Updated September 2, 2022 at 10:11 AM ET
Americans will now have access to updated COVID booster shots after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on reformulated versions of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines Thursday night.
Some doses could be available as soon as Friday, with a wider rollout planned for next week. Health officials expect another surge of infections this fall and winter, and say the shots — which target the original coronavirus strain as well as the more contagious omicron variant — will help boost peoples' waning immunity and protect against serious disease and death.
What should you keep in mind if you're ready to roll up your sleeve? CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky spoke with Morning Edition's Steve Inskeep about the new boosters.
"Doses are rolling into pharmacies and other sites now, and I would say if you're eligible for your boost there is no bad time to go out and get one," Walensky says.
There are eligibility and timing considerations
Adults 18 years or older can get the Moderna booster, while the Pfizer-BioNTech version has been authorized for people 12 and up. In both cases, a person is only eligible for a booster if it has been at least two months since their last COVID vaccine.
Some vaccine experts say that it would be better for people to wait until four months after their last COVID shot or infection for maximum efficacy, though Walensky suggests there is some gray area.
"What we've seen is that almost everybody who is eligible for a boost is far more beyond two months from their last shot," she says. "Certainly we wouldn't want somebody to get a boost too soon, and we wouldn't want you to get a boost before two months. But I would say if you're three, four, five months after your last shot, now is the time to go ahead and get it."
Safety and efficacy data look promising
These new boosters were tested on mice rather than people, a controversial strategy aimed at saving time (it's not unprecedented, however, as flu shots are changed each year without being routinely tested).
Looking at the data, Walensky says health authorities are confident about how well the vaccines will work and how safe they will be.
That data includes the 600 million doses of the original vaccine that have been administered across the country with what Walensky calls "an extraordinary safety record." Officials also saw similar safety results for an earlier version of this bivalent vaccine (meaning it targets two strains) that was tested in some 1,400 people.
That booster targeted the original coronavirus strain as well as the omicron BA.1 strain, as opposed to the more prevalent BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants targeted in the newly authorized version of the shot.
"So there are very subtle differences, but we have no reason to expect that this is going to have any different safety signal than either the 600 million doses we previously have given or these other bivalent boosts against omicron," Walensky says.
What's already clear, she adds, is that protection against the virus wanes over time, and that a booster will restore protection against infection, severe disease and death. She also points to lab studies that show this updated booster improves immune responses against other SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as similar responses to the original variant.
"So we have every reason to expect that it'll work just as well, and likely better," she says.
This interview was produced by Kaity Kline and edited by Simone Popperl.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/2022-09-02/theres-no-bad-time-to-get-a-new-covid-booster-if-youre-eligible-cdc-director-says | 2022-09-02T14:28:52Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/npr-top-stories/2022-09-02/theres-no-bad-time-to-get-a-new-covid-booster-if-youre-eligible-cdc-director-says | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Carnival-owned Princess Cruises announced its newest sail promotion, The Love Boat Sale, beginning in September and running through October 31, 2022.
This offering will apply for cruise and cruisetour bookings in 2023 and beyond on itineraries sailing Mexico, the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, the California Coast, Hawaii, the Panama Canal, and Canada/New England.
Princess Cruises’ The Love Boat Sale
As the second most popular cruise line based on net value, Princess Cruises knows how to appeal to cruisers and will now offer discounted fares at an enticing value via The Love Boat Sale.
Beginning September 1, guests sailing January 1, 2023, and beyond will have access to The Love Boat Sale, which highlights the cruise line’s past connection to “The Love Boat,” as the line’s Pacific Princess was notably filmed as a backdrop for the popular television series.
Debuting on CBS on October 5, “The Real Love Boat,” an upcoming reality dating adventure inspired by the show, will also be set onboard a Princess ship, Regal Princess, further adding to the name choice for this promotion.
The sale will run until October 31, 2022, offering incentives such as a $100 shore excursion credit while booking with Princess Plus or Princess Premier and will be available to guests 21 years of age and older from the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Bermuda.
This new collection of cruise deals could include drinks, Wi-Fi, and crew appreciation if booked with the line’s Princess Plus inclusive program, but it may not be combined with other offers or promotions.
Read Also: Princess Cruises Introduces New Stateroom Upgrade Bidding Program
In addition, Plus Beverage Package options included in this promotion will only be valid for guests who are 21 years or older, and those younger and booked under Princess Plus will receive the Coffee and Soda Package, without refund for the difference.
The Love Boat promotion will apply to the first two guests in a stateroom but will not apply to singles or third/fourth-berth guests.
The Love Boat Aboard Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises was made famous by the American television series, “The Love Boat,” featuring Pacific Princess, German-built in 1971. The popular romantic comedy/drama series aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986, with a final episode on February 12, 1990.
The ship, originally built for Flagship Cruises as the Sea Venture, sailed from Long Beach and San Diego, California, to the west coast of Mexico during this time frame, carrying up to 600 passengers.
As one of the highest-rated and longest-running shows on television, “The Love Boat” core cast christened the Regal Princess in 2014, bringing back memories for fans.
Princess Cruises retired Pacific Princess in 2002 and sold it for scrap in 2012, but in 2019, Sky Princess eventually took over as the line’s flagship, with a larger guest capacity of 3,660. | https://www.cruisehive.com/princess-cruises-launches-the-love-boat-sale/80382 | 2022-09-02T14:31:20Z | cruisehive.com | control | https://www.cruisehive.com/princess-cruises-launches-the-love-boat-sale/80382 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Finding the right stock is the key to successful investing, but it’s never as easy as that sounds. The answer to the question, which stock to buy? is no secret, but it is hidden, in the avalanche of data that the markets produce. What’s needed is some clear signal that will cut through the noise and indicate the right stocks for the times.
The quantity of data, and the sheer impossibility of parsing all of it in real time, makes a formidable barrier to successful stock picking – but Wall Street’s analysts have that part under control, which turns the question into one that’s much more manageable: which analysts to follow? The quick answer is, follow the best analyst.
That brings us to Vincent Lovaglio, of Mizuho Securities, who currently holds TipRanks’ top ranking among more than 7,900 professional stock analysts. His top ranking is based on solid results: a 91% success rate to his stock picks, and a 46.6% average return to go with it.
In recent weeks, Lovaglio has picked out two stocks that he believes are primed for gains. According to TipRanks data, these are Strong Buy stocks, with double-digit upside potential; Lovaglio sees them gaining well over 30% in the coming months. Here are the details.
EOG Resources (EOG)
We’ll start with EOG Resources, an energy producer operating in hydrocarbon exploration and production, with its activities in some of the richest oil and natural gas fields in the US. EOG’s main operational area is in Texas-Louisiana-Oklahoma-New Mexico, where it has activities in the Eagle Ford shale, the Permian basin, the Anadarko basin, and the Barnett shale, as well as Colorado’s DJ Basin, Wyoming’s Powder River, and the Williston basin of Montana-North Dakota.
These varied activities generated a total 2Q22 production of 920.7 MBoed, well above both the guidance (895.7 MBoed) and the year-ago production (828 MBoed). Total revenue for the quarter came to $7.4 billion, with an adjusted net income of $1.6 billion, or $2.74 per adjusted share. The company reported $3 billion in cash and liquid assets and $5.09 billion in total debt.
EOG’s revenues have been climbing steadily over the past couple of years, and the company has benefited from both the return to regular business, and the increase in the prices of oil and natural gas.
In his coverage of this stock, top analyst Lovaglio writes, “We like that the company has the opportunity to differentiate on cost execution, with oil production growth largely on hold for now. We also favor the company’s increasing linkage of its natural gas volumes to international markets via agreements with Cheniere, which provides a potentially high margin outlet for its Dorado dry gas position. Additionally, with the company’s 2Q22 update, it announced initial success in its more oil-prone northern acreage in the Powder River Basin… we do believe that updates like these illustrate EOG’s higher capacity for organic inventory replenishment and a benefit of having invested relatively more at the bottom of the cycle in exploratory/appraisal drilling than peers.”
Unsurprisingly, Lovaglio gives EOG shares a Buy rating, and his $167 price target implies a one-year upside potential of ~37% for the stock. (To watch Lovaglio’s track record, click here)
Overall, this energy stock has 14 recent analyst reviews, which include 11 Buys against just 3 Holds, for a Strong Buy consensus rating. The shares are priced at $121.54 and their $150 average price target gives a one-year upside of 23%. (See EOG stock forecast on TipRanks)
Diamondback Energy (FANG)
Next up is another energy stock, Diamondback. This $24 billion hydrocarbon producer operates in the Permian basin of Texas, where its 2021 production averaged 375,000 barrels of oil equivalent daily. That has increased to 380,500 daily barrels of oil equivalent in 2Q22, and the company’s stock has clearly benefited; FANG shares are up 30% so far this year – far above the negative results of all the major indexes.
Additionally in the second quarter, cash flow from operations reached $1.7 billion, and free cash flow hit $1.3 billion. The company has a strong commitment to making capital returns to shareholders, and returned $837 million to shareholders in Q2, through both dividends and share repurchases. The company’s base dividend stands at 75 cents per common share, or $3 annualized, and FANG paid out a variable dividend in the quarter of $2.30 per share, for a total payment of $3.05. Taking the base and variable divs together, the payment yields a high 9%.
Lovaglio was impressed by Diamondback’s capital return policy, noting that it provides a solid income stream for investors. In his note on the stock, he writes: “FANG had announced an increase in its cash return framework to a 75% payout of free cash flow late June and followed up on that announcement with $3.05/sh dividends along with a $2.0Bn increase in the company’s repurchase authorization to $4.0Bn (~18% of market cap). The company also announced that it had repurchased 2.4Mn shares in 2Q for $303Mn and had already bought back 1.8Mn shares in 3Q for $200Mn. FANG differentiates itself vs peers by leading on costs and returns. A significant repurchase authorization reinforces this thesis.”
Based on the above, Lovaglio rates the stock a Buy, and has a $203 price target that indicates potential for 51% share appreciation in the coming year. (To watch Lovaglio’s track record, click here)
The 16 recent analyst reviews of Diamondback include 15 Buys that heavily overbalance the single Hold on the stock. FANG shares are currently priced at $134.01 and carries a $178.69 average price target, for a 33% upside potential in the next 12 months. (See Diamondback stock forecast on TipRanks)
To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment. | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/2-strong-buy-stocks-from-wall-streets-best-analyst | 2022-09-02T14:31:42Z | tipranks.com | control | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/2-strong-buy-stocks-from-wall-streets-best-analyst | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Amid ongoing economic uncertainty, many analysts have reduced their forecasts on stock prices – but some companies still have huge growth potential even in tough times.
Here’s some British companies with more than 100% upside potential, according to the latest figures from TipRanks.
We have shortlisted advertising company S4 Capital (GB:SFOR), gaming giant 888 Holdings (GB:888), gifting company Moonpig Group (GB:MOON), and home products retailer Wickes Group (GB:WIX).
These stocks might be having a tough time right now, but the fundamentals are strong, and analysts believe in a turnaround in their share prices in the longer run.
We have used the TipRanks Stock Screener tool to shortlist these stocks and compare them.
S4 Capital Stock
S4 Capital is an advertising company led by the industry veteran Sir Martin Sorrell. The company provides its digital media and technology services in 32 countries across the world.
The company is going through a rough patch and trimmed its full-year earnings to £ 120 million. The company stated that the significant increase in hiring costs has hurt the profits, and it has stopped hiring for the remaining year.
However, analysts see light at the end of the tunnel. They believe the long-term growth is still intact, and the recent reporting issues faced by the company are relatively minor.
The S4 Capital target price is 394.0p, which has a huge growth potential of around 220% at the current price level. Four-star-rated analyst Thomas Singlehurst from Citigroup is highly bullish on the stock with a target price of 640p, which represents a 400% hike in the share price.
888 Holdings’ Stock
888 Holdings is a leading online betting and gaming companies, featuring casinos, sports, bingo, and poker games.
During the pandemic, people used their indoor time in playing online games, so the company’s stock surged. However, it has lost around 70% of its value in the last year.
The company and its competitors came under the radar of UK regulations for safer gambling guidelines, which has impacted revenues. Its half-year revenue was £332.1 million, compared to analyst expectations of £428 million.
The analysts believe that the company has some stable brands in its portfolio, and the recently closed acquisition of William Hill should push the top line. The stock looks like a risky choice at the moment, but considering the long-term prospects and the fall in the share prices, the opportunity can’t be missed.
The 888 stock forecast is 329p, which is around 172% higher than the current price level. The company has three Buy and one Hold ratings from analysts.
Moonpig Group Stock
Moonpig Group is a UK-based online gifting company, that delivers cards, flowers, and gifts mainly in the UK, the Netherlands, and Ireland.
The company’s stock lost the shine gained during the pandemic after its revenue started declining. The share price has fallen by 48% so far this year.
But the company’s full-year results for 2022 painted a picture of another successful year. Moonpig reported revenue of £304.3 million, a 75.8% increase from 2020.
Revenues were driven by growth in customers and order size. However, there was a 17.3% decline in revenue from last year due to the normalisation of COVID-induced sales.
Susannah Streeter, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said, “ The company is growing its online market share, and with 87% of revenue from existing customers, that loyalty will help Moonpig bring home some bacon, while it invests to try and attract new business.”
The MOON target price is 406.67p, which is 126% higher than the current level.
Wickes Group Stock
Wickes Group is a retailer supplying products for home improvement and gardening. The company owns more than 200 stores in the UK and is known for its DIY range.
The company, in its recently issued trading update for the six months ended in July, reported a 5.4% increase in like-for-like sales. On the flip side, it is facing headwinds with rising inflation and also lowered its profit guidance for the full year to £72-£82 million.
The company is confident in its local business growth, where it enjoys a leading position. Moreover, with the rise in residential construction in the UK, companies like Wickes will benefit.
The stock has fallen almost 50% in the last year, but the analysts have not lost hope and maintain a Strong Buy rating. The Wickes Group target price is 236.6p, which has an upside potential of 102%.
Wickes is also a great addition to passive income, as it carries a dividend yield of 9.18% as compared to the sector average of 1.65%. | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/four-uk-stocks-with-more-than-100-upside-potential | 2022-09-02T14:31:49Z | tipranks.com | control | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/four-uk-stocks-with-more-than-100-upside-potential | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Consumer-focused digital healthcare platform GoodRx Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:GDRX) is gradually losing the charm that it created with its blockbuster debut on the NASDAQ two years ago. Shares of this online drug prescription platform have declined around 87.9% since its listing. Unfortunately, GDRX stock has fallen 85.4% over the past year, 81.2% year-to-date, and 19.5% in the last three months.
What Does GoodRx Do?
Headquartered in California, GoodRx finds prescription drugs at a discount. The company tracks drug prices by gathering information from various pharmacies in the U.S. and offers discount coupons. It charges fees from pharmacy benefits managers associated with it.
A Snapshot of GoodRx’s IPO
GoodRx became a member of the Nasdaq after an initial public offering (IPO) of its 28.61 million shares of Class A common stock at $33 per share. Through the IPO, the company raised $886.9 million in net proceeds (after deducting the underwriting discounts and offering costs).
Shares of the company closed at $50.50 on the first day of trading (on September 23, 2020), up nearly 53% from the IPO price. GDRX’s stock touched its all-time high closing price of $57.16 in October 2020. Presently, GoodRx commands a market capitalization of $2.27 billion.
Recent Developments at GDRX
GoodRx has been witnessing solid growth in revenues from its Pharma Manufacturer Solutions and Subscription segments. The company is also upbeat about the fourth-quarter prescription transaction revenues. Further, GDRX projects a persistent year-over-year surge in Pharma Manufacturer Solutions business on the back of increasing pharma ad spending on digital platforms.
GoodRx’s Subscription revenue rose 82% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2022, largely due to a one-time surge in monthly subscription fees. The company exited the quarter with 1.1 million planned subscriptions.
As of now, due to the fee hike, the company expects a slowdown in its Subscription revenue in the quarter ahead.
Not only this, GDRX recently announced that it will slash 16% of its workforce under a cost restructuring initiative to accelerate growth and enhance margins.
Is GoodRx Stock a Good Buy?
The stock is giving mixed signals. According to TipRanks, the Street has a Hold consensus rating on GDRX stock, which is based on four Buys, 10 Holds, and one Sell.
Hedge funds, too, look apprehensive about the GDRX stock, as they have sold 2.3 million shares of GDRX stock in the last quarter.
Contrary to the analysts and hedge funds, financial bloggers on TipRanks are 83% Bullish on GDRX stock, compared to the sector average of 65%. Further, retail investors have increased their holdings in GDRX stock by 4.2% in the last 30 days.
Ending Thoughts
GoodRx is making significant efforts to expand its reach and grow. The company’s management is confident about its long-term growth potential and profitability. Further, GDRX’s average price forecast of 10.20 implies 78.9% upside potential.
Read full Disclosure. | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/whats-up-with-the-recently-listed-goodrx-nasdaqgdrx-stock | 2022-09-02T14:31:55Z | tipranks.com | control | https://www.tipranks.com/news/article/whats-up-with-the-recently-listed-goodrx-nasdaqgdrx-stock | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Business group the British Chambers of Commerce has predicted a recession for the British economy this year, along with soaring inflation.
The business group also predicted that inflation will reach 14% in the fourth quarter of this year, up from a previous forecast of 10%.
The BCC predicts that the British economy will grow in 2023, but only slightly, by 0.2%, with a slow increase to 1% in 2024.
The BCC blamed global economic outlook, rising energy costs and a decline in household spending and real wages, sparked by the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
British inflation ‘back to 2% by 2024’
The BCC predicts that inflation will finally return to the Bank of England’s target of 2% in 2024.
Alex Veitch, Director of Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Our latest quarterly economic forecast will not be of any comfort to either consumers or businesses.
“The extreme inflationary pressures already present are only likely to increase as we head towards Christmas; with the UK economy already thought to be in recession. Tackling these pressures must be at the top of the new Prime Minister’s inbox when they take up their position next week.
“With prices spiralling out of control, they are expected to race ahead of earnings growth by a ratio of 3:1 in Q4 2022. This will undoubtedly impact consumer confidence, another key concern for businesses.
“Action is needed now, and the BCC has set out a comprehensive plan for Government to provide vital support to firms.
“Along with taxation and labour measures, the BCC business support plan includes key asks to help businesses with spiralling energy costs. These include Covid-style support by introducing a Government Emergency Energy grant, a temporary cut in VAT on energy bills to 5% to reduce costs for firms and increased regulation of the energy market for businesses by Ofgem.
Interest rate rises on cards
Last month, Goldman Sachs warned that Inflation could hit 22.4% in 2023 if prices for natural gas remain as high as they currently are.
The figure is considerably higher than recent forecasts by Citi and the Bank of England, which predicted that inflation could hit 18.6% and 13% respectively.
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee is due to have its next interest rate meeting on September 15.
The National Institute of Economic and Social Research warned last month that the Bank of England would need to raise interest rates to 3% to bring down inflation.
Another 21 economists suggested that the bank would raise interest rates by 0.25% in September – after a 0.5% raise in August.
British consumer price inflation rose to 10.1% in July, up from 9.4% in June, in the highest figure since February 1982, according to the Office of National Statistics. | https://www.tipranks.com/news/britain-will-enter-recession-this-year-and-inflation-will-hit-14-business-group-predicts | 2022-09-02T14:32:01Z | tipranks.com | control | https://www.tipranks.com/news/britain-will-enter-recession-this-year-and-inflation-will-hit-14-business-group-predicts | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Reckitt Benckiser (GB:RKT) took the market by surprise with the announcement of its CEO, Laxman Narasimhan, stepping down – with the news coming as a shock to investors and analysts as he has only been in the post for three years.
The company stated Narasimhan’s resignation is based on personal reasons and he wants to relocate to the U.S. He will join Starbucks (Nasdaq:SBUX) in the U.S. as the chief executive, replacing Howard Schultz.
Narasimhan said: ‘I have been offered an opportunity to return to the United States, and although it is difficult to leave, it is the right decision for me and my family.’
Narasimhan, who joined Reckitt in 2019 as CEO, has led the company through a painful period of COVID restrictions. Under his leadership, the company was able to overcome supply disruptions and is now dealing with rising inflation.
Reckitt has named Nicandro Durante as the successor on a temporary basis, while the search continues for the leadership role.
Durante currently serves as a non-executive director at Reckitt and has previously worked in various top roles at cigarette manufacturer, British American Tobacco (GB:BATS).
Following the news, share prices fell 5.4%, making them the top fallers in the FTSE 100.
Expert’s comments
Bruno Monteyne, an analyst at Bernstein, said, “We are surprised to see him go, given the extent to which investors and the company have come to the conclusion that the new team’s strategy is paying off.”
Monteyne reiterated his Hold rating on the stock yesterday with a target price of 6,400p.
Tineke Frikkee, fund manager at Waverton Investment Management, said, “Whilst it is understandable that for family reasons he is moving back to the US, it is surprising that it is immediate, rather than serving his notice period.”
Is Reckitt Benckiser a good stock to buy?
According to TipRanks’ analyst rating consensus, Reckitt Benckiser stock has a Moderate Buy rating. The stock has ratings from 13 analysts, out of which 10 are Buy, two are Hold, and one is a Sell recommendation.
The RKT price target is 7,580.7p, with an upside potential of 20.3%. The analyst price targets range from a low of 6,100p to a high of 9,500p.
Conclusion
Just when the shareholders were happy with the company’s strategies and the cost management issues, the CEO is gone. It’s now a question of waiting until the company finds a new boss. | https://www.tipranks.com/news/reckitt-benckisers-ceo-quits-pushing-the-stock-down-by-more-than-5 | 2022-09-02T14:32:07Z | tipranks.com | control | https://www.tipranks.com/news/reckitt-benckisers-ceo-quits-pushing-the-stock-down-by-more-than-5 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Chip manufacturer Qualcomm (QCOM) (GB:0QZ3) has joined hands with social media giant Meta Platforms (META) for the production of custom chips. Under the multi-year agreement, Qualcomm will provide custom chips for Meta’s Quest VR headsets.
The announcement came at a consumer electronics conference in Berlin today and teams from both companies are expected to work together to develop the chips, which will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR platforms.
While financial terms remain undisclosed, the chips (which won’t be exclusive to Meta) will be optimized for the Quest headsets. With this move, Meta continues to forge ahead in its Metaverse journey.
Qualcomm, on its part, has already supplied chips for the Oculus Go and Meta Quest 2. It has most recently agreed to make chips for Microsoft’s AR smart glasses.
The Founder and CEO of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, said, “Unlike mobile phones, building virtual reality brings novel, multi-dimensional challenges in spatial computing, cost, and form factor. These chipsets will help us keep pushing virtual reality to its limits and deliver awesome experiences.”
Is Meta a Good Stock?
Loop Capital market’s Rob Sanderson has reiterated a Buy rating on Meta while decreasing his price target on the stock to $165 from $180. Overall, analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on META stock with an average price target of $224.21, indicating a 35.59% upside.
Qualcomm Is Being Sued
In another development, Qualcomm and Nuvia have been sued for license violations in a federal district court of Delaware by Softbank-owned Arm.
Arm, which designs semiconductors, has accused Qualcomm and Nuvia of violating its licenses. Arm has now asked Qualcomm and Nuvia not to infringe its trademarks, and stop the use of and destroy the relevant technology. The company has also asked for compensation for the infringement.
What Is QCOM Stock’s Price Target?
QCOM’s average price target of $189.85 indicates 46.13% upside potential for the stock. Overall, the Street is cautious but optimistic about Qualcomm, which carries a Moderate Buy consensus rating.
Closing Thoughts
While Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta continues to make strides in the metaverse space, Qualcomm is expanding its expertise and offerings in virtual reality. The substantial double-digit upside seen by analysts in these stocks is icing on the cake for investors.
Read full Disclosure | https://www.tipranks.com/news/what-is-the-qualcomm-meta-agreement-all-about | 2022-09-02T14:32:14Z | tipranks.com | control | https://www.tipranks.com/news/what-is-the-qualcomm-meta-agreement-all-about | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SALISBURY, Md. - Salisbury-Wicomico Regional Airport's only commercial airline Piedmont Airlines, part of American Airlines has cut flights in and out of Salisbury in recent years.
The cutback has left many fearing Piedmont and American could decide to cancel operations out of Salisbury altogether.
"I think American Airlines has been looking for a hook to be sure they're going to be permanent residents at SBY Airport. This mechanic school I believe is the hook that keeps SBY as a commercial hub for the sure and keeps American Airlines in partnership with Piedmont," said Bill Chambers, President of the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce.
Dave Ryan with Salisbury Wicomico Economic Development says 3.3 million dollars from Maryland's rural economic development fund will create an airplane mechanic training program.
"As a community how can we get those flights back, maybe add more flights in the future and train people for great jobs," he said.
Students will be trained at the airport, part of University of Maryland Eastern Shore's curriculum.
"We need trained employees. Not just here on Delmarva, this is a refrain you will hear across the country. So if we can churn out a cohort of trained technicians, some of whom will stay here and make this their home, but no matter if they make this their home or not, if we can continue to have that pipeline, we're creating jobs," said Mike Dunn of the Greater Salisbury Committee.
Ryan says this is the piece of the puzzle needed to ensure Piedmont sticks around in Salisbury.
"We've been working with Piedmont and American Airlines for two years on this program," he said.
Piedmont Airlines did not respond to our request for a comment.
The airplane mechanic training school is expected to be up and running by Fall of 2023. | https://www.wboc.com/news/airplane-mechanic-training-school-coming-to-salisbury-airport-in-efforts-to-keep-piedmont-airlines/article_f47d3672-2ac6-11ed-bb0b-9f96dfec2c4f.html | 2022-09-02T14:38:46Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/news/airplane-mechanic-training-school-coming-to-salisbury-airport-in-efforts-to-keep-piedmont-airlines/article_f47d3672-2ac6-11ed-bb0b-9f96dfec2c4f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Culpeper’s kids will soon have an outlet to learn leadership and responsibility through farm-focused lessons thanks to Nevada transplant Kim Chappell.
“These kids are so excited to work,” Chappell said. “I cannot even begin to tell you the joy they have once they get their head wrapped around what we’re doing here.”
Chappell, a New York native, recently relocated to Culpeper in July from northern Nevada and began preparations to restart her KinderRanch and RanchSchool programs for school-aged children.
In 2002, Chappell began working horse camps, teaching riding and horsemanship before realizing kids needed help with leadership and life skills. In teaching skills, kids would not only become more successful with not only the horses but also in life.
So Chappell, after working with horses and kids for 30 years, designed the KinderRanch and RanchSchool programs to do just that.
KinderRanch is a program for 4, 5 and young 6-year-olds. It’s designed to teach kids leadership and life skills by using a hands-on approach by working on the ranch with horses, chickens and other livestock.
RanchSchool program is for 7-year-olds and up. It is a work program to teach lessons by way of working on the ranch by doing daily duties such as cleaning stalls, feeding livestock, repairing fences, building, filling/cleaning water troughs, handling horses, stacking hay, vet emergencies and more.
“In essence the ranch belongs to them because they put their signature on it,” Chappell said.
In learning the inner workings of the farm, Chappel said, students gain self-esteem, confidence, a can-do attitude, teamwork, manners, problem solving skills and more.
“From this, a child’s sense of self and confidence grow as they learn not only how to do stuff but how to be a part of a team where being responsible and accountable matter,” Chappel said.
Both programs have been in operation for over 10 years.
Before becoming a part of the program, Chappell interviews each child with a parent to determine if they’re a right fit.
Although not specifically targeted towards them, participants have primarily been homeschooled children due to the weekday, morning/afternoon hours. Chappell said, however, she’d be interested in creating an after school program for public and private school students.
Chappell projects the ranch schools will begin in October, although the regular ranch year would run from September through May.
Parents interested in more information or registration to either KinderRanch or RanchSchool should contact Chappel by email at kkc827@aol.comby phone at775-901-6795 or online at www.chappellranchllc.com. | https://www.insidenova.com/culpeper/culpeper-transplant-to-open-ranch-school-for-kids/article_c90c659c-2ac3-11ed-a34f-0fce5d1a940f.html | 2022-09-02T14:38:48Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/culpeper/culpeper-transplant-to-open-ranch-school-for-kids/article_c90c659c-2ac3-11ed-a34f-0fce5d1a940f.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BLADES, Del. -- A potbelly pig is on the loose in Blades, Delaware and has been prowling through the town for four days.
Nine month-old Piglet broke loose from her leash after being spooked by a truck during a walk with her owners. Cortny Griner is one of them, and says the family had only had Piglet for a week before she escaped. Griner posted a message on Facebook immediately.
"I posted in the Seaford Happenings page, the Seaford Blades page, and Project Blades and Seaford pages," Griner says. "It's been shared that I've seen over 500 times."
The post led dozens of people to go searching for Piglet. Griner and others in the town say they spotted the pig in the Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery, near Café Milano, the Blades school, and even inside a Dollar General -- twice.
"I took my dog out for a ride, and I spotted him down to the graveyard," says David Gibbons, a neighbor of Griner and her family. "I turned around and came back and tried to catch him, and he ran across the road into the other people's yard."
That yard was 91 year-old Virginia Mason's. She spotted Piglet in the cemetery a number of times from her window right across the street.
"He was fast. I mean them little old legs could go," Mason says.
Mason says she noticed Piglet in her yard and carefully made her way outside to get a closer look. Apparently, the two even exchanged a few words.
"I talked real low as I walked up to him and he [grunts] as if he was answering me back," Mason says.
Still, no one was able to capture Piglet without her running away. Griner says she's hoping for some help from animal control or anyone in town.
"If you can help catch her, please message me on Facebook. I will get somebody to you immediately," says Griner. | https://www.wboc.com/news/missing-potbelly-pig-pursuit-in-sussex-county/article_8005d6d0-2a91-11ed-8586-d3deb77b22ed.html | 2022-09-02T14:38:52Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/news/missing-potbelly-pig-pursuit-in-sussex-county/article_8005d6d0-2a91-11ed-8586-d3deb77b22ed.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Another local newspaper, in writing a headline atop the Falls Church superintendent of schools’ annual back-to-school column, opted to go with “What a Fantastic Time to Be in Public Education!”
Alas for the many high-quality educators who are now back in the classroom and striving to do their absolute best, we came up with a number of reasons why 2022 may NOT be a “fantastic time” to be a teacher in the public schools:
• A workplace environment where mediocrity too often is the acceptable norm, so much so that some excellent teachers have to keep their heads down for fear of drawing umbrage from colleagues just going through the motions and incensed if they are ever shown up.
• Parents (some) who were out of control in Northern Virginia in years gone by and seem to have only ramped up the crazy recently. And no, this isn’t about those who show up at School Board meetings to criticize policies; it’s about those who make the lives of teachers, coaches and administrators miserable because their little angels aren’t getting special treatment. Every educator has horror stories.
• School Boards that no longer are about education, but about political/ideological inculcation of young minds.
• An increasing union presence ushered in during the brief period Democrats controlled the General Assembly and now being implemented by local School Boards, which will only further degrade the ability of teachers to do their jobs. (Anyone who by this point truly believes teacher unions exist for the benefit of the rank and file really needs professional intervention – it just isn’t so.)
• Use the wrong pronoun, teachers, and you’ll find yourself hauled into court by an aggrieved kindergartner with early-onset gender confusion and a lawyer on speed-dial, or say the wrong (even if it’s actually the factually correct) thing in a history class and have picketers and TV-news crews outside the school by the end of the day.
• And of course the very real threat that, despite promises schools won’t be locked down again if another public-health crisis emerges, weak leaders will acquiesce, sending teachers and students scurrying back to their respective homes, a sure recipe for failure as the recent past so abundantly has proved.
“Fantastic”? No, not a fantastic time to be in public education. All the more reason we should thank those who put up with all the garbage that is involved and still give 100% or more to their students. They are true heroes.
[https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.] | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-high-caliber-teachers-need-to-put-up-with-a-lot/article_f9df9eee-2abb-11ed-bea2-cfc2aa951b2c.html | 2022-09-02T14:38:54Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-high-caliber-teachers-need-to-put-up-with-a-lot/article_f9df9eee-2abb-11ed-bea2-cfc2aa951b2c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
With Arlington’s semi-formal start to election season set to begin next week with the Arlington County Civic Federation’s annual candidate forum, we provide our annual advice for those taking on incumbents.
In this case, it’s directed specifically at independents Audrey Clement and Adam Theo, who are taking on incumbent Democrat Matt de Ferranti in his quest for a second term on the Arlington County Board.
As we say in all these types of situations, the challengers need to give the public – and, not coincidentally, the Sun Gazette political-endorsement squad – specific, valid reasons that the incumbent needs to be ousted.
The latest to fail at this seemingly basic task was Victoria Virasingh, who challenged U.S. Rep. Don Beyer in the June Democratic primary but seemingly spent the entire campaign never uttering a negative word about the incumbent. Why waste everyone’s time by running, then?
Clement and Theo have run before – the latter once, the former multiple times – and we think they’ve got it in them to discern and enunciate de Ferranti’s weaknesses.
Despite being a nice guy and competent local official, de Ferranti has multiple Achilles heels, and savvy opponents should be able to draw blood in debates referencing both him and the oligarchical, all-Democratic board.
If Clement and Theo come out of the gate strong, the media and the public will continue to pay attention. If they can’t score punches, then the race will be over the same evening it began.
[https://sungazette.news provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.] | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-our-marching-orders-for-arlington-political-challengers/article_25790a22-2abc-11ed-a625-7b014097ba4d.html | 2022-09-02T14:38:56Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-our-marching-orders-for-arlington-political-challengers/article_25790a22-2abc-11ed-a625-7b014097ba4d.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Lidia Sanchez Sep 2, 2022 Sep 2, 2022 Updated 2 hrs ago Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Funeral scheduled for today.For obituary information click Here. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Recommended for you | https://www.wboc.com/obituaries/lidia-sanchez/article_e9b3c8de-2ab5-11ed-adfd-d3e25d254bca.html | 2022-09-02T14:38:59Z | wboc.com | control | https://www.wboc.com/obituaries/lidia-sanchez/article_e9b3c8de-2ab5-11ed-adfd-d3e25d254bca.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Brentsville has added Maret to complete its 10-game regular-season football schedule.
The Tigers host the Washington D.C.-based private school Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.
Brentsville had a last-minute opening on its schedule after Manassas Park announced Aug. 8 it was cancelling its season due to low numbers.
The two Class 3 Northwestern District schools were supposed to play each other in their regular-season finale Nov. 4
Knowing Brentsville needed a 10th game, Maret reached out to fill an opening after one of its opponents dropped out the day before they were scheduled to meet.
It helped that Brentsville and Maret had bye weeks Oct. 7.
Brentsville will still get power points for playing Maret even though it is a private school. Maret is the equivalent of a Class 1 school.
VOLLEYBALL
Forest Park (1-0 in Cardinal District, 1-1 overall) defeated Woodbridge 3-0 Thursday by scores of 25-23, 25-13 and 25-19.
WORTHAM JOINS MARYLAND STAFF
Freedom-Woodbridge graduate Gary Wortham Jr. has been hired as a recruiting specialist for the University of Maryland football team.
Wortham was a former assistant at Woodbridge when his father Gary was the head coach. | https://www.insidenova.com/sports/prince_william/local-briefs-brentsville-football-finds-10th-game/article_5b87494a-2ab1-11ed-918e-1bdc2307a2e8.html | 2022-09-02T14:39:02Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/sports/prince_william/local-briefs-brentsville-football-finds-10th-game/article_5b87494a-2ab1-11ed-918e-1bdc2307a2e8.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
EWA BEACH-- The world's biggest wave pool is set to be built on Oahu in Ewa Beach, if a major developer gets its way.
Elected officials held a Town Hall on Thursday led by State Senator Kurt Favella and Council Member Andria Tupola, appealing to the developer Haseko to come through with a development package that would address the needs of the community.
Favella addressed constituents, many worried the big plans could bring more traffic and too many tourists to the site of the Hoakalei development..
The company Haseko is responsible for development of over 1,000 acres of land in Ewa Beach, which has changed dramatically over the years.
Since COVID hit, developers diverted from a plan to develop commercial space as a priority, and instead are planning to move ahead with an artificial wave pool for surfing.
Those in the Ocean Pointe community are concerned they will get priced out over time, and that an influx of people will dramatically effect quality of life. The wave pool alone will require hundreds of thousands of gallons of water. And the pool itself will also lose a portion of its water per day.
"With the wells being down, how much more is it gonna strain our water supply?" Town Hall attendee Steven Thomas asked.
"Our infrastructure can not handle that. Can not even handle a golfing tournament right now. And we are going to have 8 thousand plus people coming to events that they're going to be throwing there?," Favella told KITV, "2 lanes we only get one way in and one way out. That's it."
The community has had to go through several versions of the plans over the years. Initially, a Boat Marina was promised over a decade ago.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi has also called on the developer to keep promises to the community, by developing park land and other obligations, in order to maintain support from elected officials. | https://www.kitv.com/news/wave-pool-construction-plans-alarm-ewa-beach-community/article_fd9c2e98-2ac1-11ed-8a7f-b388a1d982b9.html | 2022-09-02T14:46:03Z | kitv.com | control | https://www.kitv.com/news/wave-pool-construction-plans-alarm-ewa-beach-community/article_fd9c2e98-2ac1-11ed-8a7f-b388a1d982b9.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NEXSTAR) – Amend your bucket lists, coffee snobs.
However you take your morning coffee — black, iced, or with a horrifying dollop of mayonnaise in it — you’d prefer it be a quality cup of coffee. But with thousands upon thousands of shops claiming to promise exactly that, it can be daunting for serious java-drinkers to break from their usual routines and try something new or different.
To help, the analysts at Yelp have compiled a list of the 100 best coffee shops in the United States, based entirely on the ratings and recommendations from Yelp’s community of reviewers. It’s worth noting, though, that Yelp’s list of “Top Coffee Shops” is based on reviews that not only rate each shop’s coffee, but often the service, ambiance, snacks, and possibly even the availability (or lack) of mayonnaise.
The 25 best coffee shops in America, according to an analysis of Yelp reviews and ratings, are below. A full list of the top 100 can be found at Yelp.com.
- Yaw Farm Coffee Roaster, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Cafe Makario, Everett, Washington
- Ovation Coffee & Tea, Portland, Oregon
- Cafe Sapientia, Oak Park, California
- Pangolin Café, Reno, Nevada
- Patria Coffee Roasters, Compton, California
- Mission Blue, San Francisco, California
- The Cuppo Coffee & Tea, Jersey Village, Texas
- Tatiana’s Coffee & Tea, Ventura, California
- Tim Is Making Great Coffee, San Juan Capistrano, California
- A T Oasis Coffee & Tea Shop, Phoenix, Arizona
- Quince Coffee House, Denver, Colorado
- Frenchy’s Food Truck, Brooklyn, New York
- The Red Bud Cafe, Daytona Beach, Florida
- VigiLatte Artisan Coffee, Lahaina, Hawaii
- Calusa Coffee Roasters, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Whistle & Fizz, New York, New York
- The Crepe Shop, Chicago, Illinois
- Wolfe Club Coffee Roasters, Tacoma, Washington
- Lodi Coffee, North Charleston, South Carolina
- Koana, Mountain View, Hawaii
- The Modern Rose, Deerfield Beach, Florida
- Enderly Coffee Co., Charlotte, North Carolina
- Burly and The Bean, Seaside, Oregon
- Local Coffee, Montclair, New Jersey
In addition to the list, Yelp also created an interactive map highlighting the locations of every “Top Coffee Shop” in America, making it easy to do some research, plan a trip, or simply see which corners of the country have the highest concentration of quality coffee shops.
Coffee not quite your cup of tea? Yelp has previously revealed its rankings of the best craft breweries, wineries, pizzerias, margaritas, pie, and even burritos in every state. Very few, however, are served with mayonnaise. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/the-100-best-coffee-shops-in-the-united-states-according-to-yelp-reviewers/ | 2022-09-02T14:46:33Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/the-100-best-coffee-shops-in-the-united-states-according-to-yelp-reviewers/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(KTLA) — The happiest place on Earth is getting a little more eco-friendly, though you may not notice, and that’s by design.
On Friday, artificial turf will make its debut around the Mickey floral planter at Disneyland’s entrance and on the front lawn of the Haunted Mansion, a report in the Orange County Register details.
These two locations aren’t alone in seeing their live grass replaced with turf. In many areas in the park, Disney plans to use high-quality turf instead of grass.
The idea behind the replacement is twofold: Not only does turf need less maintenance than live grass, but it also helps the park cut down on water usage amid California’s ongoing drought.
Though Disneyland is far from alone in removing live grass and replacing it with turf, the theme park is not advertising the change.
In fact, previous installations have been spaced out several weeks apart to avoid drawing attention to the change, according to the Register.
Think you’re eagle-eyed enough to spot where real grass remains?
Maybe not, as the “high-end” artificial turf used at Disneyland is apparently much different than the “synthetic green carpeting” most of us picture when we think of artificial turf, the Register said.
“Disneyland fans may be surprised to realize they’ve been staring at artificial turf with their own two eyes and never noticed,” the newspaper added.
Other water-saving measures, however, will be much more noticeable. And in some places, grass is being replaced with live plants that use less water, a process known as xeriscaping. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/the-grass-may-be-greener-at-disneyland-but-increasingly-its-not-actually-grass/ | 2022-09-02T14:46:45Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/the-grass-may-be-greener-at-disneyland-but-increasingly-its-not-actually-grass/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Labrador Fact File: Here are 10 of the most interesting bits of trivia about the adorable Labrador Retriever dog 🐶
They’re the UK’s most popular breed of dog, but how much do you know about the loyal Lab?
One of the unexpected effects of the global pandemic – and the resulting series of lockdowns – was an increase in demand for puppies.
And the extent of that soaring in demand has been shown by the latest registrations statistics from the UK Kennel Club, up nearly 40 per cent from 250,649 in 2020 to 349,013 in 2021.
But with 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your perfect pup.
Those with active lifestyles might want to consider a larger dog, while somebody with allergies will be looking for a hypoallergenic dog.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
One dog that often appears at the top of people’s canine wishlists is the Labrador Retriever – they were the UK’s most popular pet in 2020 and have a range of positive attributes that make them a great family pet.
Here are 10 fun and interesting facts about the breed.
Read more: | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/labrador-fact-file-here-are-10-of-the-most-interesting-bits-of-trivia-about-the-adorable-labrador-retriever-dog-3351322 | 2022-09-02T14:47:10Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/labrador-fact-file-here-are-10-of-the-most-interesting-bits-of-trivia-about-the-adorable-labrador-retriever-dog-3351322 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Trendy Utility Dogs: Here are the 10 most popular breeds of adorable utility dog in Britain according to the Kennel Club 🐶
With a broad range of characteristics, many breeds of utility dog make for a strong choice when looking for your perfect family pup.
Dog ownership has soared during the global pandemic according to the Kennel Club, as lockdown meant people felt more able to open their home up to a new puppy.
There seems to be no letting up in the popularity of pups, as prices continue to rise as demand outstrips supply.
But with 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your perfect pooch – whether you want a large dog, family-friendly dog, or crossbreed.
The Kennel Club separates breeds into seven different groups, each of which have a particular set of attributes.
The Pastoral Group contains breeds that were originally bred for a specific working purpose that is no longer applicable today, along with dogs that simply do not qualify for any of the other six groups.
Pastoral dogs account for several of the most consistently popular breeds, with the French Bulldog currently vying with the Labrador Retriever for the title of Britain’s top dog.
These are the 10 most popular breeds of pastoral dog in the UK, according to Kennel Club registrations.
Read more: | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/trendy-utility-dogs-here-are-the-10-most-popular-breeds-of-adorable-utility-dog-in-britain-according-to-the-kennel-club-3350508 | 2022-09-02T14:48:16Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/trendy-utility-dogs-here-are-the-10-most-popular-breeds-of-adorable-utility-dog-in-britain-according-to-the-kennel-club-3350508 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BBC donates £1.4 million to Princess Diana charities after Bashir interview scandal
The BBC has made charitable donations to a sum of £1.42 million shared equally between seven charities linked with Princess Diana, it has announced.
The corporation said it has donated to Centrepoint, English National Ballet, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, The Leprosy Mission, National Aids Trust, The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and The Diana Award.
The proceeds are derived from sales of the 1995 Panorama interview with Diana conducted by disgraced journalist Martin Bashir, which made global headlines as the princess spoke openly about her marriage to the Prince of Wales.
She famously told Bashir “there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded”.
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Last year, a report by Lord Dyson concluded that the BBC covered up “deceitful behaviour” by Bashir to secure the bombshell interview and led to a call from the Duke of Cambridge for it never to be aired again.
The BBC has previously issued an apology for the circumstances in which the interview was obtained.
The broadcaster said: “The BBC had indicated its intention to donate to charity the sales proceeds derived from the 1995 Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.
“The BBC has now done so.
“Given the findings of Lord Dyson, we think this is the right and appropriate course of action.”
The donations come from the BBC’s commercial revenue and not from the Licence Fee, the corporation said.
In July this year, the BBC vowed to “never” again broadcast clips from the interview.
Director-general Tim Davie said: “Now we know about the shocking way that the interview was obtained, I have decided that the BBC will never show the programme again, nor will we license it in whole or part to other broadcasters.
“It does of course remain part of the historical record and there may be occasions in the future when it will be justified for the BBC to use short extracts for journalistic purposes, but these will be few and far between and will need to be agreed at executive committee level and set in the full context of what we now know about the way the interview was obtained.
“I would urge others to exercise similar restraint.”
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article. | https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/bbc-donates-ps14-million-to-princess-diana-charities-after-bashir-interview-scandal-3829470 | 2022-09-02T14:48:43Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/bbc-donates-ps14-million-to-princess-diana-charities-after-bashir-interview-scandal-3829470 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Double council tax for second home owners to claw back cost-of-living payments, SNP told
Ministers should legislate to allow councils to charge double the rate of council tax on second homes in order to claw back the additional cost-of-living payments going to second home owners.
The Poverty and Inequality Commission also suggested the expansion of free school meals and a reduction in the statute of limitation for council tax debt from 20 years to five years as long-term options on how to help tackle the cost of living crisis.
The suggestions form part of the Commission’s final recommendations to cabinet secretary for social justice, Shona Robison, who commissioned the advice.
Allowing councils to charge up to double the normal rate of council tax on second homes as many do with empty homes would raise around £9.5m, the Commission said.
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This would also recover the additional £400 received by second home owners as part of the UK Government’s cost-of-living support package, raising potential large sums in areas such as Edinburgh, Fife, and the Highlands.
The Commission adds: “In the medium term the ability to increase council tax would be a tool that councils could use to help manage the impacts of second home ownership in their areas.”
Ministers have also been told they should reform council tax, as the SNP have regularly promised and failed to deliver, alongside a change in emphasis away from enforcement and towards support for those who miss a council tax payment.
The Commission also recommends an expansion of free school meals, Ministers to support ‘fuel-buying clubs’ to help those bulk buying fuel such as oil, and provide funding to councils for an additional council tax reduction for disabled people.
Bill Scott, chair of the Commission, said the cost-of-living crisis required an “emergency response” on the same scale as the pandemic and called on the UK Government to “step in now”.
He added: “The Scottish Government also has a part to play in limiting some of the harm on those in Scotland, especially as we approach winter and for those in vulnerable groups.”
The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.
The sixth and final episode of the brand new limited series podcast, How to be an independent country: Scotland’s Choices, is out now.
It is available wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article. | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/double-council-tax-for-second-home-owners-to-claw-back-cost-of-living-payments-snp-told-3829586 | 2022-09-02T14:48:49Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/double-council-tax-for-second-home-owners-to-claw-back-cost-of-living-payments-snp-told-3829586 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Scotland strikes: School strikes called off as fresh offer made to council workers
Strike action in schools across Scotland has been called off after a fresh pay offer was made to council workers.
The trade union Unison said it is suspending action and will consult its members over the new deal, which it will recommend they accept.
It comes after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon personally intervened in the ongoing dispute.
Talks took place at St Andrew's House in Edinburgh late into last night, and resumed again this morning.
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Hundreds of schools and nurseries had been set to close across Scotland over three days next week as a result of strike action.
Bin strikes have already seen litter piling up in streets.
Councillor Katie Hagmann, Cosla’s resources spokeswoman, said: “Firstly I would like to thank all our trade union colleagues for the constructive discussions.
“The revised offer made shows that Scotland’s council leaders have listened to the concerns of our workforce and have responded positively.
“Council leaders have said consistently throughout these negotiations that we very much value and are grateful to the local government workforce.
“We have sent letters to our union colleagues following today’s meeting and hope that this enables strike action to be suspended and allows our workforce to get back to doing what they do best, delivering high quality essential services for the people within our communities right across Scotland.”
Insiders previously said a deal between trade union leaders and Cosla was close.
It has been reported the new pay offer could see council workers on £20,000 offered £2,000, while those on between £20,000 and £39,000 receive £1,900.
Those earning between £39,000 and £60,000 would get a 5 per cent pay boost, while the rise for those on more than £60,000 would be capped at £3,000.
However, details have yet to be confirmed.
Earlier, Johanna Baxter, head of local government for Unison Scotland, told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme that things are more optimistic than they were 24 hours prior, and there is a “willingness from all sides to make movement”.
She added: “I think the judgment for Cosla leaders this morning is whether they have enough to deliver what we need for our members.”
She said the marathon talks on Thursday, which were chaired by Ms Sturgeon, looked into how much money is on the table and how it is constructed.
“Unison’s position has always been that if we had been talking about a flat rate – the like of which was in the pay claim, so £3,000 for everybody – then we wouldn’t have had any debate about the flat rate,” she said.
“The difficulty obviously has been the money, and how much money has been on the table.
“The difficulty we face particularly in the last week is the fact that however you cut the 5 per cent that was on the table in terms of consolidated money, and that is recurring, then you couldn’t get a flat rate that worked for the majority.”
Further strikes by waste workers are currently planned for next week, with staff at a number of local authorities expected to walk out for eight days.
Workers in schools and early years learning will also take part in a three-day strike in some areas.
Leaders from Cosla began a meeting at 9am on Friday to discuss a revised offer to be put to the unions.
When the unions receive the new offer, committees of their representatives will discuss whether to accept it or not.
Strikes due to go ahead next week could be suspended if the offer is accepted.
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article. | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scotland-strikes-school-strikes-called-off-as-fresh-offer-made-to-council-workers-3829003 | 2022-09-02T14:49:03Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scotland-strikes-school-strikes-called-off-as-fresh-offer-made-to-council-workers-3829003 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
These are 5 top tips to get comfortable online, as revealed by Gloria Hunniford
Nearly half of over 65s are ‘uncomfortable’ using the internet – and would rather do the weekly food shop, pop to the bank and book a holiday with a travel agent in-person.
A poll of 1,987 older people revealed 45 per cent don’t feel completely confident when using the internet.
As a result, 40 per cent of those would rather run errands face-to-face than online, as well as browse their local garden centre, shop for clothes in store and purchase train tickets at the station.
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But this leaves them worried they are ‘missing out’ on all the internet has to offer and the money it could save them.
It also emerged it’s not just financial concerns, as 42 per cent of older people who have reservations about going online feel forgotten in a ‘digital first’ world.
Adapting to a 'digital first' world
The study was commissioned by Vodafone UK Foundation, which has teamed up with consumer champion, Gloria Hunniford, and national charity, Independent Age, to launch ‘Hi Digital’ – a programme designed to help the over 65s develop their digital skills, save money and feel more connected.
Gloria Hunniford commented: “At long last, I feel incredibly lucky I’m relatively comfortable online – but I absolutely understand older people’s concerns.
“There are so many benefits to taking the plunge – from making financial savings, which are so vital at the moment, to keeping in touch with loved ones and feeling less isolated."
The research found 34 per cent of over 65s who aren’t completely comfortable in an online world are more likely to feel stressed when services require a digital approach, like booking a doctor’s appointment through a website.
Of those who believe they’d benefit from learning online skills, 41 per cent feel they’ve been held back from doing so because they didn’t know where to look for help.
And, according to the OnePoll study, even if they feel confident using the internet 27 per cent still feel they’d gain something from upskilling their digital knowledge.
Living life to the fullest online
It also emerged 54 per cent of those who have expressed doubt about fully embracing the digital world said it was due to concerns about scamming and online security.
Others worry about not knowing how to fix something if it goes wrong (49 per cent) and finding the pace at which the digital world changes too hard to keep up with (38 per cent).
Currently, only 26 per cent feel very comfortable claiming benefits digitally, and just 45 per cent could confidently book a doctor’s appointment or order a prescription online.
Nicki Lyons, UK corporate affairs and sustainability director at Vodafone UK Foundation, added: “Our everyone.connected campaign is helping people access the connectivity, devices and skills they need to live life to the full.
“We understand why many older people aren’t comfortable online and wanted to create a programme especially for them.
“We hope to reach 50,000 older people and give them the confidence to unlock financial savings and feel more connected to their loved ones."
Simon Hewett-Avison, director of services at Independent Age, added: “Being online can come with many benefits, including potential savings which are never more needed than in the current cost-of-living crisis.
"But as technology continues to move at an ever-increasing pace, many people over 65 tell us they feel left behind.
"We’re working to ensure everyone has access to the support they need, in a way that works for them."
Gloria Hunniford’s top tips for getting online
- Be patient and take your time: don’t expect to feel comfortable and good at it right away.
- Get help from a person or organisation you trust if you're unsure how to get started.
- Work through the helpful Hi Digital modules to give you a good starting point to feeling more comfortable surfing the internet and keeping safe online.
- Be aware of online scams and fraud, but don’t let this deter you exploring the benefits of being online.
- 5. If in doubt, shout it out - there are many trusted organisations out there with good people who can help you if you have any concerns about your online safety | https://www.scotsman.com/read-this/these-are-5-top-tips-to-get-comfortable-online-as-revealed-by-gloria-hunniford-3829500 | 2022-09-02T14:49:10Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/read-this/these-are-5-top-tips-to-get-comfortable-online-as-revealed-by-gloria-hunniford-3829500 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
'Never a good feeling': Tom Lawrence to miss multiple Rangers matches as Alfredo Morelos returns to face Celtic
Giovanni van Bronckhorst believes Rangers will be boosted by the return of Alfredo Morelos to the squad for the Old Firm derby, but admits losing Tom Lawrence to injury is a blow.
Colombia striker Morelos was suspended for the last two matches after a red card at Hibs, but had been left out of the Light Blues squad to face PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League play-off game due to fitness levels and other concerns, including his attitude.
But the Gers boss welcomed Morelos's return against Celtic at Parkhead on Saturday.
He said: "Yes, Alfredo is in the squad for Saturday. I had good talk with him last Sunday and I think he understood the message and also worked hard to be back and to help the team because he is still a quality player with a lot of threat in front of goal.
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"He has been training this week, very positive, so he will be included in the squad.
"You want players in your squad who can change games and Alfredo is definitely a player who can do that.
"He is still a threat in front of goal so that gives me another option up front. I am happy for all of us that he is back and he looks very positive.
"It is now for him to make sure he maintains this and also contributes when he is on the pitch."
Lawrence picked up an injury – reportedly to his knee – during 4-0 win over Ross County at Ibrox last week.
The 28-year-old Wales attacker, signed from Derby in the summer, will also miss the Champions League games away to Ajax and at home to Napoli.
Van Bronckhorst said: "Tom is not available. Unfortunately he had more problems the day after the game last week which means he will be out and I don't expect him back before the international break, so he is some weeks out.
"To be a player and be sidelined is never a good feeling. Tom had a great start to his Rangers career and as a coach it is disappointing that he is not available for a couple of weeks but that sometimes happens so we need to try and get Tom back as soon as possible and make sure we are performing with the players we have available."
The former Feyenoord boss gave a round-up of his other injured players ahead of the first Old Firm game of the season, where Rangers trail leaders Celtic by two points.
Ben Davies, John Souttar and Kemar Roofe remain out with unspecified injuries.
Filip Helander is still out with a foot problem and midfielder Ianis Hagi has been sidelined since January after suffering cruciate ligament damage
Van Bronckhorst said: "Ben is training with the squad at the moment, so that looks very positive.
"Kemar is also close to rejoining the group, hopefully in the next couple of weeks.
"John and Filip will be a longer absence, I hope I can give you an update over the weekend and Hagi is doing his programme, he had a long-term injury. Hopefully we can have him back after the World Cup but he is on schedule."
The former Rangers, Arsenal and Netherlands player is "very excited" about taking on Celtic.
He said: "We are ready for the task. It is a very difficult ground to go to but we have everything to play for and we are ready for the challenge we are facing tomorrow. We will go all out to win the game." | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers/never-a-good-feeling-tom-lawrence-to-miss-multiple-rangers-matches-as-alfredo-morelos-returns-to-face-celtic-3829553 | 2022-09-02T14:49:23Z | scotsman.com | control | https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers/never-a-good-feeling-tom-lawrence-to-miss-multiple-rangers-matches-as-alfredo-morelos-returns-to-face-celtic-3829553 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Safaricom Ethiopia rolls out services in Harari region
Friday September 02 2022
Safaricom Ethiopia has expanded the roll-out of its network to the eastern Harari region three days after launching a large-scale customer pilot in Dire Dawa.
Ethiopia’s first private telecom company targets to widen its coverage to 25 cities across the Horn of Africa country by April 2023.
Read: Safaricom goes live in Ethiopia second largest city
“Harari holds great historic relevance in Ethiopia, and we are excited to roll out our customer pilot for Safaricom Ethiopia’s network and services in this region,” said Anwar Soussa, the chief executive officer.
Harari is the smallest regional state in Ethiopia and has the country's only walled city, the region's capital Harar.
Residents in the regional state can now purchase SIM cards and choose their preferred numbers on 07 prefixes.
“The Safaricom Ethiopia SIM cards will come with the welcome offer of data, voice and SMS for customers to test and experience the network for one month,” the telco said.
Customers can also buy airtime vouchers from shops or branded souks.
The telco has also set up customer care centres in Arategna and Sellassie in the region.
The Global Partnership for Ethiopia—which comprises Kenya's Safaricom Plc, Vodacom Group, Vodafone Group, Sumitomo Corporation, and British International Investment (formerly known as CDC Group)—was awarded a license to operate telecom services in Ethiopia in July 2021. | https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/business/safaricom-ethiopia-rolls-out-services-in-harari-region-3934764 | 2022-09-02T14:51:49Z | afar.com | control | https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/business/safaricom-ethiopia-rolls-out-services-in-harari-region-3934764 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- President Biden, who campaigned for office promising to unite the country, took to the nation's airwaves yesterday evening depicting millions of Americans as a threat to democracy. Aside from his blanket condemnation of those who disagree with his policies he charged that nearly every Republican doesn't respect the rule of law.
"If ever there was an administration that does not respect the rule of law, it is this one," responded Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). "There is no more glaring example of lawlessness than the Biden administration's gutting of immigration laws and border enforcement. This administration is not just refusing to enforce nearly every immigration and border enforcement law on the books, the president's Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, in a series of policy memos, has put it in writing. Moreover, the Biden administration is defying a federal court order to resume immigration enforcement.
"The law says that people entering our country illegally must be detained and removed. The Biden administration has released them by the millions, many without even a notice to appear in court. President Biden's own appointee to head the Border Patrol has stated in a sworn deposition that there are currently 'no consequences' to violating our immigration laws and entering the United States illegally.
"The law says that every person illegally present in the United States is subject to removal. The Biden administration openly refuses to remove illegal aliens unless they are violent felons – and not even all violent felons – or they are terrorists," continued Stein. "Time and again, when immigration laws are at odds with their own political objectives, our laws get chucked in the trash can. That is the hallmark of an authoritarian dictatorship, not a constitutional republic.
"Not only did the president ignore his own administration's contempt for the rule of law, he engaged in divisive demagoguery by conflating those who disagree with his, and his party's policies as threats to our democracy. Chillingly, his administration has sought to silence peaceful dissents – attempting to set up government-run 'disinformation' boards, working with tech companies to de-platform individuals and organizations that oppose his policies, even when what they are saying is absolutely true, and potentially unleashing an army of newly hired IRS agents to shut down groups that stand in the way of his political agenda.
"There are those on the radical fringes of both the right and the left who pose legitimate threats to our democracy. But an even greater threat is posed when the people in power willfully ignore laws, and falsely demonize those attempting to call them out," concluded Stein.
CONTACT: Ron Kovach, Email: rkovach@fairus.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/fair-president-biden-you-dont-respect-rule-law/ | 2022-09-02T14:52:36Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/fair-president-biden-you-dont-respect-rule-law/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Traditionally, the Giants or Jets’ starting quarterbacks do a weekly spot on one of the sports radio stations.
This year, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will appear on a podcast.
Jones will be on every Tuesday for a guest spot on the Ringer’s “New York, New York with John Jastremski.”
Jastremski left WFAN a little more than a year ago to start his podcast that focuses on New York sports and gambling. Jones is fighting to remain the Giants starting quarterback beyond this year.
In years past, quarterbacks, like Eli Manning, have either been on WFAN or ESPN New York’s afternoon shows for the 15-20 minute spots. Manning would receive six-figure-plus sum for these arrangements.
Jones’ first appearance will be next Tuesday, Sept. 6. | https://nypost.com/2022/09/02/giants-daniel-jones-to-do-weekly-spot-on-john-jastremski-podcast/ | 2022-09-02T14:53:20Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/09/02/giants-daniel-jones-to-do-weekly-spot-on-john-jastremski-podcast/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Leonardo DiCaprio just broke up with his newly 25-year-old girlfriend Camila Morrone earlier this week, but he may have to split with another beloved soon.
Social media has been roasting the 47-year-old Oscar winner all week for his pattern of dropping girlfriends once they hit the quarter-life milestone.
But now, Twitter is also joking that DiCaprio has to break up with his famed romance drama “Titanic,” as the film will be hitting the ripe old age of 25 later this year. (The movie was released on Dec. 19, 1997.)
Users on the platform erupted into virtual laughter about the “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” star’s questionable love life and its connection to the James Cameron movie.
“It’s not that the door wasn’t big enough for both Rose and Jack, it’s just that Rose turned 25 that day,” one user wrote, referencing Kate Winslet’s character Rose, who survived the ship sinking in the movie.
Someone else quipped: “Have you ever considered that Leonardo DiCaprio is so proud of his work in the ‘Titanic’ he only dates women who weren’t old enough to have seen it when it premiered so HE can share the special moment of watching it with them for the first time? Did that even occur to you?”
” ‘Titanic’ turns 25 this year at which point I assume Leonardo DiCaprio will no longer want to be in it,” a fan added.
Another person scribed: “25 years ago we saw the Titanic sink on the big screen, Leonardo DiCaprio disappeared beneath the waves, and the woman he just dumped today was born.”
“There’s a good chance Leonardo DiCaprio’s next girlfriend will believe he was actually on the Titanic,” said one fan.
The environmentalist’s pool of famous girlfriends includes the likes of model Gisele Bündchen, Bar Refaeli, Blake Lively and Nina Agdal — many of whom he broke up with when or before they reached 25.
A source told The Post Wednesday about DiCaprio’s odd dating pattern, saying: “By the time girls reach 25, they’re looking for more — they’re looking to get married and settle down. That is not what Leo wants. He does not want a family and does not want to be around women who may press him for that.”
“The minute a girl meets him, the clock is ticking. If she gets too old, in a couple of years, she is gone. If she gets too close, in a couple of years, she is gone,” the insider continued. | https://nypost.com/2022/09/02/leonardo-dicaprio-roasted-for-girlfriends-ages-titanic-also-25/ | 2022-09-02T14:53:32Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/09/02/leonardo-dicaprio-roasted-for-girlfriends-ages-titanic-also-25/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
We know it’s hard to believe, but cool weather is right around the corner.
Soon enough, you’ll be ditching your sun hats for beanies, sneakers for boots and shorts for pants.
But if you’re like us, saying goodbye to skirts and dresses isn’t as easy. Why should we kick our little black dresses and mini skirts to the curb? There must be another way! And lucky you, there is.
If you thought “tights,” you’d be correct.
Snagging the right pair of tights before the cool weathered months is essential. You can rock cute outfits without sacrificing your warmth, and what’s better than that?
Though, there are just so many options to choose from.
Do you go with a sheer polka dot pair or a thick knitted option? If you’re like us, you opt for both. If you rather do a bit more research first, then check out the best women’s tights below.
1. Women’s white tights: Surbepo Knitted White Stockings, $12
Match your tights to your outfit with these super sweet knitted white tights. They feature an adorable design while keeping you warm during autumn and winter.
2. Women’s black tights: Sheertex Classic Sheer Rip-Resist Tights, $50, original price: $59
Are you looking for a classic black pair of tights? Well, what about a classic black pair of tights that are virtually indestructible? If that sounds like the dream, then these Sheertex tights are for you. Details include a mid-rise waist, reinforced toe and comfort waistband.
(PS, they really are indestructible, Checkout our review here.)
3. Women’s compression tights: Spanx Graduated Compression Tights, $42
Featuring support you can’t see, these Spanx tights help improve circulation throughout the day for continual comfort. You can also look forward to a built-in shaper (yes, please!).
4. Women’s plus size tights: Nude Barre 10AM Footed Opaque Tights, $22
Ranging in sizes small to 5XL, these Nude Barre tights are it. Made of spandex and nylon, each pair is resilient and flexible while offering complete coverage. Choose your perfect shade of nude from 13 various options.
5. Women’s Christmas tights: Falke Sheer Dot Pantyhose, $39
Strut like you mean it this season in these polka dot tights. They make the perfect holiday attire and will spruce up any outfit.
6. Women’s sweater tights: Calzedonia Soft Modal and Cashmere Blend Tights, $20
Stay toasty and warm in these thermal tights. Calzedonia blended modal and cashmere together to create an opaque pair of tights featuring a comfortable waistband and cotton gusset insert. Choose from a rang of classic colors like black, gray and white or deep jewel tones.
7. Women’s cotton tights: MeMoí Soft Pima Cotton Tights, $18
Cotton tights are ideal for sensitive skin, and these MeMoí tights fit the mold. Selct your desired pair from eight various colorways and look forward to a soft waistband and ultimate durability.
8. Women’s cable knit tights: A New Day Cable Fleece Lined Tights, $12
Complete with a built-inn brief, stretchy construction and a gorgeous cable knit design, these A New Day fleece lined tights are cozy and comfortable. Choose your favorite pair from black, white and gray options.
Check out New York Post Shopping for more content. | https://nypost.com/article/best-womens-tights/ | 2022-09-02T14:53:50Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/article/best-womens-tights/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Department for Work and Pensions has issued a fresh update on cost of living payments as six million people are due to receive a £150 disability payment. Anyone who is eligible for the payment will automatically receive their payment from September 20, the DWP said.
They also added that most people will receive the payment by the beginning of October 2022. This is to help disabled people with the cost of living crisis as disability-related costs have also increased dramatically in the current economic climate, Lancs Live reports.
The payment is paid per claim, meaning that if two people in a home are applying for the benefit payment, they will each receive separate payments of £150. This scheme does not include the £650 cost of living payment as well as the £400 payment to be deducted over a six-month period from October, and an extra £150 for properties in Council Tax bands A to D.
Read more: DWP: Thousands on these benefits will be protected from energy price cap
Chloe Smith, Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, said: “We know disabled people can face additional costs, which is why we are acting to help reduce the financial pressures on the most vulnerable This £150 disability payment is on top of the £1,200 most low-income benefit claimants will also receive and alongside wider support targeted at disabled people, including help with transport and prescription costs.”
Ms Smith also urged people to check the Help for Households site on GOV.UK to make sure they are getting all the support they are entitled to claim.
£150 if you get certain disability benefits
You may get a lump sum payment of £150 if you’re getting any award level for one of the following:
- Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance for adults
- Disability Living Allowance for children
- Personal Independence Payment
- Adult Disability Payment
- Child Disability Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- War Pension Mobility Supplement
Eligibility
You must have received a payment (or later receive a payment) of one of these qualifying benefits for May 25, 2022 to get the £150 payment. If you get a qualifying disability benefit from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and a qualifying disability benefit from DWP, you will get a Disability Cost of Living Payment from DWP only.
DWP also advised: “For those awaiting confirmation of their disability benefits on 25 May, or who are waiting to be assessed for eligibility to receive disability benefits, the process may take longer but payments will still be automatic.”
When you will get paid
A spokesperson for the DWP said: "You’ll be paid the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment automatically from 20 September 2022. Most people will receive their payment by the beginning of October 2022. Payments will be made to people who get a qualifying disability from DWP before payments to people who get a qualifying benefit from the Ministry of Defence."
The cost of living payments from the UK Government are part of a £37 billion package of support, which will see millions of households receive at least £1,200 this year to help cover rising costs. The UK Government has also expanded support for the Household Support Fund in England, which helps people with food and energy bills, with an extra £421 million – for October 22 to March 23, and topped up funding by £79 million for devolved nations - the total value of this support now stands at £1.5 billion.
This is all in addition to changes to the Universal Credit taper rate and work allowances worth £1,000 a year on average for 1.7 million working claimants, a rise in the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour, and a tax cut for around 30 million workers through a rise in National Insurance contribution thresholds.
Nadhim Zahawi, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “We know that rising prices faced by many countries around the world are a significant worry for many people here in the UK, especially those most vulnerable to additional costs”
“This announcement that disabled people will begin to receive an additional £150 payment from the end of September reinforces our commitment to help UK households through the challenging times ahead.” He added: “This payment is in addition to further help households can expect over the coming months including a second cost of living payment of £324 for households on means-tested benefits, £300 for pensioners this winter and £400 discount on energy bills for every household. This is all part of our significant £37 billion support package.”
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Warning signs of deadly heatstroke in dogs: drooling, drowsiness and vomiting
Old £20 and £50 notes must be spent this month before they are no longer legal tender
Five arrested after brawl outside Wetherspoons in Canterbury city centre | https://www.kentlive.news/news/cost-of-living/dwp-issues-cost-living-update-7538487 | 2022-09-02T14:58:18Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/cost-of-living/dwp-issues-cost-living-update-7538487 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Martin Lewis has explained everything energy users need to know ahead of the October price hike. Energy regulator Ofgem announced the price cap would increase from £1,971 to £3,549 for the average household starting in October.
The price cap was changed twice a year but Ofgem is now allowed to review it every three months. Changes are now expected in January, April, July and October 2023, Liverpool Echo reports.
With the energy price cap rising by a staggering 80% from October, taking a typical bill to £3,549 a year. Here's what you need to know about your energy bill changes and how best to keep costs down.
Read more: DWP: Thousands on these benefits will be protected from energy price cap
Should you fix your energy bill or stick on the price cap?
The energy price cap limits what firms can charge in England, Scotland and Wales for their default standard variable tariffs. It currently changes every six months, though that'll soon be every three. The vast majority of homes, about 85%, are now on it and those who aren't are on a fix.
The price cap is misnamed - there's no maximum amount you'll pay. What's actually capped are electricity and gas standing charges and unit rates. For price certainty, the cheapest fixes now give you that, but you'll pay more in the short term. If in doubt though, Martin suggests to stick to the price cap.
The price cap will now be updated four times a year under new Ofgem rules
It means that from October, the energy price cap will additionally change every January and July, not just in April and October. According to the regulator, this will provide greater stability and reduce the risk of supplier failure as it lowers the chance of firms being forced to sell energy at a loss to consumers if prices rise rapidly. Ofgem said supplier failure can "cause high disruption and push up costs for consumers".
However, the change means households are likely to see prices rise twice this winter, with energy analysts Cornwall Insight currently predicting a 70% hike in October, to £3,359 a year for a typical home, before a further 8% rise in January to a typical £3,616 a year. This is due to ongoing high wholesale energy costs (what firms pay), which largely determine the price cap.
The regulator has also announced that it will go ahead with plans to reduce the period between when it announces the price cap and when those changes hit bills. Previously, there has been about a two-month gap between the announcement and when those changes took effect – from October, that will be reduced to 25 days.
Help for those struggling to pay
If you're falling behind with your energy bills, and finding yourself struggling to pay, Martin says that the best thing to do is contact your supplier as soon as possible. Under rules from regulator Ofgem, your supplier has to help you – usually by negotiating a payment plan that you can afford.
There are a range of options suppliers could offer if you're struggling, including:
- A full payment plan review
- Affordable debt repayment plans
- Payment breaks (though this won't be right for everyone)
- Payment reductions
- More time to pay
- Access to hardship funds
What help you can get is decided on a case-by-case basis, but importantly, repayment must be based on your ability to pay. So get in touch with your supplier as soon as possible.
Read next:
- Controlled explosion carried out in Tonbridge after hand grenade found
Man stabbed to death in Tonbridge named and pictured as two teenagers charged with murder
Warning signs of deadly heatstroke in dogs: drooling, drowsiness and vomiting
Old £20 and £50 notes must be spent this month before they are no longer legal tender
Five arrested after brawl outside Wetherspoons in Canterbury city centre | https://www.kentlive.news/news/cost-of-living/martin-lewis-sets-out-everything-7539595 | 2022-09-02T14:58:22Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/cost-of-living/martin-lewis-sets-out-everything-7539595 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
After months of voting, KentLive readers have finally chosen the best beach in Kent. Since the launch of our competition at the end April, thousands of you have voted for your favourite beach in the county.
In the four months in between we've ran features, given you Facebook Live tours, and ran various polls while you, the KentLive readers, have been battling in out in the comments across social media and our website getting behind your favourite.
Now, with the schools going back and September arriving, we can finally announce that our readers have named Dymchurch Beach as the best in the county.
READ MORE: Kent's 11 best beaches given the prestigious Blue Flag 2022 award
The three-mile sandy beach on the Romney Marsh received a whopping 31% of the vote, beating Viking Bay, which came in second, and Sunny Sands in Folkestone, which ranked third, comfortably.
It's been a summer of success for Dymchurch Beach having been awarded a Blue Flag Seaside Award for the first time. The Sunday Times also crowned the beach the best in the South-East back in July.
The tourist spot really does offer something for all the family. During the summer months, donkey rides are organised on Dymchurch Beach. You've also got the option of a charming amusement park where you can ride on a 90s-style ghost train or while away the hours on the penny slot machines.
The sheer size and expanse of the beach is what makes it so special. The most recent review on TripAdvisor said: "You have miles of beach and can easily sit a hundred feet away from all even at busy times but we sit where people are often about 50 feet away..."
Our search for the best beach in Kent saw a shortlist of 40 whittled down to 10 thanks to our Twitter followers, before our readers decided on the final standings.
Thank you to everyone who took part and voted, you can find the final standings below. Don't forget you can keep up to date with all the latest news from across Kent by signing up to the KentLive newsletter.
The Final Standings
1) Dymchurch Beach
2) Viking Bay, Broadstairs
3) Sunny Sands, Folkestone
4) Botany Bay, Broadstairs
5) Joss Bay, Broadstairs
6) Margate Main Sands
7) Sandgate Beach
8) Minnis Bay, Birchington
9) Whitstable Beach
10) St Margaret's Bay
Let us know your favourite beach in Kent in the comments section here. | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/dymchurch-beach-crowned-best-beach-7540641 | 2022-09-02T14:58:24Z | kentlive.news | control | https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/dymchurch-beach-crowned-best-beach-7540641 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo are announcing on Friday $1 billion worth of federal grants for manufacturing, clean energy, farming, biotech and other sectors that will go to 21 regional partnerships.
The winners were chosen from 529 initial applicants vying for grants that were part of last year’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. The Biden administration has repeatedly laid out a vision for the economy that is more self-sufficient and driven by high-tech manufacturing and the development of renewable energy.
“The whole point of this is we’re not going to let you get left behind as we transition to a more digital economy, to a more technical economy, to a green economy,” Raimondo told The Associated Press. “People want to work where they live. People want to know there is a place for them in the changing economy.”
Unlike much of the pandemic aid that was meant to address immediate needs, the $1 billion in grants is part of a longer-term effort to revitalize parts of the country that have needed an economic jolt for existing industries and capital for new ventures. The mission is personal for Raimondo, whose father lost his job at a watch factory in Rhode Island. She said the grants are the largest ever for local economic development provided by the Commerce Department.
The grants include $65.1 million in California to improve farm production and $25 million for a robotics cluster in Nebraska. Georgia gets $65 million for artificial intelligence. There is $63.7 million for lithium-based battery development in New York. Coal counties in West Virginia would receive $62.8 million to help with the shift to solar power and find new uses for abandoned mines.
Raimondo said the winners were chosen based on merit rather than politics. She estimated that the investments, which will be provided over five years as reimbursements, will result in at least 100,000 jobs.
Solidly Republican states such as Oklahoma and South Dakota received funding, and money also is going ahead of November’s midterm elections toward political battlegrounds that could decide control of Congress. There is $44 million for regenerative medicine in New Hampshire, where Democrat Maggie Hassan is defending her U.S. Senate seat. Pennsylvania, which has an open Senate seat, is set to receive $62.7 million for robotics and artificial intelligence.
The massive amount of coronavirus aid at the start of President Joe Biden’s tenure helped to accelerate job growth as the U.S. recovered from the pandemic. But accompanying the hiring was a burst of inflation that hit a 40-year peak this summer, crushing consumer sentiment and putting the administration on the defensive to show how its policies are helping the economy.
Even as much of the coronavirus money has been disbursed, the administration has said it still needs more money to contain the disease and its variations. Biden unsuccessfully sought to get $22.5 billion from Congress to address and prevent outbreaks, a figure that lawmakers reduced to $10 billion in negotiations. But additional funding was never passed by Congress despite confirmed cases that are now averaging about 90,000 daily.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tried to minimize the lack of funding after the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved modified booster shots of the vaccines. Jean-Pierre said booster shots would be available after the Labor Day holiday as the administration has worked with local partners.
Still, the grants for economic development indicate that the relief package could have a multi-decade impact that goes beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The New Orleans area will receive $50 million to use hydrogen produced by wind power that does not cause carbon emissions, a meaningful change in Louisiana, a state that has long depended on fossil fuels.
“With clean hydrogen, we can remain an energy state — but become an energy state of the future that has less impact on the environment,” said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc., an economic development nonprofit. “When money and morality come together, you get stuff done.” | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-biden-administration-awards-1-billion-for-economic-projects/ | 2022-09-02T14:59:18Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-biden-administration-awards-1-billion-for-economic-projects/ | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 28 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo are announcing on Friday $1 billion worth of federal grants for manufacturing, clean energy, farming, biotech and other sectors that will go to 21 regional partnerships.
The winners were chosen from 529 initial applicants vying for grants that were part of last year’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. The Biden administration has repeatedly laid out a vision for the economy that is more self-sufficient and driven by high-tech manufacturing and the development of renewable energy.
“The whole point of this is we’re not going to let you get left behind as we transition to a more digital economy, to a more technical economy, to a green economy,” Raimondo told The Associated Press. “People want to work where they live. People want to know there is a place for them in the changing economy.”
Unlike much of the pandemic aid that was meant to address immediate needs, the $1 billion in grants is part of a longer-term effort to revitalize parts of the country that have needed an economic jolt for existing industries and capital for new ventures. The mission is personal for Raimondo, whose father lost his job at a watch factory in Rhode Island. She said the grants are the largest ever for local economic development provided by the Commerce Department.
The grants include $65.1 million in California to improve farm production and $25 million for a robotics cluster in Nebraska. Georgia gets $65 million for artificial intelligence. There is $63.7 million for lithium-based battery development in New York. Coal counties in West Virginia would receive $62.8 million to help with the shift to solar power and find new uses for abandoned mines.
Raimondo said the winners were chosen based on merit rather than politics. She estimated that the investments, which will be provided over five years as reimbursements, will result in at least 100,000 jobs.
Solidly Republican states such as Oklahoma and South Dakota received funding, and money also is going ahead of November’s midterm elections toward political battlegrounds that could decide control of Congress. There is $44 million for regenerative medicine in New Hampshire, where Democrat Maggie Hassan is defending her U.S. Senate seat. Pennsylvania, which has an open Senate seat, is set to receive $62.7 million for robotics and artificial intelligence.
The massive amount of coronavirus aid at the start of President Joe Biden’s tenure helped to accelerate job growth as the U.S. recovered from the pandemic. But accompanying the hiring was a burst of inflation that hit a 40-year peak this summer, crushing consumer sentiment and putting the administration on the defensive to show how its policies are helping the economy.
Even as much of the coronavirus money has been disbursed, the administration has said it still needs more money to contain the disease and its variations. Biden unsuccessfully sought to get $22.5 billion from Congress to address and prevent outbreaks, a figure that lawmakers reduced to $10 billion in negotiations. But additional funding was never passed by Congress despite confirmed cases that are now averaging about 90,000 daily.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tried to minimize the lack of funding after the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved modified booster shots of the vaccines. Jean-Pierre said booster shots would be available after the Labor Day holiday as the administration has worked with local partners.
Still, the grants for economic development indicate that the relief package could have a multi-decade impact that goes beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The New Orleans area will receive $50 million to use hydrogen produced by wind power that does not cause carbon emissions, a meaningful change in Louisiana, a state that has long depended on fossil fuels.
“With clean hydrogen, we can remain an energy state — but become an energy state of the future that has less impact on the environment,” said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc., an economic development nonprofit. “When money and morality come together, you get stuff done.” | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-biden-administration-awards-1-billion-for-economic-projects/ | 2022-09-02T14:59:18Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/business-news/ap-business/ap-biden-administration-awards-1-billion-for-economic-projects/ | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 28 |
BEIJING (AP) — Hours after yet another assessment by outside observers that China’s crackdown in its far-west Xinjiang region may constitute crimes against humanity, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stepped up to a podium to go on the offensive.
“The so-called assessment you mentioned is orchestrated and produced by the U.S. and some Western forces” and is a “a political tool” meant to contain China, he said.
It was a tactic long used by Beijing to deflect criticism from its mass detentions of Uyghurs and other largely Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang: blame a Western conspiracy.
At home, it’s found a willing audience. But abroad, it’s angered Uyghurs and alienated foreigners. The result has been a splintering of views on Xinjiang in China and the West, a gap that threatens to fracture already-poor relations.
For decades, Beijing has struggled to integrate the Uyghurs, a historically Muslim group with close ethnic and linguistic ties to Turkey, locking the region in a cycle of revolt and repression. After bombings and knifings by a small number of extremist Uyghurs, Chinese leader Xi Jinping launched a crackdown, ensnaring huge numbers of people in a network of camps and prisons.
Since the beginning of the crackdown, the Chinese government has sought to control the narrative. They have done so through secrecy and censorship. But they have also done so by tapping into powerful, deep-rooted anti-Western sentiment, born out of a century of humiliation at the hands of the West.
Growing up in Xinjiang, Uyghur linguist Abduweli Ayup learned about how European empires marched on China’s capital and burned ancient palaces. He learned about the U.S. colonization of Hawaii and how it took Texas from Mexico.
Even as a Uyghur, Ayup said, this history instilled resentment.
“All our history we learn that China is the victim, and all those countries around us are very bad,” Ayup said, adding that he himself was opposed to the West until well into his adulthood. “Anti-Western sentiment is really strong.”
It wasn’t until his thirties, Ayup said, when he saw how the authorities weaponized historic grievances to deflect blame from themselves. On July 5, 2009, protests demanding justice for lynched Uyghurs turned bloody. Police opened fire, violent demonstrators stoned ethnic majority Han Chinese bystanders and hundreds were killed in the melee.
Beijing blamed the riots on overseas “terrorists” and “separatists” supported by foreign governments. They glossed over long-held Uyghur resentments and suppressed evidence showing that police, too, were in part responsible for the violence.
“I felt it was ridiculous,” Ayup said. “How could these foreign forces manipulate Uyghurs from far away?”
When the government first launched the crackdown, they sought to keep it secret. For months, they denied the existence of the camps.
But as evidence mounted, the state switched tactics and followed the same playbook: They hit back with accusations of a foreign plot.
When the BBC investigated labor practices in Xinjiang’s cotton fields, state media denounced the report as “using the so-called ‘research’ of anti-China scholars” to “concoct rumors.”
When a former Xinjiang resident gathered records on over 10,000 people detained in the region, a state spokesperson said the database was “created by anti-China figures” backed by the U.S. and Australia.
And after Omir Bekali, an ethnic Kazakh and Uyghur who spent eight months in detention, testified about torture inside the camps, he was branded a liar with “stories full of loopholes” by state media, feeding into “anti-China forces’ smears.”
It’s frustrating, Bekali said, because he believes most Han Chinese in China are well intentioned, but have been kept ignorant by the country’s sophisticated censorship apparatus.
“If you want to know the reality, speak to the victims,” he said. “The government controls the media, they keep on saying lies.”
As criticism mounted, Xinjiang authorities also moved quietly to scale down the most visible signs of repression. Though unclear whether it was due to global scrutiny or planned all along, the result was the same: It hid the intensity of the crackdown from outside visitors.
They took down barbed wire, dismantled some of the camps, and ripped out surveillance cameras peering over city streets, bare wires still dangling on poles overhead. They replaced the region’s hard-line leader with one from a wealthy coastal province, known more for developing economies than for brutal policing.
Then, they took journalists to vineyards and banquets, dance shows and historic mosques, with a clear, underlying message: Xinjiang is open for business.
Today, Xinjiang’s tourism industry is booming. Travelers stuck inside China because of its harsh “zero-COVID” policies are flocking to the region’s deserts, mountains and bazaars, lured by what they see as its exotic, Islam-infused character.
Though hundreds of thousands still languish in prison on secret charges, they’re tucked away in facilities behind forests and desert dunes, far from city centers and prying eyes. Voices that cut against the party line are silenced, with fear and sometimes with prison sentences.
As a result, ex-camp detainee Bekali said, “people inside China, they don’t know what’s really going on.”
With the latest report on abuses in Xinjiang, there’s been a change from the usual pattern: The assessment didn’t come from the U.S. State Department, or a rights group, or from Uyghurs in exile.
Instead, it came from the human rights office of the United Nations, an organization that China’s own leaders have repeatedly praised as the “core” of the international system. As a result, Beijing finds itself in an awkward spot, as the report threatens to puncture the party line.
Still, with independent information censored, the authorities have been largely successful in shaping the narrative within China’s borders. On Chinese social media, response to the report has been muted. And with Western sanctions and rhetoric aimed at China, resentment against the West has only grown stronger.
Today, from executives pacing downtown Beijing to teachers lecturing in lush Guangxi province, many Chinese wonder what all the Xinjiang fuss is about.
“People in Xinjiang live happy lives. All my friends living there are doing just fine,” said Ge Qing, a Han Chinese born and raised in Xinjiang who now runs a restaurant serving Uyghur cuisine. “I think foreign media are super biased against Xinjiang, they just can’t leave it alone.” | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-beijing-taps-into-anti-west-resentment-to-counter-un-report/ | 2022-09-02T15:02:12Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-beijing-taps-into-anti-west-resentment-to-counter-un-report/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Cameron Taylor was watching an illegal street race that had attracted hundreds to an intersection in Portland, Oregon, but decided to leave as the crowd got increasingly unruly. Moments later, gunfire erupted and Taylor was hit by a stray bullet as he and a friend headed to their car.
Police, who were overwhelmed with 911 calls about other shootings, couldn’t control multiple street takeovers in the city that night and had trouble finding the victims of three shootings that occurred during the chaos.
“His friend who was with him put him in the car and drove him out to get him to the hospital, but he was not able to make it and that friend called his parents” to say Taylor was dead, family friend Erin Russell told The Associated Press.
Taylor, 20, died Sunday the same day that four high-profile, public shooting rampages in Bend, Oregon, Phoenix, Detroit and Houston drew national headlines. His slaying went largely unnoticed amid the daily toll of gun violence that has come to define Portland and a number of other American cities since the pandemic.
Homicide rates appear to be dropping in some major U.S. cities, such as New York and Chicago, but in others killings are on the rise, particularly from guns. In Portland, the homicide rate surged 207% since 2019 and there have been more than 800 shootings so far this year. In Phoenix, police Chief Jeri Williams said this week the gun violence was the worst she’d seen in 33 years on the job.
“How many more officers have to be shot? How many more community members have to be killed before those in our community take a stand? This is not only a Phoenix police issue, this is a community issue,” she said after a weekend that tallied 17 shootings and 11 homicides citywide.
Now, police are on edge heading into Labor Day weekend, with its traditional end-of-summer festivities, and some are adding extra patrols as they brace for more potential violence.
In Portland, police busy with three killings and nine non-fatal shootings in 48 hours couldn’t control three illegal street races last weekend that attracted hundreds and shut down major intersections for hours. In Houston, the day after a gunman shot five neighbors, killing three, another man shot two sisters before killing himself.
In the past two weeks, authorities in Phoenix have confiscated 711 guns and made 525 gun-related arrests as part of a targeted crackdown. Nearly 90% of homicides there this year were by gun, police said. In Detroit, where a man is accused of shooting three people at random on city streets last weekend, authorities are also cracking down on gun violence in high-crime neighborhoods through Labor Day.
“Let’s stop talking about our inability to respond to crime in the community. Let’s stop advertising to criminals that they’re going to get away with it,” Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said, using an expletive at a City Council meeting this week after police Chief Chuck Lovell once more asked for more officers.
“I think we should stop using the messaging at every turn, that the reason we can’t help our citizens with basic criminal justice issues is because we don’t have the personnel,” Wheeler said. “We’ve got to figure out better ways to address this crisis.”
Last weekend’s rampages — which included a heavily armed assailant who stormed a central Oregon supermarket, random shootings on Detroit streets and a Phoenix man who opened fire while wearing body armor — were shocking and scary, but they aren’t representative of the broader toll gun violence is taking on American society, experts said.
Victims killed in mass shootings make up about 1% of all those killed in gun homicides nationwide, despite headlines that instill fear in many Americans, said James Fox, a professor at Northeastern University who has created a database of mass killings stretching back to 2006 with The Associated Press and USA Today.
All four shootings last weekend didn’t even meet the database’s definition of a mass killing — four or more people, excluding the assailant, killed in a 24-hour period — but they nonetheless sowed fear because of the random nature of the violence, he added.
“Those don’t tend to make news. They don’t tend to scare people because people say, ‘Well, that’s not my family,” Fox said. “We have as many as 20,000 gun homicides a year, and most of those are one victim. Sometimes two, sometimes three, (but) rarely four or more.”
The pandemic and the social unrest it caused has also played a role. Eight million Americans became first-time gun owners between 2019 and 2021, said Jeffrey Butts, director of the research and evaluation center for the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at City University of New York.
“We already had 400 million guns in circulation. So when you bump that up and include a lot of first-timers in the population, you get accidents, you get precipitous behavior, you get people reacting to small insults and conflicts with their guns because they’re in their pocket now,” he said.
Meanwhile Taylor’s friends and family mourn his death in Portland.
The car aficionado and beloved big brother who loved barbecues and spending time with his family was “at the wrong place at the wrong time,” Russell said.
“He has a lot of friends and a lot of family who love him dearly, and this is a devastating loss.”
____
Associated Press reporter Walt Berry in Phoenix contributed to this report.
____
Follow Gillian Flaccus on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gflaccus | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-devastating-mass-shootings-obscure-daily-u-s-gun-toll/ | 2022-09-02T15:02:27Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/news/us-and-world/ap-devastating-mass-shootings-obscure-daily-u-s-gun-toll/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Is the 2022 Apple MacBook Pro with M2 Chip worth it?
A good portion of our existence requires us to have everything on hand, no matter where we are — at home, at work, at school or on vacation. This includes having a portable computer that’s powerful and versatile.
This year, Apple released the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with an M2 chip, claiming it can assist you with “the power to take your business to the next level.”
We wanted to find out just how powerful the new MacBook Pro is. We tested it, and here’s what we found.
Testing the 2022 Apple MacBook Pro
Our tester has a lifetime of experience with computers and uses a laptop almost every day, whether it be for fun, school or work.
When our tester shops for a new laptop, there are three primary features they focus on: speed, battery life and ease of use. Our tester used the new MacBook Pro in a real-life environment to see how it performed.
What is the 2022 Apple MacBook Pro?
On the outside, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro looks very similar to the 2018 MacBook Pro. Apple used what worked from past models and upgraded what was lacking. The first two things we noticed were a more streamlined touch bar and a much nicer keyboard that offered a better user experience. The lightning-fast processor threw wait time out the window, even when we were loading applications.
The other noteworthy under-the-hood improvement was battery life. This laptop runs about twice as long per charge as previous models.
2022 Apple MacBook Pro price and where to buy
The 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro is available in silver or space gray and costs between $1,149-$1,449, depending on storage space and where you buy it. The model with 256GB of storage is on sale on Amazon for about $1,228.
How to use the 2022 Apple MacBook Pro
Setting up the MacBook Pro was straightforward, and you can be up and running in minutes. The key features we explored were audio, video, display, trackpad and keyboard. This allowed us to learn about the user experience and how to use the laptop.
Audio
The audio on this model is truly impressive considering how small the speakers are. It offers a clear, crisp sound that doesn’t degrade at higher volumes. As far as we’re concerned, Apple should shine a spotlight on the MacBook Pro’s audio; it’s a definite selling point.
Video
The 720p webcam was a little underwhelming, especially considering the cost. It does the job, but the picture is adequate rather than exceptional. This was a pain point for other users as well.
Display
While there’s nothing dramatically different about the screen, it feels crisper and more vibrant than earlier models. The text is sharp and easy to read, and the colors offer greater depth, which delivers an overall better visual experience.
Trackpad
As far as we can tell, the trackpad is relatively unchanged, but that’s not a bad thing. This feature has always offered a great deal of functionality in just a few square inches. The responsiveness gives it a very true-to-the-touch experience.
Keyboard
Our favorite physical upgrade was the keyboard. Thankfully, Apple abandoned the butterfly mechanism, which has been troublesome for many users. This keyboard actually feels and responds as a keyboard should, and we were thrilled with it.
2022 Apple MacBook Pro benefits
The new MacBook Pro is effortless to set up and can handle multiple tasks with ease. It offers connectivity across all Apple devices and has a vivid display with exceptional sound quality. For people who still need a wired connection, there are two Thunderbolt ports available on this model.
2022 Apple MacBook Pro drawbacks
The main drawback of any Apple product is the higher price. However, when you realize there are no ongoing fees or subscriptions required, you may actually spend less on an Apple product in the long run. The other drawback is you cannot upgrade this model to have more internal storage, though you can add external storage if needed. Lastly, some users don’t like that Apple products do not always function well with non-Apple devices and apps.
Should you get the 2022 Apple MacBook Pro?
If you’re looking for the best overall laptop that will work for any venture — professional or otherwise — this model will easily exceed your expectations. Wisely, Apple didn’t waste a lot of effort trying to upgrade elements that already worked for the MacBook Pro. Instead, it focused on features that would make a real difference for the user. It’s much faster, and the battery lasts much longer than the previous model, which are two things every user wants.
Consider other options
2021 Apple MacBook Pro (16-Inch)
If the 13-inch MacBook Pro doesn’t offer enough, you can leap up to the top-of-the-line 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro. This laptop still has the M1 Max chip, but it features a 10-Core CPU, a 32-Core GPU, 32GB unified memory and 1TB of SSD storage.
Sold by Amazon
For individuals who prefer a tablet, an iPad is a better option. This impressive tablet has an all-day battery life, Tru Tone colors, a 12.9-inch liquid Retina XDR display, a Thunderbolt port for connectivity and more. It manages to pack a lot of power while still being thin, lightweight and portable.
Sold by Amazon
HP Envy x360 Convertible Laptop
If you’re not a fan of Apple products, there are other laptops that can get the job done. This convertible model from HP gives you a two-in-one design with a laptop that folds down into a tablet. It has a touchscreen and comes with Windows OS.
Sold by HP
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Allen Foster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/laptop-computers-br/macbook-2022-review-are-its-updated-features-worth-the-price/ | 2022-09-02T15:04:07Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/laptop-computers-br/macbook-2022-review-are-its-updated-features-worth-the-price/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
What’s the best sleep support supplement?
Sleeping is the body’s repair and recovery process. Waking up from a good night’s sleep with energy and clarity of mind is an invigorating feeling. And since poor sleep can harm physical and mental health, fighting insomnia and supporting restorative sleep are important.
Sleep supplements are made with natural ingredients designed to calm the mind and relax the body. For its multi-ingredient formula that helps you sleep longer, the best sleep support supplement is the Dr. Mercola Sleep Support with Melatonin.
What to know before you buy a sleep support supplement
What is a sleep support supplement?
Many people suffering from low-quality sleep need a boost of natural ingredients that have been used naturopathically for centuries to help the body help itself.
Sleep support supplements relax muscles and calm the mind. They slow the heart rate and reduce stress throughout the body.
When to take a sleep support supplement
A considerable percentage of Americans don’t experience regular restful sleep. According to the National Institutes of Health, one in three adults suffers from insomnia.
Poor sleep has many effects on our bodies, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It can alter concentration and mood. It also can increase blood pressure and the risk of a cardiovascular event. It even hampers our immune system’s defenses against illness.
When you feel like your quality of life is being damaged by poor sleep, it may be time to consider a sleep support supplement. Consult your health care provider for guidance.
Types of sleep support supplements
There are two types of sleep support supplements:
- Natural sleep supplements are available over the counter and are made from natural ingredients. They do not contain any controlled substances or synthetic chemicals made in a laboratory. Most include herbal and plant-based ingredients that have been used for centuries to treat sleep disorders. Some include other ingredients designed to work in tandem to relax the body.
- Synthetic sleep supplements are created in a laboratory. Some are sold over the counter, but these are usually antihistamines that trigger initial drowsiness. Prescription sleeping pills are powerful sedatives that shut down the brain, but they can be habit-forming and have other negative side effects. Always consult your health care provider to discuss the benefits and risks of synthetic sleep aids.
What to look for in a sleep support supplement
Form
Sleep support supplements come in three distinct forms.
- Capsules and tablets are the most common but can be difficult to swallow. They also can have strong flavors and an aftertaste.
- Liquid supplements are easy to swallow and quickly absorbed by the body.
- Chewable edibles come as gummies or baked goods that contain natural ingredients and are easily swallowed.
Melatonin
Melatonin is the best-known natural sleep supplement. It is a hormone produced in the brain that increases at night to signal the body to slow down. Melatonin doses range from 1 to 10 milligrams. It may take some trial and error to find the right dose for you.
Other ingredients
- L-theanine is an amino acid from tea leaves that relaxes the body.
- Lavender is most commonly used as an essential oil for aromatherapy, but the sweet-smelling flower also can be found in capsules and tea. It’s known for reducing stress.
- Valerian root is an herbal treatment that induces drowsiness. It comes in capsule form, although valerian root tea is available for those who can tolerate its strong smell and taste.
- Chamomile is an herbal remedy to slow down a busy mind. It comes in a flavorful tea or capsule.
Free of allergens
Look for supplements that are manufactured without common allergens such as gluten, soy, dairy and nuts. Non-GMO and vegan products also have high standards in how they are produced.
How much you can expect to spend on a sleep support supplement
A month’s supply costs $5-$30, affected by the number of doses per container and the complexity of the ingredients. Liquid supplements usually cost more than pills and edibles.
Sleep support supplement FAQ
What are ways to naturally increase melatonin at night?
A. One of the best ways to help your brain stimulate melatonin at night is to turn off your TV, computer and smartphone at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light emitted from these devices keeps the brain operating at full speed and may delay your falling asleep.
What are other ways to improve sleep?
A. Avoid heavy meals and snacks, close to bedtime since this stimulates the digestive system. Limit caffeine use later in the day. And maintain the same sleeping schedule on the weekend, which keeps your sleep cycle consistent.
What is the best sleep support supplement to buy?
Top sleep support supplement
Dr. Mercola Sleep Support with Melatonin
What you need to know: This is formulated with a blend of vitamins, enzymes and melatonin to calm the body and mind.
What you’ll love: Composed of melatonin and 10 supporting ingredients including niacin, vitamin B6, jujube and chamomile, these pills are designed to promote a relaxed state of mind at night and restore morning alertness. They are free of GMOs, soy and gluten.
What you should consider: Some consumers felt the natural ingredients did not enhance the effects of melatonin.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and iHerb
Top sleep support supplement for the money
Force Factor Somnapure Melatonin and Natural Botanicals
What you need to know: This affordable sleep supplement features natural ingredients that promote falling asleep faster.
What you’ll love: There are 3 milligrams of melatonin in each tablet. L-theanine and valerian root extract are meant to calm the mind. The supplement is designed for refreshed awakening. It is made in the United States and not habit forming.
What you should consider: The natural smell and taste are off-putting to some users.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Elderberry Hill Liquid Multimineral Night Time Formula
What you need to know: This focuses on a good night’s sleep, but also promotes immunity health.
What you’ll love: This American-made supplement is packed with vitamins and minerals. The liquid formula is easy to swallow and made for better absorption.
What you should consider: The cranberry flavor is intense and may leave an aftertaste.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/supplements-br/best-sleep-support-supplement/ | 2022-09-02T15:04:14Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/supplements-br/best-sleep-support-supplement/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
US 2-year yields are now down 12.2 basis points on the day to 3.39%. The easy explanation is that the fall in the unemployment rate in the jobs report along with a slight miss on wage growth is dovish.
But to me that's a stretch. I think the important context is the rise in yields since the start of the week. We closed last week at 3.39% and yields hit 3.55% yesterday. Nothing really changed in that time though the market was still probably digesting the Jackson Hole speech.
What I do see is the market struggling with where the terminal top lands. A 75 bps hike now could mean a lower top and we're seeing some of that. After flirting with +4% this week, the market has eased back to the 3.75-4.00% range.
I also wonder of technical and flow factors were in play through the turn of the calendar. There was a 'sell everything' mode for a few days and that may be a hint of fund redemptions or something else unrelated to fundamentals. | https://www.forexlive.com/news/us-2-year-yields-plunge-20220902/ | 2022-09-02T15:05:38Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/news/us-2-year-yields-plunge-20220902/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
- Prior was +2.0%
- Durable goods orders -0.1% vs +0.0% prelim
- Durable goods orders non-defense ex-air +0.3% vs +0.4% prelim
- Durables ex transport +0.2% vs +0.3% prelim
- Factory orders ex-transport +0.2% vs +1.4% prior
There was a big negative skew in transport orders here but the other metrics look fine.
This is the final scheduled news item for the week. The Fed calendar is quiet as well and Monday is a US holiday. | https://www.forexlive.com/news/us-july-factory-orders-10-vs-02-expected-20220902/ | 2022-09-02T15:05:45Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/news/us-july-factory-orders-10-vs-02-expected-20220902/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The AUDUSD moved to the lowest level since July 15 yesterday, and in the process got close to the 50% midpoint of the move up from the March 2020 low. That level comes in at 0.6756. The low price yesterday reached 0.67706 (got within 14 pips). The price yesterday closed lower for the 3rd consecutive day. The price has been been down four of the 5 trading days (the price did move higher on Monday).
Looking at the hourly chart, the move to the upside today did find sellers against its 100 hour moving average (blue line) currently at 0.68504. Sellers leaned against the level and backed the price off. The current price trades at 0.6823.
Although higher, the inability to get above the 100 hour moving average is a concern.
On the topside, ahead of the 100 hour moving average watch the 0.6840 level. That was the swing low from both Monday and Wednesday. The corrective high after failing against the 100 hour moving average has been able to stay below that level keeping the sellers in the driver's seat. | https://www.forexlive.com/technical-analysis/audusd-higher-for-the-first-time-in-4-days-20220902/ | 2022-09-02T15:05:51Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/technical-analysis/audusd-higher-for-the-first-time-in-4-days-20220902/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The US stocks are taking back to the upside. The Dow industrial average is up around 250 points. The NASDAQ index is up 103 points as it looks to snapped it's losing streak looking to snap its 5 day losing streak today.
Looking at the hourly chart of the NASDAQ index, the price low yesterday stalled near the 61.8% retracement and also the swing low going back to July 26. The rebound to the upside today has now taken the price above the 50% midpoint of the move up from the June 16 low to the August 16 high. That midpoint comes in at 11870. The current prices trading at 11893 up 106 8 points or 0.92%. | https://www.forexlive.com/technical-analysis/us-stocks-ticking-back-toward-the-highs-20220902/ | 2022-09-02T15:06:09Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/technical-analysis/us-stocks-ticking-back-toward-the-highs-20220902/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Climate change may increase turbulence, researchers say
Published: Sep. 2, 2022 at 8:35 AM CDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
(CNN) - Riding in an airplane could become bumpier in the future.
According to U.K. researchers, climate change is modifying turbulence and it may increase by two- or three-fold worldwide starting in 2050.
However, they said that doesn’t mean taking to the skies will be less safe since planes are designed to handle the high winds.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported turbulence is the top cause of injuries to passengers and staff in non-fatal accidents.
According to the National Center for Atmospheric Research, turbulence causes around $500 million annually in injuries, delays and damage.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbko.com/2022/09/02/climate-change-may-increase-turbulence-researchers-say/ | 2022-09-02T15:06:20Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/2022/09/02/climate-change-may-increase-turbulence-researchers-say/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Will Democrats spending millions on ads on GOP rivals pay off in November?
Democrats say the campaign strategy is rooted in defining candidates they believe are “extreme Republicans” before the general election so they can’t claim to be moderate.
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Democrats say the time around a primary election is when most voters are paying attention to candidates.
“We believe we need to start educating voters about how extreme the Republican candidates are early,” said David Turner of the Democratic Governors Association in Washington, D.C.
The DGA is receiving criticism for its spending on primary ads across the country. For example, in the Illinois governor’s race, the organization is accused of dropping millions on political ads on GOP candidates. The nomination of Republican state Senator Darren Bailey is believed to be heavily impacted by political spending of the DGA and Democratic incumbent Governor J.B. Pritzker.
Citing campaign finance laws, DGA didn’t offer a direct dollar amount spent on ads; however, the total amount is estimated to be around $30 million on Illinois and other races.
“We’re using our resources where we think it’s going to make the biggest impact,” said Turner. “We think defining these candidates early as extremists and out of touch with the concerns of most Americans is really important so that our eventual nominee is set up for success in November.”
Anna Massoglia of the nonpartisan website Open Secrets calls this strategy “election meddling.”
“It’s happening in a number of ways, and across the country in a way it hasn’t in prior cycles,” said Massoglia.
She believes the Democrats use of it with certain candidates is a gamble.
“Seeing them prop up these candidates that they don’t necessarily want in office, and that becomes a very dangerous game,” said Massoglia.
Massoglia says both groups are “meddling” in each other’s races, and that political action and dark money groups are also interfering.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbko.com/2022/09/02/will-democrats-spending-millions-ads-gop-rivals-pay-off-november/ | 2022-09-02T15:06:48Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/2022/09/02/will-democrats-spending-millions-ads-gop-rivals-pay-off-november/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Week 3 Football Preview: MVL Small Schools aim to stay perfect
Early-season success can build momentum for an entire season, and three Muskingum Valley League Small Schools aim to continue their winning ways this weekend.
New Lexington (2-0) welcomes John Glenn (0-2) and Morgan (2-0) heads to Philo (1-1) on Friday night, while West Muskingum (2-0) welcomes Shroder at 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
The rest of the schedule includes Tri-Valley (1-1) welcoming Jackson (1-1), Rosecrans (1-1) hosting Berne Union (1-1), River View (0-2) traveling to Crooksville (0-2), Zanesville (1-1) heading to Fort Frye (2-0), Maysville (1-1) visiting Coshocton (0-2) and Sheridan (1-1) entertaining Logan (0-2).
All Friday's games kick off at 7 p.m. except for Jackson-Tri-Valley, which starts at 7:30 p.m.
John Glenn at New Lexington
The Panthers and Muskies have started on the opposite ends of the spectrum. New Lex has outscored its first two opponents 79-32, including 56-7 in the first half, while John Glenn's offense has sputtered, scoring only 18 points in two weeks compared to giving up 61.
Lukas Ratliff has made a smooth transition to the quarterback role, aided by the catching ability of Tatem Toth and the running of Hunter Rose. Jerek Braglin has also developed into another receiving threat for the Panthers, who have also been strong on defense after struggling on that side last season.
This will be the Panthers' toughest test to date against an experienced John Glenn squad. The Muskies have missed the production of Colt Emerson and been slowed by injury, but QB Noah Winland and WR Nathan Walker have a strong connection on offense. Logan Gilcher can carry the load on the ground to provide balance.
Fort Frye and Bloom Carroll have been able to notch big plays against the Muskie defense, and New Lex will aim for the same.
For John Glenn, finding consistency on offense is key. The Muskies have missed out on some opportunities, but they must capitalize to avoid going 0-3.
Morgan at Philo
The Electrics have owned this series for the past decade, but this is a different Raiders' team than past years. Logan Niceswanger and Carson Copeland have guided Morgan, which is off to its first 2-0 start since 2007, to 72 points in the first two weeks despite a scoreless second half in last week's 28-24 win at Vincent Warren.
Niceswanger has found a connection with Kole Searl on the outside, and Wade Pauley has been a force on both sides of the ball, especially in short yardage situations on offense. Morgan was also more productive on defense last week, forcing three turnovers and shutting out the Warriors in the second half.
Philo struggled on offense last week, despite the defense holding Carrollton to 221 total yards and 2-of-11 third-down conversions and giving up nine first downs. The Electrics only found the end zone once, despite going 6 of 14 on third downs and averaging nearly 5 yards per carry, as seven offensive penalties and two turnovers offset those marks.
Demetrius Strickland and Case Fink shared snaps under center last week and went a combined 11-of-18 for 73 yards, with Strickland completing 7 of his 8 attempts. Both can also run the ball, while Drew Lincicome and Blake Linkous highlight the running backs, and Cade Searls is the Electrics' No. 1 receiver.
This game will be a telling sign for both squads. If Morgan can reach 3-0, the Raiders seem on a path to contend for the MVL Small School title and a postseason spot. If Philo finds a way, it would be a nice boost heading to River View in Week 4.
Jackson at Tri-Valley
The Scotties found some offense last week. Max Lyall and Ashton Sensibaugh connected on three touchdowns, while the defense forced six turnovers, but allowed Licking Heights to gain 473 yards and earn 24 first downs.
The Ironmen come in after a 29-26 loss to perennial Southeast Ohio power Ironton. Jackson held a 26-14 lead at the half, as Jacob Winters threw four first-half touchdowns. He finished 12 of 18 for 210 yards with an interception.
Brodie Butcher highlighted the Ironmen receivers with three catches for 60 yards and two scores, Eli Broerman ran for 95 yards on 15 carries and caught a 42-yard TD pass, and Cade Wolford chipped in 76 yards on 17 carries. The Ironmen committed five turnovers despite gaining 432 yards, but forced three Ironton turnovers.
Tri-Valley must build on last week's offensive effort and hope the defense remains opportunistic with some takeaways.
bhannahs@gannett.com; @brandonhannahs | https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2022/09/02/week-3-football-preview-mvl-small-schools-aim-to-stay-perfect/65465958007/ | 2022-09-02T15:07:40Z | zanesvilletimesrecorder.com | control | https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2022/09/02/week-3-football-preview-mvl-small-schools-aim-to-stay-perfect/65465958007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SOAP LAKE, Wash. — Smack dab in the middle of the state of Washington, you will find the city of Soap Lake, a slice of heaven for the thousands of people who visit and live here. But this lakeside retreat is also home to what just might be the golf course from hell.
"You're at Lava Links golf course," said town historian Burr Beckwith. "It's a 9 hole golf course, kind of a pitch and putt. You only need two clubs, a putter and a nine iron."
We looked over the course and counted nine red flags standing in various parts of a lot filled with sagebrush, sand, and basalt rocks.
"It's kind of like playing golf on the moon, if you can imagine that," Beckwith said.
The folks in Soap Lake said this lot was once an eyesore until about 20 years ago when then mayor De Vaun Black started up his tractor and drove around pulling a railroad tie behind him.
"It was not a pleasant place and so this has been a huge upgrade," Beckwith said.
The locals say Lava Links is fun, free, and not to be taken seriously. Nels Borg once got a hole in one when his ball hit some rocks, bounced up high in the air, and trickled through some sagebrush onto the sand that serves as a green.
"Talent," is Borg's explanation. He's now the honorary golf pro here.
The golfers do have one big word of advice about playing Lava Links. Play in the early morning or at twilight.
"Because it gets pukin' hot here," Beckwith explained.
Evening hosts Jim Dever and Saint Bryan began playing at high noon on a windless August day when it hit 94 degrees.
Click on the video to watch those two bad sports trying to play Lava Links for the first time!
"You have to go and experience it for yourself," Beckwith said. "Make up your own mind and like I said you're not paying for it either,"
There's one more point to be made about Lava Links. It may not look like much but it just might be the greenest golf course in the world. Not one square inch of the course ever gets watered.
"And we are, of course, in an extreme drought here," Beckwith said. "Any water you save is a good thing."
A special thanks to Dulyfixed Small Business Solutions for letting us use their drone footage of Lava Links.
KING 5's Evening celebrates the Northwest. Contact us: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email. | https://www.krem.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/soap-lake-wa-worlds-worst-golf-course/281-99335bc7-977f-4eea-9ac5-b8fca8bd37a7 | 2022-09-02T15:20:43Z | krem.com | control | https://www.krem.com/article/entertainment/television/programs/soap-lake-wa-worlds-worst-golf-course/281-99335bc7-977f-4eea-9ac5-b8fca8bd37a7 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho State Board of Education (ISBOE) created a confidential form called "See Tell Now!" for students and staff to report any level of concerning information in Idaho schools.
The form routes the reported tips to the appropriate agency. Low-level tips, such as bullying, go to school administration; high-level emergencies go to local dispatch, according to ISBOE School Safety and Security Program Manager Mike Munger.
"We don't wanna end up in a situation where everyone knew what was going on, but nothing was done about it because they didn't communicate that to anyone," Munger said. "A lot of times we see kids know what is going on, but they don't have the tools to communicate it to the people who need to know."
Around 230 schools in Idaho are promoting 'See Tell Now!' This has brought awareness to roughly 110,000 Idaho students; that's roughly 1/3 of the state's K-12 population, according to Munger.
The West Ada School District is the largest in the state. They signed onto the program starting in the 2022-23 school year.
The program intends to serve as a preventative measure to stop violent incidents at schools - such as a shooting - before it occurs in the first place.
The Cassia School District (CSD) has used the program for years; it has been successful in providing troubled students with the help they need, according to CSD Student Safety Coordinator Gail Gallegos.
"I don't ever want us to have a situation where we can't return those students to their parents," Gallegos said.
Tips to CSD administration from the 'See Tell Now!' report form often include suicidal ideations and bullying, according to Gallegos. When a tip comes to the district, the Cassia Threat Assessment Team determines the credibility of the tip and how to handle it.
The threat assessment team includes Gallegos, the district superintendent, several principals, mental health experts, juvenile detention representatives, an attorney, the school resource officer, and the deputy sheriff.
"We never want to make a decision with one person on how to handle a student," Gallegos said. "The other day we had a 2.5 hour meeting on a student."
A CSD student in recent years made "significant threats" against others, according to Gallegos. The report form brought this concern to the district administration.
The student received mental health resources; the district transferred the student to a different school.
"He was upset about that, and I said, 'I'm going to be there when you graduate.' And graduation night he sent me a text saying, 'where are you?'" Gallegos said. "He's doing great. It brings tears to my eyes to think about him, because he is truly a success story."
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- Still reading this list? We're on YouTube, too: | https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/idaho-state-board-education-promotes-school-safety-see-tell-now-report/277-5a35ed04-c5fa-4422-8cac-7b3bd4a1807e | 2022-09-02T15:20:49Z | krem.com | control | https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/idaho-state-board-education-promotes-school-safety-see-tell-now-report/277-5a35ed04-c5fa-4422-8cac-7b3bd4a1807e | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON — America’s employers slowed their hiring in August in the face of rising interest rates, high inflation and sluggish consumer spending, all of which weakened the outlook for the economy.
The government reported Friday that the economy added 315,000 jobs last month, down from 526,000 in July and below the average gain of the previous three months. The unemployment rate rose to 3.7%, from a half-century low of 3.5% in July, as more Americans came off the sidelines to look for jobs.
The smaller August gain will likely be welcomed by the Federal Reserve. The Fed is rapidly raising interest rates to try to cool hiring and wage growth, which have been consistently strong. Businesses typically pass the cost of higher wages on to their customers through higher prices, thereby fueling inflation.
Fed officials hope that by raising borrowing costs across the economy, they can reduce inflation from a near-40-year high. Some economists fear, though, that the Fed is tightening credit so aggressively that it will eventually tip the economy into recession.
The government was expected to report that employers added 300,000 jobs last month, according to a survey of economists by the data provider FactSet. That would be down from a blockbuster gain of 528,000 in July and an average of about 440,000 over the past three months. The unemployment rate is expected to remain at 3.5%, FactSet says, matching a half-century low.
A weaker pace of hiring should help moderate wage increases and lift hopes that inflation pressures are starting to ease. That, in turn, would help the Fed make progress toward its goal of conquering high inflation, which is near a four-decade high.
Many companies pass along their higher labor costs to customers through price increases. Conversely, when wages rise more slowly, businesses have less need to raise prices.
Chair Jerome Powell and other Fed officials have increasingly stressed their determination to tame inflation even at the cost of damaging the economy. In a major speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming last week, Powell underscored the Fed's tight focus on curbing inflation and said he was prepared to continue raising short-term interest rates and keep them elevated to achieve that goal. He warned that the Fed's inflation fight would likely cause pain for Americans in the form of a weaker economy and job losses.
The stock market has fallen every day since that speech as fears that the Fed may cause a recession have escalated.
Powell also said the job market is “clearly out of balance,” with demand for workers “substantially exceeding” the available supply. Indeed, the government reported this week that the number of available jobs rose in July to a near-record high, after three months of declines. There are roughly two open jobs for every unemployed worker, a sign that many companies are still desperate to hire and may keep raising wages to do so.
“I don’t think the Fed is rooting for a poor jobs report, but they are certainly not rooting for a repeat of July,” when hiring accelerated and wage increases were strong, said Gregory Daco, chief economist at Parthenon-EY. “They are going to want to see some moderation.”
The central bank has raised its short-term rate to a range of 2.25% to 2.5% this year, after the fastest series of increases since it began using its short-term rate to influence the economy in the early 1990s. It has projected that its key rate will reach a range of 3.25% to 3.5% by year's end. Those rate hikes have made borrowing and spending steadily more expensive for individuals and businesses. The housing market, in particular, has been weakened by higher loan rates.
The jobs figures will also help fill out the economic backdrop as this fall's congressional elections intensify. Republicans have pointed to high inflation to try to pummel Democrats in midterm campaigns. The Biden administration has pushed back and claimed credit for a robust pace of job growth.
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, told reporters this week that “we’re expecting job numbers to cool off a bit.” The administration has been saying for months that it expects the economy to move to slower but still-steady growth after a swift economic rebound from the pandemic that came with a burst of inflation.
Wages are rising at the fastest pace in decades as employers scramble to fill jobs at a time when fewer Americans are working or seeking work in the aftermath of the pandemic. Average hourly pay jumped 5.2% in July from a year earlier. Still, that was less than the 5.6% year-over-year in March, which was the largest annual increase in 15 years of records outside of the spring of 2020, when the pandemic struck.
Higher wages aren't necessarily inflationary if they are accompanied by greater efficiencies — if, for example, workers use machines or technology to produce more output. But worker efficiency, or productivity, has tumbled in the past year.
Loretta Mester, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, said Wednesday that “current wage increases are not consistent with inflation returning to our 2% goal” and that she thought with worker productivity so low, wage growth would have to slow to 3.5% or so to reduce inflation.
Yet some skeptics warn that the Fed may be focusing excessively on the strength of the job market when other indicators indicate that the economy is noticeably weakening. Consumer spending, for example, and manufacturing have slowed. The central bank might raise rates too far as a result, to the point where it causes a deeper recession than might be needed to conquer inflation.
“They run a risk of not realizing how much those rate hikes are restraining economic growth, if they’re just looking at the really strong employment gains,” said Jonathan Pingle, chief U.S. economist at Swiss bank UBS. “You could end up risking over tightening or moving too fast, too soon.”
The economic picture is highly uncertain, with the healthy pace of hiring and low unemployment at odds with the government's estimate that the economy shrank in the first six months of this year, which is one informal definition of a recession.
Yet a related measure of the economy's growth, which focuses on incomes, shows that it is still expanding, if at a weak pace.
So far, the Fed's rate hikes have severely dented the housing market. With the average rate on a thirty-year mortgage reaching 5.66% last week — double the level of a year ago — sales of existing homes have fallen for six straight months.
Consumers have moderated their spending in the face of much higher prices, though they spent more in July even after adjusting for inflation. But companies' investment in new equipment has slowed, indicating they have an increasingly cautious outlook on the economy.
____
AP Writer Josh Boak contributed to this report. | https://www.krem.com/article/news/nation-world/us-hiring-slows/507-682ddcae-a895-4768-9697-34151b2731cd | 2022-09-02T15:20:55Z | krem.com | control | https://www.krem.com/article/news/nation-world/us-hiring-slows/507-682ddcae-a895-4768-9697-34151b2731cd | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Without Bobby Wagner, who will lead the Seahawks defense in 2022?
We examine what the Seahawks' defense and special teams units will look like when Week 1 rolls around.
Editor's note: This story is part of KING 5's Seahawks season preview series.
A brand new Seattle Seahawks season is upon us, although the 2022 edition will look noticeably different than years past at some key spots.
The quarterback position might be the most obvious with Russell Wilson now in Denver, but longtime linebacker Bobby Wagner arguably leaves a more gaping hole in the heart of the Seahawks defense.
Wagner returned to his roots in southern California and someone new will have to step up and become the vocal, on-field leader of Seattle's defense. Clint Hurtt is in his first season as the Seahawks defensive coordinator, although he has been on the defensive coaching staff since 2017.
KING 5 SEASON PREVIEW: All of our stories breaking down the Seahawks
So how does the defensive depth chart look entering the 2022 NFL season?
Let's examine each level of the defense, as well as who will be manning the most visible roles on special teams.
Defensive line
Shelby Harris and Poona Ford are expected to be the Week 1 starters at defensive line, while Al Woods will hold down the nose tackle spot in the team's new 3-4 defensive scheme.
Harris was part of the package the Seahawks received in the Wilson trade with the Broncos. The veteran started 16 games for Denver in 2021, finishing with six sacks, two pass deflections and one forced fumble along with a total of 49 tackles.
Ford was signed by the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and enters his fifth season in Seattle. He started all 33 of the team's regular-season games the past two seasons at nose tackle and likely will slide between both tackle and end throughout the season. Ford had 53 combined tackles with two sacks in 2021.
KING 5 SEASON PREVIEW: Ranking the 10 best players on the Seahawks
Woods returns after signing a one-year contract with the Seahawks before the 2021 season. Woods set career-highs in tackles and QB hits last season and will be counted on as one of the elder statesmen of this somewhat young defensive unit.
The Seahawks also claimed defensive end Daryl Johnson off waivers after he was let go by the Carolina Panthers. He played three games in 2021 before going on injured reserve and could end up playing either defensive end or outside linebacker in the Seahawks' new scheme. Speaking of which...
Linebacker
As previously mentioned, Wagner's absence opens up a void in the middle of the Seahawks defense. Jordyn Brooks is expected to be the player stepping up and filling that spot in 2022, with Cody Barton also expected to start as an inside linebacker. The new 3-4 outside linebackers are expected to be Uchenna Nwosu and Darrell Taylor.
Brooks was the team's first-round draft choice in 2020 and led the NFL in solo tackles last season with 109. Over his time in Seattle, Brooks has a total of 241 tackles, including 12 for loss and seven pass deflections.
KING 5 SEASON PREVIEW: 5 best games on the Seahawks' 2022 schedule
Barton was the Seahawks' third-round draft pick in 2019 and made 37 tackles in 2021 over 16 games played (with one start). Barton played some safety in college before transitioning to linebacker and will be tasked with more pass coverage this season as the weakside middle linebacker opposite Brooks.
Nwosu played his first four NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers before signing with the Seahawks in March. He started 15 games in 2021 and picked up 40 tackles -- including five sacks -- as well as four pass deflections and two forced fumbles.
KING 5 SEASON PREVIEW: Seahawks to draft and avoid in fantasy football drafts
Taylor was a Seattle second-round pick in 2020 but made his first on-field contributions a season ago. He had 37 tackles including 6.5 sacks as a defensive end in 2021 and should continue to get ample pass-rush opportunities in the team's new scheme. Taylor has been one of the more intense players in training camp and appears highly motivated for 2022.
One other name from this group to keep an eye on is 2022 second-round pick Boye Mafe. Showing off his high motor throughout the preseason, Mafe could end up being a major contributor as a pass rusher and on special teams.
Secondary
The Seahawks will feature two of the NFL's 10 highest-paid safeties in Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs, as well as Sidney Jones IV and Artie Burns expected to start at cornerback in Week 1.
Adams hasn't quite produced to the level expected when the Seahawks traded a haul of draft picks to acquire him from the New York Jets in 2020. Limited to 12 games in each of his first two years in Seattle, Adams will be determined to stay healthy and return to the All-Pro/Pro Bowl caliber production he's shown in the past. Adams had 87 tackles and five pass deflections in 2021.
KING 5 SEASON PREVIEW: 5 top storylines for 2022 Seahawks season
Diggs signed a three-year extension with the Seahawks earlier this year and tallied five interceptions and seven pass deflections while earning Pro Bowl honors in 2021. High expectations will land on both Diggs and Adams as they live up to the sizable investment the Seahawks have made in the position.
Jones IV returns for this second season with the Seahawks, after starting 11 games in 2021 and finishing with 66 tackles and 10 pass deflections. Another University of Washington product on the Seahawks, Jones' availability for the season opener remains up in the air due to a concussion during the first full week of practice.
Burns comes to Seattle after spending the 2021 season with the Chicago Bears. The former Miami Hurricane posted an impressive 85.1 Pro Football Focus grade in coverage and finished with six pass deflections in just 11 games.
Two other names at cornerback to keep an eye on are rookies Coby Bryant and Tariq Woolen.
KING 5 SEASON PREVIEW: Meet the rookies that could make an impact in 2022
Bryant has been hyper-competitive in practice against Seahawks wide receivers and should begin the season in many of the defense's nickel packages.
Woolen's remarkable physical traits should lead to him eventually finding his way into the Seahawks' starting lineup, whether that be sometime this season or after a year of learning behind Jones IV and Burns.
Now let's do a quick run-through of the Seahawks' most notable special teams players.
Special teams
Jason Myers once again will handle the kicking duties for the Seahawks, after connecting on 17 of his 23 field goal attempts in 2021. He will hope to recapture the magic that led him to hit all 24 of his attempts in 2020, one of which came
from 61 yards out.
Michael Dickson is also back as the Seahawks' punter for his fifth NFL season. The former fifth-round draft choice was named to the Pro Bowl in his rookie season.
Returning punts in 2022 will be Dee Eskridge, who returned some kickoffs in his rookie season with the Seahawks a year ago but was nagged by a concussion for much of 2021. Eskridge is one of the faster players on the team and likely will see extensive playing time on special teams.
DeeJay Dallas appears slated to be the kickoff returner for the Seahawks after he had 33 returns in 2021. Dallas was one of the brightest stars from the preseason and training camp and could see an increased workload at running back given the injury to Kenneth Walker III. | https://www.krem.com/article/sports/nfl/seahawks/seahawks-season-preview-defense-special-teams/281-9026cdda-3292-486b-928b-4fb7050eed76 | 2022-09-02T15:21:01Z | krem.com | control | https://www.krem.com/article/sports/nfl/seahawks/seahawks-season-preview-defense-special-teams/281-9026cdda-3292-486b-928b-4fb7050eed76 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SEATTLE — AAA expects travel is up across the board this Labor Day weekend, whether people are flying or driving.
Friday will be one of the busiest travel days at SeaTac International Airport (SEA), with 10% more passengers than last year, inching closer to pre-pandemic levels.
The Sprangs are one of thousands of travelers into Seattle this weekend.
“Dave Matthews Band. We’re going to the Gorge. They're playing a three-day concert over the weekend so we got here a day early so we can relax before seeing some music,” said Jonathan and Kristen Sprang.
AAA reports Seattle is the number one domestic destination this Labor Day weekend.
“Our busiest day as always is on Friday and we're expecting to see 161,00 passengers, that's arriving, departing, connecting,” said Perry Cooper, spokesperson for SEA.
The surge in travel comes after people have been dealing with a summer of delays and cancellations at airports across the country.
“We've had some delays and some bumpy rides every now and then but this was a smooth one,” said Jonathan Sprang.
Just in time for the busy travel day, the Department of Transportation rolled out a new customer service dashboard so vacationers can see what kind of guarantees, refunds, or compensation airlines offer in case of delays or cancellations.
"I want to make sure it's very clearly spelled out so that passengers know what they're getting when they buy a ticket,” said Pete Buttigieg, United States Secretary of Transportation.
SeaTac said unlike other airports, it hasn't seen as many cancellations because people's trips typically start or end in Seattle, but it has dealt with some staffing shortages.
“Everybody throughout the region, throughout the country is dealing with staffing situations so we're encouraging people to have some grace and understanding with the staffing situation,” said Cooper.
AAA said more people are also driving to Seattle this weekend, likely due to a steady decline in prices at the pump.
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said you can expect to see some congestion.
“Especially for example, on I-90 westbound on Friday, from probably late morning, into the evening, because people will have to work and they won't get away till late,” said Tom Pearce, spokesperson for WSDOT.
WSDOT said to expect traffic backs up from the south on Northbound I-5 in the Olympia-Tacoma area. WSDOT said the best time to travel if you can is early in the morning or later in the evening. It’s also halting construction for the busy weekend.
“I do want to caution people that if we have to get out and do an emergency repair, or if there's a collision out there, those folks are going to need room to work. Be patient with them,” said Pearce.
Monday is the next busiest travel day.
SeaTac is telling people to plan ahead and arrive two hours early for a domestic flight and three hours early for an international flight.
SeaTac is expected to be at or above pre-pandemic levels by 2024. | https://www.krem.com/article/travel/seattle-labor-day-impact-travel/281-5ad5c7d1-f3d2-4c81-92f4-0f1ec3c21cbb | 2022-09-02T15:21:07Z | krem.com | control | https://www.krem.com/article/travel/seattle-labor-day-impact-travel/281-5ad5c7d1-f3d2-4c81-92f4-0f1ec3c21cbb | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state court judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former state agency director who claimed Gov. Kim Reynolds fired him after he objected to her diverting federal Medicaid money to pay a member of her staff.
Iowa Department of Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven filed the lawsuit against Reynolds in June 2021, two years after she fired him. In his lawsuit, Foxhoven contended he was fired because he refused to engage in illegal Medicaid fraud.
Reynolds denied she did anything wrong, but she refused to say why she fired Foxhoven, apart from stating she chose to go in another direction. Later, she added that Foxhoven’s dismissal was partly related to patient deaths at the Glenwood Resource Center, where Iowans with severe disabilities are treated.
In August 2019 Foxhoven sought $2 million in damages from the State Appeal Board, which considers legal claims against the state. He filed the lawsuit after the board denied his claim.
On Wednesday, Judge Sarah Crane dismissed his lawsuit, concluding that as an appointed official he served at the pleasure of the governor who had the right to choose executive leadership.
“Foxhoven’s argument that the governor does not have discretion to terminate him in violation of public policy fails,” she wrote.
Crane said even Foxhoven’s allegations that the governor had committed a financial impropriety did not supersede her right to fire him.
“The remedy to the public, in such instances of abuse, is at the polls,” said Crane, who was appointed by Reynolds to her position in 2018.
Reynolds said in a statement that “the court has confirmed what I’ve known all along — that this case was baseless from the start.”
Foxhoven’s firing received national attention when The Associated Press reported that his firing came a day after he sent an email to DHS employees with a quote from rapper Tupac Shakur he found inspirational.
Foxhoven has said he was a fan of the late rapper.
Foxhoven’s lawyer Tom Duff said they are disappointed in the decision and are considering an appeal. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/iowa-news/judge-dismisses-officials-lawsuit-against-iowa-governor-kim-reynolds/ | 2022-09-02T15:21:33Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/iowa-news/judge-dismisses-officials-lawsuit-against-iowa-governor-kim-reynolds/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NEXSTAR) – If you haven’t yet received the full allotment of free mail-order COVID 19 tests from the Biden administration, you may want to place your order now.
A banner on the COVID.gov site reads: “Ordering through this program will be suspended on Friday, September 2 because Congress hasn’t provided additional funding to replenish the nation’s stockpile of tests.”
The White House says it has distributed more than 600 million tests through the program, which has made three rounds of free, at-home tests available to Americans.
“We’ve warned that the congressional inaction would face unacceptable tradeoffs and harm our preparedness and our response,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday. “This is an action we’ve been forced to take that will help preserve our limited remaining supply, ensuring we have a limited supply of tests in the fall … when we might face a new rise in infections.”
President Biden announced the plan to buy 500 million tests for the public in December 2021, as omicron cases were already surging in the U.S.
Americans weren’t able to order the free tests until the second half of January, leading to criticism that the government response was too slow for the highly transmissible variant.
Biden said at the time that his administration’s response wasn’t a failure, adding, “I don’t think anybody anticipated it would spread as rapidly spreading” as it was.
In March, Biden called on Congress to provide an additional $22.5 billion that would help provide free vaccines, boosters, treatments for immunocompromised people and other resources in the case of a winter surge.
Republicans in Congress opposed the measure on financial grounds, citing the $1.9 trillion already allotted to battling COVID-19 under the American Rescue Plan.
Can I still get free COVID-19 test kits?
Just days after the FDA authorized a new booster designed to blunt a winter surge in cases, some communities will now face uncertainty when it comes to obtaining tests.
The program is also ending just as students are returning to classrooms across the country.
Fortunately, there are still other ways to get free COVID-19 tests, although they may be less convenient than the White House’s online ordering system.
Health insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid are subsidizing at-home tests, but for those without insurance there are still options.
Free tests, therapeutics and treatment are available via the Test to Treat initiative, which the White House launched in March. Participating providers include pharmacies, grocery stores, community-based sites, long-term care facilities and others.
A map on the Health and Human Services website will guide you to the nearest participating location, however access to the services varies by state. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/free-at-home-covid-tests-end-friday-heres-where-else-you-can-get-them/ | 2022-09-02T15:21:45Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/free-at-home-covid-tests-end-friday-heres-where-else-you-can-get-them/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(The Hill) – The prevalence of sexual assaults in the U.S. military is only getting worse, with service members expressing limited confidence in the system to bring perpetrators to justice, according to the Pentagon’s latest annual report on the issue, released Thursday.
The Department of Defense (DOD) report on sexual assault found that reports of such assaults in the ranks rose significantly in 2021, about 13 percent over the previous year.
What’s more, 8.4 percent of female service members had unwanted sexual contact in 2021, the highest rate since the department began tracking figures in 2006. For men, it was at 1.5 percent, the second-highest figure since 2006.
The data is a stark reminder that despite efforts by the Pentagon to address the long-standing problem, curtailing sexual assaults in the military has so far evaded officials.
“These numbers are tragic and extremely disappointing,” Elizabeth Foster, the DOD’s director of force resiliency, told reporters ahead of the document’s release.
“On an individual level, it is devastating to conceptualize that these numbers mean that over 35,000 service members’ lives and careers were irrevocably changed by these crimes.”
Overall, out of nearly 35,900 incidents that the department estimated to have occurred, there were 8,866 sexual assault reports filed from Oct. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021. That adds up to less than a quarter of suspected incidents being reported.
The spike was largely driven by the Army, where reports of sexual assault increased 25.6 percent from fiscal year 2020 to fiscal year 2021.
The Navy, meanwhile, experienced a 9.2 percent increase of reported sexual assaults, while the Air Force and the Marines each had a roughly 2 percent increase.
Unsurprisingly, confidence in the military’s response to sexual assault is waning, with only 39 percent of female service members saying they trust those in their chain of command to “treat them with dignity and respect” after an incident, compared with 66 percent in 2018.
For male troops during the same time period, only 63 percent were confident they would be treated well after reporting an assault, down from 82 percent in 2018.
The lack of confidence is likely linked to a drop in prosecutions for sexual assault. In 2021, only 42 percent of the 1,974 cases that ended in discipline saw court-martial proceedings.
That’s a far cry from 2013, when military services started court-martial proceedings for 71 percent of 1,187 cases.
The dismal findings have some lawmakers calling for more changes at the DOD.
Though language was included in the most recently passed National Defense Authorization Act to overhaul the military justice system — taking most decisions on whether to prosecute cases of rape and sexual assault away from military commanders — that’s not enough, according to Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.).
Speier, the chairwoman of the House Armed Services military personnel subpanel, called the results “disturbing” and announced that she would hold a hearing in the coming weeks “to get more answers,” according to a statement from her office.
“The watchful eye of Congress is needed to ensure that military leadership is held to account and any additional changes deemed necessary to address this national embarrassment and crisis are made,” she said in the statement. “If we fail to do so, we risk further erosion of the confidence of our troops and further undermining of DoD’s struggling recruitment and retention efforts.”
For its part, Pentagon leadership is trying to be proactive in combating sexual assaults in the military services.
Even prior to the start of his tenure, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pledged to combat sexual assault and harassment in the ranks.
During his confirmation hearing in January 2021, the retired general said he would “fight hard to stamp out” the issue, which he has called a “scourge” within the military.
In pursuit of that goal, Austin directed an Independent Review Commission to give the DOD recommendations on how to address the problem. The commission came back with 80 recommendations, all of which the Pentagon adopted into a plan in September 2021.
And on Thursday the Pentagon chief sent a DOD-wide memo calling on officials to “redouble efforts to address sexual assault in the military,” Foster said.
The effort will include “fielding a new full time and specialized prevention workforce to get to the left of these incidents and stop these crimes before they occur,” she added. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/reported-sexual-assaults-in-us-military-up-13/ | 2022-09-02T15:22:04Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/reported-sexual-assaults-in-us-military-up-13/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(NEXSTAR) — Considering an end-of-summer vacay? You may be scanning hotel discount sites for the best rate on a quick getaway but a new study by travel site InsureMyTrip shows you may get more bang for your buck on some versus others.
Using data from 1,000 hotels across 20 cities, InsureMyTrip compared rates of three major booking sites to see who offers the cheapest deals on average — in addition to how much and how often. The study also compared discount booking sites with the cost of booking with hotels directly.
Here’s the ranking from most expensive to least expensive, per the study:
4. Booking.com — Average price (for a double room for 2 people): $250.14. Booking.com had the cheapest rates about 7% of the time.
3. Booking directly with the hotel — Average price: $222.87. Using a hotel’s website was cheaper than the three other sites about 39% of the time. Direct booking is also about $6 more expensive than the top 2 discount sites.
2. Expedia — Average price: $217.28. Expedia offers potential savings of about $32.87 and was the most affordable option about 579 times (or 58%), according to InsureMyTrip.
1. Hotels.com — Average price: $217.01. The difference between Hotels.com and Expedia is pretty marginal, though Hotels.com had the cheaper rate about 69% of the time.
It’s important to note both Expedia and Hotels.com are owned by the same parent company, Expedia Group, and thus, had similar or identical average rates in many instances.
Booking.com representatives did not immediately respond to Nexstar, however, Booking.com Managing Director of Asia Pacific Laura Houldsworth told CNBC the company aims to be transparent with customers and that “our property partners are free to set their own prices on Booking.com.”
Additionally, Houldsworth said Booking.com honors its “promise to price match, [which] also means that if a customer should ever find a lower price on another website, Booking.com will refund the difference.”
It depends which city you’re going to
InsureMyTrip’s analysis found customers can expect specific savings depending upon which city they’re visiting and which site they’re using.
- Direct booking — Booking direct is the best option if you’re staying in Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles.
- Expedia — Most affordable cities include Boston, Orlando, Chicago and Honolulu.
- Hotels.com — Most affordable cities include New York, Miami and Las Vegas.
Internationally, Expedia and Hotels.com split the difference for best city deals.
“Of the 20 cities analyzed, we found seven were the same price on Hotels.com and Expedia. This shows that either site can be used to find a great deal, especially traveling to capital cities around the globe,” the study concludes.
Meanwhile, a stay in Istanbul, Turkey, is cheapest if booked with the hotel directly. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/which-hotel-discount-sites-have-lowest-rates-study/ | 2022-09-02T15:22:44Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/which-hotel-discount-sites-have-lowest-rates-study/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Q: During the Covid shutdown, the board used Zoom to hold meetings. Now that we are able to have in-person board meetings, we have the following situation. If the board is in the community room and many of us are watching from home, there is no way that people watching virtually can raise their hand and verbally speak to the board or even type a question into the chat.
Our manager said the only company that can do what we are asking for is expensive. For now, anyone who wants to speak to the board must show up in the community room. How can the board have a legal meeting using an inexpensive platform and make this work? — L.O., Nipomo.
Q: Can HOAs still hold Zoom meetings when Covid cases run high but the state has not declared a “state of emergency”? If HOAs must provide “in-person” meetings, how do HOAs provide virtual access to residents or board members who want to participate in the meeting, but due to an illness or fear of infection?
What technical solutions can we use to add them to the “in-person” meeting? What equipment is available to provide both forms of attending the board meeting? Do boards have an obligation to find the solution? — S.K., Coronado
A: Yes, purely virtual meetings are not permitted under the Open Meeting Act, which requires that in addition to a virtual or telephonic mode there must be a physical location someone can attend to observe the meeting with at least one director or HOA designee present (Civil Code Section 4090(b)).
Many have mistakenly thought that last year’s emergency legislation, Senate Bill 391, authorizes purely virtual open board meetings. However, the new Civil Code Section 5450 allows purely virtual meetings only if a declared emergency prevents the meeting or renders it unsafe. Since it appears there are no counties currently banning in-person meetings, the law does not provide any present help and is too late for the Covid pandemic.
Hybrid meetings are not required but are a good idea for most HOAs.
Virtual platform company subscriptions are a minor expense. The most important part of the hybrid meeting is to ensure the HOA has an adequate microphone and speaker function in the room where the live meeting occurs – laptops, tablets and cell phones are inadequate to allow everyone to hear and be heard.
The meeting’s video portion is less important, but it is important to have a device that operates as a “speakerphone” and is used as the only microphone or speaker allowed in the room. Multiple speakers and microphones will cause annoying feedback or echoes.
Open forum is required, but that does not require the “chat” function to be enabled. The chat function sometimes is abused horribly by members who use it during board meetings to argue with each other or to write outlandish comments that normal people would never speak out loud.
Most virtual platforms also have a “hand raised” function so one can indicate a wish to speak during open forum. However, whether you are in the room or attending virtually, once open forum is over, then the audience, virtual and live alike, is there to listen and not to participate.
Kelly G. Richardson, Esq. is a Fellow of the College of Community Association Lawyers and Partner of Richardson Ober LLP, a California law firm known for community association expertise. Submit column questions to Kelly@roattorneys.com.
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By DEEPA BHARATH | Associated Press
Jehovah’s Witnesses have restarted their door-to-door ministry after more than two and a half years on hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, reviving a religious practice that the faith considers crucial and cherished.
From coast to coast, members of the Christian denomination fanned out in cities and towns Thursday to share literature and converse about God for the first time since March 2020.
In the Jamaica Plain neighborhood on the south side of Boston, Dan and Carrie Sideris spent a balmy morning walking around knocking on doors and ringing bells. Dan Sideris said he had been apprehensive about evangelizing in person in “a changed world,” but the experience erased any traces of doubt.
“It all came back quite naturally because we don’t have a canned speech,” he said. “We try to engage with people about what’s in their heart, and what we say comes from our hearts.”
The couple were surprised at how many people opened their doors and were receptive.
One man took a break from a Zoom call to accept their booklets and set up an appointment to continue the conversation. At another home, a woman spoke of how many family members died in the last two years — something the Siderises could relate to, both of them having lost parents recently. Another woman was too busy at the moment but spoke to Carrie Sideris through the window and said she could come back Sunday.
“I’ve been looking forward to this day,” she said. “When I rang the first doorbell this morning, a total calm came over me. I was back where I needed to be.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses suspended door-knocking in the early days of the pandemic’s onset in the United States, just as much of the rest of society went into lockdown too. The organization also ended all public meetings at its 13,000 congregations nationwide and canceled 5,600 conventions in 240 countries — an unprecedented move not taken even during the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918, which killed 50 million people worldwide.
Witnesses continued their ministry by writing letters and making phone calls, but it wasn’t the same because it lacked a personal touch, said Robert Hendriks, national spokesperson for the denomination.
“To us, going door to door is an expression of our God’s impartiality,” he said. “We go to everyone and let them choose whether they want to hear us or not.”
Even in pre-pandemic times, door-knocking ministry came with anxiety because Witnesses never knew how they would be received at any given home. In 2022 that’s even more the case, and evangelizers are being advised to be mindful that lives and attitudes have changed.
“It’s going to take an additional level of courage,” Hendriks said.
The organization is not mandating masks or social distancing, leaving those decisions to each individual.
The denomination has cautiously been rebooting other activities: In April it reopened congregations for in-person gatherings, and in June it resumed public ministry where members set up carts in locations such as subway stations and hand out literature.
But getting back to door-knocking, considered not just a core belief but also an effective ministry, is a big step toward “a return to normal,” Hendriks said.
Among those eager to pound the pavement again was Jonathan Gomas of Milwaukee, who started door-knocking with his parents when he was “big enough to ring a doorbell.”
“When you’re out in the community, you have your hand on the pulse,” he said. “We haven’t had that close feeling with the community for more than two years now. It feels like we’ve all become more distant and polarized.”
Gomas and his wife and two daughters have all learned Hmong in order to better reach out to members of that community, and residents are often pleasantly surprised to open their doors to fluent speakers of their language.
“I think it made them listen even closer,” he said.
In Acworth, Georgia, Nathan Rivera said he has greatly missed seeing people’s faces and reading their expressions.
“You see and appreciate these responses, and it’s much more personal,” he said. “You establish common ground and relationships that you can never develop over the phone or by writing a letter.”
The son of Cuban refugees who came to the United States in the 1980s, Rivera said door-knocking is an important part of his spiritual identity and “feels Christ-like.”
“We show respect for each person’s right to hold a different belief,” he said. “If they don’t want to hear what we have to say, we politely thank them and move on, recognizing that we cannot judge anyone. We’ll just keep on knocking.”
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
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If Hollywood were to make the movie “Revenge of the Small Paychecks” for Labor Day 2022, it would be a horror film for bosses.
An intriguing plot line inside this year’s job market drama is that workers making the least are getting the second-biggest pay hikes among 41 job niches tracked by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
It’s a surprising outtake from the pandemic era’s wild job market, which has swung from unprecedented layoffs to an overabundance of “help wanted” signs.
The “Revenge” script sees employers, facing historically few job seekers, forced to pay up for all sorts of talent. It’s just another managerial nightmare amid wildly inflated business costs. Yet the stars in this storyline are getting meager paychecks.
Lansner’s mailbag: Is California 3rd worst state, 6th best or tied with Texas?
You don’t need a trusty spreadsheet to preview this plot twist. Simply drive through any major shopping district and see all the “we’re hiring” placards luring workers with seemingly ever-rising salary pitches.
It translates to the worst-paid employees getting record-setting 7.3% wage boosts in the year ending in July — far more generous hikes than the nation’s average 5.5% pay increase. And it’s twice the 3.6% raise this low-paid group got over the past 10 years.
These raises stand out, even more, when you look at the other end of the salary spectrum.
The highest-paid workers only got 3.8% raises through July — the second-lowest pay hike of the 41 categories. It’s only one-third higher than the 2.9% average increase for these highly compensated employees in the past decade.
Or simply stated: The lowest-paid workers have never had a larger advantage in raises over their better-paid co-workers in the 26 years such pay patterns have been measured.
Slim pickings
One peek at unemployment rates shows an unnerving lack of choices is upsetting employers in a hiring mood.
Look at California’s joblessness, for example. It fell to 3.9% in July, the lowest in records dating to 1976. Hey, that’s even below Texas’ joblessness — a first in 16 years.
And California is one of 26 states setting new record lows for joblessness this year. (Texas didn’t make that list, FYI.)
Such slim pickings of job seekers forced California bosses to enhance wages in the state’s lower-paying job markets. Let’s look at quarterly pay starts for 2022’s first three months in the state’s 28 large-county job markets.
Workers in the seven counties with the lowest weekly wages — Tulare, Merced, Butte, Fresno, Kern, San Joaquin and Riverside — had average pay of $1,005 a week. That was up 3.9% in a year.
Then look at the highest-paying counties — Orange, Contra Costa, Marin, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Francisco — where wages averaged $2,380 a week. Pay fell 2.8% in a year. Yes, fell.
Note that California’s average $1,644 weekly wage as of March — the fifth-highest among the states — was up only 1% in a year, the nation’s smallest increase.
Less gets you more
The lower the pay, the bigger the raise.
The nation’s pay deserts were found in Mississippi, West Virginia, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kentucky, South Carolina, Louisiana, Wyoming and Arkansas. Workers there had average weekly pay of $1,024 as of March, 25% below the national norm.
Yet this group saw its wages rise 8.4% in a year.
Conversely, the highest places for pay — Texas, Minnesota, Maryland, Colorado, Illinois, Washington, New Jersey, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and the District of Columbia — had average pay of $1,607 a week, 17% more than the typical American.
But the best-paid states averaged only 4.9% raises.
Bottom line
Consider who’s getting the nation’s largest raises this year.
No. 1 among the Atlanta Fed’s 41 job slices were workers aged 16 to 24 with wages up 12.8% in a year. Complain all you want about “today’s youth” if you must, but March’s pay increase was nearly double this youthful cohort’s 6.8% average raise of the past 10 years.
And why is everybody quitting? Forget all the psycho-babble about new-age thinking surrounding work-life balance. It’s simple cash flow.
No. 3 in these pay-hike rankings, just after the lowest-paid workers, came the job switcher. Pay levels increased 6.7% for those willing to find a new boss — that’s 82% above the 3.7% raises received by folks playing career hopscotch over the past decade.
Contrast that upswing with 4.9% raises for those who choose to stay with their employer, the sixth-smallest wage increase of the 41 categories. The raise gap between switchers and people with workplace loyalties has never been wider.
No. 4 for raises was non-white workers, with wages up a record 6.4% — double the 3.2% raises of the past 10 years. White workers averaged 5.3% raises.
The racial workplace divide can be debated another day, but the fact that wages for white workers are 24% more than the rest of the nation fits the past year’s big-pay/small-raise pattern.
And finally, there are those who toil in the businesses of providing “fun” — from dining to tourism to entertainment. Leisure and hospitality employment fortunes were whipsawed in the pandemic era, swinging from lockdown losers to big recovery beneficiaries.
These industries have average weekly wages of $540 — 60% below the U.S. norm. So fitting the 2022 job market script, leisure and hospitality workers averaged 6.3% raises through July — No. 5 of the 41 and more than double the industry’s 2.8% average pay boost the past decade.
It’s a scary picture for bosses, and the statistical impact of all those “Join Us!” banners on Main Street.
Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com
Join the Conversation
We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/09/02/labor-day-2022-revenge-of-the-small-paychecks-steals-the-show/ | 2022-09-02T15:23:52Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/09/02/labor-day-2022-revenge-of-the-small-paychecks-steals-the-show/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
20 mins ago - World
Blast at Afghanistan mosque kills at least 18, including senior cleric
An explosion at a crowded mosque in the western Afghanistan city of Herat killed at least 18 people, including a senior cleric with close ties to the Taliban, AP reports, citing officials.
The big picture: The blast, which also injured at least 21 people, took place as worshippers gathered for Friday noon prayers at Herat’s Guzargah Mosque. No group immediately claimed responsibility.
- A Taliban spokesperson confirmed Mujib-ul Rahman Ansari, the pro-Taliban cleric, was among those killed in a "brutal attack" in Herat.
- Prior to the U.S. withdrawal and Taliban takeover, Ansari was known as a staunch critic of Afghanistan's Western-backed government.
State of play: The Taliban have said they've improved the security situation since retaking control of the country in August 2021, but there have been a string of attacks in recent months, AP notes.
- Another pro-Taliban cleric, Rahimullah Haqqani, was killed in a suicide bomb blast claimed by ISIS last month.
Go deeper: Afghanistan in anguish | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/02/afghanistan-blast-herat-taliban-death-toll | 2022-09-02T15:24:09Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/02/afghanistan-blast-herat-taliban-death-toll | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Labor Day travelers face another chaotic holiday weekend
Labor Day weekend is shaping up to be a busier travel weekend than it was last year, capping off a summer of chaotic travel for many Americans.
The big picture: Domestic travel bookings for Labor Day weekend, which includes air travel, cars, cruises, hotels and tours are up 22% from 2021 — and international travel bookings are up 104%, per AAA travel data.
- The top domestic destinations are Seattle, Orlando and Las Vegas.
Between the lines: The average lowest airfare is at about $179 per ticket, per AAA, which is an almost 20% increase from 2021 — and a 30% increase from 2020.
State of play: The uptick in travel comes after a summer of travel woes, particularly for airlines, which are largely understaffed and have struggled to keep up with the resurgence of travel since the pandemic.
- Pilots at more than a dozen airports nationwide are also picketing this week in a call for better work conditions and benefits amid a summer of "revenge travel," Axios' Herb Scribner reports.
- Travelers going by car will enjoy lower gas prices from record highs: The national average gas price has dropped to $3.809 per gallon, according to AAA. Earlier this month, prices retreated to below $4 a gallon for the first time since early March.
Go deeper... Gas prices are down ahead of Labor Day, but here's how to save | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/02/labor-day-weekend-2022-flights-cars | 2022-09-02T15:24:28Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/02/labor-day-weekend-2022-flights-cars | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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