Volatility is back on the menu. Last week brought January’s trading to a close in what amounted to the stock market’s worst month since October. The GameStop saga hogged the headlines as the retail buying frenzy for names with high short interest raised the possibility the market might be exhibiting bubble behavior. Add into the mix the slow rollout of Covid-19 vaccines and the fear of a delayed return to normalcy, and once again, uncertainty is engulfing Wall Street. The key to success in this environment is really the same as in ‘normal’ times. Look for stocks with sound fundamentals and a history of success. Yes, past performance is no guarantee of future returns, but a history of share price growth is a good indicator. After all, growth stocks are growing for a reason. We’ve used the TipRanks database to pull up the details on three such growth stocks that have shown sustained gains over the past year – gains of 120% or more. And even better, for investors seeing a growth profile, Wall Street’s analysts see continued growth ahead. Hyrecar, Inc. (HYRE) The gig economy has exploded in recent years, connecting people with skills to people with needs. Hyrecar fills a gap for car-less drivers, connecting car owners with idle vehicles to gig drivers (think Uber and Lyft) who need a vehicle. The Hyrecar service allows drivers to rent time in these vehicles, earning money from their transport or delivery routes while the car’s owner earns a passive income from the rental fee. Hyrecar operates on the peer-to-peer model, and is available to subscribers as an online platform or a mobile app. In the past year 12 months, the company’s shares have boomed. HYRE is up 228% in that time, riding especially high as economies opened up in 2H20. To put some numbers on the company’s gains, revenue increased from $3.7 million in 3Q19 to $6.8 million in 3Q20 (the last reported quarter), a year-over-year gain of 83%. While Hyrecar currently runs a net loss – like many tech-oriented startups – that loss has moderated over the course of 2020. In 3Q19, EPS was negative 24 cents; in 3Q20, that had improved to negative 10 cents. In January 2021, the company announced partnerships with AmeriDrive Holdings, an automotive fleet manager, and Cogent Bank’s Specialty Lending Unit to increase the pool of available vehicles. The expected surge in vehicle availability has analysts bullish on Hyrecar. “New strategic partnerships involving HYRE and four key players, including AmeriDrive Holdings (private) and Cogent Bank (private), aims to more than double the vehicle supply on HYRE’s platform in the next 12-18 months… We view the announcement as a significant win for HYRE, which we believe creates a massive opportunity for HYRE to increase average active rentals to ~9,000 per day vs. ~2,800 in 2021,” Maxim analyst Jack Vander Aarde noted. In line with this upbeat outlook, the 5-star analyst puts a Buy rating on HYRE along with an $18 price target. At that level, his target predicts an 82% upside in the coming year. (To watch Vander Aarde’s track record, click here) Over the past 3 months, only two other analysts have thrown the hat in with a view on the carsharing services player. The two additional Buy ratings provide HYRE with a Strong Buy consensus rating. With an average price target of $15.67, investors stand to take home a 59% gain, should the target be met over the next 12 months. (See HYRE stock analysis on TipRanks) Alpha and Omega Semiconductor (AOSL) Next up, Alpha and Omega, is a semiconductor maker with a wide portfolio of chipsets specifically designed for the power control requirements of advanced electronic devices. AOSL’s chips are found in a range of common devices, including flat-screen TVs, LED lighting, portable PCs, smart phones – and the power supply units for these products. In the fiscal 1Q21, the company reported $151.6 million in revenue, for a 28% year-over-year increase. Earnings, which had been negative prior to the fiscal Q1 report, turned positive with an EPS of 36 cents. The gain bodes well for the company’s performance, now that the pandemic crisis is starting to recede. The second fiscal quarter results will be published on Thursday, February 4. Alpha and Omega’s stock performance is also picking up, with shares rising 123% over the past 12 months. Growth like this is sure to attract attention, and it has. 5-star analyst Craig Ellis of B. Riley Securities, noted, “Comms YE 5G smartphone unit strength lends an upside bias, and we like CY21’s 2x YY growth potential... In Consumer, healthy next-gen gaming console uptake has follow-on product and design-in opportunities. So, we believe Comms, Compute, and Consumer end markets are performing quite well… We expect above-industry AOSL growth…" To this end, Ellis rates AOSL a Buy along with a $40 price target. This figure implies ~40% upside from current levels. (To watch Ellis’ track record, click here) Though not many have weighed in with an opinion on AOSL in the last 3 months, those who have are singing its praises. Overall, two analysts rate the semiconductor maker a Buy and the average price target of $37.50 implies ~30% upside for the upcoming year. (See AOSL stock analysis on TipRanks) Lands’ End (LE) The retail landscape has been shifting dramatically in recent years, and many venerable names have fallen by the wayside. Some, however, have survived. Lands’ End, founded almost 60 years ago, has built a reputation for quality in the clothing, footwear, and home décor niche. The company brought in $1.45 billion for its fiscal year 2019, the last with full numbers available. From the 2020 numbers that have been published, it looks like Lands’ End is on track for steady growth. It posted year-over-year revenue gains in both Q2 and Q3 of 2020, indicating a quick recovery from the COVID crisis. The Q3 revenue was $360 million, up 5.8% from 3Q19 – and up an even more impressive 15% from 2Q20. Meanwhile, the company has revised its Q4 guidance upward. Revenue is expected between $528 million and $533 million, up 4% at the midpoint. EPS is expected between 54 cents and 58 cents, for a 19% midpoint increase. Solid revenues through a difficult year have powered strong share appreciation. LE stock has gained a robust 126% over the past 52 weeks. Covering this stock for Craig-Hallum, analyst Alex Fuhrman writes, “Lands’ End defied expectations in 2020 and is well positioned to grow in 2021 and beyond. The company proved its ability to execute in all environments as well as the strength of its branded e-commerce channel, which has grown more than 20% y/y over the past two reported quarters… we envision continued e-commerce growth, as 2020’s growth was likely the result of market share gains from brick-and-mortar foes rather than 'pantry loading,' while the retail and uniforms channels have potential for substantial growth ahead.” Unsurprisingly, Fuhrman rates the stock a Buy, and his price target, at $35, implies ~27% growth potential in the next 12 months. (To watch Fuhrman’s track record, click here) Some stocks fly under the radar, and LE is one of those. Fuhrman's is the only recent analyst review of this company, and it is decidedly positive. (See LE stock analysis 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.
First the St. Louis Blues won on the lead then they triumphed off the pace, defeating the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 on Sunday to complete a successful back-to-back set between the teams at Anaheim, Calif.
Slideshow ( 38 images )
The Blues used second-period goals from Brayden Schenn and Sammy Blais to overcome an early deficit and win two days after they blitzed the Ducks right from the start in a 6-1 victory. Schenn finished with two goals in the Blues’ third consecutive victory overall.
The Ducks had a first-period goal from Jakob Silfverberg, but lost their third consecutive game and fell to 2-3-1 at home.
The Ducks fell again, but they seemed to make modest progress. In Friday’s defeat, they gave up three goals just 2:06 into the game, while facing six shots. Goaltender John Gibson was pulled after the third goal.
Gibson was back in net Sunday, but didn’t face his first shot until he made a save on Shenn with 9:04 remaining in the first period. By then, the Ducks led 1-0 when Silfverberg scored a power-play goal 4:54 from the start, his third.
The Ducks had a 7-6 advantage on shots in the opening period and still had the lead toward the midway point of the game before the Blues took over.
Schenn tied it 1-1 midway through the second period, giving him a point in each of his last seven games. St. Louis then moved in front 2-1 at 14:59 of the second period on Blais’ goal, his first. Blais had been a healthy scratch in the three games before the Blues arrived in Anaheim.
Schenn’s second of the game and sixth of the season came at 1:07 of the third period. He also had two assists Friday. Colton Parayko scored just over a minute later for the Blues, his first.
Rookie Blues goaltender Ville Husso made 25 saves for his first career win in his second career start and third game. He gave up a combined nine goals in his first two appearances.
Gibson made 19 saves for the Ducks in his third consecutive loss after the Ducks earned a point in his first three games. The Ducks did finish with a 26-23 advantage on shots.
GameStop Corp.’s surge has struck fear into anyone caught on the wrong side of its ascent. But those bearish positions probably aren’t big enough to lay low the larger universe of investment funds.
That’s the view of Barclays Plc strategists led by Maneesh Deshpande. By plotting the value of bearish equity bets versus the whole market’s capitalization, they found that short sales have actually dwindled during the past year to the lowest level since at least 2008. Moreover, those most-heavily shorted companies targeted by day traders this year had bearish wagers amounting to less than 0.001% of the $43 trillion market.
Whether losses being suffered by hedge funds and other money pools will be large enough to ignite a full-blown contagion was a concern that arose several times during last week’s selling -- the worst in the S&P 500 since October. For now, while Reddit-fueled stock jocks may have drowned out every other narrative, they’re unlikely to completely subsume the bull market.
“We’re witnessing a nearly unprecedented amount of speculative activity. But on the other hand, we are talking about a very narrow group of stocks that don’t have an outsize influence,” said Marshall Front, chief investment officer at Front Barnett Associates. “The underlying fundamentals of the economy are strong. A very aggressive and accommodative policy by the Federal Reserve is still intact. Together, they help the stock market on the way up.”
Burned by short sales going against them, hedge funds have yanked money from the market at one of the fastest rates on record. The most-shorted stocks rallied 14% last week as a group, dealing the biggest blow to short sellers since last April, a
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. basket shows.
While the S&P 500 dropped more than 3% last week, traders described the broad market as orderly. To JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s strategists including Dubravko Lakos-Bujas, the retreat is likely a “short-lived technical tumble.” With earnings improving and U.S. consumers strengthening, this pullback is another opportunity to add stocks, particularly those geared toward an economic recovery, the strategists wrote in a Friday note.
To be sure, day traders are targeting companies favored by bearish investors, trying to spur squeezes. In 2021, the top quintile of the Russell 3000 stocks with the highest short sales as a percentage of their float is up 20%, compared with a loss of 0.8% for the bottom 600, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. But those returns are also consistent with a contour that was already taking shape as investor risk appetite increased: gains in companies with shakier finances, which had trailed during 2020’s pandemic market.
“Although the short squeeze started with GME, it appears to be spreading to a wider range of stocks,” Deshpande at Barclays wrote in a note Friday, referring to GameStop’s ticker. “While we expect some more deleveraging, ultimately the scale of the problem appears quite limited.”
Short Squeeze
The more a stock is hated by short sellers, the better the return this year
Source: Bloomberg
By Barclays’s tally, short sales totaled $800 billion, or roughly 2% of the total market value of American equities, a sign that short sellers have not extended themselves. The heavily shorted companies -- those with interest making up more than 20% of their share float -- saw $40 billion of their stock sold short, or 5% of the total pool of bearish bets.
“We remain optimistic that it is likely to remain localized,” Deshpande said. “The bottom line is that while the pain could continue in the short term, the risk of a full-fledged contagion remains low.”
Bryan Moss, from Meridian, won a $250,000 prize from a Crossword scratch game on Thursday, the Idaho Lottery said in a press release, marking his sixth ever lotto win. However, this marks his first top prize and "by far the largest," Idaho Lottery said.
Moss, who owns Newko Sport and Nutrition health store, told Idaho Lottery that he plays regularly because he knows it benefits Idaho schools.
The Idaho Lottery dividend has gone to Idaho public schools and the Permanent Building Fund, which supports state operated facilities, like Idaho's colleges and universities, since its founding. In total over the history of the state lottery, $961.5 million has been contributed to these two entities.
"I'm proud to help support Idaho public schools, that's really why I play," Moss said in a statement.
He said he plans to put his winnings aside for his daughter's education.
Behind only the spectacle that is WrestleMania, the Royal Rumble is the second-most anticipated WWE show on the calendar. It is an event centered around surprises and career-defining opportunities as one man and one woman will secure the right to challenge for a world championship at WrestleMania in April.
In addition to the pair of 30-entrant matches, there is also a slate of intriguing title matches. 54-year-old legend Goldberg returns to the ring to square off with WWE champion Drew McIntyre in one of the night's featured world title matches. Also, Kevin Owens gets one more shot at Roman Reigns and the universal championship when the two battle in a Last Man Standing match. On the women's side, Carmella will challenge Sasha Banks for the SmackDown women's championship while Charlotte Flair and Asuka will defend the women's tag titles against former champions Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax.
Watch 2021 WWE Royal Rumble
Date: Sunday, Jan. 31 Location: Tropicana Field -- Tampa, Florida Start time: 7 p.m. ET (kickoff show starts at 6 p.m.) Watch live: WWE Network WWE Network:Web | Apple TV | Roku | Amazon Fire | PlayStation | Xbox | iOS | Android
2021 WWE Royal Rumble match card
Men's Royal Rumble match
Women's Royal Rumble match
WWE Championship -- Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Goldberg
Universal Championship -- Roman Reigns (c) vs. Kevin Owens (Last Man Standing match)
Women's Tag Team Championship -- Asuka & Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler
SmackDown Women's Championship -- Sasha Banks (c) vs. Carmella
"time" - Google News
February 01, 2021 at 06:30AM
https://ift.tt/3aiFzsg
2021 WWE Royal Rumble live stream, how to watch online, start time, card, matches, WWE Network - CBS Sports
"time" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3f5iuuC
Melvin Capital Management, the hedge fund that has borne the brunt of losses from the soaring stock prices of heavily shorted stocks recently, lost 53% in January, according to people familiar with the firm.
Melvin was founded by Gabe Plotkin, a former star portfolio manager for hedge-fund titan Steven A. Cohen. It started the year with about $12.5 billion and now runs more than $8 billion. The current figure includes $2.75 billion in emergency funds Citadel LLC, its partners and Mr. Cohen's Point72 Asset Management injected into the hedge fund last Monday.
As part of the deal, they got non-controlling revenue shares in Melvin for three years. So far, Citadel, its partners and Point72 have lost money on the deal, though the precise scope of the loss was unclear Sunday.
Melvin has massively de-risked its portfolio, said a client. People familiar with the hedge fund said its leverage ratio -- the value of its assets compared with its capital from investors -- was the lowest it has been since Melvin's 2014 start. They also said the firm's position-level liquidity, or its ability to exit securities in its portfolio easily, had increased significantly.
New and existing clients have signed up to invest money into Melvin on Feb. 1, according to the people familiar. It was unclear how much they would be adding.
Melvin had established itself in recent years as one of the top hedge funds on Wall Street, but a short position in GameStop Corp. hurt the firm in recent weeks. Losses extended beyond GameStop, with declines coming from throughout its portfolio during a period of market turmoil in January. Positions in which Melvin had publicly disclosed owning put options -- bearish contracts that typically profit as stocks fall -- in its last quarterly regulatory filing soared, while positions in companies it held sold off.
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., New York-listed Chinese tutoring company GSX Techedu Inc. and National Beverage Corp. were up 78.4%, 62% and 99% at their intraweek highs last week, respectively. Meanwhile, Booking Holdings Inc. and Expedia Group Inc. were down 9.9% and 13.4% at their intraweek lows.
Traders say as GameStop continued to soar -- f rom $30 to $75 and higher -- there was a contagion effect. Managers lost confidence short positions would stop rising in value and covered heavily shorted names, worried social media-fueled investors would focus on companies they were short. They also started cutting their stakes in companies to reduce the risk in their portfolios, hurting other investors in those companies. Last week alone, GameStop shares soared more than four times.
"The performance pain...has been record breaking," read a note from Morgan Stanley to its trading clients last week.
Indeed, hedge funds set near-daily records of various sorts last week for how much they pulled back their exposure to the U.S. stock market by covering their shorts and selling out of their wagers on companies, according to client notes from Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. On Wednesday, this type of so-called degrossing contributed to the largest one-day drop in funds' use of leverage on record, said a Goldman note.
Maplelane Capital, another hedge fund that has sustained significant losses this month, ended January with a roughly 45% loss, said a person familiar with the fund. It managed about $3.5 billion at the start of the year.
The frenetic trading that catapulted GameStop, AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. and BlackBerry Ltd. into the ranks of the most traded stocks in the U.S. market and captured the attention of the White House and regulators also hit prominent hedge funds Point72 and D1 Capital Partners.
D1, which ended the month down about 20%, was short AMC and GameStop, said people familiar with the fund. One of the people said D1 had exited both positions by Wednesday morning but that those were small drivers of losses. A more significant factor was shares of travel-related companies declining.
Some fund managers say the episode is likely to change how the industry works.
Fewer hedge funds are likely to highlight their bearish positions by disclosing put options, they said. Instead, funds may use Securities and Exchange Commission rules to keep confidential those positions, a tool activist investors have long used to build positions in companies quietly. More funds also may institute rules about avoiding thinly traded, heavily shorted stocks.
Traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
Source: New York Stock Exchange.
The most heavily-shorted stocks have rallied 98% over the last three months, making it the most extreme short squeeze of the last 25 years, according to Goldman Sachs.
In a note to clients David Kostin, Goldman Sachs' chief U.S. equity strategist, said the recent trading activity that's sent names like GameStop and AMC Entertainment soaring outstrips prior major short squeezes in 2000 and 2009.
And with retail investors entering the market in record numbers, the firm sees the trading boom continuing.
The 2021 Pro Bowl won't be played in its typical all-star game format, the first time the NFL won't hold the game since 1949 due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year's Pro Bowl was scheduled to be held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas the week prior to the Super Bowl, but those plans were canceled in October (the 2022 Pro Bowl will be played in Las Vegas).
The Pro Bowl will still be played, albeit in a unique style format. The game will be played on "Madden NFL 21," as some of the best players in the league will be facing each other virtually with the rosters selected in December.
First things first, here's how you can watch this year's Pro Bowl celebration (and be sure to watch Super Bowl LV for free on the CBS Sports App):
Since the Pro Bowl cannot be played, the NFL will conduct a virtual event comprised of celebrities and fans to fit the three-hour broadcast window that the game would typically occupy. The special will start at 3 p.m. with round-table discussions comprised of NFL legends, highlights from the week's Verzuz matchups, top highlights from throughout the season, and a special Pro Bowl edition of Next Generations where Joey Bosa and DeAndre Hopkins will break down game footage and discuss the proper way to play with rising youth football stars.
To cap off the day, a virtual Pro Bowl on "Madden NFL 21" will be played at 5 p.m. ET.
About that 'Madden NFL 21' event
Both rosters selected for the Pro Bowl will face off on "Madden NFL 21" in a battle for conference bragging rights. The game will feature Snoop Dogg (rapper), Deshaun Watson (Houston Texans quarterback), Derrick Henry (Tennessee Titans running back) and Keyshawn Johnson (retired NFL receiver) competing for the AFC, while Bubba Wallace (NASCAR Cup Series driver), Marshawn Lynch (retired NFL running back), Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals quarterback) and Jamal Adams (Seattle Seahawks defensive back) will play for the NFC.
The two teams, featuring Watson and Murray (both Pro Bowl selections at quarterback) as leaders, will play Madden from their homes using the official Pro Bowl rosters with a new competitor tapping in to play each quarter.
Michael Strahan and Charissa Thompson will host the Sunday event with popular streamers Ninja, FaZe Swagg, AustinShow and AMP also hosting live watch parties on their channels Sunday at 5 p.m. ET. The event will air again on NFL Network at 8 p.m. ET and 12:30 a.m. ET.
Rosters
Here are the rosters for the Pro Bowl this year (there will be no replacements for Super Bowl participants):
"time" - Google News
February 01, 2021 at 05:53AM
https://ift.tt/39xxkJQ
2021 Pro Bowl time, TV channel: How to live stream, watch NFL's unique 'Madden NFL 21' event, plus rosters - CBS Sports
"time" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3f5iuuC
The thought of a job change during these times can seem scary. Yet, if you are one of the millions of people who have experienced a COVID-related layoff, you are probably doing some serious soul searching. Workers don’t want to settle for just any position anymore. Most job seekers are asking themselves, “What do I really want out of my next role?” Creativity, flexibility and fulfillment are at the top of the list. People want to do work that they enjoy and are looking for organizations whose values are aligned with their own. If you crave a major job change, here are some compelling reasons why this is a perfect time.
Location is virtually irrelevant
While some companies used to offer the ability to work from home as a perk, it is now the norm for most businesses. That means that geography is no longer a barrier to opportunity. Having to stay in a particular city or even within a designated commuting distance forced workers to ignore certain roles. Not anymore. Now you can work for anybody from anywhere. In a recent statement, Laura Spawn, the CEO of Virtual Vocations, shared that, “Last year, we witnessed unprecedented growth not only in the availability of remote jobs but also in the number of employers who adjusted and expanded their business models to include in-demand, flexible job options and opportunities to work from home on a full-time or part-time basis throughout the U.S.” So if you want to make a job change, the employers named in Virtual Vocations' most recent list of top 100 companies for remote jobs will be ones to watch.
You have greater autonomy
With most employees working remotely, there is increased autonomy and empowerment. You have more control over your schedule and can work at your own pace. Without that nasty daily commute, you have additional time to focus on career development activities like webinars, virtual conferences and online classes. Working from home is also the perfect environment to network. Let's face it—it's much easier to form a virtual connection from the comfort of your own home without having your boss looking over your shoulder.
Many businesses are thriving
While news headlines are dominated by businesses shutting their doors, many companies have seen an uptick in demand. Cleaning and delivery services, grocery stores and fitness equipment manufacturers are prime examples. One exercise equipment company, Peloton, has seen such a surge in orders that it can’t keep up. Several franchises are also thriving during the pandemic, with the most notable including 7-Eleven, Domino's and Servpro. Servpro, one of the largest franchisers of cleaning and restoration services in the U.S., rolled out targeted solutions to help businesses and individuals battle coronavirus. The company announced that it expected to earn as much as $300 million in sales from coronavirus-related cleaning services in 2020.
Adaptability is in demand
More than ever, businesses must embrace change to remain relevant. That makes adaptability a top skill companies are seeking, even beyond qualifications and experience. In a recent Deloitte survey completed by more than 3,600 executives, 72% identified their people's ability to adapt, reskill, and assume new roles as what is most needed to navigate the future. But only 17% said their workforce is ready to do so—making adaptability even more in demand. Highly versatile employees are better equipped to take on new tasks, learn about cutting-edge technology and develop new proficiencies. Not only that, but a research paper published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services reported that more adaptable people tend to have greater job satisfaction. The study also showed a positive correlation between job performance and adaptability over the long term.
A job applicant who is willing to embrace risk is an asset in these uncertain times. And employers recognize that new hires from different backgrounds can bring a unique perspective. Take advantage of the opportunity to reinvent yourself. The time for job change is now if you are willing to embrace it.
"How do you explain the relativity of time?" a professor was asked.
"Well," she replied, "if I am rushing to catch a plane, and the check-in clerk is so slow that I miss my flight, the extra two minutes don't mean much to him, but they sure make a difference to me. That's relativity."
Time is one gift that we are all given equally. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. The only variable is how many years we each have. And that alone is reason enough to make every minute count.
Have you ever wondered where all your time goes?
The average person spends seven years in the bathroom, six years eating, four years cleaning house, five years waiting in line, two years trying to return phone calls to people who aren't there, three years preparing meals, one year searching for misplaced items and six months waiting at red lights.
That's why prioritizing your time should be a top priority.
February is National Time Management Month, a perfect time to develop a plan to ensure that everything you do is moving you in the direction of your goals and limiting the distractions that prevent you from realizing them. Do a quick audit of your day to consider whether you are working hard or smart.
I'm a time-management freak, so anything I can do to save time is important to me. That includes returning phone calls at the end of the day, being specific in leaving messages when I'm available to prevent telephone tag, calling ahead to confirm an appointment and even the best place to park to get going quickly. Time is money. I can get more money, but I can't get more time.
The value we place on each minute of every day will have a cumulative impact on the remainder of our lives. Maybe that's why Ben Franklin said, "Waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both."
Peter Drucker, the late management guru, said, "Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed.
"Everything requires time," he added. "It is the only truly universal condition. All work takes place in time and uses up time. Yet most people take for granted this unique, irreplaceable and necessary resource."
My friend Wally "Famous" Amos sent me this story years ago. A man was working on a Saturday when he realized how he had lost track of his life's priorities, including spending time with his family. He did a little arithmetic and figured the average person lives about 75 years. He multiplied 75 times 52 and came up with 3,900, which is the number of Saturdays that the average person will live. With his age, he figured if he lived to age 75, he would have 1,000 Saturdays left, so he went to a toy store and bought 1,000 marbles and went home and put them in a large jar.
Every Saturday after that, he took one marble out and threw it away. He found that watching the marbles diminish helped him really focus on the important things in life.
There's nothing like trying to gauge your time here on Earth to get your priorities straight. When every minute is precious, you learn to use them to the fullest. As humorist Bob Murphey said, "The only person to succeed while horsing around is a bookie."
A little boy, late for school, asked God to help him get there on time. He ran, stumbled and breathlessly said, "God, I asked you to help me, but don't push me."
Don't let your time push you. Take the time to manage your time.
Mackay's Moral: You can save time, but you can't bank it.
Harvey Mackay is a Minneapolis businessman. Contact him at 612-378-6202 or e-mail harvey@mackay.com.
It’s ironic that a trading platform whose motto is “Investing for Everyone” would find itself at the center of a retail investor revolt against the Wall Street glitterati. What happened this past week with GameStop (GME), Reddit and Robinhood is a classic tale of David and Goliath, but even the pros say this time is different.
“We've seen short squeezes in the past, but I call this one the grand awakening,” Kevin Simpson, portfolio manager at Capital Investment Management, told Yahoo Finance Live. “Seeing this mass chat room chatter do something that we've never seen before is a little bit reminiscent of the Yahoo chat boards from the 1990s. But this is something totally different.”
That’s because this time, the power of Reddit drove the revolt at lighting speed. An army of small investors sent shares of depressed companies like GameStop and AMC (AMC) up into the stratosphere, hurting the billionaire hedge funds that bet against those stocks.
The commission-free pioneer broker, Robinhood, then temporarily barred investors from buying GameStop and other heavily shorted stocks, leaving them no choice but to hold their position or sell. Meanwhile, hedge funds were free to trade those same stocks, without restrictions.
Joshua Mitts, a Columbia law professor who has written extensively about securities law, said there’s little evidence such restrictions serve to protect retail investors. “This is but the latest iteration in a long string of frustrations that retail investors have encountered when they try to compete with the pros on Wall Street,” he told Yahoo Finance Live.
Mitts said retail investors have been getting systematically burned by hedge funds for years, to the tune of tens of billions of dollars.
“So, when Robinhood steps up and in effect restricts retail investors from doing the same thing that these shortsighted hedge funds can do through their prime brokerage accounts, it does raise profound questions of equity,” Mitts said, adding there needs to be policy reform to ensure a more level playing field for small investors.
In this Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015, photo, Robinhood co-founders Vlad Tenev, left, and Baiju Bhatt pose at company headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif. Robinhood is a stock brokerage that does not charge any commissions for its more than 1 million customers to buy and sell shares. "During the next 10 years, we are going to create an international company that will be like nothing the financial services industry has ever seen," says Bhatt. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
“The question is whether the infrastructure treats them fairly. Whether the rules of the road that apply to retail apply equally to hedge funds. That's what's undermining retail confidence in companies like Robinhood,” he said.
Still, Mitts said the Robinhood lawsuits face an uphill battle.
“The customer agreement that every Robinhood customer agrees to when they install the app does allow Robinhood to suspend trading and deny trading at any time,” he said. “But Robinhood is subject to broader regulatory obligations.”
Mitts said the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) needs to “step up and scrutinize the level of risk taking and precautions that are in place when brokers offer apps like these to retail investors.”
Platforms like Robinhood have a fiduciary duty to their customers to execute trades at the best available price, he said.
Fintech is still a relatively new industry, and Simpson said last week’s frenzied trading is part of its growing pains.
“It's still a new platform,” said Simpson. “I think it's a platform that's engaging lots of new investors, both of which are learning as they go. I think the regulation that can come from this will only be more healthy to make sure it doesn't happen again in the future.”
Alexis Christoforous is an anchor and reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @AlexisTVNews.
Tampa will play host to Super Bowl LV in a week, marking the fifth time the Buccaneers' home city has hosted the big game. It's the fourth-highest total of hosting a Super Bowl of any city, behind only Miami (11 times), New Orleans (10) and Los Angeles (seven). And there were some very memorable moments among Tampa's first four Super Bowls. In the first one to be played there, the Los Angeles Raiders upset defending champion Washington, 38-9, in Super Bowl XVIII. Marcus Allen rushed for a then-Super Bowl record 191 yards and took home MVP honors. Allen's game-clinching touchdown run -- 74 yards -- served as the longest run in Super Bowl history for 22 years. Seven years later, the Giants edged the Bills in the only Super Bowl that has been decided by a single point.
In Super Bowl XXXV, in 2001, the Ravens' defense capped off a dominant season by shutting out the Giants' offense. Then in 2009, James Harrison's 100-yard interception return and Ben Roethlisberger's last-minute touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes lifted the Steelers to a thrilling win over the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.
Of course, this year's Tampa Super Bowl is even more special for those who call the host city home, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will become the first team to ever host the Super Bowl at their own stadium. This will be the third Super Bowl played inside Raymond James Stadium. While that seemingly would provide them with an advantage in the big game, on the other sideline awaits the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. This should be one of the most exciting Super Bowl matchups in recent memory when Patrick Mahomes takes on Tom Brady. If Mahomes continues on his current trajectory, he may be the only quarterback who can give Brady a run for his money when it comes to the greatest of all time debate.
And if you're wondering how to actually watch this year's Super Bowl, well, you came to the right place. You can watch the game FOR FREE on CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App on your phone and connected TV devices or with your CBS All Access Subscription.
How to watch Super Bowl LV
Date: Sunday, Feb. 7 Time: 6:30 p.m. ET Location: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida) TV: CBS | Stream: FREE on CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App. Also on CBS All Access.
The AFC and NFC are currently tied with 27 Super Bowl victories. From 1984-96, the NFC won 13 consecutive Super Bowls over the AFC, a streak that was finally snapped after Terrell Davis led Denver to an upset victory over Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII. The AFC has won six of the previous eight Super Bowls, with the Patriots winning three Super Bowls over that span.
No team has repeated as Super Bowl champion since the 2003-04 Patriots. The Steelers and Patriots are currently tied with six Super Bowl wins. The 49ers and Cowboys are the only other franchises with at least five Lombardi Trophies.
"time" - Google News
February 01, 2021 at 01:04AM
https://ift.tt/3pzIaog
Where is Super Bowl 2021: Date, location, kickoff time, how to watch, TV channel, live stream Super Bowl LV - CBS Sports
"time" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3f5iuuC
Since the Packers and Chiefs faced off in 1967, thousands of players have taken part in the Super Bowl. Several of those players became household names by virtue of their performance in the big game. Tom Brady, Joe Montana, and many others etched their name in football lore after leading their teams to victory multiple times.
With Super Bowl LV just around the corner, we decided to take on the task of creating an all-time, 53-man roster comprised of some of the best players in Super Bowl history. The roster includes players from all but four of the previous 54 Super Bowls. The construction of our roster included the following criteria.
Super Bowl MVPs
Multiple Super Bowl appearances an advantage
Did their performance significantly contribute to the success of their team?
Was their performance critical to the outcome of the game(s)?
Choosing performance over a specific player also played a role in the building of the roster. Yes, being a big name certainly doesn't hurt, but this is not a roster of the biggest names that have played in the Super Bowl. If that was the case, Walter Payton, arguably the greatest running back would have made the list. Below, we'll include the biggest roster cuts while explaining some of our choices.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the all-time, 53-man Super Bowl roster, with a practice squad to boot.
Quarterbacks: Brady, Montana, and Bradshaw are a combined 14-3 in Super Bowl competition, with nine MVP trophies to boot. Brady currently holds the Super Bowl single-game passing record (505 yards), a record that had been previously held by both Montana and Bradshaw. Brady's greatest Super Bowl moment may have been his first one when he led the Patriots past the heavily-favored Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. Montana's signature Super Bowl moment took place in Super Bowl XXIII, when he led the 49ers on a 92-yard, game-winning drive that was capped off with his game-winning pass to John Taylor. A decade earlier, Bradshaw threw for then Super Bowl records 318 yards and four touchdowns in Pittsburgh's 35-31 win over Dallas.
The MVP of Super Bowl XXVIII, Smith is the Super Bowl's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns. Harris, who took home MVP honors in Super Bowl IX, is the Super Bowl's career rushing leader with 354 yards. Davis tallied 321 yards and three touchdowns in Denver's back-to-back Super Bowl wins. His 157 yards and three touchdowns in Super Bowl XXXII helped Denver upset the defending-champion Packers and ending the NFC's run of 13 consecutive Super Bowl wins.
Receivers: Rice is the Super Bowl's all-time leader in catches (28), yards (589) and touchdowns (8). His 215 receiving yards in Super Bowl XXIII is still the single-game record. Flanking Rice in the starting lineup is Super Bowl X MVP Lynn Swann, who caught 16 passes for 364 yards and three touchdowns in his last three Super Bowls. Also cracking the starting lineup is former Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin, who caught 16 passes and two touchdowns in three Super Bowl wins. Stallworth caught six passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns in Super Bowl XIII and XIV. Branch caught three Super Bowl touchdowns while helping the Raiders win three rings in a seven-year span. Edelman caught 24 passes for 337 yards in New England's three most recent Super Bowl wins. He was named Super Bowl LIII MVP after catching 10 passes for 141 yards. Edelman also made several clutch catches in the Patriots' Super Bowl wins over the Seahawks and Falcons.
Tight ends: Gronkowski caught 21 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns in his three Super Bowl wins in New England. His first Super Bowl touchdown contributed to New England's come-from-behind win over Seattle. Three years later, he caught nine passes for 116 yards and two scores in the Patriots' eight-point loss to the Eagles. In his last Super Bowl with New England, Gronkowski's 29-yard catch set up the game-winning touchdown.
A longtime Cowboy, Novacek caught 17 passes and two touchdowns in three Super Bowl wins. He caught a team-high seven passes in Dallas' win over Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVII. His touchdown catch in Super Bowl 30 helped power the Cowboys to a 27-17 win over the Steelers.
Offensive line: You'd be hard-pressed to find a better offensive line than this one. Shell and Upshaw anchored a powerful Raiders offensive line that had their way against the Vikings and Eagles in Super Bowls XI and XV. Webster started in three of the Steelers' four Super Bowls during the '70s. Little and Gregg both won back-to-back Super Bowls as members of the Dolphins and Packers, respectively. Little helped pave the way for Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris and Jim Kiick in three straight Super Bowls. One of the key cogs in Vince Lombardi's legendary Packers sweep, Gregg helped Green Bay win the first two Super Bowls and three straight NFL titles.
Pace protected Kurt Warner's blind side during both of his Super Bowls with the Rams. Newton helped plow open running lanes for Emmitt Smith. Nalen and Schlereth won a combined five Super Bowls that included two rings as teammates in Denver. In losing efforts, Munoz played well in the Bengals' two Super Bowl matchups with the 49ers.
Defensive line: This group is as good as it gets. White, who retired as the NFL's career sack leader, tallied three sacks in Green Bay's win over New England in Super Bowl XXXI. Greene was the anchor of four Super Bowl championship defenses in Pittsburgh. His interception and fumble recovery in Super Bowl IX helped the Steelers become the second team to shutout an opposing offense in the Super Bowl. White's dominance in Super Bowl XII earned him co-MVP honors. Dent's 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles earned him MVP honors in Super Bowl XX. Smith, Page and Greenwood each played in four Super Bowls. Smith recorded a safety in Super Bowl XXV, while Greenwood's three deflected passes helped neutralize Frank Tarkenton in Super Bowl IX. A year later, Greenwood sacked Roger Staubach three times in Pittsburgh's 21-17 win over Dallas. Warren Sapp's presence contributed to Tampa Bay's 48-21 rout of Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII.
The defensive line's lucky charm is its least-known member. In Super Bowls XV and XVIII, Reggie Kinlaw wreaked havoc on Philadelphia and Washington. With Kinlaw plugging the middle, the Raiders' defense held Wilbert Montgomery and John Riggins (the MVP of the previous year's Super Bowl) to a combined 110 yards on 42 carries (a 2.62 yards per carry average).
Linebackers: A player who revolutionized the linebacker position, Taylor's tackle of John Elway in Super Bowl XXI was part of a crucial goal line stand by the Giants. Lambert played big in each of Pittsburgh's four Super Bowl wins during the '70s. His 14 tackles in Super Bowl X led both teams. In Super Bowl XIV, his fourth quarter interception set up the Steelers' game-clinching score. Lewis, the MVP of Super Bowl XXXV, won two Super Bowls with the Ravens. Ham's quickness and savvy helped the Steelers dominant opposing rushing attacks. En route to becoming the first player to win five Super Bowls, Haley recorded 4.5 sacks for the 49ers and Cowboys. In Super Bowl XXVII, his sack/forced fumble of Jim Kelly set up a touchdown by teammate Jimmy Jones, as Dallas took the lead for good. Singletary and Buoniconti presided over legendary defenses. Miller's 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in Super Bowl 50 earned him Super Bowl MVP honors.
Secondary: Mel Blount, whose physical dominance over receivers ushered in new league rules, picked off two passes in Super Bowl play. In Super Bowl XIII, his second quarter interception set up the Steelers' go-ahead touchdown. Sanders, arguably the greatest cover corner in history, is the only player in Super Bowl history to record an interception (Super Bowl XXIX) and also catch a pass (Super Bowl XXX). Safety Ronnie Lott led the 49ers to their first Super Bowl win as a rookie. Seven years later, his jarring hit of Bengals running back Ickey Woods helped set the tone for the 49ers' victory. Lott is flanked by Ed Reed, who recorded an interception is his only Super Bowl appearance.
Adderley, who won Super Bowls with the Packers and Cowboys, had a 60-yard pick-six in Green Bay's win over Oakland in Super Bowl II. Willie Wood, Adderley's teammate on those legendary Packers defenses, recorded a game-changing interception during the second half of Green Bay's win over Kansas City in Super Bowl I. Richard Sherman was the leader of Seattle's "Legion of Boom" defense, a unit that overwhelmed Peyton Manning and the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. Three decades earlier, Lester Hayes won his second ring after shutting down Washington's talented receiving corps in Super Bowl XVIII. Shell made several touchdown-saving tackles during the Steelers' wins in Super Bowls XIII and XIV.
A four-time champion, Vinatieri made two game-winning field goals with the Patriots. Guy, the only punter who resides in the Hall of Fame, saved a potential disaster when he made a one-handed catch following a high snap in Super Bowl XVIII. Howard, the only special teams player to win Super Bowl MVP, returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in Green Bay's 35-21 win over New England. Howard also tallied 90 yards on punt returns.
"time" - Google News
February 01, 2021 at 12:53AM
https://ift.tt/3ctz9tc
Creating the all-time 53-man roster from Super Bowl players only: Tom Brady, Jerry Rice lead the way - CBS Sports
"time" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3f5iuuC
Senator Susan Collins of Maine led a group of Republicans seeking a compromise with the White House on Covid relief legislation. Anna Moneymaker for The New York Times
Ten Republican senators wrote to President Biden on Sunday, outlining a framework for coronavirus relief legislation and pushing for Mr. Biden to compromise. The letter came as Democrats were preparing to bypass the need for Republican support in order to deliver a sweeping relief package.
The 10 senators, led by Susan Collins of Maine, proposed a framework that includes some of the provisions in Mr. Biden’s $1.9 trillion plan but would curtail others, including eligibility for direct payments and unemployment aid. It would include $160 billion for vaccine distribution and development, Covid testing and the production of personal protective equipment, along with relief for schools, small businesses and “more targeted assistance” for individuals.
“Our proposal reflects many of your stated priorities, and with your support, we believe that this plan could be approved quickly by Congress with bipartisan support,” the senators wrote.
The group, which also includes Mitt Romney of Utah, Michael Rounds of South Dakota, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, is expected to release additional details of their proposal on Monday.
One of the signers, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, said on “Fox News Sunday” that he expected the Republican package to total about $600 billion, roughly one-third of what Mr. Biden has proposed.
Another, Rob Portman of Ohio, called for a smaller stimulus package that would limit direct payments so that they would not go to Americans earning more than $50,000 a year or to families with a combined income exceeding $100,000.
“Let’s focus on those who are struggling,” Mr. Portman said on the CNN program “State of the Union.”
To pass a package through the regular legislative process, Mr. Biden would need 60 votes in the Senate. Adding the 10 Republicans who signed the letter to the 50 Democrats in the chamber would just reach that threshold. But substantially shrinking the size of the package would probably cost Mr. Biden Democratic support in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Mr. Biden and top Democrats have said they want Republican support for a new relief bill. But with several Republicans already balking at passing a sweeping package, Democrats are preparing to pass a bill on their own using budget reconciliation, a legislative process that is more complicated but requires only a simple majority in the Senate.
Mr. Portman warned against going that route, saying on CNN that doing so would “set President Biden down a path of partisanship that will poison the well.”
The 10 Republicans’ letter appeared to do little on Sunday to change the Democrats’ plans, which begin with the introduction of a budget resolution later this week. Administration officials signaled on Sunday that they intended to resist calls to reduce the scale of the relief package.
Jared Bernstein, a member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said on “Fox News Sunday” that speed in approving a package was more important to most Americans than how Congress goes about it.
“President Biden has consistently said he will negotiate with those on the other side of the aisle about getting this plan out as quickly as possible,” Mr. Bernstein said.
Brian Deese, the director of the White House’s National Economic Council, speaking at a news conference at the White House this month.Anna Moneymaker for The New York Times
President Biden remains willing to negotiate with Republicans on an economic relief package, but it must pass quickly in order to arrest the Covid-19 pandemic and help keep millions of Americans from going hungry, two top White House economic aides said on Sunday morning.
Brian Deese, the director of the White House’s National Economic Council, said on the CNN program “State of the Union” that the cost of failing to provide enough help for the economy would be far greater than the cost of the $1.9 trillion package Mr. Biden’s administration has proposed.
“We just lived through the worst economic year since the de-globalization in the wake of World War II,” Mr. Deese said. “We’re in a unique crisis, and the elements of this plan really were designed, and are designed, to take on that crisis head-on.”
Jared Bernstein, a member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said on “Fox News Sunday” that Americans care more about how quickly they will get relief than about the process of passing a relief bill.
“President Biden has consistently said he will negotiate with those on the other side of the aisle about getting this plan out as quickly as possible,” Mr. Bernstein said.
Shortly before Mr. Deese and Mr. Bernstein appeared on television, 10 Republican senators released a letter to Mr. Biden, calling for talks on a smaller economic relief package than the president has proposed. The senators’ plan, which they said would be laid out in greater detail on Monday, would scale back assistance for the unemployed and eligibility for direct payments of $1,400, compared with Mr. Biden’s plan.
Mr. Deese and Mr. Bernstein each sidestepped questions about the Republican letter, which Mr. Bernstein said he had seen for the first time only a few minutes before his interview.
Mr. Deese suggested that the administration might be willing to consider more narrowly targeting the $1,400 direct payments. “We’re open to looking at how to make the entire package effective at achieving its objective,” he said, “including providing support to families with children.”
Police patrol Scarborough Beach near Perth, Australia, on Sunday after officials announced a lockdown for the region.Richard Wainwright/EPA, via Shutterstock
Australian officials abruptly locked down the city of Perth in Western Australia for five days, after one person tested positive there for the coronavirus — a security guard at a quarantine hotel. The state of Western Australia had gone nearly ten months without any sign of community transmission.
Under the new restrictions, about two million people in the city and surrounding areas can leave home only for essential reasons like exercise, medical needs and shopping for groceries until Friday evening. Restaurants, bars and gyms will shut and mask-wearing will be compulsory in public. Schools, which were scheduled to reopen this week, will remain closed.
“I know for many Western Australians, this is going to come as a shock,” Mark McGowan, the state’s premier, said at a news conference announcing the measures on Sunday. The state had “crushed” the outbreak before, he said, but “we cannot forget how quickly this virus can spread, nor the devastation it can cause.”
The security guard developed symptoms on Thursday after working that week at a hotel where travelers are quarantined, Mr. McGowan said. One traveler there had tested positive for the more contagious virus variant that was first spotted in Britain.
Australia has been praised for its comparative success in handling the pandemic, reporting a total of 28,810 cases and 909 deaths, far fewer relative to its size than most other developed countries. It has moved aggressively to clamp down on new outbreaks, and has largely banned its citizens from leaving the country. New cases have mainly been discovered in returning travelers, who are strictly quarantined in hotels.
The city of Brisbane quickly imposed a three-day lockdown earlier this month after a cleaner who worked at a quarantine hotel there tested positive.
The country has reopened a travel bubble with neighboring New Zealand and has begun to allow domestic travel from state to state, though officials have not hesitated to close state borders against emerging outbreaks.
A resident getting the Pfizer vaccine at a nursing home in New York last month.James Estrin/The New York Times
Amid a sometimes chaotic rollout of vaccines across the United States, health experts say a glimmer of good news has emerged: Recent reports of coronavirus cases in nursing homes have declined for the past four weeks, according to federal data.
The country recorded 17,584 cases in nursing homes during the week ending on Jan. 17, according to the federal data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. A month earlier, during the week ending on Dec. 20, more than 32,500 cases were reported.
In part, the development reflects a downward trend in new cases across the country, health experts said. Coronavirus cases in nursing homes are driven by infections in the rest of the community, said Dr. Ashish K. Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, so one can expect to see cases at long-term care facilities drop when the numbers are declining elsewhere.
But the decline in cases in nursing homes is more pronounced than it is nationally, and it also began earlier, Dr. Jha said. Residents in nursing homes have been prioritized as among the first groups to get the vaccine. “That combination really does make me think this is not just broad national patterns, but that vaccines probably are playing a role,” Dr. Jha said. “I’m optimistic, this is good.” Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that as of Saturday, more than 3.5 million shots have now been administered in long-term care facilities, including to workers and residents.
Still, a slower-than-expected vaccine rollout in nursing homes has been deeply frustrating, Dr. Jha said. Efforts to efficiently give shots to all nursing home residents should be a top priority, he said, adding, “Once that’s in, then we should feel really confident that these declines will continue and we will not see a spike back up, even if we see one in the national picture.”
Nursing homes have been devastated by the virus. Although 5 percent of the country’s cases have occurred in long-term care facilities, deaths related to Covid-19 in these settings have accounted for about 36 percent of deaths from the virus in the country, according to a New York Times database.
In New York, new reports of cases among residents in nursing homes run by the state health facilities association — which includes 425 skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities — have been steadily declining since the first and second week of January, said Stephen Hanse, the president and chief executive of the association.
“Throughout the state, providers really saw the cases reducing, residents stabilizing,” he said, adding that it’s too early to tell if the drop is directly linked to the number of vaccine doses being administered. A large majority of residents in the association’s facilities — at least 80 percent — have now received their second dose of the vaccine, Mr. Hanse said. Nursing home administrators and directors “really see the vaccine as the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
Andrea Mantovani for The New York Times
Andrea Mantovani for The New York Times
Andrea Mantovani for The New York Times
Andrea Mantovani for The New York Times
Andrea Mantovani for The New York Times
Andrea Mantovani for The New York Times
Andrea Mantovani for The New York Times
Andrea Mantovani for The New York Times
Paris is gone for now, its lifeblood cut off by the closure of all restaurants, its nights silenced by a 6 p.m. curfew aimed at eliminating the national pastime of the aperitif, its cafe bonhomie lost to domestic morosity. Blight has taken the City of Light.
Taboos fall. People eat sandwiches in the drizzle on city benches. They yield — oh, the horror! — to takeout in the form of “le click-and-collect.” They dine earlier, an abominable Americanization. They contemplate with resignation the chalk-on-blackboard offerings of long-shuttered restaurants still promising a veal blanquette or a boeuf bourguignon. These menus are fossils from the pre-pandemic world.
Gone the museums, gone the tourist-filled riverboats plying the Seine, gone the sidewalk terraces offering their pleasures at dusk, gone the movie theaters, gone the casual delights of wandering and the raucous banter of the most northern of southern cities. In their place, a gray sadness has settled over the city like fog.
Paris is far from alone in its deprivations. The pandemic has, in some ways, imposed conditions of war in time of peace. It, too, will end.
But until then, “We’ll always have Paris,” and in these photographs by Andrea Mantovani for The New York Times, the City of Light proves it is worth soldiering through for in the fog.
An Abbott Laboratories Panbio Covid-19 rapid antigen testing kit.Tara Walton for The New York Times
As frustration mounts in Canada over lockdowns and the glacial pace of vaccinations, a consortium of some of the country’s largest companies has begun a rapid testing program with the aim of protecting their 350,000 employees.
The program is believed to be the first of its kind among the Group of 7 industrialized nations, and has already attracted the attention of the Biden administration.
The 12 companies, including Canada’s biggest airline and grocery chain, have worked together for four months, creating a 400-page operating manual on how to run rapid antigen tests in various work settings. They began piloting the tests in their workplaces this month, and expect to expand the program to 1,200 small and medium-size businesses.
They also plan to share their test results with the government health authorities, greatly raising test counts in the country and providing an informal study of the virus’s spread among asymptomatic people.
The companies in the consortium were brought together in the spring by Ajay Agrawal, the founder of the University of Toronto’s Creative Destruction Lab, which helps science and technology start-ups. They were inspired by the most Canadian of muses: Margaret Atwood, the author.
“How soon can we have a cheap, buy-it-at-the-drugstore, self-administered test?” Ms. Atwood asked during a virtual meeting last May of business leaders and others tasked with brainstorming ideas for economic recovery during the pandemic.
The problem, the group posited, was the “information gap” — since there was no way to tell who might be an asymptomatic carrier, everyone was treated as a potential threat.
Ms. Atwood envisioned something like a home pregnancy test.
“That would be a game changer,” she said.
A worker unloading coffins at a funeral home in Cape Town, South Africa, on Saturday. The country has yet to begin a vaccination program for its citizens.Nardus Engelbrecht/Associated Press
As new variants like the one discovered in South Africa migrate to more countries — including the United States — it is becoming ever clearer that the tragedy for poorer countries could become a tragedy for every country. The more the virus spreads, and the longer it takes to vaccinate people, the greater chance it has to continue to mutate in ways that put the whole world at risk.
Recent studies suggest that at least four vaccines that are effective at preventing infection with the original virus did not perform as well against the variant found in South Africa. That variant is also more infectious — as is another one, discovered in Britain — and it is now estimated to make up 90 percent of all cases in South Africa, according to data compiled by researchers. It has turned up in dozens of other countries.
Inoculation prompts the immune system to make antibodies to the virus, but as mutations change its shape, the virus can become more resistant to those antibodies. In the worst case, failing to stop the spread of the virus globally would allow more mutations that could make existing vaccines less effective, leaving even inoculated populations vulnerable.
“This idea that no one is safe until everyone is safe is not just an adage, it is really true,” said Andrea Taylor, the assistant director at Duke Global Health Innovation Center.
Even in the most optimistic scenarios, Ms. Taylor said, at the current pace of production, there will not be enough vaccines for true global coverage until 2023. The current rollout plans across Africa are expected to vaccinate only 20 percent to 35 percent of the population this year if everything goes right.
And while some wealthy countries have secured enough vaccine to cover their populations multiple times, South Africa has secured just 22.5 million doses for its 60 million people, and many nations lag even farther behind.
Lynsey Chutel and
Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky at his home in Bnei Brak, Israel.Dan Balilty for The New York Times
BNEI BRAK, Israel — Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, 93, can’t use a phone. He rarely leaves his house. His family says he has never successfully made a cup of tea. His closest aides think he doesn’t know the name of Israel’s prime minister. He studies the Torah for, give or take, 17 hours a day.
Yet despite his seeming detachment from worldly life, Rabbi Kanievsky has become one of the most consequential and controversial people in Israel today.
The spiritual leader of hundreds of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews, Rabbi Kanievsky has landed at the center of tensions over the coronavirus between the Israeli mainstream and its growing ultra-Orthodox minority.
Throughout the pandemic, the authorities have clashed with ultra-Orthodox Jews over their resistance to antivirus safety protocols, particularly their early refusal to close schools or to limit crowds at religious events. Similar conflicts have arisen in the New York area.
Rabbi Kanievsky, issuing pronouncements from a book-filled study in his cramped apartment in an ultra-Orthodox suburb of Tel Aviv, has often been at the fore of that resistance. Twice, during the first and second waves of the pandemic in Israel, he initially rejected state-imposed safety restrictions and refused to order his followers to close their yeshivas, the independent religious schools where students gather in close quarters to study Jewish Scripture.
If anything, he said, the pandemic made prayer and study even more essential.
Both times he eventually relented, and it was not clear whether his stances did as much to accelerate the spread of the virus as his critics said. But the damage was done.
Many public health experts say that ultra-Orthodox Jews — who account for about 12 percent of the Israeli population but 28 percent of the country’s coronavirus cases, according to Israeli government statistics — have undermined the national effort against the pandemic. The reaction to the outsized role of the ultra-Orthodox has been fierce, and much of it has centered on Rabbi Kanievsky.
Those We’ve Lost
Isidore Torres served on state benches for more than a quarter-century.via Torres family
This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about othershere.
As a boy, Isidore Torres owned two pairs of pants: one for school, one for hoeing sugar beet fields outside Bay City, Mich., alongside his mother and siblings.
“If you could hold a hoe, you were out there working from sunrise until 5 o’clock in the afternoon,” an older brother, Abel Torres, said.
For years, the family had shuttled between Michigan and Texas looking for migrant work, eventually settling in Bay City so the children could receive a steady education.
Mr. Torres never forgot his humble roots, even as he became the first Hispanic judge in the Wayne County court system and served on state benches for more than a quarter-century. A prominent figure among Michigan Latinos, known for an endearing smile and a love of coffee, he had the ear of mayors, governors and congressmen as he lobbied for more minority representation in the legal system.
Mr. Torres died on Jan. 12 at Beaumont Hospital in Troy, Mich. He was 73. The cause was Covid-19, his family said. He also had central nervous system lymphoma.
“My father always had to fight for the life that he wanted,” said his son, Felipe Barboza Torres, a Wayne County prosecutor. “No one ever told him that he would be a great lawyer. They told him he wouldn’t be able to be a lawyer because he was brown.”
