Daily Archives: February 6, 2021

Sitting on the Roof at Night for Internet: Pandemic Learning in the Navajo Nation – Education Week

Posted: February 6, 2021 at 8:52 am

Denise Jensen teaches New Mexico History and Navajo Culture at Navajo Preparatory School, in the northwest corner of New Mexico. The private, International Baccalaureate college-prep school established for Native American students serves about 265 teenagers from the Navajo Nation and other tribal nations. Most live at the school when its in session. But when Navajo Prep went all-remote last March, Jensen saw with painful clarity the struggles her students face daily to do their schoolwork from home. Jensen told her story to Catherine Gewertz, senior contributing writer. Their interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

I had a student who was a senior last year. When it got to a point where I was not receiving work from [him], I began to reach out to him. I was first trying to reach out to him through emails, and he seemed to be able to get the emails OK. But he then said its better if we can try to communicate through phone, I have a better phone signal than I do internet signal. He was having just such a hard timenot even just accessing his work through email but also just getting onto his Wi-Fi at home. There are like 10 family members who live in the household. And imagine the school-aged children and the adults in that family who are having to use the Wi-Fi for their own purposes. He explained to me that because he was home, a lot of the responsibility fell onto him to feed the cattle, the horses, to take care of them.

So a lot of times, because he was having to fight over the use of the Wi-Fi with everyone else in the household, it just was easier for him to go and do his ranch chores, and to take care of the animals during the day while the others use the Wi-Fi. Then he would come back in in the evening and try to use the Wi-Fi in hopes that he would have stronger signals. He really struggled with uploading assignments and emailing them to me. So when we talked on the phone, he really surprised me the first time. He said, can I call you back? I need to get to a place where I have a stronger signal. He called me. And then I, you know, immediately I could hear that wind, it was kind of breezy, and you could hear the wind blowing. And I said, are you outside? He goes, yeah, I had to crawl to the top of my roof, because this is where I can get a better phone signal.

He was frustrated. Hes a good student. Hes used to performing above expectations. And with these challenges that he had, it was frustrating, because it was limiting him. He was trying, and he was doing everything he could, to get things submitted, to show us as his teachers that he wasnt just using excuses, that he was going above and beyond to do his part to make sure he was getting things turned in.

[I had another student who] was a junior. She lived smack dab in the middle of the reservation along Lukachukai mountain. And her family, they still live in a traditional hogan [Navajo one-room home]. They dont have electricity. There was an assignment that was due on a Monday and it required her to do some writing over the weekend. She got an email through to me, I believe it was that Monday, and explained her situation. She worked on it for as long as she could. By that time, Navajo Nation issued stay-at-home orders and they had weekend lockdowns. They also instituted a $1,000 fine for anyone who was out when they werent supposed to be out. So you could get ticketed for driving somewhere. In this particular situation, this young lady, whose family home relies on a generator, they ran out of gas. Her laptop died and she couldnt do any more work. Whatever they had left in their generator had to sustain their household until they could get gas again.

This has really humbled me in a lot of ways as a teacher, because more than ever, the home and the reality of the situations that our students are in right now are just requiring that. The compassion, being understanding and just being willing toits been difficult.

Ive always had high expectations of my students. But Ive had to take that step back and Ive had to look at each individual situation for what it was and acknowledge that that student is in a situation where, number one, its not in their control. Number two, theyre doing their best, and theyre just reacting to whats happening around them.

Students are also dealing with a lot more family challenges, like living in a single-parent household where they have to take on more responsibility caring for others. It makes it more challenging for them to stay focused on their schoolwork. And there are domestic-violence situations.

Its frustrating, and its heartbreaking, because I cant help them fix what is really the challenge for them, and what is really affecting them, I cant fix that. So I keep that [in] the back of my mind, when Im designing my lessons. Even now, I really try to stay in communication with them. And I encourage them to stay in communication with me and let me know if somethings happening. I record my class sessions so at any time, should a student have to miss [class] for whatever reason, they always have access to those class recordings. They can always go back and watch. And Ill communicate with them and say, do you have any questions? What do you need help with? And then try to take them from there and keep moving them forward.

As we start spring semester, I find that I have higher attendance rate than I did in the fall. I attribute that to the work of our IT department. They have gone above and beyond. Starting the year, every student got a new Macbook Air and a hotspot. Our school took the time to find out what service worked best in their home area and tried to match the hotspot with that. There were still challenges, because we have some students who live in areas that had absolutely no signal at all, no connection at all. In some of those instances, our IT team went out and actually installed routers. They installed antennas on top of their roofs.

I meet [students] through Zoom. We are limited though, on the amount of time that we can be in Zoom. The first two weeks of this fall semester, we went on, we were excited, were gonna see our kids through Zoom. By the end of the second week, we saw students dropping out. Students werent showing up. And what happened to them? Well, [we] found that their data plan was running out. We had to scale back on our live Zoom sessions. We were limited to 30 minutes [a class] for the first half of the fall semester. By the end of the semester, we increased it to 45 minutes. [The IT team was] able to increase some of the data on the hotspots. So that helped a lot.

In November, my son, my only child, who goes to Fort Lewis College, tested positive. He has an apartment on campus, about an hours drive away. He stayed put. We drove up there, left things outside his door. We couldnt have contact with him. It was so hard. My son was battling COVID and I couldnt do anything to help him. Fortunately he had mild symptoms.

My husband works for Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprises, and hasnt been to work since last March because they shut down all the casinos. They had enough to pay the workers [for a while]. But he got laid off the beginning of January and is now on unemployment. The gaming executives say that if the casinos cant open by March, they might have to shut them down permanently. We dont know what the outcome will be.

My grandfather died recently. We just found out my mom is sick with COVID. So the reality of [my students] situations living on the reservation, now Im experiencing it personally with my mom and my family. My grandfathers services are tomorrow, and we cant even all be there. Thats the reality of what a lot of our kids are going through. Even teachers. Weve had several staff members who have lost family members.

My mom is 65. She lives in a trailer on the north rim of Canyon de Chelly. She got electricity a year and a half ago, but she still doesnt have running water. So were going to take our RV to her, so at least she can take a hot shower, [to] give her some comfort, and hopefully shell be able to fight this. You know, her walking out to the outhouse in the cold and having to deal with a wood burning stove, its just not good for her right now.

We talk about the cluster outbreaks [here] and how dangerous those are, because we do have so many family members living not just within one home, but in close proximity to one another, that its hard to maintain that distance, without thinking about it being a reality, or it being something that can actually happen to you. Until it does.

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Sitting on the Roof at Night for Internet: Pandemic Learning in the Navajo Nation - Education Week

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Counties once again looking to operate in the dark Mecklenburg Times: News for Mecklenburg, Union and Iredell counties – The Mecklenburg Times

Posted: at 8:52 am

Like a bad penny, legislation to hide public notices from the public is back in N.C. General Assembly.

House members have filed separate bills that would allow 14 counties in the Piedmont and mountains and 12 counties in Eastern North Carolina to run public notices on their websites instead of in newspapers. This has been a bad idea over the past 10 years and it is arguably a worse idea today when a public health crisis calls for greater transparency, not less.

Why are public notices important?

Public notices catalog government actions in cases of competitive bidding, rezonings, budget hearings, auctions, property transfers, delinquent tax notices, street name changes and more. They alert the public to disruptive land-use changes for things like sewer plants, asphalt plants and garbage incinerators. They tell the public in advance about proposals for traffic-clogging high-density developments and plans for wider roads or new roads. Although they cost local government a small amount of money, public notices generate revenue by compelling the collection of past-due taxes. Indeed, the threat of having their names published in the local newspaper (and on its website) for nonpayment incentivizes the timely payment of property taxes by an incalculable amount. Instead of eroding the publics right to know, county commissioners and city council members should be providing as much information as possible to all their constituents, including the many who have no internet access or poor service.

What role do newspapers play?

Newspapers are a community forum. That role does not change with the manner in which you receive local news important to you.

Newspapers have proved to be a lifeline of community news vital to the public during the pandemic; instead of killing the messengers, counties and cities should continue running legal notices in newspapers and help maintain this vital line of communication to the local community.

Current law ensures that public notices reach the largest possible cross-section of the community. The death of newspapers has been greatly exaggerated since the invention of the telegraph machine, radio and television. While the internet has reduced dissemination of news via a printed product, newspapers almost universally have added 24-7 web-based products that in many cases reach a larger audience than those news companies did before websites proliferated. Traffic on county websites is infinitesimally small compared to newspaper websites and print circulation. A recent study done by the North Carolina Press Association showed newspaper websites drew 4-5 times as much traffic as county websites. Keep in mind, too, that at no extra cost and without being forced to by law newspapers are already posting public notices on line and uploading them to a central statewide website http://www.ncnotices.com where the public can read notices from around the state for free.

The survey the NCPA commissioned in December 2020 found that:

The survey broadly undergirds what most people would regard as intuitive fact: The public relies on newspapers more often than any other source of information and its not even close.

What about access to these notices?

According to many studies, fully 30% of North Carolinians either live where there is no internet service, they cant afford it, or wont read online even if available (most seniors).

Rep Warren thinks that everyone has a cell phone with capability to reach county websites, a position that is simply not supportable (there is a comparable group of seniors or those who cant afford wireless or find themselves out of service range).

Readers and viewers still look to newspapers to get community news that no other organization provides. So its a false echo for Rep Warren and others to argue that its time now (when it wasnt time 10 years ago when he voted against earlier legislation to kill public notice) to allow counties to pull notices because newspapers may publish less frequently today.

Would this save money for our counties?

The fact is legal notice advertising is a tiny fraction of the budget in every county.

It is an important check and balance service that newspapers have provided to local governments for decades, and yes they are paid for it. These notices do not subsidize the operation of small town newspapers. They keep the public informed. Removing the newspaper publication cost would scarcely be noticed on local government budget ledgers except to the extent it may reduce their leverage to collect unpaid taxes, making the repeal of the public notices pound foolish.

If our papers didnt play this role, many vulnerable taxpayers would be left in the dark about meetings of local governments that their tax dollars pay for, as well as the decisions and taxes to which those meetings might lead. Finally, legal ads sometimes more than pay for themselves, either by heading off a costly governmental controversy by drawing public attention early or bringing in cash. For instance, Moore County paid its local paper, The Pilot, $8,000 to meet a legal requirement to publish the names of delinquent taxpayers who collectively owed $1.37 million. After the ad, Moore County collected $821,000 of the outstanding debt.

This is not about cost savings for the counties. This is about hiding the business of the people and an attempt to strike back at newspapers for doing their job. We are the public watchdogs and occasionally we report on news that is not favorable to elected officials. That role will never change. This is about accountability and transparency.

As described by former Republican lawyer- House member Bonner Stiller, giving local governments the choice to suspend notice publication to the public in newspapers would create havoc for free press rights every time a newspaper criticized the government.

Limiting public notice to government websites is a Bad Idea.

Because as many as one-third of North Carolinians do not have internet access, cant afford it, and would not visit government operated websites even if they had internet access. This bill would bury public notices on a website that few if any citizens visit and effectively would kill the publics right to know.

These measures put local governments into private business, expanding government reach. Posting of public notices to government sites is not a healthy option for democracy. Newspapers are an independent third party responsible for printing and archiving a permanent record of these public notices who would be held accountable if these notices were only required to post on a government run website?

The attempts at retribution against local newspapers are a Bad Idea. Contact your local legislator and county commissioners and tell them to keep the fox out of the henhouse. Tell them to keep public notices in newspapers so that the public can see them.

Philip M. Lucey

Executive Director

North Carolina Press Association

Supporting the publics right to know since 1873

Experts in hyperlocal advertising and marketing

North Carolina Press Association

Since 1843 NCPA has supported North Carolina newspapers, readership and advertising. We work to protect the publics right to know through the defense of open government and First Amendment freedoms, and we help maintain the publics access to local, state and federal governments.

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Counties once again looking to operate in the dark Mecklenburg Times: News for Mecklenburg, Union and Iredell counties - The Mecklenburg Times

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Yahoo Sports’ picks for the winner of Chiefs-Buccaneers, and Super Bowl LV MVP – Yahoo Sports

Posted: at 8:51 am

The Guardian

Will Tampa Bay become the first team to win a championship in their own home stadium? Or will the reigning champions retain their title? This years Super Bowl features some of the NFLs top talent including, clockwise from left, Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. Composite: Reuters, Getty, AP What the Chiefs need to do to win Be the Chiefs. That may sound flippant, but no team gives more credit to the flip the switch theory than this seasons Chiefs. When theyre fully engaged, when theyre at their full Chiefs-ness, theres not much any other team in the league can do to stop them. There are flaws on defense, but at some point, Patrick Mahomes will have the ball. Even with an excellent defense, Tampa will have a hard time slowing down the Mahomes-Hill-Kelce triumvirate. OC With their top two offensive tackles likely out of this matchup, it figures to be tough sledding for the Chiefs on the edge. Look for Andy Reid to dial up plenty of screen passes to capitalize on the speed and shiftiness of his backs and receivers Tyreek Hills especially. AL Win the battle of the turnovers. Brady threw three interceptions against the Green Bay Packers, but the Packers could only score on one of the ensuing possessions. If the Bucs do that against KC, this game could be over quickly. HF Eliminate the deep ball. Keep two safeties on the field so the Bucs are forced to run. You cannot play chicken with Brady like the Packers did it only ends one way. Well, unless the offense explodes as well it may. Reid will need an extra splash of trickery to flummox Tampa. That or dump it off to Hill. GS What the Bucs need to do to win Shorten the game. The Bucs have proven they can swap between a number of styles this season. They can win with their exceptional defense. They can rely on Tom Brady to hang in a shootout. Against the Chiefs, though it wont be as entertaining, they will have to rely on the run-game to extend drives against a weak-ish Chiefs front in order to contain the scoreline. Get Brady to the final drive with a chance to win the game, that should be the plan. OC Sic Jason Pierre-Paul, William Gholston and Ndamukong Suh on the Chiefs backup tackles. Mix it up a little on first down. (The handoffs to Leonard Fournette & Co are so predictable.) And capitalize on every opportunity to connect with receivers downfield, a point of emphasis for Bruce Arians all season. If Antonio Brown is looking for a time to shine, this is it. AL Bradys doesnt want to get into a throwing contest with Mahomes at this point of his career. His edge will lie in his experience. He doesnt want to be a pure game-manager here, hes going to have to connect on a few long-balls to win, but if he focuses on making the right play over trying for the big play, his team have a solid chance. HF Tampa must play to their strengths and blitz early and often. They have the pedigree nine sacks and two wins against Rodgers this season and can slow down Mahomes by attacking an offensive line missing both its starting tackles. You run the risk of death by a thousand Tyreek and Travis-shaped cuts but Todd Bowles must be brave to limit Kansas Citys scoring. GS Key player for the Chiefs Patrick Mahomes. Of course its Mahomes. Going with anyone else would be a hipster choice. The Bucs could run the perfect gameplan. They could play as well as imaginable on both sides of the ball. Yet if Mahomes turns up and plays at his best, there is nothing anyone can do to stop him. OC Other than the obvious? Lets go with Tyrann Mathieu, whose powers of anticipation and interruption give off major Ed Reed vibes. He, not Mahomes, is Tom Bradys true opponent and the Honey Badger will make the GOAT pay for all those 50-50 balls he likes to throw up so much. Mathieu intercepted Brady on a tipped ball in their Week 12 matchup. AL Travis Kelce. We talk about Brady v Mahomes, but what about Kelce v Gronkowski? Since Gronkowskis (temporary) retirement, Kelce has been fighting to surpass him as the leagues best tight end ever. A Super Bowl win over a diminished Gronk would be more of a symbolic touchstone, but it wouldnt hurt his case. HF Tyrann Mathieu. We can be sure Brady is going to take risks through the air so Mathieus ability to diagnose and demolish receiver routes will need to be firing to disrupt Tampas passing attack. Putting Brady under pressure to second guess whether Mathieu will jump a route consistently could frustrate the veteran into making costly mistakes. GS Key player for the Bucs Todd Bowles. Not a player, but the Bucs defensive coordinator. Tampas defense has played at a championship level all season. There arent many schematic fireworks. Instead, Bowles relies on a core group of plays and his players all playing at the highest possible level. Against Mahomes, he is going to need a couple of wrinkles or fresh looks in order to create a negative play or two. OC Lavonte David, one of the finest linebackers the game has ever seen. His ability to close on ballcarriers and stop or even sometimes reverse their momentum should prove especially useful against a Chiefs skilled unit adept at piling on big yards after the catch. His sideline-to-sideline range will be key to maintaining coordinator Todd Bowless bend-but-dont-break principles. AL Leonard Fournette. Fournette was cut by the Jaguars and came in as Tampa Bays backup running back. Now hes putting his best work of the season in the playoffs, including an astonishing touchdown run against Green Bay. Another touchdown or two would be nice, but if he can pick up plenty of yardage on first downs, it will open the playbook wide open for Brady. HF A shootout beckons despite the cannons falling silent at Raymond James Stadium (couldnt the cannons have fired for the Chiefs as well? Why do I care so much about the cannons?). The Bucs can bully the Chiefs defense using the superior size and strength of Mike Evans in the redzone. The extra attention he receives will also create holes for others to rack up points. GS One bold prediction The Weeknd has more than one song. I mean, seriously? The Weeknd? For the Super Bowl? Am I old now? OC Someones gonna pull out a trick play. Either the Chiefs build on the iconic Four Tops they sprang on the 49ers last year, or Arians dials up a nervy retort. Either way, you will love the football love language. AL How about a scoreless first quarter? After all the talk about this being an offensive showdown, maybe both sides get performance anxiety right off the gate and we see a lot of three-and-outs, some offensive miscues and even a missed field goal in the first 15 minutes. HF Tony Romo spots Bill Belichick in the crowd wearing a Jack Sparrow mask as a disguise. Naturally, Romo cannot contain his excitement and orchestrates a joyous on-field reunion after Brady lifts a Lombardi without his one-time mentor. Thats my boy, Belichick will say. GS The final score will be Chiefs 31-24 Buccaneers. The combination of Brady and Bowles is about as good as you can hope for in trying to knock the Chiefs off their perch. No one is capable of stopping the Chiefs, but all the Bucs require is a defense that slows Mahomes-Andy Reid machine down, even for a possession or two. Tampa have the talent and staff to be able to pull off such a plan. I have the Bucs giving Brady a chance on the final possession but coming up just short. The Chiefs offensive power, even with all the Bowles goodness, is just too overwhelming. And even when plays break down, nobody is better off-script than Mahomes. The Chiefs go back-to-back and Mahomes takes home a second successive MVP. OC Chiefs 30-29 Buccaneers. As exposed as Mahomes figures to be on the edge, one could easily see the Bucs defense forgetting about the QBs wheels until its too late. Whether its by picking up chunk yardage or buying time to fire darts to Cheetah & Co, eventually, Mahomes will take their heart. AL Chiefs 34-17 Buccaneers. Look for the teams to keep it close for a while but by the fourth quarter, the Chiefs will have the lead and salt it way with one of those Mahomes bursts where he rattles off two touchdowns in the blink of an eye. HF Chiefs 30-33 Buccaneers. I said it mid-season and I will say it again, Tom Brady and the Bucs will win the Super Bowl. Picking against Brady is a fools errand especially now he is an underdog. Six titles and your team not being favourite is testament to how good the Chiefs are but Brady will have the last word in the game with a last-minute drive and possibly on which QB is truly the greatest. Same time next year, Tom. GS

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DeFi Season? LINK, AAVE, ZRX and COMP Hit Record Price Highs, Outperforming Bitcoin – Yahoo Finance

Posted: at 8:51 am

TipRanks

Weve got a full month of 2021 behind us now, and a few trends are coming clearer. The coronavirus crisis may still be with us, but as vaccination programs expand, the end is in sight. With President Trump out of the picture, and the Democrats holding both Houses of Congress and the White House, politics is looking more predictable. And both of those developments bode well for an economic recovery this year. Looking back, at the year that was, we can also see some trends that stayed firm despite the pandemic, the shutdowns, and the supercharged election season. One of the most important is the ongoing rollout of 5G networking technology. These new networks bring with them a fuller realization of the promises inherent in the digital world. Faster connections, lower latency, higher online capacity, clearer signals all will strongly enhance the capabilities of the networked world. And it wont just be mundane things like telecommuting or remote offices that will benefit 5G will allow Internet of Things and autonomous vehicles to further develop their potential. There is even talk of medical applications, of remotely located doctors performing surgery via digitally controlled microsurgical tools. And these are just the possibilities that we can see from now. Who know what the future will really bring? To this end, we pulled up TipRanks database to learn more about three exciting plays in the 5G space. According to the Street, we are likely to see further interesting developments in the next few years as this technology takes over. Skyworks Solutions (SWKS) The first 5G name were looking at, Skyworks, is a semiconductor chip manufacturer that brought in $3.4 billion in total revenues for FY2020. Skyworks, which is a prime supplier of chips for Apples iPhone series, saw a massive 68% year-over-year increase in 1QFY21 revenues the top line reached $1.51 billion, a company record, and also much higher than analysts had forecast. Much of Skyworks fiscal Q1 sales success came after Apple launched the 5G-capable iPhone 12 line. Strong sales in the popular handset device meant that profits trickled down the supply line and Skyworks channels a disproportionate share of its business to Apple. In fact, Apple orders accounted for 70% of Skyworks revenue in the recent quarter. iPhone wasnt the only 5G handset on the receiving end of Skyworks chips, however the company is also an important supplier to Koreas Samsung and Chinas Xiaomi, and has seen demand rise as these companies also launch 5G-capable smartphones. Finally, Skyworks supplies semiconductor chip components to the wireless infrastructure sector, specifically to the small cell transmission units which are important in the propagation network of wireless signals. As the wireless providers switch to 5G transmission, Skyworks has seen orders for its products increase. In his note on Skyworks for Benchmark, 5-star analyst Ruben Roy writes: SWKS significantly beat consensus estimates and provided March quarter guidance that is also well ahead of consensus estimates as 5G related mobile revenue and broad-based segment revenue continued to accelerate In addition to continued strength of design win momentum and customer activity, we are encouraged with SWKS confident tone relative to the overall demand environment and content increase opportunities. In line with his comments, Roy rates SWKS a Buy along with a $215 price target. At current levels, this implies an upside of 20% for the coming year. (To watch Roys track record, click here) Roy is broadly in line with the rest of Wall Street, which has assigned SWKS 13 Buy ratings and 7 Holds over the past three month -- and sees the stock growing about 15% over the next 12 months, to a target price of $205.69.(See SWKS stock analysis on TipRanks) Qorvo, Inc. (QRVO) Qorvos chief products are chipsets used in the construction of radio frequency transmission systems that power wifi and broadband communication networks. The connection of this niche to 5G is clear as network providers upgrade their RF hardware to 5G, they also upgrade the semiconductor chips that control the systems. This chip maker has a solid niche, but it is not resting on its laurels. Qorvo is actively developing a range of new products specifically for 5G systems and deployment. This 5G radio frequency product portfolio includes phase shifters, switches, and integrated modules, and contains both infrastructure and mobile products. Qorvo posted $3.24 billion in total revenues for fiscal 2020. That revenue represents a 4.8% year-over-year increase and the companys sales have been accelerating in fiscal 2021. The most recent quarterly report, for the second fiscal quarter, showed $1.06 billion in revenues, a 31% yoy increase. Rajvindra Gill, 5-star analyst with Needham, is bullish on Qorvos prospects, noting: Qorvo reported strong sales and gross margins as 5G momentum rolls into CY21 on atypical seasonality... The company is planning for 500M 5G handsets to be manufactured in 2021, with an incremental $5-7 of content/unit from 4G to 5G. Management believes that ultra-wideband adoption will be a key growth driver in for smartphones going forward..." To this end, Gill puts a $220 price target on QRVO shares, suggesting room for 31% upside in 2021. Accordingly, he rates the stock a Buy. (To watch Gills track record, click here) What do other analysts have to say? 13 Buys and and 6 Holds add up to a Moderate Buy analyst consensus. Given the $192.28 average price target, shares could climb ~15% from current levels. (See QRVO stock analysis on TipRanks) Telefonakiebolaget LM Ericsson (ERIC) From chipsets, well move on to handsets. Ericsson, the Swedish telecom giant has long been a leader in mobile tech, and is well known for its infrastructure and software that make possible IP networking, broadband, cable TV, and other telecom services. Ericsson is the largest European telecom company, and the largest 2G/3G/4G infrastructure provider outside of China. But that is all in the background. Ericsson is also a leader in the rollout of Europes growing 5G networks. Ericsson is involved in 5G rollout in 17 countries in Europe, the Americas, and Asia, and its product line includes infrastructure base units and handsets, giving the company an interest in all aspects of the new 5G networks. Ericssons revenue performance in 2020 was not notably distressed by the corona crisis. Yes, the top line dipped in Q1, but that was in line with the companys historical pattern of rising revenue from Q1 through Q4. While the companys 1H20 revenues showed small yoy declines, the 2H20 gains were higher. In Q3, the $6.48 billion top line was up 8.7% yoy, and Q4s $8.08 billion revenue was up 17% from the prior year. The companys shares have also performed well during the corona year, and show a 12 month gain of 64%. Raymond James 5-star analyst Simon Leopold bluntly assigns Ericssons recent gains to its participation in 5G rollouts. Japan's awaited 5G roll-out has started. Share gains continue as Ericsson benefits from challenges facing its biggest competitors and more operators embrace 5G it seems obvious that Ericsson should be gaining market share... Competitor Nokia shunned the Chinese 5G projects, citing profitability challenges, yet Ericsson appears to be profiting in the challenging region. Leopold rates this stock an Outperform (i.e. Buy), and his $15 price target implies an upside potential of ~14% for the year ahead. (To watch Leopolds track record, click here) The Raymond James analyst, while bullish on ERIC, is actually less so than the Wall Street consensus. The stock has a Strong Buy consensus rating, based on a unanimous 5 reviews, and the $16.50 average price target indicates 25% growth potential from the share price of $13.19. (See ERIC stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for 5G 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.

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DeFi Season? LINK, AAVE, ZRX and COMP Hit Record Price Highs, Outperforming Bitcoin - Yahoo Finance

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Ocugen: Theres a New Potential Covid-19 Vaccine at the Gate – Yahoo Finance

Posted: at 8:51 am

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Activision Blizzard beats earnings expectations, Call of Duty dominates – Yahoo Finance

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Yahoo Sports has cut ties with two of its three "MLB experts" – Awful Announcing

Posted: at 8:51 am

The main MLB portal at Yahoo Sports is mainly compromised of a feed consisting of stories from national outlets, newspapers, and NBC-affiliated local sites. Incredibly, its about to get even less interesting.

On Tuesday, Yahoo MLB writers Tim Brown and Mike Oz announced theyd no longer be with the company.

The lone remaining MLB expert at Yahoo is Hannah Keyser.

Yahoo has been slashing the staff at its sports sites over the last few years. It attempted to launch a subscription-based Mets app in 2019, but that plan never got off the ground and all the writers were let go. Long-time editor Kevin Kaduk was laid off around the same time. A year ago, the sites entire UK editorial team was let go.

Its disappointing to see Yahoos MLB coverage continue to dwindle. Since Jeff Passan left for ESPN more than two years ago, it seems like there hasnt been much desire from Yahoo to build its MLB coverage back up. Yahoos focus has seemingly been directed towards cultivating its relationship with the NFL (shocker) and its sports betting ventures, and while thats all well and good, talented individuals are losing their jobs. Wherever Brown and Oz land, itll be Yahoos loss and their new employers gain.

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Biden has an alternative to Trumps ‘America First’ – Yahoo Finance

Posted: at 8:51 am

President Joe Biden used an odd phrase in a Feb. 4 speech when he outlined a foreign policy for the middle class. With Washington focused on a kooky Republican Congresswoman and the introduction of Bidens huge relief bill, the media barely mentioned this concept that sounds like an oxymoron.

Biden might need a pithier slogan, but foreign policy for the middle class is his rejoinder to President Trumps America First programand the Democrats first-ever effort to address the woes caused by free trade. To put this idea into practice, Bidens administration will appoint a kind of jobs czar within 30 days, develop a strategy within 60 days and establish benchmarks for measuring progress.

This could end up being weak tea, like many of the Washington task forces that issue reports but change nothing. Its a political necessity for Biden, however, to show voters he recognizes the problems Trump tapped into in 2016 by attacking trade deals and claiming China and Mexico were ripping off Americans. And some of Bidens top advisers have outlined a new approach to trade meant to protect American jobs while retaining the efficiencies of globalization.

Trumps unfinished trade agenda is the obvious starting point. Trump imposed new tariffs on about $350 billion worth of annual imports from China, Mexico and several other countries. Trump claimed raising the cost of imports would lead to more U.S. manufacturing, and jobs. That didnt really happen. Instead, importers shifted supply chains to other low-cost countries, such as Vietnam and India, not subject to the new tariffs.

Biden has signaled he plans to leave the Trump tariffs in place, using them as leverage as he forms a different set of policies. One thing he wants to do is team up with allies to confront Chinas trade abuses as a bloc, instead of going it alone, as Trump did. Biden hasnt detailed a strategy yet, but the American mood toward China has soured since President Obama left office in 2017. Obama touted economic cooperation with China, even as evidence grew that cheap Chinese production had vaporized millions of U.S. jobs. Trump successfully exploited worker frustrations on trade when he ran for president in 2016, and Biden needs to show working-class Americans he gets it, too.

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Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, has outlined what foreign policy for the middle class might look like. He was a co-author of a 2020 report published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace that called for new types of trade policy that put workers first. It noted that 30 years of globalization have thoroughly benefited big companies that can move work from country to country, and consumers who pay less for a huge basket of products. The losers, however, have been middle-class manufacturing workers whose livelihoods have disappeared, often with little relief or alternate work.

Theres no single-bullet solution. The Carnegie report makes dozens of recommendations, such as developing a national competitiveness strategy for creating more good-paying jobs, improving worker training and matching workers with companies that need them. Labor unions could have more input on trade deals at agencies such as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, where corporate America typically dominates. There could be better programs for aiding workers displaced by globalization.

Many trade experts say the United States needs better ways of addressing trade disputes, with China in particular. Complaints lodged at the World Trade Organization take years to resolve and results are often inconclusive. The United States could demand fixes at the WTO while also developing its own toolsin conjunction with allies, perhapsto act when the WTO doesnt. Congressional legislation that establishes those tools would make them more durable than the executive actions Trump relied on.

Biden also plans to use future stimulus bills to generate large investments in green energy and traditional infrastructure, another way to trigger job growth. And his Buy America plan could generate a bit more business for American firms.

The biggest question is whether Biden will be able to point to results by the time of the 2022 midterms, or even the 2024 presidential election. Trade deals and policies take a long time to implement and even longer to change reality on the ground. Trumps tariffs were an exception, because he imposed those unilaterally, with little notice. But trading partners imposed their own punitive measures just as quickly, negating any benefit of Trumps moves and raising costs in all directions.

If the economy is booming by the time voters head to the polls in 2022 and 2024, they may not care that much whether Bidens foreign policy has generated middle-class jobs. But its more likely pockets of the economy will remain depressed, perhaps large pockets. Many working-class American feel theyve been sold out, and Biden will have a tough time changing their minds.

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman. You can also send confidentital tips, and click here to get Ricks stories by email.

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Biden has an alternative to Trumps 'America First' - Yahoo Finance

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Instagram Removes Hundreds of Accounts That Were Stolen and Sold by Hackers – Yahoo Entertainment

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Instagram disabled high-value, single-word usernames that were stolen by hackers and resold, the New York Times reports. Twitter, TikTok and Facebook took similar measures as well.

The social media platforms are reportedly cracking down on those responsible for the hacking of highly coveted usernames. Such names have been dubbed O.G. usernames, and can include keywords like @Writer, @Killer, or @Gamer, for example. Theyre considered high-value because they come from early adopters who jumped on these platforms as they launched. Once hackers obtain the usernames, theyve been known to buy and sell them on online forums and group messaging apps.

Today, were removing hundreds of accounts connected to members of the OGUsers forum, a spokesperson for Instagram said in a statement. They harass, extort and cause harm to the Instagram community, and we will continue to do all we can to make it difficult for them to profit from Instagram usernames.

Instagram first launched the effort on Thursday, after a month-long investigation into one such site, ogusers.com. Some of the stolen account names had been obtained through extortion, blackmail, and harassment, and have been sold for upwards of $40,000. The big Twitter hack of last year, which impacted people including Elon Musk and former President Barack Obama, was traced back to the same site.

Their main objective is to grow their pages, and selling these O.G. usernames is a game for a lot of them, said 22-year-old Jackson Weimer, who is an administrator of a meme account that highlighted this insidious practice. Their objective is to do this to as many people as possible. Every meme page has encountered one of these people. When he first highlighted the practice, he was among those to be targeted with harassment by hackers sending him photos of his house on Google Maps.

They told me they wanted to rape and kill my parents, he said. They said that Ill regret doing this. They sent me my address a lot and created an account exposing me on instagram, where theyd just post and make up lies about me. While he thinks the bans are a good first step, its not going to be the end of it all by any means. If Instagram really wants to fix this problem, they need to go from the top down and start paying people who create content so theres no reason for people to make money in other ways.

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Why Apple could be Tesla’s fiercest rival in the EV game – Yahoo Finance

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Tesla (TSLA) might have a formidable new challenger in the high-tech self-driving electric car game, and its coming from an unlikely place: Apple (AAPL). Rumors that Apple is finally getting its automotive ambitions off the ground are hotter than ever, and multiple reports say it might have a partner for its so-called Apple Car in Hyundai-Kia.

For Tesla, Apple entering the EV race is a shot across the bow, and Hyundai is potentially a perfect EV marriage, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives told Yahoo Finance.

Apple, like Tesla, would be entering the market with an outside perspective. And with its exceptional customer service knowledge, it could easily eliminate the drudgery of going to the local dealership. Whats more, Apple knows how to generate customer interest in its products, and comes with a built-in and loyal customer base. The companys top-notch supply chain management, which CEO Tim Cook built out, would help it compete with Tesla even more.

Apple will surely have a long way to go to catch up with Tesla, but it might prove to be the kind of challenger to Musks empire that traditional automakers could only hope to be.

Apple has reportedly been working on building out its own vehicle since 2014. But the process on whats known as Project Titan has proceeded in fits and starts. First, Apple was said to be working on building its own car from scratch. Then, it was just working on self-driving software, and now Apple is reportedly teaming with Hyundai to do the heavy lifting on overall vehicle architecture.

Because Apple will reportedly use Hyundas Kia plant in Georgia, it already has a leg up on Tesla which had to build out its production capabilities. At one point in 2018, Musk was sleeping on the floor of Teslas production facility and set up an additional assembly line under an outdoor tent. Notably, Musk said he tried to get a meeting with Apples Cook at the time to sell the company to Apple. But Cook didnt respond, according to Musk.

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There are two big reasons Apple could rival Tesla the tech giant understands how to please customers and it knows how to manufacture high-end products that people want but dont need.

No matter how you cut it, this will provide a rival to Tesla, Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy told Yahoo Finance. Like Tesla, Apple focuses on the experience, so I see them in the same sphere of competition.

To understand Apples commitment to customer service, look no further than the Apple Store. You can walk in, talk to a salesperson, and you can get a phone on the spot. They dont pester you to upgrade or buy accessories they just set up your phone right away.

If Apple can bring that seamless approach to cars, something Tesla has managed, then the tech giant could change the game for the electric vehicle industry.

Think about the areas of improvement for customer satisfaction, Moorhead said. Unless you drive a super premium car, dreading to go into the dealer. And then there's the whole purchasing experience. I would expect them to change that whole dynamic.

Apple also excels at positioning its products as semi-luxury devices, before releasing more affordable versions for everyday consumers. A splashy first-generation vehicle, similar to Teslas original Roadster, could drum up interest in a second-generation mid-range vehicle.

I feel like they're going to have to come out with a statement piece first, before they go after, let's call it a mainstream type of audience, Moorhead said.

Theres also the fact that Apple already has its own financing arm. By using favorable interest rates, the company could give its vehicles a wider potential consumer base.

Of course, theres no guarantee that an Apple Car will hit the streets anytime soon.

As of now, reports indicate Apple and Hyundai are discussing building a self-driving, electric car. According to AppleInsider, citing TF Securities analyst and frequent Apple prognosticator Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple could use Hyundais recently announced E-GMP electric vehicle platform for the Apple Car. The Wall Street Journal reports Hyundai is already seeking partners to help build Apples car.

It might sound odd for Apple to team with a third-party to build its own vehicles, but that would align with its standard business practices. The iPhone maker already pays manufacturers from around the world, including in the U.S., to produce individual pieces for its various devices, before sending them off to be assembled by the likes of Chinas Foxconn and others.

And part of that partnership means Apple spending to build out those manufacturers facilities. Doing so would provide Hyundai with even more incentive to work with Apple.

Right now, its unclear whether well get a prototype of an Apple Car in 2022 or a mass market vehicle by 2024. But either way, Tesla might not lead the EV space for much longer.

Got a tip? Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com over via encrypted mail at danielphowley@protonmail.com, and follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.

Daily Archives: February 6, 2021

Sitting on the Roof at Night for Internet: Pandemic Learning in the Navajo Nation – Education Week

Counties once again looking to operate in the dark Mecklenburg Times: News for Mecklenburg, Union and Iredell counties – The Mecklenburg Times

Yahoo Sports’ picks for the winner of Chiefs-Buccaneers, and Super Bowl LV MVP – Yahoo Sports

DeFi Season? LINK, AAVE, ZRX and COMP Hit Record Price Highs, Outperforming Bitcoin – Yahoo Finance

Ocugen: Theres a New Potential Covid-19 Vaccine at the Gate – Yahoo Finance

Activision Blizzard beats earnings expectations, Call of Duty dominates – Yahoo Finance

Yahoo Sports has cut ties with two of its three "MLB experts" – Awful Announcing

Biden has an alternative to Trumps ‘America First’ – Yahoo Finance

Instagram Removes Hundreds of Accounts That Were Stolen and Sold by Hackers – Yahoo Entertainment

Why Apple could be Tesla’s fiercest rival in the EV game – Yahoo Finance

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