Daily Archives: May 1, 2021

While corn and soybean prices continue to march higher, farmers are making progress getting the 2021 crop in the ground. The latest estimates from USDA show soybean planting progress jumped from 3% to 8% in the past week, which is trending 3% ahead of the five-year average. Around 3% of the soybean crop has emerged, which is 1% ahead of last week. Louisiana trails in planting progress, but the other key soybean production states are tracking with the five-year average or even a bit ahead.

USDA estimate 17% of the corn crop is now planted, which is up 9% from last week but still 3% behind the five-year average. Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois and Pennsylvania are behind the five-year planting pace while most other states are 1% to 2% ahead of schedule.

Cotton planting is also picking up with 12% in the ground. Thats 1% ahead of average.

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Planting Progress: Soybeans Ahead of Five-Year Average While Corn Lags Behind - Agweb Powered by Farm Journal

Bobby FranklinContributor

Lets be clear: The venture capital industry has lacked diversity. The good news is the industry is working to improve itself.

To begin with, as an industry, venture capital can only improve what we measure. In 2016, we set out to develop a rigorous methodology for tracking progress on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in venture capital, and to measure and benchmark those data through our biennial VC Human Capital Survey.

The goals of the survey powered by the National Venture Capital Association, Venture Forward and Deloitte are to collect demographic data on the VC workforce across all firm types, sizes, stages, sectors and geographies, as well as trends on firm talent management and recruitment practices. Weve learned that progress can be slow and seem discouraging, but weve also captured evidence that diversity (and firm practices to advance diversity) is increasing in some areas, even as other areas have unfortunately not seen the same pace of change.

We fielded the survey in 2016, 2018 and 2020, and released the outcomes of the third edition last month, featuring data (as of June 30, 2020) collected from 378 firms, a marked increase from 203 participating firms in 2018. Furthermore, more than 145 firms signed the #VCHumanCapital pledge to publicly commit to submitting their DEI data.

At a high level, the data showed that improvements in diversity among investment partners have largely been driven by the hiring and advancement of female investors, while there has been little progress in the equitable representation of Black or Hispanic investment partners.

However, the demographic composition of junior investment professionals reflects greater diversity and wider adoption of diversity-focused talent management and recruitment practices suggest some cause for optimism. The industry still has a long way to go, but here are some of the key insights and changes we identified from the latest survey.

More firms are explicitly assigning responsibility for promoting diversity and inclusion internally 50% of firms have a staff person or team tasked with this responsibility (compared with 34% in 2018 and 16% in 2016). Simultaneously, diversity and inclusion strategies have become more widespread; 43% of firms have implemented a diversity strategy (against 32% in 2018 and 24% in 2016), while 41% have an inclusion strategy (versus 31% in 2018 and 17% in 2016).

This intentionality translates to improved diversity outcomes. Firms with dedicated DEI staff, strategies and programs achieve greater gender and racial diversity on investment teams and among investment partners. The increased emphasis on DEI is also a broader ecosystem trend. More firms report that limited partners and portfolio companies have requested their DEI details over the past 12 months.

Venture firms are relatively small and turnover is generally low, but 21% of firms in 2020 reported their number of senior-level investment positions had increased, while 43% said their number of junior-level positions had expanded. Meanwhile, the demographic composition of junior investment professionals reflects higher gender and racial diversity, a positive leading indicator for the diversity of future investment partners.

As overall DEI strategies have become increasingly widespread, more firms have also developed DEI-focused recruitment and hiring programs 33% of firms have formal programs, while 74% have informal programs, both reflecting steady increases from 2016. Firms were also more likely to report that they typically seek external candidates for open positions than they did in 2018.

However, firms continue to largely rely on internal networks for recruitment, which often encourages homogeneous hiring outcomes. Between the 2018 and 2020 surveys, there was little change shown in the use of narrow recruitment methods to find external candidates; notifying peers in the VC industry (78%) and notifying the firm internally (59%) were the strategies cited most often. The exception was posting on third-party websites like LinkedIn or in newsletters, a strategy reported by 54% of firms in 2020 (a substantial increase from 37% in 2018), which presents one avenue to reach a broader audience of candidates outside of existing networks.

Once talent has come on board, inclusive culture and retention become key metrics of DEI progress. More firms are implementing programs dedicated to leadership development, mentorship and retention, with about two-thirds reporting informal versions of such programs (20 percentage points higher than in 2016) and 20% of firms reporting formal programs.

Assessing inclusion through the VC Human Capital Survey is challenging because we survey one representative per firm, and one person cannot speak to the degree of inclusion felt by others. However, we added a new question to the 2020 survey to gauge how firms themselves are assessing inclusion. While 41% of firms reported having an inclusion strategy, only 26% said they conduct surveys of their employees to assess inclusion.

Well-structured, consistently applied policies for career advancement are critical to ensuring that diverse talent reaches the most senior decision-making levels of the industry. About 20% of firms reported having formal DEI programs focused on promotion (up from 5% in 2016), while 65% of firms have informal programs (compared with 39% in 2016).

Although DEI programs focused on the promotion of employees are more widespread, subjective factors remain a key consideration for promotion decisions, which can lead to unequal and biased outcomes.

Almost all firms reported that contributions to the performance of the fund (90%) and deal origination (82%) were very important or important factors in considering promotions. However, the factor most often rated highly was soft skills, with 94% of firms saying it was very important or important. These types of subjective factors present significant opportunity for unconscious bias to creep in and can detract from the weight given to objective measures more demonstrably relevant to performance.

The results of the third edition of our survey are timely, coming on the heels of a year in which social justice and racial equity have been the subjects of sharp national focus, policymakers have sought to increase access to capital for underserved communities, and the VC industry has shown a renewed focus on DEI. The survey shows where the VC industrys efforts should be focused and also serves as an important reminder of the intersectional needs of DEI-focused initiatives.

The data show that progress within one demographic element can be more nuanced when considering people who represent multiple marginalized communities (e.g., the percentage of investment partners who are women has steadily increased, but the percentage of investment partners who are women of color has not).

The pace of DEI progress has been slow and uneven in some areas, but there are reasons for optimism. On April 6, NVCA, Venture Forward and Deloitte hosted a discussion with industry leaders to further examine the latest survey results and to address DEI challenges, opportunities and strategies for the industry. More firms are prioritizing these constructive conversations, both within their firms and publicly with industry peers. More firms are acting in a collaborative spirit, adopting thoughtful and concrete DEI strategies and acting with intentionality and urgency.

If the industry can continue to build upon this momentum and commitment around DEI efforts, we can reach a tipping point that will translate to meaningful progress reflected in future editions of the survey.

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Taking stock of the VC industrys progress on diversity, equity and inclusion - TechCrunch

Philadelphia, PA, April 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Pennexx (OTC: PNNX), has produced a new shareholder promotional video that explains the benefits of its https://yoursocialoffers.com (YSO) platform that can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f38xFyFkt14.

Pennexx is also proud to announce they have completed their initial financials and will be reporting a profit for the first quarter.

Pennexx can now issue digital debit cards and will be sending personalized plastic cards to consumers in the near future. These cards represent a fantastic way for consumers to benefit from the YSO platform. The debit cards allow YSO to provide innovative universal rewards and offers to be saved directly on the consumers card at participating merchants.

The company has begun the redesign of the YSO website, increasing the usability and value for consumers. Pennexx believes this website is a tremendous evolution in the nature of the platform and one that will increase the company's success.

Vincent Risalvato, CEO, says, Our audit team has done a fantastic job, and we believe our auditors, Assurance Dimensions PCAOB, will be able to complete the audit by the end of May.

Pennexx has begun the process of preparing to upload its financials to EDGAR. The financials will become readily available on the financials tab at OTC Markets https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/PNNX. Many analysts and shareholders depend on EDGAR data for their decision-making process.

For More Information

Pennexx will do their best to openly and publicly answer your questions and concerns via social media on Twitter https://twitter.com/pennexx @pennexx, or you may email info@pennexx.net.

You may also follow them on Twitter;

Mr. Risalvato (@vrisalvato) https://twitter.com/vrisalvato,

Joe Candito (@jcandito) https://twitter.com/jcandito, and

Ms. Sunny Sweet (@sunnysweettweet) https://twitter.com/sunnysweettweet.

About Pennexx Foods Inc.

About Pennexx Foods Inc. (PNNX: OTCMKTS US). Pennexx, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is a holding company within the Software/Internet Industry focused on social media, prepaid debit cards, artificial intelligence, targeted marketing, and consumer rewards.

Story continues

About YourSocialOffers.com (YSO)

YSO, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pennexx. YSO is our proprietary technology that greatly reduces (if not eliminates) our client companies cash outlays for advertising. YSO provides digital word-of-mouth recommendations from a person to their followers and friends on social media. Word-of-mouth referrals are the best type of referrals. It's not a paid social media advertisement. Our merchants reach new customers through social media without a dollar spent on getting their message out. The merchant only pays for advertising when it works by discounting their products or services when a customer accepts the offers that they share. Their objective is to ask: "Why pay for advertising unless it actually works?"

Safe Harbor Act: This release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report.

For additional information, you may also visit our website at https://yoursocialoffers.com or https://pennexx.net or call 866-928-6409. Please follow us on Twitter @Pennexx.

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Pennexx Has Produced a New Promotional Video, is Providing its Shareholders Progress Updates Regarding Its First Quarter Profits, Debit Cards, Website...

While many gamers have a favorite platform to play on, we dont play games on just one. My TV stand is crowded with many different consoles and we have PC and our mobile apps as well. Xbox is proud to announce that Halo: Infinite will be supporting not just multiplayer cross-play, but cross-progression as well. The game will be released later this year. You will be able to play with friends on either PC or Xbox consoles, but now, your progress will follow you across those platforms.

On Xbox Wire, they said:

We have been working closely with the PC community to ensure that Halo: Infinite offers a premier PC experience, including highly desired features such as support for ultrawide and super ultrawide screens, triple keybinds, a wide variety of advanced graphics options and more. We want to make sure that Halo is serving the PC community. Were also using the cloud to make console gaming accessible on even more PCs. While not meant to replace native PC gaming, Xbox Cloud Gaming allows Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to play over 100 console games on a wide range of computers, from lower-spec, entry-level machines to older devices that otherwise couldnt handle games that require more power.

The first Halo was released in 2001 called Halo: Combat Evolved. Halo has become one of the largest gaming franchises of all time.

Are you excited about the new cross-progression for Halo: Infinite? Leave us a comment.

Source: Xbox Wire Twitter

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Halo: Infinite Will Get Cross-Progress Between Xbox And PC - LRM Online

As nearly 100 people gathered at Manufacturers Village in East Orange for the unveiling of the citys Black Lives Matter mural Sunday, Malcolm Rolling, the projects lead artist, spoke to the crowd about the magnitude of the moment.

I (want) to talk about the liberation of African people and thats normally my theme, when we talk about why we do art, public art and why we put Black faces up everywhere, Rolling said. This is something special.

The mural, nearly 9,000 square feet in size, made its grand debut just a few days after the conclusion of the trial for Derek Chauvin, a Minnesota police officer who was found guilty on all counts of killing George Floyd, an unarmed Black man. The case has reinvigorated the Black Lives Matter movement. The guilty verdict, although an outlier, was seen as a sign of hope and validation for many in the Black community a rare occasion in which a U.S. police officer had been convicted of killing an unarmed Black man.

Nearly two dozen artists, all professionals, turned an empty parking lot on Glenwood Avenue into their canvas, creating one of the more elaborate depictions of the public arts project that has blossomed nationwide. Each letter, a unique painting in and of itself.

Rolling painted the letter M in the word matters. His design is characterized by a deeply personal display of extravagant cherry blossoms drawn inside.

Manufacturers Village Artists unveil 9,000 Square-Foot Black Lives Matter Mural at Manufacturers Village in East Orange, N.J. The letter 'M; was painted by lead artist Malcolm Rolling April, 25, 2021Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Really, its an altar for those who have passed, Rolling said. When we hold vigils, we put flowers and candles down to give praise to those who passed (away) and thats what this is. I chose cherry blossoms because its our state flower.

The unveiling ceremony attended by public officials, the citys police chief and other members of the community was jubilant, a celebration of the East Orange arts community and of what many called progress as a society.

I know I was (watching) CNN everyday, watching that trial... East Orange Mayor Ted Green said. Although...we got justice, we still have a long way to go.

But even as the fight for social justice wages on, there is still positivity in predominately Black communities, like East Orange, a sense that change can happen when people come together, many at the event said.

Manufacturers Village Artists unveil 9,000 Square-Foot Black Lives Matter Mural at Manufacturers Village in East Orange, N.J. April, 25, 2021Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The only reason why I make things, why I paint things, is to be able to see joy on Black peoples faces, including myself, said muralist, Sunah Nash.

On the local police departments involvement in Sundays festivities, Rolling said it was a good start to mending the relationship between police officers and the Black community, but he said there was more work to be done.

I grew up in East Orange at a time when the police were very integral in the development of the youth, Rolling said. They used to fund programming, fund football programs, boxing, karate...they did a lot of stuff with the policing budget that other cities didnt.

The space for the project was provided by the Hubert-Seabury family, which owns the property at Manufacturers Village. Project artists were compensated for their work through crowdfunding donations.

For more information about the mural and to learn more about the artists, click here.

Manufacturers Village Artists unveil 9,000 Square-Foot Black Lives Matter Mural at Manufacturers Village in East Orange, N.J. April, 25, 2021Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supportingNJ.comwith a voluntary subscription.

Tennyson Donya may be reached at tcoleman@njadvancemedia.com.

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Massive Black Lives Matter mural is a symbol of hope and progress, artists say - NJ.com

When the Cincinnati Reds ended a seven-year playoff drought last season, they relied on the strength of their pitching staff. It carried the teams struggling offense.

Through the first month of the 2021 season, the pitching staff has been much more of a mixed bag.

The Reds have a third-highest ERA (4.73) in the Majors, with a large split between the starting rotation (4.07) and the bullpen (5.57). The rotation rates in the middle of the pack and the bullpen had its notable struggles. The Reds have issued more walks than any team other than the Chicago Cubs, and they rank in the top-10 in strikeouts.

[ Series Wrap: What we learned about the Cincinnati Reds' offense in wins over Dodgers]

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo (58) is visited at the mound by catcher Tucker Barnhart (16) and pitching coach Derek Johnson in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. The Diamondbacks led 3-2 after five innings. (Photo: Sam Greene)

The rocky start wasnt a surprise to pitching coach Derek Johnson. In fact, he predicted it. He knew the staff would have to scrap in the first few weeks because of injuries.

I feel kind of like I had a little bit of a crystal ball there because it happened in a lot of ways, Johnson said. Ive seen some good things, some things that I think we can draw from. I think some guys are taking some small steps toward good progress. Obviously, we have taken a couple of lumps too, which I thought was going to happen and it did.

Were probably about exactly where we should be, maybe exactly where I thought we would be. Again, still hopeful for what we have yet to come.

The Reds were down two starters at the beginning of the season, Sonny Gray and Michael Lorenzen, and had three relievers who barely had enough time to make the Opening Day roster after injuries (Tejay Antone, Lucas Sims and Amir Garrett).

[ How Sonny Gray predicted his impressive start before Reds loss to Dodgers]

Then the club had a lot of pitchers in new roles. Trevor Bauer and Anthony DeSclafani were gone, so it meant Jeff Hoffman needed to step up in the rotation. Closer Raisel Iglesias and reliever Archie Bradley were jettisoned to lower player payroll in the offseason, so it meant more inexperienced arms in the bullpen.

So, what does Johnsons crystal ball look like for the rest of the season?

This is going to be one of those years where theres going to be sort of a constant feel, he said. Were going to be working with guys as hard as we possibly can pretty much every day. Not that you dont do that during a normal season, but I do think that you end up getting guys right and you sort of leave them alone for a while, let them kind of do their thing.

This one feels to me a little bit like the boy clogging the holes in the dam. There is just going to be anotherhole in the dam that were going to have to plug.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Jeff Hoffman (23) is visited at the mound by pitching coach Derek Johnson and catcher Tyler Stephenson in the third inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Friday, April 16, 2021. The Reds led 7-1 after the third inning. (Photo: Sam Greene)

Johnson likes the potential of the staff. Its just a lot of pitchers who are a work-in-progress. Hoffman frequently talks about the incremental changes hes making with Johnson between his starts. Jos De Len racks up strikeouts, but hes been inconsistent. Lefty Cionel Prez, who was sent down to the alternate site last week, has an electric arm, but hes walked too many batters.

Theyre working at it, Johnson said. I think theyre open for anything that can help them be better. I just think its going to be a process and its going to take a while.

Some of the drills that Hoffman does in his bullpen sessions includepitching without a glove. Sometimes, he will hold a baseball in each hand. Its designed to help him synchronize his delivery.

Lucas Sims was throwing a pitch in a side session Monday where Johnson stood in front of him until ducking out of the way at the last second.

There are other things that I have done for a long time and I do feel like they work and they're a little bit out there, Johnson said. I can't name any of those off the top of my head simply because I've been doing this for a long time and I've got a lot of weird drills.

Its a different team and a different type of staff from last year. There might be some growing pains, but some guys have seen progress throughout the first month. Tyler Mahle and Wade Miley have been key to the teams success. Tejay Antone looks like a star and Sims has been excellent.

The key will be developing pitchersthroughout the season, even if it involvesweird drills.

Jeff happens to be a kid who likes it, who needs it, Johnson said. It helps him understand maybe a little bit better and helps him feel it a little bit faster. If we can do that just a little bit faster, get that pitcher there a little bit faster, then I'll stand on my head in front of them if I have to. That's just the way it's got to be.

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Derek Johnson on the Cincinnati Reds' pitching staff: 'It's going to be a process' - The Cincinnati Enquirer