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There is a subtle but an influential intersection of the debate between Tamil nationalism and Dravidian identity in Tamil Nadu politics for over a decade. There are curious and interesting dimensions to this debate with the Tamil nationalists seeking separate identity based on language, culture and politics while advocates of Dravidian identity emphasising that Tamil nationalism is intrinsic to the Dravidian politics without forfeiting language, culture and identity within the plural, multicultural and multinational state system like India. Although the polarisation appears to be real and raging yet the debate itself is a camouflage of the long drawn power rivalry and mask for political competition as a response to the century old influence and impact of Dravidian politics. At the same time, it is equally important to identify, acknowledge and classify the sources of Tamil nationalism as party and non-party movement based entities articulating their claims and rights with their definitions of Tamil identity and legitimacy for power. The Tamil nationalists argue that Tamil and Dravidian identity are mutually exclusive and therefore need not reinforce each other. There are two historical but conflicting interpretations of the term “Dravidian” with the common reference to majority of people living in Southern India (south of Vindhiyas) and the other with the location of Brahmans in the south which later became an indication at large for all including the indigenous people. In cultural-anthropological terms, the Dravidians are an ethno-linguistic family of people with a unique culture, ethnicity and history who largely live in the south Indian states and speak one of several Dravidian languages including Tamil which alone retains eighty per cent of Dravidian linguistic characteristics. Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam are known as the great league within the Dravidian family of languages. Given the pre-colonial and post-independent history and political developments, the territorial assimilation of Madras Presidency during the British colonial administration largely retained the characteristics of classical understanding and interpretation of the Dravidian identity. It is the linguistic reorganisation of states in the post-independent period which not only provided an impetus to the surge in linguistic identity within the larger Dravidian linguistic family but also acquired a momentum for political quest among the subaltern groups within each of the linguistic members. The caste and class composition of the Indian National Congress (INC); Aryan-Dravidian divide and the language rights consciousness gave a powerful cultural-political-ideological orientation to the Dravidian movement with an inclusive worldview of Tamil-Dravidian orientation. The birth of Dravida Kazhagam (DK) and the journey of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) harmonised this historical transition with a twin edge of resistance to the north centric post-independent Indian politics while accommodating the claim for separate statehood for Andhra and territorial settlements with other neighbouring states including Kerala and Karnataka. The Tamil nationalists formed the socio-cultural and intellectual basis of the Dravidian movement in the first half (1900-1950) of the 20th century and later made a substantial contribution to the rise and role of DMK during the third-quarter (1950-1975) of the same period. A slow but gradual alienation of the Tamil nationalists from the major Dravidian parties including the DMK, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) was taking place despite the continued access and maintenance of channel of communication between the Tamil nationalists and Dravidian parties. The love and hate relationship continued with an open exhibition of dissent and cautious distance for all political purposes until the emergence of Eelam liberation struggle as a critical question in the politics of Tamil Nadu with an acute polarisation between the Dravidian parties and Tamil nationalists due to the effects of realpolitik and the Union government’s Sri Lanka policy impacting upon the role and responses of the Dravidian parties. The drift was obvious after May 2009 with an electoral defeat of the DMK in 2011 and 2016 assembly elections and the tactful harvesting of Tamil nationalists’ votes by the Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK despite her strong opposition to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The formation of the Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK) on May 18, 2010, a year after the end of Eelam War-IV in Sri Lanka as a revival of SP Adithanar’s “We Tamils” (Naam Thamizhar Katchi) marked a decisive shift in the Tamil nationalists’ movement with the departure of cultural-intellectual movement to party-political orientation with the rise of Seeman exhibiting political eccentrism and theatrics. The high tide and low ebb of the Tamil nationalists’ movement crisscrossed at the same point of a capricious and opportunistic political trap laid out by Seeman. The cultural-intellectual voices of Tamil nationalism including the highly respected and eminent political leaders were either silenced or besieged by the fascist and megalomaniac traits of Seeman with the routine exhibitions of delusions of grandeur and an obsession for power. Given the courting by all and sundry in the name of Tamil nationalism and electoral networking with the AIADMK, Seeman has learnt to survive with the opposition to the DMK because of the end of his tales and waning influence among the Eelam Tamil Diaspora. It is an irony of sorts that he has found more compatibility with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu and often serves as a diving board for the BJP in launching its attacks against the DMK. Seeman and his political outfit NTK has been gripped by a sudden panic of desertions after the launch of actor Vijay’s Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) although Vijay holds no direct threat or challenge to Seeman and his political journey. It is the fear of displacement beyond the periphery of Tamil Nadu politics that has nudged him to reach the iconic mediators to convince the BJP leadership of his services in platter. The debate between Dravidian identity and Tamil nationalism needs a genuine pause with a distinction between the mobilization of opposition to the DMK through electoral politics and the revival of reinvigorating cultural – intellectual traditions of Tamil nationalism as a counter narrative to the Dravidian identity politics. There is a yawning gap between the two roles reflecting the strength and dynamism of the Tamil society with a plural, diverse and the universal mind echoing the legendary poet Kaniyan Poongunranar who wrote 2000 years ago that “to us all places are one, all people our kin,” leaving the question ‘who is a Tamil?’ to rest in peace. Seeman is a backwater channel for the BJP in Tamil Nadu drew attention of the undecided youth and peripheral voters (Prof.Ramu Manivannan is a scholar-social activist in areas of education, human rights and sustainable development through an initiative “Multiversity.”)Defensive back Treydan Stukes withdraws from NCAA transfer portal, will return to Arizona for 6th season
S&P/TSX composite closes up nearly 150 points on Monday, U.S. stock markets upChristmas: ACF urges Christians to pray against nepotism, insecurity, corruptionProminent brands struggle to adapt to an e-bike industry dominated by cheap, direct-to-consumer sales Makers and retailers say the domestic industry is flatlining, forcing local brands to carve out a niche for themselves just to survive Pippa Norman, The Globe and Mail Dec 23, 2024 1:30 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message The pandemic saw e-bike sales soar, as consumers with extra time and pent-up energy splurged on devices to stay active outdoors. nattrass / E+ / Getty Images Listen to this article 00:06:59 Shockwaves are reverberating through the e-bike industry in Canada and the United States after a year that saw several prominent brands declare bankruptcy or stop selling in the North American market, citing an inability to compete in an increasingly consolidated environment. Experts say changes that followed the industry’s unprecedented pandemic boom – from a rise in factory direct sales to rapidly evolving technology – have been devastating for independent brands. Vancouver-based DOST Bikes, California-based Juiced Bikes and iGO Electric of Montreal all declared bankruptcy or went into receivership within roughly the past year. Even global brands such as Japanese motor sports giant Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. and Swiss company Stromer recently announced they were pulling their e-bikes out of North America, citing a softened market. The speed and comfort of e-bikes set them apart from traditional bicycles, opening up the age-old mode of transport to a wider range of users. From delivery people to commuters, the resounding sentiment from most e-bike fans is it’s fun to go fast and the power assist makes long trips so much easier. In Canada, the federal standard for an e-bike’s maximum speed is 32 km/h, and range varies from about 50 to 100 kilometres. The pandemic saw e-bike sales soar, as consumers with extra time and pent-up energy splurged on devices to stay active outdoors. In 2022, the Canadian market was worth about $240-million, with about 70,000 e-bikes sold that year, according to Rize Bikes. By 2025, Rize estimates the market will reach $345-million, with more than 100,000 bikes sold annually. Prices range from $14,000 for a Stromer bike to $3,100 for an ENVO and just $600 on Amazon.com Inc. for a bike from an overseas manufacturer. But makers and retailers say the domestic industry is flatlining. While it’s nowhere near taking its last breath, the changing landscape is forcing local brands to carve out a niche for themselves just to survive, in a market that has become dominated by cheap, direct-to-consumer sales. Sam Atakhanov, the founder of multiple e-bike startups, launched DOST Bikes in 2019 – just before the industry took off. “Things were going normal. Then there was that chain of events that happened over the last few years that really crippled our industry,” he said. For Mr. Atakhanov, it all began with Apple’s release of the iOS 14 operating system in September, 2020. The update affected advertisers’ ability to reach their target audiences, which meant Mr. Atakhanov’s ads on Google weren’t working as well as they used to. Then, pandemic supply-chain disruptions threw a wrench into his company’s cash flow, bumping manufacturing lead times from three months to a year, he said. “We’re sitting here with no stock for nearly a year before the money comes in, so we’re living off of lines of credit, our own cash, investment capital. We’re digging ourselves a hole,” he said. While supply chains improved by 2022, Mr. Atakhanov said rising interest rates and a receding customer base were some of the final blows dealt to his business. Retailers had rushed to double their stock during the pandemic, but the high demand disappeared almost as quickly as it came. “Then it’s a vicious cycle, race to the bottom, everybody’s trying to offload,” Mr. Atakhanov said. The last straw for DOST Bikes was when e-bike factories overseas began bypassing local companies, like DOST, to sell directly to North American consumers, Mr. Atakhanov said. “When that happened, our value proposition for all that great design, branding, marketing, all that just went right out the window because a factory can sell for half the price.” DOST Bikes filed for insolvency in December, 2023. “It was death by a thousand cuts,” Mr. Atakhanov said. And it wasn’t unique to DOST, said Haseeb Javed, a member of the product and engineering team at electric mobility company ENVO Drive Systems in Vancouver. He conducts industry research to determine what causes companies to fail and said most of them have a story similar to DOST’s. Based upon his research, Mr. Javed said ENVO has been very careful to diversify where its products are sold so it’s not reliant on a single revenue stream. For example, the company sells through Costco Wholesale Corp., storefronts and direct to consumers online. ENVO also sells more than just e-bikes, with e-scooters, water bikes with pontoons and snow bikes with skis also in its repertoire. Mr. Javed said this helps with the company’s brand awareness. “Some business models are better for this market. But ultimately, I believe that anyone who survived, either you need to be a Chinese factory who is selling at very low margins or you need to have differentiation,” he said. Kevin McLaughlin, the CEO of Zygg E-Bikes, which operates in Toronto and Vancouver, said 2024 has been a challenging year for his subscription-based company. At Zygg, customers can rent or buy new and used e-bikes, a model that sets the company apart from stores that only sell new bikes. He said Zygg is a popular choice with food delivery workers. At the peak of the pandemic, Zygg did about $2.5-million a year in sales. This year, revenues will come in under $2-million. Amid the technological evolution of e-bikes, Mr. McLaughlin said he’s scrambling to modernize his fleet. And bikes that he bought at $2,000 and once sold for $3,000 now have a markup of just $400. “There’s enormous downward pressure,” he said. Mr. Atakhanov said his company has also had to compete with bigger brands that can afford to innovate – and market those innovations – at a much faster pace. For example, tech company DJI created an e-bike drive system that can connect to a user’s smartphone, allowing them to control things such as their bike’s lock status or power assist through an app. “My product, all of a sudden, over the weekend, looks like it’s last year’s model,” he said. While smaller companies may be struggling to keep up, the prevailing sentiment among industry players is that demand for such micromobility devices isn’t going away. Michael Pasquali, the founder of the Canadian Electric Bike Association, said people are going to continue to buy e-bikes even if the industry never again reaches the heights it did during the pandemic. See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Transportation Janitors to escalate strike at Vancouver International Airport Dec 23, 2024 12:45 PM CN Rail cleans up after derailment plunges cars carrying grain into Fraser River Dec 23, 2024 12:02 PM Is this the worst time of the year for impaired driving? Dec 23, 2024 10:30 AM
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay's surest path to the NFL playoffs is a division championship. The Buccaneers will need help to repeat in the NFC South , but only if they first and foremost give themselves a chance. That means winning their remaining games at home against Carolina and New Orleans, while the Atlanta Falcons lose at least once in the final two weeks of the regular season. The Bucs (8-7) and Falcons share the best record in the division, however Atlanta holds the tiebreaker after sweeping the season series between the teams. Tampa Bay, which has won three consecutive division titles, is the only NFC team that has made the playoffs each of the past four seasons. “We’ve got to take care of business or else we’ve got no shot,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said after a 26-24 loss at Dallas cost the Bucs control of the NFC South race. “This one, we've got to take it on the chin,” Mayfield added. “It's a short week. It's Christmas week. We've got to focus on Carolina and figure out a way to win.” If Atlanta is able to maintain its lead, Tampa Bay could make the postseason as a wild card if the Bucs win out and the Commanders lose twice. Coach Todd Bowles sounds confident that his players understand the challenge ahead and will clean up mistakes that contributed to the end of their four-game win streak. “We’ve got to win a ballgame (this week). If we don’t win a ballgame, we don’t give ourselves a chance,” Bowles said Monday. “We have to focus on us like we’ve been doing,” the coach added. “We have to correct the mistakes, and we have to go out and win Sunday, and we’ve got to win the next week, and then we’ll see what happens after that.” The offense, which ranks third in the NFL at 389.8 yards per game, isn't a fluke. Despite losing to the Cowboys, Tampa Bay finished with 410 yards total offense. It was the team's fifth straight game — as well as an NFL-high ninth overall — with 400-plus yards. The Bucs are seventh in rushing (143.7 yards per game) after ranking 32nd each of the past two seasons. The defense yielded 292 yards passing against the Cowboys, 226 of it in the first half when Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb had six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Bowles said shoddy tackling was the biggest issue — not poor coverage. Lamb had one reception for 5 yards after halftime. Mayfield's chemistry with rookie WR Jalen McMillan, who has 27 receptions for 336 yards and five TDs, continues to grow. McMillan had five catches for 57 yards and a touchdown — his fourth in the past three games — against Dallas. He was also the intended receiver on Mayfield's deep throw that CB Jourdan Lewis intercepted in the end zone to help the Cowboys hold off the Bucs in the closing minutes. Turnovers were costly against Dallas. The end-zone interception stopped the Bucs from cutting into a 26-17 deficit with 6:22 remaining in the fourth quarter. Rachaad White's fumble with 1:31 left ended any hope for a last-minute victory. On both plays, defenders ripped the ball out of the grasp of the offensive player. “We knew they were going to rake at the ball going into the ballgame," Bowles said. "We just have to have two hands on the ball, and we have to fight for it. We have to take better care of the football. That’s priority No. 1.” Bowles said it's too early to project the status of several starters for coming games, including S Antoine Winfield Jr. (knee), who has missed the past two games. TE Cade Otton (knee) and LB K.J. Britt (ankle) were inactive against the Cowboys, while reserve WR Sterling Shepard left during the game with a hamstring injury. 80. Bucky Irving leads all NFL rookie RBs with 920 yards rushing. He needs 80 over the next two games to reach 1,000. He scored his seventh rushing touchdown against Dallas. That tied Errict Rhett and Lars Tate for the second-most rushing TDs by a rookie running back in franchise history. Doug Martin set the record of 11 in 2012. Host Carolina on Sunday. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Coach Brian Callahan is sticking with Mason Rudolph at quarterback for a second straight game to see if the Tennessee Titans can build on the veteran who's played in four of their highest scoring games this season. Callahan said Tuesday that he thinks Rudolph earned another chance to play despite a 38-30 loss to Indianapolis. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.
A shoplifted Snoop Dogg toy. A shaming online post. And then a surprise
Father Gerald Murray and Rabbi Elliot Mathias join 'America's Newsroom' to discuss the opportunity for peace with Christmas and Hanukkah landing on the same day. Every year growing up, there was an orange in my Christmas stocking. It commemorated an occasion I do not remember: my first Christmas, when my Jewish father and Catholic mother, newly married, were too broke to buy me anything else. By the time I can remember anything, conditions had gotten better, and for my dad, the traditions and trappings of yuletide became something of an obsession. It was with the zeal of the convert, though he never converted, that he was the architect of Christmas joy. THE GRAHAM FAMILY'S CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS My father was of the opinion that a household Christmas tree should be visible to the naked eye from space. Even my Irish Catholic mother would say, "Really? More lights, Bobby?" To which the reply was always, "Yes, more lights, Suze." Until the age of 10, I would retire to bed on Christmas Eve, the tree in the living room still as bare as a forest pine. I would struggle to fall asleep amid the murmuring of aunts and uncles, clinking eggnog glasses, and the low intones of Bing Crosby, below. David Marcus (center), recalls learning from his Jewish father, Bobby (r.), how to make Christmas special for his younger brother, Jon (l.). When I woke in the morning, there it was, our tree, dazzling, blinking, so ablaze with light that Moses might have mistaken it for God himself. But it was never dad who got the credit, it was Santa, of course, who made the tree magic. When I was 10, my little brother was born, and something incredible happened. On Christmas Eve, after Jon was put to bed, I was invited to stay up and decorate the tree for him with my family. As my adult relatives discussed politics or the previous weekend’s Eagles game, my dad showed me step by step, first the beads, then the first set of lights, then the garland, then more lights, and finally, the ornaments, including some which were homemade by my mother for that first poor Christmas of the orange. David would warn his little brother not to question who brought the Christmas magic. For the rest of my childhood, with the possible exception of a toy Star Wars At At, the best thing about Christmas was helping to craft the joy, surprise and wonder in my brother’s eyes those mornings. As Jon grew older and wiser he started to doubt that it was Santa who transformed our living room into a Macy’s holiday window every year. I never wanted to flat out lie to him, but when he doubted, I would tell him what my dad had told me. "I don’t think you’d want Santa hearing you say that this close to Christmas," he would gravely warn. "It could be a big mistake." And so I took that approach with my little brother, and decades later with my son. Today, I think my dad’s overabundance of Christmas spirit was rooted in his joy at seeing those he loved be happy, merry even. It was also about this time that I was baptized as a Catholic. My parents had taught me both traditions and left it to me to pick one or the other by age 10. It wasn’t really until then that I started to wonder why my Jewish dad loved the birth of Christ so much, even though He was not his Lord and Savior. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION I still can’t fully answer that question, and with both my parents passed, there is nobody left to ask. Today, I think my dad’s overabundance of Christmas spirit was rooted in his joy at seeing those he loved being happy. Merry, even. And it is truly a testament to the child we call wonderful, born of meager means to Jewish parents, that his birth is cause for celebration, even among those who have yet to accept his divinity. For unto us, in accordance with the scriptures, a Son was born, and for Dad, well, being a dad was really the only thing that mattered. Christmas was not so much the birth of Jesus, as it was a celebration of the holy bonds of family. A half century after my first Christmas, my son receives an orange in his stocking every year. He misses his grandfather very much, as do I, but he also resembles him. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP All December he pesters me, "What are we gonna get for mom?" Like my father, my son seems to take the most pleasure in seeing others light up with smiles of joy as bright as my dad’s Christmas tree. This Christmas Eve, under the cold dark skies in the land where children sleep, across broad and deep America, fathers like mine will toil to craft wonder come morning. All who try will succeed. So from me, and my father, I wish you a very merry Christmas. And remember, be careful what you say about Santa. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DAVID MARCUS David Marcus is a columnist living in West Virginia and the author of " Charade: The COVID Lies That Crushed A Nation ."This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. ___ Author: Rhonda Lenton, Professor of Sociology, President and Vice-Chancellor, York University, Canada As we enter the holiday season many young people are no doubt beginning to consider their future options. With a range of paths to pursue, a high rate of youth unemployment in Canada and a higher education sector facing unprecedented challenges it may seem logical to wonder if university is worth it. In my role as president of York University I see these issues play out every day in the lives of my students and faculty. However, I can say with certainty that, yes, university is worth it for both students and society. And while you might think that I might be biased, there is real data to back it up. Simply put, going to university enriches both students and society over the long term. We must ensure that students and universities are supported to help ensure as broad access as possible. Long-term benefits While many students entering the market fresh out of university will make entry-level wages, the reality is that over the longer term their earning potential has more room to expand. Those with a bachelor’s degree earn 24 per cent more than the national average. The more education, the higher the earning potential. Students with a university degree are more likely to have stable employment even amidst economic disruption, as the COVID-19 pandemic revealed. Graduates are also more likely to gain employment that offers a wider range of benefits. Simply put, an education increases one’s chances of finding fulfilling employment and living a longer and healthier life. Beyond individual benefits, there are also key benefits to society. Canada relies disproportionately on universities compared to other OECD countries to drive the research and innovation central to a productive and prosperous economy. Further research has shown that education is central to a healthy, democratic society To quote Nelson Mandela: “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” The world faces a host of wicked problems ranging from economic inequality to climate change, geopolitical conflict and ongoing wars. Universities and graduates play a key role in addressing these challenges. Training resilience Technology is not going away and it is not slowing down. A recent study revealed that the jobs of more than 60 per cent of Canadians may be at risk to AI. Moreover, an estimated one out of 10 employees in Canada could be at a high risk of automation-related job redundancy. Canada’s already volatile job market will continue to be impacted. Those with higher levels of education are the best equipped to benefit from technologies in ways that complement the work they do. Graduates are also more likely to have the transferable skills needed to withstand workforce disruption. According to the OECD, AI technologies pose less of a risk for highly-skilled workers. In fact, their jobs are less likely to be replaced by automation because they possess the critical thinking skills needed to provide oversight to tasks that use AI and automation. While these technologies are sophisticated and becoming even more so each day, they currently cannot replicate human cognitive, critical and decision-making skills. There is also compelling research that shows students with higher education are more likely to pursue continuing education to upgrade and reskill, a quality that makes students more agile in a shifting labour market. Universities have also been increasing micro-credentials, programs which help learners re-skill while they are holding employment and balancing familial obligations, to support lifelong learning and build a more resilient Canadian workforce. Ensuring access If Canada is to meet the expanding needs of students and of the country then we must invest now in higher education. Access is something I worry deeply about to ensure that we are not leaving any talent behind. Data from the 2017 National Survey of Engagement indicates that 48 per cent of first- and fourth-year undergrad students at York came from households where neither parent held a bachelor’s degree. What’s more, York’s 2020 Economic and Social Impact Report revealed that 59 per cent of students could not have attended university without financial support. Creating accessible educational opportunities for diverse learners to develop responsive skills is critical for a vibrant future workforce and for resilient communities. York and other universities in Canada have a good track record for this. At the same time, social mobility and productivity have been declining in Canada in recent years. Continuing to ensure that eligible students have access to university education including at the graduate level is imperative to address these trends. The significant numbers of Canadian students leaving the country to study medicine overseas while Canada is facing a significant gap in primary care physicians is just one example. These are troubling trends which Canadian universities are committed to addressing. Investing in universities While the commitment and innovation of universities is evident, the unfortunate truth is that universities across much of Canada have seen a steady decline in real dollar funding for years. In Ontario, recommendations from the government’s blue-ribbon panel strongly advocated for the urgent increase in financial support for universities. To meet the changes in Canada’s labour market, universities have developed new programs to meet the talent needs in areas such as science, technology, engineering and health. We have also worked to enhance access through flexible teaching formats and strengthened international and cross-sector research collaborations to tackle complex societal problems. Universities have also increased supports for students including activities to help them connect with careers and become more entrepreneurial and efficient. In short, universities in Canada are one of the country’s most important assets. If we are to continue delivering the high-quality education for which we are known and serving the needs of the communities who rely on us, especially given fierce global competition for talent, it is essential that we secure a financially sustainable model for universities. Canada’s high youth unemployment has many people anxious about how they will fare in a job market that bears a striking resemblance to the Hunger Games. Expanding employment opportunities is necessary and will require collaboration across all sectors. But the data are clear. A university education will provide our youth with a running start and the ability to adapt as they go. ___ Rhonda Lenton is chair of the Council of Ontario Universities. ___ This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/is-university-worth-it-yes-for-both-students-and-society-239474 Advertisement Advertisement
Whenever a company suffers an unexpected blow, the way its stock recovers says a lot about its fortitude. ( ) stock is showing it can survive the exit of its Chief Executive and founder, Jared Isaacman. The stock sold off more than 12% on Dec. 4, when President-elect Donald Trump named . Isaacman will step down as chairman and CEO as soon as the Senate confirms his nomination, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company so far has made no public disclosures about its plans for a replacement. A few analysts downgraded the stock following the news. Jared Isaacman Friendly With Musk Far from the aerospace business, Shift4 is a payment processing firm that serves hundreds of thousands of companies. It processes digital payments for Elon Musk's satellite internet service, Starlink, and Isaacman is close with Musk. But for all the uncertainty about its leadership, Shift4 stock is making positive moves. The early December tumble took the stock to the 10-week moving average, where buyers have been appearing. So far, Shift4 stock hasn't made much of a rebound. It's still about 10% below its Nov. 29 peak. But the support at the 10-week line offers a buy point around 101. The buy range goes to 106. Despite its tumble, Shift4 stock is still No. 1 by Composite Rating among 36 companies in the credit card and payment processing industry group. Its three-year per-share earnings growth rate is an impressive 129% and the sales growth rate is 36%, according to the . Shift4's EPS Rating of 98 is second best in the industry. Analysts expect 2024 earnings to climb 29% and a further 24% in 2025, according to . Isaacman's Aviation, Business Background On Wednesday, Morgan Stanley raised its price target on Shift4 stock to 109 from 90 and kept an equal weight rating, according to Thefly.com. Morgan Stanley cited improving investor sentiment, a call for accelerated investment in competitive strengths, more acquisitions, and easing regulatory scrutiny. According to a , Isaacman started Shift4 in his parents' basement at the age of 16, back in 1999. In 2011, he founded Draken International, a company that trains air force pilots, and also owns the world's largest private fleet of military aircraft. Isaacman sold a majority stake in Draken to Wall Street investment firm Blackstone in 2019.Heather Rae Young brushed off an internet troll’s comment that her lace red Christmas dress was “not appropriate” for a mother. “Comments like this make me laugh,” the “Selling Sunset” alum wrote on her Instagram Story Monday over a screenshot of the criticism. “I don’t even get offended anymore by the rudeness of others. I choose to spread joy not hate.” Young, 37, shared a collection of photos earlier in the day showing off her figure in a sheer red gown from what appeared to be her and her husband Tarek El Moussa’s early Christmas celebration. “Fav time of year, & fav plus one,” she captioned the post. In the comments section, one follower wrote, “The dress is not appropriate. Your [sic] a mother now.” Young quickly fired back at the hater, commenting back, “so because I’m a mother I can’t wear a pretty dress that makes me feel beautiful? What does that have to do with anything?” She added, “I am still a human and my name is heather I’m not just a mother. Choose joy.” This isn’t the first time the “Flip Off” star has had to address rude comments on her social media photos. In November, Young preemptively addressed potential nosy followers looking too deeply into her Thanksgiving post by addressing why her stepdaughter , Taylor, 14, was not with her family for the holiday. The set of pictures included El Moussa, 43, the couple’s son , Tristan, 1, and Young’s stepson, Brayden, 8. “For the haters – Tay is on a trip with her mom, that’s why she’s not in our photo,” Young wrote, referring to her husband’s ex-wife , Christina Hall. “We are thankful for our kids, Taylor, Brayden & Tristan. They bring so much innocence, love and laughter to our lives. And our big blended crazy but beautiful family,” the former Netflix personality shared elsewhere in her caption. Young and El Moussa tied the knot in October 2021.The earnings calendar is home to a few interesting prospects as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, including ( ). Dell stock has been working its way higher, showing some signs of accumulation as it tries to clear a handle buy point of 141.33. Dell still sells PCs and laptops, but it's become a big player in the field of artificial intelligence as a provider of hardware, including servers, that power AI workloads. Workloads are tasks performed by AI systems, which entails processing large amounts of data and performing complex computations. Also in the technology sector, investors will listen closely to what ( ) has to say when the company reports earnings Tuesday after the close. The FactSet consensus is for adjusted profit to fall 1% to 81 cents a share, with revenue up 25% to $982.8 million. The stock has recovered well after a breakdown in July that saw the security software firm lose nearly 40% of its value. A faulty software update from CrowdStrike caused a widespread outage and resulted in the cancellation of 7,000 ( ) flights. Delta sued CrowdStrike for $500 million. CrowdStrike countersued, blaming Delta's older IT systems. Dell Vies For Breakout After a harrowing 50% pullback from May to August, Dell was trading just above a 141.33 buy point Friday morning. Dell could be right for a call-option trade, so long as the stock isn't too far below or above the entry just before earnings. Results are due Tuesday after the close. Look for adjusted profit to be up 10% to $2.07 a share. Revenue growth is expected to accelerate for the third straight quarter, up 11% to $24.7 billion. When Dell reported earnings in August, shares popped 4% after the company said AI server sales jumped 82% sequentially to $3.1 billion. AI sales are part of Dell's Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG), which makes servers and systems for data centers. It's Dell's fastest-growing unit. Total ISG revenue grew 38% to $11.65 billion. In an interview earlier this year at SXSW 2024, CEO Michael Dell told Patrick Moorhead from Moor Insights & Strategy that AI is still nascent and that data center capacity will have to expand by 100 times from current levels over the next 10 years. Watching Workday And Burlington Separately, results from ( ) will also be out late Tuesday. It's been a bit of a laggard in the enterprise software group with a of 56. Nonetheless, Workday is in position for a breakout try after a heavy-volume move above its 10-day moving average Thursday. Workday boasts a strong record of earnings and revenue growth. The stock gapped up sharply on Aug. 23 after the company reported better-than-expected bottom-line and top-line growth. Investors were also encouraged by comments from CFO Zane Rowe, who said the company's adjusted operating margin will expand to 30% in the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years. That was up from a prior forecast in September 2023, where the company said it was targeting a 25% adjusted operating margin. Meanwhile, after a string of positive earnings reports in the retail sector from ( ), ( ), ( ) and ( ), attention turns to top performer ( ). Burlington gapped out of a cup-with-handle base Friday, with earnings due early Tuesday. It's another retailer with a consistent track record of growth. Quarterly profit is seen rising 58% to $1.55 a share, with revenue up 12% to $2.55 billion. Annual return on equity is stellar at 44%. Options Trading Strategy A basic options trading strategy around earnings — using call options — allows you to buy a stock at a predetermined price without taking a lot of risk. Here's how the option trading strategy works, and what a call-option trade recently looked like for Dell stock. First, identify top-rated stocks with a bullish chart. Some might be setting up in sound early-stage bases. Further, others already might have broken out and are getting support at their for the first time. And a few might be trading tightly near highs and refusing to give up much ground. Avoid extended stocks that are too far past proper entry points. A call option is a bullish bet on a stock. Put options are bearish bets. One call option contract gives the holder the right to buy 100 shares of a stock at a specified price, known as the strike price. Once you've identified a bullish setup in the earnings calendar, check strike prices with your online trading platform, or at . Also, make sure the option is liquid with a relatively tight spread between the bid and ask. Look for a strike price just above the underlying stock price — that's out of the money — and check the premium. Ideally, the premium should not exceed 4% of the underlying stock price at the time. In some cases, an in-the-money strike price is OK as long as the premium isn't too expensive. Choose an expiration date that fits your risk objective. But keep in mind that time is money in the options market. Near-term expiration dates will have cheaper premiums than those further out. Buying time in the options market comes at a higher cost. Dell Stock Option Trade When Dell traded at around 143, a slightly out-of-the-money weekly call option with a 144 strike price and a Nov. 29 expiration came with a premium of around $7.25 per contract. That was 5% of the underlying stock price at the time and just above the 4% threshold of IBD's strategy. One contract gave the holder the right to buy 100 shares of Dell at 144 per share. The most that could be lost was $725 — the amount paid for the 100-share contract. To break even, Dell stock would need to rise to 151.25, factoring in the premium paid. The expected move in the options market for Dell, based on the at-the-money strike price of 143, was about 16 points up or down. This was determined by adding the at-the-money call premium to the put premium for the Nov. 22 contract, the expiration nearest the earnings report.
Stock market today: Wall Street holds near breakeven ahead of Christmas
Reeling from a divisive and turbulent election season, many of us seek spaces of solace, light, unity and worship as we turn toward the winter holidays. The cosmos and its reflection within us harbor such spaces. By viewing and embracing scientific insights through the lens of humanity, you form a connection with your place in the universe. And, when you do so, a window opens into the sacred space of our profoundly united existence. Earlier this year, a celestial event cast its splendor along a belt traversing our nation — the total solar eclipse. During totality, day turned to night. The sun’s corona blazed around its darkened disc. A moment so visceral, unwitting animals could palpably feel it. Transcending age, walks of life, race and politics, the eclipse brought millions together in a communion of cosmic wonder. In my family of three generations, some drove from Illinois to Indiana, while others traveled from India in time for the event. Our shared experience formed immediate bonds with hitherto unknown friends. As a scientist, the eclipse also offered me spectacular links to two modern revolutionary branches of physics that have completely changed our perception of nature: relativity and quantum physics. As my late black hole physicist father would delight in sharing, a solar eclipse was needed to demonstrate the bending of light around the sun, sealing predictions of Albert Einstein’s relativity in 1919. As for the quantum revolution, its technological marvels are part of our daily lives: lasers, semiconducting circuit elements, MRI machines and more. A practicing quantum physicist, I rejoice at the unity of our common quest. Scholars come together from across the world to the United States, collaborating, learning, mentoring. Just as my parents did — my mother, a biophysicist — half a century ago. During the eclipse, I felt a heightened awe for the phenomenon that sparked this revolution. Humans and stars radiate light in the same way. An ever-present miracle on Earth — we are all perfectly glowing beings in our unhindered outpouring! What is this universal light? “Blackbody radiation,” as physicists call it, is the common pattern of light that emanates from stars, heated metal, the universe and you and me. We are all effulgent blackbodies. Our radiation pattern depends only on the body’s intrinsic temperature. For a star, it peaks in the visible range and depending on its temperature, appears anything from red to blue in the rainbow spectrum. For mammals, reflecting a similar body temperature across species, the radiation peaks in the infrared. Through an infrared camera, we can perceive our glowing warmth. Our Earth, too, is nearly a blackbody. Save for the atmosphere — a thin veneer trapping heat and balancing a temperature range that sustains life. A delicate balance that we humans can disrupt by pumping this veneer with emissions. Quantum physics grew from contemplating this universal pattern. Understanding it required re-envisioning light not as a wave but as a bundle of energy, a photon. This seed gave way to mind-boggling notions and theories that explain so much of the world, starting with our current description of the atom. Today, quantum science thrives splendidly across the globe. Looking ahead, the U.S. National Quantum Initiative passed as an act of Congress with bipartisan support, meaning that throughout 2025, the world will celebrate a United Nations International Year, commemorating a century of quantum science and its wonders. The seed that gave birth to all this brings alive a luminous sacred space. The universe, the stars, humans — all mirroring one another in radiance. A sacred space of awe and care as you might find in nature — lying in a pine forest, walking by a mountain range, immersing in the ocean’s infinity. Or in an act of worship — praying together beneath a spire or dome, meditating in a sanctum, dancing in spiritual ecstasy, feeding a child, creating patterns of colored chalk powder to be blown away by the wind. We are here as but one burst in space and time. Contemplating our mortality, do we not hold the sacred all the more precious? In the afterglow of Thanksgiving — a relatively new holiday, in cosmic terms — I invite you into this space. An invocation that can bring joy, universal love and gratitude. A contemplation that comes as a prayer. On the veneer of the Earth, just as the celestial sphere is riddled with a billion blazing stars, we form a human galaxy of glowing beings. Nodes of an interconnected complex web. Connecting in the smiles of strangers passing by, in our exchanges, our altercations included, in a shoulder to rest on in moments of deep pain, in a shared meal, in an embrace. The stretches of darkness grow longer in the winter, and we kindle fires. We illuminate our festivities with clusters of light. In all this, each of us carries within ourselves a burnishing lamp. Each of us is a radiant, glowing being. Smitha Vishveshwara is a professor of physics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Public Voices Fellow with the OpEd Project. She is the co-author of the upcoming popular physics book “Two Revolutions: Einstein’s Relativity and Quantum Physics,” written with her late father as a dialogue. She wrote this for the Chicago Tribune.Sell Alert: Elan Moriah Cashes Out $985K In Verint Systems StockNoneComparably Announces Best Places to Work and Best CEOs of 2024 Based on Millions of Employee Ratings
