Q&A: Running a company in an era of crazy technological progress – MIT News

How do ongoing advances in technology affect business management? Thats the question the prolific writing duo of Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee pose in their new book, Machine, Platform, Crowd: Harnessing our Digital Future, being published on June 27 by W.W. Norton. Brynjolfsson, the Schussel Family Professor of Management Science at the MIT Sloan School of Management and director of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy, and McAfee, co-director of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy and a principal research scientist at MIT Sloan, also collaborated in 2014 on The Second Machine Age, another exploration of the changes digital innovation is bringing to the workplace. McAfee recently talked to MIT News about Machine, Platform, Crowd.

Q: What is your new book about?

A: Machine, Platform, Crowd is the answer to a question: How should I think differently about running my organization in this era of crazy technological progress? We need to rethink the balance between the work that we ask human minds to do in organizations, and the work we give to machines. We need to rethink whether you have a product orientation or a platform orientation. And we need to rethink the core of an organization, if there are literally these hundreds of millions of strangers out there across the internet who you can tap into.

Q: Whats different now compared to past moments of technological change?

A: Within the past five years, 10 years easily, at least two really fundamental things have happened. First of all, artifical intelligence started meeting its expectations and even exceeding them. We werent expecting that, and its pretty remarkable. The machines are much more capable. The second thing is, in the era of the smartphone, we have gone from a globe that was pretty disconnected, to having that same human population for the first time deeply interconnected through powerful devices, which are each about as powerful as all the computers collectively on campus when I was an undergraduate at MIT in the 80s. Those are both legitimately new things.

Q: I know youve mentioned the rise of machines that can win at the game of Go as one instance of these advances. What are some of your favorite examples of machines, platforms, and crowds at work now?

A: Go is my favorite example of the power of machines, because it was so unanticipated that we would have a digital Go champion in 2016 or 2017. The insiders thought if that ever happened it would happen much, much farther out in the future.

In our section on products and platforms, we talk about companies like ClassPass, which is trying to build a purely digital platform; they dont own any assets, but theyre trying to provide a virtual, very broad gym membership, or exercise membership [by offering rates for an array of memberships]. So theyre putting a platform over the industry of spinning, yoga, pilates, kickboxing, things like that. And if you had asked me just a little while ago for an industry that would not be greatly affected by the digital transformation, I might have said group exercise: You get in the gym with other people and sweat and have a workout. But after working on the book, I think that the exercise industry is going to be changed a lot by platforms.

Finally, we came across a very interesting company called Quantopia that is trying to be essentially a crowdsourced quantitative trading hedge fund. That may sound ludicrous, except, as the founder of the company has said, it is extremely unlikely that all the worlds top algorithmic traders are employed by the [relative] handful of companies that have dominated this industry. So to test that theory, theyve been holding contests for algorithmic trading. It turns out, lo and behold, most of the people who win those contests are not insiders in the finance industry and have never even worked in finance. It tells me that if you can tap into the crowd and find the right brains, all over the world, and get them involved in what youre doing, the results are potentially tremendous.

Q: Whats the reaction to these ideas when you give talks about them?

A: The reception to these ideas is all over the map. It goes from outright skepticism to something a little more subtle, which is, This is great and interesting, but it doesnt apply to me. Ive come across a lot of that.

Q: Do you get pushback about your interpretation of the pace of innovation itself?

A: Yeah, its super-interesting. Inside the academic community and among economists there is a huge debate about how much innovation were actually seeing. The skeptics say, Where is the productivity growth, if theres so much innovation going on? Or they say, We had amazing periods of innovation in the past. Are we sure this one measures up? And those are important debates to have. But in every other community I try to be part of, and that includes investors, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and executives in mainstream incumbent companies, I dont hear any of that debate, or very little. What I hear instead is: Theres a lot coming at us, and we need to get on top of it and make it work for us.

When people say theres nothing new under the sun, I find that really valuable, because if all you do is talk to technologists, you just get caught up in the hype. Its almost inevitable. So I really value those discussions. But when I talk to almost anybody else, its something close to a foregone conclusion that were living in this remarkable era, and I happen to believe that as well. Not only can we sequence the genome, we can edit it with precision. If thats not a big deal, then I dont [know what is]. We only mention CRISPR briefly in the book, but the period that were in is one to me of monumental progress and innovation.

See more here:

Q&A: Running a company in an era of crazy technological progress - MIT News

AMD: Goldman Says ‘Epyc’ Progress All Priced Into the Stock – Barron’s

AMD: Goldman Says 'Epyc' Progress All Priced Into the Stock
Barron's
Hari doesn't deny the progress represented by the chip, but doubts whether it will add to the stock's upside. Writes Hari, "While the announcement represents a positive step towards re-engaging the server market, an area where AMD has had minimal ...

and more »

Read the original post:

AMD: Goldman Says 'Epyc' Progress All Priced Into the Stock - Barron's

In Our View: Wage a Work in Progress – The Columbian

A A

Seattles Minimum Wage Ordinance, passed by the city council in 2014 and designed to phase in a $15-an-hour wage floor, should be viewed as an important long-range experiment. And, as with any meaningful experiment, it requires time for the consequences both intended and unintended to play out.

Because of that, there is little that can be learned from a new report about the wage increase by a team of researchers affiliated with the University of California. Assessing and applying the lessons from Seattles enterprise will require years of empirical evidence that goes beyond the rhetoric that typically surrounds debate over the minimum wage.

That rhetoric can be cacophonous. Critics of the minimum wage insist that increases will lead to fewer jobs if employers are compelled to pay workers beyond the value those workers provide to a business. Supporters insist that placing more money in the pockets of low-wage workers will provide them with more purchasing power and boost the local economy.

The discussion is a worthy one, but last weeks report does little to enhance it. The Berkeley group conducting the study, as reported last year by the Albany (N.Y.) Times Union, has conducted numerous studies, often funded by labor groups, while always concluding that an increase to the minimum wage would provide economic benefits. So it is no surprise that the study of Seattle, commissioned by the office of Mayor Ed Murray, was greeted by headlines such as, Seattle minimum wage hasnt cut jobs and $15 minimum wage in Seattle working fine so far.

The truth is more nuanced, and unearthing it requires the kind of study being conducted by a team at the University of Washington. As part of ongoing research, that group concluded last year that the early stages of Seattles minimum-wage law resulted in the desired pay increases for low-wage workers but a slight decrease in employment levels. The report also said, We do not find compelling evidence that the minimum wage has caused significant increases in business failure rates which is a favorite talking point of those who oppose wage increases.

Most important, the University of Washington study is continuing, eventually covering both boom and bust times. That will be essential to gauging the long-term impact of a debate that typically relies primarily upon economic theory at the expense of evidence. For example, a much-repeated article in 2015 claimed that an inordinate number of Seattle restaurants were closing because of the wage increase, but a follow-up article by The Seattle Times found that to be blatantly misleading. One restaurant owner cited in the original article told the Times that she was closing one restaurant but opening two others: Im totally on board with the $15 min. Its the right thing to do Opening more businesses would not be smart if I felt it was going to hinder my success.

As The Columbian has asserted editorially in the past, the most effective way for an employee to increase their wages is to develop skills that employers find desirable. Through experience or education, a worker can enhance their value to those who do the hiring and determine the wages.

In the meantime, discussion will rage over what is an appropriate minimum wage and the impact such a wage has upon the economy. Washington voters in November approved incremental increases raising the statewide minimum to $13.50 by 2020. It all will add to the petri dish that is Seattles experiment with the minimum wage.

Link:

In Our View: Wage a Work in Progress - The Columbian

June 27 Letters: Video shows progress of attitude toward lesbians – The Mercury News

In 1985 my thesis project at Stanford was Out in Suburbia, a video about 10 Peninsula lesbians who were willing to talk openly about their lives. Some of the Stanford faculty were uncomfortable with the subject, and each woman in the film had to agree to come out, a difficult decision in the Bay Area suburbs in 1985. In 1990 when Out in Suburbia was simulcast on KQED and WNET, one of the gay panel members in NYC gave the video a thumbs down because it didnt include lesbians into leather and motorcycles.Aprominent Bay Area lesbian feminist refused to endorse it because it was white washed. On the other hand, when we showed Out in Suburbia at San Jose State, students were shocked to see lesbians who looked so normal. Thirty-two years later we dont have to live or dress or be a certain way. Were everywhere! Celebrate!

Pam Walton Pam Walton Productions/New Day Films Mountain View

If we are adding more tax for upgrade/electrification to Caltrain, why not do it right? Extending electrification of trains down to Los Angeles on the existing Star Light route would be far quicker than building a new high-speed rail, through more densely populated areas and at a tiny fraction of the cost.

John Mitchell San Jose

As a long-time follower of Rep. Ro Khannas progress (Khanna focuses on changing economy, Page 1A, June 25), his plan to spread the Silicon Valleys influence is not new to me. Like him, I believe someday coding will be similar to basic literacy, but that is the problem. If coding is truly so basic, wont those people in Middle America just get out-competed by regions that are more highly skilled, or the average pay is lower?

The solution must be to create jobs in that area that cant be done anywhere else, or at least abruptly outsourced. Sustainable biotechnology is a rising industry, and requires trained workers to operate brand new facilities and manufacturing plants. Creating incubator programs for sustainable innovation and subsidies for implementing manufacturing and training programs in economically distressed regions of America could grow their economies, as well as the U.S. economy as a whole.

Julie Kring Sunnyvale

Article after article in The Mercury News cites how any kind of tax reform (like the Republican bill to overhaul Obamacare) creates big tax breaks for the wealthy. Given our very progressive tax policies, where a small percentage of the population pays the majority of income taxes, of course people who pay the most are going to benefit the most from any rate reductions. Between federal tax rates (42.9 percent) and California tax rates (13.3 percent), top income earners in the state pay well over 50 percent tax on some portion of their income. One would think that would more than meet the definition of their fair share.

Gary Heidenreich San Jose

After attending the last Alum Rock Union School District board meeting, I must concur with your editorialrecommending that ARUSD be fiscally taken over by the Santa Clara County Office of Education. The hostile attitudethat the board majority took with the attendees and later threatening SCCOE Superintendent Jon Gundry, the arrogance, and the lack of taking any responsibility for the problems led meto conclude that this board is, at best, incompetent and, at worst, in the pocket ofthe Del Terra Group.

Jeffrey Markham San Jose

Our public schools are among the worst in the country; our streets and roads are crumbling; the pension plans are severely under funded; a third of our population is on Medi-Cal; we have raised the sales tax and gasoline tax on those who can least afford to pay; traffic is a nightmare, our income tax is the highest in the nation and college tuition is at an all-time high. Yet the Democrats believe that regardless of all these problems it is more important to enact a meaningless travel ban for political purposes. The affected states are obviously very concerned about losing a few pennies from California, and those that commit crimes here can flee to these states without fear of extradition. Brilliant!

Frank Nicoletti San Jose

See original here:

June 27 Letters: Video shows progress of attitude toward lesbians - The Mercury News

GOP donors close checkbooks, frustrated with lack of progress on taxes, health care – Fox Business

As Republicans struggle to agree on pivotal parts of President Donald Trumps agenda, including tax reform and health care, some frustrated GOP donors are closing their wallets until lawmakers get their act together.

At least one influential donor, Doug Deason, has told congressional Republicans that he is withholding funds until he sees major action on health care and taxes. The Texas-based donor has already refused to host a fundraiser for two members of Congress and informed House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., his checkbook is closed as well.

"Get Obamacare repealed and replaced, get tax reform passed," Deason said in a pointed message to GOP leaders. "You control the Senate. You control the House. You have the presidency. There's no reason you can't get this done. Get it done and we'll open it back up."

Deason, who is keeping the "Dallas piggy bank" closed for now, said he was recently approached by Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C. and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, about hosting a fundraiser.

"I said, 'No I'm not going to because we're closing the checkbook until you get some things done,'" Deason said, noting he's encouraged nearly two dozen major Texas donors to follow his lead.

There was also a sense of frustration and urgency inside the private receptions and closed-door briefings at the Koch brothers' donor retreat this weekend in Colorado Springs, where the billionaire conservatives and their chief lieutenants warned of a rapidly shrinking window to push their agenda through Congress and get legislation to President Trump to sign into law.

Continue Reading Below

ADVERTISEMENT

No agenda items mattered more to the conservative Koch network than the GOP's promise to overhaul the nation's tax code and repeal and replace President Barack Obama's health care law. At the moment, however, both are bogged down by GOP infighting that jeopardizes their fate.

At least one Koch official warned that the Republican Party's House majority could be in jeopardy if the GOP-led Congress doesn't follow through.

"If they don't make good on these promises ... there are going to be consequences, and quite frankly there should be," said Sean Lansing, chief operating officer for the Koch network's political arm, Americans For Prosperity.

Donors arent the only ones frustrated by a lack of progress. President Trump has repeatedly derided the Democrats for their failure to come to the table, labeling them obstructionists on a variety of occasions. On Monday, he mulled the option via Twitter of just letting the ObamaCare death spiral continue.

Even as the Senate seeks to push its own version of a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act through this week, at least five GOP senators have come out in opposition to the legislation. Of the 52 Republican lawmakers in the chamber, the Republican Party can only afford to lose two in order for the bill to pass.

And as President Trump approaches the 6-month mark of his presidency, the timeframe to pass certain items with a definitive Republican majority narrows.

"There is urgency," said AFP president Tim Phillips. "We believe we have a window of about 12 months to get as much of it accomplished as possible before the 2018 elections grind policy to a halt."

In between meetings at the Koch retreat, Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va., predicted dire consequences in next year's midterm elections should his party fail to deliver on its repeated promises.

"If we don't get health care, none of us are coming back," he said in a brief interview. "We said for seven years you're gonna repeal Obamacare. It's nowhere near repealed."

It's the same for an overhaul of the tax code, Brat said: "We don't get taxes through, we're all going home. Pack the bags."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Go here to read the rest:

GOP donors close checkbooks, frustrated with lack of progress on taxes, health care - Fox Business

Progress on Gay Rights in Serbia, With a Catch – The New York Times – New York Times

Photo Ana Brnabic, a 41-year-old lesbian, has been nominated as prime minister of Serbia. Credit Darko Vojinovic/Associated Press

Serbia hardly has a progressive track record on gay rights. So when President Aleksandar Vucic announced this month that he was nominating Ana Brnabic, a 41-year-old, openly lesbian, woman as prime minister, he stunned Serbians and outside observers alike.

Ms. Brnabic who only entered politics last year when Mr. Vucic named her a minister of public administration and local government would secure a double first for Serbia, which has never been led by a woman or by someone who is openly gay. The nomination also plays to the canny Mr. Vucics political ambitions.

In fact, there is every reason to suspect that the choice of Ms. Brnabic is a decoy move. Mr. Vucic may be trying to calm European concerns as Serbia moves toward membership in the European Union, while he continues to cozy up to Russia and beef up Serbias military.

At the same time, a failure by Serbias Parliament to approve Ms. Brnabics nomination would trigger an early election. It would be Serbias third in five years, and with each election, Mr. Vucic has increased his power. When he resigned in March as prime minister to run for the largely ceremonial office of president, there were deep suspicions that he intended to shift the center of power to the presidency and install a puppet as prime minister. His victory on April 2 led to huge street protests in Serbias capital, Belgrade.

Read more here:

Progress on Gay Rights in Serbia, With a Catch - The New York Times - New York Times

Firefighters make progress on fast-moving Santa Clarita blaze; 14 Freeway is reopened – Los Angeles Times

A car crash sparked a fire in Santa Clarita that quickly spread to 750 acres Sunday afternoon and triggered mandatory evacuations in some neighborhoods, authorities said.

At 7 p.m. Sunday the fire was 50% contained, said Cpt. Keith Mora, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The blaze broke out about 1 p.m. near the intersection of the 14 Freeway and Placerita Canyon Road when a motorist drove her car into a tree, according to the county fire department.

The fast-moving fire jumped the freeway, sending up a towering plume of gray smoke that was visible for miles. About 76 homes in the area lost power Sunday afternoon.

The driver of the crashed vehicle was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, said Joey Marrone, a spokesman with the fire department.

A firefighter injured in the blaze was also hospitalized, Marrone said.

At Golden Oak Ranch, an 890-acre filming location constructed by Disney and ABC studios, the fire burned a structure that had been used as a prop house, said L.A. County Sheriff's Department spokesman Christopher Craft.

U.S. Forest Service firefighters stopped the blaze from burning other structures in the faux business district and suburban street used for filming movies and television.

Near another flank of the fire, an NBC Los Angeles news van suddenly caught fire while a photographer was outside the vehicle. The photographer was unharmed, and the news station issued a statement saying the fire in the van was unrelated to the Placerita fire.

The 14 Freeway had been closed on both sides, creating long traffic pileups in both directions. It was reopened by Sunday evening.

Rudy Montanez, 61, said the gridlock was forcing his family to miss a friends 85th birthday party, complete with mariachi band, in Northridge.

He, his wife and three hungry grandchildren were stuck for three hours.

Last year, a brush fire had stranded some family members on a freeway for six hours, Montanez said.

Its not as scary as last time, said his granddaughter, Cherish.

Gamal Habib, 63, was caught in the same jam. He made a U-turn on the 14 Freeway and drove in the opposite direction to escape, he said.

They didnt do a good job of signaling that they had closed an entrance, Habib said.

Los Angeles County Fire Department

(Los Angeles County Fire Department)

More than 400 firefighters, four helicopter crews and two air tankers were battling the blaze Sunday.

As the fire spread, The Gentle Barn, an educational nonprofit in Santa Clarita, tweeted a call for neighbors with trucks and trailers to help evacuate horses and other livestock.

In emergency situations, people often stay in their homes because theyre afraid of what might happen to their animals, said Ellie Laks, the organizations founder.

By the time the winds had died down and firefighters were beginning to contain the fire, no one had taken the volunteers offer.

Thats a good fire, Laks said. Hopefully the rest of the fire season will be like that.

By 7:30 pm, Laks had returned to the organizations six-acre property, where horses cantered as if nothing had happened and a peacock stood atop a gazebo, fanning its turquoise feathers.

Santa Clarita on Sunday was experiencing dry conditions and temperatures up to 109 degrees, said Todd Hall, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

Slightly cooler temperatures and wetter conditions are expected on Monday, Hall said.

Another fire broke out Sunday afternoon near the intersection of the 170 Freeway and Victory Boulevard in North Hollywood, said Brian Humphrey, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Its possible that someone in a nearby homeless encampment in the area could have caused the fire, Humphrey said. No structures or people were harmed, but authorities briefly closed a ramp leading to the 170 Freeway.

This post will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

frank.shyong@latimes.com

joy.resmovits@latimes.com

maya.lau@latimes.com

UPDATES:

8:40 p.m.: This story was updated with details about damage at Golden Oak Ranch, a filming location, and more details from the scene.

6:41 p.m.: This story was updated to reflect new figures about containment and fire acreage.

5:55 p.m.: This story was updated with new information about the size of the fire, information about a burning news van and more details from the scene.

4:45 p.m.: This story was updated with new information about weather conditions.

4:28 p.m.: This story was updated with new information from the scene.

4:00 p.m.: This story was updated new information from fire officials.

8:30 pm.: This story was updated with new information from fire officials and from witnesses.

This article was originally posted at 3:25 p.m.

See the original post here:

Firefighters make progress on fast-moving Santa Clarita blaze; 14 Freeway is reopened - Los Angeles Times

Pride Parade looks back at progress, forward to call for action – Chicago Sun-Times

LGBTQ people and allies lined the route of the the 48th annual Pride Parade, which took form Sunday as both a celebration of LGBTQ progress and a political call for action.

For Jessica Harding, a 35-year-old Chicago resident, the parade meant both. She and her wife, Lindsay Harding, came with their 3-month-old baby, Jacoby, whom Jessica Harding adopted this week. Lindsay Harding gave birth to Jacoby through reciprocal in vitro fertilization, so he is Jessica Hardings biological child but was carried by her partner.

It was a long and expensive process, so were here to celebrate but also understand that other families arent as lucky as we are, Jessica Harding said. Were here to show that [LGBTQ people] can have families too, there is a way, and there are people wholl support you.

Linsday (left) and Jessica Harding celebrate their first pride with their 3-month-old son, Jacoby. | Jacob Wittich/Sun-Times

The parade stepped off about noon from Montrose and Broadway with Mayor Rahm Emanuel leading the way alongside one of his daughters. Its route wound throughout the Uptown and Lake View neighborhoods before ending at Diversey and Sheridan.

While weve gone a very long distance, we have a lot of freedoms and liberties that . . . are under attack, so its more important than ever this march to reassert our common values, Emanuel said before the parade.

Parade marshal Lea DeLaria, a downstate Belleville native most known for her role as Big Boo in television series Orange is the New Black, was moved to tears by the crowds cheers as her car drove along the parade route.

Its a joy to be celebrating this kind of event in my home state, DeLaria said. Its exciting to see us all come together as a disenfranchised group of people to say, I matter.

While other cities have chosen to incorporate themes of resistance inspired by the countrys political climate, Chicagos Pride organizers maintained the traditional parade format, taking the theme, Viva la Vida / Stand Up, Stand Proud.

Roger Bottorff, a 65-year-old Kankakee native who first attended the parade in 1979, said he was relieved the parade did not fully embrace a resistance theme.

Back then, the parades were more community-based and political protests, but this is more representative of what the parade has become, Bottorff said. Im not against the resist program, but this is a Pride Parade, not an anti-president parade.

Bottorff came to the parade with his husband, Larry Dehrke, whom he married in 2014, when same-sex marriage became legal in Illinois.

Larry Dehrke (left) with his husband Roger Bottorff at the Chicago Pride Parade. | Jacob Wittich/Sun-Times

We had pro-gay marriage groups who would participate in the parade back in the day, and I never believed it was going to happen, Bottorff said. Whats wonderful today is to come out here and reflect on how much we have accomplished.

Still, some parade participants walked with signs reading Resist and chanted slogan protesting President Donald Trumps administration.

Kofi Ademola, of Black Lives Matter-Chicago, marched with the Trans Liberation Collective to oppose police presence in the parade and call for a more inclusive Pride celebration.

Were hoping that a more radical Pride can emerge just like in the spirit of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, who kicked off the Stonewall Riots and fought for trans liberation and inclusion, across the intersections of poverty and everything else in oppression that affects people of color, Ademola said.

Adrienne Little came from Merrillville, Indiana, with her fiancee to celebrate the Pride Parade. | Jacob Wittich/Sun-Times

For Adrienne Little, a 37-year-old woman from Merrillville, Indiana, the parade was a time to celebrate with her fiancee.

Im here to represent gay love, Little said. It means a lot to see so many people here who agree that I should have the same rights to a high-quality life as anyone else.

Democratic gubernatorial candidates J.B. Pritzker, Chris Kennedy, State Sen. Daniel Biss, D-Evanston, and Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th) all participated in the parade. They spoke at a pre-parade party to recognize the LGBTQ community and speak on the the states ongoing budget crisis.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who also participated in the parade, said it was a day to stop and celebrate love and then get back and fight some more.

Ana Melendez (left) and Jorden Rodriguez came to the Chicago Pride Parade for their first time Sunday. | Jacob Wittich/Sun-Times

Jorden Rodriguez, a transgender 16-year-old boy from Des Plaines, came to the parade for the first time and said he was amazed by its accepting environment.

This is where I can be myself, and no one is trying to stop me from being myself, Rodriquez said. I am so happy to see people who are like me.

See more here:

Pride Parade looks back at progress, forward to call for action - Chicago Sun-Times

New Mexico ethics commission remains work in progress – Washington Times

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - The New Mexico legislature approved the creation of an independent ethics commission during this years legislative session, but there are many unanswered questions about how it will work.

Lawmakers approved the framework for an ethics commission during the 60-day session that ended in March, with the assumption that its powers and procedures would defined later.

Some groups are pushing lawmakers to start talking about the details in interim legislative committee hearings this summer and fall, the Albuquerque Journal reported (http://bit.ly/2rGbkUv ) Thursday.

It is unlikely the Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee will recommend legislation when it meets in coming months, said Rep. Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque.

I think we will probably spend some time on it, Chasey said. But the ethics commission doesnt go to voters until next year.

As currently proposed, the seven-member independent ethics commission would review complaints against elected officials and certain government employees.

Other details about the commissions day-to-day operations would have to be determined by the Legislature in 2019, if statewide voters approve a constitutional amendment creating the commission in the November 2018 general election.

The commission would have the ability to subpoena records and compel witness testimony, Sen. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, said.

But it is not clear whether the commission would be able to initiate investigations after receiving complaints or if it could do so on its own.

New Mexico is one of eight states without an ethics commission, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

See original here:

New Mexico ethics commission remains work in progress - Washington Times

Progress in a Sweep for the Mets, and in a Win for a Shaky Pitcher – New York Times

I feel different, Montero said. I have more confidence in my pitching. It worked well today.

But the win came with drawbacks for the Mets. Michael Conforto, the teams best hitter this season, left the game in the sixth inning with a bruised left hand after he had been hit by a pitch. The Mets announced that Confortos X-ray showed no break.

Conforto, batting in the fifth inning, was hit on the hand by a high 92-mile-per-hour fastball from Giants starter Matt Moore and fell to the ground, grabbing his hand. Collins and the Mets head athletic trainer, Ray Ramirez, checked on Conforto, who stayed in the game but kept flexing his hand. He was back out in left field in the bottom half of the fifth but was replaced by Brandon Nimmo in the next inning.

I want to be back in there as soon as possible, Conforto said. But well see. Its pretty stiff right now.

Even without Conforto and Yoenis Cespedes, who was given the day off the Mets found enough firepower to overwhelm the Giants dreadful pitching.

Rene Rivera, the backup catcher, smashed two home runs in a game for the first time. First baseman Lucas Duda padded the Mets margin with a run-scoring double in the fifth inning.

Right fielder Jay Bruce put the game all but out of reach with a two-run homer in the eighth inning. It was the 20th of the season for Bruce, who reached that number for the ninth time in his 10 major league seasons.

An inning after Bruces home run, Curtis Granderson hit his third homer in the past five games. That gave the Mets 46 home runs in June a team record for any calendar month.

Montero, by then, was watching from the dugout as his teammates closed out his successful start.

Earlier in the day, Wheeler, who was put on the disabled list late last week with tendinitis in his right biceps, threw a full bullpen session. The Mets hoped Wheeler would miss only one start, but if he is not ready, Collins said, it will be good to have an improved Montero.

I hope this is what were going to see from now on, he said, adding later, Hopefully, this is a huge wake-up call that he can pitch in this league.

A version of this article appears in print on June 26, 2017, on Page D2 of the New York edition with the headline: The Mets Find Progress, And Hope for Montero, In a Sweep of the Giants.

Link:

Progress in a Sweep for the Mets, and in a Win for a Shaky Pitcher - New York Times

Orioles replicating spring training schedule for closer Zach Britton … – Baltimore Sun (blog)

Theres a deliberate method to the Orioles' efforts to return closer Zach Britton from his forearm strain back to full health, with the schedule laid out for him over a three-week period closely mirroring how hed typically get ready in spring training.

Zach was trying to push it forward and maybe take an extra [outing], Showalter said. But if you do that, it takes away from the replication of spring training. Everythings designed for him to try to join us on [July 5], which would be a normal spring training for him. Hes feeling good. Last night was the first night he really felt like he really turned it loose without any conviction about is this going to hurt or is that going to hurt, and pitched in a game without thinking about it.

Britton had his third rehabilitation outing Saturday for Low-A Delmarva, sitting 94-95 mph and walking a batter but facing the minimum in a big win for the Shorebirds. His next outing is Monday at Double-A Bowie, then he has two days off before pitching Thursday for Bowie and Friday for High-A Frederick. Brittons final outing will be at Triple-A Norfolk before he joins the team in Milwaukee for a planned July 5 return.

That Britton is having a spring-training replica in June is of interest because his actual spring training was accelerated this year. He had an early case of soreness in his oblique area that shut him down for a few weeks and delayed his normal progression, and the team had to cram a few extra outings in to get him ready for Opening Day.

Once he returned, he wasnt himself, battling the forearm problem that landed him on the disabled list twice. He allowed one run in nine appearances with five saves, but had to battle control troubles and didnt have many of the clean outings that were so prevalent in last years record-setting season.

But Britton is progressing well and looked healthy Saturday, according to a scout. And he set a good example at Delmarva while he was there.

Theyre having a [pitcher fielding practice] session they have about every third day with the pitchers there, Showalter said. [Director of player development] Brian [Graham] didnt want to let him join it because he was pitching that night, and Zach somehow tagged his way into it. He said, I feel horrible. Im here trying to set an example and Im standing on the side while theyre doing PFPs. So he got out there and led the drill.

Davis progressing: First baseman Chris Davis (oblique) will remain in Florida to rehab at the clubs facility in Sarasota after the Orioles leave Tampa Bay, and is seeing improvement after a pair of platelet-rich plasma injections.

Hes sleeping now and hes not having that every-action pain, when hes trying to pick something up or reach for something in everyday life, Showalter said. He made some progress with that."

It remains unclear how long Davis will be out, but the early estimate after he suffered the injury two weeks ago was at least a month.

Around the horn: Outfielder Mark Trumbo had a hit changed to an error from Friday nights game, taking two RBIs off his tally. Infielder Ryan Flaherty (shoulder) is doing everything but throwing, and Showalter said he might stay with the team, as his progress has been more marked over the past few days. Outfielder Joey Rickard is making his second start against a right-handed pitcher in a row. The Orioles entire lineup is right-handed against right Jake Odorizzi on Sunday.

jmeoli@baltsun.com

twitter.com/JonMeoli

Link:

Orioles replicating spring training schedule for closer Zach Britton ... - Baltimore Sun (blog)

How the Trump Administration Is Reversing Progress on HIV | Time … – TIME

As an HIV researcher and clinician, I have seen firsthand the viruss disproportionate devastation of sexual minorities, the poor and many people of color. Nevertheless, steady research progress during recent years has allowed us to envision and work toward the end of the epidemic . Until recently, our efforts were effectively guided by the first-ever National HIV/AIDS Strategy, released seven years ago next month.

But the gains we made can easily be lost, and they are in grave danger. The Trump Administration and some Congressional leaders have chosen to abdicate governments responsibility for the poor and disadvantaged and devalue the health of the American public. They have proposed stripping Medicaid from millions of low-income people, leaving them without access to healthcare or other essential services. They want to bar federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which provides women with HIV and STD prevention services. And they've hampered efforts to develop cures and improve prevention and treatment by proposing to cut funds for research.

MORE : 6 Resigned from Trump's HIV/AIDS Advisory Board. Heres Why One Doctor Stayed

Even actions that may not seem directly related to health would have a large impact, like slashing funding for federal housing programs, education, food assistance and other social welfare programs, and reinstating previously failed policies that harm public health, like incarcerating drug users instead of treating them and promoting abstinence-only sex education programs. Since January, each new policy announcement has threatened our fragile success in beating the HIV epidemic.

My hope is that we can make the nation great for everyone rather than returning to the days when it was great for only a few. If the Administration and the Congress do not reverse the direction we are headed, Americas prognosis is grim.

The HIV and public health communities have our work cut out for us. Here's how to get started:

The annual number of new HIV infections in the U.S. fell by 18% from 2008 to 2014, saving treatment costs of $14.9 billion. The percentage of people with an HIV diagnosis who are effectively treated increased to 55%. The uninsured rate among people with HIV dropped by 6% in states that expanded Medicaid, and the percentage of people with HIV who were effectively treated in these states increased significantly after just one year.

Unprecedented research advances over the last three decades have driven our progress, resulting in more effective and less toxic treatment. There is now overwhelming evidence that effective treatment keeps people with HIV healthy and reduces their risk of transmitting the virus to near zero. On the prevention front, considerable evidence supports the effectiveness of interventions, such as syringe exchange and comprehensive sexual education, and new tools, such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, known as PrEP .

The Trump Administration and members of Congress can still make a course correction and prevent national public health crises on a number of fronts, including HIV, opioid addiction and hepatitis C. Rather than leaving millions of Americans without health care coverageincluding many who count on the Medicaid programpolicymakers should work with healthcare providers, patient advocates and others to reduce healthcare costs and build on, rather than reverse, the gains of the last few years. They should prioritize the health, wellbeing and education of the most vulnerable when making federal funding decisions and abandon their resurrection of policies that have failed in the past and sabotage public health.

MORE : 4 Ways the Senate Health Care Bill Would Hurt Women

We cannot turn back; 45% of people diagnosed with HIV are still not effectively treated for it. More than 200 U.S. counties are at risk for serious HIV outbreaks linked to injection drug use. Research indicates that as many as one in two black gay men could be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime. We need strong political leadership at all levels and activism to educate those in power about whats at stake.

Adimora is professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA). The views expressed in this commentary are her own and do not necessarily represent those of PACHA.

Here is the original post:

How the Trump Administration Is Reversing Progress on HIV | Time ... - TIME

New reports find little progress on 45th anniversary of Title IX – The Daily Pennsylvanian

Ivy League receives highest grade in Women in College Coaching Report Card By Yosef Weitzman 8 hours ago

As a national power,Penn women's lacrosseis one of several sports to benefit from Title IX but while that squad is led by renowned coach Karin Corbett, other women's teams continue to lack female coaches at a highrate.

For all the time that has passed since Title IX first made its way into federal law 45 years ago,a new report suggests that improving the status of women in intercollegiate athletics has largely stalled.

According to the report, which was commissioned by the NCAA'sCommittee on Womens Athletics, the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, and the Gender Equity Task Force, the numbers of female head coaches and athletic directors have actually declined in the last 45 years.

For some, this finding may come as a surprise. Although Title IX was not explicitly designed to increase female participation in athletics, that has been one of its most visible effects. But at the same time, it seems likely that these increases in female participation have also driven more men towards coaching womens teams. In 1972, the vast majority of womens teams were coached by women. In 2014, the percentage of womens teams coached by women was measured at about 43 percent.

While that number is based on national averages,another new study titled, Gender, Race and LGBT inclusion of Head Coaches of Womens Teams: A Report on Select NCAA Division 1 Conferences for the 45th Anniversary of Title IX, examines data for eight specific athletic conferences. The Ivy League was included as one of the conferences in the study because its executive director, Robin Harris, is a woman.

According to the report, which was produced by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida, the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota and LGBT SportSafe, the Ivy League had the highest percentage of womens coaches for womens teams. At 55 percent, the Ivy League was the only conference that earned a B in the Women in College Coaching Report Card.

At Penn specifically, seven of the head coaches out of 16female varsity teamslisted on the Penn Athletics staff directory are women. Penns athletic director, M. Grace Calhoun, is also a woman.

Visit link:

New reports find little progress on 45th anniversary of Title IX - The Daily Pennsylvanian

Rail Trail Progress Chugging Along – ithaca.com

The weather is warming up and so is progress on the Dryden Rail Trail initiative, which gathered 40 people from around the community Saturday, June 17, in a workshop to present ideas for the trails thematic elements and design components.

The basic premise that were coming at here is that this is a trail that should reflect our community and show the different aspects of the history, culture, and other aspects that really make this area special, David Cutter, a Cornell University Landscape Architect and Vice President of the Task Force, told the group at the beginning of the workshop.

Cutter then broke up the group into several planning groups to generate ideas that would steer the trail thematic moving forward.

The trail should have an overall name but allow communities to name their individual section, said Judy Auble-Zazzara, a resident who lives along the planned route in Etna.

Freeville resident Amy Dickinson agreed

And I think thats so important to allow all those communities while having their own specific individual identities that make them unique, she said.

Nobody can doubt the area has a rich history, and residents have agreed portraying this along the trail is a high priority. The trail itself would mostly follow the route of the old Lehigh Valley railroad that chugged across the Dryden town limits for more than 100 years from the late 1800s. Shut down in 1972 following the damage dealt by Hurricane Agnes, the land from the railroad was sold back to surrounding land owners. Now in 2017, the Dryden Rail Trail Task Force is looking to trace those same tracks and restore those roots once more.

Most of the group agrees that the trail should be divided into several sections to reflect not only the encompassing town of Dryden, but also the hamlets of Etna and Varna and villages of Freeville and Dryden as well. Signage to interpret the historical nuances along the trail are a point of almost unanimous consensus among the groups.

Dozens of ideas were brainstormed for the physical use of the trail as well. Hiking, bird watching, exercise, community development, picnics, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, horseback riding and biking are all ideas that the breakout groups developed.

Ill definitely be using it for hiking and walking my dog and horseback riding. Weve submitted a letter asking for that to definitely be included as well, said Alice Walsh Green, of Freeville.

Ive been looking to buy a bike for years now and this would finally give me a reason, David Fogel, the mayor of Freeville added.

Some residents advocated for a broad range of activities allowed on the trail, but some others preferred to restrict some activities such as horseback riding and any kind of motorized transport. Other ideas for amenities along the trail included benches, nature walk guides, land owner appreciation, opportunities for local business sponsorships, and a mobile app for users.

Many of the attendees also brought up other opportunities the trail could present for the area including providing an alternative way for transportation to Cornell University or side trips to other local businesses like ice cream and coffee shops.

Those decisions will ultimately have to be worked out by the task force in coordination with the town after all the easements from land owners are granted and before shovels hit the dirt.

The event, hosted at the Dryden Fire Company, continued a discussion that has been going on since 2015 when Design Connect, a student led project at Cornell University, presented opportunities for recreation development in the area. That opened up the idea for the rail trail and formation of the Dryden Rail Trail Task Force. The group has been operating since early 2016 and has made significant progress in that time.

Bob Beck, chair of the task force, told the group that of the 36 land owners between Ithaca and Dryden Village all but a handful have granted easements for the trail.

Is George Junior the only obstacle? one resident asked.

We're not an obstacle! Pat Foot, Director of Facilities for The William George Agency for Childrens Services, known as George Junior, chuckled from the other side of the room.

Rail Trail Task Force members said the agency is the only land owner left who needs to give permission for the trail between the Village of Dryden and Freeville. Foot said the agency and the Rail Trail Task Force are very close to coming to an agreement on an easement.

However, other land owners have expressed their disagreement on the trail in general. One resident voiced her concerns over a large map at the meeting telling organizers that the trail ran right behind her house and it would not happen. Another resident addressed the group at one point, concerned with the visual aspect of having a trail through his back yard and even discussed potential legal action.

The rail trail task force looks to move forward and continue chugging through these pennies on the track and working with all concerns to create the best possible recreational experience.

What were looking for today is input on what is it that we want the trail to look like, Cutter told the group. Things like names the trail and those types of things so that it works for you, for what you want to do on the trail, for you as a neighbor and it reflects what were proud of here as a community.

The current track of the trail would tie it into the East Ithaca Recreation Way, proceed across Game Farm Road, through Varna, across Route 13 at Monkey Run, through Etna, making a sharp turn in Freeville where it would head down to the Village of Dryden and connect with the existing Jim Schug Trail.

Excerpt from:

Rail Trail Progress Chugging Along - ithaca.com

EU Agrees to Defense Cooperation, Little Progress on Migration, Brexit – Voice of America

LONDON

With snipers on the roof and armored vehicles surrounding the Council building, Europes leaders met in Brussels with security topping the summit agenda. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said leaders had agreed on greater cooperation in intelligence sharing and defense spending.

We are spending half of the military budget of the U.S. but our efficiency is 15 percent. So there is room for improvement and thats exactly what we decided today, Juncker said.

Migrants issue

Outside a band of refugees called Syrians Got Talent aimed to send a musical message to EU leaders that they should stand up for migrant rights.

Not all of Europe shares that sentiment. The EU is taking legal action against Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic for refusing to accept refugee quotas.

More than 81,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean to Europe in 2017, and close to 2,000 have died so far.

French President Emmanuel Macron, attending his first EU summit, said Europe would look to address the causes of the crisis.

He said it is a long-term challenge whose long-term solution is to stabilize Africa, and the near and Middle East.

WATCH: EU agrees to defense cooperation

Optimism in the EU

Despite the challenges there is a renewed optimism in the bloc, says Professor Anand Menon of the U.K. in a Changing Europe program at Kings College London.

And the Eurozones growing again. So all that looks good, Menon said. But what I would say is the fundamental structural problems that confront the European Union, whether its the migration crisis, whether its the Eurozone crisis, whether its the problem of democratic backsliding in countries like Hungary and Poland, are no nearer being solved than they were last year. And they will come back again.

Britains exit from the bloc was also discussed. EU leaders described Prime Minister Theresa Mays offer on the future rights of European citizens living in Britain as below expectations, signaling tough negotiations ahead.

Continued here:

EU Agrees to Defense Cooperation, Little Progress on Migration, Brexit - Voice of America

Coverage Losses Under the Senate Health Care Bill Could Result in 18100 to 27700 Additional Deaths in 2026 – Center For American Progress

One Republican member of Congress, defending the GOP health care planthe American Health Care Act (AHCA)suggested that concerns that the loss of health care coverage leads to death are overblown. However, the scientific literature on the effects of insurance coverage on mortality shows that the coverage losses from the AHCA would result in tens of thousands of deaths.

The secret Senate bill was finally released today, and it is broadly similar to what passed in the House: It ends Medicaid expansion and makes further deep cuts to the program; eliminates the individual mandate; and reduces funding that helps low-income Americans afford health coverage. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has not yet released its score of the Senate bill, although it is expected to do so early next week.

The CBO, however, has released a score of the Houses version of the AHCA, which is largely similar to the Senate bill. The score projected that, by 2026, 23 million more Americans would be uninsured under the House bill compared to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Using estimates of mortality rates from Massachusetts experience with health reform, we estimate the number of additional deaths resulting from coverage losses from the Senate bill under three scenarios: one scenario in which coverage losses from the Senate bill are the same as under the House version, and two scenarios in which those coverage losses are modestly reduced by changes from the House bill.

Allocating these coverage losses among the states, this analysis also presents estimates of additional deaths by state.

A significant body of research has demonstrated the health benefits associated with health insurance expansion, including reducing the rate of death among the population. One study found that state Medicaid expansions that preceded the ACA were associated with a significant reduction in mortality. A recent analysis of these pre-ACA Medicaid expansions demonstrated a 6 percent decline in all-cause mortality due to Medicaid expansion. Another analysis showed that following implementation of the ACAs provision that allows young adults to remain on a parents health insurance until age 26, mortality rates decreased among Americans ages 19 to 25. In particular, mortality caused by diseases amenable to health care dropped among young adults, while trauma-related mortality did not. And a study of patients with cancer between the ages of 20 to 40 found a statistically significant association between insurance coverage and reduced mortality from any cause.

The result most relevant to the ACA and its repeal comes from a study examining the effects of the Massachusetts health care reform on all-cause mortality and on mortality due to causes amenable to health care. The study found that expanding insurance coverage was associated with a 2.9 percent decrease in all-cause mortality and a 4.5 percent reduction in deaths from causes amenable to health care. Because Massachusettss reform was used as the model for the ACA and included a coverage mandate, Medicaid expansion, and private insurance expansion through the individual market, the data is more representative of the effects of ACA insurance gains than studies looking solely at Medicaid expansion or narrow demographic groups. Furthermore, observers have noted that the studys quasi-experimental study design is of high quality and the next best thing to a randomized control study.

Other parts of the scientific literature have shown how having health insurance, unsurprisingly, results in better health. A recent study of three years of ACA data demonstrated that uninsured people who gained coverage through the ACA experienced a 23 percent increase in self-reported excellent health. One analysis found that the ACA coverage expansion was associated with reductions in self-reported fair or poor health and days with activity limitations due to ill health. Another analysis showed that ACA insurance gains were associated with an increased share of respondents reporting excellent health. And a recent study of ACA-facilitated Medicaid expansions found that they modestly improved self-reported health.

Other insurance expansions produced similar results. Massachusetts insurance expansion was associated with improvements in self-reported general, physical, and mental health. Data from the Oregon Health Insurance Experiment showed that expanding Medicaid was associated with improved self-reported physical and mental health and reduced depression.

Insurance coverage also improves childrens health and access to care. Research shows that when parents have insurance coverage, their children are more likely to be covered, maintain stable coverage, and receive needed care. According to the Institute of Medicines systematic review, insured children are more likely to gain access to well-child care and immunizations, appropriate care for asthma, and basic dental services, as well as have fewer avoidable hospitalizations, improved asthma outcomes, and fewer missed days of school.

Taken as a whole, the research strongly suggests that health coverage has a significant positive effect on health. However, a few studies have found more limited health impacts of insurance expansion. While the Oregon study found improvements in self-reported health, it did not detect clinical improvements other than depression reduction. Another study showed no changes in self-reported health resulting from the ACA, although a subgroup analysis did show improved self-assessed health among older nonelderly adults, especially in expansion states. And an early observational study of the ACAs Medicaid expansion comparing low-income adults in expansion and nonexpansion states found no differences in self-reported health between the groups.

There may be several reasons for these outlier results. The studies in question looked at time frames too short or sample sizes too small to capture more significant health impacts. In addition, insurance is a necessary but not sufficient factor to receive quality health care. Receiving high-quality health care requires access to providers, institutions, and services; access to consistent primary care and referral services; choice of providers and institutions; and the delivery of high-quality services. It also requires that insurance policies cover basic and vital services.

Drawing on the Massachusetts experience, we estimate that there would be one excess death for every 830 people who lose coverage as a result of the AHCA. The CBO projections of coverage reductions under the House version of the AHCA would equate to 217,000 additional deaths over the next decade, including 27,700 additional deaths in 2026. (see Table 1) To put this in perspective, that is approximately the number of people in the United States who died from opioid overdoses in 2014 and about twice the number of deaths by homicide that same year.

We also estimate the additional deaths in 2026 resulting from coverage losses from the Senate bill under three scenarios: one assuming coverage losses equivalent to the House bill and two scenarios that show modest reductions in coverage losses. If the Senate bill results in coverage losses of 19 million that would result in 22,900 additional deaths in 2026. If the Senate bill results in coverage losses of 15 million that would result in 18,100 additional deaths in 2026.

In addition, drawing on the Center for American Progress estimate of state-level coverage reductions in 2026 under the House version of the AHCA, we estimate additional deaths by state in 2026 as a result of coverage losses from the Senate bill under the three scenarios. Under the scenario assuming coverage losses of 23 million, annual additional deaths would range from 36 in North Dakota to 3,111 in California in 2026. Under the scenario assuming coverage losses of 19 million, annual additional deaths in 2026 would range from 30 in North Dakota to 2,570 in California. Finally, under the scenario assuming coverage losses of 15 million, annual additional deaths in 2026 would range from 24 in North Dakota to 2,029 in California.

Given the overwhelming weight of evidence, there should be no debate: Health care coverage has an impact on whether Americans live or die. Our data estimates show that under any of the scenarios we analyzed, a significant number of American lives are at stake in this debate. Legislators considering whether to support this bill should keep in mind and soberly consider the catastrophic effect the AHCA would have on so many Americans and their families.

We calculated national excess deaths per year by dividing the estimated coverage losses by the estimated numbers needed to treat (NNT) to prevent one death, based on analyses of the Massachusetts health care reform. Treatment in this instance refers to the number of individuals who would need to receive insurance coverage in order to prevent one extra death. The Massachusetts study found that there was one fewer death for every 830 people who gained coverage; that NNT was consistent with a 30 percent relative reduction in individual-level mortality for persons gaining insurance.

We estimate that there would be one excess death for every 830 people who lose insurance coverage, which assumes that the Massachusetts result would be symmetric for health insurance gains and losses. Of note, our approach is similar to that taken by the White House Council of Economic Advisers to calculate the mortality reductions from the ACA.

Our estimate of the national number of excess deaths each year under the AHCA is then equal to the CBO-projected coverage reduction under the House bill divided by 830. We calculated state level estimates by applying the same methodology to state-level health insurance losses from the Center for American Progress state-level analysis, which combines data from the CBO, the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the American Community Survey to calculate anticipated insurance losses by coverage type.

We also included estimates of the number of excess deaths in 2026 if national coverage losses under the Senate bill were 15 million or 19 million that year. For our state-level estimates, we assume that each states coverage reductions and excess deaths are 65 percent and 83 percent of our estimates of the effects under the House-passed bill, respectively.

Recent debate sheds light on different approaches to estimate the mortality impacts of insurance loss. Bearing this debate in mind, we designed our approach using the most accurate, rigorous studies. We base our calculations on estimates of AHCA-related coverage losses from the CBO and the Center for American Progress, and on Benjamin D. Sommers, Sharon K. Long, and Katherine Baickers 2014 quasi-experimental study of the effects of Massachusetts Health Care Reform on mortality. We chose this study due to its sample size and power, and because Massachusetts health reform, which expanded both private and public coverage, was used as the model for the ACA.

One limitation of our analysis is that the same NNT was applied to all states, although the estimate was derived from the Massachusetts health care reform. There are demographic and health care infrastructure differences between Massachusetts and other states. The Massachusetts population has a higher per capita physician rate, lower baseline mortality rate, higher income and baseline insurance coverage rates, fewer racial and ethnic minorities, and more women, compared to national averages. Some of these factors suggest that Massachusetts may have a higher NNT than other states, meaning that our estimate of the number of excess deaths under the AHCA would be too low, while other factors suggest the state may have a lower NNT.

In addition, the NNT was calculated from mortality decreases associated with insurance expansion. There is uncertainty as to whether withdrawing insurance will cause the equal and opposite effect of providing insurance. Lastly, our estimates capture only the impact of increased uninsurance under the AHCA and do not take in to account possible mortality effects among people who would remain insured but lose certain benefits or encounter worse access to care due to the bill.

We calculated a 95 percent confidence interval around our estimates of excess mortality. The confidence interval contains the range of reasonable values that include our estimate of excess mortality, with 95 percent confidence. Within this range the best estimate for the actual number of excess deaths is the point estimate. The point estimate is the mean and represents our best prediction for annual excess mortality rates, given the current evidence and available data. For instance, in the year 2026 and assuming 23 million more people are uninsured, we estimate that 27,711 excess deaths will occur, and we are 95 percent confident that the true number of annual excess deaths will be between 9,583 and 46,000.

Ann Crawford-Roberts is a medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and a graduate of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Nichole Roxas is a medical student at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and a graduate of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Ichiro Kawachi is a professor of social epidemiology and the chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Sam Berger is the senior policy adviser at the Center for American Progress. Emily Gee is the health economist for the Health Policy team at the Center.

See the original post:

Coverage Losses Under the Senate Health Care Bill Could Result in 18100 to 27700 Additional Deaths in 2026 - Center For American Progress

Watch: Paul Mason turns on the Blairites at Progress event ‘form your own party and get on with it!’ – Spectator.co.uk (blog)

Well, that didnt last long. The uneasy peace between the Blairites and the Corbynites since the snap election has come to an abrupt end. At todays Progress conference, Paul Mason sat on a panel chaired by Progresss Richard Angell, alongside fellow Corbynite Emily Thornberry and centrist MPs Wes Streeting and Liz Kendall. The guestsattempted to discuss in a comradely manner how best to build on Labours snap election result and win the next election.

However, things soon struck a sour note when an audience member challenged Mason over a tweet he had sent claiming Labour could have won if it wasnt for the moderates running a defensive campaign. Its fair to say that his comments went down like a lead balloon with guests at the Blairite think tank event:

The question for people in this room is: it is now a left-wing Labour party. It is a Labour party led by a man vilified in the Daily Mail and the Sun as a terrorist sympathiser and we got 13million votes. Do you want to be part of it or not?

Because there is an alternative. There could be a British Macron.

At which point, the crowd started to boo Mason.

PM: Yeah, go on, keep going. There could be a British Macron, you could have a British end Brexit second referendum party run with it. It could do much better than the Lib Dems did. Nows the time.

RA: But when you did your politics outside the Labour party, you got very small numbers of people voting for you. You did it by entering the Labour party and doing it behind Jeremy Corbyn.

PM: Why do you accuse me of entering the Labour party. I joined it at age 19, my grandfather was that generation which founded the Labour party. Im not a Marxist, but real Marxists have a place inside Labour and always did have.

RA: But so does everyone else in this room.

PM: Good. So, do you want to be part of this party or not?

Mason finished by telling the audience they should look elsewhere if they are intent of being a part of a party thats in favour of illegal war:

If you want a centrist party this is not going to be it for the next ten years. if its really important to you to have a pro-Remain party thats in favour of illegal war, in favour of privatisation, form your own party and get on with it!

So much for offering an olive branch to moderates

Original post:

Watch: Paul Mason turns on the Blairites at Progress event 'form your own party and get on with it!' - Spectator.co.uk (blog)

Portugal progress to Confederations Cup semi-finals after beating New Zealand – Eurosport.com

Portugal coasted to a 4-0 win over New Zealand in St Petersburg and secured their place in the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup.

The win, however, came at a cost as Manchester City-bound midfielder Bernardo Silva substituted because of an ankle injury.

With hosts Russia losing against Mexico in Kazan, Portugal progressed as Group A winners, while the All Whites finished bottom following a third straight defeat.

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo put Portugal ahead from the penalty spot on 33 minutes.

Bernard Silva - set to leave Monaco in a 43million deal - swiftly doubled the lead with a close-range finish, but in doing so landed awkwardly on his ankle and was taken off at half-time.

Forward Andre Silva wrapped up the comfortable victory with a fierce angled finish on 80 minutes and Nani added a fourth in stoppage time.

New Zealand, the OFC Nations Cup winners, had made a positive opening with Leeds forward Chris Wood seeing his shot saved.

Ronaldo rattled the crossbar before Ipswich defender Tommy Smith bundled over Danilo Pereira following a corner and the Real Madrid forward scored the resulting penalty .

It was soon 2-0 when Bernardo Silva converted a low cross from Pereira Eliseu after 37 minutes.

However, the attacking midfielder turned his ankle as he landed ahead of a sliding challenge from Tom Doyle, which saw him replaced by Luis Pizzi after the break.

Just before half-time, Portugal forward Andre Silva lashed out at Michael Boxall after a tussle with the New Zealand defender, which left him with a torn shirt - but could easily have also resulted in a red card.

New Zealand almost pulled a goal back on the hour when Doyle's ball across the face of goal from the left found Wood at the far post, but Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio recovered to make a sliding block on the line.

Marinovic had produced a string of decent saves at the other end during the second half.

However, the All Whites keeper could do little when Silva, who cost AC Milan some 33million from Porto, darted into the right of the penalty area before crashing the ball into the top corner.

Nani drilled in a fourth goal for Portugal during stoppage time.

Read the original post:

Portugal progress to Confederations Cup semi-finals after beating New Zealand - Eurosport.com

High school boys basketball: Huntley makes progress, falls in Crystal Lake South Shootout semis – Northwest Herald

Huntley boys basketball coach Will Benson wants his players to understand that a lot can happen between now and the start of the high school season.

I always tell them, You may be somewhere now, but its June. You still have until November, Benson said. If you want to get better, you have plenty of time to get better.

That said, Benson likes what the Red Raiders have accomplished from the end of last season to this point in the summer. Huntley finished 5-1 in the Crystal Lake South-Gary Collins Shootout on Saturday, falling in the semifinals to Larkin, 57-29.

McHenry also made the semis, losing to Rockford East, 61-38. Larkin then beat East, 58-45, for the title.

Wins and losses dont really portray what a team does, no matter what, Raiders guard Cory Knipp said. We moved the ball well this weekend. Were at our best when we make the extra pass, and we did that for the most part. Were playing a lot better in terms of passing the ball and talking on defense.

Huntley finished 7-20 overall and 5-11 in the Fox Valley Conference last season for seventh place. With the bulk of their roster returning, the Raiders are determined to change that next season. The upcoming senior class, along with some juniors and sophomores, played AAU basketball this spring for LifeZone 360 in West Dundee, with Al Knipp (Corys father) doing the coaching.

In the morning, three times a week, we come [in before] school and get some shots up with (trainer) Zac Boster (of Pure Sweat Basketball), forward Zach Loveisky said. Its been paying off. In all five games here, we didnt really shoot the ball well, and that hurt. But our penetrating to the rim, getting fouls was good. We did a very good job passing the ball and finding the open man.

Cory Knipp agreed that the ball movement was key for the Raiders.

Weve been working hard all spring and summer on moving the ball, getting to know each other, Knipp said. Were playing a lot better together in terms of passing and talking on defense. The more you play together, the more you know your role.

The Raiders did not have any big scorers last season, as points were spread around. Knipp, Loveisky, Brett Bigden and Andrew Fulcer, who all played over the weekend, saw significant minutes last season. Senior Trevor Sloth, juniors Nate Draper and Nolan Engmann and sophomore Ryan Sroka also played through this spring and were at South.

Huntley won its pool Friday at South, then beat Prairie Ridge, 51-36, and Bartlett, 39-28, in Saturdays single-elimination bracket play. Although it may not be a harbinger for the regular season, it is progress.

Were starting to get some answers to some questions we had with guys coming back, Benson said. A lot of them have improved individually, for sure. Were definitely ahead of where we were a year ago. Its like we took another step forward, like you take a step from November to February, we took another step from February to June now.

Read this article:

High school boys basketball: Huntley makes progress, falls in Crystal Lake South Shootout semis - Northwest Herald

Manchester United making progress in pursuit of Alvaro Morata – sources – ESPN FC

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has revealed there have been no offers from Man United for Alvaro Morata. Shaka Hislop breaks down the latest surrounding Alvaro Morata's potential move to Man United.

Manchester United are making progress in their pursuit of Alvaro Morata but have yet to agree a fee with Real Madrid, sources have told ESPN FC.

Manager Jose Mourinho has identified Morata as the striker he wants to replace Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

There is still hope a deal could be secured before United head to the United States for their preseason tour on July 9.

Sources have told ESPN FC that agreeing personal terms should be straightforward because of Morata's willingness to move to Old Trafford.

There had been a fear that uncertainty surrounding the future of Cristiano Ronaldo could force Madrid to stall on any deal for the Spain international.

But reports in Spain suggest Ronaldo will now stay at the Bernabeu while Marca, which has close ties to president Florentino Perez, reported that the Spanish champions are set to push on with a bid for Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe.

French newspaper L'Equipe reported on Friday that Zinedine Zidane, once Mbappe's idol, called the striker to convince him to join Madrid said they were ready to sell one of their "BBC" stars to make room for him.

Mbappe's arrival would further limit opportunities for Morata, who made only 14 La Liga starts last season.

The striker, who returned to Real Madrid last summer after two seasons at Juventus, scored 20 goals in 43 appearances last term.

There has been no offer for him from Chelsea, who are also in the market for a striker with Diego Costa set to depart and have been linked with Everton's Romelu Lukaku.

United also have an interest in Andrea Belotti, although Torino have said a 100 million buyout clause in his contract -- only available to clubs outside Italy -- must be met before the 23-year-old is allowed to leave.

Rob is ESPN FC's Manchester United correspondent. Follow him on Twitter @RobDawsonESPN.

Originally posted here:

Manchester United making progress in pursuit of Alvaro Morata - sources - ESPN FC