One final $100M ARR company and the startups we want to meet in 2021 – TechCrunch

As we head toward the exits of 2020, we have one more name to add to our roll call of private companies that have reached the $100 million annual recurring revenue (ARR) milestone. Well, one and a half.

But before we get into Nexthink and give Coalition a honorable mention, lets talk about the startups were looking for in 2021.

The $100 million ARR list came together by accident, a quirk of a news cycle that happened to have a few companies reach the threshold when I was in transition back to working at TechCrunch. So, when I got back into our WordPress install, the group of companies that had each recently reached nine-figure revenues was top of mind.

But looking at $100 million ARR companies proved less useful than we might have hoped. Mostly what we managed was to collect a bucket of companies that were about to go public.

That was always a risk. As we wrote at the time:

Perhaps the startup market would do well to celebrate the $50 million ARR mark even more loudly. At $50 million ARR, a startup is scaling to IPO size. Thats the goal, after all.

This is our aim for 2021.

If your startup is approaching the $50 million ARR mark, or the $50 million annual run rate threshold, I want to hear from you. Drop a line if your startup has an annualized run rate between $35 million and $60 million, is privately held, and you are willing to chat about how quickly it is growing. (The Exchange first raised this idea in November.)

The Exchange explores startups, markets and money. Read it every morning on Extra Crunch, or get The Exchange newsletter every Saturday.

But thats next year. Today, lets chat about Nexthink, what the hell digital employee experience is and whats good with cyber insurance and why its helping Coalition grow rapidly.

Nexthink is a venture-backed software company with headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland and Boston. According to PitchBook, Nexthink raised external capital in modest amounts from 2006 until 2014, when the startup picked up a $14.5 million Series D. That round was its first worth more than $10 million.

From there, Nexthink was a venture capital success story, presumably scaling quickly as it raised two larger rounds in 2016 and 2018 worth an estimated $40 million and $85 million, respectively. Nexthink was valued at a little over $558 million (post-money) following its 2018 round.

How did it attract so much external funding? By building digital experience monitoring software. Which, after doing a bit of research this morning, appears to be software aimed at tracking what corporate end users are doing with devices and how well software running on those devices perform.

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One final $100M ARR company and the startups we want to meet in 2021 - TechCrunch

Activism platform actionable helps users be proactive about the causes they love – TechCrunch

In 2016, when the world felt like an entirely different place, Jordan Hewson launched a platform called Speakable. It was meant to let news readers take action on a cause or issue in the very moment they cared most: while reading a news article about it. The company partnered with publishers and NGOs to deliver an action button, right on the publishers website.

Skip forward to today, and people have become far more proactive about the causes they care about. Thats why Hewson is launching a new product called actionable, a library of actions mapped across dozens of causes, giving the user a clear view into how they can do something about the things they care about most.

Though donations are an option across the platform, there are other methods by which users can take action, including volunteering, contacting your representatives and signing petitions.

We were founded before the 2016 election, said Hewson. And Speakable was based on the hypothesis that if we didnt make action easy, people wouldnt do it. But so much has changed, politically and socially, that people are really breaking down the doors to find out ways that they can help in this moment that were in. So we really wanted to be able to provide our users with a platform where they can proactively seek out things that they want to do and deepen their community experience.

Issues on the platform include Education, Equal Rights, Environment, Health, Migration, Politics, Poverty, Racial Justice and more. When a user clicks on an issue, actionable breaks the results down into the type of action the user might take, from donating to volunteering to signing petitions. The platform also drills down into the specific mission of the organization to give users a clear look at how theyre spending their resources.

When Speakable launched, it offered its services for free in the hopes of scaling up rapidly. Today, the platform charges a 3% service fee for donations made through the platform, but Hewson doesnt see that as the companys primary revenue generator.

Rather, Speakable is partnering with brands to sponsor action buttons for their own purpose-based initiatives. Hewson explains that might take the form of a matching campaign or sponsoring the ability for you to reach out to your legislator on a certain issue, giving the publishers another way to generate revenue, as well as Speakable, while scaling campaigns and initiatives on behalf of the brand partners.

The company is currently partnered with about 90 publishers and, via an API, aims to list all the nonprofits that exist in the States.

Interestingly, actionable doesnt necessarily rank or curate the NGOs on its platform in an effort to maintain neutrality among nonprofits, according to Hewson.

Speakable has raised $2.5 million since inception. It has also powered 10 million actions, with the majority of those actions coming in 2020, with 5.2 million actions taken this year. Just this past week, in fact, Speakable facilitated more than $1.3 million in donations in a single day to Feeding America in partnership with the TODAY show.

The team is about 15 people. Sixty percent identify as women at the female-founded company, with 20% identifying as BIPOC and 10% identifying as LGBTQI+.

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Activism platform actionable helps users be proactive about the causes they love - TechCrunch

Tencent-led consortium will lift stake in Universal Music to 20% – TechCrunch

Tencent is further strengthening its ties with music giant Universal Music Group as it continues to dominate the Chinese music streaming market.

A consortium led by Tencent and comprising Tencent Music Entertainment, the internet giants music spinoff, is set to buy an additional 10% equity stake in UMG from French media conglomerate Vivendi SA, TME said on Friday.

The round values UMG at 30 billion, or $36.8 billion, and will increase the consortiums stake in the music company to 20%. TME continues to hold a 10% equity interest in the consortium, of which other members are not disclosed.

The transaction reinforces TMEs commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership with UMG.TME looks forward to an ongoing and deeper collaboration with UMG as both companies work together to bring unparalleled service and product offerings to artists and fans inChinas booming music entertainment market, the company said.

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2021 and is subject to regulatory approvals, TME noted.

In August, TME and UMG said they were launching a joint label to discover, develop and promote Chinese artists domestically and to the world.

Tencent has been pally with all three music label giants, which have been licensing content to the Chinese firms music-focused apps. Both Warner Music and Sony Music Entertainment bought shares in TME when the latter went public in Hong Kong.

Warner Musics SEC filing earlier this year showed that it had sold a small stake to Tencent. And one should be reminded that Tencent also had a deal with Spotify from 2017 when the two swapped stakes.

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Tencent-led consortium will lift stake in Universal Music to 20% - TechCrunch

‘Greenland’ offers grim take on how humanity will respond to a comet impact – Space.com

Watch out: Spoilers ahead for "Greenland."

If a threatening comet was bearing down on Earth with no hope of deflection, what would happen next?

The Hollywood film "Greenland," which will premiere on video on demand on Dec. 18, looks at the effects of the fictional yet convincing Comet Clarke, a large comet that has split into still-hefty pieces. In the movie, the comet takes scientists by surprise because it came from another solar system, making its orbit more difficult to predict echoing the emerging science of interstellar objects we've spotted near Earth.

Scientifically speaking, the movie does a decent job at discussing real-life comets even without the benefit of a science advisor.

Related: Biggest space movies to watch in 2020

Newscasters in the film draw direct parallels to the Tunguska event that saw a small-body explosion flatten trees in Siberia in 1908. The shockwaves from Clarke's impact echo eyewitness reports from a small asteroid breakup in Chelyabinsk, Russia, in 2012. The movie also shows fireballs from Clarke's fragments hitting the atmosphere, which is plausible given other cometary reports.

Sadly, there seems to be an absence of scientific effort in the film to track the comet's specific path, or to explain how comets and asteroids are monitored in general. While part of that can be explained away by saying it was too late to save Earth from Comet Clarke, it would have been nice to mention NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which in real life studies scenarios for deflecting asteroids and comets or for informing the evacuation of affected populations in case of a coming impact. NASA and its partners track the sky regularly for threats and happily, they haven't found anything imminently worrying yet.

Starring Gerard Butler ("300," "How to Train Your Dragon"), Morena Baccarin ("Firefly," "Deadpool") and Roger Dale Floyd ("The Walking Dead"), "Greenland" follows the problems of a family that at first, appears to be among the most fortunate on the planet.

Just prior to and then in the middle of a house party, John Garrity (Butler) receives automated messages on his phone and television advising him that the Department of Homeland Security wants him to evacuate Atlanta. He and his family have been selected to ride out the comet's impact in an isolated bunker, thanks to his specialized work as a structural engineer. But he needs to drive to Robins Air Force Base, roughly two hours south, first to catch the plane out to the bunker.

Trouble is, Garrity's neighbors don't get the same alert and they realize that, in the words of Garrity, "Something weird is going on with this comet" and they weren't invited to the bunker. The news is still cheerily talking about how you can see the comet in daylight when the first shockwaves hit the house mid-party. Before long, panic strikes.

It quickly becomes clear that this comet is no mere flyby event. Rather, it's a civilization-killer, with one of the fragments estimated at nine miles (15 kilometers) in diameter, about half as big as the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, and likely enough to wipe out cities around the world after it collides with the Earth, which in the movie is predicted to occur somewhere in Europe.

With two days to go before the big hit, Garrity, his estranged wife Allison (Baccarin) and diabetic son Nathan (Dale Floyd) race to an air force base, where they are stranded in a bureaucratic mess that echoes what many of us have experienced during international travel. Lost medication, family separation and a pressing takeoff time start the events of the movie really rolling. Everything becomes very sad and difficult to watch only 30 minutes after the two-hour film begins.

While older viewers may recall the (slightly) more lighthearted and "America will save the world" attitudes depicted in the 1990s films "Deep Impact" and "Armageddon" that also covered cosmic collisions with Earth, "Greenland" features no wisecracking Bruce Willis situation. You quickly see the looting, violence and general chaos that takes hold when society breaks down.

Presidential alerts flash constantly on cell phones, the news shows harrowing scenes of destruction, and local grocery stores quickly empty of essential goods. To be honest, you may find "Greenland" a tough watch after 2020 and the effects of the pandemic, but then again, escapist disaster films may be just the antidote you need after a long year.

Happily, within this melee comes some moments of hope. You see the military personnel who, like today's medical workers, willingly put their lives on the line to help. Dale Floyd manages to overcome the sad, sick child trope for a memorable performance as he attempts to sew his family back together. Also watch for Scott Glenn ("The Right Stuff" movie from 1983), who makes a brief appearance late in the film; his performance is a tear-jerker, showing that even at age 81, Glenn sure can hold anyone's attention.

"Greenland" is less a tale about overcoming a comet collision and more a documentary-style discussion of what happens to people living on a planet under such peril. The film is not an easy watch, but the story will stick with you for the science, the memorable performances and the ambiguous ending.

Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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'Greenland' offers grim take on how humanity will respond to a comet impact - Space.com

What was the Star of Bethlehem? – Space.com

As the well-known story in the Gospel of Matthew goes, three Magi, or wise men, followed the Star of Bethlehem to Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago. And after consulting with King Herod of Judea, the men found newborn baby Jesus in the little town of Bethlehem. Whether such an event really happened in history is difficult to prove, but if it did, what was the Star of Bethlehem?

This is a question scholars have long pondered, not just from a religious or historical perspective, but from a scientific one, too. Plenty of theories have been proposed, from an astronomical event to an astrological horoscope, but thanks to modern astronomy, scientists are getting closer to an answer.

"If what is in the New Testament is a historical account of something, then that historical account requires an explanation," David Weintraub, a professor of physics and astronomy at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, told All About Space in an email. "As an astronomer, you want an astronomical explanation."

Related: As heavenly bodies converge, many ask: Is the Star of Bethlehem making a comeback?

We know that Halley's Comet was visible in the sky in 11 B.C. However, as the Magi trekked toward Jerusalem and on to Bethlehem, it seems unlikely that they followed a comet because its position would have changed as the Earth rotated, so the comet would not have led them in a single direction. What's more, in the ancient world, comets were often regarded as bad omens.

"For Christmas cards, it makes a nice picture having a comet and a tail but in those days comets up in the sky were usually a harbinger of impending disaster," Grant Mathews, a professor of theoretical astrophysics and cosmology at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, told All About Space in an email.

Related: Was the Star of Bethlehem a star, comet or miracle?

We can also rule out novas and supernovas. Either event would have resulted in a detectable remnant, but astronomers have not found anything that might date back to this time.

Furthermore, had the Magi followed one, they probably would have walked in a circle. "You can't follow a star from Baghdad to Jerusalem to Bethlehem," Weintraub said. "Stars don't do that. They rise and set, and they don't sit in the sky."

Such an event would surely have been seen by others at the time, too. Although novas are reportedly quite rare, you'd still expect to find other historical accounts of a large, bright event in the sky.

Other theories suggest a supernova in the Andromeda galaxy as the cause, as described in a 2005 study published in journal The Observatory. Although it's possible to see the galaxy with the unaided eye, it wouldn't have been possible to see a star going supernova and exploding within it even with the help of a telescope.

Related: Best telescopes 2020: Top picks for beginners, viewing planets, astrophotography and all-arounders

This leads us to one of two possibilities. The first is that the Magi were making an astrological interpretation of the sky. The fact that they needed to ask Herod for directions when they arrived suggests they were not being led to their final destination by a single bright object.

Astrology was widely used at the time, and with the Magi coming from Babylon, it's plausible that they were astrologers. And due to a particular alignment of planets and stars, they may have read a hidden meaning among the stars, leading them to King Herod. For example, Jupiter's display could have been of great significance here, as astrology associated the planet Jupiter with royalty, so the moon passing it in the constellation of Aries on April 17, 6 B.C. could have heralded the birth of Christ.

Related: Images: World's oldest astrologer's board

"Modern astronomers don't put any credence in astrology, but 'modern' is important in this context," Weintraub said. "What's important is what people thought 2,000 years ago. Astrology was a big deal back then. The explanation I have found that makes the most sense is that it was astrological."

The other, more astronomical explanation is that there was indeed a bright object in the sky a conjunction between planets and stars. A conjunction occurs when two or more celestial bodies appear to meet in the night sky from our location on Earth. These events can continue every night in a similar location for days or weeks. If the wise men were to follow the moment of conjunction, it's possible they would have been led in a specific direction.

Related: 'Great conjunction' of Jupiter and Saturn will form a 'Christmas Star' on the winter solstice

Astronomer Michael Molnar suggested that a conjunction theory might be correct in his book "The Star of Bethlehem" (Rutgers University Press, 1999). If the "star" was the result of a conjunction (and this historical event did really happen), then there are a number of different alignments that could be the culprit.

Perhaps the most promising, and the one favored by Mathews, is an alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, the moon and the sun in the constellation of Aries on April 17, 6 B.C. This conjunction fits with the story for a few reasons. First, this conjunction happened in the early morning hours, which aligns with the Gospel's description of the Star of Bethlehem as a rising morning star. The Magi also lost sight of the star, before seeing it come to rest in the place where baby Jesus lay in the stable. This could have been the result of the retrograde motion of Jupiter, which means that it appears to change direction in the night sky as Earth's orbit overtakes it.

"Normally, planets move eastward if you're following them in the sky," Mathews said. "But when they go through retrograde motion, they turn around and go in the direction that the stars rise and set at night [westward]."

Two other conjunctions around a similar time also look promising. One is the meeting of Jupiter, Venus and the star Regulus in the constellation of Leo on June 17, 2 B.C. Without the aid of a telescope, the two planets would appear as a single "star," brighter than Venus and Jupiter individually. Another conjunction occurred in 6 B.C., between Jupiter, Saturn and Mars in the constellation of Pisces. But neither of these latter two conjunctions match the description in the New Testament as closely as the conjunction that occurred on April 17, 6 B.C.

Although scientists have ruled out several possibilities, we may never know for sure what the Star of Bethlehem was or if it even really happened, barring some remarkable archaeological finding. But it's a question that comes up year after year, and it will continue to pique the interest of scientists and historians alike for many years to come.

"Nothing in science is ever case closed, nor is it in history," Mathews said. "We may never know if the Star of Bethlehem was a conjunction, astrological event or a fable to advance Christianity. Maybe it was simply a miracle."

Additional resources:

This article was adapted from a previous version published in All About Space magazine, a Future Ltd. publication.

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What was the Star of Bethlehem? - Space.com

The Jordan 6 Rings Reverses The Classic Bred – Sneaker News

Only two weeks shy of 2021, the Jordan 6 Rings has received a sizable confidence boost. In the past month alone, the silhouette has surfaced multiple times: the first a striking nod to the Aqua AJ8, the next a motorsports-inspired black and white, and the most current a reinterpretation of the iconic Bred colorway.

The latter, though, isnt quite as straightforward as any of the aforementioned. While the silhouette would typically reflect its inspiration near exactly, the pair here opts for a shade marginally distinct, one thats more pink than the Bulls-reminiscent reds often employed. Everything from the patent leather mudguard to the lace lock and chenille fixtures are hued the same, contrasting that of the black neutrals used along the rest of the mesh upper.

Grab an official look at these here and expect to find them at Nike.com likely within the coming months.

In other news, the Nike Kyrie 7 Rayguns is releasing first thing this January.

Where to Buy

Make sure to follow @kicksfinder for live tweets during the release date.

Mens: $170Style Code: 322992-060

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The Jordan 6 Rings Reverses The Classic Bred - Sneaker News

Official Images Of The Air Jordan 35 Morpho – Sneaker News

For the release of the past few inline Jordan flagships, the brand has consistently offered Guo Ailun his very own set of PEs. And, clad in white and blue, the Air Jordan 35 is poised to keep to tradition, its now officially revealed Morpho colorway a tribute to the Chinese athlete.

Far more straightforward relative to the basketball stars past creations, the AJ35 speaks mostly by way of its color, sprinkling brighter, cool toned accents atop a frame balanced by white at its mudguard and black along its lace unit as well as its collar. On-theme blues, then, quickly steal the spotlight, dotting atop the strings and dressing much of the tooling, Eclipse Plate, and side profile. Whats more, a bit of iridescent paneling can be found spaces above, its Jumpman branding loosely complementing that of the Chinese text at the heels hangtag.

Grab a detailed look at these here and expect them to release in China on December 24th.

Where to Buy

Make sure to follow @kicksfinder for live tweets during the release date.

Mens: $180Style Code: CZ8153-100

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Official Images Of The Air Jordan 35 Morpho - Sneaker News

Ray Allen Shows Off the Air Jordan 1 Switch on Instagram but This Pair Is an Exclusive Player Edition – Yahoo Lifestyle

Christmas arrived a bit early this year for NBA legend Ray Allen after Jordan Brand gifted him a special pair of Air Jordans.

Allen shared a new iteration of the unreleased Air Jordan 1 Switch on Instagram yesterday. Unfortunately for sneaker fans, this colorway wont be releasing to the public.

This version of NBA icon Michael Jordans first signature shoe is presented in a simple black and white color scheme and features a zipper underneath the ankle collar that allows the wearer to rock the shoe as a high or a low top. It is equipped with various ankle collars and shoelaces sporting several color options including red, blue, orange and yellow. Capping off the look is a matching white midsole and a black rubber outsole.

The shoe comes packaged with a card featuring a special message from the Jordan Sports Marketing Team as reads, As 2020 comes to a close, our team wants to express our gratitude and appreciation to you for being a part of our Jordan Brand Family. 2020 will be a year that is hard to forget. Throughout this year each of you have shown resilience, strength and courage to adapt and continue to represent Jordan Brand with unrelenting commitment.

At the time of publication, a release date for the Air Jordan 1 Switch has not yet been announced.

In related Air Jordan news, a new sneaker collaboration between Clot and Jordan Brand is reportedly in the works after a first look at their upcoming Air Jordan 14 Low surfaced on social media.

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Ray Allen Shows Off the Air Jordan 1 Switch on Instagram but This Pair Is an Exclusive Player Edition - Yahoo Lifestyle

Official Images of the Air Jordan 11 Adapt – HYPEBEAST

As the first Jordan Brand sneaker to feature Nikes power-lacing Adapt tech and the first high-top silhouette to make use of Adapt in general, the Air Jordan 11 Adapt is undeniably a shoe of firsts. Now, were receiving another piece of news from this futuristic iteration of the Air Jordan 11: a look at its official images ahead of its late December release.

While the white patent leather mudguards and toeboxes plus the heel pieces equipped with Michael Jordans #23 may be all classic Air Jordan, the rest of the upper puts forth a high-tech, high-concept look. Gone is the base layers standard ballistic mesh and fabric eyestays, replaced instead by a technical, translucent TPE that shows off the black eyestay anchors. These anchors hold together the thin tensile laces that criss-cross the black fabric tongue, and pops of flair are provided by an infrared strip across the tongue plus an infrared heel Jumpman the latter of which appears under the TPE base, much like the aforementioned eyestay anchors.

Zoom Air-equipped midsoles retain a familiar shape, artfully including the Adapt systems power and control unit in a way thats much more subtle than other models like Nike Basketballs Adapt BB 2.0. The lacing system can be controlled from an app on the wearers iPhone or Android device, or, if a more manual method is desired, they can also use the midsoles visible plus-minus buttons. These buttons also light up when the shoe is in use, and their color can be controlled from the app. The Air Jordan 11 Adapt is completed by an icy blue outsole with pops of infrared, and also comes with a wireless charging board.

Expect the Air Jordan 11 Adapt to release via Nike SNKRS on December 30, priced at a handsome $500 USD.

For more footwear news, check out HYPEBEASTs 10 Best Sneakers of 2020 list.

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Official Images of the Air Jordan 11 Adapt - HYPEBEAST

Cameron Jordan says ejection vs. Chiefs helped him catch the birth of his daughter – Saints Wire

Things didnt go quite as planned for Cameron Jordan on Sunday. He was ejected late in the New Orleans Saints game with the Kansas City Chiefs for throwing a punch at an opponent, which he still says wasnt intentional, though hell be quick to add was a mistake he cant afford to make.

But things have a funny way of working out. Jordans wife Nikki went into labor just before kickoff, so Jordans ejection gave him a head start on rushing to the hospital to be with her and welcome their third child:

Jordan relayed the sequence of events to NFL Networks Jane Slater on Tuesday, saying: My wife had her water break pregame, then I get ejected for a punch that wasnt intentional 70 plays or so into the game still marinating on that and my daughter Chanel Jordan was born two hours later.

Talk about a roller coaster ride, going from a frustrating disqualification in a huge game to a new addition to the family. The Jordans are tight-knit, having traveled together to see Cams father Steve inducted to the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor last season. In other years, their son Tank is usually dominating other players children in two-hand touch games on the sidelines.

But theyve struggled like many other families amid the COVID-19 pandemic; Jordan has talked before about his decision to sleep in separate rooms after Saints games until clearing testing protocol. Heres hoping for more happy days ahead for him and his growing family.

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Cameron Jordan says ejection vs. Chiefs helped him catch the birth of his daughter - Saints Wire

Will we see Jordan Nolan in the Penguins lineup this season? – PensBurgh

Probably the most notable thing to come out of Jim Rutherfords media session on Monday was the way he talked up AHL addition Jordan Nolan.

Rutherford was complimentary of Nolans game, and confirmed that he will be in camp and will have an opportunity to earn an NHL contract.

Said Rutherford: We will bring an American League contract to camp. That will be Jordan Nolan. We like this player. We will see how camp goes. At any time, we can flip his American League deal to an NHL contract. He brings a dimension to his game that is important for teams.

So what do we make of this? Is it just typical preseason hot-air to leave the door open for a veteran? Or is seeing him in a Penguins uniform something that is a legit possibility of happening this season?

The thing that sticks out to me a little is the brings a dimension that is important to teams line, because, well, it has been a reoccurring theme for the Penguins the past couple of offseasons to bring more of a sandpaper and grit element to the roster. It has not really worked out well.

It is not really a huge surprise that the Penguins are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to their forward depth because it is one of the big unanswered questions heading into the season. There are a lot of bodies there, but not really a lot of guarantees. Especially offensively.

So lets talk about Nolan and if he has a spot here.

At first glance, it is difficult to see it.

Nolan did not play a single game in the NHL this past season, and since the start of the 2018-19 season has played in just 14 games. When he has played, he has not really made much of an impact. No offense, his possession numbers have been bad relative to his teammates, and he really does not solve the biggest need the Penguins have for their third-and-fourth lines. Someone to provide a spark offensively.

When everybody is healthy they already have a pretty strong collection of defensive forwards in those spots. Is Nolan a defensive upgrade over Teddy Blueger, Brandon Tanev, or a healthy Zach Aston-Reese? Or Evan Rodrigues, Mark Jankowski, or Colton Sceviour for that matter? We know he is not going to outscore any of them, and if he is not a defensive upgrade (and I am not sure that he is) then what is the point?

There is nothing wrong with players that provide physicality and rattle some cages from time to time. But there has to be something else there along with it to make it all worth it. Some kind of an offensive impact, or a shutdown presence, or an ability to drive possession. You can not just add grit for the sake of grit. My fear is that this would be grit for the sake of grit.

Having said that, the fact the Penguins have so many forwards on the roster right now that it is going to be awfully difficult for Nolan to crack this lineup. Especially with no preseason games to make a case for himself. Instead, I see this as a contingency plan, and the safety net of a body with NHL experience, for what could be a strange season full of uncertainty. You hate to think about it, but you have to prepare for the possibility that you are going to be missing players at some point this season and perhaps multiple players, even for an extended period of time due to illness or injury. The former could absolutely be an issue at some point given the numbers around the country. We also know the latter always seems to be an issue for this team.

That is what I see Nolan is here for. In case they need to fill a roster. Because from a hockey standpoint his only potential role is as a bottom-six forward, and almost certainly a fourth-liner. When it comes to the bottom-six there are at least eight or nine forwards that are starting the season ahead of him for one of those spots.

Realistically speaking it is an organizational depth move, and Rutherfords comments strike me as him just talking up a player they added to the organization with the understanding that they might need him. Whether or not they could have signed a better potential option for that role and that spot is certainly a debate worth having. But in the end I think the only way we see Nolan playing in an NHL game for Pittsburgh is if a lot of people are out of the lineup for one reason or another. There is just no actual hockey reason for it to happen otherwise.

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Will we see Jordan Nolan in the Penguins lineup this season? - PensBurgh

Michael Jordan Poisoned the Locker Room so Badly His Wizards Teammates Refused to Buy Him a Retirement Gift – Sportscasting

Even if you arent a diehard NBA fan, you probably know all about Michael Jordan. During his time with the Chicago Bulls, His Airness became a global icon and a living legend; he was seemingly unstoppable, capable of willing his team to not only victory but six championships. MJs time with the Washington Wizards, however, was a different story.

If Michael Jordans time in Chicago was the stuff of legends, his stint with the Washington Wizards was an unpleasant epilogue that no one really wanted to read. In fact, MJ apparently became such a problem behind the scenes that NBA legend Wes Unseld said he poisoned the Wizards locker room.

RELATED: Michael Jordan Did Fear One Player on the Basketball Court

In the world of sports, its a fairly normal practice for players to retire after winning a championship; everyone, after all, wants to go out on top. Michael Jordan did just that in Chicago but wasnt able to stay away from basketball for long.

Jordan, of course, joined the Chicago Bulls out of college and took the NBA by storm. While it took him a bit of time to overcome the Detroit Pistons and their Jordan Rules, MJ eventually got over the hump. The Bulls claimed three-straight championships in 1991, 1992, and 1993; after a brief retirement and baseball career, His Airness returned to Chicago, won three more titles, and retired again.

Jordan, however, couldnt stay away for long. In 2000, he joined the Washington Wizards as part-owner and president of basketball operations; the following fall, he decided to suit up as a player for a last hurrah.

RELATED: Michael Jordans Former Coach Says the Bulls Became a Better Team Without Him

For basketball fans, seeing Michael Jordan return to the court was a dream come true. Unfortunately for the Washington Wizards, the living legends presence didnt translate into on-court success.

During his time in Washington, D.C., Jordan played 142 games over two seasons; he averaged 21.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per outing and the Wizards failed to make the playoffs during either campaign.

That production wasnt the problem, though; if anything MJ proved that he was still incredibly talented, regardless of his age. There was a different issue in D.C., however.

While Jordan was never the greatest teammate in Chicago, he was able to carry his team to victory. In Washington, though, he wasnt able to make the Wizards a success. Instead, the team was stuck in an awkward situation, with an aging legend, rather than a long-term solution, as the main attraction.

During his time with the Wizards, Jordan didnt pull any punches; he criticized his teammates publicly and questioned their desire. While its one thing to push everyone to the brink in pursuit of a championship, things will land a bit differently on a mediocre team thats not even headed for the playoffs.

RELATED: Michael Jordans Brutal Trash Talk Once Ruined a Teammates Career

Even at the time, it was clear that Michael Jordan and the Washington Wizards werent a match made in heaven. Things in the locker room, however, may have been even worse than we thought.

During his time with the Washington Post, Mike Wise had an off the record conversation with Wes Unseld about Jordans comeback with the Wizards. While the details remained off the record for years, we now know what the D.C. legend said.

The most damning thing I remember hearing. And God rest his soul, I can give up his anonymity now: Wes Unseld told me this, Wise explained on a recent episode of Slates Hang Up and Listen podcast. He said, Michael has been great for many of us in this organization in ways that has raised the value of the franchise, has made us respectable in other ways. And yet, hes poisoned the locker room.

Understandably, Wise asked Unseld how he knew that Jordan had ruined the locker room. The big man responded with a damning piece of evidence.

How do I know that? I just went around and asked every player if they would chip in for a retirement gift for him, give him something nice. All of them turned their backs on me, Unseld explained, according to Wises retelling. And [Wise] said, Every player? And [Unseld] goes, Unanimous.

Purely based on his playing career, Michael Jordan is deservedly considered an NBA icon. As a teammate, though, His Airness could apparently leave something to be desired.

Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference

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Michael Jordan Poisoned the Locker Room so Badly His Wizards Teammates Refused to Buy Him a Retirement Gift - Sportscasting

Commentary: The most gratifying thing about writing commentaries is the feedback – SW News Media

The most gratifying thing about writing these commentaries is the feedback I get. It doesnt matter if the feedback is positive, or negative (though I like the positive kind better). Feedback tells me Im having an impact. Feedback also helps me to inform my thinking. The only time I ignore feedback is if it lacks civility.

A recent commentary covered the county board, and the lack of candidates for the seats. I got the following responses from Commissioner Barbara Weckman Brekke. I thank her for allowing me to quote her here.

Thank you for the congratulations. It has been a crazy busy year of county business. Sometime when we can meet in person again, I would love to chat with you regarding the column you wrote about county commissioners. I agree that County Commissioners are compensated well, but I am not sure the column communicated the depth and breadth of the duties (if they are done well). Every day I am in conversations about and wrestling with topics around significant, long-term policies and actions having to with things like: child and adult protection, jail policies, how to keep people out of jail and out of trouble (as this is the best way to save taxpayer $$ and have a safer, healthier county), how to influence policies/laws/regulations at the state and federal levels that impact Scott County, etc.

So, I hope you will be up for such a conversation in the spring. It will be nice to meet with folks face-to-face again.

And:

Yes, feel free to use parts of my email about my work as a County Commissioner. Some days I spend more than 8 hours on county meetings and business!

The Commissioner is correct on all counts. They are well compensated. And those who choose to do well, have a wide variety of duties. In my opinion, the Scott County Board of Commissioners does a pretty good job. My previous commentary wasnt about the quality of their work. It was about the surprising (to me, anyway) lack of opposition candidates for seats. Maybe its because theres nothing especially controversial happening right now. Or maybe its because voters in Scott County were just too consumed by the national election. Or maybe people just dont care.

While my previous commentary touched on the fact that there are no educational or experience requirements, neither Commissioner Weckman Brekke nor I mentioned the one, informal requirement for County Board members, and others in government.

Common sense.

The Quote: Common sense is the knack of seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be done. -Josh Billings

Thom Boncher is a retired marketing communications manager, former Jordan City Council member and Jordan resident since 2003.

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Commentary: The most gratifying thing about writing commentaries is the feedback - SW News Media

Ty Jordan named Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, Utah football gets eight on All-Pac-12 team – Salt Lake Tribune

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes running back Ty Jordan (22) runs for a touchdown, in PAC-12 football acton between Utah Utes and Washington State Cougars at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020.

| Dec. 22, 2020, 9:56 p.m.

Ty Jordans promising true freshman season for the University of Utah yielded a top Pac-12 honor on Tuesday afternoon.

Jordan, a revelation over the Utes final three games this month, was named Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. That honor spearheaded Utahs haul of conference accolades as four Utes made All-Pac-12 first team, while four got second-team nods.

Jordan, a three-star recruit from Mesquite High School in Texas, was expected to contribute immediately, but he surpassed any reasonable expectation.

In five games, Jordan ran for 597 yards and six touchdowns on just 83 carries for a yards-per-carry average 7.2. The final three games of the season, all Utah wins, saw Jordan rush for 468 yards and all six touchdowns, while being named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week after all three wins.

Jordan is the first Utah player to be named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and only the second Ute to win one of the leagues yearly awards. Buffalo Bills rookie Zack Moss was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year after his senior season in 2019.

Offensive lineman Nick Ford, linebacker Devin Lloyd and kicker Jadon Redding all were named to the first-team, along with Britain Covey, who made the first team as a return specialist.

UTAHS ALL-PAC-12 HONORS

Nick Ford, OL (First-team offense)

Devin Lloyd, LB (First-team defense)

Jadon Redding, PK (First-team special teams)

Britain Covey, RS/WR (First-team special teams)

Ty Jordan, RB (Second-team offense)

Brant Kuithe, TE (Second-team offense)

Sataoa Laumea, OL (Second-team offense)

Mika Tafua, DE (Second-team defense)

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Ty Jordan named Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, Utah football gets eight on All-Pac-12 team - Salt Lake Tribune

Longhorns in the NFL: Week 15 LilJordan Humphrey scores first career touchdown – Burnt Orange Nation

LilJordan Humphrey, WR New Orleans Saints

Get you some LJ!

Humphrey caught his first two career passes in the Saints loss to Tampa Bay, with one of those being a 17-yard touchdown reception. LJ has spent the majority of his first two years in the NFL on the New Orleans Saints practice squad, playing in only seven games. However, with Michael Thomas now on Injured Reserve, Humphrey suited up and made the most of it. Now all three of the Longhorns wideouts from the 2018 team (Duvernay, Johnson, and Humphrey) have scored in the NFL.

Colt McCoy, QB New York Giants

Well, if you ever wondered what a Texas-OU game between Colt McCoy and Baker Mayfield would be like, you kinda-sorta got a taste of it Sunday night. McCoy played relatively well in his second start of the season, throwing for 221 passing yards with zero touchdowns and zero turnovers.

The Giants offense stalled in the red zone three separate times and turned it over on downs twice, including this, um, interesting play call from Freddie Kitchens. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett tested positive for COVID-19 and missed the game while quarterback Daniel Jones was scratched due to lingering ankle and hamstring injuries.

And in classic Colt McCoy fashion, he took the blame for the loss after the game even though it really wasnt his fault.

If McCoy gets the nod again next week, hell face the Baltimore Ravens with New York one game back in the NFC East.

Brandon Jones, DB Miami Dolphins

This play was overturned and wiped out a Dolphins touchdown, but lets just enjoy it anyway.

Six total tackles for the rookie and the Dolphins continue to hold onto the final wild-card spot in the AFC.

Adrian Phillips, DB New England Patriots

Wanna hear a wild stat? In his seven years in the NFL, Adrian Phillips had never recorded a sack, until Sunday.

Charles Omenihu, DL Houston Texans

Kris Boyd, CB Vikings

Malcom Brown, DT Saints

DOnta Foreman, RB Titans

Geoff Swaim, TE Titans

Kenny Vaccaro, S Titans

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Longhorns in the NFL: Week 15 LilJordan Humphrey scores first career touchdown - Burnt Orange Nation

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Is Back, And Jordan Henderson Is Very Excited About It – The Liverpool Offside

In the 75th minute of Liverpools game against Crystal Palace this past weekend, Liverpool twitter (and people sitting in their houses) synchronously began chanting:

Fan favorite, and player most likely to host his own game show, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain stepped on the field for the first time this season. While fans were obviously excited to see the enigmatic midfielder back on the field, they werent the only ones amped up.

Very nice to see Ox back, said Liverpool captain, Jordan Henderson.

Hes been working extremely hard to get back. Looking sharp again and I thought he did well when he came on.

Despite it just being a 15 minute run out to knock some rust off, Ox did manage to provide an assist for Mohamed Salahs second goal of the game. In fact, Ox completed 10 our of 10 passes, including two long balls. While it was pretty much a training ground session at that point, it was still nice to see Ox moving well and pinging the ball around.

[T]he more minutes he can get, the better really because hes a big addition to our team, continued Hendo the Magnificent.

Weve got a little bit of a break going into the next game but after that it comes thick and fast. So we need to be ready for that.

Somehow, Jordan Henderson and the gang have not only managed to navigate a disastrous run of injuries during an insane fixture, they managed to win their group in the Champions League and top the Premier League table at Christmas yet again. With players like Ox returning to the fold, Liverpool might just manage to keep their run for the title steaming ahead.

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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Is Back, And Jordan Henderson Is Very Excited About It - The Liverpool Offside

South Norfolk Jordan Bridge increases toll rates starting January 2021 – WAVY.com

Posted: Dec 21, 2020 / 11:37 PM EST / Updated: Dec 21, 2020 / 11:37 PM EST

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) South Norfolk Jordan Bridge (SNJB) officials on Monday announced their toll rate increase on Monday, which occurs annually.

Starting Jan. 1, 2021, drivers taking the SNJB can expect to see their bill go up. Those in passenger vehicles, mopeds, and motorcycles using prepaid accounts will now pay $2.65, up 10 cents from 2020s toll of $2.55.

Pay-by-plate customers in a two-axle passenger vehicle are charged by mail for $5.75 per trip about 30 days after travel in a two-axle passenger vehicle.

The toll rate for all vehicles with three or more axles (including cars with trailers) starts at $5.75 per crossing and may increase based on the time of travel and method of payment. Peak hours are weekdays from 5:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m.

Off-peak rates apply during all other weekday hours, weekends and select federal holidays.

E-ZPass drivers are eligible for the bridges promotional offers including the new Santas Shortcut to Savings which provides unlimited free travel for all passenger vehicles on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2020.

For more details on billing information, click here.

Stay with WAVY.com for more local news updates.

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South Norfolk Jordan Bridge increases toll rates starting January 2021 - WAVY.com

Abuse against shop workers has increased during the pandemic it is time to take action to protect them – British Politics and Policy at LSE

Emmeline Taylor reports how attacks against shop workers have increased during the COVID-19 crisis, exacerbating an already problematic situation. Such incidents are often dismissed as business crimes and therefore somehow victimless, rendering a change in the law necessary.

Respect for Shop Workers Week was established by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) as part of their Freedom from Fear campaign in 2002, to highlight the issue of growing abuse and assaults against shop workers. Last year, a report, Its Not part of the Job highlighted not only the alarming rates at which shop workers were suffering physical assaults, but also the devastating consequences. The reports of violence revealed instances where employees suffered broken bones, were stabbed with knives, lacerated with smashed bottles, lost sight due to eye injuries and been punched. Yet the impact of violence and verbal abuse stem far beyond physical symptoms; such encounters can leave long-lasting mental health issues including anxiety and, in the most severe cases, post-traumatic stress disorder.

Shop workers and the pandemic

In March 2020, the British Retail Consortium released its findings from its annual retail crime survey. It revealed incidents of violence and abuse against shop workers had risen to 424 per day in the period from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019, up 9% from the previous year. In the same month, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) reported findings from their survey which estimated 50,000 incidents of violence against shop workers, a quarter of which resulted in injury. In addition, they estimated that 83% of people who worked in the convenience sector had been subjected to verbal abuse over the past year. Both reports found a concerning increase in the use of weapons in attacks on shop workers. The ACS survey found almost 10,000 of the reported attacks in convenience stores involved some sort of weapon; 43% involving a knife and 5% involving a firearm. Attacks with axes, hammers and syringes were also reported.

These already alarming figures were released just prior to the severity of the impact of COVID-19 becoming apparent, and before lockdown restrictions were put in place in March 2020. Sadly, the situation was about to get a lot worse. Despite being recognised as essential key workers during the COVID-19 crisis, shop workers have actually seen the levels of violence and verbal abuse directed at them soar during the pandemic. As customers have become agitated by restrictions, queues, and limits on stock, some have directed their frustrations at public-facing employees working hard to serve their communities.

Usdaw reported that abusive incidents toward shop workers had doubled since the outbreak of COVID-19. Respondents to their survey reported being spat at, coughed at, and sneezed at when asking customers to practise social distancing. Some stated that they had been pushed and verbally abused when trying to enforce buying limits on in-demand products. On average, retail staff were being verbally abused, threatened or assaulted every week during the crisis, compared with once a fortnight for 2019.

Almost two-thirds (62%) of the 4,928 workers surveyed said they had experienced verbal abuse since 14 March, while almost a third had been threatened by a customer and 4% had been assaulted. When averaged across all three million workers in the sector, it amounts to a staggering 3,500+ assaults every day. While not all shop workers suffer to this extent, some actually experience much worse with 1 in 6 reporting being abused on every shift.

Retail workers are one of the most vulnerable sectors in the city in terms of violence and yet they are being neglected and ignored. Its always just classed as a business crime but we need to recognise the human collateral.(Police Officer)

Tackling violence against shop workers

Industry campaigns such as Usdaws and the Co-ops Safer Colleagues, Safer Communities campaign have resulted in some initial positive steps by government and it looked as though much needed action would be taken to protect those serving their community in shops across the country. In February 2020, the Prime Minister pledged in Parliament that We should not tolerate crimes of violence against shop workers, and in March 2020, Alex Norris MP introduced the Assaults on Retail Workers (Offences) Bill 2019-21 to make certain offences, including malicious wounding, grievous or actual bodily harm and common assault, aggravated when perpetrated against a retail worker in the course of their employment. It is due to have its second reading in January 2021 having already been postponed twice.

It is time to take action to protect such vital key workers and ensure that they can do their job without being fearful of abuse or physical assault. Such incidents are all too often dismissed as business crimes and therefore somehow victimless; but lets not forget that behind each and every statistic is a person who has directly experienced violence or verbal abuse while simply doing their job.

____________________

About the Author

Emmeline Taylor is a Reader in Criminology at City, University of London.

Photo by http://www.naipo.de on Unsplash.

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Abuse against shop workers has increased during the pandemic it is time to take action to protect them - British Politics and Policy at LSE

25 of the Best True Crime Documentaries To Watch Right Now – elle.com

True crime documentaries provide viewers with an inside look into some of the most extreme aspects of society. Why do we love them? Because they're fraught with palpable tension, nail-biting plot twists and the ability to turn a Sunday night window into an endless Google Search deep dive.

Over the past few years, the genre has exploded in popularity, becoming a a fully fledged phenomenon spanning podcasts, books and of viral documentaries (Tiger King, anyone?)

Aside from prompting catchy songs and memes based on their various mind-blowing revelations, the best true crime documentaries can also catalyse much-needed debates and calls for action. For example, Athlete A has become a powerful cornerstone of the #MeToo movement, allowing the survivors to reclaim their voice and space. Spike Lee's Four Little Girls is a chilling, yet timely reminder of the impact and legacy of the violent reality of both systemic and systematic racism.

For a genre that is constantly adding more options to its roster, we filtered through to bring you the very best true crime documentaries, from the bizarre to the heartbreaking, that will ensure you're glued to the sofa all weekend long.

1The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley

The fallacy of humble grit and the American Dream takes centre stage in this crime documentary. The story of a woman who managed to procure millions for a blood testing machine that didnt exist, a classic tale of connections mattering more than cognition.

The saga that is Elizabeth Holmes and the Theranos scandal, is one that will leave you questioning everything.

Watch on NOW TV

2Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness

A list of best true-crime documentaries wouldn't be complete without the bizarre Tiger King, which became a viral sensation throughout lockdown.

The story of Joe Exotic, born Joseph Schreibvogel, big cats, blonde mullets, guns and explosives, and his life at Oklahoma's Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park unfolds over seven episode each of which add to the mind bending plot line.

Watch on Netflix

3World's Most Wanted

Neflix's five-episode crime documentary series Worlds Most Wanted follows the lives of five notorious criminals from around the world, detailing the heinous crimes they committed, and why theyve been so hard to capture.

Episode three details the crimes and life of Samantha Lewthwaite also known as 'the White Widow' - the widow of the 7/7 London terrorist bomber Germaine Lindsay, who is now the worlds most wanted female terrorist.

Watch on Netflix

44 Little Girls

In 1963, four young girls attending Sunday School, died after a Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama was bombed. The crime remains a frightening reminder of racist horrors committed in the American 'deep South' at the time.

Spike Lee succeeds in commemorating the lives of the 4 Little Girls who died, through the memories of parents, siblings and friends. As we continue to reflect on our own understandings of unchecked racism and prejudices, the documentary serves as a careful reminder of the work that must be done in order for eliminate this form of violence forever.

Watch on NOW TV

5Amanda Knox

In this revisit to the media-driven and tangly sensationalist story, directors Brian McGinn and Rod Blackhurst use their access to players and new archival footage to revisit the murder of British international student Meredith Kercher in Italy.

By dissecting the documentary into 'innocent' and 'guilty' parts regarding Amanda Knox - Kercher's friend who was convicted and spent four years in prison before being acquitted and released - the complexities, failures, and misconceptions around the murder case were laid bare, making the story about more than some false convictions.

Watch here on Netflix

6The Trials of Oscar Pistorius

BBC's The Trials of Oscar Pistorius meticulously lays out the life of the sports star. From childhood, to the loss of his mother, and every single personal and professional achievement up until the killing of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp and the subsequent high-profile trial involving Pistorius.

Critics of the series, have suggested that it does fail the courageous and intelligent woman, Steenkaamp, who ultimately lost her life.

Watch on BBC iPlayer

7American Murder: The Family Next Door

True friendship is at the heart of this crime documentary which presents the courageous perseverance of Shanann Watts's friend Nickole Atkinson who first sounded the alarm about her disappearance.

The murder of Watts, who was pregnant with her third child, along with her two daughters Bella and Celeste at the hands of her husband and children's father Chris Watts, is one that will spark endless Google searches into the story beyond the devastating series.

Watch on Netflix

8Canada's Lost Girls

Stacey Dooley delves into a hidden secret crime ring in this investigation into the disappearance and murder of indigenous women and girls. The documentary will grip you as well as fuel your fight towards true equality and protection for all women.

Watch on BBC iPlayer

9Conman: The Life And Crimes Of Mark Acklom

This crime documentary follows the story of the UK's most cunning fraudster who posed as an MI6 agent and went on to trick his ex-girlfriend out of almost 300,000.

Earlier this year, Acklom was sentenced to five years and eight months behind bars for his crimes, but the story of a cheeky Chappy turned international fraudster is enough to make you second guess that Hinge date.

Watch on YouTube

10Ted Bundy: Falling For A Killer

Unlike the controversial depiction of serial killer Ted Bundy by Zac Efron in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, this documentary enlists the help of survivors, victims' family members, his longtime girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall and Kendall's daughter, Molly, to explore his grotesque crimes. The women's memories of the good times are spellbinding and downright chilling when considered in the context of Bundy's heinous acts.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video

11Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich

Jeffrey Epstein, the predatory billionaire at the centre of an international sex-trafficking ring, is prime picking for the crime documentary genre.

In the four-part documentary series, his crimes are dutifully unpacked. While choosing not to focus on various conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein's death in a prison in a prison cell, the film allows for a refreshing take that puts the survivors front and centre with their stories shine a light on a case that's still yet to be fully cracked.

Watch on Netflix

12The Central Park Five

The sexual assault and attack of a female jogger in Central Parkin 1989, remains a flashpoint in American crime history.

The false accusation of five Black and Latino teenagers from Harlem, with limited evidence and coerced confessions, led to the young men being behind bars for years before the real culprit owned up. It's heart-wrenching.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video

13Athlete A

Athlete A is the powerful story of how, after at least two decades of abusing girls and young women under his care as the doctor for the womens programme of USA Gymnastics (the national governing body for the sport) Larry Nassar was eventually caught and convicted.

The title refers to Maggie Nichols, who reported her abuse in 2015. In 2016, she did not make it on to the Olympic squad.

The documentary became a powerful cornerstone of the #MeToo movement and allowed the victims to reclaim their voice and space on an internationally streamed stage.

Watch on Netflix

14Who Killed Malcolm X

More than 50 years later, there are still questions over the death of the US Civil Rights leader, Malcolm X.

From a botched investigation, to the betrayal of brothers in arms, the series follows activist-scholar Abdur-Rahman Muhammad, who revisits the assassination through interviews and archives.

History buffs and 'Who Dunnit?' lovers alike will love this crime documentary series.

Watch on Netflix

15Acid Attack: My Story

Naomi Oni's story of betrayal and rebuilding after she was attacked with sulphuric acid is one of bravery and determination.

This powerful documentary film reveals the story behind one of the most shocking and bizarre acid attacks of recent years. The film combines archive footage, and stylised reconstruction with interviews with the victim, police, the medics who continued to treat her, and her family and friends, long after the attack.

Watch on BBC iPlayer

16Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story

17Diana: The Night She Died

The tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales was one of the most shocking events in recent history.

While some inevitable conspiracy theories are debunked as absurd, this compelling documentary seeks to answer some remaining questions people may have about the subsequent enquiry, how the world learned of the death of one of its most recognised women, as well as what really happened the night Diana died.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video

18Fyre: The The Greatest Party That Never Happened

Who can ever forget the infamous 'Evian Water' scene from this riveting documentary... Humorous memes aside, Fyre is a crime documentary filled with swindlers and the swindled side by side as they recount the how the scandal came to be.

Watch on Netflix

19The Murder of Jill Dando

The murder of TV presenter and newsreader Jill Dando - where she was shot dead outside her London home - remains of one of Britain's most high-profile unsolved killings.

In a balanced tribute documentary, with the help of interviews with Dandos friends and family, Hamish Campbells original police decision logs, and an in depth explanation into the overturned murder conviction of Barry George, the documentary examines everything we do know about the murder, despite us still not knowing the perpetrator, while sensitively paying tribute to a beloved TV personality.

Watch on BBC iPlayer

20The Confession Killer

The Confession Killer is a a five-part documentary series that recounts the story of Henry Lee Lucas.

Lucas became infamous for falsely claiming responsibility for hundreds of murders in the 1980s. The shocking twists and turns of this tale will leave you debating theories for week.

Watch on Netflix

21Life After My Brother's Murder

Thirteen years on from her brother Daniel's murder, sister Chanell sets about the task of writing a victim Personal Statement that will be considered in a parole process that could possibly set free the man who ripped her brother away from her.

This crime documentary film explores the rippling effects of knife crime in the UK.

Watch on BBC iPlayer

22I Love You, Now Die

HBO's I Love You, Now Die tells the story of Michelle Carter, a teenage girl who was charged with involuntary manslaughter over her boyfriend Conrad Roy's death by suicide.

Her encouragement of Roy to end his life over text after he'd been expressing suicidal thoughts to her is a haunting exploration of the way mental health and technology can be devastatingly intertwined.

Watch on NOW TV

23How To Fix A Drug Scandal

This crime documentary miniseries follows filmmaker Erin Lee Carr's exploration into the effects of crime drug lab chemist Sonja Farak and Annie Dookhan and their tampering with evidence and its after effects.

Their assumptions that their seemingly victimless crime would go unnoticed is paramount to the brutishly bold methods Dookhan and Farak both use.

Watch on Netflix

24Snapped

Snapped is a true-crime series examining the shocking details of high-profile or bizarre murders committed by women. Each episode features interviews with friends and family members of the accused and victims, law-enforcement officials, attorneys with first-hand knowledge of the cases.

Hardcore fans of the crime documentary genre will be delighted to learn that the show has 28 series, ready for your viewing.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video

25Trial 4

The story of Sean K. Ellis' fight to prove his innocence while exposing police corruption and systematic racism in Trial 4 is one that is all too familiar.

Charged as a teenager in the 1993 for the murder of a white Boston police officer, in this crime documentary, Ellis' work to tirelessly to exonerate him self while highlighting systematic failures like how unusual the multi-trial pursuit of a conviction was is put on show.

It's truly stirring viewing.

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25 of the Best True Crime Documentaries To Watch Right Now - elle.com

Between the sacred and the secular – New Statesman

Marxism has had a long and troubled relationship with religion. In 1843 the young Karl Marx wrote in a critical essay on German philosophy that religion is the opium of the people, a phrase that would eventually harden into official atheism for the communist movement, though it poorly represented the true opinions of its founding theorist. After all, Marx also wrote that religion is the sentiment of a heartless world and the soul of soul-less conditions, as if to suggest that even the most fantastical beliefs bear within themselves a protest against worldly suffering and a promise to redeem us from conditions that might otherwise appear beyond all possible change. To call Marx a secularist, then, may be too simple. Marx saw religion as an illusion, but he was too much the dialectician to claim that it could be simply waved aside without granting that even illusions point darkly toward truth.

In the 20th century the story grew even more conflicted. While Soviet Marxism turned with a vengeance against religious believers and sought to dismantle religious institutions, some theorists in the West who saw in Marxism a resource for philosophical speculation felt that dialectics itself demanded a more nuanced understanding of religion, so that its energies could be harnessed for a task of redemption that was directed not to the heavens but to the Earth. Especially in Weimar Germany, Marxism and religion often came together into an explosive combination. Creative and heterodox thinkers such as Ernst Bloch fashioned speculative philosophies of history to show that the religious past contained untapped sources of messianic hope that kept alive the spirit of utopia for modern-day revolution. Anarchists such as Gustav Landauer, a leader of post-1918 socialist uprising who was murdered by the far-right in Bavaria, strayed from Marxism into an exotic syncretism of mystical and revolutionary thought.

This strange chapter in the history of Marxist thought is of special relevance when we consider the ambivalent status of religion among the leading theorists associated with the Institute for Social Research, also known as the Frankfurt School. Originally founded in the early 1920s as an institute for the study of Marxism and working class history, a commonplace opinion has it that by the 1940s the key members of the Institute had abandoned any hope for social transformation and indulged in a radical pessimism, provoking the rival Marxist theorist Gyorgy Lukcs to describe them as inhabitants of the Grand Hotel Abyss. This is a caricature, of course; it survives chiefly because the intellectual contributions of critical theory are notoriously difficult to summarise and, especially in recent years, have even invited accusations of conspiracy. The enormous difficulty of the work of the founding thinkers continues to inspire debate among scholars working in the tradition of Frankfurt School critical theory today. This is especially the case when we consider the question of religion a question that provoked marked disagreement among the original thinkers themselves.

It was Walter Benjamin, the Berlin-born literary and cultural critic who sustained an important affiliation with the Institute, who tried to explain the relationship between Marxism and religion with a memorable image: Marxist theory, he wrote, is like the chess-playing automatism first presented at the imperial court in 18th-century Vienna, whose movements seemed to be governed by nothing but the mechanical operation of levers and wheels. But the true animus of Marxist theory is theology, which in the modern era must hide itself from public view but still lends Marxism its apparently autonomous power, much like the individual who was cleverly concealed within the chess-players cabinet and assured its victory. Here, for Benjamin, was the secret of historical materialism (the formal name for Marxist doctrine): though officially opposed to religion, it continues to draw its strength from religious concepts by translating their occluded power into secular terms.

The image is compelling, but, like so much of Benjamins work, it presented an enigma rather than an explanation. Benjamin was convinced that the official Marxism of his day had lost its revolutionary potential: it had hardened into a lifeless and unreflective doctrine that conceived of progress as something inevitable, as if utopia were to be born from the steady advance of technology alone. The future would unfold out of the present smoothly and without interruption, making revolution into little more than the final, harmonious chord of human history. This, Benjamin felt, was gravely mistaken. Historical materialism could retain its critical power only if it resisted the consoling dogma of historical progress. History had to be conceived not as a continuum but as broken into pieces, every instant holding the potential for a radical beginning.

***

But this idea of history-in-fragments was foreign to official Marxism. A genuinely revolutionary idea of history was possible only if the historical materialist broke the rules of Marxism and surreptitiously borrowed its notion of time from an unlikely source theology. Like the messiah breaking in upon the world, each moment in history became a threshold to revolution. Here, then, was the meaning of the chess-playing automaton. For Benjamin, theology was no longer an illusion to be dispelled but the animating force in Marxist theory, the necessary resource if history was to be understood as a theatre of revolutionary possibility.

Benjamins attempt to graft together Marxism and theology proved highly controversial, and it drew criticism from partisans in both camps. The militant playwright BertoltBrecht saw Benjamins penchant for mysticism as ghastly, while the historian of Jewish mysticism Gershom Scholem (a sceptic about Marxism) accused his friend of self-deception. Despite such criticism, Benjamins reflections on religion and politics have attracted a wide following in academic circles, not least because they unsettle conventional assumptions in liberal theory about the need to keep religion and politics in distinct spheres. And not only in liberal theory: Benjamins interpretation also violates the conventional understanding of Marxism as a doctrine of unapologetic secularisation. The famous lines in The Communist Manifesto saw in the advent of modernity a process that would dissolve all religious values: All is that is solid melts into air, all that is sacred is profaned. In Benjamins work, this secularising requirement loses its authority, since at least one religious value remains stubbornly in place. Religion does not and cannot vanish; it becomes the animating force in historical materialism itself.

Among his associates in the Institute, Benjamin was often seen as the problem child, a creative if unruly thinker whose musings did not easily fit the stated programme of Frankfurt School critical theory. But his curious idea that theological concepts might be enlisted in the service of secular politics has enjoyed great longevity, and variations on this theme can be found everywhere in circles of social theory, especially where critics are raising doubts about the possibility and the desirability of secularisation.

Much depends, however, on just how secularisation is understood. Right-wing political theorists such as Carl Schmitt (a Nazi apologist) believed that no system of law can be complete if it does not appeal to the decision of a sovereign who bursts in upon the otherwise lifeless mechanism of the state like a miraculous force. This doctrine of political theology was an important inspiration to Benjamin, and it bears an obvious similarity to Benjamins notion of theology as the hidden animus in historical materialism. Both cases bring a risk of authoritarianism, since in a democratic polity no decision can be valid if it does not remain open to rational scrutiny and amendment. A theological principle that grounds political life but remains immune to political criticism can easily become a warrant for theocracy.

To avoid this risk, all values, including religious values, must be susceptible to public criticism. But this means that theological concepts have no special privilege in modern politics. They are drawn into the turbulence of public debate and they can survive only if they meet with generalised consent, including among unbelievers or members of other faiths. This proviso does not necessarily rule out the possibility of mutual instruction between religion and politics, and that line of communication has to remain open if secular society is to avoid the temptation of making secularism into something as exclusionary and dogmatic as the theocracy it fears. But under modern conditions of religious pluralism only the neutral medium of public reason can serve as the common language for such a dialogue, lest we slip back into the authoritarian framework where one religion holds sway.

Benjamin was hardly a theorist of democratic pluralism, and he was unconcerned with the practical question of how to mediate between the rival claims of religion and reason. Still, even in his romantic attachment to theology as the spiritual motor of historical materialism, he understood that its occluded power must be translated into a language accessible to all. Well after Benjamins death, the philosopher Theodor WAdorno compressed this thought into an intriguing formula: Nothing of theological content will persist without being transformed; every content will have to put itself to the test of migrating in the realm of the secular, the profane.

Unlike Benjamin, Adorno believed that theological concepts retain their value only if they submit to the trial of secularisation. Religion is not preserved in amber; like all aspects of human experience it is vulnerable to time, and it cannot help but change as it passes into new and unforeseen circumstances. Adorno was therefore sceptical as to whether theological values that had held together the intimate communities of the ancient world could retain their validity in the fractured societies of today. The concept of daily bread, he wrote, born from the experience of deprivation under the conditions of uncertain and insufficient material production, cannot simply be translated into the world of bread factories and surplus production. Nor could he accept the Schmittian notion that, in a world that had in all other respects transformed beyond recognition, the concept of a sovereign God could somehow retain its original power. The longing for a resolute decision, he argued, could not suffice to breathe back meaning into the disenchanted world.

Not all of the first-generation critical theorists shared Adornos scepticism about the modern relevance of religion. Max Horkheimer, Adornos colleague and for many years the official director of the Institute, was an intriguing case. Though early in his career he disdained metaphysics as a distraction from Marxist materialism, toward the end of his life he underwent a kind of conversion; he came to feel that atheism had become a doctrine of despair while theism alone sustained hope for an escape from the huis clos of modern society. In his admiring foreword to The Dialectical Imagination (1973), Martin Jays now-classic study of the Frankfurt School, Horkheimer went so far as to imply an intimate bond between religion and critical theory. The essence of religion, he claimed, is the yearning for the wholly other, the hope that earthly horror does not possess the last word.

Unlike both Horkheimer and Benjamin, it was Adorno who most vigorously defended the necessity of a migration into the profane and the principle of secularisation. He allowed for the survival of religious values only if they burst free of religious tradition. The sacred did not vanish; it underwent a shift, reappearing in charged forms of this-worldly transcendence, especially, though not exclusively, in the form of modern art. All the same, Adorno was by no means dogmatic in his atheism, and nowhere in his philosophy did he insist on a sharp dualism between theological and materialist categories. His cast of mind was too dialectical to deny the possibility of a passage from the sacred to the profane.

A similar idea, meanwhile, can be found in recent work by Jrgen Habermas, Adornos erstwhile student and the pre-eminent philosopher in the second generation of Frankfurt-School critical theory. In an age that has grown sceptical of rational argument, Habermas remains an ardent champion of reasons democratic possibilities, though he is subtle enough to recognise that modern democracy can only survive if reason does not entirely discount the lessons of religious tradition. In his latest, two-volume book, This Too a History of Philosophy(2019), Habermas seeks to reconstruct the millennia-long dialogue between reason and faith, a learning process in which secular reason might still inherit insights from religion without violating the proviso that all religious values be subjected to public criticism. In Adornos spirit, Habermas, too, upholds the requirement of a migration into the profane.

Marx believed that the mist of religious illusion would dissipate only when our happiness in this world was fully realised and the illusion was no longer needed. Today those philosophers and social critics who follow the path opened by critical theory embrace the uncertainties of what Habermas has called post-metaphysical thinking. They are more inclined to epistemic humility and less inclined to claim for themselves any insights into metaphysical truth. In a world that is now in the grips of a migration crisis when multi-religious and multi-ethnic society has become an irreversible fact, such humility has assumed a new urgency, since little in our current situation can warrant the prediction that religion will vanish any time soon. If religious and irreligious citizens share a common interest in the survival of democratic institutions, the demand for an ongoing dialogue between religion and reason has become a political imperative, though we can hardly miss the final irony that such a dialogue can only proceed within the framework of a secular state.

Peter EGordon is the Amabel BJames professor of history and a faculty affiliate in the Department of Philosophy at Harvard. His books include "Continental Divide: Heidegger, Cassirer, Davos" (2010) and "Migrants in the Profane: Critical Theory and the Question of Secularization" (2021)

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Between the sacred and the secular - New Statesman