Online Gambling and Betting Market Is Set to Boom in 2020, Coming Years – Cole of Duty

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Global Online Gambling and Betting Market Size, Status and Forecast 2020-2026 report is based on comprehensive analysis conducted by experienced and professional experts. The report mentions, factors that are influencing growth such as drivers, restrains of the market. The report offers in-depth analysis of trends and opportunities in the Online Gambling and Betting Market. The report offers figurative estimations and predicts future for upcoming years on the basis of the recent developments and historic data. For the gathering information and estimating revenue for all segments, researchers have used top-down and bottom-up approach. On the basis of data collected from primary and secondary research and trusted data sources the report offers future predictions of revenue and market share.

The Leading Market Players Covered in this Report are : NetEnt AB,GVC Holdings Plc,888 Holdings Plc,Ladbrokes Coral Group Plc,Fortuna Entertainment Group,Playtech Plc,William Hill Plc,Kindred Plc,Amaya Inc,Paddy Power Betfair Plc .

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Impact of Covid-19 in Online Gambling and Betting Market:The utility-owned segment is mainly being driven by increasing financial incentives and regulatory supports from the governments globally. The current utility-owned Online Gambling and Betting are affected primarily by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the projects in China, the US, Germany, and South Korea are delayed, and the companies are facing short-term operational issues due to supply chain constraints and lack of site access due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Asia-Pacific is anticipated to get highly affected by the spread of the COVID-19 due to the effect of the pandemic in China, Japan, and India. China is the epic center of this lethal disease. China is a major country in terms of the chemical industry.

Key Businesses Segmentation of Online Gambling and Betting MarketOn the basis on the end users/applications,this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, Online Gambling and Betting market share and growth rate of Online Gambling and Betting foreach application, including-

On the basis of product,this report displays the sales volume, revenue (Million USD), product price, Online Gambling and Betting market share and growth rate ofeach type, primarily split into-

Online Gambling and Betting Market Regional Analysis Includes: Asia-Pacific(Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia) Europe(Turkey, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.) North America(the United States, Mexico, and Canada.) South America(Brazil etc.) The Middle East and Africa(GCC Countries and Egypt.)

Key Highlights of the Table of Contents:Online Gambling and Betting Market Study Coverage:It includes key market segments, key manufacturers covered, the scope of products offered in the years considered, global Online Gambling and Betting market and study objectives. Additionally, it touches the segmentation study provided in the report on the basis of the type of product and applications.Online Gambling and Betting Market Executive summary:This section emphasizes the key studies, market growth rate, competitive landscape, market drivers, trends, and issues in addition to the macroscopic indicators.Online Gambling and Betting Market Production by Region:The report delivers data related to import and export, revenue, production, and key players of all regional markets studied are covered in this section.Online Gambling and Betting Market Profile of Manufacturers:Analysis of each market player profiled is detailed in this section. This segment also provides SWOT analysis, products, production, value, capacity, and other vital factors of the individual player.

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Key Questions Answered: To gain insightful analyses of the Online Gambling and Betting market and have a comprehensive understanding of the global market and its commercial landscape. Assess the production processes, major issues, and solutions to mitigate the development risk. To understand the most affecting driving and restraining forces in the market and its impact on the global Online Gambling and Betting market. Learn about the Online Gambling and Betting market strategies that are being adopted by leading respective organizations. To understand the future outlook and prospects for the market. Besides the standard structure reports, we also provide custom research according to specific requirements.

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Online Gambling and Betting Market Is Set to Boom in 2020, Coming Years - Cole of Duty

Virginia is Closer to Regulated Sports Betting and Gambling – Tunf News – Tunf.com News

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The state of Virginia continues to make progress in creating a legal framework for sports betting and casino games. The issue has been debated extensively this year after the coronavirus outbreak and the upcoming November vote where voters will decide whether casinos are accepted or not.

The Virginia lottery has already pre-approved four developers who plan to settle in the state. Likewise, the draft regarding the rules for the launch of the legal sports game is now ready.

For now, Virginia Lottery officials are facilitating the planning and competition process for casino developers considering building casinos in Portsmouth, Bristol, Norfolk and Danville. Although this does not mean in any way that they can already start moving their machines in those areas.

Precertification should not be viewed as an endorsement of a specific proposal or the choice of a preferred casino partner in any city. It also does not represent a guarantee that a casino license will eventually be granted, Virginia Lottery Chief Executive Kevin Hall said in a statement to WAVY.

Developers who have expressed an intention to participate in this process are the Pamunkey Native American Tribe, Hard Rock International and Rush Street Gaming. Everything will depend on the response of Virginia voters in the elections of next November.

After the elections and in the case of the voters approve the consultation, the Virginia Lottery will analyze the operations of the participating companies and must approve the casinos emergency regulations.

On the other hand, the Lottery has already finalized the draft on how sports games will be introduced in the state. Last Wednesday it made the presentation of the draft that is now available for public consultation before its implementation with the final regulations on November 15. That is, shortly after the NFL regular season kicks off early.

If there are no changes to the sports schedule due to the pandemic, the season should begin on September 10 with the opening game between when the Kansas City Chiefs, defending champions of the Super Bowl, and the Houston Texans.

The regulations provided include sports betting on games from professional and university leagues, with the exception of Virginia teams. The total number of approved licenses for mobile bookmakers will be 12.

To operate, the licensees will have to rely on the official data of the league, the cost of which must be paid to the leagues themselves. In addition, sports betting will have to make a contribution of 15% of its income to the state.

The chances of voters approving the states casino installation and the expansion of the game are quite high due to the economic ravages caused by the coronavirus.

Along with the legalization of sports betting and casinos, the state will receive more income and more jobs will be created in the five cities, including Richmond, where only bookmakers can be installed.

Source: https://calvinayre.com/2020/07/17/business/virginia-inches-closer-to-regulated-sports-gambling-casinos/

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Virginia is Closer to Regulated Sports Betting and Gambling - Tunf News - Tunf.com News

New campaigns aim to highlight the issue of gambling addiction – Cambridgeshire Live

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With post-lockdown sport now being played, GambleAware has launched two initiatives to help tackle problem gambling.

The charity has launched the campaign 'Start to regain control' which focuses on the all-consuming nature of gambling with the inclusion of the line 'when youre there, but not there'

It draws upon the insight that people with gambling problems feel disconnected from their family and friends and is based on promoting confidence that treatment is easy to access and will help them overcome their struggles with gambling.

Men aged between 25 and 34 are the target of the campaign, while raising the profile of the National Gambling Treatment Service and the 24-hour National Gambling Helpline.

The National Gambling Treatment Service, which works alongside the NHS, seeks to promote self-referrals amongst those who are high risk of, or are currently experiencing, gambling disorder by directing them to the National Gambling Helpline and online support at BeGambleAware.org.

The dangers of impulsive betting are targeted by the second initiative, the Safer Gambling Campaign, which has been timed with the acceleration of the number of football matches being played over the summer as leagues make up for lost time.

The campaign encourages people to think twice and avoid #BetRegret, by emphasising how easy it can be to make impulsive bets.

A video featuring ex-England goalkeeper David James will run across Skys YouTube channel and Twitter page, alongside other digital platforms.

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New campaigns aim to highlight the issue of gambling addiction - Cambridgeshire Live

RI: Legislature Removed In-Person Registration for Bettors – GamblingNews.com

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Bettors in Rhode Island may not need to visit a gaming facility to register in-person for an online gaming account, as lawmakers in the state passed a bill to remove that requirement and facilitate the on-boarding of customers. Bill H8097 has been approved by House and Senate, July 16, and was sent to the governors desk waiting to be signed into law.

Mobile sports betting in Rhode Island went live in September 2019, after Twin River Casino in Lincoln launched a sports betting app, but all state residents willing to bet remotely had to register in-person at the casino at first, before being allowed to wager. The sports book at the casino is operated by William Hill, and the mobile app is powered by Information Game Technology (IGT).

The physical registration was seen as a barrier to customer onboarding for sports book operators, and the virus outbreak exacerbated that effect, resulting into significant decline in sports betting revenues. State tax receipts posted a 72% drop year-on-year in May 2020, $163,472 compared to $574,703 for May the year before, as the industry revenues sank nearly 90%, from $14.6 million for May last year to a mere $1.5 million now.

The material impact of the virus outbreak prompted revisiting the physical registration requirement and Representative Nicholas Mattiello and Representative Marvin Abney introduced H8097 in July, as an attempt to facilitate the industry and boost tax receipts for the state coffers.

The bill changes the definitions of the term online gaming account from one that is established in-person on the premises of a hosting facility, to an account used for deposit and withdrawal of funds for sports wagering. Bettors would still have to be physically present in the state to be able to place bets, though.

The bill that would remove the requirement for physical registration for sport bettors was passed through House and Senate a week after it was introduced and transmitted to the desk of Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo the next day, July 17, and currently is pending her signature to become law.

Sports betting options in the Rhode Island are not much, as there are only two casino properties in the state, Twin River Casino in Lincoln and Twin River Tiverton Casino in Tiverton, and both properties have sports books operated by William Hill. Online sports betting in the state is overseen by the states gambling regulator, the Rhode Island Lottery.

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Ghost of Tsushima Find a Way Inside the Gambling Den – GosuNoob.com

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Find a Way Inside the Gambling Den in Ghost of Tsushima is a step in the Generosity of Lady Sanjo side quest. As the name quite clearly states, the objective is to get into the gambling den, which is easier said than done. If you dont pay attention to your surroundings, odds are that you wont be able to figure out a way in. Were here to help you with our Ghost of Tsushima Find a Way Inside the Gambling Den guide.

To get into the gambling den in the Generosity of Lady Sanjo quest in Ghost of Tsushima, you have to swing to the attic of the house. As you approach the place across the planks, if you look to your right, youll see a rock formation that kinda looks like three giant steps. Climb up the rocks, and theres a branch that you can swing on right in front of your face. Thats exactly what you should do, and land on the platform right in front of you. Dont climb onto the roof.

So, now what? Well, if you take a look at the lower right corner, youll see a small grate that you can open. Interact with it by pressing R2, and boom youre in the gambling den. There are two sets of kunai that you can take, as well as some other supplies. Climb down the ladder and have a chat with the peasant that refused you entry. Im not gonna spoil what happens from then on, but suffice it to say, things are gonna get hairy.

Thats about all there is to it when it comes to getting into the Lady Sanjo quest gambling den in Ghost of Tsushima. If something else in the game is giving you trouble, weve got a whole bunch of other Tsushima guides for you to peruse. To name just a few, weve got Charm of Inari Best Charms, Ghost Armor From the Darkness, and Fox Den Locations Inari Shrines.

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Ghost of Tsushima Find a Way Inside the Gambling Den - GosuNoob.com

How Gambling Affects Your Brain – Casino Gambling and Addiction – BestUSCasinos.org

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People who claim that gambling isnt really an addiction because theres no substance abuse involved make me mad.

The scientific facts surrounding problem gambling are clear:

Gambling causes measurable, objective changes in your brain chemistry.

People think they have a lot of control over their actions and feelings, but the reality is this:

Most of us are at the mercy of hormones in our brains that affect our decisions dramatically.

The emotions you feel are chemical storms going on in your brain. Winning at gambling releases dopamine, which makes you feel good.

Thats the same chemical that gets triggered when you abuse a substance.

The purpose of this post is simple:

To describe what gambling does to your brain.

Dopamine is a hormone that your central nervous system uses to communicate from one nerve cell to the other. Scientists call them neurotransmitters, and dopamine is only one type of neurotransmitter in your central nervous system.

And, of course, the brain is the main organ in your central nervous system.

Think of dopamine as one of many chemicals that conveys messages from one cell to another.

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that causes pleasure. When you enjoy something anything part of the reason is because it releases dopamine.

Dopamine affects how your brain and body handle things like learning, mood, pain, and sleep. It also affects some strictly physical functions like your heart rate, your kidney function, and even lactation.

Changes in dopamine levels can cause mental health issues like ADHD and schizophrenia.

But the most interesting thing dopamine affects at least for the purpose of this blog post is addiction.

Drugs trigger the release of a lot of dopamine in your brain, making you feel good.

But after you repeatedly use a drug, you grow less susceptible to this sensation, and your body also stops making as much dopamine naturally.

And this leads to gambling addiction.

And it leads to depression when you first give up your substance of choice.

You might think that the only people who suffer from withdrawal symptoms are alcoholics and drug addicts. If thats the case, youre way off base.

Compulsive gamblers suffer the same withdrawal symptoms as drug users. Since gambling acts as a trigger for dopamine release, gamblers often feel great just like someone would if he were on cocaine, for example.

In fact, dopamine is the most powerful neurotransmitter in your body.

And how much extra dopamine gets triggered when youre gambling?

Imagine 10X the usual amount of dopamine flooding your brain.

Thats why some people cant stop gambling.

And it gets worse, because you cant predict when youre going to get the dopamine hit.

It takes time, but once someone has gamble enough, the brain forms a tolerance to the dopamine released by gambling. Drug users experience the same phenomenon.

Basically, think of your brain as having a pleasure reward system. This system gets weaker over time with overuse of that dopamine response.

But youre still craving that feeling, so you need to take bigger risks to get bigger rewards (more dopamine).

In the short run, you start to crave the thrill. These cravings get harder to deal with over time.

In the long run, most people eventually have to cut back on their gambling because their casino bankroll runs out. Now you have no dopamine release going on, and you start to feel depressed.

For most people, counseling is in order at this point.

Someone diagnosed with gambling disorder cant control his craving to gamble, regardless of the consequences. If you want to see this in action, check out a movie called The Gambler. (Either version, will do, although I like the original with James Caan.)

And these consequences can be far reaching. It can affect your finances, for obvious reasons, but it can also go on to damage your relationships. Eventually it will take a toll on your mental and physical health.

Problem gambling wasnt even considered a legitimate mental illness until 1980, when it was listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. Thats the book the American Psychiatric Association uses to outline mental illnesses.

Problem gambling was renamed gambling disorder and moved to the Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders section of the manual in 2013.

This clarifies sciences greater understanding of how similar substance addiction and gambling addiction are.

When it comes to the brains responses to gambling, you see the same symptoms as you would for drug addiction:

Scientists think that addicts, alcoholics, and problem gamblers all probably share similar brains that are somewhat different from a normal brain. These abnormalities relate to impulse control and how the brain processes rewards.

Remember those old commercials that said, This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs.

Those were silly, but scientists are able to see exactly what goes on in someones brain when theyre using alcohol or drugs, and theyre also able to see what goes on in your brain when youre gambling.

They use images of the brain and chemical tests that measure the amounts of neurochemicals in the brain to measure this. Thats how they know that the brains of addicts and problem gamblers work in much the same way.

The two main areas of the brain that these studies look at are:

The prefrontal cortex is basically the portion of your brain in the front. It controls planning for the future and how your personality works. Its the goal-setting part of your brain, in other words.

When youre trying to pay attention to something, thats your prefrontal cortex going to work. Its also the part of your brain that thinks ahead about the consequences of your actions.

The ventral striatum is where your brain processes rewards. Its deep in your brain. It also controls your limbic system thats the part of your brain that process emotions and memory.

What do scientists see when youre gambling?

Blood flow to the prefrontal cortex and the ventral striatum increases in the same way that it does when a cocaine user takes cocaine.

They also see that, in general, the ventral striatum is less active in the brains of addicts and problem gamblers. Since thats the area of the brain that controls happiness, among other emotions, it seems clear that gambling and drug use blunts the ability of that part of the brain to do its job.

Any game of chance, including gambling, can be fun. In fact, most Americans have gambled at a land based casino at some point in their lives. When you ask people why theyre gambling, they usually talk about how much fun it is.

Most people are also aware that these are games that are specifically designed for them to lose.

What theyre not aware of is how these games are specifically designed to trigger certain aspects of your brain chemistry to keep you gambling.

One of the hallmarks of gambling is its uncertainty whether its the size of a jackpot or the probability of winning at all. And reward uncertainty plays a crucial role in gamblings attraction.

As it turns out, your brain rewards uncertainty. Any time you do something that feels good, your brain gets a hit of dopamine. When you make the release of that dopamine uncertain, it motivates you even more to place that next bet.

Youd think that the equation for gambling is simple you win occasionally, releasing dopamine, so you keep playing hoping youll win.

But when someone develops a gambling addiction, losing can release the same amount of dopamine as winning.

Imagine being so addicted to gambling that you crave even more action when youre losing instead of just when youre winning.

Thats one of the reasons compulsive gamblers have so much trouble quitting.

Those arent the only aspects of the games that trigger reactions in the brain, either. Slot machines and video poker games have lights and music that also stimulate the release of dopamine in your brain.

Casinos and slot machine manufacturers have a financial interest in making these games as addictive as possible. They test every aspect of a games design, including the hit ratio, to make them as compelling as possible.

What does gambling do to your brain?

Mostly it triggers a dopamine response, and it eventually causes the part of your brain that feels pleasure to become numb requiring ever-larger hits of dopamine to feel good.

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How Gambling Affects Your Brain - Casino Gambling and Addiction - BestUSCasinos.org

Is There a Point in Using iGaming Bonuses for Gamblers? – TechSpective

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There are hundreds of online casinos on the Internet and it may be extremely difficult to decide which one to join. Gambling platforms compete in design, usability, game library, and of course promotions. Nowadays, players know that its not enough to offer a big number of gambling developers or a convenient payment method they want to spend less and earn more.

That is when bonuses come in hand. They significantly influence the decision of what online casino to choose and in this article, well tell about the most popular bonuses and the terms they are subjected to. With us, youll always make the right choice!

Considering how tight the competition in the gambling world is, casinos are doing everything they can to come up with a new and engaging way to attract customers and make them stay. Bonuses, as you understand, are special offers for new and returning players which increase retention and loyalty to the site.

Usually, bonuses are free money in a variety of forms which allows playing more and staying on the platform longer. Below we will tell about the most common types of bonuses on the modern gambling market.

The first bonus players receive is the welcome package. Usually, it comes in the form of a match bonus up to a particular sum. For example, 200% up to $200 will be added to the $100 youve deposited. Its quite understandable that when players go for 100% deposit bonus they want 100% satisfaction and expect more promotions in the future.

That is why the next feature is free spins when players get a specific number of spins on particular slot games. They may be either a part of the welcome package or as a stand-alone bonus. There is also a no-deposit bonus which means that you get free spins or extra cash without funding the account.

Other types of promotions include cashback, referral programs, and loyalty programs. Cashback is a certain percent of the money youve lost that returns to your account. Referral programs suggest obtaining cash rewards or other perks for inviting a friend to the casino. Finally, loyalty programs award regular players with multiple perks for making the deposit. They include higher betting and withdrawal limits, bigger cashback percentage, customized gifts, personal manager, etc.

Wagering requirements are the amount of money you need to play through before being able to cash out the winnings. Usually, it comes in the form of a multiple of the deposit and a sign-up bonus.

For example, you make a $100 deposit and get $200 bonus money. The wagering requirement is x40. Thus, to cash out the winnings, you need to make $300 x 40 = $12,000 in wagers before being able to use the money. Sounds too scary? Dont worry, some casino operators decide to remove this requirement. For example, BGO, an operator from the UK, doesnt demand to wager funds before the withdrawal.

Another term to keep in mind is the house edge. It means that the advantage always belongs to the casino. House edge comes in the form of a percentage of every bet which the casino expects to win based on mathematical calculations. For example, blackjack has a 0,5% house edge, slots 7%, and keno 35%.

While millions of gamblers worldwide chase promotions, there are skeptics, who think that bonuses are no longer necessary. However, surveys and statistics prove the opposite: when players are offered free money, its unlikely that they will search for options elsewhere and will prefer taking their chances with those funds. If they lose, the casinos profits remain safe and if they win, they will have to spend more time on the platform to meet the requirements. It is a win-win situation.

In this article, we have introduced you to different bonuses and explained what requirements come along. There are special offers and promotions for everyone: a beginner and a high roller, a new and a loyal player. Even though they are subjected to wagering requirements, gamblers eagerly benefit from extra cash and free spins.

Its unlikely that any time soon bonuses will disappear. They will continue to evolve offering players new opportunities and ways to benefit. If you want to stay aware of the latest iGaming news and trends, follow our articles.

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Is There a Point in Using iGaming Bonuses for Gamblers? - TechSpective

Trump’s coronavirus briefings are back, but the trust isn’t – NBC News

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WASHINGTON On Tuesday afternoon, President Donald Trump will resume those daily coronavirus press briefings he held in March and April.

The decision to fire up those briefings again comes after slipping poll numbers for the president, after more than 140,000 Americans have died from the virus (including some 80,000 since Trumps last briefing in April), and after Sundays 5,000-word New York Times look into how Trump gave up his leadership role on the issue.

But its one thing to restart the briefings. Its another to regain the publics trust on the coronavirus.

According to the online NBC News|SurveyMonkey weekly tracking poll on social, health and economic matters, 68 percent of adults say they trust their governor more than Trump when it comes to reopening businesses in their area.

That includes 92 percent of Democrats, 78 percent and even 42 percent of Republicans.

By comparison, just 26 percent say they trust Trump more than their governor.

And that trust deficit comes as:

And Trumps trust deficit comes as hes fired off seven tweets this morning (as of publication time), and only two of them having anything to do with the coronavirus.

They include:

"Thank you for the good reviews and comments on my interview with Chris Wallace of @FoxNews. We may have set a record for doing such an interview in the heat. It was 100 degrees, making things very interesting!"

"Looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!"

"You will never hear this on the Fake News concerning the China Virus, but by comparison to most other countries, who are suffering greatly, we are doing very well - and we have done things that few other countries could have done!"

And we have more poll numbers for you this morning on the issue of race in America.

Among the findings from our new batch of numbers in the latest NBC News/WSJ poll:

Let our news meet your inbox. The news and stories that matters, delivered weekday mornings.

3,855,155: The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States, per the most recent data from NBC News and health officials. (Thats 61,711 more cases than yesterday morning.)

141,966: The number of deaths in the United States from the virus so far. (Thats 546 more than yesterday morning.)

46.47 million: The number of coronavirus tests that have been administered in the United States so far, according to researchers at The COVID Tracking Project.

$2.1 trillion: The price tag on a deal clinched by the European Union for a budget and coronavirus recovery.

Just 23 percent: The share of Americans in a new NBC|SurveyMonkey poll who called the current state of the U.S. economy good or excellent.

52 percent: The share of voters who now say it is appropriate for an athlete to kneel during the national anthem to protest racial inequality, per a new NBC News/WSJ poll.

51 percent: The share of voters who say that Confederate monuments should be removed from public spaces. Ten percent say they should be removed and destroyed, while 41 percent want them confined to museums.

Appearing on Joy Reids new MSNBC show, The ReidOut, Joe Biden said that he has four African-American women on his VP short list, but didnt commit to picking one as his running mate.

I am not committed to naming anybody but the people I have named and among them are four black women. So, that decision is under way right now, he said.

A campaign official stressed to NBCs Mike Memoli and Marianna Sotomayor that there are CURRENTLY four Black women on the shortlist, pointing out that Biden went on to say the process continues, so that wasnt definitive.

The Trump campaign is doubling (tripling? quadrupling?) down on its tough-on-crime strategy with a new ad that envisions an elderly woman being attacked by a home invader. As the masked person breaks in, the womans television plays news about proposals to cut police budgets and a misleading Fox News clip claiming Biden supports defunding police.

The spot is striking, and it plays right into the Trump campaigns attempts to argue that the country would descend into chaos under Biden. But recent polling shows that its Biden with a 9-point lead on the question of who American adults trust more to handle crime and safety.

Despite a promise that the GOPs Senate coronavirus relief package is coming soon, negotiations between the White House and Senate Republicans are stuck as the president is demanding a payroll tax cut is included in the bill, and that funding for testing is reduced or zeroed out, NBCs Hill team reports.

South Dakota Sen. John Thune said a payroll tax cut isnt something that changes anyones behavior and said that hes not a fan of that. But the White House might think that some of these negotiations are already done. The presidents chief of staff, Mark Meadows, said the payroll tax cut is part of the proposal, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said its in the bill.

And when it comes to testing, high ranking senators are publicly pushing back against the presidents wishes. Senate Health Committee Chair Sen. Lamar Alexander said we should fund testing as generously as it needs to be funded. And Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt said I just think thats wrong when it comes to cutting testing funds.

Dont miss the pod from yesterday, when we did a deep dive into voter enthusiasm for the fall.

Trump is threatening to send federal troops to major American cities, prompting outcry and accusations of authoritarianism.

Georgia Democrats have picked the leader of the state party to replace Rep. John Lewis on the ballot in November.

The sheriff of Jacksonville, Fla., says he cant provide security for the Republican National Convention because the planning is so unclear.

Centrist Democrats are giving Biden a lot of running room on spending and the national debt, should he be elected.

Michael Cohens book manuscript reportedly contains first-hand accounts of racist comments President Trump made about Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela.

A group of more than 250 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have endorsed Joe Biden.

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Trump's coronavirus briefings are back, but the trust isn't - NBC News

Mercedes promises EQS will have Tesla-topping range – Automotive News Europe

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Mercedes-Benz will finally offer an electric range that is competitive with Tesla when it launches the EQS next year.

The Daimler subsidiary says its full-electric rival to the Model S will travel more than 700 km (435 miles) on a single charge, based on the WLTP testing cycle.

The EQS will set the benchmark, Daimler CEO Ola Kallenius told the companys shareholders earlier this month. When it comes to luxury, comfort and safety, the EQS is in the same league as the S-Class.

The long-range version of Teslas flagship sedan can travel 609 km on a single charge, based on the WLTP cycle.

Currently, the best range Mercedes offers is 471 km in the EQC midsize crossover, but that figures is based on the less stringent NEDC testing standard. On the WLTP cycle the EQC's range would be significantly less.

The EQS, slated to be built in Daimlers state-of-the-art Factory 56 in Sindelfingen, near Stutgart, will be underpinned by a platform dedicated to battery-electric vehicles called EVA2.

Daimler said that using the EVA2 platform allows Mercedes to offer improved packaging and design compared with the EQC, which employs a version of the rear-wheel-drive MRA platform usually used for combustion engine cars.

Daimler used MRA on the EQC to increase assembly line flexibility at the automakers Bremen plant, where full-electric and non-electric cars are made on the same line. Using MRA also reduces the financial risk that comes with having a dedicated platform. BMW follows a similar route as it has so far refused to invest in an architecture solely for electric vehicles.

Thus far, the EQC has been a commercial flop as fewer than 500 were registered in the first half of this year in Germany. Despite the poor initial result in one of its key markets, Daimler has targeted overall production of 50,000 EQCs for this year.

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Mercedes promises EQS will have Tesla-topping range - Automotive News Europe

Tesla and Microsoft earnings put US tech sector in the spotlight on Wednesday – Proactive Investors USA & Canada

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Two generations of tech giant will report earnings on Wednesday, in the form of trillion-dollar IT titan () and rapidly rising electric car manufacturer ().

Bill Gatess venerable venture has seen its stock rise a respectable 30%-plus since the start of the year, and over the past three years it is up almost 190% to notch a market value north of US$1.6trn.

Teslas turbocharged gains of late put that rise in the shade, with the stock having risen more than 280% so far in 2020 and roughly 400% over three years, making it the largest auto company in the world by market cap more than three times the size of carmaker rivals GM and Ford put together.

The stocks strong performance has come amid expectations of a surge in buying from index-tracking funds if it is added to the S&P 500, which it will be able to do once it has shown a profit over the previous 12 months, including its newest earning figures.

Current analyst estimates, however, suggest that boss Elon Musk willreport a second-quarter loss of US$53mln, orUS$1.79 per share.

But recent production and delivery numbers, whichwere well ahead of analyst expectations, suggest that the Street's estimates maybe too conservative, Barclays analysts said, forecasting a net profit ofUS$42mln.

Withcurrent levels the stock trades for around 190 times earnings, an eye watering level that we struggle to see as justified, analyst Nicholas Hyett at Hargreaves Lansdownsaid half-year results on Wednesday are an important test of whether the markets extreme optimism is justified.

Sales and deliveries are all well and good, automotive manufacturing is a scale game after all, but ultimatelyTeslaneeds to deliver profits and free cash flow.

Disruption to production caused by lockdowns in Fremont, California and the blip in sales are expected to put a dent in margins for the second quarter.

But, ifTeslacan deliver some good news in an economic backdrop thats hardly ideal for selling premium priced cars that might go some way towards justifying the bulls, Hyett said.

As for Microsoft, which will report its fourth-quarter numbers after the bell, Wall Street is expecting revenues of US$36.5bn and pro forma EPS of US$1.37.

Back in April, the tech titan said sales of its services had been boosted by greater demand for its Azure cloud service and cloud-based versions of Office software, the Teams collaboration and online meeting programmes and its Xbox gaming services as the coronavirus pandemic forced more people to stay in and work from home.

This was partly offset by some problems with supply chain issues in China, which delayed some spending to build Azure data centres, but this improved late in the third quarter.

Boss Satya Nadella said there had been two years worth of digital transformation in two months, however this week we heard that the group is planningto cut 960 jobs or 6% of the global workforce at itsLinkedIn arm, which it bought for US$26bn in 2016.

Analysts at broker Wedbush said they expect strong Azure growth as the work from home environment encourages more businesses to make the strategic shift to the cloud with Microsoft.

In many cases we are seeing enterprises accelerate their digital transformation and cloud strategy with Microsoft by 6 to 12 months as the prospects of a heavy remote workforce for the foreseeable future now looks in the cards with this COVID-19 backdrop, analysts said.

To this point, we believe Azure's cloud momentum is still in its early days of playing out within the companys massive installed base and the Office 365 transition for both consumer/enterprise is providing growth tailwinds over the next few years.

With 33% of workloads in the cloud today, this is expected to hit 55% by 2022, we believe this WFH shift could clearly accelerate the cloud trend by roughly a year as more CIOs are now being forced to face the new normal/reality for their respective organizations looking ahead.

If Tesla is allowed into the S&P 500, on the basis of free-float it would enter the S&P 500 in 18th place, wedged between and .

When this happens, it will no doubt be a massive moment for the company and its investors, said Peter Hillerberg of Ortex Analytics, which calculates that there is just under US$3trn in transparent mutual funds and ETFs that directly track the composition of the S&P 500 and at least a further US$5trn of assets in funds which benchmark against the index.

Although these funds dont necessarily need to buy or sell stocks as the composition of the index changes, for a company newly added to the index Hillerberg said it does tend to lead to a flurry of activity as fund managers decide if they want to remain underweight or overweight.

However, Hillberg said investorsmay have to show patience over the coming months and wait until the next quarter before the S&P green light is given,allowing the groupto supercharge the index.

Looking to later in the year, some analysts noted thatDemocrat presidential candidate Joe Biden'sproposals include a positive policy position on EVs, with plans to invest in 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations.

Bidens goal is to combine going green with economic recoveryto 'build back better',promising to create a millionnew jobs in theautoindustry, domestic auto supply chains, and auto infrastructure, from parts to materials to electric vehicle charging stations, which will depend on the repurposing of the auto industry from oil combustion to EV.

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Tesla and Microsoft earnings put US tech sector in the spotlight on Wednesday - Proactive Investors USA & Canada

End of the road for Tesla shorts? | securitieslendingtimes.com – Securities Lending Times

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Short interest in Telsa is at its lowest level since at least 2015 after a major share price rally sent hedge funds scurrying to cover their positions in the face of up to $6.43 billion of mark-to-market losses as of mid-July.

Teslas share price has increased steadily since roughly October 2019 and then spiked further in Q2 to now top $1,600 as of 20 July.

Ihor Dusaniwsky, managing director at S3 Partners, notes that shorts are down $20.41 billion in net-of-financing mark-to-market losses in 2020, including down $38 million on 15 Julys 1.93 percent positive share price move.

After being down $3.68 billion of mark-to-market losses in June, Tesla shorts are already down $6.43 billion of mark-to-market losses as of 15 July.

As a result, Tesla shorts are being squeezed out of their positions due to large mark-to-market losses.

Data from S3 Partners shows that Tesla short interest was $19.79 billion representing 13.05 million shares short and 8.86 percent of its float with a 0.3 percent stock borrow fee as of 15 July.

By the same period, the number of shares shorted had decreased by 2.09 million shares (-$3.17 billion in market value) over the past month, a decrease of 13.80 percent as its stock price rose by 62.18 percent.

In the week prior to 15 July, the number of shares shorted decreased by 1.30 million (-$1.98 billion in market value ), a decrease of 9.09 percent as its stock price rose 9.13 percent over the same period.

Borrow fees for Telsa have been in the general collateral range since October 2019, S3 data shows.

In the past, the perennial short target has often courted demand to borrow that does not closely track its share price. This is in part due to a series of controversies and conspiracies peddled in social media forums surrounding Teslas enigmatic chief Elon Musk.

This time, however, short sellers have fled in the wake of Teslas meteoric rise saw its share price increase from around $200 to just over $1,600 this week.

The rocketing share price is the result of a series of announcements for new Tesla Gigafactories around the world, technology upgrades and new partnerships with firms and endorsements of the electric vehicles in the US and elsewhere.

Moreover, Teslas next earnings call, scheduled for 22 July, may cause short sellers to retreat further and is expected to be Musks next victory lap and may even secure his firm a place in the S&P 500.

Tesla is the largest domestic equity short Ive ever seen and the first US equity short with over $20 billion of short interest, says Dusaniwsky, who notes that only Apple has ever come close to garnering the same levels of short interest with $16.97 billion seen on 19 November 2019.

There are the three big hedging exchange-traded funds (ETF), SPY, IWM and QQQ, which are in this stratosphere but there is no other equity that has been close to TSLA, he adds.

Current ETF short interests is SPY $60.9 billion, IWM $18.2 billion and QQQ $16.6 billion, making Tesla the second-largest equity/ETF/American depositary receipt in the US market.

Apple and Amazon place second and third respectively for the most equity short interest in the domestic US market by trail far behind Tesla.

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Is Tesla Worth $2322 or $300? How 10 Analysts See the Stock. – Barron’s

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Tesla is a controversial stock. That means investors need to sharpen their pencils and try to understand what analysts are sayingbecause when controversy is high, the Wall Street consensus doesnt mean anything.

There are a number of ways to quantify a controversial stock. One way is to look at analyst price targets. For Tesla (ticker: TSLA), target prices vary widely. The top analyst price target for the stock is now $2,322, set by Piper Sandler analyst Alex Potter Tuesday. One of the lowest from major brokers comes from Cowen analyst Jeffery Osborne. His target price is just $300 a share.

The $2,022 bull-bear spread is about 133% of Tesla stocks current level. Thats roughly three times the average bull-bear spread for Dow Jones Industrial Average stocks. Yep, Tesla is controversial.

Potter uses a discounted-cash-flow, or DCF, model to arrive at his price target. A DCF is typically a detailed financial model that forecasts sales, profit margins, and interest rates. Its a very useful tool for financial analysts, but, as is the case with any model, the more assumptions that go into it, the greater the chance for error.

When updating his target price Tuesday, Potter increased his profit-margin expectations because of Teslas lead in software technology. Tesla, for instance, sells software-derived vehicle features for thousands of dollars. He also increased his vehicle delivery assumptions.

(Potters target generated a Wow tweet from CEO Elon Musk.)

Osbornes primary valuation metrics are price/earnings and price/ earnings growth, or PEG, ratios. A PEG ratio is useful for comparing valuation of other high-growth companies. It divides the PE ratio by the earnings growth rate. Tesla is growing fast, but Osborne believes the stock is still overvalued.

Potter rates shares the equivalent of Buy. Osbornes rating is Sell. J.P. Morgans Ryan Brinkman, Barclays Brian Johnson, Morgan Stanleys Adam Jonas, and RBCs Joseph Spak also rate shares the equivalent of Sell.

Brinkman has a $295 price target, just a hair below Osbornes. He derives his price target based on fundamentals alone, blending his DCF value and 2021 earnings multiples.

Brian Johnson also has a $300 target price. He calls Teslas business execution impressive but its shares overvalued. He uses a probabilistic framework, meaning he blends several scenarios to come up with a target price. Interestingly, he publishes an upside and downside case for the stock. His upside target is $1,925 a share, but his downside number is $36.

Adam Jonas is a bear, but less bearish than Osborne, Brinkman, and Johnson. His price target is $740. He values the components of Tesla separately. The car business, for Jonas, is worth $703 a share based on Ebtida multiples. He values Teslas potential mobility businesssuch as autonomous taxisat $37 a share. He values Teslas solar panel and energy storage business at zero.

Joseph Spak has a $615 price target. His method is a little different than other analysts. He uses a three times 2021 sales multiple and 18 times 2021 Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) multiple and adjusts his target for bull and bear scenarios.

There are so many ways to arrive at value. Those are the bears, Ben Kallo and Dan Ives are two Hold-rated analysts. Kallo has a $700 price target based on a 15 times 2022 Ebitda estimatein line with other large-cap high-growth peers, he writes. He was bullish on Tesla stock for a long time, but downgraded shares in 2020 after the risk-reward became more fairly balanced.

Ives, for his part, has a $1,250 price target and values Tesla stock at 42 times his 2025 estimated earnings of $30 a share. Wall Streets 2023 earnings estimate, by comparison, is roughly $24 a share.

Jefferies Philppe Houchois and JMP Securities Joe Osha are two more bullish analysts. Oshas price target is $1,500. He values Tesla like other category killers, including Apple (AAPL). That leads him to higher market-share and profit-margin assumptions than traditional auto makers have achieved.

Houchois price target is $1,200. Like Potters, it is DCF derived. It is the first true valuation repeat among Barrons sample. Still, assumption differences drive a $1,122 price difference. Thats $200 billion of market value.

Thats how 10 analysts arrived at a value for Tesla shares. Thirty-six analysts cover the company, according to Bloomberg. The average analyst price target now sits a little below $900.

Thats well below where shares trade, but its hard to keep up. Tesla stock has risen 268% year to date, crushing comparable returns of the Dow and S&P 500. Tesla is now the worlds most valuable car company.

Tesla stock was down 0.8%, at $1,504.41, in early trading. The stock closed up $29.21, or 1.9%, at $1546.01. The S&P 500 rose 0.9%.

Write to Al Root at allen.root@dowjones.com

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Is Tesla Worth $2322 or $300? How 10 Analysts See the Stock. - Barron's

Which Tesla Is The Best? This Family Has Owned A Model S, 3, X, & Y – InsideEVs

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Ben Sullinsand his wife Jennie took delivery of one of the first Tesla Model Y crossovers in America. That proud moment put them in a rather elite club. More specifically, now they've owned all four current Tesla models. Sadly, Sullins didn't own an original Roadster, though someday he'll probably take ownership of the upcoming version.

While the Tesla Model 3, Y, S, and X have a lot in common, they're very different when it comes to pricing. In addition, they each work to appeal to different people. However, you need all the details before you can make a confident decision about which model is best for you.

Ben and Jennie talk about the pros and cons of each Tesla model, to help us decide for ourselves. They also reveal their favorite Tesla model. Which one do you think they choose? Will they be on the same page?

If you want the cheapest Tesla available today, the popular Model 3 is a no-brainer. To get a Tesla for less, you'll have to go with a used Model S. The Model S is Tesla's flagship sedan, and the top option if you want all the speed and range the automaker offers.

If you need the most space and have a more unlimited budget, the Tesla Model X is the winner here. However, the brand-new Model Y crossover surprisingly offers almost as much space as the Model X, for about half the money.

In the end, it all comes down to your priorities and budget. However, Ben and Jennie's experiences and dialogue may help you come to a decision. Check out the video and leave us a comment below.

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Which Tesla Is The Best? This Family Has Owned A Model S, 3, X, & Y - InsideEVs

Tesla’s Frothy $300 Billion Valuation: The Correction Approaches – Seeking Alpha

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Is Tesla Worth Paying 300 Times 2020's Projected EPS for?

Since going public at $17 a share roughly 10 years ago, Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has appreciated by an astonishing 8,841%, easily making it one of the best performing stocks over the last decade. The company's market cap is now nearly $300 billion, making it by far the most valuable "automaker" in the world (nearly double Toyota's (NYSE:TM) market cap), as well as one of the most valuable corporations in America.

Source

Tesla shares have essentially skyrocketed into the stratosphere, but is the company worth paying 300 times 2020's consensus EPS estimates for now?

We owned Tesla for years, since autumn 2013 to be exact. This is now my 47th article about Tesla on Seeking Alpha, and in the first piece I ever wrote on SA back in early 2017, I mentioned that "a $1,000 price target for Tesla stock in 2020-2021 is not only extremely fair, but appears highly attainable".

However, we recently exited our position, because of the uncertainty regarding the coronavirus situation, and the stock just appears to be extremely overbought on a short to intermediate-term basis. Nevertheless, I believe Tesla is a buy on a "nice pullback" (20% or more), as the company has enormous long-term potential, and its shares are likely to appreciate substantially over the next 2-5 years.

Despite coronavirus-related shutdowns and a slew of uncertainties, Tesla delivered 10,600 Model S/X vehicles in Q2, with an estimated average selling price/ASP of roughly $114,000. Now, this is a 13% QoQ decline, but given the situation with the coronavirus, factory shutdowns, and other variables, things could have been much worse. In fact, analysts (consensus) were expecting Tesla to deliver just 72,000 total vehicles in the quarter, but Tesla crushed those estimates by over 25%, as the company delivered 90,650 total vehicles in Q2.

In addition to the 10,600 Model S/X vehicles, Tesla also delivered 80,050 Model 3/Ys in Q2. While it is difficult to predict exactly how many of the 80,050 Model 3/Y sales were Model Y's, I suspect that Tesla delivered roughly 10,000 Model Ys in the quarter, with an ASP of around $55,000. This implies that Tesla delivered around 70,050 Model 3s in Q2 with an estimated ASP of roughly $47,500.

Now, 14% of Model S/X deliveries were subject to lease accounting, which brings us to an automotive sales figure of 9,116 Model S/X vehicles. 4% of Model 3/Y sales were also subject to lease accounting, which brings the automotive sales figure in the Model 3/Y segment to around 77,280 automobiles.

Therefore, we can presume that Tesla's automotive sales revenues in the Model S/X segment were roughly $1.039 billion (9,116 x $114,000). Model Y leasing began recently, so we can presume that all (or at least most) of the leasing from the Model 3/Y segment in Q2 were Model 3 vehicles. Thus, automotive sales revenues for the Model Y were likely around $550 million. Once we subtract 4% for lease accounting from the Model 3 deliveries, we are likely looking at around 67,248 Model 3s sold in the quarter, which brings our likely Model 3 automotive sales revenue figure to roughly $3.194 billion.

Total Revenue Estimates

Total revenue estimates for Q2: $6.103 billion

Source: Author's Material - All estimates are based on previous analyses, and available public information.

As our projections indicate, we expect Tesla to earn a small (7 cents EPS) non-GAAP profit in Q2, unless the company produces substantially more regulatory credit revenue than we anticipate. Naturally, this could enable the company to earn more. Nevertheless, our 7 cent EPS figure is a bit higher than the consensus estimate for a loss of 28 cents per share. Moreover, we expect revenues to come in towards higher-end estimates at roughly $6.1 billion, vs consensus estimates for just $5.23 billion in Q2.

Despite our projections being higher than consensus estimates indicate, we believe Tesla's stock has gotten ahead of itself in the short to intermediate term. The coronavirus is likely to plague the economy and consumer spending for some time. Thus, there is quite a bit of uncertainty about H2 for Tesla, as for the economy in general.

I believe that there will be a correction later this summer, or sometime in the fall. As the broader market corrects, so should Tesla's shares. I expect at least a 20% correction to occur concerning Tesla. From current levels, this would bring the stock down to around $1,200. It is plausible that the correction in Tesla could be more severe, but unless the economy begins to seriously unravel, we will likely begin to reenter the stock at $1,200 - $1,000 or lower if possible.

I continue to believe that Tesla has enormous potential long term and should substantially increase revenues as well as EPS in future years. This should enable the company's stock price to rise significantly as well over the next 2-5 years, in my view.

Want the whole picture? If you would like full articles that include technical analysis, trade triggers, portfolio strategies, options insight, and much more, consider joining Albright Investment Group!

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Additional disclosure: This article expresses solely my opinions, is produced for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. Please always conduct your own research before making any investment decisions.

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Tesla's Frothy $300 Billion Valuation: The Correction Approaches - Seeking Alpha

A week into Encore Boston Harbors reopening, the states eastern casino looks to the future – MassLive.com

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What lies beyond the pandemic? MassForward is MassLives series examining the journey of Massachusetts businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

________________

Six feet social distancing, plexiglass and the temporary closure of poker tables. The reopening of Encore Boston Harbor on June 12 is a very different one than the opening just over a year ago on June 23.

Poker, roulette and craps are not available but Brian Gullbrants, Encore Boston Harbor president is working on a solution to open them back up.

We do have a plan for roulette and craps, Gullbrants, who took over as president in Oct. 2019, told MassLive. We are designing what we believe is a safe environment with plexiglass that we will propose to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission in the coming weeks and hope that theyre accepting of those protocols at safety measures that allow it to be safe.

Plexiglass has been wrapped around a craps table with dividers that will separate each player. Gullbrants said that each table will have two sets of dice and while one set is in play, the other will be washed in a disinfecting solution. And this cycle will continue with the next player and the next.

Boston Encore President Brian Gullbrants is entusiastic about the reopening that took place on July 12. He wants to see how the reopening goes before opening up more of the casino and hotel. With the pandemic still a threat, he told MassLive that the health and safety of the patrons is paramount and would close the doors if he felt too many people were on the casino floor. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

The team designing the mockup for the eventual demonstration to the MGC has even been looking at making the plexiglass slightly convex so the player, as they throw the dice, doesnt come into contact with the transparent plastic.

This is still a prototype, however, and those that still want to play the games that are yet to open can still do so on electronic table games that have also been separated by 6-foot-high plexiglass.

In March, the two-level casino had 3,100 slot machines, roughly 2,500 table games and private gaming rooms. After the reopening in July there are 1,900 slot machines, 560 table games and the private rooms are still available.

The new guidelines include rules and recommendations for screening guests, including a requirement to make hand sanitizer available and a suggestion to conduct temperature checks. Social distancing guidelines for slots include a requirement that casinos turn off every other slot machine and remove chairs, and to either ensure a minimum of 6 feet between slot positions or install 6-foot-tall plexiglass dividers.

Director of the Front Office Caitlyn Weller has informed her staff to clean their areas after each interaction with a customer to ensure the maximum safe environment for staff and patrons alike. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

As patrons walk through the doors of the Encore Boston Harbor, into the grand entrance, they see a series of signs and red cordons placed to dictate the direction they are to take.

Encore installed thermal imaging cameras at its entrances to detect any customer with a temperature over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Anyone with a high temperature would be taken for a secondary screening with a temporal thermometer. Visitors who have a temperature over 100.4 degrees would not be allowed in.

Gullbrants demonstrated on the monitor how effective the infrared camera is. Although one patron had set off the alert once, there have been no other incidents to date. And the visitors temperature was taken again by a member of staff and turned out to be a false alarm.

No expense has been spared in the redesign of the casino to follow the guidelines, even down to the signs on the floor. The signs on the floor were designed for each area specifically. For example, the coffee shop has a coffee cup-shaped social distancing notices and the casino floor has messages in the shape of a poker chip.

Gullbrants said that he will be keeping an eye on crowding in the casino and will not hesitate to tell the staff to stop visitors from entering if he feels there are too many.

As each customer walks through the door an infrared camera takes their temperatures. If it is about 100 degrees, a staff member will take their temperature with a handheld thermometer. The person, if they are above 100 degrees, will be asked to leave. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

Wynn Resorts reported a 42.3% decline in revenues for the first quarter of 2020, with operating revenues at $953.7 million. The losses at the companys properties in China and Las Vegas were partially offset by the Everett casinos operating revenues, which stood at $140.9 million.

But the resort casino is now losing millions daily after closing to the public on March 15 and agreeing to pay workers through the end of May. In the reopening plan, Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox estimated that the decision to pay employees through May 31 is costing about $3 million daily, amounting to a total of $220 million. The casinos in Nevada are closed, while the ones in China are open to limited business.

Wynn Resorts, the casinos parent company, put off furloughs after closing on March 15 in light of the coronavirus pandemic, paying the roughly 4,200 employees who work at the $2.6 billion Everett casino. The $3 million a day amounts to roughly $220 million between mid-March and May, the company said.

Perplex glass has been installed where the six feet of social distancing cannot be adhered to and slot machines have been shut down to promote social distancing. All this is in accordance with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

Encore Boston Harbor announced furloughs for 3,000 employees as the Everett casino awaited the start of the states third reopening phase to resume its casino operations and dining services. During the shutdown 700 essential staff were kept on.

With the reopening, more than 1,700 employees have been rehired.

When the casino opened in 2019, 125,000 people applied for work and only 3% were hired, according to Gullbrants. He said that unlike some other businesses across the state, where the unemployment check and COVID-19 stimulus package is better than their wage, Encore has had no trouble hiring back its staff.

Encore regularly buys the largest number of flowers in Massachusetts which are planted around the grounds and throughout the casino. Before the pandemic, there was a team of 20-25 gardeners to plant the large numbers of flowers being delivered as well as attending to the grounds and floral decorations throughout the casino, according to Patrick Chadwick, director of horticulture and floral. Now there is a team of 10 and Chadwick.

While the casino was shut down and the horticultural and floral staff furloughed, Chadwick cared for the gardens himself.

Patrick Chadwick, director of horticulture and floral at Boston Encore has been able to hire back half of his staff and hopes, when the casino starts to return to the previous numbers of visitors before the shutdown, he will hire back the rest. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

Eric Kraus, senior vice president of communications and public affairs said that 135,000 flowers and plants were given away during the shutdown because it would have been pointless to keep them. He told MassLive that they were given to local municipalities and charitable organizations that showed interest in them.

Encore has hired all the horticultural staff back but not all of the floral. Because of fewer numbers, those working the grounds and floral decorations in the casino have had to branch out and try their hand in other areas.

The florist has taken over the interior plant program here at Encore Boston Harbor, said Chadwick. Traditionally, that would have been done by a different role. But now theyre maintaining all the floral arrangements but their also taking care of all the palm [trees], the lobby. Theyre doing all that.

Boston Encore President Brian Gullbrants is enthusiastic about the reopening that took place on July 12. He wants to see how the reopening goes before opening up more of the casino and hotel. With the pandemic still a threat, he told MassLive that the health and safety of the patrons is paramount and would close the doors if he felt too many people were on the casino floor. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)

Every moment I want more of my staff back, said Chadwick who has been able to hire all the horticultural staff back but not the floral staff.

Many of the staff at the casino have had to take on more responsibility to ensure that health and safety at the casino are maintained amid a smaller staff than before.

Were taking steps forward to get back to some sense of normalcy and this is a part of that journey, said Gullbrants. This is one of those steps that we continue to take, and I think Governor [Charlie] Baker has been very vigilant and very measured in his rolling out of the different phases. Were highly supportive and should we have to take a step back we will. But were hoping that with our due diligence, our extensive measures of health and safety protocols and our customers compliance, we can continue to maintain a wonderful, safe, fun, environment for all to enjoy. Thats really our focus right now.

MassForward is MassLive's series examining the journey of Massachusetts' small businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

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A week into Encore Boston Harbors reopening, the states eastern casino looks to the future - MassLive.com

Here’s why today’s Google Doodle is celebrating the Turkish astrophysicist Dilhan Eryurt – Yorkshire Post

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Monday, 20th July 2020, 11:04 am

Today's Google Doodle celebrates Dilhan Eryurt, a Turkish astrophysicist who played a huge role in the way we understand how the Sun was formed.

But who was she, what were some of her notable achievements, and why has Google chosen today to honour her?

Here's everything you need to know.

Who was Dilhan Eryurt?

Born in 1926 in zmir - Turkey's third most populous city - Prof. Dr. Dilhan Eryurt grew up across the country, first moving to Istanbul with her family, and then on to Turkey's second city, Ankara, a few years later.

After developing an interest in mathematics in high school, Eryurt enrolled in the Istanbul University Department of Mathematics and Astronomy, and upon graduation, was assigned to open an Astronomy Department at Ankara University.

She relocated to the US to continue her graduate studies at the University of Michigan, and while there completed her doctorate at the Ankara University Department of Astrophysics, becoming Associate Professor.

From 1961, Eryurt held a position at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre, her appointment extra notable for the fact she was the only female astronomer working at the institution at the time.

What did she study?

Eryurt's work at Goddard revealed some facts about the Sun that were not yet understood.

For instance, she observed that the brightness of the Sun had not increased - it had in fact decreased - since its formation 4.5 billion years ago, revealing that our nearest star was much brighter and warmer in the past.

Her studies influenced the course of the scientific and engineering research aims of space flights - a new and uncharted territory at the time.

In 1969 she was awarded the Apollo Achievement Award for contributions to the Apollo 11 mission. Today (20 July) marks 51 years since Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins landed and walked on the moon.

Aldrin and Armstrong spent a total of 21 hours and 36 minutes on the moon, but the Apollo 11 mission itself lasted a total of eight days, three hours, 18 min, and 35 seconds.

This is likely the reason Google have chosen today to celebrate Eryurt's life; her research provided NASA engineers with crucial information for modelling solar impact on the lunar environment

She later moved on to work at the California University, where she studied the formation and development of Main Sequence stars - a continuous band of stars that appear on plots of stellar colour versus brightness.

What else did she do?

Throughout her long and successful career, Eryurt became an award-winning astronomer, picking up all sorts of nods for her contributions and work.

Other notable achievements of hers include the organising of Turkey's first National Astronomy Congress in 1968, and the establishment of the Astrophysics Department at the Middle East Technical University.

She retired in 1993 after a long career, and sadly died in September 2012 at the age of 85, suffering a heart attack in Ankara.

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Here's why today's Google Doodle is celebrating the Turkish astrophysicist Dilhan Eryurt - Yorkshire Post

GitHub Just Sealed All Its Open Source Code in an Apocalypse-Proof Vault

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GitHub sealed away its entire open-source depository in the Arctic World Archive, where it will hopefully survive society-ending catastrophes.

Locked Up

Earlier this month, the code management platform GitHub sealed away its archive of open source software in an Arctic vault so deep that they say it could survive a nuclear blast.

The mildly-outlandish idea behind the move, Engadget reports, is to give a boost to future generations after a hypothetical civilization-ending catastrophe. Should that happen, whatever civilization emerges from the ashes won’t have to start from scratch and could instead tap the knowledge of modern-day coders and engineers.

Historical Neighborhood

It’s been almost a year since GitHub announced its plan to store the code in the Arctic World Archive, an abandoned Norwegian coal mine protected by hundreds of meters of permafrost. The cache is stored on a type of microfilm that can be read with a physical magnifying glass.

Also sealed in the same mine are Vatican records, movies, and a vast array of other digital archives. And they’re in good company: The “Doomsday” Seed Vault is located on the same island of Spitsbergen.

Achievement Unlocked

It’s difficult to imagine a societal catastrophe that’s just cataclysmic enough that the most pressing need for a new society is to recover lost software. But it doesn’t hurt to have a copy backed up just in case.

Still, as Engadget reports, the most obvious benefit for archiving the open-source software may be for the developers involved: Anyone who contributed to a project that made its way into the Arctic World Archive gets to display a little badge next to their username on GitHub.

READ MORE: GitHub is done depositing its open source codes in the Arctic [Engadget]

More on arctic vaults: The Melting Arctic Is Releasing Poison, Disease and Nuclear Waste

The post GitHub Just Sealed All Its Open Source Code in an Apocalypse-Proof Vault appeared first on Futurism.

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GitHub Just Sealed All Its Open Source Code in an Apocalypse-Proof Vault

A “Bunny Ebola” Epidemic Is Sweeping Through America’s Rabbits

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Pet owners and wildlife conservationists alike are terrified of a deadly, highly-contagious disease spreading among rabbit populations in the United States.

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease, which has picked up the evocative moniker “Bunny Ebola,” has been around for decades. But now it’s hitting the U.S. hard, with rabbit deaths reported in New York, Washington, and now seven states in the southwest, Popular Science reports. It’s devastating both domestic and wild — and sometimes endangered — rabbit populations.

Susan Kerr, an education and outreach specialist at the Washington State Department of Agriculture, told Popular Science that the disease’s high infection and mortality rates “both represent a longtime fear that has come true. Rabbit enthusiasts have always been terrified of this disease.”

To be absolutely clear: the disease, despite its nickname, is unrelated to Ebola and can’t infect humans. The name comes from how similar the two disease’s symptoms are: infected rabbits have a low chance of surviving the severe inflammation, bleeding, and organ failure that rabbit hemorrhagic disease causes.

Experts say rabbit owners can protect their pets by foregoing wild grass and pine boughs. There’s also a vaccine that can be imported from Europe, Popular Science reports. But conservationists will have a hard time protecting wild rabbits which, if they die off, could deprive other animals of a vital food source.

For some species, conservationists’ strategies basically boil down to crossing their fingers, Popular Science reports.

“I’m hoping that because [the rabbit-like species] pika live at such high elevations that maybe… they will be just disconnected enough that the virus won’t get to them,” Deana Clifford, senior wildlife veterinarian at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Wildlife Investigations Lab, told Popular Science. “But we don’t know.”

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A “Bunny Ebola” Epidemic Is Sweeping Through America’s Rabbits

Texas Residents Spot Disintegrating Russian Rocket Booster in Sky

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A second stage of a Russian rocket that launched a mysterious spacecraft  reentered the Earth's atmosphere over the weekend, burning up like a comet.

Great Big Fireball

A second stage of a Russian rocket reentered the Earth’s atmosphere over the weekend, burning up like a comet. The spectacular event was caught on camera by dozens of onlookers across south Texas and Mexico.

More, impressive footage of the reentry of a Russian rocket stage (space debris) over southwest US and Mexico last night: https://t.co/rPlbBu2PPa

— Dr Marco Langbroek (@Marco_Langbroek) July 18, 2020

Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, noted on Twitter that it was likely a second stage of the Soyuz rocket that put a mysterious spacecraft called Kosmos-2543 into orbit.

Russia’s Kosmos-2543 mission made headlines earlier this year when TIME reported that the mysterious spacecraft appeared to closely shadow a multibillion-dollar US spy satellite after launching in November 2019.

Meanwhile the Soyuz-2-1V second stage that put Kosmos-2543 in orbit has reentered over Coahuila, Mexico at 0702 UTC heading north over western Texas. @Marco_Langbroek reports that the reentry was observed by people in Texas. Red line shows entry track starting at entry point pic.twitter.com/OcvuFNUHsX

— Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) July 18, 2020

Falling Rockets

While the great big fireball in the sky was truly a sight to behold, it’s a pretty common occurrence, as McDowell noted in a tweet, writing that “there have been thousands which have reentered like this over the years.”

Rocket parts are almost impossible to track, as their orbit decays over time. Once they’re close enough to reenter the atmosphere, they become bright in the sky as they heat up.

While it is rare, some rocket parts can survive this reentry and fall to the ground. China, for instance, let a gigantic Long March 5B rocket descend back to Earth in a completely uncontrolled manner in May.

Meanwhile, SpaceX has achieved a new milestone on Monday, catching both fairing halves of a recent launch payload using two massive ship-mounted nets.

READ MORE: Falling Russian space junk spotted in skies across West Texas [KTXS 12]

More on rockets falling: Oops: China Just Dropped a Huge Rocket Piece Back to Earth

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This App Claims It Can Hear COVID-19 in Your Voice

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An app called Sonde One claims to spot signs of respiratory disease just by analyzing your voice. But it's careful to clarify that it can't really diagnose.

As some companies re-open their offices or plants, some workers may find themselves asked to partake in a strange new morning ritual: Answer a few questions about their health, take their temperature, and say “ahhh” into their phone.

After a few seconds, an app called Sonde One will make a snap decision. If their temperature is too high or they sound sick, it will tell them to stay home with a warning that there’s a good chance they caught COVID-19.

The app, made by healthcare developer Sonde Health to counter the coronavirus pandemic, doesn’t diagnose any diseases — as CEO David Liu was careful to emphasize on a call with Futurism. But it does search for symptoms in an oft-overlooked biomarker: the voice.

“When there’s disease and symptoms occur, they do affect different parts of your body. To speak, that takes over 100 different parts of the body,” Liu told Futurism. “The brain, muscles in the jaw, tongue, mouth, throat, all the way down to your lungs and heart — they all come together in concert in order to give your body the ability to speak.”

“When your body is suffering from a symptom of a disease,” he added, “you will notice — and it’s audible to the human ear — that something physiologically is affecting your ability to speak, your voice.”

It’s a relatively new way to probe for disease. But companies are already taking note. Asking employees to say “ahhh” into their phone for a few seconds per day is much less disruptive — and expensive — than lining everyone up to take their temperature or requiring actual coronavirus tests.

Sonde’s app isn’t the first to attempt to test for COVID. Earlier this year, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University released a similar project that analyzed users’ voices for signs of the respiratory illness.

Sonde already has one large client sold on the app. The cloud computing firm SHI International plans to deploy it for its 4,200 employees in August.

Liu clarified that it’s up to Sonde’s customers to decide what threshold of risk they’re willing to accept from the questionnaire, temperature, and audio analysis.

“The voice analysis, what comes out of that is a score,” Liu said. “A risk assessment: either, high, medium, or low. And that’s respiratory symptom risk. When we work with employers, we provide them this data, and employers create a rubric. We don’t actually decide who stays home.”

Sonde One also, Liu repeated, doesn’t actually identify COVID-19. In fact, the company is only just now testing the app on coronavirus patients. Rather, he says, it determines how likely it is that someone is experiencing the respiratory symptoms that are often linked to the disease.

“Currently our machine learning model has been shown to have an accuracy of over 70 percent for detecting the presence of acoustic voice changes that occur in patients with a range of specific respiratory diseases including asthma and COPD,” Liu said in a follow-up email.

It’s a distinction that’s important for legal purposes — and when asked to compare Sonde One to coronavirus nasal swabs and blood tests, Liu is quick to argue that one shouldn’t replace the other.

“You’ll never hear us say that we will replace a nasal swab type of test,” Liu told Futurism. “Those serve a certain need for diagnosis.”

But he added that the swabs are cumbersome, and requiring them for employees at a large company like SHI would be a logistical nightmare, to say nothing of the long wait for results that many Americans have experienced.

“It’s going to be difficult to expect people to do that daily,” he said.

Speaking into a phone for six seconds is certainly less disruptive than sticking a swab in every employee’s nose, but Liu added that his company’s big data approach might also improve upon the tests in general.

“We’ve heard that the nasal swabs return a disturbing number of false negatives, and that’s kind of disturbing,” he said. “That’s the reality of what we’re seeing: more data more often will win the day, I think. You want to be able to know right away, right when they’re developing symptoms, so you can prevent spread.”

Overall, Liu said, he wants to offer an app that’s as simple and non-invasive as possible so that people will actually use it.

In a country where many still refuse to wear masks in public, that may not be the worst idea.

“It’s really important for us to get this as widely adopted as possible,” Liu said.

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This App Claims It Can Hear COVID-19 in Your Voice