Bill wants to limit commission charged by Uber, 99 and Cabify [atualizado] | Legislation
Drivers of services like Uber, 99 and Cabify are paid after companies discount their commissions. They can define their rules for the discount, but they may be required to respect a limit if a proposal is approved in Congress.
Update (02/10): the project was rejected by the Câmara de Viação e Transportes da Câmara; see more here. The original text follows.
O Bill 448/2019, presented by deputy Igor Timo (PODE-MG), defines that the companies’ commission must respect a ceiling of 10% on the amount charged for the trip. It also provides that services cannot charge drivers any extra fees.
The proposal is identical to Senate Bill 421/2017, from then senator Lindbergh Farias (PT-RJ). The original text was automatically archived due to the closure of the previous legislature in January 2019.
Because of the similarity of the proposals, the Chamber attached PL 2.255 / 2019, by deputy Pedro Augusto Bezerra (PTB-CE), to Timo’s project. Bezerra’s project limits the commission of companies like Uber, 99 and Cabify to 15%.
The rapporteur in the Committee on Viação e Transportes (CVT), deputy Lucas Gonzales (NOVO-MG), voted for the rejection of the projects because he understands that they go against the interests of passengers. According to him, the government should not interfere in the private relationship between companies and drivers.
“It is this same private nature that characterizes the relationship that promotes competition between service providers, providing differentiated options for prices and services to the user,” he said. For him, the project prevents “the freedom to offer services and, consequently, the freedom of choice on the part of the user”.
The project has yet to be approved by CVT members. After that, he will be taken to the Commission for Economic Development, Industry, Trade and Services and, subsequently, to the Commission for Constitution and Justice and Citizenship.
The positioning of companies
Sought by Tecnoblog, Uber said the project interferes with the companies’ business model and violates the constitutional principles of free enterprise and free enterprise. “Flexibility and competition are the bases of this activity and it is precisely the freedom of engagement, pacification and variety of models that allow the platform to become a reliable alternative for locomotion for all”, says, in a note, the company.
“It is important to note that Federal Law 13,640 / 2018 has already regulated the service, and a recent decision by the Federal Supreme Court ratified the points established by it,” he continues. “Uber is following the debate on the project and remains, as it always has been, at the disposal of the public authorities to dialogue and build ways to use the platform’s technology for the good of cities and people”.
99 stated that the project is unconstitutional “as it makes competition impossible and sets prices”. The company also states that it “goes against efforts to improve the business environment in Brazil, restricting innovation and economic freedom”.
“The activity of individual paid transportation by applications has already been regulated by federal law and follows the understanding of the Supreme Federal Court, based precisely on the principles of free competition and initiative”, he observes. “It is important to note that the partner driver is paid for the mileage traveled and travel time”.
Cabify, in turn, says that it maintains a dialogue with the public authorities of the cities in which it operates and that it considers the regulation of transport applications necessary and legitimate to balance the growing demand for mobility alternatives in large metropolises, “provided that laws do not affect the operation of platforms operating in this segment ”.
“The company is aware of PL 448/2019 and is attentive to the movements and procedures related to the remuneration of the parties involved, in order to defend the interests of its partner drivers, users and technological intermediation by application”, he says.
Cabify also says that the limitation may “imply additional costs to the user, by casting the market model of applications”. The text, according to the company, “disregards other agents involved in the ecosystem, such as users and the platforms themselves”.
“Cabify reinforces that it values the balance of relationships and the culture of dialogue and transparency, in order to offer a fair and accessible service for all, and congratulates the Commission on Transportation and Transport for the rejection of the project”.
Updated with the positioning of companies.
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The mask will be studded with 3,600 white and black diamonds
Isaac Levy, owner of Israeli jewelry company Yvel, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press, next to parts of a mask, in Motza near Jerusalem, August 9, 2020. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
An Israeli jewelelry company is working on what it says will be the world’s most expensive coronavirus mask, a gold, diamond-encrusted face-covering, with a price tag of $1.5 million.
The 18-karat white gold mask will be decorated with 3,600 white and black diamonds and outfitted with top-rated N99 filters at the request of the buyer, said designer Isaac Levy.Levy, owner of the Yvel company, said the buyer had two other demands: that it be completed by the end of the year, and that it be the priciest in the world. That last condition, he said, “was the easiest to fulfill.”
He declined to identify the buyer, but said he was a Chinese businessman living in the United States.
The glitzed-up face mask may lend some pizzazz to the protective gear now mandatory in public spaces in many countries. But at 270 grams (over half a pound) — nearly 100 times the weight of a typical surgical mask — it is not likely to be a practical accessory.
In an interview at his factory near Jerusalem, Levy showed off several pieces of the mask, covered in diamonds. One gold plate had a hole for the filter.
“Money maybe doesn’t buy everything, but if it can buy a very expensive COVID-19 mask and the guy wants to wear it and walk around and get the attention, he should be happy with that,” Levy said.
Such an ostentatious mask might also rub some the wrong way at a time when millions of people around the world are out of work or suffering economically. Levy said that while he would not wear it himself, he was thankful for the opportunity.
“I am happy that this mask gave us enough work for our employees to be able to provide their jobs in very challenging times, like these times right now,” he said.
israel diamond company
diamond mask
The largest natural colour diamond found in Russia’s Yakutia


Lost, Legacy, Love, Life: The Impact of DC Rebirth
By Pat Shand on June 28, 2016 in Guest Columns
Something is wrong with the DC Universe, and Wally West is desperately trying to fix it… or die trying.
That’s the simple concept behind DC Rebirth, which might be the most complex superhero event of the modern era. By the time this piece will air, most people who will have read the issue will already know what happens, so if you’re worried about spoilers, then get out there and read this issue first. Trust me – it’s worth it.
Geoff Johns, the man who has been not only one of DC’s top writers but probably the biggest creative force behind the company’s decisions in the past decade or so, is on clean-up duty in Rebirth. This story, which skewers the New 52 continuity, is split into four chapters and an epilogue, each of which offer meta-deconstructions of the state of DC Comics. Rebirth is so introspective that it almost reads like narrative journalism, examining the decisions made that has made the DC Universe what it is today, theorizing about the roots of the cause, and turning the solution of the problem into a narrative. It’s crazy, it’s beautiful, and it’s something that only comics can do.
Let’s unpack that a little.
DC Rebirth opens with the above nine-panel grid, which introduce Wally’s problem with a poignant speech that encapsulates the theme of the entire issue. Like Wally’s uncle’s watch, which was passed down through the generations, the iconic characters of the DC Universe are passed down through generations of creators, of fans. “Every second is a gift” is inscribed on the back of the watch, and I can’t help but feel as if that is Geoff Johns looking at the gift he’s been given, control over the heroes that inspired him as a kid, and looking at them with new appreciation.
The next page is a shot of the world, our world, in which our superheroes live. Wally West’s narrations summarize what critics of the New 52 have been saying throughout its run, and even before it: “I love this world. But there’s something missing.”
This poignant narration continues through the issue as Wally West, who has been forgotten in this world, attempts to break through. Beyond the poetic metaphor of his narration, what I love about this issue is how careful Geoff Johns is to respect every fan of the DC characters. A portion of the readers were hoping that Rebirth would tear down the New 52 and bring back the original DC Universe as if it never happened. Here’s the thing, though – the New 52 includes stories that many, many readers were invested in for five years, and Johns is aware of that. Instead of burning the house down, Johns builds his narrative around the idea that the DC Universe isn’t what it’s supposed to be. We get Wally back with this issue, which is an enormous win, but what’s even more fascinating is that his return opens up a compelling mystery that can bring back the old universe (and is in fact about the old universe) while also operating within the New 52’s universe. Rather than another big cosmic shift that barrels through the last five years of story, Johns introduced a large-scale mystery and begins to build a bridge from the old stories to the new. How we get there, after all, is the fun part. I think that comic book events forget that a lot, a failing of which Rebirth feels keenly aware.
The climax of the issue reunites Wally with Barry Allen, who, when he begins to see Wally die, recognizes his old friend and gives him something to hold on to… hope. After their tearful hug, which reads to me like a heartfelt apology by Johns to Wally West (and perhaps the other forgotten heroes) for leaving him behind, we get what is already one of the most talked about and controversial scenes in comics this year. As Wally West speaks about a coming war between hope and despair, Batman finds the blood-splattered smiley button from Watchmen embedded in a rock in the Batcave. Then, we transition to Mars, where a conversation between Dr. Manhattan and Adrian Veidt straight out of the last issue of Watchmen plays out over another series of images of the watch from the opening page.
It’s a bold move. It’s bolder, even, than DC’s Before Watchmen launch, and is likely to both fascinate and infuriate even more readers. I’m not sure if we should read the “hope and despair” comment as an indictment of the darkness of Watchmen and the impact it had on superhero comics, or as commentary on the way that many superhero comics jacked Watchmen’s style and regurgitated it in a way that did a disservice both to Watchmen and the superhero comics that co-opted that dark and gritty style. Either way it goes, I’m stunned by the scope and humbled by the poignancy, artfulness, and balance of the storytelling in DC Rebirth. To call it a return to form seems odd, as the comic is as much about examining the process of the form as it is rebuilding, so I suppose I’ll just call it what it is.
It’s the best superhero comic I’ve read in a long time.
PAT SHAND writes comics (Vampire Emmy, Hellchild, Van Helsing), novels (Iron Man, Charmed), and pop culture journalism (Sad Girls Guide, Blastoff Comics). The first DC comic he ever loved was an issue of Supergirl, and he is beyond excited to fall in love with DC Comics all over again.
About Pat Shand
PAT SHAND writes comics (Prison Witch, Destiny NY, Breathless) and novels (Iron Man, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor). He runs Space Between Entertainment in New York, where he lives with his wife Amy and their army of cats.
View all posts by Pat Shand →


Google Search Inside
Political Science - American Politics
Political Science - General
Social Science - Women's Studies
A Woman's Place is in the House
Campaigning for Congress in the Feminist Era
Study of women candidates for U.S. House that argues women are successful in winning elections
In this first comprehensive examination of women candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, Barbara Burrell argues that women are as successful at winning elections as men. Why, then, are there still so few women members of Congress? Compared to other democratically elected national parliaments, the U.S. Congress ranks very low in its proportion of women members. During the past decade, even though more and more women have participated in state and local governments, they have not made the same gains at the national level.
A Woman's Place Is in the House examines the experiences of the women who have run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1968 through 1992 and compares their presence and performance with that of male candidates. The longitudinal study examines both general and primary elections and refutes many myths associated with women candidates including their ability to raise money and garner support from both interest groups and political parties.
According to Burrell, election year 1992 was correctly dubbed the "Year of the Woman" in American politics—not so much because women overcame perceived barriers to being elected but because for the first time a significant number of women chose to run in primaries. Burrell's study examines the effects women are having on the congressional agenda and offers insight on how such issues as term limitations and campaign finance reform will impact on the election of women to Congress.
Barbara Burrell (Ph.D. University of Michigan) is professor and director of graduate studies in the Political Science Department at Northern Illinois University where she teaches courses in public opinion, political behavior and women and politics.
1. Introduction - 1
2. American Views of Women as Political Leaders: The Polls, Experiments, and Surveys - 15
3. The Presence and Performance of Women Candidates in Primary Elections - 35
4. The Backgrounds of Female Candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, 1968-92 - 57
5. Political Parties and Women's Candidacies - 81
6. Sex and Money: The Financing of Women's and Men's Campaigns for the U.S. House of Representatives, 1972-92 - 101
7. The Presence and Performance of Women Candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives - 131
8. Women Members of Congress and Policy Representation - 151
9. Conclusion - 183
References - 193
Networks of Champions
Getting Primaried
DOI: 10.3998/mpub.14231
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Two Similar Missouri Car Accidents – Two Vastly Different Outcomes
By Jeff LoweSeptember 20, 2012July 10th, 2019Highway Safety, Trucking Accidents, Trucking Laws
What’s the difference between a fatal Missouri car accident and one that’s annoying – perhaps even terrifying – but not life-ending or even life-changing?
The difference can be inches. The difference can be small, unpredictable forces of chance.
If you were recently hurt in a truck accident or car accident in Missouri, understand that hundreds or even thousands of small dynamic factors may have contributed to what happened and/or protected you and others involved from a worst fate.
Two recent accidents illustrate this point. The first was a tragedy – a fatal accident in North St Louis. A car driving on the Natural Bridge sideswiped another car and then smashed into a cement wall. The female passenger, Mbonakira Lewis, died at the hospital from complications of her injuries; the male driver remains hospitalized. Fortunately, the driver of the car that got sideswiped was not injured. But obviously this was a very sad situation, and hopefully an investigation will reveal what exactly happened and why.
Meanwhile, out in Marshfield, Missouri, a driver fell asleep at 3 in the morning on I-44. 34-year-old Lori Kittel fell asleep north of Marshfield and slammed into a cable, flipping her SUV. Amazingly, despite the vehicular acrobatics, both Kittel and her passenger, 25-year-old Terry Watson, only suffered moderate injuries. They were taken to a hospital in Springfield for treatment.
Obviously, in an ideal world, both of these accidents would never have happened, and no one would have been hurt. But these two stories, told in parallel, highlight how exquisitely small and arbitrary factors can influence the effects of an accident. Had the SUV not done a full rotation — but only done a three-quarter rotation — both women could have been killed. Conversely, had Lewis’ vehicle hit the other car at a slightly different angle, her outcome could have been better.
For help understanding the subtleties of your Missouri car accident, get in touch with the team here at Carey, Danis & Lowe. Get insightful and steady guidance about what to do and what steps to take.


Home > Article Index > Alcoholism > Foods
www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=search&StoryID=875129
UPDATE 3-Crisps, french fries, bread may cause cancer-study
Reuters April 24, 2002 02:53 PM ET
(Adds research detail paragraphs 14-18, company comment 22-25)
STOCKHOLM, April 24 (Reuters) - Potato crisps, french fries, biscuits and bread, eaten daily by millions of people round the world, contain alarmingly high amounts of a substance believed to cause cancer, Swedish scientists said on Wednesday.
Research carried out at Stockholm University in cooperation with the government food safety agency showed that acrylamide, well known as a probable cancer-causing agent, is formed in very high concentrations when carbohydrate-rich foods such as rice, potatoes and cereals are fried or baked -- but is not present when they are boiled.
The results of the research were deemed so important, and so surprising, that the scientists took the rare step of going public with their findings before publishing them in an academic journal and having them reviewed by other scientists.
"I have been in this field for 30 years and I have never seen anything like this before," said Leif Busk, head of the National Food Administration's research department, of the results of the study.
Food Administration officials told a news conference they had found that an ordinary bag of potato crisps may contain up to 500 times more acrylamide than the maximum concentration the World Health Organisation (WHO) allows in drinking water.
French fries sold at Swedish franchises of the U.S. fast-food chains Burger King Corp, a unit of Britain's Diageo plc DGE.L , and McDonald's MCD.N contained about 100 times the equivalent of the WHO limit for water, they said.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classifies acrylamide, a colourless, crystalline solid, as a "medium hazard probable human carcinogen".
The WHO has ruled that one litre of drinking water should contain no more than one microgram of acrylamide.
A tougher European Union drinking water directive due to take effect at the end of 2003 sets the maximum permitted concentration at 0.1 microgram per litre, Stockholm University said in a statement -- one-tenth of the WHO limit.
A microgram is one-millionth of a gram.
Acrylamide is known to cause damage to the human nervous system, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer says it has been found to induce gene mutations and cause stomach tumours in animals.
"The discovery that acrylamide is formed during the preparation of food, and at high levels, is new knowledge. It may now be possible to explain some of the cases of cancer caused by food," Busk said.
"Fried, oven-baked and deep-fried potato and cereal products may contain high levels of acrylamide," the Administration said.
Boiling the same products did not form acrylamide, said Margareta Tornqvist, an associate professor at Stockholm University's environmental chemistry department.
Her study first looked at the buildup of acrylamide in a haemoglobin reactive in the blood of rodents fed with heated rat food, compared with rodents eating the same rat food unheated.
Acrylamide levels proved to be about 10 times higher in rats eating the heated food.
Tornqvist and her team then tested protein-rich hamburger steaks and again detected an acrylamide buildup related to the heating process, though smaller than for rat food.
Assuming that the heated rat food's acrylamide buildup must originate in a source other than proteins, the scientists tested carbohydrates and found that heating potatoes formed a concentration of acrylamide in them between 12 and 40 times greater than in the heated hamburgers, Tornqvist said.
"This was surprisingly high and implies a remarkably high cancer risk stemming from a single compound," she said.
Busk said the Food Administration's follow-up analysis based on more than 100 random samples was not extensive enough for the agency to recommend the withdrawal of any products from shops or to advise people to change their eating habits. The raw materials used in the analyses had shown no trace of acrylamide.
Among the products analysed in the study were potato crisps made by Finnish company CHIPS ABP, whose shares fell 15 percent to six-month lows, breakfast cereals made by U.S. Kellogg K.N , Quaker Oats Co, part of PepsiCo Inc PEP.N , and Swiss Nestle NESZn.VX , and Old El Paso brand tortilla chips.
"Burger King is interested in studying the information closely and will launch its own investigation into the subject," Burger King said in a statement.
NEWS TO FOOD INDUSTRY
CHIPS ABP, in a statement to the Helsinki stock exchange, said: "For us, these are completely new findings which have never before been known to the world's foodstuffs industry."
Nestle spokesman Marcel Rubin said the group did not at present think the findings were very grave. "If it had been serious, the Swedish authorities would not have said that no change is required in eating habits."
McDonald's Sweden media relations manager Birgitta Mossberg told Reuters the company was taking the research seriously. "But it is important not to draw hasty conclusions," she said.
Spokesmen for the other companies were not immediately available for comment.
"We will evaluate this study and look at it but it is important to say that Sweden has not withdrawn any products from the market," said European Commission spokeswoman Beate Gminder.
Liliane Abramsson-Zetterberg, a toxicologist at the Swedish Food Administration, said that while the cancer risk from acrylamide was much higher than levels accepted for other known carcinogens, smoking remained a bigger risk.


Matthew H. Mousley
Matthew H. Mousley 62, of Bridge Rd., Watsontown passed away on November 17, 2020 at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. Born in Abington on October 12, 1958 he was the son of the late William and Thelma (Ramson) Mousley. He was married on June 25, 1988 to the former Patricia Hood who survives.
Matt was a 1976 graduate of Abington High School. He worked as a self-employed landscaper, as an investment advisor and a farmer. He worked part time for Elery Nau Hardware in Montoursville and earlier he worked for Clark’s Ag Center in Turbotville. He attended St. Joseph Church in Milton. He enjoyed fishing, scuba diving, and camping, He liked photography and music and he played the guitar. Mostly he loved being outdoors and spending time with his wife.
He is survived by his wife, Patty; three brothers, Scott Mousley and wife, Heather of Greentown, Steve Mousley of Langhorne, and Timothy Mousley and wife, Susan of Langhorne; two sisters, Susan Ozosky of Hatboro, and Debbie Madey and husband, Jack of Little River, SC; and many loving nieces and nephews.
Friends and relatives will be received from 6-8 pm on Friday November 20 at the Shaw Funeral Home, 400 N. Front St., Milton. A funeral mass will be held at 12 pm on Saturday at St. Joseph Church, 109 Broadway St., Milton with the Rev. John D. Hoke officiating. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations are requested to the Salvation Army, 30 Center St., Milton, PA 17847 please put for the emergency food pantry in the memo
I am so sorry to hear of this news! I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
We are very sorry to hear of Matt's passing. He was such a kind person and always willing to do anything at Graeme Park. He was missed when you moved and will be missed again. Sending hugs, Patty.
Beth & Mike MacCausland
Patty & Family -
I'm so sorry to hear of Matt's passing. I have such found memories of his contributions to Graeme Park: the flax he grew, his photographs, and all his hard work planning, organizing, and setting up for Celtic and Halloween. May you find peace and comfort in your happy memories of him.
Carla Loughlin


নীড় উন্নয়ন Bangladesh: From ‘basket case’ to model
Bangladesh: From ‘basket case’ to model
In 1976, five years after independence, a book appeared called “Bangladesh: The Test Case of Development.”
It was a test, the authors claimed, because the country was such a disaster that if development could be made to work there, it could surely work anywhere. At the time, many people feared that Bangladesh would not survive as an independent state.
One famine, three military coups and four catastrophic floods later, the country that former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger once dismissed as “a basket case” is still a test. But no longer in the sense of being the bare minimum that others should seek to surpass. Now, Bangladesh has become a standard for others to live up to.
In the past 20 years, Bangladesh has made extraordinary improvements in almost every indicator of human welfare. The average Bangladeshi can now expect to live four years longer than the average Indian, though Indians are twice as rich. Girls’ education has soared, and the country has hugely reduced the numbers of early deaths of infants, children and mothers.
Some of these changes are among the fastest social improvements ever seen. Remarkably, the country has achieved all this even though economic growth, until recently, has been sluggish and income has risen only modestly.
Bangladesh might seem like a special case. Because of its poverty, it has long been a recipient of vast amounts of aid. With around 150 million people crammed into a silted delta frequently swept by cyclones and devastating floods, it is the most densely populated country on Earth outside city-states. Hardly any part is isolated by distance, tradition or ethnicity, making it easier for antipoverty programs to reach everyone. Unusually, it has a culture that is distinct from its religion: although most Bangladeshis are Muslims, their culture and language are shared with the non-Muslim Indian state of West Bengal. Religious opposition to social change has been mild. Not many nationalities have so unusual a collection of traits.
The female factor
That said, the most important of the country’s achievements can serve as a model for others. Bangladesh shows what happens if you take women seriously as agents of development. When the country became independent, population-control policies were all the rage (this was the period of China‘s one-child policy and India‘s forced sterilizations). Happily lacking the ability to impose such savage restrictions, the government embarked instead upon a program of voluntary family planning. It was stunningly successful. It not only halved the rate of fertility within a generation, but also increased women’s influence within their own households. For the first time, wives controlled the size of families.
Later, the textile industry took off — and four-fifths of its workers are female. Bangladesh was also the home of microcredit, tiny loans for the poorest. By design, these go to women. Thus, over the past two decades women have earned greater influence in the home and more financial autonomy.
And, as experience from around the world shows, women spend their money differently from men: typically, on their children’s food, health and education. Child welfare has been underpinned by a quiet revolution in the role of women.
That is not all there was to it. Thanks to remittances from abroad and to the Green Revolution, Bangladesh has done better than most at reducing persistent rural poverty. It has maintained a broad consensus in favor of basic social spending despite military coups and a toxic politics dominated by the bitter infighting of the “battling begums” (the widow and daughter of former presidents, who lead the two main parties).
Bangladesh also has benefited by letting non-governmental organizations (NGOs) get on with what the state itself has been too weak or corrupt to do: experiment with different programs and scale up those that work. Much of its success is attributable to local NGOs like Grameen and BRAC.
Bangladesh has shown that countries can transform the lives of the poorest without having to wait for economic growth. But it does not show that growth is irrelevant. The country surely would have done better still if its economy had expanded faster.
As people’s education and expectations rise further, it will be all the more important to provide new jobs and opportunities for advancement.
Article by: THE ECONOMIST
পূর্ববর্তী খবরএক বছরে ব্যাংকিং খাতে আমানত স্থিতি বেড়েছে প্রায় ২০ শতাংশ
পরবর্তী খবরবারি-১ জাতের মরিচ চাষ
১০ হাজার সামাজিক প্রতিষ্ঠানের অবকাঠামো উন্নয়ন হবে
এমডিজির সবগুলো লক্ষ্য পূরণের পথে বাংলাদেশ
আনিসুলের পরশে উন্নয়নের সুবাতাস ঢাকা উত্তরে
রফতানি বাণিজ্যে নতুন সংযোজন
শিক্ষায় এ যাবতকালের সর্বোচ্চ বরাদ্দ: ৬৬,৪০১ কোটি টাকা
Farmers become self-reliant farming crop, vegetable on Padma riverbank
স্টাফ রিপোর্টার - Jan 2, 2018


The Search for Hedge Fund Alpha
J. Bianchi, Robert
E. Drew, Michael
Stanley, Alex
Bianchi, Robert
This paper analyses the performance of the global hedge fund industry to determine whether alpha, or risk-adjusted excess returns are earned. The efficient market hypothesis questions whether professional investors such as hedge funds can produce superior returns over and above a passive investment strategy. The study examines 7,355 surviving and non-surviving global hedge funds for the period 1994-2006. This paper proposes a simple multi-factor model which is easier to implement in comparison to more complex option-based frameworks that are proposed in the literature. The multi-factor framework employed in this study ...
View more >This paper analyses the performance of the global hedge fund industry to determine whether alpha, or risk-adjusted excess returns are earned. The efficient market hypothesis questions whether professional investors such as hedge funds can produce superior returns over and above a passive investment strategy. The study examines 7,355 surviving and non-surviving global hedge funds for the period 1994-2006. This paper proposes a simple multi-factor model which is easier to implement in comparison to more complex option-based frameworks that are proposed in the literature. The multi-factor framework employed in this study demonstrates that the returns of individual funds and the systematic return of the global hedge fund industry can be replicated with passive investment strategies in global financial markets. This study reveals little alpha or manager skill in this sample of hedge funds and therefore questions the validity of high management fee structures in this segment of the global funds management industry.
37th Australian Conference of Economists (ACE2008)
http://www.ace08.com.au/
© 2008 Economic Society of Australia QLD Inc. This is the author-manuscript version of this paper. Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the publisher's website for access to the definitive, published version.


Home Analysis Carles Alena 2019/20 – scout report
Carles Alena 2019/20 – scout report
Mario Husillos Jr
Aleñá makes himself available and plays a first touch pass to beat the pressure.
Despite a difficult season so far, Carles Aleñá remains as one of the brightest prospects at FC Barcelona. The 22-year-old midfielder has already played 39 matches with Barcelona and 90 with Barcelona B. He proved his value in the 2017/18 season when he scored 11 goals and was arguably the best player in the Spanish Second Division with Barcelona B.
But his performances in the B side haven’t been enough to grant him a first-team spot, and the Catalan playmaker moved to Real Betis on loan last January seeking playing time. He has played ten matches since then, providing three assists in his first experience far from the Camp Nou.
In this tactical analysis, we will look at his adaptation to Real Betis and how he could adapt Barcelona’s tactics. This scout report aims to assess his current level and potential.
Aleñá is a proper Barcelona midfielder. Coming through La Masía, he has all the traits one could expect from a Barcelona playmaker. But he also has some physical characteristics that differentiate him from other talents of his age like Riqui Puig.
While his most common position is as an ‘interior’ in the typical 4-3-3 formation Barcelona normally use, Aleñá can also play as a deep-lying playmaker, as a number ten and as a right winger. This adaptability could be key in his future, as he will probably need to adapt to the strengths and weaknesses of the Barcelona squad.
In his heat map below, we can see Aleñá’s positioning this season. He has mostly lined up as the left central midfielder in a 4-3-3 formation, but he often changes positions during the game and his influence can be seen all around the pitch.
Aleñá moves all around the central zones of the pitch.
Positional and spatial awareness
Educated in Barcelona’s academy, Aleñá understands very well every movement within the attacking phase. Thanks to his positional awareness and tactical intelligence, he can play the ball out of defence, connect the midfield and attacking lines and also be a threat going forward.
Aleña’s ability to find spaces between the lines is very useful in every situation. He combines this ability with his spatial awareness and great technique to receive in small pockets of space where he can quickly turn and advance the play. He’s versatile enough to do this in his own half to beat the first line of pressure or in the last third to create scoring opportunities.
When his team faces a high-pressing opponent, Aleñá drops from the midfield line to support the defenders offering passing lines behind the first line of pressure. He has the intelligence to spot the best passing lines, the confidence to receive under pressure in dangerous zones and the technique to solve difficult situations with one or two touches. Also, Aleñá is well-built and strong to cover the ball when he needs to, using his body to his advantage when holding the rivals and turning.
In the example below, Aleñá sees his centre-back under pressure and reacts quickly to find a free space and support him from behind the pressing line. The centre-back plays the easy pass and Aleñá plays first touch to leave Rakitic in a good position to go forward. The image is from the Inter vs Barcelona match in the UEFA Champions League this season.
Again in the same match, we can see Aleñá dropping even deeper to help the build-up. Inter press very high and Aleñá offers an easy passing option for the right-back. It’s important to note how his first touch leaves him facing forward. If he had needed more time to turn, his only option would have been a pass to the goalkeeper.
Aleñá receives behind the first pressing line and is ready to advance after his first touch.
There are moments in which Aleñá is not the one in charge of playing the ball out from the back. In those moments, the Catalan midfielder shows his great understanding of the game providing passing options and positioning himself to exploit the spaces left by the opposition pressure.
In the next image, Real Betis’ Fekir is under heavy pressure from Rayo Vallecano. Aleñá positions himself behind that pressure and far from any rival, providing an excellent option to progress and create a dangerous counterattack. We can also see how he gestures to get the attention of his teammate, showing his confidence to receive the ball.
Aleñá detects the space left by the pressure and makes himself available.
As his team moves closer to the goal, Aleñá adapts his movements to take advantage of any spaces left by the rival. He makes very good runs from behind to get between the lines and help his team progress. As we have seen before, he’s very useful when he dictates from behind, but his best version comes when he can receive closer to the box and create from there.
In the play we show below, Betis have already established themselves in the opposite half. Aleñá realizes he’s no longer needed to beat the pressure and makes a run from a deep position to get behind the midfield line. From his new position, Aleñá can progress to the final third and create a promising situation.
Aleña makes a run from behind to receive between the lines.
Finally, his positioning in the final third is very valuable too. Even if he can influence the game from any part of the pitch, Aleñá is a very attacking-minded midfielder. He always tries to get in and around the box, from where he can score or assist using the wide skillset we will analyze later. This is probably the role Barcelona lack in their midfield, where De Jong and Arthur are great at dictating from deeper positions but affect the final third less than Aleñá.
Let’s take the play below as an example. In the picture, we see Aleñá controlling a ball at the edge of the box. He received the pass from the right side after positioning himself between four rivals but far enough to have space and time to receive the pass. This position is difficult to mark as it would require one of the defenders to leave the defensive line and leave a hole in it. Also, his first touch leaves him in a good situation to shoot or pass before a defender can press him.
Aleñá finds space to create from the edge of the box.
A final example of this attacking attitude is seen below. In a situation where lots of midfielders would look to receive the ball at their feet, Aleñá looks to attack the space between the centre-back and the full-back to receive the ball inside the box. Once inside the box, Aleña’s vision, dribbling and quality are always a threat.
Aleñá runs into the box from behind.
His positioning in defence is good too, but he needs some work to adapt to teams that dominate less than Barcelona and their academy teams. Aleñá is aggressive to counter-press and is not afraid to use his body to recover the ball. He’s strong and can win defensive duels. But when he has to defend in his own half he has to be more active to intercept passes as sometimes he doesn’t provide enough cover to the defensive line and lets passes break the midfield line.
Technical arsenal
To affect as many phases of the game as we have seen in the previous analysis, Aleñá needs to have a very wide skillset. He can pass accurately, dribble in tight spaces, carry the ball in transitions and shoot from outside the box, which makes him a constant threat.
Aleñá shows a made-in-Barcelona passing style. He usually plays short passes trying to move the ball quickly to find spaces in the defensive line. He usually uses just one or two touches, with his positioning and body shape saving him time and unnecessary touches.
His vision is great to make the best out of his passing ability. Even if his passing seems simple, there’s always an intention behind it, moving the ball to the zones where he detects a weakness of the opposition. He thinks quickly and moves the ball before he gets pressed.
He’s very good at dribbling and carrying the ball forward. He combines powerful runs with intelligence to choose when to start running and when to pass. It’s his decision making regarding the exact moment to pass the ball that makes the difference in his game.
In the first picture below, we see Aleñá driving the ball towards the defensive line. When one of the defenders stops running back to press him, Aleñá passes the ball to the right winger, leaving the defender out of the play and his teammate in a good position to cross. In the second one, Aleñá has started a counterattack leaving two players behind with a powerful run, and when the third one tries to close him down, he plays a pass into the run of the right winger.
Aleñá doesn’t pass the ball until he attracts one of the defenders.
After a powerful run, Aleñá makes the best decision and passes the ball forward.
Aleñá can also create from deeper positions with his great passing range. He’s well aware of his surroundings and quickly spots the runs of his teammates. As we see in the next example, Aleñá is capable of beating two lines and assisting with perfectly weighted and curved passes. His long shots are also a threat, especially when he cuts inside from the right.
Aleñá assists Carles Pérez run with a perfect ball from the midfield line.
When assessing Aleñá using stats, we need to have two issues in mind. First, he has only played 438 minutes for Real Betis this season, so the sample available is not as big as in other cases. And second, his position is a mix of a central and attacking midfielder, so depending on the benchmark we set he will stand out more or less.
Aleñá stats in La Liga for Real Betis.
Knowing that, let’s get to the analysis of his stats in La Liga for Real Betis in the current season. The first thing that stands out is his creativity. Aleñá has 4.73 passes into the final third per 90’ (better than 69% of the central and defensive midfielders in the top-5 leagues), 0.16 xG+xA/90’ (better than the 65%) and 1.64 dribbles/90’ (better than the 86%). He hasn’t scored or assisted yet for Betis, but given the small sample, his expected goals and assists are a better indicator.
With a pass completion of 83.33%, Aleñá is around the middle compared to other central/defensive midfielders, but if we compare him to attacking midfielders and wingers he’s above the 87% of them. Something similar happens with his dribbling. Compared to CM/DM, Aleñá completes more dribbles than the 86% of them but with a success rate worse than the 89%; but compared to attacking midfielders and wingers, he’s around the middle in both metrics. This shows a good balance between keeping possession and risking the ball and the intermediate role he has.
His defensive stats also express his playing style well. He makes 2.26 successful tackles/90’ and his success rate is of 61.11%, both figures better than those of almost 60% of CM/DM, showing how good he is when getting into duels. But with only 0.21 interceptions/90’, Aleñá is one of the worst in the central midfield position. Even if the small sample exaggerates the figures, Aleñá needs to improve his defensive positioning, especially when defending in a low block.
Aleñá is approaching a crucial moment of his career. With more than 100 professional games to his name so far, he’s expected to be in the first squad of Barcelona next season. His performances so far suggest he can solve some of the creativity problems Barcelona’s midfield has shown in recent times, but the step is big and he will need to make the best out of his fantastic attributes.
If he adapts well to being a regular of the first team lineups, Aleñá will save Barcelona millions in the transfer market, helping them recover their identity too as he came through the academy and knows exactly what’s expected from a Barcelona midfielder. Alongside other exciting prospects as Puig, Pedri or Monchu, Aleñá could be part of a new golden generation at the Camp Nou.
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Match Preview Analysis April 10, 2019


WEDNESDAY, Nov. 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Approved vaccines against the new coronavirus could begin to be distributed to the most at-risk Americans as early as mid-December, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said Thursday.
"And as we get into the first quarter of 2021 â€” January, February, March â€” more and more people will get vaccinated," he added in an HD Live! interview.
But to put a real end to the COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority of Americans will need to get the shot.
"Somewhere between 75% and 80% of the people [need] to get vaccinated in order to get a real umbrella of protection over the community â€” the 'community' being the United States of America," Fauci said. "And hopefully that can get done worldwide so that we globally crush this outbreak."
In the meantime, the most important public and family holiday of the year begins on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. And despite pleas from health officials that Americans should stay home this year to curb the spread of COVID-19, millions are traveling and gathering together as usual.
Fauci acknowledged that "it's so difficult not to do these things that are so natural to our society."
But with almost 260,000 Americans killed by the virus this year, and more than 12.6 million known cases recorded by Wednesday, America is in a "bad place," according to Fauci, who directs the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Most alarming, he said, is "the silent spread in the community from people who don't have any symptoms, who understandably and intuitively would let their guard down. And they say, 'Well, let's just get together, we're there, we're eating, we're drinking, we're not wearing a mask.' That's a risky situation."
For his part, Fauci said his three grown daughters have decided to forgo the Fauci family gathering this Thanksgiving, so Thursday will mean "a quiet dinner with my wife."
His daughters "don't want to endanger me," Fauci said. "They want to be perfectly safe, so they are saying 'Lets worry about holidays in the future, and just call a time out for this one.'"
Prepare public for vaccine
In other pandemic news, on Monday, experts attending a meeting of an advisory committee to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stressed that Americans who get a shot shouldn't be surprised if they feel under the weather for a few days afterwards.
The CDC's Dr. Sara Oliver told the committee during the five-hour meeting that, depending on the survey, anywhere between 40% and 80% of Americans say they'd be willing to get vaccinated.
The virus spreads even when people do not show symptoms, Birx noted. "It is because of this asymptomatic spread that we are asking people to wear a mask indoors," she said. "Decreasing those friend-and-family gatherings where people come together and unknowingly spread the virus" will also help slow the spread, she added.
Earlier Thursday, the CDC asked Americans not to travel for Thanksgiving. More than 187,000 cases were announced nationwide on Thursday, another single-day record, and daily tallies have been rising in 47 states, according to The New York Times.
"We are in for a rough period through the end of February," Dr. Jessica Justman, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University in New York City, told the Times. "It looks hard to find a way to break it."
By Wednesday, the U.S. coronavirus case count passed 12.6 million while the death toll neared 260,000, according to a Times tally. According to the same tally, the top five states in coronavirus cases as of Tuesday were: Texas with over 1.2 million; California with just over 1.1 million; Florida with over 953,000; Illinois with more than 675,000; and New York with almost 612,000.
Things are no better in India, where the coronavirus case count has passed 9.2 million on Wednesday, a Johns Hopkins University tally showed. Almost 135,000 coronavirus patients have died in India, according to the Hopkins tally, but when measured as a proportion of the population, the country has had far fewer deaths than many others. Doctors say this reflects India's younger and leaner population. Still, the country's public health system is severely strained, and some sick patients cannot find hospital beds, the Times said. Only the United States has more coronavirus cases.
Meanwhile, Brazil passed 6.1 million cases and had more than 170,000 deaths as of Wednesday, the Hopkins tally showed.
Worldwide, the number of reported infections neared 60 million on Wednesday, with more than 1.4 million deaths recorded, according to the Hopkins tally.


Missouri Launches Statewide Initiative to Improve Computer Skills Among Teachers, Students and the Workforce
ST. LOUIS, Mo., July 26, 1999 — Technology in the classroom has made definite inroads in the past several years. According to a study released earlier this year by the CEO Forum on Education and Technology, a group of business and education leaders, there are now about 6 million computers installed throughout the country’s 87,000 public schools, and 80 percent of the schools have Internet access. But for many teachers, such advances are a mixed blessing.
On the one hand, technology brings a host of benefits for both students and teachers. Word processors free students from rote tasks so they can spend their time on more challenging activities. Tutorial software allows teachers to spend more time with their students individually. And Internet access provides students and teachers greater opportunities for research and learning. But all these benefits and many more can be realized only if the teachers themselves are adept at using the tools. When they are not, they spend the bulk of a lesson grappling with technology issues instead of focusing on content — or they simply avoid using the technology resources at all.
The CEO Forum’s StaR Assessment study this year revealed that most technology funding in the schools has been spent on equipment, and very little has been spent on training teachers to use it. With the average public school spending approximately $88 per student annually on computers but only $6 per student in teacher training, it’s no wonder that a mere 20 percent of teachers feel comfortable integrating technology into their classroom instruction.
All that is about to change in Missouri, however. The state earlier this month launched the nation’s first statewide initiative to raise the computer skills, not only of teachers but of students and the workforce as well, through the Microsoft Office Users Specialist (MOUS) program. MOUS is a Microsoft-approved training and certification program that identifies levels of competency in desktop-computer skills using Microsoft Office applications.
Piloted at the Columbia Area Career Center last month, the Missouri MOUS program will be rolled out in late August to 25 other career centers and nine regional professional development centers across the state. The initial rollout will provide training and certification to teachers; programs targeted to students and the workforce are expected to be introduced at the career centers in October and November. Since the announcement, several other states have expressed interest in launching their own MOUS initiatives.
“Our schools are in the business of preparing students for college and the workforce,” said Missouri Lt. Governor Roger Wilson. “By offering training and certification for industry-standard desktop applications to our teachers, students and the workforce, we’re preparing residents for the important work they will do for companies in our state. This initiative also allows us to offer businesses worldwide a well-trained, knowledgeable workforce as an incentive to operate in Missouri.”
For its part, Microsoft is donating $500,000 in software and training materials to the Missouri initiative, and Nivo International, the firm that administers the MOUS program for Microsoft, is donating $500,000 in free tests. In addition, 58 independent courseware vendors are donating training materials to help Missouri teachers and students pass their MOUS exams, and Missouri schools can use part of a $20 million grant for equipment, software and training to augment the MOUS program.
Making the Most of Missouri’s Investment in Technology
According to Jan Bodeux-Boomer, Microsoft education account representative for Missouri, Microsoft and Nivo International saw the potential for integrating the MOUS program with a statewide effort to raise the level of computer skills in the schools. The two companies had been looking to invest in a state that could create a blueprint for technology training and set a trend for other states.
“The Missouri Department of Education was a logical choice,” said Bodeux-Boomer. “It’s a dynamic department – they’re willing to do things out of the ordinary to achieve excellence – and they also had many of the processes in place that would make this initiative successful, such as training and career centers that were already delivering the Microsoft Office curriculum.”
Missouri focused on rolling out the program to teachers initially for a number of reasons. First, if teachers are proficient in using computers and software, they will be better able to integrate technology into their curriculum. They will also be better able to help both inexperienced and technologically savvy students practice and apply their computer skills.
“Students can be extremely well-versed in computer technology, but if the teacher isn’t, the equipment won’t get used,” said Boomer. “If teachers don’t integrate the curriculum using computers, students won’t get enough opportunity to practice what they know.”
Another incentive for providing teachers the opportunity to get up to speed on technology is that their proficiency will allow them to better utilize the resources in which Missouri has invested and reduce the total cost of ownership for computers and software in the schools.
“Whenever we’re given a piece of equipment, a new software program, or even just an update, we have to learn how to use it on our own,” said Teri Holmstrom, an adult business instructor at the Columbia Area Career Center. “The Missouri initiative is a wonderful opportunity to get the additional resources we need at no extra cost and get up to speed more quickly so that we can help students better use technology.”
Missouri is also currently focusing on designing student programs as part of its statewide initiative, which will be introduced at career centers across the state 30 to 60 days after the teacher programs have been implemented. The main incentive, according to Boomer, is to give children the opportunity to acquire the technology skills that are necessary both in higher education and in the job market. In addition, providing students computer skills enables them to focus on content rather than how to use the tools. It also gives them the opportunity to make better use of school assets.
“The main advantage of this program for high-school students is that they’ll be more marketable in the workforce. The certification proves that they are either at a proficient or expert level using Microsoft Office applications,” said Holmstrom. “Our career center advisory board is made up of business leaders from the community, and they are telling us that these are the applications for which students need to gain proficiency to be competitive in the workforce.”
Initiative Expected to Gain Momentum Nationwide
Since the announcement earlier this month, governors in several other states, including Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, have expressed interest in launching similar statewide MOUS initiatives.
In Missouri, chief information officers in higher education also have expressed an interest in the program, according to Bodeux-Boomer. Microsoft is also currently working with the Missouri Department of Education to identify other sources of funding to help underwrite the program. In the future, the company would like to focus on underprivileged schools to help students pass the certification exams, which will enable them to secure higher paying jobs.
“It’s really important for us to be able to train students to be employable,” said Bodeux-Boomer. “These are skills they must have for the workforce or in college, not only for their classes but also for the part-time jobs they hold while they work their way through school. And helping our teachers be more proficient in computer technology will undoubtedly have a positive impact on our kids’ education.”


Brian May Imagined His Own Funeral After Heart Scare
Queen guitarist Brian May said the outpouring of support after suffering a heart attack took him to an unusual place.
"This is going to sound very strange, but I sort of feel like I died, and yet I was able to come to the funeral and see all the tributes and stuff," May says in a new video shared with fans. "I often think that at funerals: All these people come and say these wonderful things about the person that's gone – but you can't hear it ... and so I'm lucky I got to hear it. So, my life is complete. I'm sorry that sounds weird but I don't know, I can't compare it with anything."
It's been a difficult few weeks for May. The guitarist revealed earlier this month that he injured his gluteus maximus during a session of "overenthusiastic gardening." He added sciatic nerve pain to the list of ailments on Sunday, then disclosed on Monday that he'd also suffered a "small heart attack."
Doctors said wearing a heavy guitar around his neck may have contributed to the nerve pain, following a lower-back MRI. "In the middle of the whole saga of the painful backside, I had a small heart attack," said in an Instagram post that referenced Queen's 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack. "I say small, you know, it's not something that did me any harm. It was about 40 minutes of pain in the chest, and tightness, and that feeling in the arms, and sweating."
May ultimately opted against open-heart surgery. Doctors instead implanted three stents in an effort to maintain proper blood flow.
"I'm taking it easy and taking all the right things and do the physio and all the rest of it," May said in his latest message to fans. "So, I'm gonna be fully functional pretty soon. But thank you, thank you, thank you – that's all I can say – for the fantastic fantastic amount of love you give me."
Source: Brian May Imagined His Own Funeral After Heart Scare