Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title with the Atlanta Braves, has diedSupreme Court to consider whether Catholic group is exempt from religious taxesNovember 25, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source proofread by Nagoya University Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are everywhere in modern life, from smartphones to home lighting. But today's LEDs have a major limitation: when you try to make them brighter by increasing their power, they become less efficient. A team of researchers at Nagoya University in Japan has now found a way to make LEDs brighter while maintaining their efficiency. Their research promises to reduce the cost and environmental impact of LED production while improving performance in applications such as visible light communication and virtual reality (VR) glasses. The study appears in the journal Laser & Photonics Review . "The innovation of this work is a better understanding of the effects of polarization, an intrinsic property of the gallium nitride/indium gallium nitride (GaN/InGaN) layer structure that is needed for light generation," lead researcher Markus Pristovsek said. InGaN LEDs represent the most efficient light source globally, although they typically operate at low power levels. To obtain brighter light, it is necessary to increase their power. However, an increase in power supplied to the LED results in a decrease in its efficiency, a phenomenon known as efficiency droop. One way to overcome efficiency droop is to increase the area of the LED, which gives you more light, but it also means that you need a larger chip. As a result, you get fewer LEDs from a wafer—the thin, flat piece of semiconductor material made from InGaN that serves as the base for the fabrication of LED devices. The result is higher production costs and greater environmental impact. Researchers can reduce the efficiency droop by tilting the InGaN layers and cutting the wafer into different orientations, which alter the resulting crystal's properties. The most important property altered in this manner is known as "polarization." Despite tilted orientations with low polarization being researched for over 15 years, InGaN LEDs made using these orientations have consistently exhibited less than half the efficiency of standard high-polarization LEDs. The study by Pristovsek and Nan Hu at the Center for Integrated Research of Future Electronics (CIRFE) at Nagoya University found that a lower polarization is helpful only if it points in the same direction as that of standard LEDs. Using their findings, they grew LEDs on a cheap sapphire substrate in the so-called (101̅3) orientation, an orientation with lower polarization but in a direction similar to that of standard LEDs. These (101̅3) LEDs show greater efficiency at higher power . This finding suggests innovative ways for manufacturers to develop next-generation LED technologies, such as more efficient and brighter micro-LED displays for mobile devices and large-screen TVs. Higher current density capability could also enable new applications in automotive and specialty industrial lighting, while faster switching speeds could find applications in visible-light communication technologies and VR glasses. "Future research is unlikely to find a better orientation, particularly on the cost-efficient sapphire substrates, because only two tilted directions can be fit to it," Pristovsek said. "However, there are other ways to make (101̅3) LEDs with fewer defects on sapphire and maybe even silicon. But the other orientations achieved on sapphire or silicon so far are worse, because they are either inherently rough, they increase the amount of polarization, or they have the wrong sign of polarization ." More information: Markus Pristovsek et al, How to Make Semi‐Polar InGaN Light Emitting Diodes with High Internal Quantum Efficiency: The Importance of the Internal Field, Laser & Photonics Reviews (2024). DOI: 10.1002/lpor.202400529 Provided by Nagoya University
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By MIKE CATALINI CHATHAM, N.J. (AP) — That buzzing coming out of New Jersey? It’s unclear if it’s drones or something else, but for sure the nighttime sightings are producing tons of talk, a raft of conspiracy theories and craned necks looking skyward. Cropping up on local news and social media sites around Thanksgiving, the saga of the drones reported over New Jersey has reached incredible heights. This week seems to have begun a new, higher-profile chapter: Lawmakers are demanding (but so far not getting) explanations from federal and state authorities about what’s behind them. Gov. Phil Murphy wrote to President Joe Biden asking for answers. New Jersey’s new senator, Andy Kim, spent Thursday night on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey, and posted about it on X. But perhaps the most fantastic development is the dizzying proliferation of conspiracies — none of which has been confirmed or suggested by federal and state officials who say they’re looking into what’s happening. It has become shorthand to refer to the flying machines as drones, but there are questions about whether what people are seeing are unmanned aircraft or something else. Some theorize the drones came from an Iranian mothership. Others think they are the Secret Service making sure President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster property is secure. Others worry about China. The deep state. And on. In the face of uncertainty, people have done what they do in 2024: Create a social media group. The Facebook page, New Jersey Mystery Drones — let’s solve it , has nearly 44,000 members, up from 39,000 late Thursday. People are posting their photo and video sightings, and the online commenters take it from there. One video shows a whitish light flying in a darkened sky, and one commenter concludes it’s otherworldly. “Straight up orbs,” the person says. Others weigh in to say it’s a plane or maybe a satellite. Another group called for hunting the drones literally, shooting them down like turkeys. (Do not shoot at anything in the sky, experts warn.) Trisha Bushey, 48, of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, lives near Round Valley Reservoir where there have been numerous sightings. She said she first posted photos online last month wondering what the objects were and became convinced they were drones when she saw how they moved and when her son showed her on a flight tracking site that no planes were around. Now she’s glued to the Mystery Drones page, she said. “I find myself — instead of Christmas shopping or cleaning my house — checking it,” she said. She doesn’t buy what the governor said, that the drones aren’t a risk to public safety. Murphy told Biden on Friday that residents need answers. The federal Homeland Security Department and FBI also said in a joint statement they have no evidence that the sightings pose “a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.” “How can you say it’s not posing a threat if you don’t know what it is?” she said. “I think that’s why so many people are uneasy.” Then there’s the notion that people could misunderstand what they’re seeing. William Austin is the president of Warren County Community College, which has a drone technology degree program, and is coincidentally located in one of the sighting hotspots. Austin says he has looked at videos of purported drones and that airplanes are being misidentified as drones. He cited an optical effect called parallax, which is the apparent shift of an object when viewed from different perspectives. Austin encouraged people to download flight and drone tracker apps so they can better understand what they’re looking at. Nonetheless, people continue to come up with their own theories. “It represents the United States of America in 2024,” Austin said. “We’ve lost trust in our institutions, and we need it.” Federal officials echo Austin’s view that many of the sightings are piloted aircraft such as planes and helicopters being mistaken for drones, according to lawmakers and Murphy. That’s not really convincing for many, though, who are homing in on the sightings beyond just New Jersey and the East Coast, where others have reported seeing the objects. For Seph Divine, 34, another member of the drone hunting group who lives in Eugene, Oregon, it feels as if it’s up to citizen sleuths to solve the mystery. He said he tries to be a voice of reason, encouraging people to fact check their information, while also asking probing questions. “My main goal is I don’t want people to be caught up in the hysteria and I also want people to not just ignore it at the same time,” he said. “Whether or not it’s foreign military or some secret access program or something otherworldly, whatever it is, all I’m saying is it’s alarming that this is happening so suddenly and so consistently for hours at a time,” he added. Associated Press reporter Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this report.Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title when he hit a major league-best .366 for the Atlanta Braves, has died. He was 85. Major League Baseball , the players’ association and the Braves paid tribute to Carty on social media on Sunday. No further details on Carty’s death were provided. “Carty was one of the first groundbreaking Latino stars in the major leagues, and he established himself as a hero to millions in his native Dominican Republic, his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris, and the city of Atlanta, where he was a beloved fan favourite,” the players’ association said in its statement . The Braves said Carty left an indelible mark on the organization. “While his on-field accomplishments will never be forgotten, his unforgettable smile and generous nature will be sorely missed,” the team said in its statement. Carty made his big league debut with the Braves in September 1963. He batted .330 with 22 homers and 88 RBIs in his first full season in 1964, finishing second to Dick Allen in voting for NL Rookie of the Year. The Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta after the 1965 season, and Carty got the franchise’s first hit in its new home on April 12, 1966, against Pittsburgh. Carty had his best year in 1970, batting .366 with 25 homers and a career-best 101 RBIs. He started the All-Star Game after he was elected as a write-in candidate, joining Willie Mays and Hank Aaron in the NL outfield. Carty batted .299 with 204 homers and 890 RBIs over 15 years in the majors, also playing for Cleveland, Toronto, Oakland, Texas and the Chicago Cubs. He retired after the 1979 season.Mekhi Becton did not have the start to his career that he was hoping for with the New York Jets, as inconsistent play, injuries, and the team's overall struggles plagued the 11th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. Now with the Philadelphia Eagles, Becton is enjoying quite a bit of success, and he let his old team know it after Philly's latest win. The Eagles rolled past the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football in their Week 12 matchup, picking up a 37-20 victory. While Saquon Barkley and his 302 total scrimmage yards drew much of the attention, Becton and the rest of Philadelphia's offensive line was largely responsible for giving him so much room to work with. Philly took a flier on Becton this past offseason when they signed him to a one-year deal in free agency, but he's slotted in seamlessly as the team's starting right guard. And with his old team in the Jets struggling so much this year, Becton took a veiled shot at them on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the Eagles ninth win of the year. "Man playing football is actually fun again!! Love this team," Becton said in his post on X. Man playing football is actually fun again!! Love this team 😭 It's not exactly hard to see that this is a shot at the Jets. Expectations were high for Becton after the team drafted him in 2020, and that led to them declining his fifth-year option and letting him walk in free agency. Their trash became the Eagles treasure, as he's been a terrific addition for their offensive line. While Becton and Philadelphia are thriving, the opposite is true for the Jets. Their Aaron Rodgers experiment has been a complete wash, and it has resulted in the team firing their head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas midway through the campaign. © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Becton has been proving that the Jets made a mistake all season long, but he wanted to get another jab in with his words, which he did. Now, he'll turn his attention towards Week 13, where the Eagles will be taking on the Baltimore Ravens in a huge matchup that could have some huge playoff repercussions. Related: Eagles Announce Decision on Wide Receiver DeVonta Smith for Rams Game
landed, or , earlier this week on PC and Xbox consoles. This cloud streaming content-centered entry in the hit simulation series essentially buckled under the load of players on day one, with the studio saying it did not expect that much interest so quickly. As the title finally moves towards server stability, its first hotfix has now been pushed out. "Good news," begins by Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator Jorg Neumann on social media. "We've made continued improvements that provide smoother access to the simulator ... We will continue to investigate any issues and keep the community informed. Thank you again for your ongoing support and enjoy your time in the skies." The update focuses mainly on fixing some critical crashing issues being faced by simmers. A minor but annoying bug that left the cursor missing on the sign-in window at the start of the title has also been resolved, finally letting PC players stop spamming tab or aiming blind for their profile. Here are all the changes in the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 : The studio adds that moving any existing Community Packages from the title's folder to another location on the PC can resolve "stability issues or long loading times" as well. Feedback on the update and the overall game can be provided to the development team via the official .None
Indiana should be able to breathe easy this week. It has very little chance of making it into the Big Ten championship game. On the other hand, Georgia's spot in the Southeastern Conference title game is so risky that if the Bulldogs lose they might have been better off sitting it out.Indiana should be able to breathe easy this week. It has very little chance of making it into the Big Ten championship game. On the other hand, Georgia's spot in the Southeastern Conference title game is so risky that if the Bulldogs lose they might have been better off sitting it out.Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title when he hit a major league-best .366 for the Atlanta Braves, has died. He was 85. Major League Baseball , the players’ association and the Braves paid tribute to Carty on social media on Sunday. A family friend told Listín Diario — a newspaper in Carty’s native Dominican Republic — that he died Saturday night in an Atlanta hospital. “Carty was one of the first groundbreaking Latino stars in the major leagues, and he established himself as a hero to millions in his native Dominican Republic, his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris, and the city of Atlanta, where he was a beloved fan favorite,” the players’ association said in its statement . The Braves said Carty left an indelible mark on the organization. “While his on-field accomplishments will never be forgotten, his unforgettable smile and generous nature will be sorely missed,” the team said in its statement. Carty made his big league debut with the Braves in September 1963. He batted .330 with 22 homers and 88 RBIs in his first full season in 1964, finishing second to Dick Allen in voting for NL Rookie of the Year. The Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta after the 1965 season, and Carty got the franchise’s first hit in its new home on April 12, 1966, against Pittsburgh. Carty had his best year in 1970, batting .366 with 25 homers and a career-best 101 RBIs. He started the All-Star Game after he was elected as a write-in candidate, joining Willie Mays and Hank Aaron in the NL outfield. Carty batted .299 with 204 homers and 890 RBIs over 15 years in the majors, also playing for Cleveland, Toronto, Oakland, Texas and the Chicago Cubs. He retired after the 1979 season. We are saddened to learn of the passing of former Blue Jay and 15-year MLB veteran Rico Carty. A member of the Caribbean Baseball and Latino Baseball Halls of Fame and a humanitarian in the Dominican Republic – Carty’s legacy and impact will be remembered forever. Our... pic.twitter.com/9UvTbaCcMM
The top stories and transfer rumours from Saturday's newspapers... THE SUN Liverpool are interested in launching transfer swoops for Joao Pedro and Jeremie Frimpong, according to reports. Violent football ultras have been organising sick Fight-Club style brawls in forests across Europe to avoid detection by police. DAILY MAIL Trending Liverpool's staff Christmas Party - at the city's Anglican cathedral - was shut down early after suspected drug paraphernalia was found in the toilets. England will not now travel to America for two June friendlies after Friday's World Cup qualifying draw placed them in a five-team group. Also See: Transfer Centre LIVE! Stream Sky Sports with NOW Download the Sky Sports app Get Sky Sports on WhatsApp Lionel Messi has revealed that Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal reminds him of himself when he was a youngster. Wayne Rooney gives no thought to a potential sacking by Plymouth and insists he is focusing on improving the squad in January. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Paul Pogba has provided an update on his future with a cryptic Instagram post on the back of his Juventus exit. DAILY MIRROR Bruno Fernandes says Manchester United have too many problems of their own to think about Manchester City's crisis ahead of Sunday's derby. Regis Le Bris has insisted Sunderland's "foundations are still strong" after losing Tommy Watson for two months. THE TIMES Debbie Hewitt, the chairwoman of the FA and Britain's Fifa vice-president, is not expected to run for Uefa's executive committee when the former Manchester United chief executive David Gill steps down in April, having come to the end of this term limit. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player The exodus of senior executives from Aston Villa shows little sign of halting, with Paul Tyrrell, who had a number of senior roles at the club, the latest to depart to take over as chief operating officer at Nottingham Forest. Tom Ilube and Bill Sweeney have been told "there is no trust left" as senior figures in the Championship called for a government review into the RFU's leadership of the game and pressed for clubs in England to support a no-confidence debate. THE ATHLETIC England manager Thomas Tuchel has said he needs to "prove himself" after the mixed reaction to his appointment. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Marc Skinner said comments made by Sir Jim Ratcliffe were 'hard' to hear but insists Manchester United Women's team are supported. THE INDEPENDENT New England manager Thomas Tuchel will speak to Ben White and offer the Arsenal defender a "clean start" when he takes charge in the new year. DAILY TELEGRAPH Phil Vickery, the 2003 World Cup winner, has revealed his diagnosis of probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and spoken for the first time about the brain damage he has suffered from head injuries during his career. THE GUARDIAN Julen Lopetegui has revealed the West Ham squad will visit Michail Antonio over the weekend as the forward continues his recovery after a "miracle" escape from a car accident. San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said linebacker De'Vondre Campbell won't be part of the 49ers moving forward after he refused to enter a game after losing his starting job. DAILY RECORD Rangers are reportedly set to sign a deal that will see Umbro take over as their new kit suppliers from the start of next season.NoneNorthwestern hopes hot streak continues vs. Northeastern
Brighter and more efficient LEDs with low polarization resist 'efficiency droop'
SAN FRANCISCO , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Silicon Valley's seasoned veterans in retail and e-commerce are rallying behind Jingo , a bold leap forward in transforming the online shopping experience. By blending personalization with advanced technology, Jingo is rethinking the way shoppers discover products and how brands connect with their audiences. A Powerhouse Backing Founded by e-commerce veterans, Ujjal Pathak and Rohan Bhanot , who bring years of experience building online shopping platforms, Jingo has secured backing from a powerhouse group of investors and advisors with expertise from leading companies such as Pinterest, Walmart, Minted, eBay, Square, Nike, Klarna, and Intuit. Their collective knowledge in e-commerce, retail, and fintech provides the strategic guidance needed to bring Jingo's vision of a smarter, more equitable shopping platform to life. Solving the Real Problem in E-Commerce Amazon has been shaping online shopping for nearly 30 years, while Walmart has stood as a retail giant for over 60. While these platforms revolutionized e-commerce for past generations, Jingo is built from the ground up to meet the needs of today's digitally native consumers. Designed with Gen Z and Millennials in mind, Jingo delivers a shopping experience that feels intuitive, personal, and deeply connected to modern lifestyles. For customers, the challenge isn't simply finding products—it's making better decisions . Endless choices often lead to decision fatigue and frustration. Jingo tackles this by prioritizing relevance over sheer quantity. Using machine learning, the platform curates and presents personalized assortments early in the shopping journey, showing the most relevant products at the right time. This thoughtful approach fosters confidence and transforms decision-making into an enjoyable process. For brands and sellers, major marketplace platforms often tie visibility to significant advertising spend, creating barriers for smaller players. Jingo flips this model by leveraging advanced machine learning to surface products only to customers with genuine interest. This precision eliminates waste, reduces noise, and ensures that every connection between brands and customers feels meaningful. Empowered by tools like real-time insights, predictive analytics, and curated discovery, brands can optimize inventory, anticipate trends, and connect with their ideal audience without relying on costly campaigns or third-party tools. Jingo is creating a marketplace where both customers and sellers thrive, redefining how value is delivered in online shopping. A Transformative Vision for the Future Jingo's ambitions go far beyond optimizing today's online shopping experience. The platform is building toward a future where commerce is redefined through intelligent systems that seamlessly integrate into users' lives. Imagine a world where shopping evolves from a process you initiate to an experience that happens intuitively. Jingo's end-state vision is to create intelligent systems capable of learning, adapting, and acting on behalf of users , delivering personalized, proactive, and effortless commerce. This approach points to a future where products appear at your doorstep before you even think about shopping, making commerce an invisible yet integral part of daily life. By designing systems that dynamically adapt and provide proactive support, Jingo aims to fundamentally change the way consumers and brands interact, setting a new standard for convenience, personalization, and connection. Flipping the Script for Brands and Sellers Beyond offering better targeting, Jingo is reimagining the commission structure to create a fairer and more seller-focused marketplace. For the first 1,000 brands and sellers who join, Jingo introduces a groundbreaking model: These incentives, coupled with Jingo's advanced tools like predictive analytics and real-time insights, empower sellers to focus on delivering quality products while Jingo ensures they reach the right customers. By reducing the noise-to-signal ratio, brands can build lasting, loyalty-driven relationships in a transparent and equitable ecosystem. Brands and sellers interested in being part of this transformative journey can contact the Jingo team at partner@jingo.app A Bold Vision for E-Commerce With the support of Silicon Valley's leading minds, Jingo is setting a new benchmark for what online shopping can achieve. By addressing decision-making challenges for consumers and creating deeper, more equitable connections for brands, Jingo is leading the next wave of e-commerce innovation. To celebrate its launch, Jingo is running a referral campaign from December 6, 2024 , to February 28, 2025 . Participants can earn credits to shop on the platform once it's live, with prizes of $50,000 for the top referrer, $30,000 for second place, and $10,000 for third. Jingo is more than a platform—it's a movement toward smarter, more personalized, and intuitive commerce. By building systems that anticipate, simplify, and deliver, Jingo is shaping the future of shopping for consumers and sellers alike. Get in Touch For PR inquiries, strategic partnerships, or more information, contact contact@jingo.app View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/redefining-the-future-of-shopping-jingo-gains-silicon-valleys-backing-302324337.html SOURCE Jingo Technologies, Inc.Downtown post office still in running for Lincoln convention center siteGitLab Inc. (NASDAQ:GTLB) Director Susan L. Bostrom Sells 20,000 Shares of StockApocalypse Is a Motorcycle Magazine That Is Utterly Unexpected
Over the last few years, DraftKings (DKNG) has positioned itself as the clear leader in America’s digital gaming revolution, with its stock soaring well over 100% year-to-date towards a market capitalization of $35 billion. Despite some recent headwinds, the acceleration of sports betting legalization across the U.S. makes me highly bullish on the company’s future prospects. Don't Miss our Black Friday Offers: Unlock your investing potential with TipRanks Premium - Now At 40% OFF! Make smarter investments with weekly expert stock picks from the Smart Investor Newsletter Revenue Growth Accelerates Past Expectations I’m encouraged to see DraftKings continue its exceptional momentum, with Q3 2024 revenue surpassing $1 billion, a remarkable 39% increase from $790 million in the previous year. This rate significantly outpaces competitors in the broader gaming industry, strongly reinforcing my bullish outlook. Moreover, the company boasts some impressively robust fundamentals, with $878 million in cash and a relatively modest debt level of $1.34 billion when compared to market capitalization. This provides plenty of resources for continued expansion and support for any unseen challenges. A resilient balance sheet is one of the green flags I look for in a company looking to capitalize on new market opportunities, so I’m fairly confident that this growth story can continue. Looking ahead, DraftKings projects impressive growth for the coming year, with revenue expected to reach between $6.2-$6.6 billion, representing 27-35% growth from 2024’s guidance midpoint of $4.9 billion. User Base Expands Dramatically The platform’s popularity continues to surge, with Monthly Unique Payers (MUPs) jumping to 3.6 million, up significantly from 2.3 million last year. This 57% increase demonstrates an impressive ability to attract and retain customers. I place real value on the first-mover advantage the company has across many states, where many customers will likely stay loyal to the brand long after competition moves in, especially where the experience is enjoyable, accessible, and overwhelmingly positive. Average Revenue per Monthly Unique Payer (ARPMUP) is clearly a critical indicator for management. This has now reached $103, demonstrating the company’s ability to monetize its user base effectively. When excluding recent acquisitions, ARPMUP increased 8% year-over-year to $122, demonstrating significant improvements in the monetization of the core platform. Technology Innovation Drives Market Leadership For me, the company’s interface and user experience is unmatched. Recent recognition as the number one U.S. Mobile Sportsbook App highlights this, with the platform ranking first in key categories, including User Experience, Betting Interface, and overall Features. Management has clearly prioritized and invested heavily in product enhancement for the most popular sports on the platform, particularly in NBA betting markets, where it now develops and powers all player prop and derivative markets in-house. This opens up the potential for further analysis and greater flexibility for new product offerings. The live betting experience has also undergone significant upgrades, with new features including real-time trending bets and new ‘micro-betting’ capabilities. Users now benefit from integrated real-time scores, statistics, and enhanced live content, creating a more engaging and informed betting experience. I suspect such investments may help to cement the company as the obvious destination for sports fans going forward. Wall Street Endorses DKNG’s Growth Strategy Wall Street’s enthusiasm mirrors my own bullish stance, with analysts generally on a Strong Buy consensus based on 25 Buy ratings and only 3 Hold ratings. Furthermore, the average DKNG price target of $50.20 per share implies 15.3% upside from the current level. See more DKNG analyst ratings In addition, several prominent firms have recently raised their price targets, with TD Cowen increasing to $55 from $50 and Barclays raising to $50 from $45. Temporary Headwinds Create Opportunity I’m clearly very bullish on this one, but the share price has admittedly suffered a few bumps in the road as of late. Some recent NFL outcomes have negatively hit revenues, with the latest quarter seeing the most customer-friendly stretch in company history. For this, companies tend to look at the Hold Percentage, which shows the percentage that the company expects to retain from the total amount wagered by bettors. The company’s own analysis of NFL Hold Percentages shows that these recent results are outliers compared to the typical performance over the past two years, suggesting a likely return to normalized rates in future periods. As a result, I tend to view these as statistical anomalies rather than structural issues within the company’s betting algorithms. Such an outcome could be viewed as a positive in the long run, with increased returns boosting enthusiasm for the platform, retaining customers, and building the market further. Rising Acquisition Costs Will Likely Be Overcome Another potential headwind to keep one eye on is the competitive landscape. As many would expect from such a potentially lucrative sector, established gaming companies and new entrants are looking to capture market share. As a result, DraftKings has experienced some increases in the price of acquiring customers over the last year, potentially as the latest wave of excitement and enthusiasm for sports betting fades. However, this is likely to be experienced by all involved in the sector. Fortunately for investors, I’d expect DraftKings’ technological edge, robust balance sheet, and market leadership to position it well to overcome these challenges as these cycles inevitably continue. DraftKings Presents a Highly Compelling Opportunity From my perspective, DraftKings presents a highly compelling opportunity. Clearly, the ongoing state-by-state legalization of sports betting provides a solid stream of growth opportunities. With management demonstrating strong execution capability and rapidly improving financials, to me, DraftKings remains very well-positioned to capitalize, particularly as sports betting gains mainstream acceptance. The combination of first-mover advantage, robust user growth, and a compelling platform experience sets DraftKings aside from the competition. While some near-term volatility may persist, the company’s strong fundamentals in this market with enormous potential suggest this is definitely one to watch over the coming years. DisclosureATLANTA (AP) — As she checked into a recent flight to Mexico for vacation, Teja Smith chuckled at the idea of joining another Women’s March on Washington . As a Black woman, she just couldn’t see herself helping to replicate the largest act of resistance against then-President Donald Trump’s first term in January 2017. Even in an election this year where Trump questioned his opponent’s race , held rallies featuring racist insults and falsely claimed Black migrants in Ohio were eating residents’ pets , he didn't just win a second term. He became the first Republican in two decades to clinch the popular vote, although by a small margin. “It’s like the people have spoken and this is what America looks like,” said Smith, the Los Angeles-based founder of the advocacy social media agency, Get Social. “And there’s not too much more fighting that you’re going to be able to do without losing your own sanity.” After Trump was declared the winner over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris , many politically engaged Black women said they were so dismayed by the outcome that they were reassessing — but not completely abandoning — their enthusiasm for electoral politics and movement organizing. Black women often carry much of the work of getting out the vote in their communities. They had vigorously supported the historic candidacy of Harris, who would have been the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to win the presidency. Harris' loss spurred a wave of Black women across social media resolving to prioritize themselves, before giving so much to a country that over and over has shown its indifference to their concerns. AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, found that 6 in 10 Black women said the future of democracy in the United States was the single most important factor for their vote this year, a higher share than for other demographic groups. But now, with Trump set to return to office in two months, some Black women are renewing calls to emphasize rest, focus on mental health and become more selective about what fight they lend their organizing power to. “America is going to have to save herself,” said LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of the national voting rights group Black Voters Matter. She compared Black women’s presence in social justice movements as “core strategists and core organizers” to the North Star, known as the most consistent and dependable star in the galaxy because of its seemingly fixed position in the sky. People can rely on Black women to lead change, Brown said, but the next four years will look different. “That’s not a herculean task that’s for us. We don’t want that title. ... I have no goals to be a martyr for a nation that cares nothing about me,” she said. AP VoteCast paints a clear picture of Black women's concerns. Black female voters were most likely to say that democracy was the single most important factor for their vote, compared to other motivators such as high prices or abortion. More than 7 in 10 Black female voters said they were “very concerned” that electing Trump would lead the nation toward authoritarianism, while only about 2 in 10 said this about Harris. About 9 in 10 Black female voters supported Harris in 2024, according to AP VoteCast, similar to the share that backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. Trump received support from more than half of white voters, who made up the vast majority of his coalition in both years. Like voters overall, Black women were most likely to say the economy and jobs were the most important issues facing the country, with about one-third saying that. But they were more likely than many other groups to say that abortion and racism were the top issues, and much less likely than other groups to say immigration was the top issue. Despite those concerns, which were well-voiced by Black women throughout the campaign, increased support from young men of color and white women helped expand Trump’s lead and secured his victory. Politically engaged Black women said they don’t plan to continue positioning themselves in the vertebrae of the “backbone” of America’s democracy. The growing movement prompting Black women to withdraw is a shift from history, where they are often present and at the forefront of political and social change. One of the earliest examples is the women’s suffrage movement that led to ratification in 1920 of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution , which gave women the right to vote. Black women, however, were prevented from voting for decades afterward because of Jim Crow-era literacy tests, poll taxes and laws that blocked the grandchildren of slaves from voting. Most Black women couldn’t vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Black women were among the organizers and counted among the marchers brutalized on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, during the historic march in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery that preceded federal legislation. Decades later, Black women were prominent organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police and vigilantes. In his 2024 campaign, Trump called for leveraging federal money to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government programs and discussions of race, gender or sexual orientation in schools. His rhetoric on immigration, including false claims that Black Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating cats and dogs, drove support for his plan to deport millions of people . Tenita Taylor, a Black resident of Atlanta who supported Trump this year, said she was initially excited about Harris’ candidacy. But after thinking about how high her grocery bills have been, she feels that voting for Trump in hopes of finally getting lower prices was a form of self-prioritization. “People say, ‘Well, that’s selfish, it was gonna be better for the greater good,''' she said. “I’m a mother of five kids. ... The things that (Democrats) do either affect the rich or the poor.” Some of Trump’s plans affect people in Olivia Gordon’s immediate community, which is why she struggled to get behind the “Black women rest” wave. Gordon, a New York-based lawyer who supported the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s presidential nominee, Claudia de la Cruz, worries about who may be left behind if the 92% of Black women voters who backed Harris simply stopped advocating. “We’re talking millions of Black women here. If millions of Black women take a step back, it absolutely leaves holes, but for other Black women,” she said. “I think we sometimes are in the bubble of if it’s not in your immediate circle, maybe it doesn’t apply to you. And I truly implore people to understand that it does.” Nicole Lewis, an Alabama-based therapist who specializes in treating Black women’s stress, said she’s aware that Black women withdrawing from social impact movements could have a fallout. But she also hopes that it forces a reckoning for the nation to understand the consequences of not standing in solidarity with Black women. “It could impact things negatively because there isn’t that voice from the most empathetic group,” she said. “I also think it’s going to give other groups an opportunity to step up. ... My hope is that they do show up for themselves and everyone else.” Brown said a reckoning might be exactly what the country needs, but it’s a reckoning for everyone else. Black women, she said, did their job when they supported Harris in droves in hopes they could thwart the massive changes expected under Trump. “This ain’t our reckoning,” she said. “I don’t feel no guilt.” AP polling editor Amelia Thomson DeVeaux and Associated Press writer Linley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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NEW YORK , Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Osmo , the digital olfaction company, is rethinking how to identify what's real. Today, Osmo launched AI-powered scent sensors, built to authenticate products in ways barcode and RFID (radio frequency identification) tags never could. [Watch Osmo's scent sensor in action here .] Counterfeiting costs retailers and consumers billions of dollars each year. Osmo's sensors work differently than existing authentication technology: they read the unique scent signatures of authentic products, using AI to identify counterfeits with precision and speed. These sensors aren't just a tool—they're a new way to protect trust at scale. Osmo's approach pairs advanced chemical sensors with AI. By training on massive datasets, these sensors recognize subtle scent patterns, ignore background scents, and deliver clear yes-or-no answers in the field. Embedding these sensors in a retailer's supply chains makes authentication faster, simpler, and more reliable. "What's in the air tells the truth," said Alex Wiltschko , CEO and founder of Osmo. "Our AI sensors listen carefully, cutting through noise to confirm authenticity. They work when older methods fall short, helping businesses and customers get what the genuine products they're paying for and deserve—every time." "Counterfeits are just the beginning," said Rohinton Mehta , former Rapid Evaluation and Project Lead at Google X, now SVP of Hardware and Manufacturing at Osmo. "This same system can help ensure food stays fresh, protect the semiconductor supply chain, and even keep data centers running smoothly. The potential is enormous." What Makes Osmo Different? About Osmo Founded in January 2023 , Osmo launched with $60 million in Series A funding led by Lux Capital and Google Ventures. Osmos's mission is to give computers a sense of smell to improve human health and happiness, combining expertise in AI, chemistry, and engineering to bring scent into the digital age. Osmo has begun work in the fragrance market to create a new generation of better, safer, and more environmentally-friendly scent molecules , designing scent through images or words , and teleporting scent . Beyond fragrance, Osmo is applying its technology in commercial sectors— like detecting counterfeit goods —and public health, where it is discovering new insect repellants . Osmo expects to expand into other industries as the potential for digitized scent grows. Learn more Watch the scent sensor in action: https://youtube.com/shorts/Ce-tEbbpwXo Sign up for the Osmo Community: https://www.osmo.ai/community Press inquiries : press@osmo.ai View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/osmo-introduces-ai-powered-scent-sensors-for-authentication-302315642.html SOURCE Osmo
Over 1,200 people have signed a petition on change.org to support a local high school athletic trainer who was, according to the petition, abruptly dismissed. Benjamin Palmer, the Windsor Locks High School senior class president who has been a runner and soccer player at the high school for four years, said he started the petition titled “Bring Back Ms. Patty” to provide a platform for his classmates to express their support for Patricia Taylor, who had been an athletic trainer at the school for seven years, according to the petition. “Gaining over 1,000 signatures in less than 24 hours, it’s turned into a tribute to a woman who gave so much without ever asking for recognition,” Palmer wrote in an email. “Always riding around in her white golf cart, Ms. Patty worked long hours to make sure we were safe, responsible and healthy athletes. “While we may not know the circumstances of her departure, we do know that her kindness, compassion, and service to others will be a long-lived legacy at Windsor Locks High School and all the schools she served.” The petition called Taylor “an unsung hero” and that her dismissal “has distressed many students, for whom she served as an influence, mentor and motivator. “By signing this petition, we request the school administration to reconsider their decision, reinstating her and recognizing her contribution to the development of our school’s athletic department.” Windsor Locks Superintendent of Schools Shawn Parkhurst said in an email that he could not comment on the situation because it was a “confidential personnel matter.” One supporter wrote on the petition: “The care, concern, and follow up Miss Patty showed for our son following a concussion was remarkable. She is the heart of our athletic program because her heart is always in the right spot. Please reconsider this unconscionable decision and reinstate Ms. Patty’s contract!” And another: “Ms. Patty has kept our Type 1 diabetic on the field during games and practices. I know other families are going to be suffering from this kind of loss as well.” And from an athlete: “Patty was almost like a second mom to most of us athletes at Windsor Locks High school. We could talk to her while she taped us and couldn’t have made it this far in athletics without her help!! We NEED her back!!!”Cubs acquire All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in trade with the AstrosConference title games a chance at a banner, bragging rights and, for some, a season-wrecking loss
AllenComm, a leading provider of innovative, effective learning experiences, and Pure Storage Data Solutions have received recognition for an online learning program to support a corporate values initiative SALT LAKE CITY , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- AllenComm — an innovator in learning advisory, design, tech and talent for the corporate learning and development market — and Pure Storage have received a 2024 Silver Davey Award for an online learning program designed to help the data solutions company build and nurture a unified corporate culture worldwide. The annual Davey Awards, one of the world's largest and most prestigious creative awards competitions, honors the achievements of the "Creative Davids" who derive their strength from big ideas, rather than stratospheric budgets. After rapid growth from a few hundred employees in a single office to more than 5,600+ members and offices internationally, Pure Storage was looking to build upon the corporate culture that made it successful. AllenComm collaborated with the company to create a unique learning program that not only reflects internal marketing communications but inspires learners to find value and reward in the experience. The scalable online program, entitled Simply Pure, uses a narrative-oriented approach that puts learners in charge of their learning experience. Engaging videos, motion graphic videos and interactive activities are incorporated to showcase the company's history and explain unfamiliar technical terms, with contextual stories added to generate excitement. Learners can select any of five topics based on what they want to know, rather than having to follow a defined path created for them. After 6 months, and more than 2,300 Pure Storage team members participating in the program, employees say they feel more connected personally with their jobs because they now understand more clearly how they fit into the broader organization. "Shared stories can strengthen an organization's leadership culture by connecting with and engaging all employees as participants in the story," said AllenComm CEO, Ron Zamir . "Our learner experience designers worked closely with Pure Storage to capture their foundational stories and to scale the storytelling with video and animation." "At Pure Storage, we value inspiration and innovation as central to our culture," said Jack Reid , Learning Partner at the company's Leadership Academy. "AllenComm has helped us to realize our vision of scaling our culture with a development program that is intentionally not a typical training program. We're honored that the result of our partnership is receiving acclaim within the learning industry, but we're even more excited that this foundational program in our Pure Leadership Academy is helping to democratize leadership in our expanding organization." You can learn more about the award-winning Pure Storage program here. To find out more about other learning programs developed by AllenComm, visit their website . About AllenComm For over 40 years, AllenComm has partnered with leading companies and non-profit organizations to create and scale transformative learning solutions. Extensive instructional design experience, innovative learning technologies and agency-level creative teams enable AllenComm to stand out in the learning landscape. Considered one of the top firms of its kind, AllenComm wins dozens of industry awards year after year for its custom learning solutions. Partnering with AllenComm to supplement and support learning and adjacent needs for human capital management has helped customers reduce expenses, shorten onboarding periods and increase the impact of their efforts. Media Contact AllenComm, AllenComm, (801) 537-7800, info@allencomm.com , AllenComm View original content: https://www.prweb.com/releases/allencomm-and-pure-storage-win-2024-davey-award-for-education-website-302324141.html SOURCE AllenComm