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Can Baidu shares continue to outperform after Q2 earnings?
Baidu shares have been on an upward trend in the runup to its second-quarter earnings announcement on 30 August. Analysts have an optimistic outlook on the stock after the tech company reported positive growth in its cloud and autonomous driving businesses in the first quarter.
The Baidu [BIDU] share price notched a five-day winning streak in the week before its Q2 earnings release on 30 August. While the tech stock is only up 1.5% year-to-date, a recent Chinese stimulus package boosted its shares 17.7% in the last five days to close at $151.02 on 25 August.
Baidu's US-listed shares have outperformed the Nasdaq Composite's 19.2% decline so far in 2022. The tech-heavy index has struggled amid the market's broad rotation from growth to value. Baidu's Hong Kong-listed [9888.HK] shares, which are up 0.3% in the year-to-date, have also outperformed the KraneShares SSE STAR Market 50 Index ETF's [KSTR], which tracks the performance of the Shanghai Stock Exchange's STAR 50 index, 29.6% fall over the same period.
China has seen a resurgence in Covid-19 cases in the last few months and narrowly avoided economic contraction in the second quarter, with the economy only expanding 0.4% year on year. There are concerns that this economic slowdown will cut advertising spending on Baidu's search engines and could harm long-term future revenue.
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Q1 earnings strong despite Chinese economy cool down
Despite the challenges facing Baidu's domestic market, it was still able to produce a strong set of results for the first quarter of the year. The company reported revenue of $4.48bn for the quarter, which comfortably beat estimates of $4.16bn.
The strong revenue was the result of solid performance from its core business. In particular, the company's non-advertising revenue increased by 35% year-on-year and was driven by growth from its Baidu AI Cloud, which grew by 45%.
The company did see a small 4% decline in its online marketing revenue, which represented a cool-off in advertising expenditure from Chinese companies. Alongside this, Baidu reported $466m in losses, which was the result of a decrease in value from its long-term investments in private and public companies.
The group saw the first signs of inflation eating away at margins for the quarter. Cost of revenues increased 4% to $2.45bn as core costs such as bandwidth and traffic acquisition rose. Research and development expenses also increased 10% due to high personnel expenses.
Analysts optimistic as Baidu launches driverless taxis
In the company's Q1 earnings, Robin Li, co-founder and CEO of Baidu, highlighted to shareholders that its Apollo Go service secured a permit to operate China's first-ever driverless taxis. It will be able to operate its Apollo Go cars in central Wuhan between 9am to 5pm and in the Chongqing municipality between 9:30am to 4:30pm without the need for a safety supervisor on board. This has given the company a strong edge in the race to develop fully autonomous driving vehicles in the country.
However, there are some concerns amongst shareholders regarding the long timeframe for the commercialisation of driverless vehicles. It is likely to take several years for the venture to be profitable.
While the company has an estimated 70% market share of the Chinese internet search industry, investors will be concerned that its largest source of revenue, advertising, declined in the last quarter. That is why developing new revenue streams in the driverless vehicles sector and strengthening existing divisions such as its AI Cloud business is vital if the company wants to continue to grow.
Despite several challenges facing the company, analysts have optimism in Baidu shares. Out of 41 analysts polled by the Financial Times, 12 gave the shares a 'buy' rating, 21 believed the shares would 'outperform', six rated them 'hold', one 'underperform' and the remaining one 'sell'. Of 39 of these analysts offering 12-month price targets, the median target was $200, which represents an upside of 32.4% from 25 August close.
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Will VR hardware help lift the Apple share price?
Meta is the industry leader when it comes to augmented reality and virtual reality hardware, but Apple could eat into its dominance.
Investors lose appetite for Beyond Meat and Tyson Foods shares
Demand for plant-based protein products is falling as consumers cut back on foods with premium prices.
Geely's Zeekr premium EV brand eyes $10bn IPO valuation
It would be the first major listing of a Chinese company in the US since Beijing and Washington agreed to share audits.
Gene editing stocks are being dragged down. Is now the time to buy?
Gene editing is a niche that could be the key to unlocking the future of healthcare, but there are several challenges for industry players to overcome.
Investing in CMC Markets derivative products carries significant risks and is not suitable for all investors. You do not own, or have any interest in, the underlying assets. We recommend that you seek independent advice and ensure you fully understand the risks involved before trading. Spreads may widen dependent on liquidity and market volatility.
The information on this website is prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs.
Consequently, you should consider the information in light of your objectives, financial situation and needs. CMC Markets Asia Pacific Pty Ltd ABN 11 100 058 213, AFSL No. 238054 (the derivative product issuer), CMC Markets Stockbroking Limited, Participant of the ASX Group (Australian Securities Exchange) and SSX (Sydney Stock Exchange) and Chi-X (Chi-X Australia), ABN 69 081 002 851, AFSL No. 246381 (the stockbroking services provider) provides the financial products and/or services. It's important for you to consider the relevant Terms and Conditions, Product Disclosure Statement ('PDS') and any other relevant CMC Markets Documents before you decide whether or not to acquire any of the financial products. Our Financial Services Guide contains details of our fees and charges. All of these documents are available at cmcmarkets.com.au or you can call us on 1300 303 888.
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Exclusion Screening
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Vendor Screening
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White Label Services
Exclusion Lists
OIG Exclusion List (LEIE)
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State Exclusion Lists
The Proposed Expansion of CMS' Revocation Authority Makes Monthly Exclusion Screening of ALL Employees More Important than Ever!
(November 2, 2021): The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)[1] is the Federal agency tasked with the overall responsibility of managing the Medicare program. Thus, while the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is the primary agency responsible for protecting the integrity of the Medicare program, CMS and its various contractors serve as the program's… more>>
Health Law Articles
Alabama Exclusion Screening Requirements
(May 2, 2019) The Alabama Medicaid Program imposes significant exclusion screening requirements on its providers. Many are unaware of the extent of their exclusion screening obligations or of the severe consequences that can result from a failure to properly screen. This short summary has been prepared to help further provider awareness of the exclusion screening rules… more>>
California Exclusion List Screening Requirements
What are the California Exclusion List Screening requirements? The Medi-Cal Program will not pay for any item or service furnished directly or indirectly by individuals or entities that have been excluded or suspended from the Medi-Cal Program or that have been placed on the Office of Inspector General's Exclusion List. This results in a broad… more>>
Exclusion News
Dental OIG Exclusions – A Review of 2017 Actions.
(January 12, 2018): The Medicare and Medicaid programs are both essential, yet costly health benefit programs sponsored in whole or in part by the Federal government. With Medicare and Medicaid costing $686 and $368 billion each year, respectively, the government has dedicated experienced investigators, auditors and prosecutors to ferret out incidents of health care fraud and… more>>
OIG Guidance
Reciprocal Licensure Actions Can Lead to Medicare Revocation and Exclusion
(January 8, 2018): Most physicians will progress through their entire career without ever having to respond to a complaint or investigation by their State Medical Board. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case. An average of 4,309 physicians are disciplined each year by state licensure boards around the country.[1] A recent case aptly illustrates how a… more>>
Pain Management Prescribing Practices and Audits
(August 16, 2017): Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) executed its most extensive "health care fraud takedown" to date, initially arresting 412 licensed healthcare providers, doctors, and nurses alleged to have engaged in fraudulent conduct. As Attorney General Jeff Sessions stated at that time, "We are sending a clear message to criminals… more>>
The New "Seventh Element" of Compliance: Screening and Evaluating Employee Suitability!
The recently issued Resource Guide for Measuring Compliance Program Effectiveness, reconfigures the traditional formulation of the "Seven Elements of an Effective Compliance Program by making the "Screening and Evaluation of Employees, Physicians, Vendors and other Agents" an element unto itself – or the new "Seventh Element of Compliance!" The Resource Guide, a product of roundtable discussions… more>>
OIG Issues Final Rule Expanding Exclusion Authority
By Paul Weidenfeld January 23, 2017 On January 12, 2017, the Office of Inspector General published a final rule finalizing revisions to its exclusion authorities. The final rule makes changes to key definitions that could have a significant impact on providers by broadening the scope of their exclusion screening obligation and enhancing exclusion enforcement by… more>>
DOJ Announces $4.7B in FCA Recoveries: What Does It Mean?
DOJ Announces $4.7 billion in FCA Recoveries By Paul Weidenfeld December 16, 2016 The "Third Best Year" in False Claims Act History? The Department of Justice announced earlier this week that FY 2016 was its third best year in "False Claims Act History" with recoveries of more than $4.7 billion in settlements and judgments. Though it… more>>
Dept. of Justice
OIG Imposes Record Penalties for Exclusion Violations
OIG Imposes Record $21.5 Million in Penalties for Exclusion Violations! The OIG imposed a record $21.5 million civil money penalties and restitution against an Ohio corporation that operates pharmacies and supermarkets in 34 states for exclusion violations involving the employment of excluded individuals and fulfilling prescriptions by excluded prescribers! The settlement alleged that the company filled… more>>
OIG Enforcement Actions
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text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using NUnit.Framework;
using Simple1C.Interface;
using Simple1C.Tests.Helpers;
using Simple1C.Tests.Metadata1C.Документы;
using Simple1C.Tests.Metadata1C.Перечисления;
using Simple1C.Tests.Metadata1C.Справочники;

namespace Simple1C.Tests
{
    public class InMemoryDataContextTest : TestBase
    {
        private IDataContext dataContext;

        protected override void SetUp()
        {
            base.SetUp();
            dataContext = DataContextFactory.CreateInMemory(typeof(Контрагенты).Assembly);
        }

        [Test]
        public void EmptyStore()
        {
            var values = dataContext.Select<Контрагенты>().ToArray();
            Assert.That(values, Is.Empty);
        }

        [Test]
        public void NoBackSideEffects()
        {
            var контрагент = new Контрагенты
            {
                ИНН = "123"
            };
            dataContext.Save(контрагент);

            var контрагент2 = dataContext.Single<Контрагенты>(x => x.ИНН == "123");
            контрагент2.Наименование = "test-name";
            dataContext.Save(контрагент2);

            Assert.That(string.IsNullOrEmpty(контрагент.Наименование));
        }

        [Test]
        public void LoadNewestRevisionWhenAccessPropertyForTheFirstTime()
        {
            dataContext.Save(new ДоговорыКонтрагентов
            {
                Наименование = "test contract",
                Владелец = new Контрагенты
                {
                    Наименование = "test contractor name"
                }
            });

            var договор = dataContext.Single<ДоговорыКонтрагентов>();
            Assert.That(договор.Наименование, Is.EqualTo("test contract"));

            var контрагент = dataContext.Single<Контрагенты>();
            контрагент.Наименование = "test contractor changed name";
            dataContext.Save(контрагент);

            Assert.That(договор.Владелец.Наименование, Is.EqualTo("test contractor changed name"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void TakeLastRevisionOnQuery()
        {
            dataContext.Save(new ДоговорыКонтрагентов
                {
                    Владелец = new Контрагенты
                    {
                        Наименование = "test contractor name"
                    }
                });

            var контрагент = dataContext.Single<Контрагенты>();
            контрагент.Наименование = "test changed contractor name";
            dataContext.Save(контрагент);

            var договор = dataContext.Single<ДоговорыКонтрагентов>();
            Assert.That(договор.Владелец.Наименование, Is.EqualTo("test changed contractor name"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void CanSaveEmptyEntity()
        {
            var entity = new Контрагенты();
            dataContext.Save(entity);
            var values1 = dataContext.Select<Контрагенты>().ToArray();
            Assert.That(values1.Length, Is.EqualTo(1));
            Assert.That(values1[0].Код, Is.Not.Null);
            Assert.That(values1[0].Наименование, Is.Null);
            values1[0].Наименование = "changed";
            dataContext.Save(values1[0]);

            var values2 = dataContext.Select<Контрагенты>().ToArray();
            Assert.That(values2.Length, Is.EqualTo(1));
            Assert.That(values2[0].Код, Is.EqualTo(values1[0].Код));
            Assert.That(values2[0].Наименование, Is.EqualTo("changed"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void CanSetListForExistingDocument()
        {
            var entity = new ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг
            {
                Комментарий = "Тестовое наименование"
            };
            dataContext.Save(entity);

            var item = dataContext.Single<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>();
            item.Услуги.Add(new ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг.ТабличнаяЧастьУслуги
            {
                Содержание = "test-content"
            });
            dataContext.Save(item);

            Assert.That(dataContext.Single<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Услуги[0].Содержание,
                Is.EqualTo("test-content"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void SimpleCatalogSave()
        {
            var entity = new Контрагенты
            {
                Наименование = "Тестовое наименование"
            };
            dataContext.Save(entity);
            var values = dataContext.Select<Контрагенты>().ToArray();
            Assert.That(values.Length, Is.EqualTo(1));
            Assert.That(values[0].Код, Is.Not.Null);
            Assert.That(values[0].Наименование, Is.EqualTo("Тестовое наименование"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void CanUpdateEntity()
        {
            var contractor = new Контрагенты { Наименование = "Вася" };
            dataContext.Save(contractor);

            contractor.Наименование = "Ваня";
            Assert.That(dataContext.Select<Контрагенты>().Single().Наименование,
                Is.EqualTo("Вася"));

            dataContext.Save(contractor);
            Assert.That(dataContext.Select<Контрагенты>().Single().Наименование,
                Is.EqualTo("Ваня"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void CanSaveItemWithCode()
        {
            var contractor = new Контрагенты
            {
                Код = "test-code",
                Наименование = "Вася"
            };
            dataContext.Save(contractor);

            Assert.That(dataContext.Select<Контрагенты>().Single().Код,
                Is.EqualTo("test-code"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void SimpleDocumentSave()
        {
            var entity = new ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг
            {
                Комментарий = "Тестовое наименование"
            };
            dataContext.Save(entity);
            var values = dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().ToArray();
            Assert.That(values.Length, Is.EqualTo(1));
            Assert.That(values[0].Номер, Is.Not.Null);
            Assert.That(values[0].Комментарий, Is.EqualTo("Тестовое наименование"));

            values[0].Комментарий = "changed";
            Assert.That(values[0].Комментарий, Is.EqualTo("changed"));
            Assert.That(entity.Комментарий, Is.EqualTo("Тестовое наименование"));
            Assert.That(dataContext.Single<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Комментарий,
                Is.EqualTo("Тестовое наименование"));

            dataContext.Save(values[0]);
            Assert.That(values[0].Комментарий, Is.EqualTo("changed"));
            Assert.That(entity.Комментарий, Is.EqualTo("Тестовое наименование"));
            Assert.That(dataContext.Single<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Комментарий,
                Is.EqualTo("changed"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void CanUpdateExistingTableSectionItem()
        {
            var entity = new ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг
            {
                Комментарий = "Тестовое наименование",
                Услуги = new List<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг.ТабличнаяЧастьУслуги>()
                {
                    new ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг.ТабличнаяЧастьУслуги
                    {
                        Содержание = "test-content"
                    }
                }
            };
            dataContext.Save(entity);
            var existing = dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Single();
            existing.Услуги[0].Содержание = "changed-content1";
            Assert.That(dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Single().Услуги[0].Содержание,
                Is.EqualTo("test-content"));
            dataContext.Save(existing);
            Assert.That(dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Single().Услуги[0].Содержание,
                Is.EqualTo("changed-content1"));

            existing.Услуги[0].Содержание = "changed-content2";
            Assert.That(dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Single().Услуги[0].Содержание,
                Is.EqualTo("changed-content1"));
            dataContext.Save(existing);
            Assert.That(dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Single().Услуги[0].Содержание,
                Is.EqualTo("changed-content2"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void CanUpdateTableSectionItem()
        {
            var entity = new ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг
            {
                Комментарий = "Тестовое наименование",
                Услуги = new List<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг.ТабличнаяЧастьУслуги>()
                {
                    new ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг.ТабличнаяЧастьУслуги
                    {
                        Содержание = "test-content"
                    }
                }
            };
            dataContext.Save(entity);
            Assert.That(dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Single().Услуги[0].Содержание,
                Is.EqualTo("test-content"));
            entity.Услуги[0].Содержание = "changed-content";
            dataContext.Save(entity);
            Assert.That(dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Single().Услуги[0].Содержание,
                Is.EqualTo("changed-content"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void CanDeleteTableSectionItem()
        {
            var entity = new ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг
            {
                Комментарий = "Тестовое наименование",
                Услуги = new List<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг.ТабличнаяЧастьУслуги>()
                {
                    new ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг.ТабличнаяЧастьУслуги
                    {
                        Содержание = "test-content"
                    }
                }
            };
            dataContext.Save(entity);
            Assert.That(dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Single().Услуги.Count,
                Is.EqualTo(1));
            entity.Услуги.RemoveAt(0);
            Assert.That(dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Single().Услуги.Count,
                Is.EqualTo(1));
            dataContext.Save(entity);
            Assert.That(dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Single().Услуги.Count,
                Is.EqualTo(0));
        }

        [Test]
        public void CanSaveDocumentWithTableSection()
        {
            var entity = new ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг
            {
                Комментарий = "Тестовое наименование",
                Услуги = new List<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг.ТабличнаяЧастьУслуги>()
                {
                    new ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг.ТабличнаяЧастьУслуги
                    {
                        Содержание = "chair"
                    },
                    new ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг.ТабличнаяЧастьУслуги
                    {
                        Содержание = "table"
                    }
                }
            };
            Assert.That(entity.Услуги[0].Содержание, Is.EqualTo("chair"));
            Assert.That(entity.Услуги[1].Содержание, Is.EqualTo("table"));
            dataContext.Save(entity);
            var readEntity = dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Single();
            Assert.That(readEntity.Услуги[0].Содержание, Is.EqualTo("chair"));
            Assert.That(readEntity.Услуги[1].Содержание, Is.EqualTo("table"));

            var t = readEntity.Услуги[0];
            readEntity.Услуги[0] = readEntity.Услуги[1];
            readEntity.Услуги[1] = t;

            Assert.That(entity.Услуги[0].Содержание, Is.EqualTo("chair"));
            Assert.That(entity.Услуги[1].Содержание, Is.EqualTo("table"));

            Assert.That(readEntity.Услуги[0].Содержание, Is.EqualTo("table"));
            Assert.That(readEntity.Услуги[1].Содержание, Is.EqualTo("chair"));

            var readEntity2 = dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Single();
            Assert.That(readEntity2.Услуги[0].Содержание, Is.EqualTo("chair"));
            Assert.That(readEntity2.Услуги[1].Содержание, Is.EqualTo("table"));

            dataContext.Save(readEntity);
            var readEntity3 = dataContext.Select<ПоступлениеТоваровУслуг>().Single();
            Assert.That(readEntity3.Услуги[0].Содержание, Is.EqualTo("table"));
            Assert.That(readEntity3.Услуги[1].Содержание, Is.EqualTo("chair"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void SimpleInnerSave()
        {
            var counterparty = new Контрагенты
            {
                Наименование = "Тестовый контрагент"
            };
            var contract = new ДоговорыКонтрагентов
            {
                Наименование = "Тестовый договор",
                Владелец = counterparty
            };

            dataContext.Save(contract);
            var array = dataContext.Select<Контрагенты>().ToArray();
            Assert.That(array.Length, Is.EqualTo(1));
            Assert.That(array[0].Наименование, Is.EqualTo("Тестовый контрагент"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void UnionTypeWithAbstractEntityValue()
        {
            var counterparty = new Контрагенты
            {
                Наименование = "Тестовый контрагент"
            };
            var contract = new БанковскиеСчета
            {
                Наименование = "Тестовый счет",
                Владелец = counterparty
            };

            dataContext.Save(contract);
            var array = dataContext.Select<БанковскиеСчета>().ToArray();
            Assert.That(array.Length, Is.EqualTo(1));
            Assert.That(array[0].Владелец, Is.TypeOf<Контрагенты>());
            Assert.That(((Контрагенты)array[0].Владелец).Наименование,
                Is.EqualTo("Тестовый контрагент"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void CanReadUniqueIdentifierAfterSave()
        {
            var counterparty = new Контрагенты
            {
                Наименование = "Тестовый контрагент"
            };
            dataContext.Save(counterparty);
            Assert.IsNotNull(counterparty.УникальныйИдентификатор);
            Assert.That(counterparty.УникальныйИдентификатор.Value, Is.Not.EqualTo(Guid.Empty));

            var loadedCounterparty = dataContext
                .Select<Контрагенты>()
                .Single(x => x.УникальныйИдентификатор == counterparty.УникальныйИдентификатор.Value);
            Assert.That(loadedCounterparty.Наименование, Is.EqualTo("Тестовый контрагент"));

            loadedCounterparty.Наименование = "changed";
            dataContext.Save(loadedCounterparty);

            var loadedCounterparty2 = dataContext
                .Select<Контрагенты>()
                .Single(x => x.УникальныйИдентификатор == counterparty.УникальныйИдентификатор.Value);
            Assert.That(loadedCounterparty2.Наименование, Is.EqualTo("changed"));
        }

        [Test]
        public void UnionTypeWithEnumValue()
        {
            var contract = new БанковскиеСчета
            {
                Наименование = "Тестовый счет",
                Владелец = ВидыЛицензийАлкогольнойПродукции.Пиво
            };
            dataContext.Save(contract);
            var array = dataContext.Select<БанковскиеСчета>().ToArray();
            Assert.That(array.Length, Is.EqualTo(1));
            Assert.That(array[0].Владелец, Is.EqualTo(ВидыЛицензийАлкогольнойПродукции.Пиво));
        }

        [Test]
        public void CanReadValueTypes()
        {
            var acocunt = new БанковскиеСчета
            {
                ДатаЗакрытия = new DateTime(2016, 6, 21)
            };
            dataContext.Save(acocunt);

            var account = dataContext.Single<БанковскиеСчета>();
            Assert.That(account.ДатаЗакрытия, Is.EqualTo(new DateTime(2016, 6, 21)));
        }

        [Test]
        public void NestedObjectNullException()
        {
            var договор = new ДоговорыКонтрагентов
            {
                Владелец = null
            };
            dataContext.Save(договор);
            Assert.That(договор.УникальныйИдентификатор, Is.Not.Null);
            var договоры = dataContext.Select<ДоговорыКонтрагентов>()
                .Where(x => x.УникальныйИдентификатор == договор.УникальныйИдентификатор)
                .ToArray();
            Assert.That(договоры.Length, Is.EqualTo(1));
            Assert.That(договоры[0].Владелец, Is.Null);
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Digital advertising may be growing very big very fast, but young Americans still love their TV shows, and the brands that back those shows, according to a new study by the Video Advertising Bureau.
In fact, those Millennial fans have what the study called a "360-degree relationship" with their favorite shows, from scheduling when they'll watch a new episode to posting about the shows and reading episode recaps to visiting the restaurant of that hot new chef from a cooking program.
Committed: Exploring Millennials' Meaningful Relationship With TV Programming, surveyed 1,000 young adults ages 18 to 34 about their durable attachment to ad-supported TV programming, and its outsized influence on their buying and socializing decisions.
The VAB study arrived about the same time as bullish new projections for 2018 global ad revenues from Magna Global, the big media agency. Magna's mid-year update found that advertising of all kinds now is projected to jump 6.9 percent to $207 billion worldwide.
Those 2018 numbers are plumped up by soccer's World Cup, the Winter Olympics and the U.S. mid-term elections. But even minus the cyclical bumps to the bottom line, advertising should rise 4 percent.
Digital ads will be a big beneficiary, jumping to 51.5 percent of all U.S. ad revenues this year, which will hit an all-time high of $106 billion, Magna said. TV will continue to grow as well (1 percent), especially at the local broadcast level (up 9 percent).
That's good news for brands still relying TV amid big changes in viewing habits, thanks to cord-cutting, DVRs, subscription video services such as Netflix and Amazon, and the rise of mobile. But the VAB survey suggests that for many young adults, settling in to watch their favorite TV shows remains a highlight of their week, no matter where they ended up watching it.
"Millennials have more choices than ever in a 'million-channel world,' making deft targeting a crucial skill for modern marketers," said Tim Sovay, the COO at CreatorIQ, an influencer-marketing platform. "And as the lines between digital and traditional continue to blur, digital creators increasingly see (having a presence across) television, streaming platforms, and podcasts as attainable, as do their large brand partners that enable this growth."
According to the VAB study, nearly three in four Millennials (74 percent) consider TV to be their "me time." Nearly as many (73 percent) try to watch every new episode of their favorite shows.
Some 61 percent said they regularly set aside time to watch their favorites, and more than half (56 percent) said the finale of each season left them sad about having to wait months to see their favorite's next new episode.
"Emotion drives everything we do – what shows we watch, what we buy, what we wear," said Jared Feldman, CEO and founder of Canvs, which uses artificial-intelligence tools to measure emotional responses in social-media and other outlets about TV shows. "As millennials prioritize TV viewing, it's more important than ever to analyze their Emotional Reactions to shows and dig into how this influences their outwardly expression and behavior."
43 percent have purchased a TV star's product line after seeing it saw on TV.
Those rates are all somewhat higher than the adult population as a whole. Millennials, who have been leading cord-cutters in response to pricey pay-TV packages, still are powerfully connected to their favorite shows.
"Brand advocacy, traditionally known as commercial endorsement, has thrived on every popular communication medium for decades," said Sovay. "Influencer marketing is simply the latest powerful incarnation of brand advocacy. What has changed is not the fundamental format, but rather the volume of distribution channels and the voraciousness of the niche audiences that subscribe."
The goodwill carries over online to other fan behaviors. Almost half of those surveyed said they go online to hunt down episode recaps and reviews. Perhaps that's not a surprise given the rising popularity in recent years of such "meta-shows" as The Talking Dead and basically everything Andy Cohen does on air for Bravo, and endless posts across many sites focused on what happened in big shows.
And of course, younger fans have been filling their social-media accounts with never-ending conversations about their favorite shows, stars and brands. Some 55 percent of those surveyed said they had used a phrase in conversation that they'd heard on TV. Another 45 percent share, post, or tweet video clips and content. The study even found that Millennials bonded more intensely with TV programming than with original YouTube content.
"Millennials are growing the trillions of different expressions we have every day, evolving language and culture through their emotion-driven interactions with content and each other," Feldman said. "At Canvs, we use semantic AI and machine learning systems to understand how and why people feel, and use those insights to inform content creation and business decisions."
The Video Advertising Bureau's members include a wide range of broadcast and pay-TV networks and distributors. The study was conducted online in April by Research Now. Survey respondents skewed slightly younger but otherwise aligned with the population.


Its twists and curls may look pro-level complicated, but this intricate updo is surprisingly simple to create. Click through for all of the how-to steps.
Taking 2-inch sections, curl all of your hair with a 1-inch curling wand to create a smooth, thicker texture. Then, part it in the middle and divide each side into three sections (top to bottom).
Lift the top layer of hair (it should rest just above ear level), tease, and twist. Pull it across the back of your head, securing with bobby pins. Repeat on the other side, then tuck in the ends.
Keep going until all six sections are twisted, crisscrossed, and pinned in place. When finished, spritz with firm-hold spray, such as L'Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Strong Hold Hairspray (available at drugstore.com).
Smooth and sophisticated, this easy-to-master hairstyle is just right for a warm-weather wedding.
Apply a pea-sized drop of Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil before you blow-dry to give strands extra shine. Once hair is completely dry, create a deep side part and comb it straight.
Place hair in a low ponytail using a no-snag band, like a goody Colour Collection Elastic (available at Target). But don't pull it all the way through the last loop of the elastic; instead, leave a bit out.
Smooth the loose hair with a little extra oil, then wrap it around the elastic. Secure it underneath with a few bobby pins, tucking in any stray strands. Set the whole style with hair spray.
This fresh, easy style is as modern as it is timeless: Low-swept curls recall a classic chignon, while an asymmetrical silhouette lends a flirty vibe. "It's young and coquettish," says Andre Rodman, a stylist at Frederic Fekkai salon in New York City.
Peekaboo bangs and tomato-red lipstick? It's a match made in heaven. Clinique Long Last lipstick in Red, Red, Red, clinique.com. "Truce" camisole, The Lake & Stars. "Cupidon" bra, eresparis.com. "Everlon" diamond knot bracelet, samsclub.com. Pear-shaped ring, kirkkara.com. Small sofa, larsbolander.com.
Gather hair into a low ponytail. Twist it along the nape of your neck, pinning as you go.
Once you reach your ear, shape the remaining hair into curls, and pin them back over the twist.
Spritz strands in place. Try Frederic Fekkai Full Blown Volume Lifting Hairspray, $20, fekkai.com.
To add texture, gently curl and scrunch the wispy ends with your fingertips.
This style puts a formal spin on the basic bun without compromising its simple elegance. Hair is swept completely away from the face, so "it's perfect for an outdoor wedding," says Rodman. Balance the bold architecture with antique-inspired accessories.
Keep makeup graceful and subdued with cream eye shadows in smoky hues. Maybelline New York Color Plush Silk Eyeshadow, at drugstores. "Townhouse" mini robe, by Matters of Leisure, journelle.com. "Melina" corset, eresparis.com. Ring and earrings, debeers.com. Sofa and dressing table, larsbolander.com. Vera Wang "Bouquet" eau de parfum, sephora.com.
Blow-dry hair straight. Try Pureology Super Smooth Smoothing Cream, pureology.com.
For a super-sleek look , use a flat iron to smooth out the ends.
Part your hair on the side. Leaving out a piece in the front, gather it into a high ponytail.
Pull the front piece back along your ear and around the ponytail. Pin it around the elastic.
Divide the pony into four sections. Twist one section, wrap it around the base, and pin.
Repeat the process with the remaining three sections until a bun forms.
If your hair is layered and spiky pieces pop up here and there, simply pin them into place.
For this romantic look, consider flushed, glowing skin a requirement.
Paul & Joe Creamy Cheek Powder blush in butterfly, beautyhabit.com. Camisole, Julianne, journelle.com. Earrings, Fantasia for Jennifer Miller Jewelry; necklace, Roni Blanshay, jennifermillerjewelry.com. Ring, harrywinston.com. Brooch, Camilla Dietz Bergeron, cdbltd.com.
Use a large-barrel curling iron to create loose curls all around your head, from the ears down.
Part your hair in the middle, and use your fingers to loosen and separate the curls.
Starting halfway down the part, begin spritzing your roots with hairspray. Continue to the crown.
To create height and volume, tease the sprayed hair with a fine-tooth comb.
Use a brush to gently smooth the teased hair, and gather the sides up into a half ponytail.
Secure the sides with pins, then use your fingers to gently shape the curls into place.
End with shine spray. Try John Frieda Frizz-Ease 100% Shine Glossing Mist, at drugstores.


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South Africa and Denmark pens green strategic partnership
Based on a decade long sector cooperation on water, resilient cities and energy, South Africa and Denmark are gearing up their collaboration with a new green strategic partnership. The multifaceted partnership is based on a common desire to build a sustainable future where agri-food, renewable energy and urban developments will take the main stage. While being a lever for job creation and green growth across both countries, the tie-up also focuses on making living conditions better in areas effected by environmental degradation and climate effects. The green strategic partnership with South Africa is Denmark's first of its kind on the African continent:
"Today, we have made our first green strategic partnership with an African country. South Africa is a big emitter of CO2 and a crucial partner in fighting climate change across the continent. I am very pleased with the agreement," said Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen following the announcement in Brussels on 18 February.
The Danish Prime Minister further underlined how Denmark seeks to utilise the pathway of common interests to help limit the consequences of water shortage, which may lead to droughts, migration and safety challenges. The exact deliveries and specific focus areas will be presented in an upcoming action plan.
Learn more about South Africa and Denmark's previous sector cooperation and the ongoing green collaboration in the links below:
A new horizon for battery energy storage is rising in South Africa
Denmark strengthens green partnerships with China, Vietnam, Mexico, South Africa
Assisting South Africa in meeting issues of water security
[caption id="attachment_142268" align="aligncenter" width="494"] Photo of President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen signing the agreement on 18 February.[/caption]
In 2020, Denmark entered into a similar green partnership with India. Amongst others, the partnership seeks to help India achieve its ambition to increase its renewable energy capacity by more than 300 gigawatts by 2030. You may read more about the Indian-Danish partnership here.
You should consider reading
Shared Storage Facility for the Royal Danish Library and National Museum
Gottlieb Paludan Architects, in association with DS Flexhal and MOE, has designed the Agency for Culture and Palaces' Shared storage facility near Frederikssund.
Sound of Green, a podcast series with insights from Denmark's green transition
From managing cloudbursts to setting up climate partnerships, we examine how Denmark has turned acute climate challenges into new opportunities. In our podcast series Sound of Green, experts convey how Danish experiences can push the needle toward global green transition. Find it on Spotify, Apple Podcast and stateofgreen.com.
Amagerværket BIO4
Acting as lead consultants, Gottlieb Paludan Architects has won the architecture competition to design the new bio-mass combined heat and power unit. The proposal has been created in collaboration with landscape architects; Møller & Grønborg and lightning designers; Speirs + Major. The BIO4 proj
Danish deposit system reaches full economic circularity
The Danish deposit and return system for recycling bottles and cans is now fully circular, as the non-profit system in 2023 reached zero expenses for producers and 100 percent economic circularity.
Delivering sustainable equipment for greenfield project in India
Due to an increased demand for sustainable productivity and emissions control, Indian Cement producer Shree Cement has signed a greenfield contract with FLSmidth to deliver a series of sustainable equipment, inclyding the world's largest Cross-bar Cooler, the FLSmidth OK Cement Mill and the JE
EU amps up ambitions for offshore renewable energy capacities
Building upon last year's Esbjerg Declaration and Marienborg Declaration signed in Denmark, EU Members States agree to almost double offshore wind capacities by 2030 across its five sea basins.
Home » News » South Africa and Denmark pens green strategic partnership


The Smallest Town in New Hampshire and the First in the Nation to Vote.
This is one time when size does not matter! Every four years, the eyes of the nation turn to Hart's Location, the smallest town in New Hampshire with a population of 43, as they cast their votes first for the Presidential primary and election. Check back for the results of the First in the Nation Presidential Primary in January or February of 2020.
The tradition began in 1948 when the township was inhabited mostly by Maine Central Railroad workers and their families. Early voting at 7 am started to accommodate the railroad workers living in town. This was the most convenient time for the best voter turnout. The midnight voting practice started in 1952 and continued for many years until the number of media who came grew and the residents voted after the 1964 election to stop midnight voting. Read more about how and when Hart's Location became first in the nation to vote.
Located in Carroll County in the White Mountains Region of New Hampshire, Hart's Location is only 11 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. Much of this area lies within the 800,000+ acre White Mountain National Forest with steep mountains and sheer cliffs on both sides. The town is home to Crawford Notch State Park noted for its rugged wilderness beauty, crossed by the Appalachian Trail and provides access to Arethusa Falls, New Hampshire's highest waterfall.
Photo Credit: Conway Scenic Railroad Snow Train photo above © Kevin Burkholder, Steel Wheels Photography.
Click to view voting results.
How did this tiny town gain national recognition? Learn how and when this all began.
Plan a visit to this pet-friendly destination and stay in a country inn, cottage, cabin or campground.
Annual Report, Town Tax Maps, Building Permit & NH Energy Code Applications, Land Use Ordinances and more.


79 degrees in Dayton Ohio at 4:15 PM. A whopping 60 degrees in Auburn Hills. 240 miles apart, yet nineteen degrees. That's a one degree difference every 14 miles.
If someone were to ask you which state, Alaska or Hawaii, you thought had a higher record temperature, what would you say?
If you picked Hawaii, you're wrong.
If you picked Alaska, well you're wrong as well.
The two states share the same record high at 100° F. Read why here.


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HomeAssignment 3How can international students in Australian universities survive in the battle to maintain their mental health
How can international students in Australian universities survive in the battle to maintain their mental health
2019-05-31 Xiaoran Huang Assignment 3 0
Photo: Students from different countries at the University of New South Wales walking in the campus. (AAP: Dean Lewins)
In January this year, Victoria's Coroner reported that international students are more likely to commit suicide than Australian-born students.
That information was contained in a Victorian Coroners Prevention Unit (CPU) report which examined 27 international student suicides, and which showed that only 22 % of them sought professional support before their suicides.
In contrast, 57% of Australian-born students attended a mental health service for help before they ended their life.
Now with the government promising more funds for mental health services and new research showing a significant increase (12 %) in the number of international students coming to Australia in the last year (see below) it's critical for international students to know how to seek support to maintain their mental health.
International students data released by Department of Education and Training
'It's a war fighting yourself'
Youqing You, a Finance major from Taiwan, was struggling mental illness during semester and applied for Special Consideration after her mid-semester exam.
She said she had experienced exam pressure in the past, but did not attach importance to it.
"I suddenly felt like my mind was disordered and not able to organise any complete sentences during the exam," she said.
"I went to the medical centre, and the doctor diagnosed me as 'totally unable to learn' because of depression and anxiety. Then I realised how serious it was."
After reading a story of overcoming mental distress posted by an international student on ABC life, she felt able to share her similar experience.
"At the beginning, I just couldn't sleep well. I've always been worried about my grade and how people think of me."
"Then, I felt lonely. I have few opportunities to make friends because what I'm studying relies on independent study. I spent most of my time at the library."
Youqing said that being aware of mental health is just the first important step. International students should seek help and access support once they start to feel insomnia, depression and anxiety.
"I understand academic performance sounds more important than some negative emotions, but do not ignore your personal feelings."
"It's a war fighting yourself. You should be brave to speak up and seek help. Then you are more likely to survive."
Photo: Youqing You standing in front of a painted wall. (supplied: Youqing You)
'Good and stable mental health must be a priority for international students'
Ashley Craig, Professor of Behavioural Sciences at the University of Technology, Sydney, said mental health is significant for a good quality of life for everyone, including international students.
"Without it, wellbeing suffers enormously."
Craig said international students face specific challenges that result in mental distress.
"That may include feeling lonely, financially stretched, sometimes having conflicts due to living in a foreign country and language difficulties."
He said pressures of the course and exams are the common fears and stresses of studying at university for international students.
Craig said that sleep quality and physical exercise are crucial to achieving a balance between mental health and academic work.
"To make sure you sleep well most nights, physically exercise regularly at least 30 minutes for 4-5 days each week," he said.
It is also essential to not be isolated and to maintain connections with society.
"Remain socially active, keep in touch with family back home, eat regularly and balanced, and do things you enjoy regularly."
According to Craig, students do have easy access to counselling and advice because many universities have taken actions to promote mental health already.
Craig also has recommended that universities should give international students information about mental health in the beginning of their courses.
Photo: An international student walking at the library.(Spplied: Pexels.com)
'To open up about mental health problems'
Non-profit organizations are also putting their effort into maintaining and improving mental health.
Katherine, a moderator of eheadspace, ran an online group chat for international students to be aware of mental health services and to feel equipped to use them.
Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation which provides professional mental health services to young people between the age of 12 and 25.
It has launched over 100 headspace centres across Australia and provided online support to increase accessibility.
Image: Lifelines in Australia. (ABC Life: Devana Senanayake)
Katherine encourages international students to speak up about their mental distress.
"Most students will not talk about it with others when encountering mental health issues, even with a family member."
However, she said it's essential for international students to seek counsel with professionals.
"The only thing you need to do is to open up about your mental health problems and contact your local centre. We are happy to help you!"
There is a free application with the same name, Headspace, to help people reduce pressure, release mental disorder and sleep better.
Other organisations, such as Beyond Blue and Black Dog Institute, provide mental distress support and suicide prevention and information about the latest mental health research.
To survive in the battle of maintaining mental health, international students need to seek help and attend health services in universities or organisations.
To find a Headspace centre near you, please click here!
Are you an international student who has suffered from insomnia, depression and anxiety? Please comment to share your experience with us.
International student suicides
International students' mental health
overcoming mental illness
seek help
Sydney's homelessness problem is becoming more complex to resolve
Australian communities' ongoing war against abandoned trolleys
More actions needed to promote international students' mental health
2019-04-23 Xiaoran Huang Assignment 2, Online journalism proposal 1
The topic of the story is issues regarding international students' mental health in universities in Australia, taking a news angle of how international students deal with their depressions and seek help and how universities and […]
Proposal: when Australian tutors know how to use WeChat
2019-04-23 Zijing Ye Uncategorized 1
Issue The issue is about a professor Craig Mellare in the University of Sydney who are using WeChat and communicates with Chinese students. It starts with a conversation on WeChat. A Chinese student posted a […]
Coronavirus: psychological counseling for Chinese students in Australia during COVID – 19
2020-04-26 Yue Zhang Assignment 2 0
I'm going to write a special report on the psychological counseling problems of Chinese students who chose to stay in Australia when the epidemic of COVID 19 was getting worse.I will analyze the psychological negative […]


It was recently released in an article that was posted on PR Newswire that Beneful has put a new advertising campaign out there. The pet food company has decided to let all of those who use and love their products tell of their love for the brand in the advertisements, and many people have been happy to do that. Beneful is a brand that sells products that are made with care, and people love that. They appreciate that Beneful puts so much work into what it is doing, and they are happy to speak out on how good the brand is in their new advertising campaign.
The advertising campaign is sure to make Beneful gain even more popularity, as people see that real people are saying good things about the brand. Pet owners everywhere will want to get started using the products sold from Beneful because of how good they are for pets. The products that Beneful produces are all made with quality ingredients and special care, and that is what has attracted people to the company in the first place, and it is what is making people want to tell the world about their love for the special brand.


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Q: How to automatically select idle GPU for model traning in tensorflow? I am using nvidia prebuilt docker container NVIDIA Release 20.12-tf2 to run my experiment. I am using TensorFlow Version 2.3.1. Currently, I am running my model on one of GPU, I still have 3 more idle GPUs so I intend to use my alternative experiment on any idle GPUs. Here is the output of nvidia-smi:
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| NVIDIA-SMI 450.51.06    Driver Version: 450.51.06    CUDA Version: 11.1     |
|-------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| GPU  Name        Persistence-M| Bus-Id        Disp.A | Volatile Uncorr. ECC |
| Fan  Temp  Perf  Pwr:Usage/Cap|         Memory-Usage | GPU-Util  Compute M. |
|                               |                      |               MIG M. |
|===============================+======================+======================|
|   0  Tesla T4            Off  | 00000000:6A:00.0 Off |                    0 |
| N/A   70C    P0    71W /  70W |  14586MiB / 15109MiB |    100%      Default |
|                               |                      |                  N/A |
+-------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
|   1  Tesla T4            Off  | 00000000:6B:00.0 Off |                    0 |
| N/A   39C    P0    27W /  70W |    212MiB / 15109MiB |      0%      Default |
|                               |                      |                  N/A |
+-------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
|   2  Tesla T4            Off  | 00000000:6C:00.0 Off |                    0 |
| N/A   41C    P0    28W /  70W |    212MiB / 15109MiB |      0%      Default |
|                               |                      |                  N/A |
+-------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
|   3  Tesla T4            Off  | 00000000:6D:00.0 Off |                    0 |
| N/A   41C    P0    28W /  70W |    212MiB / 15109MiB |      0%      Default |
|                               |                      |                  N/A |
+-------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Processes:                                                                  |
|  GPU   GI   CI        PID   Type   Process name                  GPU Memory |
|        ID   ID                                                   Usage      |
|=============================================================================|
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

update: prebuilt -container:
I'm using nvidia-prebuilt container as follow:
docker run -ti --rm --gpus all --shm-size=1024m -v /home/hamilton/data:/data nvcr.io/nvidia/tensorflow:20.12-tf2-py3

To utilize idle GPU for my other experiments, I tried to add those in my python script:
attempt-1
import tensorflow as tf

devices = tf.config.experimental.list_physical_devices('GPU')
tf.config.experimental.set_memory_growth(devices[0], True)

but this attempt gave me following error:

raise ValueError("Memory growth cannot differ between GPU devices") ValueError: Memory growth cannot differ between GPU devices

I googled this error but none of them discussed on GitHub is not working for me.
attempt-2
I also tried this:
gpus = tf.config.experimental.list_physical_devices('GPU')
for gpu in gpus:
  tf.config.experimental.set_memory_growth(gpu, True)

but this attempt also gave me error like this:

Error occurred when finalizing GeneratorDataset iterator: Failed
precondition: Python interpreter state is not initialized. The process
may be terminated.

people discussed this error on github but still not able to get rid of error on my side.
latest attempt:
I also tried  parallel training with TensorFlow and added those to my python script:
device_type = "GPU"
devices = tf.config.experimental.list_physical_devices(device_type)
devices_names = [d.name.split("e:")[1] for d in devices]
strategy = tf.distribute.MirroredStrategy(devices=devices_names[:3])

with strategy.scope():
    opt = Adam(learning_rate=0.1)
    model.compile(loss='categorical_crossentropy', optimizer=opt, metrics=['accuracy'])

but this gave me also error and the program stopped.
Can anyone help me how to automatically select idle GPUs for the training model in tensorflow? Does anyone know any workable approach? What's wrong with my above attempt? Any possible ideas to utilize idle GPUs while running the program on one of the GPUs? any thoughts?

A: Thanks to @HernánAlarcón suggestion, I tried like this and it worked like charm:
docker run -ti --rm --gpus device=1,3 --shm-size=1024m -v /home/hamilton/data:/data nvcr.io/nvidia/tensorflow:20.12-tf2-py3

this may not be an elegant solution but it worked like charm. I am open to other possible remedies to fix this sort of problem.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Offers comprehensive social services to Arab-American immigrant families and children. Provides services and activities including: English as a Second Language and literacy classes, citizenship courses, legal assistance, after-school, summer and weekend programs for children, violence prevention and intervention programs and access to free or low-cost health care. One caseworker is assigned to each family to assist them in solving problems.


The total arrivals for 2018 in both air and cruise visitation was 2,384,058, an 11.05 percent increase over the same period in 2017. Of those, 463,001 were stayover visitors, an increase of 10.66 percent – an additional 44,598 – over 2017; and 1,921,057 were cruise ship passengers, an increase of 11.1 percent.
According to the Department of Tourism, 2018 was the first year that Cayman welcomed more than 450,000 stayover visitors in a year. In another first, more than 50,000 stayover visitors traveled to Cayman within a single month twice in 2018 – in March and December.
The tourists are estimated to have spent US$880.1 million in Cayman in 2018, an increase of 12.5 percent, or US$98.1 million, over 2017.
He added that the government has committed to investment in points of entry at the cruise port and airports. "These much-needed upgrades will benefit [our] tourism operators, businesses, visitors and residents. My focus is to ensure that all subjects in my ministry portfolio operate efficiently and effectively to support the tourism sector. These results are an excellent indicator of the work accomplished in 2018," he said.
The Department of Tourism noted that December was the best month on record. It saw a 6.15 percent increase of stayover arrivals, with Cayman receiving more than 50,000, mainly from the North American markets.
"As with the overall statistical increase, the USA had the largest impact in December, having grown by over 2,600 additional visitors. This marks the 21st consecutive month of growth for this market, which included an increase in capacity by national flag carrier Cayman Airways from JFK in December 2018 compared to December 2017.
She said the upcoming new Denver, Colorado route, which Cayman Airways will launch in March, will act as a gateway for the West Coast of the United States, bringing "many new visitors" in 2019.


Short stories and general observations about the world of writing.
"C'mon. You know you want to." Eric grinned at his older sister with a hint of sibling malice.
Heather sat at her desk and struggled to finish her math homework. A tendril of electricity extended from Eric's forefinger, knocking the pen out of her fingers. He'd been teasing her all night. Heather tried to ignore him, hoping that he'd give up, but he must have sensed that she was close to losing it and kept going. A random snap knocked her chair. Minutes later, a blast of electricity knocked the picture of their grandfather. It fell to floor, glass shattering.
Eric knew that he'd gone too far. Heather's back tensed and energy crackled through the room as they prepared for battle. She stood and raised her arms, collecting moisture in the air until two orbs of water floated in her hands. Across the room, Eric's hands were over his head, a ball of lightning floating between them, the static electricity making his dark hair waver.
Their mother walked into the room and negated each of them with a flick of her wrist. As the power flowed into their mother, her eyes glowed while her skin became translucent. She was a human light bulb, powered by the strength of her own children. She returned to normal as she released the energy.
Heather had almost forgotten. The spirit candle was going to be lit tonight. It was the latest craze, using a candle to call the spirits of the people who had gone on. Heather wondered if maybe the spirits might just want to be left alone. And yet, there was a small part of her that glimmered with hope. Heather's grandfather had died over a month ago and she missed him terribly. He understood when the rest of her family didn't. They used to go fishing, each of them using their power with water to lure the biggest fish toward their boat.
Even though she missed him as much as anyone else, it felt wrong to call him back. She wanted to remember him alive, not as some spirit beckoned back to life by a fad.
Later, Heather sat at the dining room table, trying not to look at the crude device dominating the middle of their vision. It was white and looked like a candle. On the side was a small switch to turn it on and off. Heather didn't think this was going to work and was secretly relieved.
"What's wrong Heather?" said the kitchen table.
It no longer surprised her when wooden items spoke to her. Her father had been doing that since she was little. Her friends were always startled and little freaked out though. She'd stop inviting people over a long time ago.
Just then, her mother turned off all of the lights and leaned over to turn on the candle. It roared to life with an eerie blue flame.
"Let's close our eyes, join hands and think about Papi," said her mother. They held onto one another and focused on Heather's grandfather. The room was completely silent except for the brief flicker of the candle.
Heather felt an energy build up in the room. It was similar to the feeling she'd get right before Eric would zap her. She opened her eyes and looked around the room. Her family had their eyes closed and were all slumped awkwardly in their chairs. They were asleep. A wave of heaviness moved over her as well, as if a tremendous weight had been laid upon her body and the only escape would be in her dreams.
Something wasn't right. In the middle of the table, the blue flame grew higher and higher as if it was feeding on an energy source she couldn't see. As Heather felt herself grow weaker, she realized that they were the energy source. She had to do something, but she was so tired.
When she was little, her grandfather used to blow a puff of steam into her brother's face. It would drive him crazy. If she could muster up enough water and power, maybe she could damage the candle. Heather blew into the candle. It faltered just enough so she could reach over and turn it off.
Story written for YeahWrite Weekly Writing Challenge. Prompts were the word lighter and Magical Realism. To read other stories and vote for your favorites, click the link.
I'm thinking this would have worked well for the Horror prompt too!
It was hard to avoid, but you're right, I should figure out a way to display their powers a bit more naturally. Thank you for your comments.
I'm all about fighting with my brothers using lightning. This opening scene is so engaging. I feel like there might have been one too many magical elements added for a 750 word story. Maybe tightening up on one or two of the fascinating elements might give you a little room to resolve the ending.
What presence of mind Heather possesses! Love the added touch of reality with the 'recall'.
The sibling fight may be one of my favorite things that I've read of yours. It felt so natural- descriptions, dialogue, even Mom breaking it up.
I totally relate to younger brothers driving your crazy. There were some great story elements here. I wonder if this might have worked better as a longer story to include them all. I love the magical family premise and the conflict of whether to bring back grandpa. I think either could have carried a 750-word story.
That's my future goal. I'd like to take a lot of the small stories, flesh them out and get myself published. Thank you for your comments!
Oh this tripped me up: A random snap knocked her chair. Minutes later, a blast of electricity knocked the picture of their grandfather.
Was it after a few minutes really or was it right after the chair knocked and grandpa went crash.
I love that these siblings, despite their powers, are so typical of siblings. Their mother's frustration, and solution were very familiar (lolsob!) and authentic.


Cabalist; lived in Turkey in the eighteenth century. He is the author of the following works: (1) "Golel Or" (Who Evolved Light), on metempsychosis, according to the teachings of Isaac Luria, Ḥayyim Vital, and Azariah of Fano (Smyrna, 1737); (2) "Meore Or" (The Illuminators), a cabalistic commentary on the Pentateuch (Salonica, 1751); (3) "Meïr Bat 'Ayin" (Who Gives Light to the Apple of the Eye), explanations of the first volume of the "'En Ya'aḳob (Smyrna, 1755); (4) "Meïr la-Arez wela-Dorim" (Who Illuminates the Earth and Its Inhabitants), on the order of the Sabbatic sections (Salonica, 1747); (5) "Magen Abot" (The Shield of the Fathers), a cabalistic commentary on Pirḳe Abot (Salonica, 1748); (6) "Ḳarah Miḳrah" (An Accident Happened), on atonement for sexual impurities (Salonica, 1752).
Zedner, Cat. Hebr. Books Brit. Mus. p. 151.


At The Faber Group, we recognize that our client's time is one of their most valuable assets. By providing services which allow them to focus on their core business, we enable our clients to maximize their time in the most efficient manner without sacrificing quality. Whether affording them the opportunity to meet with C-level executives of prospective clients or advising them on real estate related matters, our clients recognize that it is time well spent.


Visit Carmen Cook's Web Site.
Regan Sinclair swore nothing would ever bring her back to Sapphire Creek. But a failed marriage and unemployment are strong motivators. It's time to brave the demons she left in her past. Alone.
He thought she was through with him.
Gavin McCabe rarely thinks of Regan, or the one incredible night they spent together. Not since she walked out of his life without a backwards glance. But when she walks back into his life, he sees the opportunity for answers. And maybe a second chance for love.
Neither see love coming…and it's coming in hot.
An overwhelming attraction flares to life every time the two of them are near each other, but their heat is quickly overshadowed. Their tight knit community is facing an unknown threat and Regan seems to be in the middle of it. Can she find solid ground with Gavin before this unknown menace crushes their burgeoning relationship?


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Q: How to send data using curl from Linux command line? I am trying to transmit data out of an embedded Linux device over the wifi connection. I have curl and wget on the device. How would I transmit data out of the device using curl or wget ? Any pointers welcome.

A: there is a "--post-file" option in wget:
wget --post-file=filetoSend URL

A: If it is only (key,value) pairs that you want to send then
curl -d key1=value1 -d key2=value2 <URL>

But if it is some file that you want to send then
curl --data-binary @<file path> <URL>

A: this is a get: curl "http://www.google.com/?hl=en&q=search"
for a post you have to use the option "-d" and specify the key=value variables

A: Try netcat, the swiss-army-knife for sending receiving data using the console ;). Some examples covering common use-cases can be found here:
http://www.g-loaded.eu/2006/11/06/netcat-a-couple-of-useful-examples/
Sending a file:
On your embedded device start serving content on port 3333:
cat myfile.txt | nc -l 3333

On your PC start listening on port 3333 and dump data into a file:
nc <ip-of-embedded-device> 3333 > receivedData.txt


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What's hiding inside Maya glyphs - History of Writing Systems #6 (Syllabary)
by NativLang
Maya glyphs aren't just Mesoamerican eye candy. They're a working writing system!
Unlike the thousands of logograms encountered in your journey so far, the Maya syllabary lets you combine a very limited number of syllables into a block to write a word. With a few tricks, you can even use those syllables for more complicated sound patterns, like words that end in a consonant.
That's not all Mayan writing can do! There are logographs, logographs plus syllables, logographs plus sound hints (phonetic complements) that invite Maya scribes to indulge in all kinds of creative and inventive patterns.
Maya Civilization
The Maya are an indigenous people of Mexico and Central America...
Maya Religion
Maya religious beliefs are formed on the notion that virtually...
Maya Government
Ancient Maya government was formed on the basis that rulers were...
Civilization (from the Latin civis=citizen and civitas=city) is...
The Mayan Pantheon: The Many Gods of the Maya
The pantheon of the Maya is a vast collection of deities worshipped...
Maya Writing
The Maya hieroglyphic writing system was a sophisticated combination...
Original video by NativLang. Embedded by John Horgan, published on 12 October 2017. Please check the original source(s) for copyright information. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.
NativLang, . (2017, October 12). What's hiding inside Maya glyphs - History of Writing Systems #6 (Syllabary). World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/video/1297/whats-hiding-inside-maya-glyphs---history-of-writi/
NativLang, . "What's hiding inside Maya glyphs - History of Writing Systems #6 (Syllabary)." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified October 12, 2017. https://www.worldhistory.org/video/1297/whats-hiding-inside-maya-glyphs---history-of-writi/.
NativLang, . "What's hiding inside Maya glyphs - History of Writing Systems #6 (Syllabary)." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 12 Oct 2017. Web. 31 Jan 2023.


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Q: Core Data - Swift - Catch "keypath not found in entity" error I am trying to catch an error when I execute a FetchRequest with a wrong/inexistent Key/Keypath but the app still crashes.
This is how I created the NSPredicate:
let pred = NSPredicate(format: "(\("WRONGKEY") = %@)", equalTo)
let request = NSFetchRequest()
request.predicate = pred
request.entity = MyEntityDescription

(WRONGKEY is a parameter that could be wrong/nonexistent in the Core Data schema)
And this is the line that cause the error:
var objects = managedContext?.executeFetchRequest(request, error: &error) as? [Model]

This is the error:

* Terminating app due to uncaught exception 'NSInvalidArgumentException', reason: 'keypath keyX not found in entity < NSSQLEntity EN id=2 >'
  * First throw call stack: .....

So I have tried to use:
if let objects = managedContext?.executeFetchRequest(request, error: &error) as? [Model] {
    println("okkkkkkkk")
} else {
    println("error")
}

but doesn't work.
I have tried:
if(error != nil) {

but doesn't work either.
Is there a way to catch the error and avoid that the app crashes?

A: In Swift, try-catch isn't available. You can switch back to Objective-C, or use a library like this one to add the functionality.
That said, your problem can be solved by keeping track of which keys are valid, instead of implementing a try-and-see approach.


In the process of mapping our YTL Group sustainability strategy, it is critical that we take note of the significant and emerging global trends in order that we continue to meet commitments to our numerous stakeholders in a balanced manner. Whilst there are occasional unanticipated inflection points in doing business that temporarily force a change in approach, the nonnegotiable components of our strategy and obligations to building the right thing in a sustainable manner remains unchanged.
We remain passionate and committed to our targeted Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4 – Quality Education, SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13 – Climate Action and SDG 14 – Life below Water). However, despite our best intentions and efforts we have not been able to deliver on all of them fully in the past year for a number of reasons, and hence the journey and deployment of human and financial capital continues.
The impacts of increased global protectionism, and also instances of extreme weather and tragic casualties specifically during the hot summer of 2018 in the northern hemisphere, fires in the Arctic circle, floods in India and the worst drought in Australia in one hundred years are themes that seem to echo more loudly from one year to the next. We cannot ignore that climate change had a pivotal role in the fall of the Roman Empire and Angkor, and that it could continue to affect developed and developing nations alike in the 21st century. Once again, Earth Overshoot Day moved a little earlier – this marks the day when humanity's resource consumption for the year exceeds Earth's capacity to regenerate those resources in the given year.
On reporting and transparency, I am pleased to say that this is our first Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) report. We also now have two YTL Group companies represented in the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Index of just 56 Malaysian companies – the first was YTL Corporation Berhad (YTL Corp) included in 2017 and the second was YTL Power International Berhad (YTLPI) added in June 2018.
True global protectionism first reared its retrogressive head when Britain's Corn Laws were enforced between 1815 and 1846 imposing steep import duties, and favouring political power associated with land ownership. The Corn Laws also had negative impacts on other sectors such as manufacturing, and reduced the disposable income of the British public. One hundred years later in this period of populism and growing authoritarianism, the values of free trade and open societies are again under attack. Tariffs tend to discriminate on the basis of where the items are produced and in some cases encourage unhealthy lobbying. This in turn can result in diminishing productivity and lead to worsening economic growth, negatively affecting the very people they are designed to protect.
A 21st century William Gladstone may be what is needed to reverse the worrying trend in global politics where meritocracy is taking a backseat to authoritarianism. In 2017 and 2018 we saw in equal measure how divisive politics and populist movements are changing the world. Protectionism and political crises may be reaching a climax now and a tipping point from which the world will either recoil and retract, or succumb and dive headlong into recession. Posturing and threats have become a mainstay of global politicking, and the politics of rage is now pervasive.
It is against this turbulent backdrop that we continue to operate and nurture our sustainability strategy as part of our Group's operations. Protectionism has not seriously impacted the irreversible march of sustainability, renewable energy and clean technology in the markets in which we operate, and we continue to have faith in the power of the free market economy to provide necessary checks and balances in the face of emerging trade barriers, and for competition, innovation and technology to continue to bring costs down.
The recent passing of my beloved Father and our Chairman and Founder, Tan Sri Dato' Seri (Dr) Yeoh Tiong Lay has allowed us to reinforce and extend our pledge to Quality Education at Group level and through YTL Foundation.
Empowering teachers is one of the key pillars of our commitment to education and largely justifies the time and resources that my late father Tan Sri Dato' Seri (Dr) Yeoh Tiong Lay gave to education in Malaysia and around the world. Aristotle said of teachers that "those who educate children well are more to be honoured than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well." Through YTL Foundation, we continue to spearhead our vision of providing access to quality education for all, regardless of social standing, location, gender, race or religion. Equal opportunity for every child is one of the core principles underpinning our efforts to provide communication tools, appropriate learning environments, and networks for teachers, students and parents to share and grow together.
We continue to carry out Frog Classroom makeovers for urban and rural schools, and at the time of writing, we have managed to renovate and equip 250 classrooms in and around the Klang Valley, with a target of 1,000 schools or classrooms by 2020. This includes major renovations and implementing Frog VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) with the support of Chromebooks and networks. We also continue to measure and monitor the effectiveness of the makeovers and find that the results justify extending the programme further throughout the country.
It was around the turn of the century when Alexander Parkes and Leo Baekeland invented Parkesine and Bakelite respectively. Parkesine was the first thermoplastic, and Bakelite was the first fully synthetic plastic based on a synthetic polymer made from phenol and formaldehyde. Consequently our love affair with this miracle packaging substrate was born, and one which would eventually lead to the poisoning of our ecosystems and eventually ourselves. Branding also started in earnest in the 1800's during the Victorian era, and evolved hand in hand with packaging. Branding and packaging were likely the result of two things; convenience expected by the consumer matched by producers aiming to provide product quality, consistency and unique positioning or branding.
It was around one hundred years after the advent of packaging that Jacques Yves-Cousteau said "water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans." It is possible that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish by weight if the world continues to dump approximately 20 million tonnes a year of plastic into the oceans. Our generation will have to either live with the guilt of having watched the wanton destruction of various habitats and specifically of the marine ecosystems, or to spend the balance of our days trying to find ways to reverse and restore these very habitats and clean up and arrest the scourge of plastic pollution.
A broad range of smart public policies and appropriate recycling infrastructure are needed in addition to aggressive campaigns to reduce consumption. This means radical change in our consumption habits, packaging solutions, regulations and a universal commitment to reducing, reusing, refusing, recycling, etc. The future of waste will likely be determined by systemic change and solutions which will be a key feature in sustainability of the circular economy or closed loop system, rather than a simple bandwagon effect. The creativity of ocean plastics being recycled to make credit cards, clothes, shoes, laptop computer cases, etc. are some of the ways of dealing with the symptoms of plastic pollution. However, it is the causes that need to be urgently dealt with.
Asia is probably considered ground zero in this battle on waste. Over 95% of plastic in the world's oceans originates from just ten rivers, and eight of those rivers are in Asia, with the other two, the Niger and the Nile, in Africa. The Yangtze River, leading the table, dumps an estimated 1.5 million tonnes of plastic into the Yellow Sea every year. In our hospitality business we are doing our part in moving towards providing refillable glass bottles using reverse osmosis (RO) water from our own plants, eliminating the use of wooden chopsticks and single-use plastic packaging and consumables. Our hotels and properties have also recently decided to join the global movement to stop offering plastic straws in all properties to take at least one relatively redundant but damaging contaminant out of the supply chain. There are many more initiatives to be rolled out in quick succession, and we aim to eliminate all single-use plastic items by 2025.
Eradicating the waste in existence is another approach to removing harmful contaminants from the environment. In our cement division we have extended our use of waste materials as aggregates and alternative fuels even further, whilst ensuring that any impacts on the environment, on local communities and in the workplace are mitigated. From being a leader in the import of waste ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), copper slag, industrial gypsum and the use of local pulverised fly ash (PFA) and silica fume, we are now committed to a fully circular model for using waste in our cement plants to produce slag cement or Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC), which is a variation of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), in addition to OPC.
In the use of alternative fuels derived from waste products, clinker kilns provide an ideal controlled environment with high temperatures and sufficient retention time for processing waste and hazardous materials, and breaking them down into their component oxides and subsequent recombination into clinker material. This has allowed us to process additional scheduled waste materials, including spent garnet from tank cleaning and waste oil and sludge in the oil and gas industry, and waste from chemical plants such as sulphur.
Similarly, waste bottom ash previously sent to a landfill at our coal-fired power plant in Java, Indonesia is increasingly used inhouse to produce paving blocks as mentioned in my 2017 letter. The quantity varies between 8.5% and 10.5% of the total bottom ash produced, diverting it from the landfill and at the same time producing a sustainable building material. Currently the plant has produced over 1.5 million paving blocks and is extending the programme further. Fly ash from the coal-fired plant is also almost completely used as a concrete aggregate by two local cement companies in Java.
At Wessex Water's subsidiary, GENeco, we have been further developing our flex fuel vehicle fleet powered partly or entirely by biomethane derived from food waste. From the Bio-Bug and Bio-Bus, we have now created the Bio-Bee vehicles which currently operate in and around Bristol, both collecting food waste and running on food waste. Whilst only a fraction of the 45,000 tonnes of food waste used in the anaerobic digestion facility is currently collected by the Bio-Bees, we are planning to expand the fleet of Bio-Bees further.
Ironically, in mid-2018 the European (EU) and UK food, drinks and livestock industries were beleaguered by a shortage of food grade CO2 which is a cheap by-product of ammonia production. Although of a far larger magnitude, global CO2 emissions rose in 2017. It was apparent that despite the surge of solar and wind projects, certain coal projects had a negative impact on the fuel mix in the power sector which has barely changed in 20 years. The use of natural gas grew by around 3% globally and in China a massive surge of 15% in 2017.
Global wind and solar capacity installed as of 30 June 2018 just passed the 1TW, or 1 million MW mark, and is forecast to pass the 2TW mark by 2023 at an almost 50% lower cost than the first TW. If we add hydro and other renewables, then we would have passed 2TW already, but the highest growth in capacity of 65 times since 2000 came from wind and solar.
As the global use of air-conditioning systems increases, demand for energy to power them could match the current capacity of Japan, the United States (US) and the EU combined. Efficiency in air-conditioning systems could be one of the leading energy saving innovations as the developing "hot" world catches up with the developed world. Whilst almost 90% of homes in the US and Japan already have air-conditioning, the penetration rates in Indonesia and India are 7% and 5% respectively.
A similar demand trend is developing in the passenger car market, where the costs per kilometre for an electric vehicle (EV) are roughly half that of gasoline and diesel, and hence driving demand for EVs and further power generation. Horse drawn carts or carriages were replaced by motor vehicles somewhere between 1920 and 1940 depending where in the world you looked. A similar trend is emerging with EVs where the more affordable new Tesla models may be the equivalent of the Ford Model T.
The number of electric and plug-in hybrid cars on the world's roads exceeded three million in 2017, a 54% increase compared with 2016, according to the latest edition of the International Energy Agency's Global Electric Vehicles Outlook. China remained by far the largest electric car market in the world, accounting for half sold last year. Nearly 580,000 electric cars were sold in China in 2017, a 72% increase from the previous year. The US was the second-highest, with about 280,000 cars sold in 2017, up from 160,000 in 2016. Nordic countries remain leaders in market share. Electric cars accounted for 39% of new car sales in Norway, making it the world leader in electric vehicle (EV) market share. In Iceland, new EV sales were 12% of the total while the share reached 6% in Sweden. Germany and Japan also saw strong growth, with sales more than doubling in both countries from their 2016 levels. Advances in rapid charging for EVs are also changing the potential demand for EVs. New technology may allow for rapid DC charging where 15 minutes could provide 500km EV autonomy, and also allows for bidirectional charging where vehicles can source from the grid when the price is low, and opens the door to vehicle-to-grid charging when prices are higher.
On the flip side of the emergence of electric vehicles, by 2030 when around 30% of all vehicles sold are EVs, the very initiatives by governments around the world that encourage the use of EVs could lead to a tax shortfall of close to USD100 billion by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency. The impacts will be further exacerbated by 2040 when the proportion of EV sales increases to 55%. It seems that governments will have to find a way to plug this hole using other taxes such as congestion charges and toll roads or electronic road pricing systems.
A recent study in China has shown that airborne pollution from vehicle emissions is not only causing serious health issues, but may also be contributing to diminished intelligence in children. Hence the argument for the long tailpipe is even less robust, and reinforces the belief that power generation with controlled conditions and emissions continue to be the logical way to feed increasing global demand for energy. The evidence showing damage to people's health caused by kerosene and wood or charcoal fires is indisputable. Hence, YTL Group continues to expand its portfolio of both off grid and utility scale power generation.
For off grid communities in and around Paiton, Java, we continue to build the rural renewable energy programme for villages within 50 km of our power plant, and have increased our microhydro units to 39, biogas units to 580, and solar installations to 65 units. From these installations alone, we manage to avoid around 10,000 tonnes of CO2 per year and reduce the consumption of diesel and kerosene. Avoided medical issues and other benefits for local communities are the real although generally unquantifiable advantages of this programme.
YTL's power subsidiary has been advocating the use of natural gas since the early 1990s when it built the first Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT) plants in Malaysia, and subsequently converted most of the generating capacity in YTL PowerSeraya from Heavy Fuel Oil to CCGT in Singapore. In our grid or utility scale energy expansion, we believe that well-managed power generation from our portfolio of CCGT, super critical coal plants, biomethane from waste, and other sustainable sources have a role to play in the mix of expanding capacity. YTL PowerSeraya in Singapore currently has almost 95% of output from CCGT and now rarely uses the Heavy Fuel Oil generation equipment. Including YTL Cement's two Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) plants in China and Malaysia of around 8 MW each, and GENeco's modest biomethane capacity from the UK operations, this will bring our total Group power generation capacity to over 5 GW.
Various impacts on the agricultural sector will necessitate even more aggressive intervention. The effect on crops posed by moving into a hothouse state, hardening of soil as a result of chemical fertilisers, higher salinity levels, and the stresses of a demand supply imbalance are all changing the face of the agricultural and livestock industries. The farming industry has been slow to harness the power of digital tools that continue to disrupt other industries, but there are changes afoot. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), a UN agency, estimates that food production needs to rise by almost 50% by 2050 to meet growing demand. Breeding in agriculture in the 1940s has evolved from an art resulting in a doubling of yields in oil crops, pulses and seeds to a high-tech science, where bioengineering advances will push through the ceiling previously reached.
In Wessex Water and GENeco we work with farmers and agricultural organisations to address the impact of fertilisers on soil quality and crop yields, and help find organic alternatives derived from our human and food waste sludge treatment processes. By analysing water catchment areas, runoffs from streams, rivers and farmlands, we are able to improve the use of solutions derived from organic waste. Similarly in Java, Indonesia, the sludge from the biogas units is used as an organic nonchemical fertiliser (BIOTAMOR) for local crops.
Regulators, legislators and consumers have equally significant parts to play in driving the sustainability agenda globally. Apart from persistent pressure being brought to bear on the timber and agricultural sectors, in early 2018 even the London Bullion Market Association announced that refiners and miners will have to provide data on a range of environmental benchmarks including usage of energy and water, pollution impacts, greenhouse gases, and also report on health and safety in their operations.
Similarly, investors are making a difference in the way companies' measure and report impacts. Total funds with responsible investing strategies hit USD22.9 trillion in 2016, up 25% in two years according to the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance. Financial reporting is a normal part of the healthy functioning of most capital markets, and now it is becoming more widely understood that social and environmental reporting will be too. This is another reason why we have decided to produce this, our first GRI report, in 2018, as part of the first step in providing even more transparency and closer adherence to recognised global reporting standards whilst at the same time protecting the interests of our various stakeholders.
The obligation and necessity in building the right thing can reap both spiritual and tangible rewards, and it remains a key cultural pillar of our values in YTL Group. Sustainable conduct is about making responsible, appropriate and informed choices given the constraints and settings we find ourselves faced with.
As a Group we are not there to force habits or preach culture, but to nurture Godly values and inculcate responsible behaviour with all of our stakeholders. We hope that we all do our best to mitigate negative impacts on the environment and society in an ethical manner consistent with our values of honesty, hard work, moral responsibility, togetherness and vitality. May God continue to guide us on our journey to Making a Good Future Happen.