#banks day 38.4

[mysimsloveaffair]

I get down on one knee as Maia grabs her chest.

Maia: Dub! What are you doing?

Wade: Something I’ve wanted to do since we met.

I pull out the ring Dwight and I worked so hard to create.

Wade: I know I’m taking a big risk here because you’ve expressed your uncertainty regarding marriage multiple times. But I pray to the Watcher that my certainty is enough for both of us. I love you; you’re my perfect companion and mother to our daughter. I want to complete that picture. Maia Tilley, will you marry me?

Maia nods slowly and takes the ring.

Maia: It’s green! Oh, Dub, it’s so beautiful!

Are those tears in her eyes?

Wade: Dwight and I searched high and low to find that gem. It’s a plumbite.

Maia: Yes, I’ll marry you.

[lupinepublishers]

Chemical Contaminants in Food Grains: The Burning Health Issues in Asian Countries

Lupine Publishers- Environmental and Soil Science Journal

Abstract

Food security is a high-priority issue for sustainable global development both quantitatively and qualitatively. Once pesticides are applied, residues may be found in soil, on plant, on harvested product, on application equipment, in water and irrigation canals, in pesticide storage area, on cloth of applicant. Short term poisoning effects like nausea, vomiting, headache, chest pain, eye, skin and throat irritation etc. and potential long-term health effect like allergies, cancer, nervous system damage, birth defects, reproductive problem have been reported in recent decades, adverse effects of unexpected contaminants on crop quality have threatened both food security and human health. Heavy metals, metalloids (e.g., Hg, As, Pb, Cd, and Cr) from pesticides and fertilizers can jeopardize human metabolomics, contributing to morbidity and even mortality. Those during crop production include soil nutrient depletion, water depletion, soil and water contamination, and pest resistance/outbreaks and the emergence of new pests and diseases.

Discussion

Growth in global population means that farmers must produce food for an estimated 9.1 billion people expected to inhabit the earth by 2050 [1]. Humans cultivate only about 150 of an estimated 50,000 edible plant species worldwide, with only 30 plant species comprising the vast majority of our diets. Just three of these (rice, maize and wheat) provide about 60% of the world’s food energy intake [2,3]. These plants are susceptible to 80,000 to 100,000 diseases caused by everything from viruses to bacteria, fungi, algae, and even other higher plants [4]. Again, Food plants have to compete with some 30,000 different species of weeds worldwide, of which at least 1800 species are capable of causing serious economic losses [5]. Globally, around 20-30% of agricultural produce is lost annually due to insect pests, diseases, weeds and rodents, viz, growth, harvest, and storage [1,6]. According to World Bank, South Asian countries are home to home to 33% of the world’s poor and economies have among the highest levels of public debt in the world [7]. Mean consumption of whole grains 38.4 g/day in between 1990 to 2010. Southeast Asian nations along with 2/3 Sub- Saharan African regions had the highest intakes. Overall, 23 of 187 countries had mean whole grain intake ≥2.5 (50g) servings/day, representing 335 million adults and 7.6% of the world adult population [8]. Southeast Asia is a region that produces high amounts of key food commodities and includes areas of divergent socio-economic status. The major grain crops produced in the region are rice and maize [9]. The potential sources for the contamination of grains are mostly environmentally based and include air, dust, soil, water, insects, rodents, birds, animals, microbes, humans, storage and shipping containers, handling and processing equipment [10]. The rates of destruction often are higher in less developed nations and they are now accounting for a quarter of the world’s pesticide use [5,11]. Therefore, judicious use of pesticides plays a major role in plant protection. Today’s more than 10,400 pesticides are approved worldwide. It has been reported that the consumption of pesticides accounts two million tons every year worldwide [12]. Interestingly, many pesticides still widely used in the USA, at the level of tens to hundreds of millions of pounds annually, have been banned or are being phased out in the EU, China and Brazil [13]. Pesticide residues reported in fruits, vegetables and grains of India [14], Nepal [15], Bangladesh [16], China [17] and Indonesia [18]. Farmers habitually apply fertilizers and hazardous insecticides in high quantities without assessing the actual field requirements due to inadequate knowledge [1,19]. Since pesticides are directly applied on crops, fruits, and vegetables in most agricultural applications, infants, children, and adults can be exposed to pesticides by the ingestion of those pesticide-contaminated foods [20-23]. Pesticides can exist in residential air by the evaporation of volatile and semivolatile pesticides, such as organochlorine pesticides, from crops and residential surface soil [24-27]. Soil is an important source for heavy metals (like mercury/cadmium) in crops and vegetables since the plants’ roots can absorb these pollutants from soil, and transfer them to seeds [28,29]. According Retamal-Salgado et al. 2017 cadmium (Cd) distribution in the different plant organs, more than 40% of Cd is absorbed and translocated to the aerial part of the plant (grain and straw), and it could be directly (grains) or indirectly (animals) ingested and negatively affect humans [30]. It accumulates in the liver and kidneys for more than 30 years and causes health problems. Toxicity of this metal involves kidney and skeletal organs and is largely the result of interactions between Cd and essential metals, such as calcium [31-35]. China feeds 22% of the world population with 7% of the worlds arable land. Sodango et al. 2018 reported that 20 million hectares (approximately 16.1%) of the total arable land in China is highly polluted with heavy metals, according to Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), China [36]. It is estimated that between 900,000 and 1,360,000 kg arsenic per year was introduced into Bangladesh soil through contaminated groundwater used for irrigation [37]. The use of sewage sludge for agricultural purposes can be limited by the potential content of heavy metals and toxic organic compounds that pose a threat to the environment [38]. Pajewska-Szmyt et al. 2019 reported that maternal exposure to heavy metals as Pb or Hg and persistent organic pollutants were associated with children neurodevelopment delay and also indirectly affects reproductive, respiratory, and endocrine system [39]. The use of pesticides has helped to increase rice yields but has also led to an increased pollution that presents a potential toxicity threat to the environment and public health [40]. Combined with outdated waste management technologies, there are potential health risks to farmers through occupational waste management practices, along with consumers through consumption of waste-contaminated products [41]. The WHO has estimated that more than three million farmers in developing countries are poisoned by agrochemicals each year [42]. In another study, WHO) and UN Environmental Program estimated that one to five million cases of pesticide poisoning occur among agricultural workers each year with about 20000 fatalities [43]. Skin injury, eye injury, headache, stomachache, and fever reported in cotton workers in southern Pakistan due to pesticide exposure [44]. Pesticide induced occupational hazards has been reported to many other similar studies in Nepal [45], China [46-48], India [49-51], Bangladesh [52], Sri Lanka [53], Myanmar [54] and Philippines [55]. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed more than 11,000 foodborne infections in the year 2013, with several agents like viruses, bacteria, toxins, parasites, metals, and other chemicals causing food contamination [56]. Widespread agricultural use of pesticides and home storage make them easily available for acts of self-harm in many rural households. Stability of organophosphorus pesticides are also important issue [57]. It was found that malathion was more unstable than dichlorvos and diazinon, there was an over 70% loss in 90 days even at -20 °C in coarsely chopped form [58]. It could be another reason for haphazard use of pesticides in the field and stored food commodities [59]. Around 600 million food borne illnesses and 420,000 deaths occur each year due to poor food handling practice. Such contaminants get access to contaminate food mainly due to food handler’s poor knowledge and negligence during handling activities [60,61]. Hassan et al. says increased prevalence of diabetes in South Asia may be related to the consumption of arsenic contaminated rice depending on its content in the rice and daily amount consumed [62]. Sabir et al. demonstarted that arsenite can bind covalently with sulfhydryl groups in insulin molecules and receptors, enzymes such as pyruvate dehydrogenase and alpha ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, and glucose transporters (GLU-T), which may result in insulin resistance [63]. According to Kumar et al. 50%-60% cereal grains can be lost during the storage stage due only to the lack of technical inefficiency. Use of scientific storage methods can reduce these losses to as low as 1%-2% [64]. Factors like increasing climatic variability, extreme weather events, and rising temperatures pose new challenges for ensuring food and nutrition security in Asian region. The South Asian region is one of the least integrated regions according to Washington based-IFPRI [65]. Agriculturally beneficial microorganisms may also contribute directly (i.e., biological N2 fixation, P solubilization, and phytohormone production, etc.) or indirectly (i.e., antimicrobial compounds biosynthesis and elicitation of induced systemic resistance, etc.) to crop improvement and fertilizers efficiency [66]. Overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have effects on the soil organisms that are similar to human overuse of antibiotics. Indiscriminate use of chemicals might work for a few years, but after a while, there aren’t enough beneficial soil organisms to hold onto the nutrients [67]. Also, resistance to certain pesticides against brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, and the white-backed planthoppers (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera reported in Asian countries has been reported [68-72]. Also, the higher exposure of crop plants to heavy metal stress reduces growth and yield and affect the sustainability of agricultural production [73]. Cadmium (Cd) is a well-known metal imposing threats to human health, and it can be accumulated in polished rice over the permitted range of 0.2mg kg1 [74]. It leads to reduction in the plant productivities as well by inhibiting their growth, photosynthesis, pigments, nutrient uptake, germination, electron transport chain [75]. Applications of phosphorusbased fertilizers improve the soil fertility and agriculture yield but at the same time concerns over a number of factors that lead to environmental damage need to be addressed properly [76]. Easy availability of pesticides has another interesting but pathetic outcome. approximately 110,000 pesticide self-poisoning deaths each year from 2010 to 2014, comprising some 14% of all global suicides [77]. According to Serrano-Medina et al. higher rates of suicide committed in areas with intensive use of pesticides compared to areas with less use of pesticides [78]. In Bangladesh, selfpoisoning by pesticide is responsible for about 40% of poisoning cases admitted to hospital and 8-10% of overall mortality in medical wards [79]. At the Philippine General Hospital in Metro Manila, Philippines (2000- 2001), recorded pesticide poisoning cases showed that more than 80% were intentional in nature [80]. Public concern about the adverse environmental and human health impacts of organochlorine contaminants led to strict regulations on their use in developed nations since 1940 [81]. Nevertheless, DDT and several other organochlorine insecticides are still being used for agriculture and public health programs in developing countries in Asia and the South Pacific [82-86]. As a consequence, humans in this region are exposed to greater dietary levels of organochlorines (Figure 1).

Recommendations

Around 600 million food borne illnesses and 420,000 deaths occur each year due to poor food handling practice. Such contaminants get access to contaminate food mainly due to food handler’s poor knowledge and negligence during handling activities [87,88]. Accordingly, alternative methods for exposure and risk assessment have to be developed, which vary from the use of expert opinion and pre-marketing models to the use of combination of data from the literature, measurements, and expert opinion [89]. Many studies are there to overcome fertilizer/pesticide induced health effects. Rastogi et al. reported use of silicone nanoparticles can provide green and eco-friendly alternatives to various chemical fertilizers without harming nature [90]. It has been reported that selenium (Se) application decreases Cd uptake [75]. In similar studies, selenium, copper, zinc oxide and many other metallic nanoparticles [91-97] have been studied in food processing, packaging and preservation against phytopathogens and rodents. The washing with water or soaking in solutions of salt and some chemicals e.g. chlorine, chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide, ozone, acetic acid, hydroxy peracetic acid, iprodione and detergents are reported to be highly effective in reducing the level of pesticides [98]. Various foodprocessing operations include sorting, trimming, cleaning, cooking, baking, frying, roasting, flaking, and extrusion that have variable effects on mycotoxins [99]. Cooking rice in excess water efficiently reduces the amount of arsenic (As) in the cooked grain [100].

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[billehrman]

What Do You Believe?

The global markets continued to advance last week despite the normal twists and turns about trade which will continue until there is certainty one way or another. After listening to Trump at the New York Economics Club last Tuesday, it only reinforced our belief that he will NOT do anything, including trade policy, that would set back the U.S economy and stock market. This is how he gauges his success and is his ace in the hole to get re-elected. The bottom line is that we expect Phase I of a trade deal with China to be completed, any additional tariffs to be postponed, a steepening yield curve and further advances in stock prices.

Let’s review what transpired last week on the four key topics that we are monitoring: monetary policy, trade, Brexit and Trump:

Monetary Policy: Fed Chairman Powell spoke last week to the Joint Economic Committees of Congress stating that he believes the current Fed policy is appropriate and will not likely be changed in the foreseeable future unless there is a major shift in their economic outlook. While that part of his presentation was expected, we were very surprised to hear him mention that low interest rates are here to stay as long as the economy remains on its current path. Interest rates could move lower if economic growth was lower. We have long argued that low interest rates are not transitory therefore the stock market multiple could easily reach/exceed 19 times earnings especially with bank capital/liquidity ratios so high. Remember that the stock market multiple has averaged over 15 times earnings over the last 25 years with interest rates 3 - 600 basis points higher with bank capital/liquidity ratios much, much lower than now. Even if the Fed does not lower its funds rate, don’t forget that the Fed is effectively easing further by buying $60+ billion of Treasury bills per month. The bottom line is that global monetary policy will remain extremely accommodative; low inflation will keep interest rates lower than you may think; and investors will be forced to move further out on the risk curve which is favorable for stocks.

Trade: While we continue to hear that snags remain on completing Phase I of a U.S/China trade deal, we are not surprised as each side will continue to negotiate down to the wire. On the other hand, we hear from top authorities on both sides that a deal is near which is likely as each side needs to complete it. Trump needs one to get reelected and Xi needs one if he intends on achieving his goal for China 2025. The real truth is that the U.S economy can do quite well without a deal, but the Chinese economy will continue to weaken without one. The bottom line is that we do expect Phase I to be completed before December 15th when the next round of tariffs is to go into effect. On another note, Nancy Pelosi commented Thursday that there was a breakthrough in the House and that the trade deal with Canada/Mexico could be passed imminently. That is important and very goods for stocks!

Brexit: As we mentioned last week, it now appears that Johnson may have the vote on December 12th to win the election and control of Parliament. If so, his Brexit deal with the Eurozone should get passed. If not, he will have another 6 weeks to conclude a new deal. Either way, both sides need a deal as their economies, which are already in bad shape, would only tank further.

Trump: Trump has clearly put his economic policy at the center of his 2020 campaign as the numbers are good for sure. A standing President who has had a strong economy in his first terms almost always wins reelection and he knows it. We really doubt that he would shoot himself in the foot by escalating trade tensions with China and the Eurozone. We do expect Phase I to be completed and Trump to push out any thought of auto tariffs against European manufacturers until after elections next year. In addition, we are already hearing about a huge middle/lower class tax cut paid for by closing tax loopholes benefiting only the wealthy; a new health care policy as well as an infrastructure bill to be introduced next year. Trump will do any and everything to get reelected using his power of the Presidency for sure.

We do expect trade deals and aggressive monetary ease to support stronger global economic growth as we move through 2020. Clearly bond investors agree as global rates continue to move up as we anticipated.

What do you believe?

Before we go on, we would like to comment on Elizabeth Warrens misplaced attacks on self-made, philanthropic billionaires. We despise personal attacks especially those that hit below the belt. We can agree to disagree and debate the strengths/weaknesses in any proposals putting personal attacks aside. We do not accept the excuse that this is how politics works.  It is time that this country come together rather than being dominated, at least in the media, by the far right or far left.

Now let’s review the most recent data points by region that support/detract from our view that there is no place like home as the Chinese/Eurozone/Japanese economies continue to weaken.

United States

Virtually all of the economic statistics reported last week support continuing strong consumer demand and fiscal spending which make up over 90% of our economy: retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in October while industrial output weakened 0.8% which was no surprise due the impact of the GM strike; the  core CPI rose only 0.2% and is up 1.8% from a year ago; the PPI fell 0.3%; small business optimism rose to 102.4; and finally the U.S October budget gap widened to $134.5 billion from a year ago which is highly stimulative.

We continue to anticipate that the U.S economy will expand by 2% +/- 0.25% for the foreseeable future without any significant increase in inflation. We were pleased that the GM strike ended which will boost manufacturing and Ford just ratified a new deal with the union.

China

China’s economy continued to weaken as industrial output has risen only 4.7% from a year ago; retail sales have grown only 7.2% compared to an expected 7.8% gain; and fixed-asset investment has slowed to only 5.2% so far this year. Notwithstanding we were not surprised to see Alibaba’s “Singles Day” knocking the ball out of the park with sales increasing to over $38.4 billion worldwide. Jack Ma, the company’s founder, was surprisingly disappointed with the results.

The Chinese economy is continuing to decelerate and badly needs a trade deal to even get close to 6% growth which the government considers a necessity to provide enough jobs to give credence to achieving China 2025 which appears less likely by the day as manufactures shift their supply lines at an accelerating rate. For instance, Ralph Lauren has cut its dependence on Chinese suppliers in half since the beginning of the year.

Eurozone

The European economy is already in a technical recession in our opinion. Just imagine what it means if the strongest country in the region, Germany, grew only 0.1% in the third quarter. No way can Germany reach 0.5% growth for the year which is their current forecast. Can the government hold off much longer using its budget surplus to increase fiscal spending? We doubt it. Clearly the region, like all others, are banking on a U.S/China trade deal to boost their growth rates. But what if there is no trade deal?

Japan

Japan’s growth depends on global trade which is suffering as we all know. It certainly did not help their economy that the government went ahead with increasing the consumer retail tax to 10% on October 1st. The government is hopeful that the U.S and China will sign a trade deal and that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will be signed early next year with more than a dozen countries in Asia Pacific. Without these trade deals, Japan’s economy will stay stuck in the mud.

Investment Conclusions

Global hope springs eternal that the U.S and China reach an initial trade pact ending the continuing escalating in trade tensions around the world. We do expect one and if so, global growth will improve next year. Clearly the markets agree as evidenced by the sharp rise in interest rates globally as well as higher stock prices.

While we continue to emphasize investing in the U.S as we are less vulnerable if no trade deal is forthcoming. We bought some global industrials, capital goods, machinery and industrial commodity companies; added to technology emphasizing semis as you know and raised our financial exposure that will benefit from a steepening yield curve and acceleration in loan demand. We have increased our retailer exposure here expecting a great Christmas season. Naturally we maintain a number of special situations selling well beneath intrinsic value.   We own no bonds as we the yield curve to continue to steepen and are flat the dollar although we do expect it to fall.

The weekly Investment Committee webinar will be held on November 18th at 8:30 a, Eastern Standard Time. You can join by typing https://zoom.us/j/9179217852 into your browser.

Remember to review all the facts; pause, reflect and consider mindset shifts; look at your asset mix with risk controls; do independent research and…

Invest Accordingly!

Bill Ehrman

Paix et Prospérité LLC

[arvincluggs]

3 & 4 BHK Flats for Sale in Mumbai and Hyderabad

If you're thinking of buying a property in Mumbai, then you're in luck. The most renowned developers offer 3 & 4 BHK Flats in Attapur Hyderabad for sale. Developers may also offer a prelaunch opportunity before you view the apartments. You don't want a substandard property and it is better to have all the facts before you make your final decision.

You have many benefits when you choose to live in a luxurious home. Apartments are unique in that they can be tailored to the individual's requirements, which is unlike other properties. These apartments have exceptional interiors and concierge service. Some units come with drainage systems and in-house massages. Additional benefits include power backup 24 hours a day and lifts. Some luxury homes also include an outdoor playground and a yoga area. You can also choose to lease the property.

In Hyderabad, you'll find 53 4BHK Apartment projects, with a total of 4609 unit sales. Listed below are the prices of 4BHK flats, ranging from 38.4 lakhs to nearly 9.79 Crores. These flats can be searched by price range, location, and developer. You can also narrow your search based on the number of bedrooms or bathrooms.

The layout of the property offers ample space for living and dining. The property's four bedrooms and four baths are well-equipped with modern amenities. There will be a puja and utility room. Each unit has Western-style bathrooms with branded bath fittings. Three of the bathrooms include ensuite facilities for bedrooms. The bathrooms in the other two bathrooms share the bathroom. It also features a balcony that overlooks hills.

A 4-BHK apartment is available in Wave City in Ghaziabad. It is a beautiful apartment with four bedrooms and four bathrooms, and overlooks a garden. You'll find many amenities within the development, and the apartment is already furnished and available. You can be sure to find the perfect home by purchasing a furnished unit. The website has more information.

Choose a 2 or 3 BHK apartment. One-BHK units are a convenient choice for smaller families, and they can provide you with additional space if your family grows. A two-bedroom apartment is better for single people or families who are just starting to have children. You should also consider whether you will need additional storage or if your children are involved.

Gachibowli is an area of 15 km that encompasses Nanakaramguda. There are many real estate developments in the region. This is an area that is experiencing a boom in residential sales. In this region, there is a lot going on in the industry. This includes IT, Finance and Reality. This vibrant community offers many opportunities for students and entrepreneurs.

The suburbs of Edappally and Kadavanthra are among the most sought-after areas in Mumbai to buy flats. Although they are centrally located, these areas are quite far from the hustle and bustle of the streets. This residential area has a variety of luxurious flats for sale: 2-BHK, 3-BHK or 4-BHK. There are also penthouses, duplexes, and penthouses. These developments are close to the central banks, shopping centers, and worship centres.

In the capital, 3 and 4-BHK Flats for sale offer a unique opportunity to purchase a home in a central location. These buildings are close to greenery making them ideal for families with lots of space. In addition, you can choose from apartments with a small living area that still offers the comfort of a larger home. Consider the location and amenities when you buy a flat in Bangalore.

[preciousmetals0]

TFSA Wealth: 2 Dividend Stocks to Hold Forever

TFSA Wealth: 2 Dividend Stocks to Hold Forever:

Investors are fast approaching the end of the 2010s, and as we usher in a new decade, it’s a good time to evaluate which stocks will be the best to hold in the long term.

In the early spring, I’d discussed some TFSA strategies worth considering for the future. A conservative style may focus on income-generating equities, but in 2019, many of those stocks have done one better for those that are holding them.

The global trade situation remains in flux, and central banks in the developed world made a dovish turn in late 2018 and early 2019 in response to market pressures.

The Bank of Canada has held firm, but there are indications that it’s plotting a southward move for rates in early 2020. This friendly rate environment is just one of the reasons to love the two stocks I will cover today.

The utilities sector has been incredibly consistent for investors over the past decade, and I expect this to continue as the low rate environment is unlikely to change. Let’s dive in.

Hydro One

The top utility in Ontario is Hydro One (TSX:H), which is already a big selling point given that it boasts a monopoly in the country’s most populous province.

Shares have climbed 32% in 2019 as of late afternoon trading on December 11. The company is a relative newcomer to the TSX, having launched its initial public offering in late 2015.

It has struggled due to perceptions of its internal strife, and utilities took a hit in the brief rate tightening period. However, Hydro One is a profit machine that’s well worth trusting into the 2020s.

Hydro One released its third-quarter 2019 results on November 7. Adjusted earnings per share rose to $0.40 compared to $0.38 in the prior year, which was largely due to lower OM&A costs that the company has worked to better in this fiscal year. Ideally, investors want to see earnings growth that can create more separation with payouts going forward.

As for income, Hydro One currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.2415 per share, which represents a 3.7% yield. The stock is trading at a premium right now as it nears a 52-week high, so value investors may want to exercise patience before jumping in.

Fortis

In late 2018 I’d suggested that investors jump on Fortis (TSX:FTS)(NYSE:FTS) at a discount, especially in a murky economic climate. Shares have climbed 20% in 2019 so far.

Earnings were flat year over year in the third quarter of 2019, but there are promising things on the horizon for the St. John’s-based utility.

You can’t talk about Fortis without looking at its dividend. It has achieved 46 consecutive years of dividend growth. Fortis is on the path to becoming a dividend king, achieving at least 50 straight years of dividend increases.

How will it accomplish this feat? The company has charted a massive five-year capital investment plan of $18.3 billion from 2020 through 2024. Fortis already increased the spending plan by $1 billion compared to the prior year.

Through its investment plan, Fortis aims to increase its rate base from $28 billion in 2019 to $38.4 billion in 2024. This comes out to a five-year compound average growth rate of 6.5%.

Fortis has set out an average annual dividend-growth target of 6% through 2024. The stock currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.4775 per share, representing a 3.6% yield.

Amazon CEO Shocks Bay Street Investors By Predicting Company “Will Go Bankrupt”

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos recently warned investors that “Amazon will be disrupted one day” and eventually “will go bankrupt.”

What might be even more alarming is that Bezos has been dumping roughly $1 billion worth of Amazon stock every year…

But Bezos isn’t just cashing out, he’s reinvesting his money into a company utilizing a fast-emerging technology that he believes will “improve every business.”

In fact, this tech opportunity could be bigger than bigger than Amazon, Tesla, and Berkshire Hathaway combined.

Get the full scoop on this opportunity that has billionaire investors like Bezos convinced – before it’s too late…

Click here to learn more!

[goldira01]

Investors are fast approaching the end of the 2010s, and as we usher in a new decade, it’s a good time to evaluate which stocks will be the best to hold in the long term.

In the early spring, I’d discussed some TFSA strategies worth considering for the future. A conservative style may focus on income-generating equities, but in 2019, many of those stocks have done one better for those that are holding them.

The global trade situation remains in flux, and central banks in the developed world made a dovish turn in late 2018 and early 2019 in response to market pressures.

The Bank of Canada has held firm, but there are indications that it’s plotting a southward move for rates in early 2020. This friendly rate environment is just one of the reasons to love the two stocks I will cover today.

The utilities sector has been incredibly consistent for investors over the past decade, and I expect this to continue as the low rate environment is unlikely to change. Let’s dive in.

Hydro One

The top utility in Ontario is Hydro One (TSX:H), which is already a big selling point given that it boasts a monopoly in the country’s most populous province.

Shares have climbed 32% in 2019 as of late afternoon trading on December 11. The company is a relative newcomer to the TSX, having launched its initial public offering in late 2015.

It has struggled due to perceptions of its internal strife, and utilities took a hit in the brief rate tightening period. However, Hydro One is a profit machine that’s well worth trusting into the 2020s.

Hydro One released its third-quarter 2019 results on November 7. Adjusted earnings per share rose to $0.40 compared to $0.38 in the prior year, which was largely due to lower OM&A costs that the company has worked to better in this fiscal year. Ideally, investors want to see earnings growth that can create more separation with payouts going forward.

As for income, Hydro One currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.2415 per share, which represents a 3.7% yield. The stock is trading at a premium right now as it nears a 52-week high, so value investors may want to exercise patience before jumping in.

Fortis

In late 2018 I’d suggested that investors jump on Fortis (TSX:FTS)(NYSE:FTS) at a discount, especially in a murky economic climate. Shares have climbed 20% in 2019 so far.

Earnings were flat year over year in the third quarter of 2019, but there are promising things on the horizon for the St. John’s-based utility.

You can’t talk about Fortis without looking at its dividend. It has achieved 46 consecutive years of dividend growth. Fortis is on the path to becoming a dividend king, achieving at least 50 straight years of dividend increases.

How will it accomplish this feat? The company has charted a massive five-year capital investment plan of $18.3 billion from 2020 through 2024. Fortis already increased the spending plan by $1 billion compared to the prior year.

Through its investment plan, Fortis aims to increase its rate base from $28 billion in 2019 to $38.4 billion in 2024. This comes out to a five-year compound average growth rate of 6.5%.

Fortis has set out an average annual dividend-growth target of 6% through 2024. The stock currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.4775 per share, representing a 3.6% yield.

Amazon CEO Shocks Bay Street Investors By Predicting Company “Will Go Bankrupt”

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos recently warned investors that “Amazon will be disrupted one day” and eventually “will go bankrupt.”

What might be even more alarming is that Bezos has been dumping roughly $1 billion worth of Amazon stock every year…

But Bezos isn’t just cashing out, he’s reinvesting his money into a company utilizing a fast-emerging technology that he believes will “improve every business.”

In fact, this tech opportunity could be bigger than bigger than Amazon, Tesla, and Berkshire Hathaway combined.

Get the full scoop on this opportunity that has billionaire investors like Bezos convinced – before it’s too late…

Click here to learn more!

[mysimsloveaffair]

Part 1 (Collaboration with @igglemouse)

Drake swims a few laps in the pool. He’s glad that Dub invited him on this trip. Traveling and seeing more of the Sim world has always been on his to-do list, but a big part of him wishes he had more time to prepare.

Drake steps out of the pool to take a new selfie for his Cupid’s Corner profile. If Dub’s invitation wasn’t at the last minute, he could have made an appointment with his stylist to add some color to his hair - a bold purple this time and perhaps that same purple for his nails. Instead, he has to begin this vacation looking…regular.

But Dub has invited him here to serve as a glorified babysitter anyway, so none of that matters. This trip isn’t about him. He’s here to help his brother out. So that’s what he’ll do. While Dub and Maia are upstairs getting ready for their big date, Drake takes his niece Tambara to the nearby park. At least he’ll be able to see some of the city that way. 

The park is pleasant and seems a favorite among the locals and tourists. Several couples sit on the benches chatting, eating lunch, or staring at the clouds. Drake ignores them all and takes Tami to the toddler slides, which she seems to enjoy. After a few times down the slide, Tami comes up with another suggestion.

Tambara: We make caso, Unco Da. 

Drake: *chuckles* It’s uncle Dray…not Da. 

Tambara: *insistent tone* Unco Da, caso!

Drake: Caso? What’s a caso?

Tambara: San caso! We make san caso! 

It takes a minute, but when Drake thinks about it, he realizes what Tami is trying to say. 

Drake: You want to build a sandcastle? 

Tami nods with enthusiasm, practically banging her chin on her chest.

Drake: Okay, but you’d better hope we find some sand.

Dub didn’t warn him that Tami doesn’t like to be carried. Drake learns that the hard way when he picks her up and transports her in his arms around the park in search of a sandpit while she whines and struggles to be put down. 

Eventually, Drake takes the hint and puts her back on her feet in the sand. Tami is in her happy place and quickly forgives him. She grabs a bucket and uses a shovel to fill it, only to dump it all out again after it’s about half full. 

Tambara: *giggling* You build caso too! 

Tami isn’t content with him just watching. He’s going to have to get down in the sand with her. Maybe it’s a good thing he didn’t get his nails done after all.

[pullcarol0-blog]

2:00PM Water Cooler 9/28/2018

By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Readers, as before, I got wrapped round the axle on Kavanaugh. I’ll have more in a bit. A kind reader said not to be apologetic, so I’m not! –lambert UPDATE 3:37PM All done!

Trade

“Nafta Isn’t Dead Yet, Despite Missed Deadline” [Wall Street Journal]. “President Trump has concluded that trade talks with Canada have reached an impasse, giving up on the self-imposed Sept. 30 deadline for completing a full rewrite of the North American Free Trade Agreement. As a result, the administration plans to publish as soon as Friday the draft of a Mexico-only deal that would replace the quarter-century-old trilateral bloc. Does that mean the imminent breakup of the continentwide free-trade zone? Probably not, according to people familiar with the process. A more likely result is some fudging of the deadline and procedures, and more talks with Ottawa over the coming weeks, and possibly months.”

Politics

2020

“Elizabeth Warren Introduces Plan to Expand Affordable Housing and Dismantle Racist Zoning Practices” [The Intercept]. “THIS WEEK, SEN. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., introduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, one of the most far-reaching federal housing bills in decades. The legislation calls for a half-trillion dollar investment in affordable housing over the next 10 years, creating up to 3.2 million new units for low- and middle-income families. The bill also expands the protections of decades-old legislation to reduce discriminatory banking, ban housing discrimination, and desegregate neighborhoods. … Warren’s bill comes on the heels of two other federal housing bills introduced this summer by Democratic Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, of New Jersey and California, respectively. Harris’s bill, which came first, aims to provide financial relief to renters by creating a new refundable tax credit. Booker’s bill would also establish a refundable tax credit….” • Tax credits. Feh.

“Elizabeth Warren for president? New survey shows Mass. voters don’t love that idea” [Boston Globe]. “Fifty-eight percent of likely Massachusetts voters said they don’t think Warren should run for president, according to a Suffolk University Political Research Center/Boston Globe poll…. Only 32 percent of those surveyed said Warren should run. That’s about the same level of enthusiasm generated by former senator John Kerry. He got the support of 33 percent of voters — and, unlike Warren, he isn’t on anyone’s short list for strongest possible challengers to President Trump.” • Bain Capital’s Deval Patrick got 38.4%.

2018

38 days until Election Day. 38 days is a long time in politics (as we are seeing right now with Kavanaugh).

A very important, nuanced thread, with lots of linky goodness:

I'm a sociologist who studies adolescent sexual violence. In this thread, I offer the basic facts everyone should know about sexual assault to make sense of the #Kavanaugh allegations. (And citations in case you want to read up yourself.)

— Nicole Bedera (@NBedera) September 26, 2018

Do read it all.

* * *

“White House spokesman: Can’t say ‘for certain’ that we have the votes for Kavanaugh” [Politico]. “A handful of key senators, including Republicans Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Jeff Flake, as well as Democrat Joe Manchin, are being closely watched to see where they land on Kavanaugh. All four have yet to announce how they will vote on the Supreme Court nominee’s confirmation.” • Collins is meeting with four assault “survivors” at noon.

“Kavanaugh advances, with Flake calling for a delay in full Senate vote” [The Globe]. “After a flurry of last-minute negotiations, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination for the Supreme Court after agreeing to a late call from Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona for a one week investigation into sexual assault allegations against the high court nominee… However, it’s unclear if Republican leaders — or President Donald Trump — will support Flake’s call for the investigation or might instead press forward with a full Senate vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination. Trump indicated on Friday that he’d leave the decision for such a delay up to the Senate. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump called Christine Blasey Ford’s Thursday testimony both ‘compelling’ and ‘credible.'” • A jack move? Certainly unexpected…

“Democrats Walk Out” [Wall Street Journal]. “As Chairman Grassley read a statement praising Judge Kavanaugh and explaining his decision not to call further witnesses, several Democrats walked out: Sens. Whitehouse, Blumenthal, Hirono and Harris. As Mr. Grassley continued his statement praising the judge and criticizing the Democrats’ approach to the nomination, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont walked out. Then the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, took a seat in the back of the room.” • Pointless.

“Angry and embittered, Kavanaugh casts nomination in partisan terms” [Yahoo News]. “Rebutting Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations of sexual assault, Kavanaugh cast himself as the victim, bitterly attacking the 10 Democrats seated before him. He called the initial hearings into his nomination an ’embarrassment,’ suggesting that he was the subject of ‘left-wing opposition groups.’ Sputtering with rage, Kavanaugh went so far as to claim that his opponents were seeking ���revenge on behalf of the Clintons,’ though he offered no evidence for that assertion.” • Well, on left-wing liberal oppo, he was right, wasn’t he?

“Rachel Mitchell’s disappearing act confirms GOP blunder” [Politico]. “The five-minute rounds of questioning — a request from Ford’s legal team that not every Democrat was comfortable with initially — didn’t help the GOP’s cause, either. Mitchell couldn’t establish any rhythm, clearly frustrating Republicans…. But Mitchell pursued some seemingly trivial rounds of questioning that didn’t elicit any information to undermine Ford’s testimony. Mitchell and Ford had a lengthy exchange over Ford’s fear of flying, although they established that Ford often flew for her job as a psychologist and to attend family events. Some of Mitchell’s precious time was used to question Ford about her fear of flying and to ask whether she’d been to Australia. She said she had not. Mitchell clearly suffered from the fact that neither the committee, nor the FBI had questioned Ford previously, which left Mitchell probing a lot of dry holes and sometimes drawing answers that were unhelpful to the GOP side.” • The call for an FBI investigation would look a lot better if [genuflects] Joe Biden hadn’t said they were useless in the Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas hearings.

“”If They Can, They Will”: The Ford-Kavanaugh Hearing and the Angry Politics of Now” [Susan Glasser, The New Yorker]. “Emotion does not win on Capitol Hill, though, where the majority rules. The Democrats supporting Ford and demanding a more thorough investigation of her charges before voting on Kavanaugh do not control the Senate, and they did not get to set the terms of the hearings. In Washington, process determines outcome, and in this case the outcome was very likely determined from the moment Republicans on the Judiciary Committee set up the process. The process was designed to give us the deadlock of he-said-she-said, and, in the end, that is exactly what it did. Ford said she was ‘a hundred per cent certain’ that Kavanaugh had attacked her; Kavanaugh said he was ‘a hundred per cent’ sure he had not. How could it have been any other way? There was no independent F.B.I. investigation; no other witnesses were called. Questions were limited to one five-minute round for each senator. Ford spoke first and Kavanaugh second; he would have the last word.” • FWIW, I think a functional Democrat party would have had the Senators co-ordinate their questioning and make it truly an interrogation (they didn’t), wouldn’t allow last-minute outside parties (Avenatti, the New Yorker) to drive the selection of potential witnesses, and would have something to say about Kavanaugh’s opinions. Instead we get empty performative gestures like walk-outs and a focus on effing process, and nothing on, say, Roe v. Wade, which is surely the subtext of the entire exercise for both parties. UPDATE Not to mention Kavanaugh’s seamy record with Ken Starr, or his role as a politlcal operative generally. As a result–

What normie voters saw was a man angry about being accused of assault & cagey, like presumably many normal folks, about discussing how much he used to drink. They didn't see a man dodging the actual details of the allegations because the Dems didn't really ask about them!

— Osita Nwanevu (@OsitaNwanevu) September 28, 2018

* * *

“The rape culture of the 1980s, explained by Sixteen Candles” [Vox]. “But if there’s one thing we can take away from the popular culture of the 1980s, when the alleged events took place, it’s that a sexual assault at that time might not have been immediately clear as what it was, for participants and observers alike. Some of the most popular comedies of the ’80s are filled with supposedly hilarious sequences that portray what in 2018 would be unambiguously considered date rape.” • An especially horrid incident played for laughs. One reaction–

I could not agree more. @constancegrady https://t.co/1tWI1vePBv

— Molly Ringwald (@MollyRingwald) September 28, 2018

• Making today’s outrage presentist?

UPDATE “Brett Kavanaugh’s Testimony Made It Easier Than Ever to Picture Him as an Aggressive, Entitled Teen” [Slate] • Henry the V without Prince Hal, as it were. That said, aggressive, entitled teens aren’t especially thin on the ground, and it’s a ways from a sense of entitlement to sexual assault. Now, an aggressive teen who, as an adult, is being nominated for the Supreme Court and has terrible opinions is quite another things, but the Democrats seem unable even to consider raising that issue. The norms fairy, perhaps.

UPDATE “The Editors: It is time for the Kavanaugh nomination to be withdrawn” [America]. “While we previously endorsed the nomination of Judge Kavanaugh on the basis of his legal credentials and his reputation as a committed textualist*, it is now clear that the nomination should be withdrawn…. Dr. Blasey’s accusations have neither been fully investigated nor been proven to a legal standard, but neither have they been conclusively disproved or shown to be less than credible. Judge Kavanaugh continues to enjoy a legal presumption of innocence, but the standard for a nominee to the Supreme Court is far higher; there is no presumption of confirmability. The best of the bad resolutions available in this dilemma is for Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to be withdrawn.” • A Jesuit magazine.

“Christine Blasey Ford’s GoFundMe campaign is surging after today’s testimony” [CNN]. • $410,000 and rising.

“I Wasn’t Assaulted” [Libby Watson, Medium]. “I wasn’t assaulted, but there are lot of ways to get hurt in bed when you’re a woman.” • It’s like the 80s were a national laboratory for bad sex. Although maybe that was the 70s.

* * *

At the margins….

The approval ratings of the past 4 US presidents from their inaugurations to their first mid-term elections pic.twitter.com/Bn9Im1yE2G

— AFP news agency (@AFP) September 28, 2018

“Democrats dropping $21 million on Senate digital ads largely targeting health care” [NBC]. “So far this cycle, [Senate Majority PAC (SMP)] has been the top outside spender of either party on ads. It’s spent almost $40 million through Wednesday, according to data from Advertising Analytics, and has more advertising dollars booked from now through Election Day than any other outside group.” • Does make you wonder what would happen with #MedicareForAll if the powers that be spent any money on advertising it, instead of propping up the wretched ObamaCare.

ME Senate:

Just traveled overnight on a bus from Maine to DC with a group of bold activists urging @SenatorCollins to #StopKavanaugh. pic.twitter.com/SfPtSg1WFu

— Zak Ringelstein (@RingelsteinME) September 28, 2018

Ringelstein’s done this before, and kudos to him, though I loathe that focus-grouped word “bold.”

Stats Watch

Personal Income and Outlays, August 2018: “The refrain of “strong” throughout the FOMC’s assessment of the economy on Wednesday isn’t confirmed by the personal income and outlays report for August where modest-to-moderate is the better description” [Econoday]. And: “Consumer income growth year-over-year is insignificantly lower than spending growth year-over-year…. Overall, the data is little different than last month” [Econintersect].

Chicago Purchasing Managers Index, September 2018: “General economic growth in Chicago slowed in September” [Econoday]. “[S]till very strong.” And: “The results of this survey continue to correlate to district Federal Reserve manufacturing surveys – and generallly aligns with the overall trend of the ISM manufacturing survey” [Econintersect].

Consumer Sentiment, September 2018 (Final): “very healthy,” “down slightly” [Econoday]. “Income optimism across all groups is the strongest since 2004 and is getting a lift from declining inflation expectations and, with this, the prospect of rising spending power. And despite concerns over tariffs, which were cited by nearly 1/3 of the sample, consumers see economic growth continuing and unemployment falling. Note that among those who cite tariffs as a concern, confidence is generally lower.” And: “Final September 2018 Michigan Consumer Sentiment Little Changed From Preliminary” [Econintersect].

Retail: “Inside the New Amazon 4-Star Store, a Novelty Gift Shop” [Wall Street Journal]. “Reminiscent of a novelty gift store or an airport gadget shop, the new Amazon 4-star store on Thursday was selling his and hers mugs, candles, teapots, pet toys, ‘Star Wars’ droids and vegetable peelers… ‘Approximately 90% of all retail is still happening in the physical store,’ said Rob Garf, vice president of strategy and insights at Salesforce Commerce Cloud. ‘This is less about Amazon getting into a new genre or category of retail, I think this is Amazon testing and learning about physical retail.'”

The Bezzle: “How Dirty Money Disappears Into the Black Hole of Cryptocurrency” [Wall Street Journal]. “A North Korean agent, a stolen-credit-card peddler and the mastermind of an $80 million Ponzi scheme had a common problem. They needed to launder their dirty money. They found a common solution in ShapeShift AG, an online exchange backed by established American venture-capital firms that lets people anonymously trade bitcoin, which police can track, for other digital currencies that can’t be followed…. The company’s financial backers include Pantera Capital and FundersClub in California and Access Venture Partners in Colorado. Partners with Pantera and Access said their legal reviews satisfied them that ShapeShift is operating within the law. FundersClub and its partners didn’t respond to messages seeking comment…. A Wall Street Journal investigation identified nearly $90 million in suspected criminal proceeds that flowed through such intermediaries over two years.” • Lots of colorful characters in this story!

Tech: “Facebook Is Breached, Putting 50 Million Users’ Data at Risk” [New York Times]. “Facebook said it did not know the origin or identity of the attackers, nor had it fully assessed the scope of the attack. The company said it was still in the beginning stages of its investigation.” • And I’m sure we’ll be kept fully informed…

Tech: And speaking of Facebook, this Job Description:

Are you sitting down tweeps? Here’s a job ⁦@facebook⁩ . Director of Data Leaderhip “The Data Leadership Team's mission is to drive innovation in the responsible, ethical and lawful use of data to deliver economic, social and individual value for all” https://t.co/ckfSRsnsmu

— Privacy Matters (@PrivacyMatters) September 28, 2018

I think Facebook is already doing a pretty good job “driving innovation” in “ethics.” Is this new position really needed?

Tech: You don’t own anything digital unless you control the storage. Thread:

Me: Hey Apple, three movies I bought disappeared from my iTunes library. Apple: Oh yes, those are not available anymore. Thank you for buying them. Here are two movie rentals on us! Me: Wait… WHAT?? @tim_cook when did this become acceptable? pic.twitter.com/dHJ0wMSQH9

— Anders G da Silva (@drandersgs) September 10, 2018

Like giving you a rental voucher after stealing your house… .

Tech: “Google CEO will testify before U.S. House on bias accusations” [Reuters]. “Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai has agreed to testify before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee later this year over Republican concerns that the company is biased against conservatives, a senior Republican said on Friday.” • It’s biased against the left, too! But you won’t hear about that….

MMT

Simulcasting The Second International Conference of Modern Monetary Theory (#mmtconf18), Friday-Sunday, Sept 28-30, The New School, New York City (hat tip, DCBLogger):

Class Warfare

“Port Workers Plan Strike in L.A. to Challenge Logistics Firms” [Bloomberg]. “Warehouse workers and truck drivers at Los Angeles ports are planning to launch a three-day strike Monday, aiming to put pressure on logistics companies they claim owe them back wages. The strike is the latest effort by labor groups to focus on workers who companies don’t consider direct employees, or who get their paychecks from other firms in the supply chain. It also exemplifies how strikes in the U.S. have shifted toward drawing public scrutiny to corporate behavior and workers’ demands — such as the union-backed “Fight for $15″ — rather than directly disrupting their bottom line. Port officials have said that previous Teamster port strikes led to some shipments being turned away but had a limited impact on port operations. The union hopes that its mobilizations next week will heighten public pressure on the logistics firms and on their prominent clients, which the Teamsters said include Amazon.com Inc., Toyota Motor Corp., Puma and Rio Tinto Plc.” • Hmm. I wonder how the locals feel about that “public scrutiny” model. Still, nice to the Democrats all over this, supporting labor right before the mid-terms. Oh, wait…

“Pope defrocks Chilean priest at center of abuse scandal” [Associated Press]. “Francis sparked a crisis in his papacy earlier this year when he strongly defended one of Karadima’s protégés, Bishop Juan Barros, against accusations that he had witnessed Karadima’s abuse and ignored it Francis had claimed that the accusations against Barros were “calumny” and politically motivated, and he defended his 2015 decision to appoint Barros bishop of a small Chilean diocese over the objections of the faithful and many in the Chilean hierarchy. After realizing that something was amiss, Francis ordered a Vatican investigation that uncovered decades of abuse and cover-ups by the Chilean church leadership. Francis apologized to the victims, inviting Cruz and fellow survivors James Hamilton and Jose Andres Murillo to the Vatican for four days of talks. He set about making amends, including getting every active bishop in Chile to offer to resign. To date, he has accepted seven of the more than 30 resignations offered, including that of Barros.” • I’m glad some bishops resigned. In Chile. It’s a atart.

News of the Wired

For those who remember the terror alerts, post-9/11:

Current status pic.twitter.com/Gik6zg12nQ

— Pinboard (@Pinboard) September 28, 2018

* * *

Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Today’s plant (AH):

AH writes: “This is the project my mom and I worked on this summer. The previous owner had built garden beds around the entire house, which is great. The problem, though, is that she (the previous owner) only planted hosta. It was hosta for days. Hundreds of feet of it, hundreds of plants. So I had to dig it all up in order to plant the gardens my mom is really good at creating. She designs gardens specifically where plants flower at different times throughout the summer. This picture is late summer where most of the garden had already flowered, like bleeding hearts and most of the bulb flowers (I suck at remembering the names of things). The garden pictured here is mostly from Spragues (our favorite nursery in central Maine), plus rocks pulled from the woods out back. We also found a small birch along the rock wall of the property (below the greenhouse). Personally, I would do without the cheesy garden ornaments, but it’s my mom’s house and she loves those things. We will repeat this every summer until all hosta has been conquered once and for all!” Spragues is where I got my first plants, too!

* * *

Readers, I’m still running a bit short on plants. Probably a little soon for fall foliage, or wrapping up the garden, but I’m sure you can find something! How about a project you completed over the summer?

* * *

Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. So do feel free to make a contribution today or any day. Here is why: Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know I’m on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of small donations helps me with expenses, and I factor that trickle in when setting fundraising goals. So if you see something you especially appreciate, do feel free to click the hat!

To give more, click on the arrow heads to the right of the amount.

If you hate PayPal — even though you can use a credit card or debit card on PayPal — you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check.

This entry was posted in Guest Post, Water Cooler on September 28, 2018 by Lambert Strether.

About Lambert Strether

Readers, I have had a correspondent characterize my views as realistic cynical. Let me briefly explain them. I believe in universal programs that provide concrete material benefits, especially to the working class. Medicare for All is the prime example, but tuition-free college and a Post Office Bank also fall under this heading. So do a Jobs Guarantee and a Debt Jubilee. Clearly, neither liberal Democrats nor conservative Republicans can deliver on such programs, because the two are different flavors of neoliberalism (“Because markets”). I don’t much care about the “ism” that delivers the benefits, although whichever one does have to put common humanity first, as opposed to markets. Could be a second FDR saving capitalism, democratic socialism leashing and collaring it, or communism razing it. I don’t much care, as long as the benefits are delivered. To me, the key issue — and this is why Medicare for All is always first with me — is the tens of thousands of excess “deaths from despair,” as described by the Case-Deaton study, and other recent studies. That enormous body count makes Medicare for All, at the very least, a moral and strategic imperative. And that level of suffering and organic damage makes the concerns of identity politics — even the worthy fight to help the refugees Bush, Obama, and Clinton’s wars created — bright shiny objects by comparison. Hence my frustration with the news flow — currently in my view the swirling intersection of two, separate Shock Doctrine campaigns, one by the Administration, and the other by out-of-power liberals and their allies in the State and in the press — a news flow that constantly forces me to focus on matters that I regard as of secondary importance to the excess deaths. What kind of political economy is it that halts or even reverses the increases in life expectancy that civilized societies have achieved? I am also very hopeful that the continuing destruction of both party establishments will open the space for voices supporting programs similar to those I have listed; let’s call such voices “the left.” Volatility creates opportunity, especially if the Democrat establishment, which puts markets first and opposes all such programs, isn’t allowed to get back into the saddle. Eyes on the prize! I love the tactical level, and secretly love even the horse race, since I’ve been blogging about it daily for fourteen years, but everything I write has this perspective at the back of it.

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← A Rational Backlash Against Globalization

Source: https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2018/09/200pm-water-cooler-9-28-2018.html

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/business/the-former-homeless-man-bringing-web-access-to-the-bronx/

The former homeless man bringing web access to the Bronx

Image copyright Neture

Image caption Marlin Jenkins is trying to bring broadband internet to poorer households

The digital divide – the economic gap between those with internet access and those without – is a growing problem throughout the world, and not just in developing economies. Many people are trying the bridge this gap, and here are some of their stories.

As a teenager, Marlin Jenkins was homeless for a couple of years.

Now, aged 45, he is trying to help the 40% of households in New York’s Bronx district without internet get online.

“When education, banking and healthcare are online, and huge groups can’t leverage these tools, the people who struggle most are struggling harder,” he says.

Mr Jenkins and his two brothers, one of whom has cerebral palsy, were raised by a single mother. When the family’s housing in Yonkers, New York fell through, his mother moved them 50 miles upstate in search of somewhere to live – a search which proved unsuccessful and resulted in a period of homelessness.

He still managed to gain his high school diploma though, and after university worked for telecoms giants Verizon and AT&T, then founded a gaming start-up.

He says his first response to having been homeless was that “I needed to make as much money as possible out of college” to provide for his family, but says the 9/11 terror attacks later changed his perspective, deciding instead to “cut my profit to give more back”.

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Many students in the Bronx district of New York have no internet at home

Eight years ago, he passed a five-year-old girl outside a Bronx library on his way home.

“She was crying to her mother about not being able to finish her homework because she didn’t have internet access at home, and the library was closed,” he says.

“I’ll never forget the mother’s face, she was distraught and it was heartbreaking.”

The experience inspired him to found Neture in 2015, a start-up offering low-income Bronx residents free access to online education, healthcare and finance resources. Residents can also buy 25 megabit per second (Mbps) broadband for wider web surfing if they want to.

Neture is making its first large-scale deployment this month in a 12-storey apartment block.

“People say, why don’t you create a food platform, or something else tech-driven. But if you can’t connect to the internet, it doesn’t matter what else you can do,” says Mr Jenkins.

Today, just over half – 51.2% – of the world’s population is online, says the Geneva-based International Telecommunication Union.

This means billions of people are missing out on the clear economic benefits internet access can bring.

Some studies have suggested that every 10% increase in broadband penetration increases a country’s economic output by 1%, and other country-specific studies in Africa have established a clear link between poverty alleviation and access to mobile internet.

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption An Egyptian farmer uses a smartphone to access useful crop data

“High-speed internet has a positive impact on poverty reduction,” says Olivier Vanden Eynde, founder of Close the Gap, an organisation working to bridge the digital divide in a sustainable way. “There are very interesting and well-respected studies.

“Better access to information increases farmers’ effectiveness in agriculture,” he says. “And fintech [financial technology] can make transactions more effective and less corrupt.”

In developed countries, 85.3% of households have web access at home. In the 47 poorest countries, the figure is 17.8%.

But the digital divide affects underprivileged people in rich countries too.

In Mississippi, for example, one of the most impoverished US states, 38.1% of households aren’t online, says the US Census Bureau.

Compare this to New Hampshire, one of the wealthiest states, where the figure is 15.1%.

In the US as a whole, five million households with school-age children don’t have internet access.

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Mississippi is one of the poorest states in the US

Lack of competition in US regional markets drives the average monthly cost of broadband in the US to $66.17 (£51.55), says the price comparison website cable.co.uk. This is 50% higher than the monthly average in Germany, for example.

And with faster – probably more expensive – 5G mobile internet coming in the next year or so, this could add “another new digital divide, with people building new technologies and applications that people who can’t afford 5G can’t access”, says Xiaoqun Zhang, a professor at the University of North Texas.

Connected World: Video, stories and features about 5G

One region that does well is the former Soviet Union, where infrastructure is well developed and markets are healthily competitive.

Ukraine has the world’s cheapest broadband, at an average monthly cost of $5. Russia ($9.77), Belarus ($10.46) and Moldova ($11.28) are all in the next five cheapest, too.

But in African countries such as Sierra Leone, Mali, Namibia and Ethiopia, the average monthly cost of broadband is more than $125.

Image copyright Seth Nyamador

Image caption Enoch Seth Nyamador says people in poorer rural areas suffer more from lack of internet access

In large African cities like Accra, Ghana, “broadband internet access is not an issue”, says Enock Seth Nyamador, a 2018 computer science graduate and founder of the OpenStreetMap Ghana community.

But in Keta, the fishing community in Ghana’s southeast where Mr Nyamodor grew up, a third of the 23,000 population lives under the poverty line of $1.90 a day.

“When you go to the remote areas, that’s where you have issues – network operators don’t reach most of the communities,” he says.

And using smartphones to access the internet there is “pretty expensive – the cheapest I could buy would be 70 cents (3.4 Ghanaian cedi, or 54p) for 500 megabytes of data”.

That’s more than a third of what many people in Keta live on every day.

And so in Ghana, just 6% of men and 2.1% of women say they use the internet, according to the country’s statistical service.

More Technology of Business

This comes despite 46.2% of Keta’s men and 38.4% of its women saying they have a mobile telephone. Only 2.9% of Keta households own computers.

Another problem, says Mr Nyamador, is the Google Map car doesn’t go to places like Keta.

“When you look on Google Maps, it is a product targeted towards cities, where money comes from. But what about villages where there is a need for development and map data?” he says.

Another problem is accessing the internet in a language you understand.

India has 22 official languages and hundreds of others spoken, but just 10% of its population can speak English.

Many smartphone buyers “don’t know how to type, because they have never used a digital device for typing”, says Rakesh Deshmukh, chief executive of Mumbai-based Indus OS.

So Mr Deshmukh has been developing keyboards and app stores for each of India’s official languages, along with a “swipe to translate” feature that can translate English messages into a user’s mother tongue.

The global digital divide is reinforcing inequalities of wealth between and within countries.

But people like Marlin Jenkins, Enock Nyamado and Rakesh Deshmukh are doing their best to build bridges across it.

Follow Technology of Business editor Matthew Wall on Twitter and Facebook

[fxcfdlabo]

Japan Manufacturing PMI Data Due On Tuesday

Japan will on Tuesday see flash June figures for the manufacturing, services and composite PMIs from Jibun Bank, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

In May, the manufacturing index was at 38.4, services was at 26.5 and the composite came in at 27.8.

The Philippines will provide April numbers for retail sales; in March, sales were up 1.1 percent on year.

Singapore will see May figures for consumer prices; in April, overall inflation was down 0.9 percent on month and 0.7 percent on year and core CPI was down 0.3 percent on year.

Taiwan will see May figures for industrial production and retail sales; in April, Industrial production was up 3.51 percent on year, while retail sales dropped an annual 10.2 percent.

The material has been provided by InstaForex Company - www.instaforex.com from www.instaforex.com https://www.instaforex.com/forex-news/2159138.html?x=JNMBS

[wealthadvisor10]

The World This Week  : 29th May 2020  –  5th June 2020

Indian Equity Summary-  

·         The Global and the domestic equity market witnessed a broad based rally on the backdrop of gradual reopening of the global economy andØ unprecedented stimulus package implemented worldwide by the central banks and government. The domestic equity market, in line with the global markets closed in green for the second consecutive week with Nifty 50 and Sensex up by 5.86% and 5.75% respectively.  

·         Majority of the sectoral indices closed in green on a W-o-W basis with the top performing sectoral indices being BSE Realty, BSE Consumer,Durable, BSE Metals that rose by 11.12%, 10.03% and 9.27% respectively.  

·         Going forward, global factors like development on the US -China relationship front , Covid-19 situations as globally economies have started, opening up and as the remaining results of the earnings seasons unfold will continue to dictate the trend of the domestic equity market. We expect the trading range for Nifty between 9800-10,300 in the near term.

Indian Debt Market-

·         Government bond prices fell sharply as the yield on the latest 10-year benchmark 5.79% 2030 paper settled at 5.82% on Jun 5 compared withØ 5.78% on May 29.

·         Reserve Bank of India announces the auction of 91 days, 182 day and 364 day Government of India Treasury Bills of Rs 15,000 Crore , Rs 16,000Ø Crore and Rs14,000 Crore, aggregating face value Rs 45,000 Crore  

·         State Governments have announced the sale of their securities by way of an auction, for an aggregate face value of ₹ 16,060 Cr.Ø

·         We expect the 10 year benchmark yield to trade between 5.80-6.00% in near term.Ø

 Domestic News  

·         According to industry body worldsteel ,India's steel demand is likely to face a steep decline of 18 per cent in 2020 while the global steel demandØ is expected to contract 6.4 per cent to 1,654 million tonnes (MT) due to the Covid-19 crisis.  

·         Rail freight traffic in April and May dropped by 28 per cent, or 58 million tonne (mt), to 148 MT, compared to 206 mt during the same period lastØ year owing to the decline in economic activity during the first two months of the fiscal year 2020-21 (FY21).

·         The RBI has created a Payments Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) of Rs 500Crore to encourage acquirers to deploy Points of Sale (PoS)Ø infrastructure — both physical and digital modes — in tier-3 to tier-6 centres and north eastern states.

·         Rating agency Moody’s downgraded India’s foreign currency and local currency long term issuer ratings to Baa3 from Baa2, while maintaining aØ negative outlook, citing prolonged period of low growth and further deterioration in the government’s fiscal position.

·         International News  

·         China exports fall from 3.5 in April% to 3.3% in May while imports fall from 14.2% in April to 16.7% in May.Ø  

·         As per the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) ,index of US factory activity rose to 43.1 In May from 41.5 in April. A reading below 50Ø indicates contraction in manufacturing that accounts for 11% of the US economy.  

·       �� As per the job report released Labor Department for the month of May, the jobless rate in US dropped to 13.3% in May from 14.7% in AprilØ whereas Nonfarm payrolls rose by 2.5 million jobs after a record plunge of slightly under 20.7 million in April.

·         Japan's factory activity in May shrank at the fastest pace since March 2009 as the final au Jibun Bank Japan Manufacturing PurchasingØ Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 38.4 from 41.9 in April.  

·         Member countries of the Group of 20 pledged more than $21 billion to fight the coronavirus(Covid-19) pandemic.Ø  As per the details of draft deal reported by Reuetrs, OPEC, Russia and allies are in deliberation to extend record oil production cuts of 9.7Mb/pdØ until the end of July after crude prices doubled in the past two months on the back of their efforts to withdraw almost 10% of global supplies from the market. Commodities and Currency

Link -

http://www.karvywealth.com/data/sites/1/skins/karvywealth/Download_media_report.aspx?FileName=F7CDD362-6754-4149-9153-E40F5AEDF3CF|5199153

[georgecmatthews]

What could short-term volatility mean for long-term investors?

Markets are continuing to be highly volatile — and the past two weeks have seen historic gains and losses. While I prefer to evaluate performance over longer periods, it’s understandable that investors are especially interested in the market’s daily fluctuations. Here’s what I’ll be watching in the coming week and months.

This current market volatility could lead to tomorrow’s long-term opportunities

On Feb. 28, the CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX®) — which measures expectations of near-term volatility — closed at 40.11.1 This is unusual, as there have only been seven periods since 1990 that saw the VIX finish the week over 35, but it’s hardly surprising given the recent volatility we’ve seen.

Interestingly, though, history shows that a weekly close in the VIX above 35 is correlated with higher stock prices in the next year. One year after each of the seven periods where the VIX closed over 35, the S&P 500 Equal Weight Index was higher, with an average return of 15.5%.1 In contrast, the average VIX  return was -38.4%. What’s more, over the same period, the S&P 500 Equal Weight Index outpaced the S&P 500 by 0.4%. (The one exception was the aftermath of Sep. 11 and headwind created by the “popping” of the technology bubble.)

So, what does this mean for investors? In my view, the VIX reflects investors’ current state of unease, but it also represents a buying opportunity for investors willing to take a longer-term approach.

Equity volatility may linger

The US market is in for a volatile year. Recent news reports suggest the worst of the coronavirus has yet to impact the US, and the market will be vulnerable to pricing the policy risk in the leadup to the November presidential election. The country is very polarized, so I believe there is a risk that President Donald Trump’s generally friendly fiscal/regulatory policies could be reversed. I believe the political dynamic is a reason for investors to consider holding onto low-volatility stocks. 

Tracking the impact of the coronavirus

When it comes to monitoring the impact of the coronavirus on economic activity, I recommend watching the price of oil and the direction of industrial commodity prices. Energy is critical to transportation and production, and it is likely to produce less noise than government comments and the talking heads in the media. 

Moreover, the Atlanta Federal Reserve’s (Fed) GDPNOW forecast for Q1 growth is 2.7%2, durable good orders looked to be on the upswing (helped by the inventory cycle), and pending home sales appeared to be especially strong. 3 Moreover, the Philadelphia Fed non-manufacturing survey was stout, pointing to robust growth.4 The strength of economic growth going into to the shock of the coronavirus may reduce the severity of its impact on the market. 

1 Source: Bloomberg, L.P. as of Feb. 28, 2020. VIX closed at 45.1; on June 4, 2010, the VIX closed at 35.5; and on Aug. 12, 2011, the VIX closed at 36.4. The seven periods where the VIX closed over 35 were Oct 31,  1997 to Oct. 31, 1998; Aug. 28, 1998 to Aug. 28, 1999; Sep. 21, 2001 to Sept. 21, 2002; July 19, 2002 to July 19, 2003; Oct. 3, 2008 to Oct. 3, 2009; June 4,  2010 to June 4, 2011; and Aug. 12, 2011 to Aug. 12, 2012. Past performance does not guarantee future results. An investment cannot be made into an index.

2 Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta GDPNOW as of March 2, 2020

3 Source: Bloomberg LP as of February 29, 2020

4 Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Nonmanufacturing Business Outlook Survey (NBOS) as of Feb. 25, 2020

Important information

Blog header image: Mima Foto/Stocksy

All investing involves risk, including the risk of loss.

There is no guarantee that low-volatility stocks will provide low volatility.

The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX®) is a key measure of market expectations of near-term volatility conveyed by S&P 500 stock index option prices. VIX is the ticker symbol for the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) Volatility Index, which shows the market’s expectation of 30-day volatility.

The S&P 500® Equal Weight Index is the equally weighted version of the S&P 500® Index.

The S&P 500® Index is an unmanaged index considered representative of the US stock market.

from Expert Investment Views: Invesco Blog https://www.blog.invesco.us.com/what-could-short-term-volatility-mean-for-long-term-investors/

[aapnugujarat1]

Milk fortification to tackle malnutrition in India: Chairman NDDB

Anand, 08 June 2019: While inaugurating a workshop on “Sustaining Efforts of Milk Fortification in India” at National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Anand on Friday, Shri Dilip Rath, Chairman, NDDB said that Vitamin A & D deficiencies are widely prevalent in India. Fortification of appropriate foods with Vitamin A and D is a viable strategy to tackle micronutrient malnutrition. Shri Rajan Sankar, Director, The India Nutrition Initiative (TINI); Dr Edward W Bresnyan, Senior Agricultural Economist, World Bank; Shri Madhusudan Rao, Nutrition Lead, Tata Trusts; Shri Vivek Arora, Sr Advisor, Tata Trusts; Dr RK Marwaha, Member of scientific panel, FSSAI; Dr CS Pandav, Member, National Council for India’s Nutritional Challenges, Poshan Abhiyan graced the occasion. In his address, Shri Rath conveyed that micronutrient deficiencies are widespread and currently, affecting about 2 billion people in the world - accounting for nearly 10% of the global health burden. More specifically to India, micronutrient malnutrition is a silent emergency. As per WHO & UNICEF 2009 reports, the nation bears the burden of more than a quarter of the world’s vitamin A deficient preschool children and more than 13 million susceptible infants to iodine deficiency. According to National Family Health Survey-4 data, among children under 5 years in India, 38.4% are stunted, 21% are wasted and 35.7% are underweight. Micronutrient deficiencies such as iron, folic acid, vitamin B12, zinc and vitamin D are very prevalent and have overwhelming impact over the public health and economic productivity of the nation. The most powerful solution to combat this challenge is food fortification. Chairman, NDDB said that milk in India, with its high volume of production, widespread distribution network, affordability and all around acceptability in the daily food habit has emerged as the best vehicle for fortification. We are world’s largest milk producing country and our per capita milk availability has now increased to 375 grams per day. Milk fortification is highly affordable and cost effective, as it cost less than 2 to 3 paisa per litre. Dr Bresnyan mentioned that the South Asia Food and Nutrition Security Initiative (SAFANSI) seeks to address the South Asian Enigma - how chronic malnutrition remains intractable despite high economic growth - by fostering the crosscutting actions that will lead to measurable improvements in food and nutrition security. He strongly supported the notion that food quality, not quantity, is what helps people remain healthy in the long run. He also lauded NDDB’s efforts in implementing the National Dairy Plan. The Milk Fortification Project is a collaborative initiative of World Bank, Tata Trusts and National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). The project aims to process about 2 million metric tonnes of fortified liquid milk reaching to around 30 million consumers. The project duration is 23 months. NDDB is providing consultancy service to World Bank for the implementation of this project. The Board is also providing technical and financial support to the Milk Federations/Producer Companies/Unions for project implementation including development of SOPs for milk fortification & testing; quality assurance & quality control for milk fortification; conducting fortification trials/training/capacity building and for developing promotion materials. Over the past two years, the project has reached 25 Milk Federations/Producer Companies/Unions across 20 states of India, fortifying about 55 lakh litres of milk per day. The Milk Federations/Producer Companies/Unions are responsible for project implementation, internal monitoring and regular report submission to NDDB. Fortification is to be carried out as per the Standard Operating Procedures developed by NDDB and also Standards provided by FSSAI. Of the 25 project proposals approved, fortification is launched in 15 Milk Federations/Producer Companies/Unions. In 10 Milk Federations/ Producer Companies/Unions, trials/training has been completed and the launch is in pipeline. Till date, about one million metric tonnes of milk is fortified. The workshop provided a platform to representatives for experience sharing on fortification in different commodities. The takeaways from today’s workshop would help sustain the efforts of our dairy cooperatives and also decide about further upscaling the implementation of milk fortification to garner profitable results. Read the full article

[mysimsloveaffair]

Wade: You ever taste something so nasty that you can’t stop eating it?

Maia laughs.

Maia: Is that like a dog so ugly that it’s cute?

Wade: Yes! This taco is that dog.

I try to offer Maia another bite, but she’s laughing too hard to take it. I push my plate to the side and focus on her. Her eyes reflect her smile, reminding me of what she was like when we first met. Life was so easy back then. But now we’re parents and everything is much more complicated, but I can’t imagine dealing with it all with anyone else but her. I gently pat the engagement ring in my pocket. It’s time!

[language576-blog]

2020 Hyundai Sonata First Look: Is Stunningly Gorgeous Enough?

New Post has been published on https://languageguideto.com/awesome/2020-hyundai-sonata-first-look-is-stunningly-gorgeous-enough/

2020 Hyundai Sonata First Look: Is Stunningly Gorgeous Enough?

Full disclosure: For the 2020 Sonata’s design background presentation, Hyundai Motor Group flew me and a small group of journalists to Seoul, South Korea and put us up in the Signiel Hotel that occupies the upper floors of the fifth tallest building in the world( and tallest in the country ).

As Top 5 tall buildings run, the Signiel is an impressive testament to man’s singular focus on conquering the surrounding scenery. It also looks like God’s own tweezers jammed into the ground, business end up. Inside, it’s cool, curved and modern, but also sterile and a bit antiseptic. Aside from the stunning views that tall windows at any great height will provide, Signiel is singularly lacking in drama. In short, it’s almost nothing like the 2020 Hyundai Sonata.

Hyundai’s new global head of design SangYup Lee hosted this journey, one of the first to bring international journalists inside Hyundai’s new design centre. His aim was to introduce us not only to the new, eighth-generation Sonata, but to communicate how it would be the flagship for Hyundai’s new “Sensuous Sportiness” design language.

In a high-walled interior courtyard meant for examining exteriors in the full light of day, Lee’s team pulled back silk draperies on a pair of 2020 Sonatas, a red car equipped with a 1.6 -liter turbo-four “Smartstream” engine, and a gray car powered by Hyundai’s new Atkinson-cycle 2.5 -liter four-cylinder, also dubbed Smartstream.

The sheet slid off to uncover a very smooth looking vehicle–and one that describes immediate comparings to the latest Aston Martin styling, and specific models from Audi( A7) and Mercedes-Benz( CLS ), particularly when viewed from the side.

Yes, I’m serious. These were the first brands and models that popped in my head when I saw the car in the metal. If you disagree, it’s because the pictures don’t do the car justice. When viewed in person, in a tint of gray( so all the lines and curves are softly apparent ), the Sonata discloses itself as a monumental accomplishment of proportion and linework.

Lee and his squad massaged the silhouette of the five-seater, shifting the passenger compartment rearward, shortening the front overhang and adding duration to the rear overhang, so that it has the appearance of a rear-drive car’s dash-to-axle ratio.

The look is striking, yet very sophisticated. It’s also astonishingly subtle when you review the numbers. Hyundai provided us the following dimensions it used to benchmark itself and the competitor :P TAGEND

Dimensions( inches) 2011 Hyundai Sonata Difference 2020 Hyundai Sonata 2020 Honda Accord 2020 Toyota Camry

Length 191.1 +1.7 192.9 192.1 192.1 Width 72.2 +0.98 73.2 73.2 72.4 Height 58.0 -1. 2 56.9 57.1 56.9 Wheelbase 110.4 +1.4 111.8 111.4 111.2 Front Overhang 38.0 -0. 78 37.2 36.6 38.4 Rear Overhang 42.7 +1.2 43.9 44.1 42.5

Compared to the sixth-generation 2011 Sonata that Hyundai considers a landmark for its Fluidic Design language, Lee’s team added 1.7 inches in overall duration to the 2020 Sonata along with nearly an inch in thicknes. Height fells by 1.2 inches and wheelbase increases by 1.4. In the front, 0.8 inches of overhang is lopped off and added to the 1.2 -inch increase in rear overhang. These are significant inches, but also reflect the category’s increase in size over the intervening years. The 2020 Sonata is nows easily within an inch of contemporary challengers Honda Accord and Toyota Camry in every key dimension. And yet it looks so different. How?

Lee’s boss and head of design for Hyundai Motor Group, Luc Donckerwolke has the answer: “Designing sedans is not easy; you fight for every millimeter. This generates a lot of pressure for designers.”

Well the pressure paid off because it’s clear that Lee’s team didn’t simply sweat the 2020 Sonata’s sensuous and sporty proportions with millimetric precision, they put lots of thought and endeavour into the lines and open spaces. The main character line( or -Aline in design speak) from the 2018 Le Fil Rouge concept automobile has been ported over, fully intact, and accentuates the Coke-bottle curves massaged into the Sonata’s bodysides.

As in previous generations, the metal in the Sonata body is all steel; no aluminum here, despite potential weight savings, because one of Hyundai’s corporate cousins( alongside Hyundai shipping, building and banking/ finance) is Hyundai Steel.

“We have good competency in steel, so we will use it, ” says Hyundai’s chief engineer, Albert Biermann. To improve crash performance, Biermann says high strength steels and other reinforcements have been placed in three load paths–low, medium, and high–under the Sonata’s shapely scalped to help protect occupants by assimilating or redirecting forces around the cabin.

Hyundai decorators spent lots of day thinking about how the needs of design and safety can work together. Consider the Sonata’s sleek front end, which is now being 1.4 inches lower than the older generation. Nearly all modern autoes have hoods that terminate in a bumper containing the grille, more often than not with an obvious/ ugly closed line. What distinguishes the Sonata is how the steel( not composite) hood flows all the way to the front of the car ending in an edge above the grille. Lee is quick to mention that the only other car manufacturers that currently do this are Aston Martin and Bentley, his previous employer.

But the tale goes much deeper than seems. Engineering such a low and sexy hood to fulfill pedestrian impact standards meant the engine needed to be pushed down and back. Then there are the sculpted steel front fenders and dazzling headlight array.

“See the deep describe of the front fender and very complicated headlight executing? ” asks Lee. “You usually want the[ headlight] lens to be as upright as possible for the best optics[ and] minimal aberration. And you want the bumper upright for heat dissipation. DN8[ internal code for Sonata] has neither and is not compromised for accident, etc.[ The fender and headlights are] very fast, without compromise.”

The most striking component is the strip of bright metal that starts at the base of the headlights and curves around the passenger compartment, before returning to the -Apillar. It’s a virtually unbroken strip of chrome so thoughtfully considered, you wonder why there is a break in it at all. Then the daytime running illuminations switch on, and the genius is uncovered. As you approach the top of the headlight from the base of the windshield, the strip of chrome reflected light gradually devotes route to LED lumens. This metal-to-light gradient is achieved by a series of tiny laser-etched holes in the chrome plating that encompasses the translucent strip of plastic. The holes increase in size toward the headlight cluster, until all the chrome is gone and only light remains.

An aggressive mix of steel, composite and polycarbonate is used for the dramatic rear. The trunk lid and supports are all steel, but the sharp-edge of the rear deck is composite. “Aero fins” atop the polycarbonate taillights underline another new design directive. “We’re not doing styling anymore. Every design input also has a functional output, ” says Donckerwolke. To that end, the aero fins apparently help add a few pounds of downforce.

Side by side, the 2020 Sonata 1.6 T and 2.5 models expose some clues about what we’ll see in the U.S.-bound production automobiles. At least two different front and rear bumpers will be on offer. From the Le Fil Rouge concept comes the “parametric jewel” grille insured on the Sonata 1.6 T in red. This spicier, sportier version has slightly more aggressive ventilates in its bumpers, as well as sideskirts, and 19 -inch wheels. The gray Sonata has a more conservative chrome grille and 18 -inch wheels, which match its entry-level aspirations. Biermann hints that there will definitely be something sportier on the way.

Inside, Hyundai’s most significant accomplishment is stuffing a comfortable and accessible rear seating compartment into the 2020 Sonata’s sleek silhouette. Your humble scribe stands virtually six feet tall, yet could sit comfortable behind the driver’s seat( set for someone his height ), with good knee room and thigh support( to mid femur ), and acceptable headroom( hair simply grazing the headliner .)

Front seat occupants are treated to horizontally oriented displays and air conditioning vents. Control surfaces have been updated according to purpose; knobs and touch controls for the infotainment screen and toggle switches for easy adjustment of the climate control system. Options include quilted leather seating surfaces and a 12.3 -inch digital screen that spans international instruments cluster. Standard across the Sonata line is the deletion of the transmitting lever in favor of PRND transmission buttons similar to what we’ve seen in recent Hondas and Acuras. Next to this button array is small deck designed to hold and wirelessly charge the latest mobile phones.

Smartphone integration and other advanced driver assistance systems( ADAS) were top priorities, which is why the 2020 Sonata comes with an entire alphabet soup of upgraded safety, security, and driver convenience electronics. One of the most interesting is the ability to use your smartphone as a digital key to gain entry to and drive the 2020 Sonata. This alternative works via the Near Field Communication( NFC) standard that comes standard with nearly all current smartphones. For Sonata, a user is indispensable Hyundai’s app downloaded to a smartphone and sync’d with private vehicles. Then, all a driver needs to do is touch the phone to the Sonata’s door handle to gain access. Laying the phone on charging mat allows the car to be started and driven. Truly handy is that permissions can be remotely granted to others interested in accessing the vehicle. Hyundai claims it will be possible to give permanent digital key access to up to three different smartphones. Digital keys can also be granted on a temporary, timebound basis or restricted to just parts of the car, such as the trunk for delivery of goods.

So the 2020 Sonata is definitely sexy and stuffed with high tech goodies. But is it enough? Hyundai’s own research confirms that the midsize household sedan market is shrinking fast; the segment hit a high in 2013 with sales of 2.4 million, but is quickly losing steam. Hyundai has a projection proving marketings could hit only 1 million divisions in 2023.

SangYup Lee and his squad know the argument well. “We all know this marketplace segment is shrink, ” said Lee. “But the sedan will never die; we know this. So we asked a question: Can we make this one right, to make a statement? Hyundai attains the value auto, but this is not enough for the future of Hyundai. Design is the key enabler that will take Hyundai to the next level.”

We shall see.

But how does it drive? We got a very brief taste you are able to read about here…

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