The Ending Of The Double Explained - Looper

Mechanized noises, typing, and electronic sounds encompass the sterile, cold, Orwellian-style office environment which Simon tolerates every miserable day. The dictatorial setting and uninviting mise-en-scene show the workers in their separate cubicles, disconnected from their coworkers and focused on dull, meaningless tasks. Primarily neutral tones consisting of browns, blacks, grays, and whites demonstrate the distinct lack of color and life that exists not only within Simon's world but everybody else's as well.

In the film, people act like robots and don't really feel anything. The citizens of the nondescript town and location are numb to a society that has primed them for a life of subservience and dedication to the system, and to a Big Brother-type figure named the Colonel (James Fox) who runs the whole operation. There's a scene in which Simon is watching a creepy television ad with his aging mother (Phyllis Somerville), where a floating voice recites, "The Colonel will show you people in a way your business can understand because the Colonel knows there's no such thing as special people, just people." 

Simon is a "non-person" to his co-workers and his mother, who doesn't even want to hear him speak. He may as well not exist, considering he's residing in a society that doesn't value or acknowledge the uniqueness of individuality, one where being a faceless, nameless sheep in a herd is the accepted norm. 

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Gas prices could double next year, JP Morgan oil analysis predicts - WFLA

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Tropical cyclones in Asia could have double the destructive power by the end of century, study finds - CNN

(CNN)Tropical cyclones in Asia could have double the destructive power by the end of the century, according to new research, as scientists say the human-made climate crisis is already making them stronger.

Using data from nearly four decades from 1979 to 2016, researchers found that the destructive power of tropical cyclones had dramatically increased, with stronger landfalling cyclones lasting longer and tracking further inland.

The study, by researchers at the Shenzhen Institute of Meteorological Innovation and the Chinese University of Hong Kong and published in Frontiers in Earth Science, said that tropical cyclones now last between two and nine hours longer and traveled an average of 100 km (62 miles) further inland than they did four decades ago.

The study looked at cyclones over east and southeast Asia and found the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi and the southern China region were hardest hit between 1979 and 2016.

Researchers also found that by the end of the century, the average landfall wind speed over Asian inland regions could increase by two meters per second, or 5 miles per hour. Small increases in top wind speeds of a cyclone can bring much higher levels of destruction.

The study suggests an average cyclone by then will last around 5 hours longer and will travel 92 kilometers (57 miles) farther inland, nearly doubling their destructive power.

Tropical cyclones are among the most dangerous natural disasters, with flooding rainfall, damaging winds and storm surge. Over the past 50 years, these cyclones have led to nearly 780,000 deaths and around $1.4 billion worth of economic losses globally.

People cross the street in the wind and rain in Ningbo on July 25, as Typhoon In-Fa lashes the east coast of China.

In June, Typhoon In-fa and Typhoon Cempaka brought extreme rain of more than 150mm per hour to China's Henan province, breaking a record in the city of Zhengzhou. More than 300 people were killed in the floods that ravaged central China, officials said.

And in September 2021, the remnants of Hurricane Ida caused torrential rain and flash flooding in New York, leaving at least 50 people dead.

"Both disasters caused huge economic and human losses," the study's lead author, Dr Chi-Yung Tam of the Chinese University of Hong Kong said.

Tam and his colleagues are calling for more action to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions and increase disaster preparedness in Asia.

Intensifying storms

Several studies suggest that warmer ocean temperatures are intensifying tropical cyclones.

One of those studies, from researchers at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), looked at nearly 40 years of satellite data of global storms. The study, published last year, found that global warming has increased sea surface temperature in regions where tropical cyclones form. The combination of these warm temperatures, along with changes in atmospheric conditions, have allowed storms to more easily reach higher intensities.

If a cyclone intensifies in strength at landfall, it will travel further inland, amplifying its destructive power.

While human-caused global warming is likely fueling the increase in the severity of the storms, natural weather cycles and events can also strengthen -- or weaken -- the intensity and frequency of cyclones.

Tam said numerical models predict the climate crisis "will likely continue the increasing trend in landfalling typhoons and their impacts on inland regions."

"More Asian inland regions may be exposed to more severe storm-related disasters in the future as a result of the climate crisis," he said.

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The Rockets Hilariously Conspired to Get Kevin Porter Jr. His First Triple Double - Sports Illustrated

Does this really even count?

Monday night was an important milestone for Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. For the first time in his three-year NBA career, Porter notched a triple double in Houston’s win over the Thunder. But the box score doesn’t tell the whole story.

The Rockets built a sizable lead in the final minutes of the fourth quarter and both teams emptied their benches. But Porter, a starter, stayed on the court because he was one rebound shy of his first triple double. When OKC’s Théo Maledon squared up for a three-point attempt, Porter positioned himself right below the rim, ready to haul in that precious 10th rebound. But the ball clanged hard off the back of the rim and ricocheted well over Porter’s head.

Luckily for Porter, his teammates were determined to get him that rebound. Alperen Şengün tipped the ball back toward him and Josh Christopher pleaded frantically with Porter to come retrieve it. Porter snagged the ball and, although the official scorer initially didn’t credit him with the rebound, the crowd gave him a hearty round of applause when the triple double was confirmed.

Games like Porter’s are exactly why the triple double has lost prestige in recent years. In addition to his 11 assists and nine legitimate rebounds, he finished with 11 points on 4-of-17 shooting (1-of-8 from three). That’s 23.5%, not exactly a career performance. But he reached that magic double-digit threshold in the big three counting stats, even though he might look back on that box score years from now and be embarrassed by how he got that last rebound.

Fans and analysts might not be that impressed by the triple double anymore, but the appeal of the achievement to players is undeniable. There’s a long tradition of NBA players going all out to try to get their 10th point, rebound or assist. Who can forget Ricky Davis's attempting a layup on his own basket in 2003? Or Andray Blatche's throwing a mini tantrum when a teammate grabbed a rebound from him in '10? There was also a 1996 game where Anthony Bowie called a timeout with 2.7 seconds left and his team up 20 just to try to get another assist, which led Doug Collins to pull his Pistons off the floor in disgust. A manufactured triple double is lame, but you have to appreciate how creative players can get when they’re chasing stats like that. 

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Around the sports world

Tiger Woods gave his first extensive interview since his February car crash. (He’ll also hold a press conference at his golf tournament in the Bahamas on Tuesday.) ... The struggling Knicks are not only moving starting point guard Kemba Walker to the bench, they’re taking him out of the rotation completely. ... No. 3 Gonzaga barely beat 1–6 Tarleton State, which is in its second year in Division I. 

We were denied a potential MNF miracle finish because the guy to the right of the kicker lined up on the wrong side of the hash marks

A 7 a.m. meeting to hear what you already learned on Twitter? No thanks. 

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A good song

Email dan.gartland@si.com with any feedback or follow me on Twitter for approximately one half-decent baseball joke per week. Bookmark this page to see previous editions of Hot Clicks and find the newest edition every day. By popular request I’ve made a Spotify playlist of the music featured here. Visit our Extra Mustard page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories.

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Pacers' Domantas Sabonis has historic 25-rebound triple-double in loss to Timberwolves - CBSSports.com

USATSI

The Indiana Pacers fell to 9-14 on the season on Monday night as they suffered their third defeat in four games. This one came at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who came back from a 12-point deficit and held off the Pacers down the stretch to win 100-98. 

This was another frustrating night for the Pacers, but there was a silver lining. Big man Domantas Sabonis made history as he finished with 16 points, 25 rebounds (career high) and 10 assists for his first triple-double of the season. In the process he became the first player with a 25-rebound triple-double since Shaquille O'Neal put up 24 points, 28 rebounds and 15 blocks in 1993. In addition, he he became the first player to put up 25 rebounds and 10 assists in a game since Maurice Lucas went for 23 points, 26 rebounds and 10 assists back in 1980. 

Rebounding isn't the most exciting aspect of the game, but it was pretty impressive to watch Sabonis clean up on the glass. With Myles Turner sidelined because of a non-COVID illness, Sabonis was the only true big man who played significant minutes for the Pacers. That left him largely by himself in the paint, and he was all over the place, grabbing 25 of the Pacers' 47 rebounds in the game. 

Unfortunately for the Pacers, he just couldn't do enough offensively down the stretch. Not for a lack of trying, however, as he made a bunch of nice plays as a facilitator, assisting on three straight baskets at one point in the fourth quarter. He even hit two clutch free throws to tie the score at 94 with just over a minute to play. It wasn't enough, however, as the Wolves escaped with the win. 

For the season, Sabonis is now putting up 17.3 points, 12 rebounds and four assists per game. His scoring and assists are down slightly from last season, but his overall impact has been positive as he boasts a plus-5.7 net rating differential. Much like on Monday night, however, Sabonis' effort often hasn't been enough. 

The Pacers have been shorthanded for much of the season and are drifting further and further out of the playoff picture. It's still only late November, but the Pacers are almost as close to the Orlando Magic for the worst record in the Eastern Conference (4.5 games ahead) as they are to the Charlotte Hornets for the No. 6 seed (four games behind). 

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Double Winged Liner: How to Perfect the Look, According to the Pros - Vogue.com

To draw on double winged eyeliner, celebrity makeup artist Miriam Nichterlein, who recently gave Suki Waterhouse a rock ‘n’ roll-tinged take on trend in the singer’s new “Moves” music video, recommends tracing the shape to start. “Trace in the liner with a softer pencil first, until you are happy with the shape, before going in with a waterproof pen over the top,” she instructs, recommending Bobbi Brown’s tried-and-true gel liner. Parsons agrees: “Going straight in with liquid liner makes it feel more permanent and possibly stressful!” To achieve the right shape on each side, Parsons suggests etching the flick of the wing first. “Once the outer wing is perfected, upward and outward, connect to the inner corner of the eye and top it off with a liquid liner,” she says, adding that the lower wing or line should go on after. To optimize symmetry and impact of the shapes, Nichterlein recommends “erasing any mistakes and sharpening up lines” with pointed Q-tips and waterproof eye makeup remover or micellar water. “It’s totally ok to play and make mistakes with liner,” says Nichterlein. “Even the pros have had to spend time perfecting this look and technique when doing it on themselves!”

To further open the eyes, you can brush on a stroke of white pencil or, alternatively, as British makeup artist Val Garland likes to do on both herself and her clients, add a dash of bright highlighter in the negative space. “It’s a softer version of opening up the eyes and making them look bigger,” she says, adding that it was a strategy also favored by Sophia Loren. While Garland gave Gemma Chan traditional onyx flicks on the November/December cover of Vogue Singapore, she also enjoys adding a dose of color for a two-toned take fitting for the festive season. “It’s modern and a little softer as well,” says Garland of accenting double winged eyeliner with rich gold, teal blue, beetle green, or deep plum. “Don't be scared,” she says. “Be bold and think beyond the black!”

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Rockets players orchestrated a wholesome rebounding scheme to get Kevin Porter Jr. his first triple-double - CBSSports.com

usatsi

Let's be honest, you weren't watching the final minute of the Houston Rockets' 102-89 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night. Rightly so, perhaps, but as a result, you missed one of the funniest and most wholesome moments of the season so far. 

Down by 15 with less than 90 seconds to play, the Thunder brought the ball up the court and Aleksej Pokusevski drove and kicked to Theo Maledon. He missed a wide-open 3-pointer from the corner, a shot no one on the Thunder was interested in chasing down. That gave the Rockets a chance to pull off a brazen triple-double heist. 

The rebound went right to Rockets big man Alperen Sengun, but instead of grabbing the ball he simply tapped it into open space. Josh Christopher then started screaming for Kevin Porter Jr. to "get the ball" so loudly you could hear it over the broadcast. A momentarily confused Porter raced in, and Christopher celebrated with an emphatic fist pump. Why? Because with that rebound Porter secured his first career triple-double. 

Is this going to actually stand as the 10th rebound for Porter? Who knows. Did Porter, who finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists on 4-of-17 from the field record one of the flimsiest triple-doubles ever? You could make the case. Was this still awesome? Absolutely. 

Christopher might have just locked up the teammate of the year award with this play. First of all, this is incredible awareness. Not only did he know exactly where Porter was with his stats, but he orchestrated the situation to perfection by calling Sengun off and directing Porter to the ball. Then the enthusiasm when his plan paid off and Porter got his triple-double was delightful. You can't teach those kinds of intangibles. 

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Between helping Porter get his triple-double, and securing a third-straight win, the vibes are finally starting to turn around in Houston. They're still just 4-16, but they no longer have the worst record in the league and the winning streak should take some heat off of head coach Stephen Silas. 

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A Black Contestant Won Quebec's 'Occupation Double' For The First Time (CORRECTION) - MTL Blog

Even the anglophones of Quebec can't help but love the oh-so-popular dating show Occupation Double with all of its twists and turns and tears.

The grand finale of Occupation Double Dans L'Ouest took place on Sunday, November 28 and the winning couple, Ines and Stevens, made history. Stevens has become the show's first Black contestant to claim victory in the long-running and ultra-popular reality competition series.*

During the last episode, viewers were able to follow three couples on their trip to the Dominican Republic: Ines and Stevens, Marilou and Robin, and Audrey and Frédérick.

And by the looks of it, the trip went rather smoothly for Ines and Stevens. And it's likely because of their chemistry on this trip, and throughout the last few weeks of the show, that the public voted this couple as the winners of the 2021 season.

This lucky pair won a loft in Eastman, Quebec, among other prizes, in front of their relatives.

In case you didn't watch the show, here's a little bio of each of the winners, whose faces you are bound to see all over social media networks from this day forward.

Stevens is a professional athlete from Montreal of Haitian origin. His new boo that he'll soon be living in the lavish loft with, Ines, is a Moroccan-Canadian marketing student from Terrebonne.

Both Stevens and Ines thanked the public on Instagram after their big win. Wishing them the best of luck on their new journey!

If you're a fan of Occupation Double, you'll be pleased to know host Jay Du Temple promised another season is coming in 2022.

*Editor's note: An earlier version of this article stated that Ines and Stevens were the first non-white couple to win Occupation Double. Non-white contestants have won in the past.

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Wishpond Technologies is a double, says Eight Capital - Cantech Letter

After strong quarterly results, Eight Capital analyst Christian Sgro has raised his target on digital marketing company Wishpond Technologies (Wishpond Technologies Stock Quote, Chart, News, Analysts, Financials TSXV:WISH). Sgro reviewed Wishpond in a client update on Friday where he kept his “Buy” rating and lifted his target price from $2/share to $2.50/share for a projected one-year return of 100 per cent.

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Vancouver, Wishpond Technologies provides an all-in-one suite of integrated digital marketing products focused on serving the small to mid-market. Wishpond released its third quarter financial results on Thursday, showing 90 per cent topline growth for the quarter.

Wishpond hit $4 million in revenue, marking 23 per cent sequential growth and a 90 per cent year-over-year increase, which beat the Eight Capital estimate of $3.6 million and the consensus projection of $3.7 million. Sgro attributed the revenue beat to dissipating headwinds related to foreign exchange along with the company performing as expected.

“We are encouraged to see the company executing on all objectives: achieving positive adjusted EBITDA, scaling S&M, and acquiring complementary technologies which are driving growth,” Sgro said. “Insider buying, and material insider ownership, suggest to us that management is confident in the outlook into Q4 and beyond where we expect momentum to continue.”

The company also reported a gross margin of 69.4 per cent ($2.8 million) in the quarter to beat the Eight Capital estimate of 67.3 per cent ($2.4 million) and the consensus forecast of 67.8 per cent ($2.5 million), though the margin itself is a slight drop from the 72.5 per cent reported in the same quarter of 2020. Adjusted EBITDA was positive at $250,000), beating what both Eight Capital and the consensus had projected to be a small loss, which Sgro noted to be a continuation of the company’s long-held, disciplined strategy of balancing reinvestment and profitability.

Sgro noted that Wishpond has doubled its sales team within its first year of being a public company with the same intention in place for next year, as well as having an active merger and acquisition pipeline, a positive sign after the company showed success in cross-selling its products to customers of PersistIQ and Brax, both of which are recent Wishpond acquisitions.

“The Invigo, PersistIQ and Brax acquisitions have broadened our product portfolio and proven to be accretive to Wishpond’s financial profile,” said Ali Tajskandar, Wishpond’s Chairman and CEO in the company’s November 25 press release. “We are beginning to witness the synergistic benefits of our acquisitions through cross selling the company’s products and services across the different parts of the growing organization. We continue to have a robust pipeline of potential acquisition opportunities and a strong balance sheet with an undrawn credit facility providing the company with ample cash to continue to execute on our inorganic growth strategy.”

Following the updated results, Sgro revised some of his financial projections with immediate effect, as he increased his fourth quarter revenue estimate to $4.4 million from his previous $4.2 million outlook, leading to an increase in the overall 2021 projection to $14.5 million from $13.9 million, resulting in potential year-over-year growth of 84.3 per cent. He has also bumped up his 2022 revenue projection to $21 million from $19.1 million, which would be a year-over-year increase of 44.3 per cent.

Meanwhile, Sgro slightly improved his adjusted EBITDA loss projection to $300,000 for 2021 compared to the initial projection of a $600,000 loss, with an expectation of the company turning positive for adjusted EBITDA in 2022 at $1.1 million (five per cent margin) compared to the previous $1 million estimate.

Sgro has also increased his gross margin projection for 2021 to 67.4 per cent ($9.8 million) from his previous estimate of 66.7 per cent ($9.3 million), while the 2022 projection is now set at 67.3 per cent ($14.1 million) instead of 67 per cent ($12.8 million).

Valuation data also comes into clearer focus for Sgro with the new report, as he projects the company’s EV/Revenue multiple to drop from the reported 7.2x in 2020 to a forecasted 3.9x in 2021, with another drop to 2.7x projected in 2022, which is also when he projects the EV/adjusted EBITDA multiple for the first time at 49.7x.

“On our increased estimates, Wishpond currently trades at 2.7x. With strength in Q3 into the seasonally strong Q4, we are raising our target multiple to 6.0x consistent with our original target at the time of our initiation. With strong insider alignment, estimated 30 per cent organic growth, and 65 per cent gross margin, we believe our target is justified and that M&A will help Wishpond scale into our multiple,” Sgro said.

“Given the company’s calculated FCF breakeven profile, we expect these funds to be allocated to M&A, which will continue to drive inorganic growth and cross-sell across the business,” he said.

Overall, Wishpond’s stock price has fallen by 42.2 per cent for the year to date, hitting a high point of $2.38/share on January 20, though it has rebounded slightly since bottoming out at $1.05/share on August 18.

Disclosure: Wishpond Technologies is an annual sponsor of Cantech Letter.

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Scottish child payment to double to £20 from April, says Sturgeon - The Guardian

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Scottish child payment to double to £20 from April, says Sturgeon  The Guardian
Scottish child payment to double to £20 from April, says Sturgeon - The Guardian
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Whiskey Reviews: Double Circle Spirits Small Batch Straight Wheat Whiskey, Single Barrel Straight Wheat Whiskey - The Whiskey Wash

Editor’s Note: These whiskeys were provided to us as review samples by Double Circle Spirits. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. It should also be noted that by clicking the buy link towards the bottom of this review our site receives a small referral payment which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.

Sweet wheat! That is what I am looking at today with Double Circle Spirits’ Small Batch and Single Barrel Straight Wheat Whiskeys. These are made 100% from soft white wheat that comes from the company’s family farm, Johnson Ranch.

While Double Circle Spirits does not distill their own product, they remain as involved as they can in every other aspect of the production. They use New Deal Distillery in Portland, Oregon, for their distilling, but manage the mash bills, barrel selection, and aging of their spirits themselves. They are dedicated enough to using only their own grain that they took a year off from production after losing their crop to wildfires.

Double Circle Spirits really pushes their story of the family farm in Wasco County, Oregon. Jason Johnson is the fifth generation of Johnsons involved with the Johnson Ranch. They practice dryland farming, which means they have no irrigation for crops. While his father still runs the operations of the ranch, Jason has expanded the family business to make their wheat into spirits. The straight wheat whiskey really allows them to showcase their very own grain.

Straight wheat whisky is only legally required to have 51% of its mash bill come from wheat. Double Circle Spirits pushes this all the way to 100% wheat to really show what their grain tastes like when distilled and aged. While neither bottle carries an age statement, they do claim they are aging for no less than 3 years. This makes these young whiskeys, which makes sense for a company that only started whiskey production in 2016.

While wheated bourbon is already a minor portion of the whiskey world, wheat whiskey gets an even smaller percentage of the market. And rarer still is the 100% wheat mash bill featured in Double Circle Spirits Small Batch and Single Barrel Straight Wheat Whiskeys. There is a reason you don’t see 100% wheat often. Wheat in a mash bill tends to lighten the flavor profile and smooth out the edges. When left on its own it just does not bring enough flavor to the glass.

The price point of this bottle also leaves it in sort of a limbo for me that you often see with smaller producers or distillers. It’s not quite cheap enough for working with cocktails. And it’s not quite flavorful enough to make me want to drink it straight. I would advise anyone interested to instead grab a bottle of Double Circle Spirits’ Straight Bourbon, which has the corn to help the flavor profile stand up.

Double Circle Spirits Small Batch Straight Wheat Whiskey and Single Barrel Straight Wheat Whiskey (image via Ian Arnold)

Tasting Notes: Double Circle Spirits Small Batch Straight Wheat Whiskey

Vital Stats: 45% ABV, no age statement, 100% soft white wheat, $54.95 a bottle. Wasco County, Oregon.

Appearance: This is a clear rich golden honey color. Legs don’t so much as form as they do just appear as soon as you stop moving the whiskey.

Nose: The first nosing of this is sweet, with notes of brown sugar and orange peel. Going back in I get even more sweetness of caramel and vanilla.

Palate: The first sip has a very light burn to it, with subtle notes of caramel, vanilla, and orange oil. It doesn’t really develop past the subtleties that I got from the first sip. The finish becomes astringent and leaves a lingering taste of ethanol with just a hint of the grain. The addition of water brings forward more of the oak with hints of caramel, vanilla, and just a bit of tannin. Water helps to eliminate all the unpleasant parts of the finish.

Rating: 2

Tasting Notes: Double Circle Spirits’ Single Barrel Straight Wheat Whiskey

Vital Stats: 60% ABV, no age statement, 100% soft white wheat, $69.95 a bottle. Wasco County, Oregon.

Appearance: It is a light amber in color with legs that are quick to fall.

Nose: I get nothing but butterscotch on the nose.

Palate: There is a hint of the butterscotch sweetness as this hits the lips.  But quickly turns dry and hot on the palate. I get some notes of lemon oil before the finish. The finish leaves my mouth tingling with just a hint of a burn from the alcohol content, but none of the flavor. With a bit of water it’s nothing particularly exciting, but the wheat does come through. After the water is added the finish just falls flat.

Rating: 1.5

Final Thoughts: These bottles are a novelty at best, a way to experience what wheat brings to a whiskey. But if you are looking to try a small production whiskey that uses wheat, I would say skip this and go for one of Double Circle Spirit’s bourbons that are 51% corn and 49% wheat.

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2 Stocks That Could Double Your Money by 2023 - Motley Fool

Over the past century, the stock market has increased an average of 10% per year. While this sort of steady, index-based return might be enough for many investors, those who are willing to take on some more risk should consider the following two stocks, which have the potential to double by the start of 2023. 

Both companies have goals they hope to make serious progress on next year. With strong execution from each company, I believe Lemonade (NYSE:LMND) and PubMatic (NASDAQ:PUBM) can provide market-beating returns in 2022. 

uarterfdfdfImage source: Getty Images.

Lemonade: Investments that can really pay off

Lemonade is the richest-valued insurance stock on the market, trading at 29 times sales, even after shares have fallen over 70% from their all-time high. However, Lemonade might be worth this high multiple, because it is radically disrupting the insurance market. 

The company is bringing artificial intelligence to the industry as no other company has before, allowing some customers to get approved and paid for claims in just seconds. This speed and convenience is attracting a growing base of happy customers who are also increasing their spending with Lemonade over time. Its customer count was up 45% year over year to 1.36 million in the third quarter, and the premium per customer grew 26% to $254.

Consumers have also been spending more with Lemonade, because it's rapidly expanding its offerings. The company recently introduced car insurance, in addition to its life insurance rollout earlier this year. While this expansion drove 84% year-over-year growth for Lemonade's in-force premium -- which sat at $347 million as of the latest quarter -- it was also the cause of a worsening net loss ratio. The loss ratio is the ratio of premiums that are paid out in claims, and Lemonade wants to keep its loss ratio under 75% long term across its product portfolio.

Due to product expansion and the one-time Texas Freeze, the company has fallen short of this target in 2021. However, management has said that as the AI becomes more accurate in its new product lines and pays out fewer claims as a result, its loss ratio should start to decline. This is the backdrop for why Lemonade stock has been battered in 2021, but if the company can show sustained improvements to its loss ratio -- keeping that number below 75% -- as its products and AI mature, investors are likely to flood back into the stock.

PubMatic: The fast-growing underdog

On the sell-side of the advertising technology space -- where companies represent publishers to help them find appropriate advertisers for their platform -- Magnite has been the leader. Since its joint merger of the Rubicon Project and Telaria in 2020, Magnite has been growing primarily by acquiring small businesses to maintain its market-leading position. But PubMatic is trying to change that. 

PubMatic is an underdog sell-side adtech company that is growing organically. The company is doing so especially in connected TV (CTV), where the future of online advertising is likely to reside. Advertisers are spending nearly double on CTV advertising compared to traditional advertising on a website, primarily because they see much more ad engagement and action on CTV ads compared to traditional ads. This has led to CTV revenue for PubMatic soaring sevenfold year over year. The company has also been increasing its CTV publisher count, reaching 154 in the third quarter compared to 114 in the second quarter.

What really makes PubMatic stand out from its competitors, however, is its Identity Hub. The Identity Hub allows publishers and advertisers to get consumer data without using cookies, which can compromise consumer privacy. Publishers use the Identity Hub to input information a consumer has voluntarily given -- such as an email address -- and then publishers get access to dozens of identifier solutions like The Trade Desk's UID 2.0. 

In light of recent changes from tech giants to ban cookies, the usage of alternate identifiers has grown and is likely going to be the future of the adtech space. Considering that PubMatic saw this coming and now generates over 60% of its revenue from cookie-less sources shows the company's visionary leadership is ahead of the curve. This management edge should allow PubMatic to stay ahead of competitors that might be trailing in their innovation, forcing them to acquire it externally instead of building it from within.

If PubMatic continues to grow organically at its current pace, outperforming even Magnite's acquisition-hungry strategy, then the company can lead its industry within two or three years. For PubMatic, 2022 could be the year it breaks out thanks to the Identity Hub and its strong management team.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. We’re motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

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China could double down on its zero-Covid approach amid concerns about omicron, analysts say - CNBC

China could double down on its zero-Covid approach as the new omicron variant reignites concerns about another Covid wave in the global pandemic and wreaked havoc across global markets last week, analysts say.

"The spread of highly transmissible variants may ultimately make the strategy untenable. But in the short-term, the authorities are more likely to double down," said Mark Williams, chief Asia economist at Capital Economics, in a note Friday, adding that it will have "implications" for China's zero-Covid strategy.

"Intermittent local lockdowns will continue to hit activity directly, while worries of being flagged as a close contact will keep many people at home," he said.

The newly identified omicron variant, also known as B.1.1.529, was first reported in South Africa. It was designated as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization on Friday due to the large number of mutations. "Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other [variants of concern],'" the UN health agency said.

To be sure, the WHO has said it remains unclear whether the omicron Covid variant causes more severe disease than other strains, such as delta.

China has stuck with its zero-Covid strategy even as many countries moved to live with the virus and lifted some restrictions. File photo showing workers setting up beds at an exhibition center converted ito a hospital in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on Feb. 4, 2020.

STR | AFP | Getty Images

Helen Zhu, managing director at Hong Kong-based investment firm Nan Fung Trinity echoed similar sentiments about China's response.

"If omicron turns out to be a major threat, I think China will certainly continue to lengthen the period of staying isolated," she said on CNBC's "Street Signs Asia" on Monday.

With the emergence of this new variant, the near-term economic impact is likely to be limited — but this means any reopening efforts will likely be pushed out further...

Morgan Stanley

China has stuck with its zero-Covid strategy even as many countries moved to live with the virus and lifted some restrictions. Countries initially took an aggressive approach through mass lockdowns and strict social restrictions, but they gradually abandoned that strategy as the highly infectious delta variant spread quickly and lockdowns became less effective.

In a report on Monday, Morgan Stanley said the new omicron strain could cause further delays to reopening — not just in China, but also in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

"These economies have largely maintained a Covid-zero strategy. With the emergence of this new variant, the near-term economic impact is likely to be limited — but this means any reopening efforts will likely be pushed out further, delaying a stronger rebound in consumption growth," the bank's economists wrote.

Impact on trade and shipping

China's ultra-strict zero-Covid strategy involves mass lockdowns — even if just one or a handful of cases are detected. It also includes extensive testing, heavily controlled or closed borders, as well as robust contact tracing systems and quarantine mandates.

The Asian giant has also implemented strict checks at its ports, including monitoring ships and cargo, to prevent cases from slipping into the country.

With the new variant, any possible tightening of measures will hit the capacity of exporters, according to Williams.

"For exporters, tight controls on air and shipping crew as well as possible port shutdowns will place further limits on their capacity to meet orders," Williams said.

Meanwhile, a study by Peking University mathematicians said that China could face more than 630,000 Covid-19 infections a day if it dropped its zero-tolerance policies by lifting travel curbs.

In the report published in China CDC Weekly by the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the mathematicians said China cannot afford to lift travel restrictions without more efficient vaccinations or specific treatments.

Read more about China from CNBC Pro

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Morningstar picks property stocks that could win as China tries to 'clean up the space'

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Kpedi Records Double-Double, Chong Qui Scores 1,000th Point at FGCU - Purdue Fort Wayne Athletics

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FORT MYERS, Fla. - Ra Kpedi recorded the first double-double of his career on Sunday night (Nov. 28), but the Purdue Fort Wayne men's basketball team fell to Florida Gulf Coast 85-78 in the final game of the Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Invitational.

Midway through the second half, Damian Chong Qui scored the 1,000th point of his career. After putting his defender through the spin cycle, Chong Qui dropped in a layup through contact. He finished with 14, one of five Mastodons in double-figures.

Kpedi finished with 15 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Six of his boards were on the offensive end. Jalon Pipkins led the Mastodons with 16 points.

The Mastodons jumped out to an eight-point lead in the opening seven minutes, going up 11-3 after Jarred Godfrey scored on a drive to the hoop. The rest of the first half was back-and-forth; there were seven ties and five lead changes in the first half alone.

The game continued to be tight after the halftime break, as there were eight more lead changes and five more ties in the second half. FGCU built up a nine-point lead with 9:40 to go. Chong Qui went to the line for two freebies, got a rebound on the next possession, then stripped Cyrus Largie and fed Kpedi for a breakaway dunk. This cut the Eagles' lead down to five. Five was as close as the 'Dons got, however. They did at the 8:48 mark and then with 31 seconds left after Kpedi hit a free throw.

FGCU got 27 points out of Tavian Dunn-Martin and a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double from Kevin Samuel.

Purdue Fort Wayne falls to 3-3 while FGCU improves to 6-2. The Mastodons will open Horizon League play on Thursday (Dec. 2) when they welcome Wright State to the Memorial Coliseum.
 

~ Feel the Rumble ~

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UK’s ‘double talk’ on Channel crisis must stop, says French interior minister - The Guardian

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UK’s ‘double talk’ on Channel crisis must stop, says French interior minister  The Guardian
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What does appearance of Omicron mean for the double-jabbed? - The Guardian

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What does appearance of Omicron mean for the double-jabbed?  The Guardian
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Double The Number Of Star Employees Working At Your Company With This Technique - Forbes

What if you could double the number of star employees working at your company? And what if you could do it without having to hire any additional people? That’s exactly what you’ll get if you start transforming your middle performers into high performers.

Unfortunately, there’s a widespread and deeply wrong belief that middle performers lack the innate talent to become star employees. While there are certainly some people who’ve maxed out their talent, the vast majority of middle performers have more than enough talent to become high performers.  

Developing middle performers is one of managers’ weakest skills. In a new study from Leadership IQ, The Leadership Skills Gap, more than 3,000 managers rated their leadership proficiency. And only 26% of leaders said that they had advanced or expert skills in developing middle performers into high performers.  

By contrast, 39% of leaders rated themselves as having intermediate skills, an additional 17% considered themselves advanced novices, and 11% rated themselves struggling novices. The rest either had no experience or were beginners.

Here’s the shocker, however; it doesn’t take years of coaching to learn how to develop middle performers. In fact, if you ask your managers to conduct the following exercise, you’ll quickly unlock the potential of a great many middle performers.

First, ask yourself what skills or attitudes really differentiate middle from high performers in your company. Are high performers more proactive than middle performers? Better team players? More tenacious? More empathic? It doesn’t matter what those characteristics are, as long as you can pinpoint three or five attributes that really differentiate high from middle performers.

Second, take one of those characteristics and identify specific behaviors that would indicate great work versus behaviors that would just be good work. This is a little tricky, so here’s an example.

Imagine that the best people in my company embrace change while middle performers merely tolerate change. If I think about specific change behaviors that are merely good versus those that are really great, I might come up with the following:

• Good Work: This person openly supports change initiatives and expresses support. They volunteer to work on change projects, including pilot projects.
• Great Work: This person does all the Good Work behaviors, and then they also encourage and convince their fellow employees to support change initiatives. When they see someone who is resisting the change effort, they reach out to them directly and persuade them to buy into the change.

Notice how both the good and great behaviors involve supporting the change, but then the great behaviors go a step further. The people performing the great behaviors don’t just support the change themselves; they work to convince others to embrace the change. Also, notice how there isn’t an insurmountable difference between good and great work. In other words, it’s really only a little extra effort to take a good behavior and turn it into a great one. 

Let’s take another example:

• Good Work: When the change effort gets difficult, and mistakes get made, this person doesn’t blame the change or leadership and instead focuses on specific actions that they do control without blaming others.
• Great Work: This person does all the Good Work behaviors, and then they also redirect conversations with their colleagues to stop them from making excuses or blaming others (like the change effort or leadership).

Again, notice that the good behaviors are fine but that the great behaviors move beyond one’s personal actions to help others embrace change. And note that it’s not going to require more innate talent to move from good to great work; it’s only going to take a little extra effort and attention.

These examples use a technique called Word Pictures to identify the specific behaviors that differentiate good and great work. And once you’ve figured out what really separates the work done by middle performers from work done by high performers, it’s a simple task to teach those differences.

Have every manager conduct a one-on-one conversation with each middle performer and say, “You’re doing really good work, and I’m deeply appreciative of what you do. I also want to tell you that I believe you’ve got tremendous potential to turn that good work into great work. Would you be open to me sharing some of the differences between good and great work?”

With that complimentary opening, managers are now free to share the types of examples I gave above. What you’ll find in these conversations is that the vast majority of middle performers will say something like, “Huh, I didn’t realize that’s all there was to being a high performer.”

It’s shockingly straightforward to transform middle performers into star employees, but it does require that you get started with these specific steps. Just remember that the payoff is easily doubling the number of high performers at your company.

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Mouat and Muirhead lead curling rinks to historic European double - Team GB

Team Mouat and Team Muirhead both surged to glory as Scotland won double gold at the European Curling Championships for the first time in history.

Both Scottish quartets faced Sweden in their gold medal matches and Eve Muirhead led her rink to a 7-4 victory in the women’s event before Bruce Mouat skippered his group to an 8-5 success in the men’s equivalent to round out a successful day in Lillehammer.

Three-time Olympian Muirhead, who is yet confirm her spot at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, combined with Vicky Wright, Jen Dodds and Hailey Duff to battle to a third European gold of her career.

The key moment came in the eighth end when Muirhead drew a second stone into position to score two points and put the Scots 5-2 ahead.

Swedish skip Anna Hasselborg narrowed the deficit to 5-4 ahead of the final end but Muirhead – who had undergone major hip surgery since her last major title at this event in 2017 – took two in the last to seal a 7-4 victory.

After a great game Scotland score two, and the gold medal! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🥇 #ECC2021 #curling

Watch live on Recast at https://t.co/fy3vfdBx89 pic.twitter.com/sNLMnc7NeM

— World Curling (@worldcurling) November 27, 2021

“European champions again – that sounds amazing,” she said. “It’s funny to think that a wee while back that I never thought I would be top of the podium after my hip surgery and having been through a tough few months, but here we are, I’ve got my third gold medal.

“It’s been a rollercoaster but it’s shown that all the work we’ve done has worked. I’m so proud of Hailey [Duff] — first Europeans, first international ladies’ event.

“For these girls this is really special, and I’d like to think that they’re going to go onto even better things.

“I’ve already got two European titles under my belt — having a third is amazing — but for these guys it’s always so nice to get your first.”

That victory gave Team Mouat – consisting of Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan – the chance to complete an historic double in the men’s final against Niklas Edin’s Swedish rink.

It was a rematch of this year’s World Championship final, won by Sweden, but the Scots got revenge to add to their 2018 European crown.

Team Mouat were the form outfit in Lillehammer this week, winning all nine group games and then overpowering Norway in the semi-finals, and stealing two points in both the fourth and fifth ends of the gold-medal game proved decisive.

That put them 6-2 up and although the Swedes scored two in end six, Mouat hit back in the seventh to draw for two and make it 8-4.

Edin could only take a single from the ninth to narrow the gap to 8-5 and the concession quickly followed, leaving Mouat – who will compete in both the men’s and mixed events at Beijing 2022 – ecstatic.

“That was a great game,” he said. “We knew we were going to have to play well and we started a bit slow, but then we got back into our groove that we had found all week and it was a really good middle section.

“We’re over the moon to be two-time European champions. The boys and I worked so hard for this and we don’t want to stop here, just at the Europeans, we want to keep focusing on trying to do our best when we get out to Beijing in February.”

And the fact that both Scottish rinks claimed European glory only made things even sweeter for Mouat.

“We’re so chuffed for the girls to win gold too and turn around their disappointment (at last season’s World Championships) in Calgary and come back to the Europeans and play amazingly,” he added.

“Being part of this historic double feels amazing because that feels longer lasting than clinching the trophy and I’m over the moon to achieve this double-double.”

Photo credit: WCF / CELINE STUCKI

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