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By INIGO NAUGHTY ZENICAZELAYA

THE whole world is anticipating the results of the US Presidential election.

With the COViD pandemic playing a considerable role in voting this year, these elections are getting special attention.

Other than that, it is also the most-talked-about event globally. People are eager to know if Donald Trump will win and embark on his second term as POTUS. If Democratic candidate Joe Biden takes the White House, there will be a change in government.

Since the internet is full of conversations (both good and bad) about the elections, there are also plenty of jokes circulating on social media.

DIS GA BE LONG

Dont expect results of the US presidential elections anytime soon.

Nowadays, late into the US 2020 presidential election night predictable splotches of red and blue are slowly lighting up the American electoral map, nudging anxious voters in the general direction that closely fought elections go.

Nail-biting fights in a handful of high-stakes states are happening, and we still possibly wont know the results today.

POTUS Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden opened their scorebooks with a predictable string of victories. At the same time, critical prizes, including Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, remain too early to call.

This is going to take a while!

As a comedian, I find it quite comical that the once supremely confident POTUS is now scurrying like a headless chicken searching for new angles, loopholes, and narratives to extricate himself from this unfavorable position. These narratives are a last-ditch effort to hold ya man! (as the veteran dominoes players would say).

Trumpian logic to the results is in full effect: Stop counting the ballots in the states where hes ahead, and start counting the ones where he trails!

Say what?

DEAD MAN ELECTED

A Republican candidate running for the state legislature in North Dakota has won a seat despite having passed away due to COVID-19 in October.

David Andahl was 55 when he tragically died on October 5 after winning a heated primary with an incumbent committee chairman, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND).

Andahl managed to win the Republican nomination by voters to defeat Rep Jeff Delzer. Delzer is one of North Dakotas most powerful and popular lawmakers. He is the Chairman of the House of Appropriations Committee, and he lost to a deceased man.

DOG GONE IT

Wilbur, the French Bulldog, has won the race for Mayor of Rabbit Hash, Kentucky.

I must admit that my listeners and I have followed this story all week long on my morning radio show on KISS 96 FM.

Wilbur has had quite the Bahamian fan base, all very keen to know how Wilbur fared against a large field of candidates, all with potential in their own right.

Wlbur Beast won the mayoral election with 13,143 votes, the highest winning total ever.

He unseated the incumbent Mayor Brynneth Pawltro, a rescued pit bull who assumed office in 2017.

(Thats their names; Im not making this up)

The race had the biggest turnout ever, with a total of 22,985 votes reported.

Jack Rabbit, the beagle, and Poppy, the golden retriever, came in second and third, making them both Rabbit Hash Ambassadors along with Ambassador Lady Stone, who will keep her position, officials with the Rabbit Hash Historical Society announced.

For those unfamiliar, the Boone County river community has elected a dog mayor since the late 1990s.

Every four years in Rabbit Hash, residents can vote for their favorite canine candidate by donating to the Rabbit Hash Historical Society.

This year, organizers made some exceptions. The race included the 13 dogs, a donkey, a rooster, a late cat vying for the mayors seat. There was also a single human candidate whos very unpopular and has little chance of winning.

The lone human candidate sounds eerily similar to several incumbent candidates and opposition aspirant candidates.

Each vote costs $1.

Wilburs campaign raised a total of $6,165.

The race raised a total of $13,156.

Wilbur hopes to continue to raise money through donations to the Rabbit Hash Historical Society and many other causes, including mental health and breast cancer.

CONTROL YOURSELF

Finally, try to control your social media use because focusing on things that you actually can control may be soul-soothing. If following the news, watching the debates, or scrolling through social media causes you to stress, limit your media consumption.

Also, for the record, if you come across my timeline like a raging political keyboard ninja, exposing your weakness button, Im pushing it until its broken.

Dont start drama, and there will be no drama!

And yes, my Bahamian brothers and sisters, let me painfully remind you that none of our opinions or theories matter because its not our elections, and we cant vote.

Sorry to inform you all that neither The Donald nor Uncle Joe checking for us.

Our very own government leaders past and present aint been checking for us. (Sad but true).

However, we can make our politicians check for us. If Bahamians took our elections as seriously and passionately as we took the Americans elections, our politicians would have no choice but to serve at a high, accountable, transparent level.

And if that fails, we can start electing potcakes.

Read more here:
A COMIC'S VIEW: Watching and waiting for the U.S. to decide - Bahamas Tribune

Global turbine leader Vestas has taken sole control of its offshore wind joint venture, a move thatsays a lot about Vestas' current standing in the sector and even more about where wind power is headed.

The 700 million ($814 million) all-stock deal revealed last weekwill give Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) a 2.5 percent stake in Vestas, whileMHI Vestas will be folded into Vestas effective immediately. The goal is for Vestas to lead in marketshare in the fast-growing global offshore wind turbine spaceby 2025,Vestas CEO Henrik Andersen saidduring aThursday conference call with investors to discuss the transaction.

Toseize that title from Siemens Gamesa, Vestaswill launch a new technology platform for the next generation of the company's offshore wind turbines.We wont achieve market leadership with the current turbine," Andersen noted.

Vestas reports its third-quarter results later this week. Thatconference call will offer a glance at what its investors make of the move, plus perhaps coloring in some additional detail.

For those watching Vestas closely, bringing the offshore business entirely in-house was always a possibility given the obvious cost-savings potential. That said, MHI and Vestas previouslymaintained that the partnership model best suited them both. So why now?

Shashi Barla, Wood Mackenzie's principal analyst for the global wind supply chain, suggests the answer could be rooted in both the past and the future.MHI Vestaswas created in April 2014, he pointed out. Vestas posted losses in 2011, 2012 and 2013, with its2012 loss amounting to a staggering 963 million.

Offshore projects are not small endeavors. With a weakened balance sheet, Vestas was better placed to accelerate its offshore business with a partner. Cue MHI.

Vestas has grown significantly in the last six years, and it now has a sizable balance sheet. [Vestas]can absorb these projects onto [its]own books, Barla explained.

But in its Q2 2020 report, Vestas balance sheet was just shy of 15 billion. That strong financial position changes the calculus on its approach to offshore wind.

As CEO Andersen said, the current turbines on MHI Vestas books arent going to get the company into a market leadership position by 2025.A fresh technology platform that could leapfrogthe firm to a position alongside, or even ahead of, Siemens Gamesa and General Electric wasnecessary.

[Vestas has] a strong pipeline to execute over the next four years, but beyond 2024, their market share is going to plummet if they dont introduce the next generation, says Barla.

Barla suggests that with the underwhelming returns from MHI Vestas, JV partner MHI may have decided it wasnt prepared to assume half the risk associated with developing, testing and launching a new platform. Overthe last five quarters, MHI Vestas' best result has been a profit of 22 million on revenueof 534 million.

Mitsubishi will be concerned about pushing the investment button and spending another 400 million or 500 million on ramping up this supply chain, addedBarla.

Bringing the next offshore turbines in-house means maximizing savings with Vestas and boostingprofitability in the process. As an investor with a 2.5 percent stake and a seat on the board, MHI can still benefit.

Sowhat should we expect to see from thenext generation of turbines? Today, MHI Vestas turbines top out at 10 MW with rotor sizes of 164 meters, or up to 174 meters in a 9.5 MW iteration.

GE, meanwhile, shot into offshore contention with its Haliade-X platform with capacities of 12 and 13 MW and a 220-meter rotor size. Deliveries to the Dogger Bank project in the U.K could begin as early as 2023.

Offshore market leader Siemens Gamesalaunched a 14 MW turbine with a 222-meter rotor in May this year. Its first order, for the 1.4 GW Sofia project in the U.K., will begin construction in 2024.

Thats the competition, and Vestas will need to match it.Barla expects Vestas next iteration of turbine to have arotor size of around 240 meters and a capacity of between 14 and 16 MW. Anything short of that would be terribly disappointing.

Siemens Gamesa and Vestas have been experiencing similar trials,but in opposing verticals:one at sea and one on land. The lengths to which both have gone to develop the three-legged revenue stool of onshore, offshore and services reflect the competitive nature of the wind power business.

While Siemens Gamesa has enjoyed market leadership in offshore, its onshore business has been suffering losses, which haveultimatelyled to an overhaul of the company management. New CEO Andreas Nauen was the head of the successfuloffshore business unit and has been moved into the top job in hopes that he can replicate that success.

Vestas has been breaking records in order-intake levels in concurrent quarters. Its share price rose all summer and hit an all-time record in October of DKK 1,166 ($184). Prior to 2020, it had never been above DKK 700. With a solid service revenue backlog as well, the lack of profitability at MHI Vestas, which reports outside of the listed Vestas Wind Systems A/S, was perhaps the only major missing part of the puzzle.

Growth projections for offshore wind have strengthened through the COVID-19 pandemic. This year theGlobal Wind Energy Council revised its 2030 cumulative capacity forecast to 234 GW, up 15 GW compared to the 2019 view. Trade bodyRenewableUKhas tracked a 50 percent increase in the offshore wind project pipeline over the course of the last year.

Vestas is now better positionedto capture that growth as the master of its own offshore fortunes.

See the article here:
Why Vestas Brought Its Offshore Business In-House - Greentech Media News

High-stakes elections, such as the presidential election that just took place in the United States, can take a toll on the mental health of voters. We spoke to an expert to get tips on how to cope in the aftermath.

A recent study that we covered on Medical News Today found that, following the 2016 U.S. presidential election, people who had backed the losing candidate experienced more days of poor mental health over the next month than in the month before the election.

Based on those findings, the researchers cautioned that this years presidential election might also take a toll on voters mental health, particularly given that it took place during a pandemic another factor that has been affecting peoples well-being.

Healthcare providers could potentially help patients in the 2020 election by monitoring for clinically relevant signs of mental health deterioration and offering appropriate support and intervention, the study authors advised ahead of the election.

But what can individuals do to mitigate the possible mental health impact of the elections aftermath?

MNT asked Dr. Matthew Boland, Ph.D. a licensed clinical psychologist based in Reno, NV to share some coping strategies and constructive ways forward.

In instances when our team does not win an election, we can often fixate on those difficult results and the sadness, anger, and/or frustration we feel in response to them, Dr. Boland told MNT.

However, there are a few ways to help ourselves shift our focus away from the results, he added.

First, limit exposure to the election information, or take it only in small doses (e.g., 5 minutes per day). Second, engage in enjoyable activities that give you meaning or capture your attention to focus attention away from constant thoughts about it. Third, speak openly about the stress you feel about the election results with others who are trusted sources of support, but limit how much you talk about the actual results themselves or why you dislike the candidates who won or their political positions.

Dr. Matthew Boland, Ph.D.

There is scientific evidence to suggest that such strategies do work. Past research has shown that exposure to negative news cycles can worsen a persons mood and exacerbate personal worries. Therefore, cutting down on media consumption could help prevent or mitigate that impact.

A longitudinal study from 2014 showed that there was a link between engaging in activities that a person deems meaningful and reporting a better quality of life.

Past research has also shown that the more we try to hide and ignore signs of stress, anxiety, or depression, the worse our mental health gets.

To break the vicious cycle, it is important to acknowledge negative feelings and moods, allowing ourselves to sit with them for a while rather than pushing them away.

Some people are prone to catastrophizing when something does not go as they had hoped or expected. Catastrophizing is a mental process in which individuals anticipate the worst outcome, even though this scenario is unlikely.

In addition to fixating on negative thoughts in general when we are unhappy about election results, we can also concentrate on thoughts of how those results might lead to the fatality of our country and our system, Dr. Boland told us.

However, there are ways to bring catastrophic thinking and other negative thoughts under control.

Some strategies that help you approach your thinking differently include trying to seek perspective and questioning your thoughts that may be pessimistic or suggest fatality of the system, he explained.

When our thoughts are spinning out of control and exacerbating stress and anxiety, it is important to question them instead of allowing them to carry us away.

So really checking in with your thoughts and asking, Will what I think actually happen here? and, Have my thoughts come true in previous times when I did not like the election results? Really questioning or thinking about our thinking can help us work toward a balanced perspective and feel less negative emotion and stress, Dr. Boland went on to advise.

Finally, while election results do have an important impact on key issues of healthcare and social well-being, individuals can still contribute to the causes that matter to them.

Many issues in an election cycle can lead us to feel a lack of control, especially if we believe those issues will be negatively affected by those who win elections, Dr. Boland told MNT.

But instead of allowing disappointment and hopelessness to take root, he said, we should look into how, going forward, we may ourselves make a positive contribution to health policies and social welfare.

If you have strong beliefs about certain issues or policies, one way to gain back a sense of control in the process is to engage in efforts to help those issues be seen in the process. This may mean volunteering for an organization that helps promote a certain issue, or agreeing to assist a political candidate or group in their efforts for the next election, for example.

Dr. Matthew Boland

In the example of healthcare, this may mean volunteering for a political organization that promotes your view on healthcare or a society that promotes the treatment or diagnosis of a certain disease, and writing your representatives (whichever party they belong to) to promote your stance on healthcare issues, he added.

Indeed, there is some evidence showing that acts of altruism, such as volunteering for a good cause, can make people happier.

According to research from 2017, people who had either performed or expressed an intention to perform an altruistic act had increased activity in brain areas associated with the reward cycle.

[A] commitment to generous behavior can increase happiness and thereby provide a neural mechanism that links commitment-induced generosity to happiness, the study authors write.

Instead of dwelling on negative thoughts or worrying about the future, acting now to help improve the lives of others may be the best way to move forward for individuals, as well as for society.

More here:
How to look after your mental health in the aftermath of the election - Medical News Today

ORBCOMM and Inmarsat

ORBCOMM and Inmarsat partner to provide next-generation IoT service

ROCHELLE PARK, N.J., Nov. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ORBCOMM Inc. (Nasdaq: ORBC), a global provider of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, and Inmarsat, the world leader in global mobile satellite communications, today have released a video recording of an interview with Marc Eisenberg, Chief Executive Officer of ORBCOMM, and Rupert Pearce, Chief Executive Officer of Inmarsat, to expand upon their enhanced partnership, which was announced in a press release on October 27, 2020. The interview is hosted by satellite industry expert Tim Farrar, President of TMF Associates.

The next phase of ORBCOMM and Inmarsats partnership extends their agreement to provide L-band satellite service through 2035 at a minimum. ORBCOMM and Inmarsat will also collaborate on a next-generation, global IoT service called OGx to offer the best-in-class combination of high bandwidth data packets with low-cost terminals, which is expected to be available in 2022. In addition, Inmarsat will distribute ORBCOMMs portfolio of OGx telematics devices globally through its extensive commercial and government sales channels as well as ORBCOMMs end-to-end IoT solutions for end user customers in multiple vertical markets.

By extending this long-term, successful partnership, ORBCOMM and Inmarsat can leverage their synergies to continue to deliver the industrys best satellite offering with the broadest geographic coverage, the most regulatory authorizations and the best value to an even broader customer base around the world.

Following are details to access the video interview:

ORBCOMMs web site:

Next-Generation Satellite IoT: Video Interview with ORBCOMM & Inmarsat CEOs

Inmarsats web site:

https://www.inmarsat.com/press-release/orbcomm-and-inmarsat-to-provide-next-generation-global-iot-service/

About ORBCOMM Inc.ORBCOMM (Nasdaq: ORBC) is a global leader and innovator in the industrial Internet of Things, providing solutions that connect businesses to their assets to deliver increased visibility and operational efficiency. The company offers a broad set of asset monitoring and control solutions, including seamless satellite and cellular connectivity, unique hardware and powerful applications, all backed by end-to-end customer support, from installation to deployment to customer care. ORBCOMM has a diverse customer base including premier OEMs, solutions customers and channel partners spanning transportation, supply chain, warehousing and inventory, heavy equipment, maritime, natural resources, and government. For more information, visit http://www.orbcomm.com.

About InmarsatInmarsat is the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications. It owns and operates the worlds most diverse global portfolio of mobile telecommunications satellite networks, and holds a multi-layered, global spectrum portfolio, covering L-band, Ka-band and S-band, enabling unparalleled breadth and diversity in the solutions it provides. Inmarsats long-established global distribution network includes not only the worlds leading channel partners but also its own strong direct retail capabilities, enabling end to end customer service assurance.

The company has an unrivalled track record of operating the worlds most reliable global mobile satellite telecommunications networks, sustaining business and mission critical safety & operational applications for more than 40 years. It is also a major driving force behind technological innovation in mobile satellite communications, sustaining its leadership through a substantial investment and a powerful network of technology and manufacturing partners.

Inmarsat operates across a diversified portfolio of sectors with the financial resources to fund its business strategy and holds leading positions in the Maritime, Government, Aviation and Enterprise satcoms markets, operating consistently as a trusted, responsive and high-quality partner to its customers across the globe. For further information, visit http://www.inmarsat.com follow us on LinkedIn or on Twitter @InmarsatGlobal.

Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements discussed in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally relate to our plans, objectives and expectations for future events and include statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, intentions, assumptions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements, including those concerning the Companys expectations, are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results, projected, expected or implied by the forward-looking statements, some of which are beyond the Companys control, that may cause the Companys actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, specific consideration should be given to various factors described in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors and Part II, Item 7. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other documents, on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statements or cautionary factors, except as required by law.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2c60dd5d-5996-41e9-815d-527f68b3056c

View original post here:
Media Alert: ORBCOMM and Inmarsat Release Video Interview with Marc Eisenberg, CEO of ORBCOMM, and Rupert Pearce, CEO of Inmarsat - GlobeNewswire

Tesla is suing the Trump Administration over tariffs on a computer chip and other parts it imports from China, joining an increasingly long list of similar lawsuits filed by hundreds of companies, including automakers Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo.

Tesla, which names U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in the lawsuit filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, wants the court to declare the tariffs unlawful. Bloomberg was the first the report the lawsuit. Tesla is also seeking a refund for the tariffs it paid with interest. The lawsuit centers on two types of tariffs, a 25% duty enacted in 2018 and 7.5% tariff on hundreds of other products that went into effect last year.

Last year, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) denied Teslas request for an exemption on a new custom chip built in China.

The custom chip is part of the companys advanced Autopilot 3.0 hardware that is intended to enable what the company describes as full self-driving (FSD) operation for all of its new vehicles. This hardware is now standard in all new Model 3, S and X vehicles. Customers pay an additional $8,000 for the software upgrade called FSD.

This hardware is contained within the Autopilot ECU (or engine control unit), a module that Tesla has described as the brain of the vehicle.

The module is assembled in Shanghai, China, by a company called Quanta Computer. The module, along with a range of other electronics and products that are made in China and imported into the U.S., is subject to 25% punitive tariffs.

In its request to the USTR, Tesla said it was unable to source manufacturing for the Autopilot ECU 3.0 in the United States.

Tesla was unable to find a manufacturer with the requisite expertise to produce the Autopilot ECU 3.0 with the required specifications, at the volume requested and under the timelines necessary for Teslas continued growth. This module is the brain of the vehicle. As such, the sourcing decision for this was not taken lightly nor simply on a cost basis. Autopilot is a complicated, safety critical feature of the Tesla experience where even the slightest imperfection can have major ramifications, so all of our decisions aim to decrease risk.

Tesla was also denied an exemption on the media control unit, or MCU, component of the Model 3s computing system. The MCU is a combination of three printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) enclosed in a mechanical chassis. The PCBAs include the media control unit which controls data going to and from the vehicles touch display, audio speakers/microphones, radio, connectivity board (cellular internet), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB charger, and back-up camera, the company explained in its request. The MCU is linked to and communicates with the vehicles ADAS and connectivity board modules.

Updated: The current price of FSD is $8,000, which went into effect in summer 2020.

Here is the original post:
Tesla sues Trump Administration to end tariffs on the brain of its vehicles - TechCrunch