Since Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. (NASDAQ:GIFI) and Core Laboratories N.V. (NYSE:CLB) are part of the Oil & Gas Equipment & Services industry, they are influenced by contrast. The influences particularly affect the profitability, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, risk, dividends, earnings and valuation of both companies.

Earnings & Valuation

Table 1 demonstrates Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. and Core Laboratories N.V.s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Profitability

Table 2 shows us Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. and Core Laboratories N.V.s return on equity, net margins and return on assets.

Volatility & Risk

Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. has a 1.03 beta, while its volatility is 3.00%, thus making it more volatile than S&P 500. Competitively, Core Laboratories N.V.s beta is 1.89 which is 89.00% more volatile than S&P 500.

Liquidity

2.8 and 2.7 are the respective Current Ratio and a Quick Ratio of Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. Its rival Core Laboratories N.V.s Current and Quick Ratios are 1.8 and 1.4 respectively. Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. has a better chance of clearing its pay short and long-term debts than Core Laboratories N.V.

Analyst Ratings

The Ratings and Recommendations for Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. and Core Laboratories N.V. are featured in the next table.

Competitively Core Laboratories N.V. has an average price target of $47.33, with potential upside of 5.72%.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

Roughly 69.3% of Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. shares are owned by institutional investors while 0% of Core Laboratories N.V. are owned by institutional investors. Gulf Island Fabrication Inc.s share owned by insiders are 4.2%. Competitively, 0.1% are Core Laboratories N.V.s share owned by insiders.

Performance

Here are the Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Half Yearly, Yearly and YTD Performance of both pretenders.

For the past year Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. was less bearish than Core Laboratories N.V.

Summary

On 8 of the 12 factors Core Laboratories N.V. beats Gulf Island Fabrication Inc.

Gulf Island Fabrication, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a fabricator of offshore drilling and production platforms, and other steel structures for customers in the oil and gas, and marine industries in the United States. The company fabricates jackets and deck sections of fixed production platforms; hull, tendon, and/or deck sections of floating production platforms, such as tension leg platforms, single point anchor reservoirs, floating production storage and offloading vessels, and minimum deepwater operating concepts; piles, wellhead protectors, and subsea templates, as well as various production, compressor, and utility modules; produces and repairs pressure vessels used in the oil and gas industry; fabricates various other types of steel structures; and provides onshore and offshore scaffolding and piping insulation services. It also fabricates and repairs offshore supply vessels, anchor handling vessels, lift boats, tugboats, towboats, barges, and other marine vessels; constructs dry docks to lift marine vessels; and offers steel repair, blasting and painting, electrical systems repair, and machinery and piping system repairs, as well as propeller, shaft, and rudder reconditioning. In addition, the company provides interconnect piping services on offshore platforms and inshore structures; fabricates pressure vessels and packaged skid units; and on-site construction and maintenance services, as well as offers conversion projects. It serves oil and gas companies and their contractors, petrochemical, marine, offshore support, offshore and inland barge, support vessel operators, offshore construction contractors, alternative energy, and diving companies, as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy, and state and local governmental agencies and their contractors. Gulf Island Fabrication, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Core Laboratories N.V. provides reservoir description, production enhancement, and reservoir management services to the oil and gas industry in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Reservoir Description, Production Enhancement, and Reservoir Management. The Reservoir Description segment comprises the characterization of petroleum reservoir rock, fluid, and gas samples. This segment offers analytical and field services to characterize properties of crude oil and petroleum products to the oil and gas industry. The Production Enhancement segment includes services and products relating to reservoir well completions, perforations, stimulations, and production. This segment offers integrated services to evaluate the effectiveness of well completions and to develop solutions to enhance the effectiveness of enhanced oil recovery projects. The Reservoir Management segment combines and integrates information from reservoir description, as well as provides production enhancement services to increase the production and improve recovery of oil and gas from its clients reservoirs. The company markets and sells its products through a combination of sales representatives, technical seminars, trade shows, and print advertising, as well as through distributors. Core Laboratories N.V. was founded in 1936 and is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

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Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. (GIFI) and Core Laboratories N.V. (NYSE:CLB) Contrasting side by side - The Broch Herald

Touted as theworlds largest celebration of veterans in second careers, the Ex-forces in Business Awards had its Scottish debut on December 3 in Glasgow.

The event made clear its distinction from its English counterpart with a Scottish pipe band that welcomed the (mostly) tartan glad guests to the ceremony.

However, the national pride on show revealed something deeper about Scottish culture, namely its deep respect for the military institution.

A traditional pipe band plays at the Scottish Ex-Forces in Business Awards.

Scotland has a long-establishedrelationship with its military, with a significant part of the population being associated with the armed forces in some way.

Statistics from Citizens Advice Scotland suggest that as many as20%of Scots are part of the Armed Forces Community, whether serving, a veteran or related to a serving member.

Government statistics put the number of military veterans in the country at 237,000 in 2017 a number thats undoubtedly risen over the past two years.

These facts give us a snapshot of the significance of the veteran community in Scotland, as well as the importance of commending those who have forged successful careers after service.

Advocate of the Year winner, Louise Macdonald poses for a picture (centre).

Like its English counterpart, the Scottish Ex-forces in Business Awards was launched to highlight the skill sets veterans have developed through military service including a high work ethic, flexibility, leadership and teamwork skills.

These are all highly valued attributes private sector employers look for in candidates. However, misconceptions among hiring teams relating to the commercial applicability of veteran candidates, (thousands of whom leave the forces each year), combined with a lack of exposure around those that succeed, has created something of a grey area for veterans looking for second careers.

Awards such as the one held on December 3 provide the inspiration, as well as the contacts veterans need to manage this transition successfully. To decide upon the nights winners, a panel of 20 high profile veterans, (including the Scottish Veterans Commissioner Charlie Wallace), presided over 250 nominations to decide the winner of each of the 14 categories.

Here they are:

2019 marks the first year of the awards in Scotland.

ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR

Louise MacDonald, Wood

The judges were particularly impressed by the extent of advocacy that Louise has not only pushed for veterans at Wood, but which she has also received from others in her organisation and beyond. Its clear that her impact is wide ranging and profound, and despite having no personal military background she has led the way in defence engagement with passion and dedication. The judges also highly commended Michael Hashim of Bruce Stevenson, who they see as a leader of the future having already made a big impact in a short period of time.

ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARD

Ian Smith, Gray and Adams

The judges found Ians story of perseverance to be truly inspiring. The skills and values he acquired during his army service have genuinely shaped his approach to work and life, helping him overcome some notable challenges. To balance a full-time job and family life with further education in his 40s and again in his 50s demonstrates bravery and inner steel and his successes have come as a result of this hard work. The judges also highly commended Ian Hodge of Peak Scientific who has carved out a strong career in the engineering field while employing a number of ex-forces candidates.

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

Gavin Neate, Neatebox

The judges felt Gavins achievements really stood out for their outstanding innovation and huge impact. His services ethic shines through in his business and the work he has done to grow the company, and he exhibits a real entrepreneurial flair. Gavin has made significant personal sacrifice to fund the business, and has taken the best of his RAF background to create a truly disruptive company with global potential. The judges also highly commended Tom Morton of Safe Shores Group who they identified as a clear innovator with great social impact as well as business impact.

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

Chris Newlands, Spelfie and Tripsology

Having successfully embarked on a career as a financial advisor after leaving the Royal Navy, the judges admired Chriss ambition and courage to launch a new parallel career as an entrepreneur. They commended his innovation and disruptive spirit through both of his businesses, as well as his desire to raise awareness of social issues such as air pollution. The judges praised Chris for creating interesting and unique concepts and then developing viable commercial models to turn them into successful businesses.

INSPIRATION OF THE YEAR

Jamieson Rogers, GlaxoSmithKline

The judges were won over by Jamiesons very inspirational story of overcoming adversity to get into engineering. They noted that he didnt just succeed against the odds once, but overcame setbacks multiple times to reach where he has. His perseverance in the face of considerable adversity is a key attribute he gained during his military service and which he has used to carve out a successful second career and achieve terrific results for GlaxoSmithKline.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

David Dent, Parexel International

The judges were full of admiration for the longevity of Davids commitments and achievements across military service, business and charity throughout his career, and the truly international nature of his impact. Having delivered life and limb saving interventions for soldiers and civilians alike in his career, David has not let his own significant injury in the line of duty hold him back from his achievements in business and sport as well as his considerable efforts to support veterans charities.

MILITARY VALUES IN BUSINESS AWARD

Simon Watkins, University of St Andrews

Simons incredible leadership and response to not one but two major fires at the University wowed the judges. He was prepared to remain in post without a break for 48 hours to ensure the job was completed, using skills formed through his years in the RAF. He has helped to secure significant additions to the maintenance budget and to install innovative new systems, while his leadership has saved lives and implemented changes that will enable a safer and more organised response to any future incidents.

NEW SERVICE LEAVER OF THE YEAR

Bryan Flannagan, City of Glasgow College

The judges applauded the incredible range of achievements in the two years since Bryan left the Royal Navy. In everything that Bryan has turned his hand to he has made a tremendous impact and demonstrated an innovative approach. Everything he does is used to inspire service leavers in their second careers and to help bridge the gap between the military and the commercial sector. The judges also highly commended Nicholas Hayes, whose dedication to supporting veterans resulted in more than 15 service leavers joining Openreach in just 18 months.

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR

Graham Allison, Amazon

Graham was chosen by the judges for the sheer scale of his achievements over the last couple of years, which have enabled him to make it to a director-level position in Amazon at the age of just 35, a feat that is even more remarkable given he spent over five years in the Royal Navy. Graham has also conducted more than 100 interviews with a focus on high-potential military candidates. The judges also highly commended David Gillespie of Collins Aerospace who as well as forging a successful second career has also mentored young people for a career in STEM.

RESERVIST OF THE YEAR

Amanda Scott, FDM Group

Amandas impact is clear from the outstanding commendations she has received from senior leaders at FDM Group. She demonstrates great leadership, living by military values both in her civilian job and in the army reserves. She has applied these values to her day job at FDM with great effect, gaining the respect and admiration of her colleagues. Amanda has also inspired others to join the Reserves through being a positive role model and a beacon of everything that is great about the modern reservist.

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

Gillian Dowds, Fujitsu

In order to succeed in her post service career Gillian has been prepared to adjust, initially taking a more junior role in order to enhance her education credentials and to develop her skills and experience ultimately leading to rapid progression. To successfully complete an MBA whilst holding down a full-time job is hugely impressive. At Fujitsu she has managed a major and complex project, through which she has received great commendations from both colleagues and MoD representatives.

ROLE MODEL OF THE YEAR

Darren Taylor, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy

Everything that Darren has achieved in his post-military career has made him a genuine role model. He has used his skills and successes to set an amazing example to other service leavers and has never stopped reaching out and guiding these people. He has also inspired the next generation, engaging with local schools as part of the Scottish Governments Developing Young Workforce initiative, promoting both his current industry and the benefits of pursuing a career in the military.

SERVICE LEAVER OF THE YEAR

Emma Chesney, Pasquill

Since medical discharge in 2010, Emma has carved out a successful second career by applying the organisational and people management skills that she gained in the RAF. Her quick progression and consistent promotions at Pasquill are testament not only to her hard work but to the strong results she has driven for the business. The work she has done to transform workplace culture has resulted in a can-do attitude and greater employee engagement as well as improvements in sales, profitability and productivity.

TEAM LEADER OF THE YEAR

Jemima Estabrook, FDM Group

The judges were impressed by Jemimas team leadership skills and the way in which she has honed them from her military experience training her troops. She is constantly looking to improve and develop her team, while also advancing her own pursuit of personal development by seeking to learn about new technologies or processes. The judges also highly commended Karis Hynd of Royal Bank of Scotland for the high regard and respect she receives from her team and her strong leadership capabilities.

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Ex-Forces Awards touches down in Scotland for the first time - Real Business

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) Xavier Johnson and Andrew Lewis combined for 41 points and Chicago State rallied past SIU-Edwardsville in the second half to claim an 89-81 victory Wednesday night that broke a near-record losing streak.

The Cougars entered with a 53-game losing streak on the road or at neutral sites. The NCAA record is 56.

Chicago State (4-6) trailed by double digits much of the first half until closing on a 13-2 run, cutting SIUEs lead to 42-41 at halftime.

Amir Gholizadeh scored from distance, rebounded a SIUE miss leading to a fastbreak layup by Solomon Hunt for a 46-45 lead two minutes into the second half.

SIU-Edwardsville came within 53-50 with 11:21 remaining, but Andrew Lewis scored on a putback and Rajeir Jones nailed a 3 off a steal and the Cougars built leads as large as 11 points. Points, 16 coming in the turnaround second half.

Johnson made six free throws as Chicago State was 8-for-8 at the line in the final 41 seconds.

Johnson, who finished with 23 points and five assists, made all 13 free throws, the Cougars were 25-for-27 at the line and shot 58% from the field (28-for-48). Andrew Lewis scored 18

Zeke Moore poured in a career-high 28 points for SIUE (2-7) on 11-for-16 shooting with four 3-pointers. SIU-Edwardsville has lost its last five.

Chicago State plays Tennessee State on the road on Friday. Southern Illinois-Edwardsville plays Northwestern on the road next Sunday.

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For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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Elements of this story were generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from STATS LLC, https://www.stats.com

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Chicago State sheds lengthy losing streak on the road, 89-81 - week.com

After town council voted to take no action on a proposed zoning amendment that would have eliminated a billboard overlay district near Route 3 and at the end of Finnell Drive, councilors are looking at other options to address concerns raised by residents in the area.

This summer, a digital billboard at 611 Pleasant St. spawned numerous complaints about nighttime light pollution from many nearby residents.

Cove Outdoor turned the billboard off in August as a result of those complaints, but the company turned the billboard back on Nov. 19 and cited a failure by town officials and residents to reach a consensus for an alternative plan.

The councils decision to take no action followed a Nov. 19 vote by the planning board to not support the proposed amendment submitted by Belmont Street resident Robert Delaney. Delaney could not be reached for comment about the councils decision.

The board agreed with the residents along the Route 3 corridor that they experienced unintended consequences because of the placement of an electronic billboard, said District 3 Councilor Kenneth DiFazio, chairman of the council's ordinance committee, during a Dec. 2 council meeting. "However, the planning board concluded that at this time, the removal of the billboard overlay district would limit options to remedy the situation and be a hindrance to any compromise."

Town council, however, has agreed to ask Attorney General Maura Healey to review the legalities of the permits issued to Cove Outdoor by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the towns zoning board of appeals.

According to the town councils ordinance committee, the controversial digital signs at 611 Pleasant St. and a proposed digital sign at 613 Pleasant St. do not appear to meet the requirements for receiving special permits from the town or a permit from MassDOT.

DiFazio said the permits were given to Cove Outdoor LLC "without the necessary scrutiny to protect nearby residents from the adverse effects of electronic billboards.

Its now known that the potential impact of the electronic billboards is spread much further than the 500-foot radius, DiFazio said during the Dec. 2 council meeting.

District 5 Councilor Ed Harrington and Councilor-at-large Michael Molisse agreed send a letter to Healeys office expressing concerns about the legalities of the permits awarded to Cove.

They also agreed to ask Healey about whether the community can hire a private legal firm to represent Weymouths interests.

We need to be sure it is legally possible to have an outside attorney, said Michael Smart, president of the town council.

Harrington said the permit process for the billboards was flawed from the beginning, and it needs to be reviewed by Healey or a private legal firm.

We are trying to fix this internally as opposed to having a state agency or another board involved, he said.

Molisse said the council needs to take a stand for the people of Weymouth by opposing the permitted billboards with outside legal counsel if necessary.

We have people on Century Road and on other streets who will be suffering if this keeps going on, he said.

Councilor-at-large Chris Heffernan said the council cant leave any rock unturned and must oppose the billboards.

We need to look at all of our options and include as many options as possible, he said. If that includes outside counsel, Im open to that.

The overlay district was created by Mayor Robert Hedlund and the town council in April 2018 to remove unwanted billboards along Route 3A. The creation of the overlay district was also done to diminish the negative impact of a digital advertisement on Route 18.

The overlay district also includes a portion of undeveloped land at the end of Finnell Drive.

Cove Outdoor has an agreement with Weymouth to install electronic billboards in the overlay district along Route 3. The deal requires Cove to remove nine static or non-electronic advertisement boards on Route 3A and to diminish the impact of a digital sign on Route 18.

Cove owns a location at 613 Pleasant St, and the firm recently received a permit from MassDOT to construct an electronic billboard at the site.

Coves agreement with Weymouth would eventually provide the town with advertisement fees, which are equal to receiving $10 million from commercial development, according to Christine Howe, a town program manager.

Follow the Weymouth News on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WeymouthNews.

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Weymouth council sheds light on next move regarding digital billboards - Wicked Local Weymouth

Former special counsel Robert Mueller had taken himself out of the running to be FBI director by the time he met with President Donald Trump about the job, former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein told federal investigators.

Notes from Rosenstein's May 23, 2017 interview were made public on Monday as the result of a court ruling in BuzzFeed News' Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Justice Department.

The document sheds new light on the circumstances of Trump's May 16, 2017 meeting with Mueller in the Oval Office. Trump has claimed that Mueller applied for the suddenly vacant job of FBI director in that meeting and turned him down. The next day, Mueller was named special counsel investigating links between the Trump campaign and Russian interference in the 2016 election.

In the interview, according to the notes published by BuzzFeed News, Rosenstein described feeling "angry, ashamed, horrified and embarrassed" at how the abrupt firing of then-FBI director James Comey on May 9, 2017 was handled. "It was also humiliating for Comey," his interviewers quoted Rosenstein as saying.

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Rosenstein said he spoke to Mueller, a former FBI director, about becoming special counsel the next day.

He had a separate conversation with Mueller and then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions on May 13 to see if Mueller would be interested in returning to his old job as director, the notes say.

"Mueller informed them he did not want to be interviewed for FBI director position," but told them his views about "what should be done with FBI," the document says. "Sessions thought Mueller's comments were 'brilliant,'" Rosenstein is quoted as saying.

"Nevertheless, Mueller was placed on the White House's list of potential candidates for FBI director," the notes say. "Mueller was interviewed for the position of FBI director, but later decided to withdraw from consideration," the notes say.

He was officially named special counsel on May 17.

Trump, who often decried Mueller's investigation as a "witch hunt," has used the Oval Office meeting to suggest that Mueller had a conflict of interest and that he was lying about their conversation.

It has been reported that Robert Mueller is saying that he did not apply and interview for the job of FBI Director (and get turned down) the day before he was wrongfully appointed Special Counsel, Trump tweeted in July ahead of Mueller's testimony before Congress. "Hope he doesnt say that under oath in that we have numerous witnesses to the interview, including the Vice President of the United States!"

Mueller testified under oath that it was not a job interview. "I interviewed with the president, it was about the job, but it was not about me applying for the job," he added.

Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Continued here:
Newly released documents shed light on Mueller-Trump meeting - NBC News

Despite being a series that revolves around military men, it is quite compelling to see how 'SEAL Team' prides itself on all the strong women in its cast. Known for her power-packed stint in 'The Mandalorian' and 'Supernatural', Emily Swallow is the latest to join the bandwagon as Natalie Pierce.

A research physiologist, she is all set to revive the physical health and longevity of the SEALs on the show. In an exclusive interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), the actress brings her role to light and delves deeper into where the action-drama will take her character.

"I love that Natalie is not at all dissuaded by the strong and often aggressive energy that's coming at her," Swallow says. "I think she knows not to take it personally."

She continues, "She's delving into incredibly vulnerable territory because, even if she ultimately wants to help extend the SEALs' operating life, to do so she must target their vulnerabilities and ask them to make changes."

Drawing attention to the one thing that attracted her to this role, she says, "Natalie is incredibly persistent and doesn't back down, but she's willing to meet them where they are."

When asked what is the one unforgettable aspect of the character that she takes home, Swallow says, "I admire that she's able to put aside her ego in order to help others."

As Natalie, she first faced quite a lot of resistance from the team. But as the season progresses, she is slowly breaking into the minds of the characters and solving their struggles, especially Jason Hayes' PTSD and his mental health.

Played by David Boreanaz, the Master Chief Special Warfare Operator aka Bravo 1/1B is battling his demons as the third season delves deeper into the team's identity and personal relationships.

"I think Natalie feels a kinship with Jason, so she's really striving to find a way to help him. As we saw in 'The Ones You Can't See,' she understands that he's terrified of being kept from doing the thing he knows best."

"He's afraid of being alone with his thoughts and memories. He's afraid of stopping. The fact that she relates to that is huge in gaining his trust and helping him through the next steps," Swallow says.

Her words take proper shape in the episode titled 'Danger Crossing' which shows how she convinces Jason to undergo surgery. At every juncture, she challenges his independent streak with a logical explanation.

Towards the end of the episode, it is Natalie who saves him when he has a panic attack after frisking through boxes of old memorabilia from his late wife, Alana.

In the same episode, Swallow finally helps him to let his bottled feelings out. In his gut-wrenching performance, Jason tells Natalie, "The past is haunting me. I don't know how to stop it. I need help. Can you help me?"

Moving forward, where will Natalie's character go in the show? Will she have more interactions with Ray, Clay and Sonny and help them out with their personal issues?

Shattering hopes of involvement with other characters, Swallow says, "Natalie has her hands full with Jason, so I think we'll continue to see her devote most of her time to him."

As of now, it is quite interesting to see the fun dynamic of Jason Hayes and Natalie Pierce develop into a powerful bond that helps both in their personal as well as professional lives. However, there's hope Natalie might aid Sonny if his relationship with Lisa develops more complexities in the future.

Set to spell more danger for the Navy SEALs, the CBS show 'SEAL Team' airs every Wednesday at 9 pm EST.

See the original post:
EXCLUSIVE | 'SEAL Team' star Emily Swallow sheds light on Season 3 and mastering the art of taming Jason Hayes - MEAWW

If you needed another reason to grumble about the screeching T under your office, the noisy traffic on your commute, or those flights from Logan Airport whizzing over your house, you have one.

A recent study conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and other experts sheds new light on the relationship between noise and cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes.

Specifically, the report, published in theEuropean Heart Journal, identifies a mechanism that appears to play a significant role in how long-term noise exposure leads to heart disease, inflammation, and blood vessel damage, lead author Michael Osborne told Boston.com Tuesday.

Researchers say that conduit is the amygdala, the part of the brain that assists in processing emotions and responds to fear and stress.

Think of it this way: When the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, thats your amygdala doing its job, according to Osborne, who said the deep-brain structure is also a large contributor to the bodys flight or fight response.

Osborne said the amygdala triggers nerves connecting the brain to bone marrow, which could increase inflammation, and thereby contribute to cardiovascular events.

While experts have previously known that noise can help stir up those complications, there still remains a lot unknown about how exactly that process happens.

It makes logical sense, but it hadnt really been pinpointed before, said Osborne, a cardiologist at MGH.

Through tomography, researchers studied the brains and arteries of a retrospective cohort of 498 adults over a five-year period. According to Osborne, all of the participants were MGH patients from the New England area, 88 percent of them from Massachusetts.

The study analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Transportation monitoring traffic and aircraft noise for each individuals home address, according to Osborne. Researchers were able to adjust the findings for socioeconomic factors, air pollution, and existing risk, which can all contribute to cardiovascular disease.

Over a median of 4 years, 40 of the 498 subjects (8 percent) experienced (a major adverse cardiovascular event or MACE), and when the investigators looked at noise exposure for these individuals, they found that every 5 decibel increase in noise predicted MACE, a press release from MGH says. The association between noise levels and MACE remained strong even when they took into account other potential risk factors for (cardiovascular disease).

Osborne said the study found there is a very strong relationship between both noise exposure and amygdala activity and between noise and artery inflammation.

Basically, we think these findings may provide insights into how noise triggers disease, he said, adding the study corroborates others conducted in Europe.

The findings open the door to potentially studying new ways to address the issue, such as through therapies to reduce noise exposure, according to Osborne. They also raise questions about whether the mind can be trained so stress reactivity is reduced, and, further down the line, what role medication can play in reducing inflammation, he said.

Researchers are planning to further study the link between noise and other diseases like obesity and diabetes an effort geared towards creating mitigation techniques, according to MGH.

Osborne said the findings emphasize the need to be aware of the effect noise can have on ones health.

I think its something that people with pre-existing risk need to be more aware of or at least cognizant of, he said.

See more here:
A new study from MGH appears to have found the brain link between noise and cardiovascular disease - Boston.com

Courtesy of Live NationSound Of MoneyHuntington Bank has naming rights for Live Nations Chicago amphitheater.

Andy Peikon, Live Nations senior vice president of sales, oversees the group that sells naming rights for the promoters 46 amphitheaters across the country. Its a thriving piece of the entertainment business that keeps Peikon and his 30-person sales staff busy considering the vast number of venues, the steady growth for Live Nation in building new amphitheaters and adding others through acquisition, and the active market for naming rights in general. VenuesNow spoke with Peikon about trends in sponsorship of outdoor music venues and where the business is headed.

VENUESNOW: Explain Live Nations strategy for naming rights tied to amphitheaters. Its obviously a different dynamic compared with arenas and stadiums.ANDY PEIKON: We focus on working with local brands willing to invest back into the community. I remember the first deal I worked on (with Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, N.Y.) about 14 years ago, and essentially the brand just wanted to put their name on the building. Today, its very different. What has really evolved over the last 15 years with amphitheaters is the dialogue 365 days of the year. Its not just communicating with the fan at the show. Were speaking with them throughout the entire journey, from the minute they go online to discover whos playing and buy a ticket to when they plan and pregame to when they experience the show and relive it after the fact. Its a seasonal business, but we go on sale with shows (for the following year) starting in the fall. Its not just a three- to four-month communication between the brand and our fans. Its much longer than that.

What are the annual values for naming rights at amphitheaters?We dont discuss the financial terms, but the deals are getting bigger and bigger. (In 2017, Northwell Health signed a naming-rights deal for the Jones Beach amphitheater reported at $3 million for three years with a two-year option.) The categories that weve been focusing on like credit unions have become so competitive that it drives the price up. The media and sponsorship division at Live Nation is the highest-margin business within the company. Were very fortunate to have a receptive audience and a great sales team thats out there banging on doors on a regular basis with a lot of success.

How are you using sister company Ticketmasters deep database to help sell naming rights for amphitheaters?Its something that locally were just starting to touch the surface. Weve got the worlds largest fan database, and, like I said before, we essentially own the journey from tickets to the seat to reliving the experience. We have a lot of information and what were trying to do now is figure out how best to deliver it to add value to our partners. Its a work in progress.

Considering amphitheaters are a seasonal business, how does it work with term length and activation? As an outsider, it appears some of these naming-rights deals are recycled with greater frequency than typical agreements for sports and entertainment facilities.We are not accepting deals that arent at least five years and preferably 10 years. Were striving to sign longer-term deals, and I can think of three in the past two years that are 10 years in length. Thats the ultimate goal. We dont want to confuse the public; we want to have long-term relationships with our partners. For the most part, our renewal rates have been very high. In many cases, (the name changed) because one bank, for instance, is being acquired. In Boston this past year, Blue Hills Bank, which had their name on our venue for a number of years, was acquired by Rockland Trust, hence the name change.

What are the core categories for naming rights, and have you looked at emerging categories such as financial services technology?The credit union business is very competitive and theyre always looking to provide perks for their members. In the last five years, weve done five naming-rights deals in that space. Banking as a whole is very strong for us and we have 10 of those deals at the amphitheater level. Casinos are strong as well, and health care is getting stronger. Whats interesting is when you look at these categories, theyre all a local focus. There is no such thing as a national credit union, for example, and we find that theyre really primed for naming rights.

From a technology standpoint, we really havent cracked the code yet. The most recent one was Nikon in digital imaging (at Jones Beach), but we know that its taken a huge hit as a result of the iPhone. We did speak to SoFi and theyre a sponsor now of our Bottle Rock festival in Northern California, and we spoke with Fiserv when we were looking to replace Verizon in Alpharetta, Ga. (Ameris Bank took over naming rights.) I dont have a strong answer, simply because weve had great success with our bread-and-butter categories. Most of our buildings have naming rights and we have good relationships with those brands.

Some amphitheaters have been around for 30 to 40 years and concertgoers still call them by their original names, such as Deer Creek in Indianapolis, Walnut Creek in Raleigh, N.C., and Jones Beach. How do you fight that battle to give your naming-rights partners exposure and convince them that it makes sense to sign these deals?The best way is through our media properties. Weve got 100-plus properties across mobile, social and online and 80 million monthly unique (views) through Live Nation, Ticketmaster, Setlist.fm and Bandsintown. Were giving brands more ways to connect with the audience, whether it be through fan insight and targeting or proximity marketing. The more that we promote them online outside of the building, the more we help them fight that battle.

What are some examples of creative activations for naming-rights partners at your amphitheaters?Were working with a banking partner currently where they have asked us to develop a menu of calendar disrupting events and experiences for high net worth individuals. (As of late November, specific details had not been announced). One concept is called Front Row, which is essentially storytelling with an artist and an intimate performance where they discuss their greatest influences. Weve also come up with a program called A List Access, which is sound check parties and stage viewing access and helicopter entry to bring guests to the venue. Another one is Music Lesson, where we bring individuals into the venue early to learn what its like to stage a show and meet the general manager, sound and lighting technicians, the production manager and maybe even the artists. The one thing weve really made a concerted effort to do is work with brands to make sure they are working to improve the fan experience.

Hollywood Casino in St. Louis has its name on the amphitheater in that market, and you can see the casino from the venue. For the 2019 season, we provided ticket buyers the option of purchasing a round-trip shuttle pass for $10. The pass is sold on livenation.com, which includes transportation to and from the venue on show days. What were doing is (promoting) the casino business with increased foot traffic. In Nashville, we have an interesting concert series partner at Ascend Amphitheater. Journeys, the footwear retailer, built a custom branded viewing deck where they can use it to reward employees and guests in their home market for a great experience at the show. We are really trying to encourage our partners to think outside the box, and we love when they give us an opportunity to sit at the table and brainstorm ideas.

Where do you see things headed in the future?Weve had a great run at Live Nation with double-digit growth nationally and locally at our venues, and its an exciting time to be part of the company. The thing thats terrific about the business of live is the fact that it cant be replicated. There is nothing like the intensity of being at a show. The average Live Nation fan is going to no more than two shows at best a year, so every show is their Super Bowl and gives our partners a real opportunity to connect in a deep and meaningful way. Its got to be mutually beneficial. Our partners have to show fans whats in it for them in exchange for their time, money and attention. Were bullish on the future of the business.

This story originally appeared in VenuesNow.

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Longer Deals, Bigger Activations For Shed Naming-Rights Clients Integral To Live Nation's Amphitheater Strategy - Pollstar

A prime piece of undeveloped property in the Animas Valley previously owned by the U.S. Forest Service sold for nearly $1.7 million this summer, but dont expect to see bulldozers and construction equipment out there anytime soon.

In an interview with The Durango Herald, the owner of the property, Kurt Carter, said he has no immediate plans to develop the property.

Right now, I have to crunch some numbers, see what the community needs, see what everyone could be happy about going there, and find out what makes financial sense, Carter said. I want to do something more beneficial than what I think other developers would do.

Carter is one of three new owners of the Durango Hot Springs Resort and Spa (formerly named Trimble). But, he said, this venture is not related.

Bidding opened in June for the 20-acre property in question, about 8 miles north of Durango at 373 Trimble Lane, behind the Trimble True Value hardware store. The online auction closed in August with the winning bid at $1,690,000.

For years, the property has been a vacant horse pasture, with a few structures on it, surrounded by luxury subdivisions. The Forest Service a few years ago announced its intent to sell the property, saying it no longer had a use for it.

Carter said he lives in Florida but has ties to Durango that date back at least 25 years.

I learned how to ski on Purgatory when I was 5 years old, he said. I come out there quite frequently; thats how I found out about the property out there.

Carter said hes never developed property in Durango but has been part of projects like banks and offices in Florida.

For the land in the Animas Valley, he sees great potential.

Its an impeccable piece of property out there with gorgeous views in every direction, he said. Regardless of whats done on it, its a beautiful piece of property.

Carter said hes aware of the development pressures in the Animas Valley. Recently, another developer proposed a 28-lot RV park and tavern on 4 acres adjacent to his newly acquired land.

The Animas Valley is one of the only areas in unincorporated La Plata County with zoning. The property is zoned neighborhood commercial, which according to county records, carries no uses permitted by right.

Instead, there are a variety of possible development options for the property under a special-use permit. That process requires a developer to propose the project to the county and ultimately obtain a special-use permit.

For the Forest Services part, the agency has said it will use money from the sale to help fund a new office building for the Columbine Ranger District in Bayfield. James Simino, Columbine district ranger, said previously that process is ongoing.

jromeo@durangoherald.com

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New owner sheds light on plans for recently purchased Animas Valley property - The Durango Herald

Nearly 140 members discuss security aspects of secure storage units with new tool list of the new standard EN 1143-1, the future of cash and some potential dangers of older safes in focus.

When the European Security Systems Association (ESSA) invites its members to its general assembly, then there is no way too far: Nearly 140 experts from the entire physical security industry travelled from New Zealand, China, India, Brazil, the US and many European countries to Frankfurt. These included leading manufacturers and suppliers of safes and solutions for strongrooms as well as insurance and government representatives.

Programme highlights included a lecture on the future of cash, a workshop on the European standard EN 1143-1:2019 for safes, ATM safes, strongroom doors and walls, which has been in force since April 2019, and a lecture on possible pollutants in safes built years ago.

Cash remains an important means of payment

As leading engineer of KBA-NotaSys, a top manufacturer of printing presses and security solutions for banknotes and securities, Johannes Schaede has been keeping a close eye on the market for decades. The expert is not afraid of an end to banknote printing, despite the trend towards cashless, often smartphone payments. Indeed the production of banknotes is increasing in nine of the ten largest markets. In 2023 it will be five to seven percent higher than ten years earlier, he reported.

The expert had several positive messages for the present manufacturers of ATM safes or safes for private and commercial users. The trend towards negative interest rates as well as the growing need for privacy in the digital world tends to result in more cash use, especially since every card payment leaves data traces. In addition, for millions of people worldwide who do not have an account, cash is the central access to economic life.

Preparing safes for the technical progress of burglary tools

The workshop on EN 1143-1:2019 showed that since its publication in April 2019, the industry has only cautiously approached the new regulation. This applies in particular to the optional T2-toolset contained in the new regulation. Tools, which safes as well as doors and walls of strongrooms are to withstand as long as possible in destructive tests, were adapted to the current state of the art for this list.

Dirk Etheber, certification engineer of the European Certification Body GmbH, dared to make first assessments of the influence of these more powerful tools on future tests and their results. Electric cutting tools, hammer drills, concrete chain saws and thermal lances, some of which have significantly more penetrating power than the previously binding T1 tool set, will present engineers with challenges. However, because the use of the T2 tool set is optional even from the point of view of insurers, manufacturers are hesitant. It is not clear when the first safes and strongroom solutions will be launched on the market for which the T2 tool set will be used for certification, he explained.

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ESSA General Assembly 2019 sheds light on security aspects of safes and strongrooms - SecurityNewsDesk