Tag: Universal

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Health

Pediatricians Affiliation Recommends Common Masking in Faculties

Pediatricians Association Recommends Universal Masking in Schools

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued new Covid-19 guidelines for schools on Monday recommending that everyone over the age of 2 wear masks in the fall, even if they have been vaccinated. Exceptions can be made for those with medical or developmental conditions that make it difficult to wear masks, the group said.

The universal masking recommendation is a departure from the guidelines issued earlier this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that only recommend masking in schools for unvaccinated people over the age of 2. These guidelines strongly imply that fully vaccinated children and adults are not required to wear masks in the classroom – although they also said individual schools are free to implement universal masking requirements.

However, in many ways the two directives are similar. The AAP, like the CDC, stressed the importance of returning to personal learning.

“Our priority must be getting children back to school with their friends and teachers – and we are all helping to ensure that it happens safely,” said Dr. Sonja O’Leary, the chair of the AAP Council on School Health, in a statement.

Like the CDC, the AAP recommended a “layered” approach that combines a variety of measures to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission. In addition to universal masking, these measures include vaccinations, improved ventilation, virus testing, quarantines, and cleaning and disinfection, the group said.

The AAP gave several reasons for its universal masking recommendation.

Many students are too young to be eligible for the vaccines, which are only approved for those aged 12 and over, the group found. And universal masking could reduce overall transmission of the virus and help protect those who are not vaccinated.

The group also cited concerns about more communicable virus variants and the possibility that vaccination rates could be low in the surrounding community, which could increase the risk of an outbreak at a particular school. The AAP also recommended universal masking because it can be difficult to verify that individual students or employees have been vaccinated.

Some state and local officials have already announced that they will not be calling for universal masking this fall, and at least eight states have banned such mandates.

The AAP guideline didn’t stop recommending vaccine mandates, but it said they might ultimately be needed. “It may be necessary for schools to collect Covid-19 vaccine information from staff and students and for schools to require Covid-19 vaccination for personal learning,” the guidelines say.

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Business

Disneyland, Common Studios openings to spice up Principal Road companies

Disneyland, Universal Studios openings to boost Main Street businesses

Disneyland and Universal theme parks will reopen.

Paul Rovere | Getty Images

March was the best month for Michael Afram’s transportation company since closing California last year due to the pandemic. When the state eased some of its coronavirus restrictions and vaccination rates increased, the Carmel Shuttle Service began to recover.

“To give you an idea of ​​where we are, the revenue we booked for the entire month of March 2021 is one day in March 2020 before the shutdown,” said Afram. “So I think you can think of us as a thirtieth of where we need to go back.”

Before the pandemic, Afram made an average of 450 to 500 trips a day in the Los Angeles-San Diego area. A large percentage of his destinations were Disneyland, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld San Diego.

With California theme parks closed and air travel demand a fraction of 2019 demand, Afram’s business had massive financial success. With the reopening of Universal Studios on Friday and the opening of the gates through Disneyland on April 30th, companies like Afram’s are experiencing a small boom.

Full recovery will be slow, however, as these parks are being forced to limit their capacity and can only accommodate guests who are already resident in the state.

While bookings are strong in April and May, Afram doesn’t expect its business to fully recover until the second quarter of 2022.

“We survived the storm and see a light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “Unfortunately, [we] saw and suffered so much destruction and despair on the way to get to this point. “

Around 50% of Afram’s business was in the Anaheim resort area, which is home to Disney’s two California parks and the Downtown Disney mall. His shuttle company traveled to local airports, hotels, theme parks, restaurants, and other local tourist destinations in the area.

The other 50% included Greater Orange County plus Los Angeles, where Universal Studios are located, and day trips to San Diego.

“The impact Disneyland and Universal Studios have on our local economies is important to all of our small businesses and the surrounding industries,” said Sharon Quirk-Silva, Democrat, who represents California’s 65th Congregation District, which includes northern Orange County belongs.

“There will no doubt be a surge in economic growth across Orange County when they reopen,” she said.

A slow and steady rebound

Direct travel-related spending in California was $ 145 billion in 2019, up 3.2% year over year, according to a report by Visit California, a tourism nonprofit.

In fact, residents of other states and countries accounted for 6 out of $ 10 spent locally in 2019.

In 2020, California tourism spending fell to $ 59 billion, just 41% of the previous year’s spending. The last time the state’s tourism spending was below $ 60 billion was in 1996.

The Los Angeles tourism and hospitality sector supports more than 600,000 direct and indirect jobs, said Lawren Markle, senior director of communications at Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation.

“Of course, LA County’s 10 million residents support this sector and its jobs as we frequent our local theme parks and hospitality businesses,” he said. “And LA also welcomes approximately 50 million visitors a year, and their spending is also a big engine of economic activity.”

“We’re still well below pre-pandemic tourism levels, so we see the reopening of theme parks as a very public signal that things are getting back to normal in LA and that trips to Los Angeles are looking practical and enjoyable again,” he said .

For Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles, a restaurant chain with seven locations in California, including one at Disneyland Resort, local restrictions forced the company to close its doors to indoor dining. It stayed afloat during the pandemic by offering take-away and delivery and because it owned the buildings where its restaurants are located.

Diane Vara, the company’s creative director, said the company was able to hit around 75% of what it did last year in 2019, but is looking forward to the influx of companies that comes with the opening of the theme parks and the state will go hand in hand.

Vara noted that Roscoe’s Inglewood location near Los Angeles International Airport often attracts travelers who come to business with luggage in tow right after their flight lands.

“This is great for us,” she said of the state reopening.

Pandemic pressure

Of course, Disney and Universal will also benefit from the reopening.

Last year’s shutdown resulted in Disney laying off tens of thousands of workers and limiting an important source of income for the media company. The Parks, Experiences, and Consumer Staples segment accounted for 37% of the company’s total revenue of $ 69.6 billion, or approximately $ 26.2 billion, in 2019.

A year later, revenue shrank to $ 16.5 billion, or roughly 25% of the company’s total revenue of $ 65.4 billion.

“That was probably one of the toughest things I personally had to do in my career,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney’s Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products division, in an interview with CNBC last week about the layoffs. “I’m very passionate about the performers here. I think they’re the real reason people come to these parks.”

D’Amaro said the company will have called back more than 10,000 employees when the Disneyland Resort reopens in late April. At the beginning, Disney’s parks will be occupied by around 15%. Mask wear and social distancing are required for guests visiting the park.

At Universal, too, revenue from theme parks declined in 2020. The Comcast-owned company said that theme park revenue fell 68.9% to $ 1.8 billion last year as the pandemic forced the closure of its California park, as well as its Florida and Japan parks will only be reopened with a limited number of visitors.

When the California park reopens, Universal guests must also wear masks and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Universal Studios officials declined to comment.

“During my visits to Downtown Disney … I heard many of our constituents feel safer in the theme parks than in their own grocery store,” Quirk-Silva said. “We have supported our efforts to reopen our theme parks with hand washing stations, temperature checks and helpful staff who ensure that our residents are safely distanced.”

Florida parks are thriving

If the Florida theme parks reopening are any signs of this, there is a lot of catching up to do.

Universal’s two parks, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, have consistently reached capacity limits in recent weeks, and Disney’s four theme parks – Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot – sell out days in advance.

Guests in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter as Universal Studios Hollywood welcome guests back to the theme park on Friday April 16 to experience the thrilling rides and attractions.

Al Seib | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images

To date, there have been no public reports linking Orlando parks to coronavirus outbreaks.

“We continue to deliver an amazing entertainment experience,” said Brian Roberts, Comcast chairman and CEO, during the company’s earnings statement in January. “And our guests are reacting, as our steadily increasing number of visitors and our latest financial results confirm.”

“What we’ve seen in this fourth quarter, particularly in Orlando, gives us even more confidence in the momentum our theme parks will experience when we achieve sustained recovery,” he said at the time.

While Florida Governor Ron DeSantis allowed theme parks to return to normal operations with limited protocols for physical distancing, Disney and Universal, among other things, continued to restrict participation and force the wear of masks.

California lawmakers are aiming for a broader reopening of the state in June. However, it is unclear how this will affect the capacity limits of the theme park. It also remains to be seen when California will allow non-residents to purchase tickets to its parks.

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC.

Categories
World News

On Easter, Pope France Urges Common Entry to Coronavirus Vaccines

On Easter, Pope France Urges Universal Access to Coronavirus Vaccines

Pope Francis conveyed his annual Easter message “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the city and into the world”) to a small group of believers in St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, while the coronavirus pandemic ban kept the usual audience of around 70,000 pilgrims for a second Year away from St. Peter’s Square.

The Pope conveyed the message after presiding over the Easter mass in the presence of about 200 believers.

Francis spoke of the economic and social difficulties many people, and especially the poor, are experiencing due to the pandemic that has recently worsened in Italy and much of Europe. He also addressed the ongoing armed conflict, civil unrest and increased military spending in Myanmar, Syria, Yemen, Nigeria and other regions and nations.

As in the past, the leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics urged the international community “in a spirit of global responsibility” to ensure that everyone had access to vaccines, which he considered “an essential tool” in the fight against the US designated pandemic. Delivery delays had to be overcome to “facilitate their distribution, especially in the poorest countries,” said Francis.

He called on all governments to take care of the many people who have lost jobs and faced economic difficulties as a result of the pandemic, as well as those who lack “adequate social protection”.

“The pandemic has unfortunately dramatically increased the numbers of the poor and the despair of thousands of people,” he said.

The Pope also noted the youth’s difficulty “being forced to spend long periods of time without going to school or university or spending time with their friends”. He paid tribute to the children who had written meditations on Good Friday for the Torchlight Way of the Cross, which this year took place in front of the basilica instead of the Colosseum and spoke of loneliness and sadness as a result of the pandemic.

“The risen Christ is hope for all who continue to suffer from the pandemic, both the sick and those who have lost a loved one,” said Francis.

Categories
Business

Andrew Yang’s NYC common fundamental revenue plan would see MSG, tax exempt landlords pay

Andrew Yang's NYC universal basic income plan would see MSG, tax exempt landlords pay

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang is once again making universal basic income a central tenet of his political campaign – this time for the New York mayor.

“It makes us stronger, healthier, safer, more mentally healthier, and improves our relationships,” said Yang of the concept of guaranteed income. “55% of Americans are now in favor of cash relief in the long run and 85% are in favor of cash relief during this pandemic.”

Yang’s proposed income program would give New York City residents living in extreme poverty an average of $ 2,000 a year and cost $ 1 billion a year, according to his campaign website.

The mayoral candidate told CNBC’s The News with Shepard Smith Monday night that he would be reaching out to landlords in New York City like Madison Square Garden to pay part of the bill.

“Tax breaks from MSG [are] $ 40 million a year alone, “said Yang.” If you look at that money and get it back in the hands of the city and invest some amount of the city’s resources, we can alleviate extreme poverty here in New York City. ”

Yang also commented on the dramatic increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in the US, calling it “a devastating time for the Asian-American community”.

According to the Center for Hate and Extremism Studies, reports of anti-Asian hate crimes in the US in 2020 increased 149% year over year. New York City saw anti-Asian hate crimes rise 833%, according to police data.

“We need to label these incidents as hate crimes and develop links with the Asian-American community, as unfortunately many of these incidents are still not reported,” said Yang. “Many Asian Americans don’t have that kind of relationship with law enforcement and city officials, and I want to change that.”

Categories
Entertainment

Bob Dylan Sells His Complete Songwriting Catalog to Common Music

Bob Dylan Sells His Entire Songwriting Catalog to Universal Music

Bob Dylan’s memoir, Chronicles: Volume One, opened in 1962 with the signing of his first music publishing deal – an agreement on the copyrights of the aspiring songwriter’s work. The terms of this agreement, brokered by Lou Levy of Leeds Music Publishing, were approved by the young Dylan.

“Lou paid me a hundred dollars in future royalties to sign the paper,” he wrote, “and that was fine with me.”

Fifty-eight years, more than 600 songs, and a Nobel Prize later, the cultural and economic value of Dylan’s songwriting corpus has grown exponentially.

On Monday Universal Music Publishing Group announced that it had signed a landmark deal to purchase Dylan’s entire songwriting catalog – including world-changing classics like “Blowin ‘in the Wind,” “The Times They Are A-Changin” and “Like.” “a Rolling Stone” – in what is perhaps the largest takeover of the music publishing rights by a single songwriter.

The deal, which spanned Dylan’s entire career from his earliest songs to his latest album, “Rough and Rowdy Ways,” was made directly with Dylan, 79, who has long controlled the vast majority of his own songwriting copyrights.

The price has not been disclosed, but is estimated at more than $ 300 million.

“It’s no secret that the art of songwriting is the fundamental key to all great music, and it’s no secret that Bob is one of the greatest practitioners of the art,” said Lucian Grainge, executive director of Universal Music Group in one Opinion.

The deal is the newest and most recognizable in this year’s music catalog market as artists young and old have sold their songs while publishers and investors have raised billions of dollars from public and private sources to encourage writers to say goodbye to their creations .

Last week, Stevie Nicks sold a controlling interest in their songwriting catalog for an estimated $ 80 million to Primary Wave Music, an independent publisher and marketing company. Hipgnosis Songs Fund, a UK company that quickly gained a foothold in just two and a half years, recently announced that it spent approximately $ 670 million from March to September seeking rights to more than 44,000 Blondie songs , Rick James, to acquire. Barry Manilow, Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders and others.

However, Dylan’s catalog is a special gem, revered in ways that perhaps no other popular musician has achieved. His song book has changed folk, rock and pop, and he has an almost mythical status as a contemporary bard. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016 “because he created new poetic forms of expression within the great American singing tradition”.

To a degree that still amazes and shocked his audience, Dylan has long been aggressive about marketing his music, including pursuing licensing agreements to get his songs on television advertisements.

In 1994, Dylan had the accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand – predecessor of the current giant PricewaterhouseCoopers – use Richie Havens ‘rendition of his 1964 protest hymn “The Times They Are A-Changin'” in a television commercial. Fans, media commentators, and even other artists reacted in horror; Time magazine headlined the controversy, “Just in case you haven’t heard, the 60s are over.”

The Coopers & Lybrand spot was a long way from Dylan’s last commercial license: he made a prominent deal for a Victoria’s Secret TV spot in 2004 and later worked with Apple, Cadillac, Pepsi, and IBM. Two years ago he started a high-end whiskey brand, Heaven’s Door.

With Universal now in control of his work, Dylan will no longer have a veto over how his songs are used. After the deal was announced early Monday, users on Twitter had a field day of hackneyed puns hinting at how Dylan’s work could be used. “Pay Lady Pay,” quipped one user. “Involved in Blue Cross / Blue Shield,” wrote another.

Even so, Universal insisted that using Dylan’s work it would be tasteful.

Jody Gerson, general manager of Universal’s publishing division, said, “It is both a privilege and a responsibility to represent the work of one of the greatest songwriters of all time – whose cultural significance cannot be overstated.”

Dylan is the kind of writer whose music publishers tend to calm down. Not only has it proven itself, but most of its songs were written by Dylan alone and frequently covered by other artists – each use generating royalties. According to Universal, Dylan’s songs have been recorded more than 6,000 times.

Music publishing is the side of the business that deals with songwriting and composition copyrights – the lyrics and melodies of songs in their most basic form – that are different from what is required for a recording. Publishers and authors collect royalties and royalties when their work is sold, streamed, broadcast on the radio, or used in a film or commercial. (The recent sale of Taylor Swift’s first six albums only covered recording rights for that material. Swift signed a separate release agreement with Universal in February.)

Streaming has helped boost the entire music market – US publishers raised $ 3.7 billion in 2019, according to the National Music Publishers’ Association – which attracted new investors from the steady and growing revenue from music rights get dressed by.

Dylan’s deal includes 100 percent of his rights to all songs in his catalog, including the income he receives as a songwriter and his control over the copyright of each song. In return for paying Dylan, Universal, a division of the French media conglomerate Vivendi, will collect all future revenue from the songs.

Dylan had no comment on the deal.

Music publishing has been a little-known cornerstone of Dylan’s career. The songs he recorded with the band in 1967, for example, which were widely available at the time and were later collected in Dylan’s 1975 album The Basement Tapes, were intended as demos to be passed on to other recording artists.

Much of Dylan’s business empire is run by the Bob Dylan Music Company, a small New York office that manages its publishing rights in the United States. (Elsewhere in the world, his catalog was managed by Sony / ATV, which will remain so until his contract expires in a few years.)

The deal includes more than 600 songs spread across a number of publishers that Dylan had over the years. With the exception of his original Leeds Music deal, which included seven songs, including “Song for Woody” and “Talkin ‘New York,” Dylan eventually took full control of all of his copyrights from these catalogs. Leeds was sold to MCA in 1964, which became Universal.

The Universal deal also includes Dylan’s interest in a number of songs he wrote with fellow songwriters. Of the more than 600 tracks included in the deal, there is only one that Dylan is not a writer on but still owns the copyright: Robbie Robertson’s “The Weight” as recorded by the band.

However, the agreement does not include any of Dylan’s unreleased songs. It also doesn’t cover work that Dylan will write in the future, leaving open the possibility that he might choose to work with another publisher on that material.