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Fashion Designer Yomi Makun Counsels Nigerians Following Donald Trump’s Victory In The 2024 U.S. Election

~0.2 mins read

Fashion designer Yomi Makun has counseled Nigerians following Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. election.

He said you should go and renew your visa before Donald Trump is sworn in as he president of America.

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Investopedia

Emerson Electric Stock Soars On Strong Earnings, AspenTech Buyout Bid

~1.4 mins read

Emerson Electric (EMR) shares surged 7% on Tuesday, securing one of the top performances in the S&P 500, after the provider of automation equipment, industrial software, and engineering products reported strong sales and profit for its fiscal fourth quarter.

Emerson also announced a proposal to buy the remaining stake of industrial software company Aspen Technology (AZPN), reflecting Emerson's strategic focus on the industrial automation market.

Emerson's net sales for the recently completed quarter came in at roughly $4.6 billion, up roughly 13% year-over-year. Earnings per share (EPS) of $1.48 for the fiscal fourth quarter grew 15% from the year-ago period.

Both figures exceeded analysts' consensus forecasts. Growth in the Intelligent Devices and Software and Control segments helped drive the strong performance.

Emerson's chief executive officer (CEO) touted the successful integration of the company's test and measurement systems assets, highlighting $100 million in synergies over the first year. The company enhanced this part of its business through the October 2023 acquisition of software-connected test and measurement firm National Instruments.

In 2021, Emerson merged its software units with competitor AspenTech and acquired a 55% position in the combined entity. The new proposal to buy out the remaining stake values AspenTech at a total of $15.1 billion, meaning the prospective transaction would cost Emerson just more than $6.5 billion.

CFRA Research analysts reportedly said they were unsurprised by Emerson's desire to gain full control of AspenTech. In the wake of the pandemic and numerous high-profile labor disputes, manufacturers are likely to maintain their focus on automation, the analysts noted.

Following Tuesday's gains, Emerson stock is trading more than 20% higher year-to-date.

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Can you screen yourself for problem gambling?

Yes. Screening yourself is easy. The Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (note: automatic download) is a validated way to screen for gambling disorder. It has three yes-or-no questions. Ask yourself:

During the past 12 months, have you become restless, irritable, or anxious when trying to stop/cut down on gambling?

During the past 12 months, have you tried to keep your family or friends from knowing how much you gambled?

During the past 12 months, did you have such financial trouble as a result of your gambling that you had to get help with living expenses from family, friends, or welfare?

What do your answers mean?

Answering yes to any one of these questions suggests that you are at higher risk for experiencing gambling disorder. Put simply, this is an addiction to gambling. Like other expressions of addiction, for gambling this includes loss of control, craving, and continuing despite bad consequences. Unique to gambling, it also often means chasing your losses.

A yes doesn't mean that you are definitely experiencing a problem with gambling. But it might be valuable for you to seek a more in-depth assessment of your gambling behavior. To find an organization or person qualified to help, ask a health care provider, your local department of public health, or an advocacy group like the National Council on Problem Gambling.

Are you ready for change?

Your readiness to change a behavior matters when deciding the best first steps for making a change. If someone asks you whether you want to change your gambling, what would you say?

I never think about my gambling.

Sometimes I think about gambling less.

I have decided to gamble less.

I am already trying to cut back on my gambling.

I changed my gambling: I now do not gamble, or gamble less than before.

Depending on your answer, you might seek out different solutions. What's most important initially is choosing a solution that feels like the right fit for you.

What if you don't feel ready to change? If you haven't thought about your gambling or only occasionally think about changing your gambling, you might explore lower intensity actions. For example, you could

read more about how gambling could create a problem for you

listen to stories of those who have lived experience with gambling disorder.

If you are committed to making a change or are already trying to change, you might seek out more engaging resources and strategies to support those decisions, like attending self-help groups or participating in treatment.

Read on for more details on choices you might make.

What options for change are available if you want to continue gambling?

If you want to keep gambling in some way, you might want to stick to lower-risk gambling guidelines:

gamble no more than 1% of household income

gamble no more than four days per month

avoid regularly gambling at more than two types of games, such as playing the lottery and betting on sports.

Other ways to reduce your risk of gambling harm include:

Plan ahead and set your own personal limits.

Keep your entertainment budget in mind if you decide to gamble.

Consider leaving credit cards and debit cards at home and use cash instead.

Schedule other activities directly after your gambling to create a time limit.

Limit your use of alcohol and other drugs if you decide to gamble.

What are easy first steps toward reducing or stopping gambling?

If you're just starting to think about change, consider learning more about gambling, problem gambling, and ways to change from

blogs, like The BASIS

books like Change Your Gambling, Change Your Life

podcasts like After Gambling, All-In, and Fall In, which offer expert interviews, personal recovery stories, and more.

Some YouTube clips demystify gambling, such as how slot machines work, the limits of skill and knowledge in gambling, and how gambling can become an addiction. These sources might help you think about your own gambling in new ways, potentially identifying behaviors that you need to change.

What are some slightly more active steps toward change?

If you're looking for a slightly more active approach, you can consider engaging in traditional self-help experiences such as helplines and chatlines or Gamblers Anonymous.

Another option is self-help workbooks. Your First Step to Change is a popular workbook that provides information about problem gambling, self-screening exercises for gambling and related conditions like anxiety and depression, and change exercises to get started. A clinical trial of this resource suggested that users were more likely than others to report having recently abstained from gambling.

Watch out for gambling misinformation

As you investigate options, keep in mind that the quality of information available can vary and may even include misinformation. Misinformation is incorrect or misleading information. Research suggests that some common types of gambling misinformation might reinforce harmful beliefs or risky behaviors.

For example, some gambling books, websites, and other resources exaggerate your likelihood of winning, highlight win and loss streaks as important (especially for chance-based games like slots), and suggest ways to change your luck to gain an edge. These misleading ideas can help you to believe you're more likely to win than you actually are, and set you up for failure.

The bottom line

Taking a simple self-screening test can start you on a journey toward better gambling-related health. Keep in mind that change can take time and won't necessarily be a straight path.

If you take a step toward change and then a step back, nothing is stopping you from taking a step forward again. Talking with a care provider and getting a comprehensive assessment can help you understand whether formal treatment for gambling is a promising option for you.

Source: Harvard Health Publishing

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Instablog9ja

Generosity Gone Wrong: Lawyer Shares Experience Of Helping Co-tenants With Water, Only To Find One Selling It To Others

~0.6 mins read

A lawyer has shared his experience of helping his co-tenants with water, only to find one selling it to others.

He said they have not had electricity in three days. He reserved his generator for times like this so he could pump water with it for himself and co tenants. He has always done this without asking anyone for a dime.

He found out yesterday that as soon as he switched on the Gen, a tenant bypassed the water to the reservoir and she was selling the water to neighbors. The main apartment that was supposed to have water didn’t. He was using petrol to pump water, someone is selling it and making cool cash. Why are humans so s£lfish and gr££dy?

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Investopedia

S&P 500 Gains And Losses Today: Index Tallies Election Day Upswing

~2.1 mins read

Despite uncertainty over the next occupant of the White House and the economic policies that may ensue, major U.S. equities indexes pushed higher as voters headed to the polls on Election Day. However, investors are likely bracing for market volatility if the outcome remains undetermined over the coming days.

The S&P 500 jumped 1.2% on Tuesday. The tech-heavy Nasdaq surged 1.4%, while the Dow added 1.0%.

The top performance in the S&P 500 on Election Day belonged to analytics software provider Palantir Technologies (PLTR), whose shares skyrocketed 23.4%. The surge in the stock came after Palantir reported better-than-expected revenue and net income for the third quarter. Palantir's CEO highlighted "unrelenting AI demand" as a key driver of the company's strong performance.

Engine manufacturer Cummins (CMI) also reported third-quarter sales and profits that exceeded analysts' forecasts, and its shares popped 9.0% higher. Although sales were essentially flat year-over-year, Cummins increased its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), reflecting margin expansion.

Emerson Electric (EMR) shares surged 7.2% after the industrial technology and engineering company topped quarterly sales and profit estimates, boosted by growth in its Intelligent Devices segment. The firm also announced plans to acquire the remaining stake in Aspen Technology (AZPN), an automation software provider already under Emerson's partial control, in an effort to enhance its position in the industrial automation market.

Shares of Celanese (CE) plummeted 26.3%, the steepest drop of any S&P 500 stock on Tuesday, after the chemical supplier's third-quarter sales and profits fell short of expectations. Softness in key end markets, including paints, coatings, and construction, weighed on the company's performance, along with declines in the automotive and industrial sectors in the Western Hemisphere. Celanese also cut its dividend and announced plans to scale back production, suggesting it expects headwinds to persist.

Casino operator Wynn Resorts (WYNN) also reported weaker-than-expected top- and bottom-line results for the third quarter, and its shares dropped 9.3%. A slowdown in Wynn's Las Vegas operations contributed to the shortfall, while the company's results in Macau were mixed. Wynn also noted an investment of $18.2 million during the quarter in its joint venture that is under construction in the United Arab Emirates.

Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) shares fell 6.0% after the agricultural commodities maker canceled its scheduled earnings conference call and announced that it would restate previous financial results. The company said that, along with previously disclosed issues that led to a prior restatement, it has discovered additional accounting inaccuracies affecting several segments, noting that it is working to complete the restatements as soon as possible. ADM also provided preliminary third-quarter results that came in below forecasts.