The unprecedented challenge that the deal between Turkey and Fayez al-Sarrajs Libyan government poses to Greece has resulted in a renewed effort to understand Turkish motivations from three different angles.

The first is the economic approach and sees Turkish actions as an attempt to acquire access to hydrocarbon deposits. Put in simplistic terms, we could sum up this argument as all wars are about oil, and it would therefore follow that a distribution of these resources would avert conflict.

The manner in which this conversation is framed in Greece tends to excite fantasies of billions of barrels of oil that would erase the public debt almost overnight. It makes sense, then, for Turkey to want a share of this energy treasure; therefore, if we manage to give it a piece of the pie through bilateral negotiations, it will leave us alone.

Champions of this win-win approach see it as a negotiable option. This, however, is not the case for two basic reasons:

a) If under the threat of violence you agree to share resources with the person making the threat over something he does not own, then why should he respect the win that was only allowed by his magnanimity? He will use the same blackmailing tactic, at a time of his own choosing, to take your half, the piece you had not ceded to begin with. He will leave you with the illusion of a viable compromise that may buy you some peace of mind for a few years, but ultimately all that he will have left you is the indignity of the person who shoots himself with his own gun when others are threatening to kill him. This is how the Czechoslovakians must have felt a year after the Munich Agreement with Hitler in 1938.

b) The area outlined by Turkish demands along the Greek continental shelf between Kastellorizo, Rhodes and Lasithi on Crete is the most unexplored in terms of seismic research in Europe. There has been no exploratory drilling whatsoever, which makes sense as seismographic data has not been collected for decades there, because no one has considered this area to be of any interest. No one is conspiring to hide something because no one knows what this area could contain in terms of hydrocarbons. Therefore, Turkeys aggression cannot be explained as being motivated by energy interests when the assets at stake are unknown.

The second approach is centered on the law and has a tendency of treating Turkish aggression like a courtroom simulation. International law forms the cornerstone of Greeces foreign policy. However, if we do not have the deterrent power to defend it, we cannot protect ourselves just by invoking it for the simple reason that compliance with international law is not automatic.

The fact that the Turkey-Sarraj agreement is invalid, illegal and irrational does not mean that it doesnt entail the risk of political faits accomplis. These can be averted not just by legal arguments but mainly through our airborne deterrent strength, which would render our legal arguments much more effective. Meanwhile, our powerful alliances may be multiplying, but they are no substitute for either of the two aforementioned factors of national force. The stance of France, Egypt and Israel will be key here.

This law-centric approach calls for immediate recourse to the International Court of Justice at The Hague via an arbitration agreement and the restarting of exploratory talks in order to achieve this arbitration agreement. It fails, though, to answer a series of questions that render this option impractical, such as:

- Why would Turkey accept an arbitration agreement which it has stubbornly refused to sign since 1976, especially when the balance of power is clearly more in its favor than it was in 1976 or 1987?

- Why should exploratory talks lead to an agreement now when theyve failed to do so for the past 20 years, during which time they were a simulation of negotiations?

- Will we seek a package solution for the Aegean and the Southeastern Mediterranean or will we ask for a decision only on our differences with Turkey in the Southeastern Mediterranean, where, however, we have yet to determine the external boundaries of the Greek continental shelf which is in fact the basis of our line of negotiation as we have done in the Ionian and Libyan seas since 2011?

- With which exact measurement of territorial waters will we go to The Hague? Will we try to win Turkey over to the idea of legal recourse by accepting as the government of Costas Simitis did in 2002-04 that Greeces territorial waters are less than 6 nautical miles in parts of the Aegean?

- Could Turkey view the intention to embark on negotiations as a sign of weakness and move ahead with implementing the Sarraj accord by sending seismic research vessels into the disputed area?

The third approach, that of Thucydidean Realism, sees Turkish aggression as stemming from an imbalance in the bilateral balance of power. Observing the actions of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Thucydides would not recommend that Greece should take immediate recourse to The Hague.

He would note that Libya lies too far away for the Turkish Armed Forces and that Turkey not only has no response to the Greek Mirage jets but has the same type of F-16s as Greece, though manned by inferior crews following the purge in the wake of the 2016 coup attempt. He would remind us that Greece has a superior submarine fleet to that of Turkey, and that these vessels have clear tactical advantages in the Southeastern Mediterranean theater due to the proximity of Greek harbors.

He would advise us to form a common front with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the majority of the Arab League states that would recognize a future Libyan government under or including General Khalifa Haftar, with which we would sign our own exclusive economic zone agreement.

Lastly, he would recommend that we deepen the defense and intensify the energy parameters of our cooperation agreements with Cyprus, Egypt and Israel, delineating the external borders of our continental shelf in the Southeastern Mediterranean up to the point where Cyprus delineation begins and then after agreeing on an EEZ delimitation with Egypt take recourse to The Hague, inviting Turkey to do the same.

* Dr Theodoros Tsakiris is an associate professor of geopolitics at the University of Nicosia.

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The motivations behind Turkey's behavior | Comment - http://www.ekathimerini.com

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Tim Benz: What Steelers QB 'Duck' Hodges actually said that motivated the Bills - TribLIVE

The odds have never been steeper.

Browns players know that, and its a major reason why theyre not really dwelling on it heading into their home finale Sunday against the AFC North champion Ravens.

Regardless, the motivation to play at their top level -- kind of like how they did months ago against the same Ravens -- trumps anything involving the postseason.

We have to have a lot of help, but we are playing to get better, Browns QB Baker Mayfield said. We have to. We are playing to finish this thing out the right way and the way the people that have worked so long for this season it has been a long grueling season but people around here deserve for us to finish the right way.

What needs to happen for the Browns to make the playoffs? Its pretty simple, but its also a lot.

On top of winning out, the Browns need the Steelers (at Jets, at Ravens) and Titans (vs. Saints, at Texans) to lose their final two games. Additionally, the Colts (vs. Panthers, at Jaguars) need to win their final two games. That would set up a four-way tie at 8-8 that would favor the Browns. A three-way tie without the Colts would not.

The Browns are most focused on the first part of that equation, knowing a loss Sunday puts an end to to their hopes before they even have a chance to check the scores from around the league.

For now, we are focused on Baltimore, WR Odell Beckham Jr. said. There is still an opportunity there as crazy as it is. A lot of things have to happen, we have to rely on X, Y and Z, but the only thing we can focus on is beating Baltimore and worry about whatever happens after.

-- The Browns were without offensive linemen JC Tretter and Kendall Lamm during Wednesdays practice. Both players are dealing with knee injuries.

DT Sheldon Richardson (back) was also sidelined.

Browns coach Freddie Kitchens said Lamms injury is different than the one that kept him out for the first half of the season. Tretter, meanwhile, has missed a number of practices over the past couple of weeks but hasnt missed any snaps in games.

DE Olivier Vernon, who has missed five of the past six games with a knee injury, was limited Wednesday.

I think he is close. I do not know if he will get there or not, Kitchens said. We will see at the end of the week.

Originally posted here:
hanging on to slim playoff hopes but remain motivated to 'finish the right way' - News & Notes - clevelandbrowns.com

Journal: The Knights can become one of a handful of programs to total 35 wins over the past three seasons.

Published Dec. 21

Updated Yesterday

TAMPA For the first time in three years, they have no New Years Six bowl much less national title to motivate them, which isnt to suggest the UCF Knights enter the Gasparilla Bowl with no incentive.

Turns out, the stakes have only mildly diminished for the Knights (9-3), who can reach rarefied air with a victory Monday against Marshall (8-4) at Raymond James Stadium.

A triumph not only would give UCF three consecutive seasons of at least 10 wins for the first time in the programs 41-year history, it would make the Knights one of only six Division I-A teams to win at least 35 games over the past three seasons.

The others (entering bowl season): Clemson (40), Ohio State (38), Alabama (37), Oklahoma (36) and Georgia (35).

Thats elite company that we have an opportunity to be a part of, Knights second-year coach Josh Heupel said.

Defensive tackle Anthony Montalvo, a Sickles High alumnus, said a 10th win would signify even more.

Just to show that were still here, he said. Obviously we wanted to go 13-0, it didnt happen, but we have next year to try to go 13-0. That 10th win will show that were still here, were still ready to play.

Dont expect UCF top receiver Gabe Davis or No. 2 rusher Adrian Killins, both of whom will enter the NFL draft, to play Monday.

Heupel, presumably engaging in some bowl-week gamesmanship, still hasnt addressed eithers status for the game. Davis (72 catches, 1,241 yards, 12 TDs), a junior, announced his decision to bypass his senior season via Twitter on Dec. 4. Killins (87 carries, 629 yards, seven TDs), a senior, announced on Thursday he would be moving on and transitioning to the next chapter of my life.

Marshall safety Micah Abraham, recently selected to the Conference USA all-freshman team, will become the third member of his family to roam the Raymond James Stadium turf Monday.

His dad, Donnie, was a Bucs cornerback from 1996-2001, and older brother Devin made 37 career starts at safety for USF from 2014-17. Micah, who chose Marshall over USF and Boston College, has started the past five games and enters the Gasparilla Bowl with 33 tackles and three pass breakups.

Coming in, I knew I was gonna have to compete, said Micah Abraham, an East Lake High alumnus who will be making his RayJay debut.

I didnt know I was gonna get this much playing time, but as long as I keep working hard and keep doing what I know I can do and just keep grinding on a daily basis, I should be fine.

Not surprisingly, the most prolific runner in Conference USA (Marshall tailback Brendan Knox) has operated behind its most seasoned offensive line.

Three Thundering Herd linemen center Levi Brown (49), right tackle Tarik Adams (36) and left tackle Will Ulmer (34) have at least 34 career starts. Left guard Alex Mollette and right guard Cain Madden have 22 and 21, respectively.

All are redshirt juniors except Brown, whos a redshirt senior. The unit has remained intact for 11 of Marshalls 12 games this season, during which Knox (the C-USA MVP) has run for 1,284 yards.

All of them have plus-30 starts, Montalvo said. Theyve all been playing with each other, so they all have that connection, so I think that helps em.

Marshall enters Mondays game with seven consecutive bowl victories, the longest active streak in college football. UCF receiver Marlon Williams, when asked if it feels strange playing a bowl game in the home stadium of his rival (USF): Yeah, it is weird, but this is our town so its okay. Though UCF offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby has departed for the same job at Ole Miss, dont expect a significant effect on game day; Heupel calls the plays.

UCF (9-3, AAC) vs. Marshall (8-4, C-USA)

2:30 p.m. Monday, Raymond James Stadium

TV: ESPN

Find tickets here

Continued here:
Gasparilla Bowl: Even with no national title in sight, UCF still motivated for Monday - Tampa Bay Times

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Outlines of 3D Printed Wearables Market Demand Assures Motivated Revenue Share during 2020-2029 - GuruFocus.com

Credit:

USA Today Sports. Pictured: Patrick Mahomes

Dec 23, 2019, 07:05 PM EST

Odds as of Saturday evening and via DraftKings, where Action Network users get a risk-free bet up to $500.

The Chiefs hopes of securing a first-round bye are all but lost with the Patriots win on Saturday. (More on that later.) But with the lowered stakes in mind, how should you bet this spread?

Our experts preview the Sunday Night Football matchup, analyzing whether theres any value on buying or fading Kansas City as a 6-point road favorite.

Which team is healthier? Chiefs

The Chiefs will be without cornerback Morris Claiborne (shoulder) and offensive lineman Andrew Wylie (ankle/shoulder). Some good news: Theyll get Damien Williams (ribs) back, and Mecole Hardman (glute) is good to go after popping up on Thursdays injury report.

The Bears have already ruled out offensive lineman Bobby Massie (ankle) and Taylor Gabriel (concussion), and they have two noteworthy players listed as questionable: Cornerback Prince Amukamara (hamstring) and defensive lineman Akiem Hicks (elbow). Hicks practiced in full on Friday, so he should be trending toward playing. Amukamara got in limited practices on Thursday and Friday. His injury is slightly more concerning because he missed Week 14 with this hamstring issue. Justin Bailey

Bears Running Backs vs. Chiefs Defense

Thanks to their 30th-ranking in Football Outsiders run defense DVOA, teams have prioritized ball control against the Chiefs, who have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs as a result.

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Chiefs vs. Bears Betting Odds & Pick: How to Factor In Kansas Citys Motivation on SNF - The Action Network

Down, but not out.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight contender, Colby Covington, could be sidelined for up to six months or longer after suffering a broken jaw against Kamaru Usman in the UFC 245 pay-per-view (PPV) main event last weekend in Las Vegas.

But failing to back up months of pre-fight trash talk has not deterred Chaos from believing hes still the best in the world, which is why his coach, Dan Lambert, expects Covington to make his Octagon return at some point in 2020 as confident as ever.

He came back to Florida to go see an oral surgeon here to figure out what he wanted to do, Lambert told MMA Fighting. He wants to get right back in. He wants to get right back into training. He wants to get back into training as soon as hes ready health-wise. He wants to get back and prove that hes the best. Hes 1,000 percent positive, 1,000 percent motivated. Hes ready to go. He didnt lose one piece of confidence in himself.

Sorry, Rosie.

Depending on his timeline for return, Covington (15-2) could be paired off against one of many bitter rivals in the form of ex-welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, who like Chaos, came up short against Usman earlier this year in Las Vegas.

Its also not unreasonable to think hes not far off from a championship rematch, based on his Fight of the Night performance against Usman, though Covington may have to take a number behind fellow contenders Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards.

You can hate the guy, you can want to see him get merked but after putting on a performance like that and going to war the way he went to war and knowing he broke his jaw early in the fight, how can you not have respect for that? Lambert said.

Ask Rocky.

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Coach: Motivated Colby Covington planning UFC comeback to prove hes the best - MMA Mania

It's finally happened: CBS and Viacom are now one company again. ViacomCBS (VIAC) (VIACA) will be more powerful as one entity than as two separate media concerns. That's because Hollywood currently favors scale of content and platform in the streaming era. It's also because Viacom has been coming off several years of fundamental underperformance with its theatrical slates, subpar management and challenging cable environments (i.e.: think consumers ditching linear for broadband-driven subscription services).

With CBS now attached, the company can arguably look ahead now to the future. CEO Robert Bakish is tasked with getting the stock into growth-mode. With Disney (DIS) and Netflix (NFLX) the dominant players in streaming, Bakish's challenge will be to develop great content as well as design (or sell to) the best platforms to deliver that content. This will require acquisitions as well as careful re-investment of incoming cash flows. I believe this is a stock that is a long-term buy, but because it is basically a new idea post the re-merger, I will call it by necessity a speculative consideration.

One of the prime reasons why the stock is of interest is because one might naturally assume that this new era in the company's history represents what is essentially an inflection point. Such a transitional period could mean that the management team is now incentivized to aggressively pursue new avenues of growth.

And this will mean that new ideas will be incubated and executed. There will be failures, of course, but I doubt shareholders will revisit the doldrums inflicted upon them during the Philippe Dauman regime.

At a recent conference, Bakish talked about his vision for the company. The word synergy has made a comeback of sorts for the CEO; in fact, his comments remind me of another time in media, when linear ruled the roost and repurposing content via cable channels was a popular method of amortizing investment costs.

His comments also come with the context of the stock being cheap, in his mind. As the article points out, the stock is indeed trading in the mid single-digit P/E range. Bakish certainly wants to make a big splash, and he may have an easy time of it propelling the stock to a higher premium, at least initially. That's because he will be looking to make an impression quickly.

Being incentivized means, in part, searching for ways to maximize the financial position of the company. I like two things that were mentioned: asset monetization and a stock buyback.

Of the two, asset monetization is the more highly valued, in my opinion. Deadline reported on the move Bakish made regarding the company headquarters, and while such a real estate transaction is a valid approach, I'm hoping to see other kinds of sales that will target assets linked to previous investments. For instance, Simon & Schuster might make for a reasonable sell idea. Awesomeness TV isn't necessarily a core concern at the moment and also could be considered (I do like this asset for certain reasons, but perhaps ViacomCBS would find too much overlap with it). I foresee a full review of the portfolio with an eye toward selling some significant parts. I also would see potential for some creative selling. As an example, the Indiana Jones library could be sold off in full to Disney (DIS). The company might also search for other parts of its library that could be let go.

A stock buyback also would make the shares attractive as it would show management's confidence in the future, but it could of course come with risks. The company should concentrate on producing content and promoting its platforms first and foremost. Nevertheless, returning value to shareholders is a perennial goal for most companies, and given the aforementioned P/E ratio, it arguably isn't a bad time to take back some of the float.

The company will undoubtedly look to make some purchases. Although Bakish seems reticent to discuss any strategy regarding this part of the thesis, I still believe that Lions Gate Entertainment (LGF.A) (LGF.B) remains essentially on the table. Purchasing that studio would scale up ViacomCBS's library content quickly.

The company also is examining investing in the Miramax library. I'd prefer a total purchase as opposed to an equity stake, but the point here is that Bakish clearly wants access to as much branded content as possible. Depending on the dynamic of the rights held within this library - and you can bet they are complicated and ambiguous at points - ViacomCBS can create reboots and prequels and sequels to all kinds of stories and characters. This will in turn help to drive other parts of the newly-merged conglomerate.

If the company can scale up a bit, then it also might make itself attractive to a potential bigger media concern in the future. That also must be taken into account when considering an investment in this new stock. Some ideas of potential purchases in my mind are some of the smaller studios/libraries such as A24 and comic-book entity Archie Comics. Hasbro (HAS) of course has already purchased eOne, but these concepts represent the type of smaller-scale buys that could interest management down the road.

ViacomCBS has several linear and non-linear platforms that deliver content.

Showtime is a well-known cable channel that is also trying its hand at the OTT paradigm. The service has over 27 million subscribers. Content such as Homeland and Ray Donovan have played well with viewers. The hope is for the OTT version to continue to expand, as well as total subscriptions overall. With all the different services out there, this will be tough, especially given CBS's All Access product existing as a potential cannibalizing factor. Access is a total direct-to-consumer play that is powered by the Star Trek and Twilight Zone brands. According to this Variety article, the OTT version of Showtime, combined with Access, counts 8 million subscribers. That's a small number, but it also implies a growth opportunity.

The company also owns Pluto TV. This is an ad-supported service that has a plethora of dedicated channels (e.g., a channel that shows only Doctor Who episodes, as well as channels that show only certain reality shows, etc.). The asset was purchased for $340 million by Viacom about a year ago. Bakish said at the aforementioned conference event that the service is worth much more today based on viewing levels and active-subscriber counts (and, one would presume, additions to the lineup). The linked article mentioned 20 million active viewers in a given month. This also represents a growth opportunity, as well as an opportunity to create another subscription-based offering. And just as Disney is bundling its streaming services, ViacomCBS could indeed grow the OTT business via bundling strategies.

The company also owns MTV Networks, which is driven by MTV and Nickelodeon, and the Paramount Network. Obviously linear is under siege to some extent, and Wall Street prefers hearing about non-linear stories, but this part of the conglomerate nevertheless can help to drive value long-term. The cable nets aren't going away, and content pipelines that start on MTV can end up on Access or Pluto, and vice versa. In addition, I hope management sees fit to try day-and-dating some Paramount movie projects with its streaming components (that would even include Showtime), or near day/dating them (i.e, bring a new movie release to Access/et cetera perhaps in less than a month's time while still keeping it in theaters).

As I've stated, the stock seems to be inexpensive. Looking at many metric indicators in the SA quote system, such as P/E, P/sales, enterprise value metrics, et cetera, the shares come away attractive. However, overall, SA gives the stock an average rating because of cash-flow concerns (which is important to consider).

The company declared a dividend recently of $0.24 per share according to SA. Right now, that would put the yield at over 2%. That won't place the stock on the radar of income investors, but for a media concern, that isn't too bad.

Right now, I think it is difficult to consider the company on a total quantitative basis since we haven't gotten any quarterly reports yet since the merger. Obviously we're going on past history and analyst predictions, which is fair enough.

However, I'm leaning toward the qualitative side of this story. Viacom and CBS will prosper together as a cohesive unit; I am bullish on the synergy scenario as laid out by Bakish. The CEO should have something to prove, so like I've argued, his future legacy is linked to how well he manages the company for shareholder value.

ViacomCBS obviously is not a disruptive IPO, but this is a new beginning. Put this stock on a watch list at the very least; buying it on a somewhat speculative basis (given that we haven't seen quarterly data yet) with a long-term frame of mind is also something to consider.

Disclosure: I am/we are long DIS, LGF.A, LGF.B. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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ViacomCBS Is A Buy Based On Content, Valuation And Motivated Management - Seeking Alpha

If you were to start a professional basketball team based out of Los Angeles 60 years ago, the first combination of colors youd choose probably wouldnt be purple and gold. Its also safe to assume that Lakers would have been near the bottom of the list of potential team names despite how easily Los Angeles Lakers rolls off the tongue.

But somehow, the Lakers have made it work for the last 60 years thanks to the rich history thats associated with the teams name, colors and iconic logo, which has pretty much been the same since 1961. That history includes 11 championships not including the five they won as the Minneapolis Lakers 26 Basketball Hall of Famers and 11 retired numbers.

Admittedly, the Lakers havent lived up to their name in recent years, but the allure of the organization is still seemingly as strong as ever, as it landed them LeBron James in 2018. Now, the pressure is on James to deliver the Lakers a championship just like the greats before him did, and in the most recent episode of his HBO series The Shop, James said he feels the weight of those expectations on his shoulders every time he puts on his uniform.

James isnt the first person to share his feelings on the experience of putting on a Lakers jersey this season. After the Lakers win over the Washington Wizards last month, Howard said that he feels the same sense of pride James talked about when he suits up in his purple and gold armor.

Every time we step on the court, every time we put on that jersey, we feel like the Men in Black. The scene in the movie when he says are you ready to put on the last suit youll ever put on? Thats how we all feel every time we put on this uniform. Like this is it. This is what we play for, Howard said.

Sure, it may sound a little cliche, but general consensus among players is that putting on a Lakers jersey is different than putting on almost any other jersey in the NBA. As a matter of fact, the only teams that could probably offer a similar experience are the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls.

The hope is that feeling has a lasting effect on Anthony Davis, and that its something free agents still desire. If the last two years are a sign of anything, the Lakers are in a good spot.

For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow this author on Twitter at @RadRivas.

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LeBron James says legends of Lakers past motivate him while wearing uniform - Silver Screen and Roll

Sheela Biernstiel who is popularly known as Ma Anand Sheela is a former spokeswoman of the Rajneesh Movement and an Indian born American-Swiss convicted criminal.

Ma Anand Sheela came into the limelight again after Netflix series Wild, Wild Country aired and she grabbed eyeballs for her witty comments and one-liners.

As per reports, Ma Sheela Anand came across as an influential and imposing stateswoman but the 70-year-old is full of warmth in one meets her in person.

She got involved in a lot of controversies in the 80s when she was a personal secretary for Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and later pleaded guilty to attempted murder and assault for the role she played in the 1984 Rajneeshee Bioterror Attack, however, several filmmakers from the film industry are now approaching her to bring her story to life on reel.

In a recent interview, Ma Anand Sheela spilled the beans about the time Priyanka Chopra had announced starring in a biopic based on her, she had sent Priyanka a legal notice not allowing her to do so. She said that she denied the Quantico actress permission to star in the biopic as she had not chosen her for the same.

Ma Sheela further revealed that she did not hear from Priyanka's team post her legal notice but that she never took it to heart.

When she was asked who she would prefer to play her in the biopic, Ma Sheela said that she wished Alia Bhatt played her as she looked more like Alia when she was young and sees a spunk in the Raazi actress that she had in her early days.

She further added that spunk is very important and natural, not artificial and made up and that Alia has that necessary spunk to play her on-screen.

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'I looked like her when I was young': Ma Anand Sheela prefers Alia Bhatt over Priyanka Chopra for her biopic - DNA India